Baker Hughes is a major supplier of wellbore-related products and technology services and systems. We operate in over 90 countries around the world and our corporate headquarters is in Houston, Texas. We provide products and services for drilling and evaluation of oil and gas wells; completion and production of oil and gas wells; fluids and chemicals used in drilling oil and gas wells and producing hydrocarbons; and reservoir technology and consulting to the worldwide oil and natural gas industry. As of December 31, 2009, we had approximately 34,400 employees, of which approximately 61% work outside the United States.
Prior to May 4, 2009, our business operations were organized primarily through seven product line divisions and secondarily through four super regions — North America; Latin America; Europe, Africa, Russia, Caspian (“EARC”); and Middle East, Asia Pacific (“MEAP”). On May 4, 2009, we reorganized the Company by geography and product lines. Global operations are now organized into a number of geomarket organizations, which report into nine region presidents, who in turn report into two hemisphere presidents. Separately, product-line marketing and technology organizations report to a president of products and technology. The presidents of the Eastern Hemisphere, Western Hemisphere, Products and Technology, and the Vice President of Supply Chain report to our Chief Operating Officer.
The geographic organizations are responsible for sales, field operations and well site execution. The geographic reorganization of operations is intended to strengthen our client-focused operations by moving management into the countries where we conduct our business. Western Hemisphere operations consist of four regions — Canada, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta; U.S. Land and Gulf of Mexico, both headquartered in Houston, Texas; and Latin America, headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Eastern Hemisphere operations consist of five regions - Europe, headquartered in London, England; Africa, headquartered in Paris, France; Russia Caspian, headquartered in Moscow, Russia; Middle East, headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (“UAE”); and Asia Pacific, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The product-line marketing and technology organization is responsible for product development, technology, marketing and delivery of innovative and reliable solutions for our customers to advance their reservoir performance. The new organization is expected to improve cross-product-line technology development, sales processes and integrated operations capabilities.
The supply chain organization is responsible for development of cost-effective procurement and manufacturing of our products and services. We have manufacturing operations in various countries, including, but not limited to, the United States (Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana), the United Kingdom (Scotland and Northern Ireland), Germany (Celle), South America (Venezuela and Argentina) and the UAE (Dubai).
SEGMENTS
At this time, we continue to review product line financial information as well as geographic information in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. Accordingly, we report our results under two segments: the Drilling and Evaluation segment and the Completion and Production segment. Collectively, we refer to the results of these two segments as Oilfield Operations. We have aggregated our product lines within each segment by aligning our product lines based upon the types of products and services provided to our customers and upon the business characteristics of the product lines during business cycles. The product lines have similar economic characteristics and the long-term financial performance of these product lines are affected by similar economic conditions. They also operate in the same markets, which include all of the major oil and natural gas producing regions of the world.
• The Drilling and Evaluation segment consists of the following product lines: drilling fluids, drill bits, directional drilling, drilling evaluation services, wireline formation evaluation, wireline completion and production services and reservoir technology and consulting. The Drilling and Evaluation segment provides products and services used to drill and evaluate oil and natural gas wells as well as consulting services used in the analysis of oil and gas reservoirs.
• The Completion and Production segment consists of the following product lines: wellbore construction and completion, specialty chemicals, artificial lift systems, permanent monitoring systems, chemical injection systems, integrated operations and project management. The Completion and Production segment provides equipment and services used from the completion phase through the productive life of oil and natural gas wells.
For additional industry segment information for the three years ended December 31, 2009, see Note 13 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 herein.
Drilling and Evaluation Segment
Our Drilling and Evaluation segment is a leading provider of products and services used in the drilling and evaluation of oil and natural gas wells. We provide drilling and completion fluids and fluids environmental services, Tricone® roller cone bits and fixed-cutter polycrystalline diamond compact (“PDC”) bits , directional drilling services, measurement-while-drilling (“MWD”) and logging-while-drilling (“LWD”) services, wireline formation evaluation and completion and production services, and reservoir technology and consulting services.
The primary drivers of our customer’s buying decisions for drilling and evaluation products and services include reducing capital expenditures through drilling efficiency (total cost per foot or meter); reduction of non-productive time; product and service quality and reliability; and performance which can impact the productivity of the reservoir (wellbore placement and wellbore quality).
