American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2019 - 117

IndustryFocus: Companies, People and Products
Altus Brings Plant On Line To Handle Alpine High Gas
HOUSTON-Altus Midstream Company's first cryogenic processing train at
the Diamond Cryo Complex in Alpine
High has begun processing rich natural
gas and delivering natural gas liquids
and residue gas to sales, Altus reports.
This train is the first of three scheduled
to begin operations in 2019, the company
notes. The three trains will have an aggregate nameplate capacity of 600 million
cubic feet a day, which Altus calculates
will be enough to produce 60,000-75,000
barrels of NGLs a day at Alpine High for
Apache, the primary customer.

"These cryogenic processing facilities
feature state-of-the-art SRX processing
technology, which optimizes processing
economics with better NGL recoveries
in both ethane recovery and rejection
mode versus more commonly used processing methods in the Permian Basin,"
says Altus Chief Executive Officer and
President Clay Bretches. "Better recoveries
will drive enhanced net backs for Apache
and provide a competitive advantage to
Altus for third-party business."
For information, visit www.altusmidstream.com.
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Keane, C&J To Combine Through All-Stock Merger
HOUSTON-C&J Energy Services and
Keane Group Inc. reveal they have entered
into a definitive agreement to combine in
an all-stock merger of equals.
According to the companies, the merger
will create a leading well completion and
production services company in the United
States, with increased scale and density
across services and geographies, as well
as a prominent presence in the most
active U.S. basins. Both C&J and Keane
share a commitment to safety and integrity,
employee development, partnerships with
blue-chip customers, technological innovation and strong community relationships,
the companies add.
"The merger of equals (benefits) our
combined employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, and the communities
in which we operate," says Robert Drummond, Keane's chief executive officer.
"With two strong teams, enhanced and
diversified operations, a strong balance
sheet, ample liquidity, attractive free cash
flow and a legacy of successful research
and development, the combined company
will be well positioned to further invest
in technology and innovation, as well as
the career development of our employees."
Don Gawick, C&J's president and

Coming In August
The Eastern Kansas Oil & Gas
Association will host its 2019 annual
meeting, Sept. 10-12 at the Prairie
Band Casino in Mayetta, Ks. See the
Official Convention Section in the
August issue of The American Oil &
Gas Reporter.

CEO, says, "Given the shared safety
focus and passion for excellence of our
highly talented workforces, I am confident
the opportunity to leverage each other's
strengths will enable a combined organization where the sum of both parts makes
a much greater whole."
For more information, visit
cjenergy.com or keanegrp.com.
❒

Chambers Attorneys Join
Babst Calland In Houston
PITTSBURGH-Babst Calland announces it has opened an office in Houston
and merged with attorneys from The
Chambers Law Firm.
As part of the merger, Les R. Chambers,
Ryan A. Chambers and Coleman G. Anglin
are joining the firm as shareholders, with
Nataliya K. Tipton joining as associate.
Babst Calland says these attorneys represent
clients on a variety of legal and regulatory
matters, particularly oil and gas, property
and transactional law and all aspects of
the oil and gas title examination and
analysis process for companies in the
Mid-Continent and Appalachian Basin.
"These highly regarded oil and gas attorneys are a natural fit in advancing our
vision to continue to expand our geographic
footprint to serve clients' needs in the development of the Permian Basin and other
major and emerging shale plays in the
country," says Babst Calland Managing
Shareholder Donald C. Bluedorn II.
For more information, visit www.babstcalland.com.
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New Varel Bits Drill Curves With Fast, Consistent ROPs
HOUSTON-Varel Oil and Gas says
it is staking its claim on the curve bit
market by introducing MARKSMAN
directional PDC drill bits.
The company says its engineers designed the bits to deliver consistent performance and control in the curve by
managing tool face geometry and optimizing side-cutting tendency. The designers leverage simulations that accurately predict blade, cutter and tungsten
carbide shock stud contact with the formation in different inclinations and
ROPs, Varel mentions.
The company adds that it collaborates
with directional companies to devise
unique bottom-hole assembly and operational solutions that benefit the entire
team of service companies and operators.
One collaborative effort led to a solution with low depth of cut and higher
RPM motors, Varel relates. Smaller cut-

ters and shock studs reduce torque for
tool face control and better distribute
cutting forces along the active profile,
Varel explains, allowing the bit to achieve
consistent yields while maintaining desired rates of penetration through the
curve. According to the company, the
solution drilled curves with 60 percent
rotating time and 40 percent higher
yields than planned.
For more information, visit
www.varelintl.com.
❒

Varel Oil and Gas' MARKSMAN directional PDC drill
bits use carefully engineered cutter back rake schemes
and cutting structures to provide passive tool face
during kick-off and faster penetration rates along the
curve as the trajectory is set, Varel says.

JULY 2019 117

http://www.altusmidstream.com http://www.altusmidstream.com http://www.babstcalland.com http://www.cjenergy.com http://www.keanegrp.com http://www.babstcalland.com http://www.varelintl.com

American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2019

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