PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: Pipe Wranglers Canada (2004) Inc. in business since 1969

PWCI executive says ‘When your safety policy says workers are your main concern, remember, Pipe Wranglers’ technology eliminates accidents.’

Q. Where is Pipe Wranglers located?

A. Our headquarters and manufacturing plant are located in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

Q. When was the company founded

and who founded it?

A. My father, Erc Morelli, started the business in 1969 in Canada. I took over the company from him in 1985. My original company name was Pipe Wranglers Western Ltd., and Custom Pipe Handlers Inc. was formed in 1996. We brought in some investors, and I sold them both companies’ assets and the patents, and then merged them into Pipe Wranglers Canada (2004) Inc. Since then we’ve rented, sold, and operated equipment all around the world — Africa, Mexico, Venezuela, the Middle East, and in the UK, as well as all through the United States.

Q. Who heads up Pipe Wranglers and who is on its senior management team?

A. Kelvin Angeltvedt is the president. I am the executive vice president and chief operating officer. Darren Shiels is the manufacturing manager, and Edie Orantes is the manager of services.

Q. What is the company’s primary business sector? What services does the company offer?

A. We design and manufacture hydraulic pipe handling systems, along with operating and servicing them. We have a wide variety of hydraulic catwalk systems, the smallest being the “Li’l Tripper,” then the “Li’l Wrangler,” the “Big Brother,” “Hercules,” and “Brutus.” These names have really caught on and are used by other companies when describing equipment in their market place.

Q. Who are the company’s main clients?

A. I’d say they are Apache, BP, ConocoPhillips, Weatherford, EnCana, Jomax Drilling, Patterson UTI, Key Drilling and H&P Inc.

Q. How many employees does Pipe Wranglers have?

A. We have 25 employees in Red Deer, but that will be changing.

Q. Describe your essential equipment in general terms. Purchases planned?

A. The catwalk is completely hydraulic, utilizing hydraulic cylinders, no cables. Depending on the specifications of the customer, the catwalk can be self-efficient with a diesel engine or electric motor driving an independent hydraulic system or drawing hydraulic power from the drilling rig. Most catwalks have utilized a single hydraulic cylinder that is mounted inside the catwalk’s structure attached to the tubular trough. Hydraulic operation varies from design and model of catwalk and operates on 20-100 GPM at 3000 PSI.

The efficiency of the catwalk is calculated and engineered to maintain a life expectancy of approximately five to 10 years, depending on usage, thus minimizing down time and increasing safety. These theories are then examined and certified by a professional engineer and function tested for quality assurance.

The cycle time of the trough is determined by the results of a “metal fatigue analysis,” reporting on lifting and retracting tubulars up per specifications of the customer. The company has received a certificate calculating the average life of one of our hydraulic catwalks would be 1,000,000 full rotations.

Cycle times vary from model to model. In the case of the double arm Big Brother, the calculation is 60 seconds, full cycle, plus or minus 10 percent. If the operators are trained and certified by Pipe Wranglers Canada (2004) Inc., the speed of the catwalk trough will cycle at its optimum efficiency.

The catwalk system is placed in front of the drilling rig and the V-door is mounted to the front of the catwalk. If the hydraulic operation fails, the drilling rig still has a catwalk with a V-door to deliver and retrieve tubulars at the rig floor using conventional methods.

The primary controls can either be a hard wire podium mounted up on the rig floor, or an intrinsically safe wireless remote. We supply a manual hydraulic valve bank positioned at the rear of the catwalk for a backup.

Q. Is Pipe Wranglers expanding any of its operations and/or locations?

A. We are going to have an office in Villahermosa, Mexico, in Dubai UAE, and in Houston, Texas, in 2006. Our existing employees will be team leaders who will go to these places and train people locally.

Q. Is the company changing any of its services?

A. We’re not changing what we do. We’re steadfast in doing what we do best. However, we will be doing it in new locations.

Q. What is Pipe Wranglers’ main strength, i.e., its edge over the competition? Main competitors?

A. Our competitors don’t see the future like we do. They tend to just sell the equipment. Not only do we sell the equipment, we’ll also rent it. So in two years you’re not sitting with outdated equipment. If you buy a catwalk from a competitor you’re stuck with it. With PWCI, you always have the option of upgrading. When we take it back, we can modify the system or exchange it. The best feature of our systems is that we are completely independent of the rig. Our competitors have to attach themselves to the rig and do expensive modifications to the rig.

Sixty-five percent of all accidents on drilling rigs or service rigs are related to tubular and catwalk activity. With our equipment in place, we can bring that down. Eighty-five percent of all deaths are related to the same pipe handling. We eliminate the man from ever touching the tubular, keeping him away from the CRITICAL PATH!

Q. Has the company invested in any new technology in the last two years?

A. We’re always upgrading our equipment and our facility, and we’re always looking for better hydraulic systems, better controls with the focus on SAFETY! When we talk to the rig operators and rig crews we gather their suggestions; in return everyone benefits from these round table discussions.

Q. What is the most challenging job the company has undertaken?

A. They’re all challenging. When you custom build a system for a customer you have to make sure their needs are dealt with and handled in the safest way.

Q. What are the biggest obstacles to completing work the company undertakes?

A. Right now, trying to find metal is a huge problem; the prices have also gone through the roof. Quoting a system is an everyday challenge. The oil patch is busy, and you’ll have parts that were plentiful last year become backordered now. Everyone’s building.

Q. What do you see as your company’s biggest challenge in the next five years?

A. Keeping steady growth. We want to be able to supply a PWCI pipe handler to all of the rigs, thus making sure everyone is SAFE. A lot of drilling contractors like our equipment, so they also benefit, “BEST EQUIPMENT, BEST RIG HANDS.” The oil company wants to see who has the best equipment, and that’s who they’ll hire. They don’t want accidents; if you have an accident, it reflects on everyone.

Q. What do you see as future trends or opportunities for Pipe Wranglers from events such as long-term weather fluctuations?

A. Weather is not a factor to us. We have placed our catwalks in the freezing cold of the Arctic to the extreme heat of Africa. All systems are designed to meet and exceed nature’s fury.

Q. Does Pipe Wranglers have an anniversary or other landmark event coming up?

A. We will be at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, May 1-4, and the Global Petroleum Show 2006 in Calgary on June 13-15. We invite people to come see us at either event.

Q. What is the average length of time employees work for the company? Are you hiring for any positions?

A. Our turnover is next to nil. Our employees are treated with the utmost respect. We have an open door policy, which enables employees to express themselves in their ideas and designs. If they come up with an idea, we listen. Regarding hiring, we’re always looking for electricians, welders, engineers, draftsmen. We need entrepreneurial thinkers.

Q. Does Pipe Wranglers maintain a Web site?

A. You can find us at www.pipewranglers.com