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Volume 16 • Issue 6 • December 2016
 
Our Perspective


Looking for first class project and consulting services?

Look no further! This month we are launching Collarini Energy Experts! With over 40 years of industry leadership experience, we believe every asset, every project is unique and demands an individualized, Fit-for-Purpose solution. Here is a summary of recent examples of how and what we did for our clients. This new service is a natural, tapping into one of the biggest networks of subject matter experts in the industry, a strong background of leadership in oil and gas, and the capability of selecting and managing the right team, just when you need it at a cost befitting your budget. We are ready to go to work for you!

Collarini Energy Experts – We know the people. Every problem is special. Every solution is unique.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Your friends at Collarini


P.S. Are you interested in joining our team? Here are some thoughts that might help steer you in the right career direction.


Project Review^ Back to Top

Unique Project Resources – for Your Unique Situation


As the price of oil moves into territory that warrants some optimism, you may be considering investing in projects that are now profitable. If you are strapped for resources after having to keep overhead low these past two years, we can help. We have launched Collarini Energy Experts, a managed consultancy to provide Fit-for-Purpose teams to find the right solutions for your unique problems and opportunities. The best way to describe what we do is anecdotally, so we have presented some actual case studies here:

A small company had geologically evaluated a drilling participation opportunity but wanted confirmation of reserves and costs associated with the entire life cycle of the project; they did not have the internal specialists needed to fully assess the economic potential and move forward. After an explanation of the need, we were able to define the scope of the project and assemble the right team of experts in drilling, operations, reservoir, petrophysics, and facilities with specific geographic expertise in the area of interest. We then reviewed the data and sourced additional information that was needed, evaluated the reservoir properties, confirmed the hydrocarbon recovery and fluid properties, researched and validated the capital and expense assumptions, and prepared a final report to the client. The process took less than 10 days and was completed under budget!

How was it done? We called on six subject matter experts to work in exactly their areas of expertise, with the data being made available to them at precisely the right moment. In other words, there were no delays, because we utilized our Fit-for-Purpose, Just-in-Time approach that has become a staple in modern manufacturing!

Another customer asked us to study a large reservoir with both producing and injection wells. A simulation already existed but needed to be updated, and the completion effectiveness needed to be assessed. Our two-person team consisted of a simulation expert and a completions expert, both specifically experienced in the unconsolidated rock in question and in the software used by the operator. They spent time with the operator’s team and recommended additional data be gathered and incorporated into the analysis. The final result was used to make both operational and reserve booking decisions. The challenge was to complete the project in time for a previously scheduled senior management meeting with progress reports in regular intervals in advance. Our team worked on-site, side-by-side with the company team and the data. The final report was ready-to-go as part of the presentation to senior management and included detailed recommendations for a forward plan. This project was concluded to client satisfaction and met with management approval.

Finally, a project completed for a major operator documented well histories of over 2,000 wells using data from various sources. All of the wells had been fractured at completion, and the information was to be used to optimize completion design in a number of domestic basins. We proposed a team of three production engineers, two technicians, and a database programmer to capture the data. This project included design and creation of a database in a format that could be uploaded into a central system later in order to keep the team independent of the company’s secure systems. Over 30 separate data fields were interpreted by the engineers and populated with the help of technicians. Our programmer was available during the project for updates and revisions as the team remained flexible in capturing the data needed as the process emerged. The project was completed over a six-month period within budget.

We can help you, too! We hope you won’t pass on an opportunity because you don’t have the staff or your usual advisory firm does not have the time for smaller projects. And don’t think either that it may be too costly or take too long: Fit-for-Purpose means Fit-for-Budget.

Give us a call, and we will be happy to discuss your situation and come up with personalized options for you.



Collarini Energy Experts’ Services^ Back to Top

The following services are available to you, designed specifically to meet your needs, solve your problems, Fit-for-Purpose. Please call one of our officers to learn more about these services and arrange a personal meeting and customized proposal.

