Axis, Brigade Say Merger Creates US' Biggest Well Servicing Company

Axis Energy Services LLC and Brigade Energy Services LLC have merged to form the United States’ “largest and most innovative well servicing company”, the companies said.

“The transaction elevates Axis as the nation’s leading company for completion services, workover solutions and plug and abandonment operations”, a joint statement said. “Axis now boasts more than 1,700 employees and 200 active and marketable workover rigs, which may be the largest single fleet in the industry.

“Axis also maintains a market-leading support-equipment operation that includes 50 cement pump trucks, 26 wireline trucks, 15 snubbing units, nearly 200 pumps and a sizeable fleet of BOPs and pipe handlers.

“The combined company has a strong presence in the country’s major oilfields — including the Permian, Haynesville, Eagle Ford, Utica/Marcellus, Bakken and the broader Rockies — and can quickly deploy to almost any location in the continental U.S.”

Axis Energy Services LLC is the surviving entity and will continue to be headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

“This merger not only increases scale for our increasingly concentrated and larger North American customers but also combines best practices from both companies around data analytics, innovation, personnel training and talent management”, Brigade chief executive Justin Bliffen said.

Rig Innovation

In another milestone, Axis earlier this year deployed an electric-powered rig that it said not only reduces emissions but also improves safety and efficiency.

EPIC Rig is reworking production wells in the U.S. Permian basin under a long-term contract with Occidental Petroleum Corp.

“The EPIC RIG™ is easily the biggest leap forward for well-service technology in decades”, Axis chief executive Ryan Phillips said in a statement March 11. “Its deployment by Occidental signals the arrival of a new generation of well service rigs built for tomorrow’s oilfield”.

Unlike traditional rigs that use a diesel-powered draw-work, or hoisting mechanism, EPIC (Electric-Powered Intervention and Completion) Rig is the first rig to employ an electric-powered draw-work, Axis said.

“The EPIC RIG™ VFD (variable frequency drive) electric motor not only delivers instant torque and smooth, consistent performance – it’s also more durable and requires less maintenance than a diesel engine, reducing downtime”, it said.

The design incorporates a programmable logic controller that works with Axis’ registered trademark digital platform for data collection analysis called CORE. The integration of CORE provides the rig operator precise control and automated safeguards, which reduce manual actions and thus human error, Axis said.

“The rig’s simplified design minimizes mechanical processes and eliminates common failure points for increased reliability”, it said.

EPIC Rig can connect to a public power grid via a transformer, “enabling operators to leverage renewable energy sources, eliminate emissions at the well site and save significantly on fuel costs”, Axis said.

While intended to run on electricity the model can be fueled by natural gas “making it adaptable to remote locations and various conditions in the field”, Axis said.

To contact the author, email jov.onsat@rigzone.com