News

Probe Holdings, Inc. has acquired the assets of AKS Technologies, Inc. of Houston, Texas, in an undisclosed cash and equity transaction. This oilfield technology based acquisition is part of a strategic plan to create a world-class technical engineering and manufacturing group that can provide downhole tools and systems to the global oilfield service sector.

“AKS Technologies has brought some very smart technology to the surface data acquisition and distribution market”, said Maarten Propper, CEO of Probe Holdings, Inc.” and they complement many of our downhole data acquisition tools, especially in the permanent monitoring business. They are a great team who share many of the same cultural values of the Probe group. Their innovative style and efficient execution will yield accretive business across the group.”

Dave Royko, CEO of AKS Technologies, Inc. commented that “the Probe platform is a great opportunity for us all to accelerate growth and the technology adoption process. AKS joining Probe is a triple win…a win for us, a win for Probe and above all a big win for our combined customers who will get great access to new and innovative technology.”

Within the growing Probe organization, Dave Royko will be the Regional Manager for Probe’s North American Geo-Center based in Houston and he will also have overall responsibility for managing the Probe Denver Technical Center based in Englewood, CO. The Denver Technical Center has a focus on both downhole and surface production monitoring systems and associated data-to-desk solutions.

Probe’s strategy revolves around developing fit-for-purpose technical tools and systems while providing customers with exemplary customer support. Probe’s Technical Centers are responsible for delivering technical tools and support systems and its Geo-Centers are responsible for front line customer support, training, repair & maintenance of tools as well as providing and maintaining a rental fleet of tools that is appropriate for that particular market.

The final touches have been put into place to ensure a smooth transition from Sentergy, a Probe Company, to being fully integrated within the Probe organization. The Sentergy product lines have formed the foundation of a new product line from Probe called the IntelleX™ platform. These intelligent slickline memory tools open up a new capability for both slickline and wireline based companies to offer cost-effective measurement and activation services using slickline systems. The synergies between Probe and Sentergy will significantly enhance access to a growing global market for intelligent slickline tools.

Ensuring that all of a company’s stakeholders are in-line with the transition into an evolving organization, is often something that is often overlooked during the post-acquistion phase. Over the last 10 months, Probe and Sentergy personnel have been working to build the business, enable the synergies between the two companies to be met, inform clients of the transition, manage suppliers through the transition and above all maximize growth potential. This process has now reached a point where the last external web presence (www.sentergy.co.uk) is redirecting visitors to the Probe IntelleX™ product line area within the Probe web site: (IntelleX™ platform).

“The entire process has gone smoothly and we have actually increased our both our visibility and our capability going through the transition”, stated Paul Church, Europe & West Africa Regional Manager for Probe. “We are very pleased with our performance and looking forward to continued growth in the future.”

Sensor Developments, a Probe Company, will install the first LinX Online system at the Statoil operated Grane platform in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

Two sensor nodes will be installed in an injection well for drill-cuttings, measuring pressure and temperature in the annulus and outside the casing in contact with the formation. The sensors will be positioned to monitor critical parameters in the injection zone as well as the long-term changes of the pore pressure of the overlaying cap-rock. Mobilization of equipment is expected in mid June 2011.

The installation is a pilot for the consortium on Measurement of Pore Pressure in Shale (MESPOSH).

Established in 2005, the MESPOSH consortium combines the strong expertise from the five participating partners: Sensor Development, Shell, Statoil, DONG E&P and the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute. The objective of the collaborative project is to develop in-well instrumentation for long-term monitoring of the pore pressure in shale formations.

For Statoil operating the Grane field this novel approach of monitoring shallow injectors, aims to enhance the understanding of reservoir and wellbore integrity for injection wells in general. “It is always exciting when new technology goes through the rotary table for the first time” says Kjetil Borgersen, Sensor Developments’ President and CEO.

“Together with our partners and the Grane team, we are making a bit of history by installing in-situ sensors with the LinX approach. We are looking forward to proving the technology and the added value of accurate data measurement in direct contact with the formation. This will have wider applicability, because, what is happening outside the casing, significantly influences integrity as well as productivity and recovery”

Norway based, Sensor Developments, a Probe partner, has launched their new website (http://www.sensordevelopments.com) to highlight commercialization of the LinX Technology for continuous wellbore integrity and in-situ reservoir monitoring.

“We are very excited about the website,” said Kjetil Borgensen, Sensor Development’s President and CEO. “This is the next level in our communications plan to enhance awareness of the solutions that we are now in a position to offer the industry.

The site describes the innovative systems and sample applications surrounding the LinX unique and patent pending wireless through-well-bore capabilities. The core technology was demonstrated at the recent Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, TX. LinX creates and focuses a magnetic field that passes through the wall of a wellbore conduit to wirelessly power and communicate with remote sensor devices.

The website is structured to provide more comprehensive information on the new capabilities that the LinX technology offers, and will be continuously updated as systems are deployed across the globe.

For more information, visit: www.sensordevelopments.com.

Probe Holdings, Inc has acquired Sentergy of Aberdeen, Scotland in an undisclosed cash and equity transaction. This oilfield technology based acquisition is part of a strategic plan to create a world-class technical engineering and manufacturing group that can provide downhole tools and systems to the global oilfield service sector. Over the last 18 months, Probe has acquired a number of technology companies, which complement its core offerings of open hole, cased hole and production downhole tools and systems.

These new offerings include the globally recognized Kuster range of tools that include a portfolio of slickline gauges, high temperature electronics and permanent gauge systems.  In addition, Probe is launching new acoustics-based imaging technology produced in Aberdeen, and a revolutionary thru-casing power and data transmission system that has been developed in Norway.

“It was the Sentergy team and their approach to tool development that first attracted us to them.”, said Maarten Propper, CEO Probe Holdings, Inc.” In the space of two years they have developed, produced and sold high quality memory tools and systems into the demanding North Sea market. Complex tools such as their slickline “trigger” system and ultra fast sampling pressure gauge. That’s quite an accomplishment.”

Paul Church, Managing Director of Sentergy commented that “The Probe platform as presented to us by Maarten is an extremely compelling strategy. We see where we fit in, how the combined companies form the foundation of a very strong technical base, and see that the commercial frameworks being developed will ensure that our customers continue to get value for money and the best available technical answer to their needs.”

Within the growing Probe organization, Paul Church will become Regional Manager for Probe’s Europe & West Africa Geo-Center and will also manage the Aberdeen Probe Technical Center.

Probe’s strategy revolves around developing fit-for-purpose technical tools and systems while providing customers with exemplary customer support. Probe’s Technical Centers are responsible for delivering technical tools and support systems and its Geo-Centers are responsible for front line customer support, training, repair & maintenance of tools as well as providing and maintaining a rental fleet of tools that is appropriate for that particular market.