Hydrocarbon Reserve Appraisal
It is the purpose for which a hydrocarbon appraisal is done that dictates its scope, time, and budget. Whether it is intended for government or public reporting, internal accounting, investor (equity or lending) presentation or reporting, investment decision making, acquisition, or sale will determine the type of technical expertise and depth of study required. That scope and the amount and nature of available data also determines the composition of the team, which can include some or all of reservoir engineering, geology, geophysics, petrophysics, economics, drilling, operations, and technical support. That scope and budget can be controlled according to the need, and a Fit-for-Purpose team assembled and managed accordingly. This is important for you to control exactly the information, documentation, and other support you may need. An external team can also serve as de facto mentors to a small or less experienced staff.

Acquisition Evaluation
An acquisition evaluation is a particular application of reserve appraisal that requires a special, expandable team. Many possible acquisition opportunities are not fully pursued for various reasons; with this Fit-for-Purpose solution, our team may begin with only one person with specific basin experience to assist in the screening and preliminary evaluation. Only when the decision is made to take the next step will the team be expanded to include geoscience, engineering, land, and others, working independently or supplementing your own group of experts. In the final stages prior to closing, the evaluation team is normally reduced and due diligence expertise added as needed. Direct expertise in technical and support disciplines is especially important, as this kind of work usually has to be done quickly, sometimes in only weeks, without overlooking any critical components. We have conducted many hundreds of these evaluations using proven methods, and we will bring the right geologic and geographic expertise to you to be as efficient as possible. Just-in-Time.

Divestment
Divesting assets presents a special challenge: prospective buyers screen numerous deal packages before expending their resources on an evaluation. In reality, there is never enough time allowed in the selling process for purchasers to sort through all the data and find the hidden value you would like them to see. Presenting them with a road map to the value is the key to success. We do this by preparing a reserve appraisal that may also include the initial gathering of your technical, administrative, land, and commercial data and organizing it in a concise and clear manner for our use as well as for the use of lookers. Following the Fit-for-Purpose principle, our team of experts will have the technical and professional experience that matches the assets being divested: conventional versus unconventional, offshore versus onshore, specific geologic basins, and specific geographic areas. They will also have expertise in computer software that is compatible with yours as well as standard to the industry. It makes sense for an external team to manage this particular process, because, unless the whole company is marketed, your employees should be spending time on assets you are going to keep. We find the data, organize it, evaluate it, and use the appraisal to present it to buyers. The technical experts on the team will be called into action as needed to assess reserves, operations, costs, land issues, regulatory, contracts, and more to complete getting the assets to market including guiding the due diligence process. All of this can happen as needed (yes) Just-in-Time, with involvement of each expert only to the degree they are needed to control the budget. Top-shelf expertise putting your asset’s best foot forward, all for a budget you can afford!

Producing Field Optimization
Following an acquisition or merger, after a reorganization, or after a downsizing of personnel, you will probably have assets being managed by people whose experience or skills don’t completely match up. As your own people gain familiarity with the properties, a project team with the right basin experience, formed specifically for the task, will unearth fresh solutions to enhance production and reduce costs, unlocking that hidden value waiting to be discovered. The value may come from debottlenecking, problem detecting, downhole productivity analysis, or surface equipment troubleshooting. It may come from bringing new technology applications that were learned from other basins. A Fit-for-Purpose study of your producing field provided by a small and focused team of experts will find the opportunities where they exist and can recommend a path to unlock additional production. Such a team will comprise some or all of facilities, production, and reservoir engineers, operations experts, and technicians with specific expertise in the type and location of the asset: oil or gas, primary or enhanced recovery, conventional or shales, natural or artificial lift, sweet or sour production, and so on. The proposal and budget can be tailored to the asset, and the benefits include a jump-start to profitability and mentoring to your own teams.

