Safety and Environment Matters
Its health, safety and environment (HSE) policy states:

• “We will comply with all applicable laws and relevant industry standards of practice.
• “We will continuously evaluate the HSE aspects of our equipment and services.
• “We believe that effective HSE management is good business and we are committed to the continuous improvement of HSE management practices.
• “From top management through entry level, everyone is responsible and accountable for HSE.

”The company says it is confident that a safe workplace is achievable. “At Ensign, we expect people to come to the job site and for just one shift, not have any injuries,” the company says. “Then, we achieve it on the next shift, and the next, day-after-day. We know it can be done because many of our work sites achieve it every day, year after year.”

Earning Honors
Ensign Energy’s Driving to Zero philosophy has received several industry recognitions, including the Safety Achiever Business System (SABS), a program for large businesses that implements best-practice safety standards. “SABS provides employers and workers with a systematic approach to managing safe work, claims and rehabilitation,” the company says. SABS is issued by Workcover Corp. in south Australia.

In 2006, Ensign Services received the Level Three Certificate, which is received after an on-site inspection of performance by studying the company’s documentation, inspecting workplaces and conducting interviews. According to the Level Three Certificate, a company should:

• Have a continuous improvement system in place
• Ensure its performance is systematically measured, monitored and evaluated
• Regularly review its systems and strive to continuously improve
• Consider injury management systems to be integrated with core functions of the organization
• Improve performance continuously
• Have sustained best practices
• Exceed legislative standards
• Continuously be an industrial leader and mentor

Ensign’s many services enable it to solve a number of problems for its customers, says Robert Geddes, president of Canadian operations. He notes that the company is available to work with its customers on almost any aspect of their needs in the oilfield.

“We have extensive capabilities that are an asset to our customers – we have testing capabilities and a manufacturing facility, so our services are definitely broad,” he says. “From just having an idea of drawing a well, to manufacturing the well to constructing a pipeline – we can provide all of the services throughout the entire process.”

‘Extensive Capabilities’
Ensign lists its services as including Canadian contract drilling and Canadian well servicing.

Ensign Energy Services’ Canadian fleet of 164 drilling rigs, the company says, is operated throughout five separate divisions: Ensign Drilling and Tri-City Drilling in Nisku, Alberta; Champion Drilling in Brooks, Alberta; Big Sky Drilling in Oxbow, Saskatchewan; and Encore Coring & Drilling in Calgary. The company says it continues with its program to modernize its drilling rig fleet by re-engineering and replacing various rig components with the latest technology.

Ensign says its Canadian drilling rig offers customers both “quality and flexibility,” and encompasses the complete spectrum of oil and natural gas drilling depths – from approximately 1,300 feet to more than 20,000 feet.

“The mobility characteristics of a drilling contractor’s fleet are critical to its competitive nature,” the company says. “Ensign’s rig fleet meets the highest standards for mobility.

“In addition, Ensign’s Canadian drilling rig fleet is configured to accommodate the requirements to the latest drilling technology and processes, such as horizontal and underbalanced drilling technology, slant drilling and the horizontal re-entry of existing wells.”

When it comes to Canadian well drilling, the company notes it is the third-largest well-servicing contractor in Canada, providing shallow to deep-well servicing to crude oil and natural gas producers through the Rockwell Servicing Partnership. The Rockwell Servicing Partnership, the company says, offers all facets of well servicing, including completions, abandonments, production workovers and bottom-hole pump changes.

Years ago, the company notes, Ensign acquired coiled tubing units, which enabled it to provide customers with an alternative well-servicing technology. Ensign says Rockwell Servicing has expertise regarding the use of its fleet of coiled tubing units for production optimization, cement squeezes, drillouts, new drills, abandonments, the setting of bridge plugs, hang-offs and clean-outs with nitrogen and chemicals. Rockwell has seven locations throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada.

“Rockwell Servicing Partnership is a recognized leader for employee development in the oil and gas well-servicing industry,” the company says. “We are committed to developing and maintaining a strong reputation for delivering consistent and reliable services through skilled employees. In our commitment to grow within and retain our people, we have created career development and transportation training programs that enable employees to grow effectively and efficiently within our organization.”

U.S. Oilfield Services
Ensign’s U.S. operations are managed through three subsidiaries: Caza Rockies, Caza California and the U.S. division of Opsco Energy Industries.

Based in Denver, Caza Rockies is “ideally located” to capitalize on opportunities in the Rocky Mountain region, which continues to be one of the most active areas in the United States for oil and natural gas drilling, Ensign says. Caza’s Rocky Mountain operations span 10 states, the company says – Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Nevada and Kansas.

“Caza Rockies operates the second-largest drilling fleet in the Rocky Mountain region, and we are building on that strength to position the company as the contractor of choice both there and in California,” Ensign says.

Caza California, with offices in Bakersfield and Sacramento, operates in the San Joaquin, Los Angeles and Sacramento basins of the state, the company notes.

“Caza has been a strong leader in the oilfield services industry with regard to our ability to grow organically by developing innovative and technically superior fields,” the company says. “We recognize that as the North American markets change, we must continually adapt to changing business demands.

“We pride ourselves on our understanding of the supply and demand dynamics that affect our business performance. We are also committed to continual training and education for our employees, improving our service and production.”

In July 2002, Ensign acquired the international drilling contractor Oil Drilling and Exploration Ltd. The company explains this acquisition propelled Ensign into the international oilfield services marketplace and provides the company with a platform for future growth outside of North America.

“The company took another major step in December 2004 when it announced the acquisition of the Venezuela and Ecuador oilfield service operations of Flint South America Inc.,” Ensign says. “This expanded our international operations into a key oil-producing region of the world. Ensign is committed to growing its international operations over the long term as international opportunities continue to develop.”

Manufacturing Services
Ensign’s manufacturing and production services are provided by Opsco Energy Industries Ltd. Headquartered in Calgary, Opsco says it is a leading provider of slickline, braided line and production testing services in the Western Canadian Sedimetary Basin.

Additionally, Opsco designs and manufactures customized oil and natural gas production equipment. Opsco explains its divisions include:

• Wireline services
• Production testing
• Reporting and technical services
• Manufacturing
• Weld overlay and alloy fabrication
  

‘Continued Focus’
Geddes explains Ensign will continue to push its suite of services to assist its customers and grow within its markets.

This focus on building its arsenal of technology, products and services will allow Ensign to ensure growth and drive value for its customers, employees and shareholders, he says. n

–Staci Davidson, Fernie Tiflis and Brian Salgado contributed to this article.