Scandrill Inc.

Scandrill Inc. provides land contract drilling services to independent and major oil and gas exploration companies. This requires adherence to a set of core values that have been established by the management of Scandrill. These mandate expectations for all employees.

Although all of the core values impact Scandrill’s performance in the areas of health, safety and the environment, two values in particular are essential. As the company’s values statement indicates, it can only claim success if the company’s employees commit themselves to work safely and to preserve the environment.

“At Scandrill, we are committed to maintaining our success in health, safety and the environment by conducting business in a manner that is consistent with the following expectations,” the company says:

• “We will not sacrifice the health or safety of our employees, customers, service providers or the general public;
• “We will not sacrifice the environment;
• “We will not sacrifice the integrity of our customers’ wellbore;
• “We will reinforce Scandrill’s core values; and
• “We will continually develop the future management of Scandrill in a manner that is steadfast with our philosophy of getting health, safety and the environment right.”

Scandrill’s managers are aware of their responsibilities for safety. “We recognize that there are inherent risks involved in our daily responsibilities,” the firm says. “We absolutely believe that these risks can be eliminated or mitigated to an acceptable level by the application of sound management policies and the commitment of all employees.”

One example of that is the performance of the company’s Scan Patriot rig, which operates at 1,000 horsepower, has two mud pumps and is equipped with a 500-ton Tesco top drive. The rig – which was christened in November 2006 – has continued to perform at an exceptional level for four years without an OSHA-recordable incident. “All of us at Scandrill appreciate employees’ daily dedication to safety and performance,” the firm says.

Scandrill emphasizes a safe and positive work environment for its employees and provides opportunities for advancement. Benefit packages include life, medical and vision insurance, and a matching 401(k). Supplemental benefits are also available.

The company supplements its competitive pay scale with per diem and longevity bonuses. Hourly field employees need not work on their days off for rig moves or when a rig is short-handed. This allows them to plan personal time with their families. However, Scandrill says it pays a lucrative incentive for those who fill positions on their days off.

A family owned drilling contractor, Scandrill focuses on hiring long-term, career-minded individuals seeking a stable work environment. Many employees come from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi.

Maintenance, Too
Founded in 1974, Scandrill Inc. is a contract drilling company that caters to the oil and gas industries, specifically independent exploration/development/production companies. It has rigs throughout east Texas and north Louisiana focusing primarily on the Haynesville-Bossier shale. The company plans to expand operations into the Williston Basin in North Dakota and Montana.

Scandrill has 18 drill rigs in the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas region. Their names reflect the patriotism of the company – Scan Victory, Discoverer, Energy, Pride, Explorer, Scout, Producer, Traveler, Spirit, Cross, Gold, Freedom, Texas, Patriot, Liberty, Star, Glory and Eagle. Scandrill plans to start a 19th drill rig by the end of this year.

The company’s corporate office is in Houston. Its Tyler, Texas, facility includes a full-service maintenance facility that has a 14,500-square-foot repair shop with a 10-ton traveling crane. This allows mechanics to complete most electrical or mechanical repairs in the shop.

Shale Play
According to the Railroad Commission of Texas, the Haynesville/Bossier Shale is located in eastern Texas and western Louisiana in Panola, Harrison and Shelby counties. Its hydrocarbon-producing geological formation may be capable of delivering large amounts of natural gas, the commission reports.

The productive interval of the shale is greater than 10,000 feet underground, the commission says. Confusion has resulted over whether the formation is the Haynesville or Bossier shale because of different geological naming conventions in Texas and Louisiana.

“It is generally recognized that the shale interval in east Texas is Lower Bossier that correlates with the Haynesville of Louisiana,” the commission says. “The Upper Bossier formation is distinguished from the Lower Bossier formation by its location, to the southwest, and the fact that it is more sand-rich.”

Operators drilling in the Bossier shale formation have designated the field for wells in Shelby, Panola and Harrison counties as the Carthage, North (Bossier shale). However, as the area has been developed, operators have assigned wells to the Beckville (Haynesville) and Waskom (Haynesville) fields. The result is that the names for Haynesville and Bossier shale are used interchangeably, the commission says.