Data Management
Capturing, organizing, indexing, and managing large amounts of data are important to decision making. Whether this data arrives from a new acquisition or is from heritage sources, it takes knowledgeable people to help turn it into the information needed to find upside potential or save on costs. The kind of information, its format, and the desired end product will define the Fit-for-Purpose team who possess the right expertise. Specific software, such as for seismic data or reserve databases, demands knowledge of the applications involved in merging new and existing data sets. Summary information, for important commercial, legal, and regulatory facts of newly acquired assets requires experts with regional, state, and federal expertise as well as general land/legal and commercial acumen; putting this information in a common format will provide quick access to any legal or contractual obligations to the new asset owner. Technical or downhole data may be present in various stages of digitization depending on the age of the asset. The goal is to conform incoming data to an existing, in-house, system by using experienced engineering and geoscience technicians, engineers, and geoscientists with just the right kind of experience to understand and interpret the data. Merging financial and accounting systems poses special challenges; beyond GAAP rules and restrictions, incoming data must be carefully incorporated into an existing system or all into a new system. This requires specific experience in different accounting and report writing systems and is definitely not a one-size-fits all situation. Any or all of this data can be addressed in a proposal specific to your situation.





Career Advice ^ Back to Top

Oil and Gas Consulting - Is it for You?


The Danish physicist Niels Bohr, famously, once said "An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field."

Now you might ask yourself: How do I become an expert and can make all those mistakes while being paid? While you might want to practice making mistakes on your own personal training time, we do suggest that consulting is a good way to become that expert!
  • Always Learning!
    Working on different projects for different clients is never boring and will lead to new perspectives. No one project or client is the same. Even if you think you know the industry, the companies, and the employees in it, working on a variety of projects gives you the chance to see different company cultures and meet new people. This can be beneficial as you decide on your next career move. And if you do choose to stay on the project side, then you can find the niches that fit you perfectly.

  • Professional Networking!
    Working with a project firm is a quick and effective way to enhance your existing network by being a member of different teams, across multiple organizations, often with senior members of companies. This in turn can lead to new mentorships, business relationships, and even friendships. Many of us fondly remember projects and tough assignments we have worked on together and the people who worked with us. This real network is one of the reasons people say has made their work life so rewarding.

  • Road to Expert Status!
    Working on focused projects and at the speed needed to meet deadlines provides exceptional training. Life is the best teacher, and projects are great classes to attend! Projects are by definition fast-paced and collaborative; you have a chance to learn from those who are more experienced. With skill and exposure, before you know it you will find yourself becoming more expert in your specific field, software, type of asset, or geographic region. With this working experience, you will tend to read more in-depth about your field, keeping you ahead of the curve technologically. You will also converse with your colleagues, which will increase and deepen your expertise.

  • Faster Track to Advancement!
    Of course you may not be the project manager right out of the chute, but there are solid rewards based on your performance. Advancement in a larger organization can take years waiting for natural attrition and retirements. On projects, if you are great at what you do, you will see rewards faster as you further display your expertise in your field.
There are lots of opportunities to learn, grow, and progress as a project consultant. Let us know your interest in joining our group of experts!


About Us ^ Back to Top

Connecting the Industry's Experts...

Collarini Energy Staffing is a full-service agency specializing in the placement of personnel including the disciplines listed below.
Collarini Energy Experts manages projects to provide Fit-for-Purpose solutions for upstream oil and gas using these same experts.

Accounting and finance personnel
Administrative and clerical personnel
Business analysts
Civil and architectural engineers
Data Management
Drilling engineers
Drilling operations supervisors
Energy trading professionals
Executives
Facilities engineers
Geologists, geophysicists, and petrophysicists
Health, safety, and environmental personnel
Human resources personnel
Instrument and electrical engineers
IT professionals
Land, legal, and supporting personnel
Marine engineers and naval architects
Materials and corrosion engineers
Mechanical engineers
Operations supervisors
Pipeline, riser, and subsea engineers
Process engineers
Procurement personnel
Production engineers
Production operations supervisors
Project managers and support personnel
Quality control and inspection personnel
Reservoir engineers
Sales and marketing professionals
Technical writers
Technicians, drafting and graphic
Technicians, engineering and geoscience



Contact Us ^ Back to Top

1500 S. Dairy Ashford Road, Suite 350
Houston, Texas 77077
832­.251­.0553

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Comments ^ Back to Top

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