CAIRO: With oil prices skyrocketing across the world, and with the Middle East region hosting an abundance of the product, many are growing interested in learning more about the oil business.
“Going on a rig and seeing how things are, how they extract oil from the ground, got me really excited, so I decided this is what I want to do forever, said Hassan Khalifa, a 27-year-old entrepreneur who established Frontier Oilfield Services Ltd.
Khalifa originally began his career in sales and marketing, but eventually found his true passion on an oil rig.Although he was enjoying success at his job with CS Johnson – where he began as Assistant Brand Manager and made his way up as Key Account Sales Manager – he came to realize that what he really wants to work in is petroleum related.
After gaining an understanding of the field through roaming around oil rigs and reading a great deal on the industry, Khalifa found a way to get his foot in the door.
He decided to enter the industry through the field he knew best, by acquiring a job in the advertising and sales department of oil related magazine Petroleum Africa Monthly.
Through his new job, Khalifa made all of the necessary contacts. “Through the magazine I started gathering information and got to know the industry really good . I communicated with all the people who work in that business and got to know them very well, he said.
Soon after, Khalifa decided he was satisfied with the amount of knowledge he acquired through his work and research, and decided it was time to start his own oil service company, Frontier Oilfield Services.
His desire was to become the local agent for companies abroad, and after much traveling in Asia, North America and Europe – hunting for companies yet to claim agents in Egypt – and after many presentations, Khalifa made some major deals.
Frontier now represents Drilling Research Institute (DRI) in the North Africa Region, where Frontier markets DRI’s courses and consultants to the oil and gas industry.
“I go to BP (British Petroleum) or Shell, for example, and tell them I have these courses.They send me 10 engineers and I fly in the trainers from abroad, explained Khalifa.
Frontier is also the agent for APEX Tubulars Ltd, an Aberdeen based company established in 1984 as a supplier of Downhole Casing and Tubing (OCTG). They offer crucial equipment including Pup Joints, Couplings, Cross-over and accessories imported by demand to companies in Egypt that need them.
Along with partner Mohammed Foad, Khalifa began a new sub-company called Essential Technology Forum (ETF).”New technology represents the backbone for the oil and gas industry.
Applications of new technology provide means to increasing production, reducing well cost and optimize reservoir performance throughout the field lifetime, reads the forum’s motto.
They have already put together two successful forums earlier this year, one in Sharm El-Shiekh and the other in El Gouna. The forums were well attended by people from all over the world, and featured speakers from major oil service companies talking about new technologies, such as underbalance technology and rotary steerable systems. The next forum will be held in February 2006.
Last but certainly not least is Hilti, the partner for construction professional’s world wide. Technologically leading products and systems increase the productivity of Hilti’s customers. Frontier has been appointed Hilti’s representative for the petroleum industry in Egypt, and is tasked with aiding Hilti in marketing all their products.
Frontier has only existed for some two years and, thanks to Khalifa, has already established itself in the petroleum field in Egypt.
As for the future, Khalifa plans to bring in more companies from abroad and feature a larger scale of products to sell in Egypt. He also plans on having his own stockyard in which he can manufacture and repair the products.
“Then hopefully my biggest dream is buying a rig, said Khalifa.
A dream perhaps not so far fetched for a man who, at 27, has already established himself in a line of work with so much competition, and managed to advance his career in a field initially unfamiliar.
For more information about Frontier Oilfield Services Ltd, visit www.fontieros.com
