Top Oilfield was founded in 1994 in Sharjah, UAE as a drilling equipment repair/ refurbishment service company
Delivering quality
Over the ensuing years the company pursued a policy of continuous improvement in terms of the quality, production methods and product offerings. Significantly, this vision has resulted in Top Oilfield receiving both ISO and API certifications and a region wide reputation for delivering high quality, and timely and value for money products and services.
Ian Midgley, managing director/CEO, expanded further on the company’s offering: “Our services mainly cover the manufacture, refurbishment/re-certification, repair and upgrade of land drilling rigs. Alongside this we also offer specialist manufacture and maintenance services for land and offshore drilling equipment including engine overhauls, as well as supplying mechanical, electrical and engineering field technicians throughout the Middle East and beyond, who undertake vital repair and maintenance projects in support of our clients.”
He added: “Our commitment is that every piece of equipment that leaves our workshops has been overhauled to the highest industry standards, tested and will perform to its design specifications. We offer a ‘one-stopshop’ concept, whereby drilling equipment, engines, electrical work and steel fabrication work are all undertaken in-house, by our own personnel. This means that we retain full control over all aspects of the projects we are commissioned to do.
“In addition, the savings we make (by not sub-contracting work) are passed on to our customers, making us the most competitive service provider in the region.”
Top Oilfield Industries was last featured in European Oil & Gas Magazine during May 2014, and over the past eight months it has maintained its drive to manufacture highly reliable, high performance and fair priced land drilling rigs and equipment. “We have been commissioned to build four rigs for completion in 2015, these are designed for desert operations, are fast moving and because our field engineers and maintenance personnel are available throughout the Middle East, our clients are assured of full after sales support,” Ian noted.
It was also during 2014 that the company opened a new division, Top Oilfield Rentals, for drilling equipment. Ian explained the thinking behind the launch and the benefits it has generated: “Top Oilfield Rentals provides highly reliable, high performance equipment drilling equipment, engines/generators and service equipment on a rental or lease purchase basis. These products are available throughout the Middle East and include BOP control units, independently driven mud pumps, engine/ generator sets and batch mixers, cementing units and so forth. For us the division provides an opportunity to demonstrate the high reliability and performance of the equipment we manufacture. For our customers who wish to restrict their ‘CAPEX’ purchases and use operating revenues to undertake their activities, renting equipment provides them with an economical means to do so.”
The clients that Ian referred to for both rental and purchase are major and minor drilling rig operators throughout the Middle East, India and North Africa. Ian noted that whilst the issues that prevail in such places as Iraq, Libya and Egypt etc. have without a doubt made drilling operations more difficult in these areas, Top Oilfield is still finding opportunities and continued demand in the remaining (nonsanctioned) locations.
Illustrating the organisation’s growing order books, during 2015 the company will be tendering for a number of projects in new regions, as Ian highlighted: “For most of our existence, we have provided products and services to oil and gas drilling rig operators throughout the Middle East. Whilst we continue to develop our traditional regional presence, the company’s reputation has spread and we are now receiving interest and orders for our products and services in new areas such as the North Sea, Far East and newly emerging oil producers in North Africa.
“Historically we also have supplied highly experienced and qualified field service personnel for projects being undertaken in Norway and other North Sea oil producing nations, and this will continue going forward.”
It is very encouraging that despite the significant drop in oil prices over the past few months, Top Oilfield is still finding strong demand for its products and services within its operating region. “I am optimistic that this will continue,” added Ian. “Long-term, I believe that once the current troubles affecting various Middle Eastern oil producing countries subside, the desperate need for rebuilding collapsed oil/gas producing infrastructure will provide opportunities for companies such as us to be part of the recovery process.”
One month into 2015, Top Oilfield has several significant orders on its books to complete this year, as well as a strategy for further development and growth. “We are dedicated and on course to complete the four new build land rigs I mentioned previously, and our focus is on ensuring that these rigs are manufactured to the highest standards available anywhere in the world and provide highly reliable and high performance service for our customers for many, many years,” concluded Ian. “Looking further ahead, our vision is to become the manufacturer of choice for land rig operators both here in the Middle East and globally. By ensuring that our drilling rigs are manufactured to the highest available standards, are built on time and are priced in accordance with Top Oilfield’s ‘fair pricing policy’, we believe that they will be in high demand.”
Top Oilfield Industries Limited
Services: Drilling equipment repair/refurbishment