SAExploration
After a decade, SAExploration has the experience to serve its clients in remote and complex environments. “We offer a wide variety of services, that include project planning, permitting, program design, camp services, survey, drilling, recording, processing and logistics management,” Scott says.
Headquartered in Houston, SAExploration offers vertically integrated seismic data acquisition and logistical support services to national, international oil companies, mining and other industries. “The company started operations as South American Exploration in Lima, Peru, in 2006,” he says. “In 2011, [it] changed [its] name to SAExploration and incorporated in Delaware, U.S.A.”
Over time, it added offices in Bogota, Colombia, in 2008; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Brisbane, Australia, and Santa Cruz, Bolivia in 2010. SAExploration also established its North American seismic operations with the purchase of Datum Exploration in Calgary, and Northern Exploration Services in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2011.
Since then, SAExploration has added additional locations in New Plymouth, New Zealand; Rio de Janiero, Brazil; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It also became a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ Global Stock Market in 2013. Today, “We believe that with the team of dedicated and committed people, our focus on HSE&Q and technology, that we are leaders in the seismic industry,” Scott says.
The company also expanded its transition zone and shallow/deep water operations using the most recent ocean bottom nodal technology. “This is where we see both opportunity and long-term growth within the company,” Scott says.
Driving Values
A nearly 40-year veteran of the industry, Scott joined SAExploration four years ago. He credits the company’s success to its team and its commitment to focusing on its core values as it grows.
“Our core values are integrity, respect, reliability and honesty,” he says. “We take those very seriously when we’re bringing people into the company.”
Not only does SAExploration recruit people who share those values, but the company also looks at continual improvement in the areas of quality, health, safety, social and environmental initiatives. “Those are what we strive for continually,” Scott says.
These initiatives have paid off, as SAExploration has maintained a strong record of keeping its employees safe and offering opportunities to grow together with the company. As of Dec. 31, 2015, “We’ve gone over 15 million man hours without a lost time incident,” he reports.
An essential part of keeping them safe has been training. “We train everyone before going on these jobs,” Scott says. “We also do physicals and drug testing to ensure that the individuals are capable to do the job at hand.”
Adjusting to Commodity Prices
Like many in its industry, SAExploration is coping with lowering commodity prices. “Because of those, I believe revenue growth is going to be somewhat challenging at this point,” Scott says, but asserts that “the company will continue looking at opportunities to improve our margins through planning and execution.
“We’ve been through this many times before,” he says, noting that SAExploration also has adjusted itself to get through this cycle and be prepared when commodity prices start moving in the upward trend.
He predicts SAExploration will continue to outperform its peers. “We’re going to continue looking at opportunities that – wherever we’re working – will be safe for our employees and beneficial to the company and shareholders,” he says.