Schlumberger and Weatherford today announced an agreement to create OneStim, a joint venture to deliver completions products and services for the development of unconventional resource plays in the US and Canada.

The joint venture will offer one of the broadest multistage completions portfolios in the market combined with one of the largest hydraulic fracturing fleets in the industry, a statement said.

Weatherford will contribute its leading multistage completions portfolio, cost-effective regional manufacturing capability, and supply chain. Schlumberger will provide the joint venture with access to its industry-leading surface and downhole technologies, efficient operational processes and advanced geo-engineered workflows, it said.

Schlumberger and Weatherford will have 70/30 ownership of the joint venture, respectively. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2017, and is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Under the terms of the formation agreement, Schlumberger and Weatherford will contribute all their respective North America land hydraulic fracturing pressure pumping assets, multistage completions, and pump-down perforating businesses. Weatherford will also receive a one-time $535 million cash payment from Schlumberger.

Schlumberger will manage the joint venture and consolidate it for financial reporting purposes.
Schlumberger chairman and CEO Paal Kibsgaard commented: “The joint venture creates a new industry leader in terms of hydraulic horsepower and multistage completions technologies in North America land, which through its scale offers a cost-effective and highly competitive service delivery platform. OneStim is uniquely positioned to provide customers with leading operational efficiency and best-in-class hydraulic fracturing and completions technologies, while at the same time significantly improving full-cycle shareholder returns from this market.”

Weatherford chairman William E. Macaulay said: “The OneStim joint venture creates a leading unconventional products and services provider in North America land. This transaction will allow Weatherford to deleverage its balance sheet while retaining a significant exposure to the unconventional market. This transaction was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors and will create significant value for both parties.”

Schlumberger is a leading provider of technology for reservoir characterisation, drilling, production, and processing to the oil and gas industry. Working in more than 85 countries and employing approximately 100,000 people who represent over 140 nationalities, Schlumberger supplies the industry’s most comprehensive range of products and services, from exploration through production, and integrated pore-to-pipeline solutions that optimize hydrocarbon recovery to deliver reservoir performance.

Weatherford is one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies providing innovative solutions, technology and services to the oil and gas industry. The Company operates in over 90 countries and has a network of approximately 900 locations, including manufacturing, service, research and development, and training facilities and employs approximately 30,000 people. –TradeArabia News Service