HOUSTON, May 14, 2019—Wellbore Integrity Solutions (WIS), an affiliate of private equity firm Rhône Capital, and Schlumberger today jointly announced that they have entered into an agreement for WIS to acquire the businesses and associated assets of DRILCO, Thomas Tools, and Fishing & Remedial services, along with part of a manufacturing facility located on Rankin Road in Houston, Texas. The transaction is valued at approximately $400 million and is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The parties expect to close the transaction by year-end 2019.
WIS expects to operate the combined businesses as a global, customer-focused provider of drilling tubulars services; tubing work strings, rentals and accessories; and fishing and remedial services for drilling, intervention and abandonment activities for the oilfield services industry.
“Our customers will benefit from our expansion as an independent service and product supplier with a strong global footprint,” says David MacNeill, CEO, WIS. “We are very proud to acquire these historic companies that have been delivering quality products and services to the oil and gas industry for over 60 years.”
Kristi Vilay, President, Bits & Drilling Tools, Schlumberger, added: “The DRILCO, Thomas Tools, and Fishing & Remedial businesses will have greater opportunities for growth uniquely positioned within a strategic buyer’s portfolio. This divestiture will enable Schlumberger to focus on its core drilling strategy, including the development of automation technologies that can be enhanced by digital enablement.”
After completion of the transaction, WIS will have close to 1,100 employees and operate in 25 countries.
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About Wellbore Integrity Solutions
Wellbore Integrity Solutions (WIS) has been established as a customer focused platform to acquire assets and technologies with the goal of providing a comprehensive suite of products and services that reduce the life cycle risk of oil, gas and geothermal wells. As a standalone independent company with a vertically integrated structure, WIS focuses on providing quality U.S. manufactured products delivered via a global engineering and field services footprint. Through our unique position in the energy industry, we will serve the wellbore integrity needs of energy companies, service companies and local partners.
About Rhône
With 24 years of investing experience, Rhône Capital and its affiliates (“Rhône”) comprise a global alternative investment management firm with over $6 billion in assets under management across both its private equity business and its real estate joint venture with The We Company, the global leader in the collaborative workspace industry. The firm focuses its private equity investments in market leading businesses with a pan-European or transatlantic presence and global growth opportunities. Rhône, which is currently investing capital from its fifth private equity fund, has invested in a diversified portfolio of companies including those in the business services, chemical, consumer product, energy, food, industrials, packaging, specialty material, and transportation sectors.
About Schlumberger
Schlumberger is the world’s leading provider of technology for reservoir characterization, drilling, production, and processing to the oil and gas industry. With product sales and services in more than 120 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.
Schlumberger Limited has executive offices in Paris, Houston, London, and The Hague, and reported revenues of $32.82 billion in 2018. For more information, visit www.slb.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. securities laws. The opinions, forecasts, projections, expected timetable for completing the proposed transaction, benefits of the proposed transaction, and any other statements regarding Schlumberger’s and WIS’s future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, financial conditions, assumptions or future events or performance that are not statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to, among other things, satisfaction of the closing conditions to the agreement, the risk that the contemplated transaction does not occur, negative effects from the pendency of the agreement, and the ability to successfully integrate the acquired assets and to realize expected synergies. Actual results may differ materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and neither party undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any of them in light of new information, future events or otherwise.
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For further information, contact:
Investors
Simon Farrant, Vice President of Investor Relations, Schlumberger Limited
Joy V. Domingo – Manager of Investor Relations, Schlumberger Limited
Office +1 (713) 375-3535
investor-relations@slb.com
Media
Joao Felix, Director of Corporate Communication, Schlumberger Limited
Office +1 (713) 375-3535
communication@slb.com
