The WellGear Group (WellGear) provides customers with advanced engineering for oil and gas, geothermal, gas storage and salt cavern well operations. Now, following the successful completion of the world’s first hydrogen snubbing operation, WellGear is geared to disrupt the industry once again. UK Managing Director, Murdo Macleod, explained more in an exclusive interview with Inside Oil & Gas. Report by Imogen Ward.
First established in 2015, WellGear is a specialist in well intervention and decommissioning, as well as a leading developer of pioneering equipment.
“We design, build and operate all our innovative equipment to match the requirements of each specific project,” explained UK Managing Director Murdo Macleod. “All our clients are active within the onshore and offshore oil and gas industries, and
we also work with companies focused on geothermal energy.”
When it was established, WellGear initially operated with just four employees and a single Hydraulic Workover Unit (HWU). Today, the Group has more than 250 employees and operates on a global scale, with facilities based in the Netherlands, the UK, the US, West Africa, the UAE and Australia. This includes two equipment manufacturing
facilities; one based in Broussard, USA, and one in Victoria, Australia.
“We have grown exponentially over the last nine years, both in numbers and in capabilities,” said Mr Macleod. “As of the first quarter of 2024, we have successfully designed, manufactured and placed into operation 16 HWUs across the globe.”
With an industry-wide reputation for developing disruptive technology, WellGear was designed to innovate. Not only was WellGear the first company to have an HWU approved by the Shell Global Rig Start-up team, but it was also the first to have two units operating simultaneously on a single platform.
That same dedication to breaking new ground has continued to steer the Group today.
Overcoming new challenges
With the world championing for net zero emissions, and new fuels being developed and depended upon, WellGear identified a potential opportunity for growth. As a result, it has positioned itself to play an important role in the transition to greener energies. WellGear has always been keen to set a precedent for the improvement of energy services with its high-tech solutions and last year, it reminded the world exactly how it does this by successfully executing the world’s first hydrogen snubbing operation.
“Last year was a momentous time for us, having completed the first hydrogen snubbing operation,” said Mr Macleod. “This was achieved safely and efficiently, and we plan to replicate it in the future.”
This progressive project was carried out in the Netherlands for Gasunie and was just the beginning for WellGear in this field. With more work planned for 2024 and beyond, it has now been granted a patent for the process of handling tubulars under hydrogen pressure. This is a milestone for the well intervention experts.
“We are also the first HWU company to have designed, manufactured and begun operating units that run entirely on electric power,” Mr Macleod added. “We continuously strive to make our equipment safer and more efficient for our team and our clients, whilst also improving the quality of the equipment. These upgrades help put our name at the forefront of the industry.”
The perfect support
Of course, none of these improvements would be possible without WellGear’s dedicated supply chain and expert workforce.
“We work cohesively with our supply chain to ensure all projects run smoothly,” explained Mr Macleod. “This year, the industry-renowned Offshore Achievement Awards recognised this, by naming WellGear as winner of the Collaboration Project category, thanks to our commitment to collaborating with partners and suppliers alike. We are also incredibly proud of our long-standing relationships with our safety-critical equipment suppliers.”
With positive growth in mind, the Group has dedicated significant resources to providing the perfect environment for its workforce to be inspired to develop their skills, and to support and facilitate that development.
“The greatest challenge faced by the industry is a lack of trained personnel,” said Mr Macleod. “This is especially true right now, as the transition to greener energy gathers pace. It will take a significant amount of time to implement that transition, given how many wells are required to be decommissioned and abandoned.”
Currently, WellGear’s workforce is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable and experienced within the industry – a huge competitive advantage when it comes to implementing the transfer to greener energies.
Continuing to innovate
Keen to continue the path of ingenuity, WellGear has developed a new system targeted towards snubbing operations. According to Mr Macleod, the Snubbing Unit Turntable is a complete gamechanger: “This innovation negates the requirement
to rig a unit down to reorientate for operations in a different direction. We are proud to have successfully designed, manufactured and installed this piece of kit in a period of just four months.”
The equipment is now up and running offshore in the UK; with improved efficiency, significant project cost reductions, risk reduction, improved safety and lift reduction.
This latest addition to the portfolio is reflective of the emphasis WellGear places upon QHSE. In compliance with ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001, the company has successfully developed and implemented a first-class QSHE management system that ensures it continues to be a reliable, high-performing and accountable partner that promotes a proactive approach to health and safety.
The Snubbing Unit Turntable is just one of the many innovative projects that WellGear has been working to implement. Another recent addition to the Group’s fleet is the WG017. This bespoke modular unit is compact in design and perfect for snubbing operations utilising an offshore drilling derrick. The equipment relies on a 460,000-pound jack and a 22,000-foot-
pound rotary. Designed to help bolster the development of snubbing technology, the system is another highly efficient addition to the WellGear fleet.
The next steps
As WellGear continues to operate in the UK, mainland Europe, West Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia and the Middle East, supporting the industry’s major players, the company’s future is looking bright.
“We have a solid reputation for excellence and an innovative flair that sets us apart from the rest,” Mr Macleod said, in conclusion. “As we look to the future, we intend to continue growing until we become the largest global operator of HWUs. We are also determined to take the position of service company of choice, and we will achieve this by continuing to provide the world-class quality service our clients already rely upon.”
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