Boris Vydric, Deputy Chairman of the Scientific Council of CTTDC

 

Time runs fast. The First Conference on Coiled Tubing Technologies was held on March 20, 1998; while this autumn (September 16–18) will mark the anniversary by the Tenth Conference on Coiled Tubing Technologies and Well Intervention. The name of the Conference is not the only thing that has been changed – the range of issues to be discussed has been expanded to meet the requirements of the modern day oil and gas service industry which is far from being at a standstill.

 

Over the span of more than ten years the Russian oil and gas sector has been one of the most dynamic industries. Some of the parties to the First Conference have gone off stage for various reasons. New names are now heading the oil industry list. Among them – the Integra Company, the largest Russian service and product company to date, and a number of powerful regional service companies, like FOSCO. The Conference having received wide recognition from both, domestic and foreign experts, its original frame has turned from all-Russian to international.

 

Over these years the service structure of the oil and gas complex has experienced striking changes. Most of the large oil companies have implemented total or partial restructuring, removing from operation their own well workover and current workover teams, as well as drilling crews. Today, these operations are performed by external service companies, the sector witnessing more and more niche service producers. Thus, independent Russian contractors provide geophysical and seismic survey for Tatneft and Rosneft.

 

Out of the major foreign service companies (Schlumberger, Halliburton, and BJ Services among them) which used to be visible in the service market only some (like Weatherford) are consistently extending their presence, while others have long withdrawn. Besides, a number of powerful Russian market players (Integra, OTO, SSK etc.) have recently entered the sector of high-technology services.

 

The size of services market in the oil and gas complex keeps growing year after year procuring business territory for both, domestic and international service companies. The case of Surgutneftegas which chose to retain its own maintenance units may serve a noteworthy example against this background.  This experience proves such way to be quite promising for larger companies to follow. However, smaller oil and gas production enterprises find it more profitable to enlist the services of minor regional service companies, for example Ural-Design-PNP OOO, Westor etc.

 

Another recent trend is significant technical upgrading of service producers. As far back as 1990’s the main source of equipment supply was far-abroad countries, while nowadays most of the machinery purchased is designed and produced in the CIS.

 

In this context, the experience of the Russian-Belarusian FID Group whose enterprises produce almost the whole scope of advanced high-technology well intervention equipment is of special interest. Over the recent decade the world equipment fleet has doubled its potential, while the Russian stock has become almost three times as much. The activity of the FID Group and Non-Commercial Partnership “Coiled Tubing Technologies Promotion Centre” established through the contribution from the former, as well as the efforts of Coiled Tubing Times Journal and the International Conference on Coiled Tubing Technologies and Well Intervention are the reason for the rate of Russian coiled tubing technologies development being half as much as the world rate. Over the years top experts have used the Conference as a means of communicating progressive ideas making up for the lack of information on new technologies.

 

The second and all the successive conferences took place in Tyumen, the centre of the leading national oil region. This year jubilee meeting is to be held in Moscow, the city which housed the First Conference and thus became the starting point. This throwback is highly symbolic with many things to happen for the first time ever. It is for the first time that the event will be arranged with participation of the ICoTA (International Coiled Tubing Association) Russian branch. The range of issues under debate is to be wider, the most vital reports to be selected; the prospects and tendencies of oil and gas market development are to be given careful consideration, and the selection criteria for service companies and the scope of their services are to be brought up for discussion. The arrangement of the exhibition of the state of the art well intervention equipment will give the manufacturers an opportunity to build relations with prospective customers.

 

We are glad to break yet another good news. The Conference is to be preceded by the “Coiled Tubing and Its Application” training seminar held by Ken Newman, the ICoTA former chairman and honorary member, and one of the most competent experts in the sphere. The main issues of the seminar will cover well repair and completion technologies involving coiled tubing; coiled tubing equipment and tools; coiled tubing mechanical and hydraulic properties; as well as coiled tubing drilling prospects, etc.

 

The seminar participants will be granted individual seminar certificates. We have high hopes for the Moscow autumn to be warm and rainless, and, God willing, the closing events of the Conference will take place on a motor ship cruise down the Moscow-river. Indeed, there is nothing like intercourse among like-minded people around the fruitful table in the atmosphere as fairytale-like as one can imagine.

 

Dear colleagues, we are looking forward to seeing you!