Ryder Scott Company Petroleum Consultants December-February 1999, Vol. 1, No. 2, Story 5

Newsletter

Ryder Scott Canadian office is based in Calgary, but evaluates properties locally and around the world

Canadian Office
Ryder Scott signed a five-year lease for
offices on the 37th floor of the Scotia
Center last year.

In 1995, Ryder Scott opened an office in Calgary to better serve an expanding Canadian clientele and to position the company to be more active in the dynamic oil and gas province. Before that, Ryder Scott had evaluated Canadian reservoirs for many years from the Houston and Denver offices.

But the branch opening was dictated by the logistical advantages of being better able to meet client needs in a timely manner and being close to the 800 oil and gas companies in Calgary.

Ryder Scott also realized that Calgary was home to a talented group of Canadian engineers and geologists who were highly experienced in the area. So the company transferred one officer to open the branch and he began a recruitment program.

Initially, he hired a small staff of experienced engineers and geoscientists. By the end of 1996, the office had grown to a dozen staff members who were involved in year-end evaluations, acquisitions and divestitures.

The Calgary branch now has 24 staff members with wide-ranging backgrounds in the petroleum sciences. The office has been very active not only in the western basin but throughout Canada from offshore east coast to British Columbia.

"Several substantial acquisitions and divestments have been completed based on Ryder Scott reports," said Fred Richoux, manager. "In addition to the extensive reservoir evaluations in Canada and the United States prepared by our office, we have been very active outside of North America."

Since 1982, engineer Doug Meiklejohn has evaluated areas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, Williston Basin and offshore East Coast. He joined the Calgary office in 1997 and is one of 13 Canadian engineers and geoscientists on staff.

Canadian oil companies are increasingly looking outside the country for E&P opportunities. Because the Calgary office personnel are familiar with properties in most major petroleum basins worldwide, several of Canada’s international producers have commissioned the office to conduct appraisals of overseas interests.

Larry Connor (right), assistant manager of the Calgary office, and John Hanko, geology team leader, consult reference materials at the office.

This year alone, the Calgary staff has evaluated reservoirs in Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Egypt, Poland, Russia and the Ukraine. Canadian companies with global interests are also turning to simulation experts to model reservoirs to more accurately predict production streams.

Reception Area

The lobby of the Calgary office.

This is especially vital in analyzing how projects pay out under various production-sharing, concession and service agreements. On projects requiring modeling work, the Canadian branch works closely with the Ryder Scott simulation group in Houston as well as with local simulation contractors.

"Because of the broad base of experience that our Calgary office offers, we have been requested to help our clients in many unconventional ways," said Richoux.

For instance, the office is currently working with a client to set up an asset evaluation team and establish procedures to maintain a working reserves data base. That arrangement frees up the client’s engineers to pursue other profit-making opportunities.

"In other cases, we have worked with our clients to supplement their staff with manpower and a fresh viewpoint," said Richoux.

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