Drilling Fluids
Drilling fluids (also called “Mud”) are an important component of the drilling process and are pumped from the surface through the drill string, exiting nozzles in the drill bit and traveling back up the wellbore where the fluids are recycled. This process cleans the bottom of the well by transporting the cuttings to the surface while also cooling and lubricating the bit and drill string. Drilling fluids are typically manufactured by mixing oil, synthetic fluids or water with barite to give them weight, which enables the fluids to hold the wellbore open and stabilize it. Additionally, the fluids control downhole pressure and seal porous sections of the wellbore. To ensure maximum efficiency and wellbore stability, chemical additives are blended by the wellsite engineer with drilling fluids to achieve particular physical or chemical characteristics. For drilling through the reservoir itself, drill-in or completion fluids (also called “brines”) possess properties that minimize formation damage. Fluids environmental services (also called “waste management”) is the process of separating the drill cuttings from the drilling fluids and re-injecting the processed cuttings into specially prepared wells, or transporting and disposing of the cuttings by other means.
Drill Bits
We are a leading supplier of tri-cone and diamond drill bits. The primary objective of a drill bit is to drill a high quality wellbore as efficiently as possible. There are two primary types of drill bits:
Tricone® Bits. Tricone® drill bits employ either hardened steel teeth or tungsten carbide insert cutting structures mounted on three rotating cones. These bits work by crushing and shearing the formation rock as they are turned. Tricone® drill bits have a wide application range.
PDC Bits. PDC (also known as “Diamond”) bits use fixed position cutters that shear the formation rock with a milling action as they are turned. In many softer and less variable applications, PDC bits offer higher penetration rates and a longer life than Tricone® drill bits. Advances in PDC technology have expanded the application of PDC bits into harder, more abrasive formations. A rental market has developed for PDC bits as improvements in bit life and bit repairs allow a bit to be used to drill multiple wells.
Directional Drilling and Drilling Evaluation Services
We are a leading supplier of drilling and evaluation services, which include directional drilling, MWD and LWD services.
Directional Drilling. Directional drilling services are used to guide a drill string along a predetermined path to drill a wellbore to optimally recover hydrocarbons from the reservoir. These services are used to accurately drill vertical wells, deviated or directional wells (which deviate from vertical by a planned angle and direction), horizontal wells (which are sections of wells drilled perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to vertical) and extended reach wells (which are wells of significant lateral reach or depth). We provide both conventional (using a steerable motor assembly and mud motor) and rotary based directional drilling systems.
Measurement-While-Drilling. Directional drilling systems need real-time measurements of the location and orientation of the bottom-hole assembly to operate effectively. MWD systems are downhole tools that provide this directional information, which is necessary to adjust the drilling process and guide the wellbore to a specific target. The AutoTrak® rotary steerable system has these MWD systems built in, allowing the tool to automatically alter its course based on a planned trajectory.
Logging-While-Drilling. LWD is a variation of MWD in which the LWD tool gathers information on the petrophysical properties of the formation through which the wellbore is being drilled. Many LWD measurements are the same as those taken via wireline; however, taking measurements in real-time before any damage has been sustained by the reservoir as a result of the drilling process often allows for greater accuracy. Real-time measurements also enable “geo-steering” where geological markers identified by LWD tools are used to guide the bit and assure placement of the wellbore in the optimal location.
Mud Logging Services. We are also a provider of mud logging services, through which our engineers monitor the interaction between the drilling fluid and the formation and perform laboratory analysis of drilling fluids and examinations of the drill cuttings to detect the presence of hydrocarbons and identify the different geological layers penetrated by the drill bit.
Wireline Formation Evaluation and Completion and Production Services
We are a leading provider of wireline formation evaluation and completion and production services for oil and natural gas wells.
Formation Evaluation. Formation evaluation involves measuring and analyzing specific physical properties of the rock (petrophysical properties) in the immediate vicinity of a wellbore to determine an oil or natural gas reservoir’s boundaries, volume of hydrocarbons and ability to produce fluids to the surface. Electronic sensor instrumentation is run through the wellbore to measure porosity and density (how much open space there is in the rock), permeability (how well connected the spaces in the rock are) and resistivity (whether there is oil, natural gas or water in the spaces). Imaging tools are run through the wellbore to record a picture of the formation along the well’s length. Acoustic logs measure rock properties and help correlate wireline data with previous seismic surveys. Magnetic resonance measurements characterize the volume and type of fluids in the formation as well as provide a direct measure of permeability. At the surface, measurements are recorded digitally and can be displayed on a continuous graph, or “well log,” which shows how each parameter varies along the length of the wellbore. Wireline formation evaluation tools can also be used to record formation pressures and take samples of formation fluids to be further evaluated on the surface.
Formation evaluation instrumentation can be run in the well in several ways and at different times over the life of the well. The two most common methods of data collection are wireline logging and LWD. Wireline logging is conducted by pulling or pushing instruments through the wellbore after it is drilled, while LWD instruments are attached to the drill string and take measurements while the well is being drilled. Wireline logging measurements can be made before the well’s protective steel casing is set (open hole logging) or after casing has been set (cased hole logging).
We also offer geophysical data interpretation services which help the operator interpret the petrophysical properties measured by the logging instruments and make inferences about the formation, presence and quantity of hydrocarbons. This information is used to determine the next steps in drilling and completing the well.
Wireline Completion and Production Services. Wireline completion and production services include using wireline instruments to evaluate well integrity, perform mechanical intervention and perform cement evaluations. Wireline instruments can also be run in producing wells to perform production logging. We also provide perforating services, which involve puncturing a well’s steel casing and cement sheath with explosive charges. This creates a fracture in the formation and provides a path for hydrocarbons in the formation to enter the wellbore and be produced.
Reservoir Technology and Consulting
Our reservoir technology and consulting group provides a broad range of services that assist our customers in the evaluation, drilling, completion and production of oil and gas reservoirs. Services include well planning, drilling optimization, formation evaluation and imaging, well placement, sand control completions and stimulation and fracturing operations. We also provide consulting services to assist customers with operations management, exploration and field development and reservoir management.
Completion and Production Segment
Our Completion and Production segment provides products and services used in the completion and production phase of oil and natural gas wells. This includes a wide variety of product lines which support wellbore construction and completion. This segment also provides specialty chemicals for the oilfield and refining markets, pipeline inspection and treatment services and the design, manufacture and repair of artificial lift systems; permanent monitoring and chemical injection systems; and integrated operations and project management services.
The primary drivers of our customer’s buying decisions for completion and production products and services include reducing operating expenditures through improving production rates and ultimate production; minimizing down time or lost production or the risk of lost production; the quality and reliability of the equipment; and reducing costs per barrel produced as well as lower capital expenditures.
Wellbore Construction and Completion
Baker Hughes is a world leader in wellbore construction, cased-hole completions, sand control and wellbore intervention solutions. The economic success of a well largely depends on how the well is completed. A successful completion ensures and optimizes the efficient and safe production of oil and natural gas to the surface. Our completion systems are matched to the formation and reservoir for optimum production and can employ a variety of products and services.
Wellbore Construction. Wellbore completion products and services include liner hangers, multilateral completion systems and expandable metal technology. Liner hangers suspend a section of steel casing (also called a liner) inside the bottom of the previous section of casing. The liner hanger’s expandable slips grip the inside of the casing and support the weight of the liner below. Multilateral completion systems enable two or more zones to be produced from a single well, using multiple horizontal branches. Expandable metal technology involves the permanent downhole expansion of a variety of tubular products used in drilling, completion and well remediation applications.
Cased-Hole Completions. Cased-hole completions products and services include packers, flow control equipment, subsurface safety valves and intelligent completions. Packers seal the annular space between the steel production tubing and the casing. These tools control the flow of fluids in the well and protect the casing above and below from reservoir pressures and corrosive formation fluids. Flow control equipment controls and adjusts the flow of downhole fluids. A common flow control device is a sliding sleeve, which can be opened or closed to allow or limit production from a particular portion of a reservoir. Flow control can be accomplished from the surface via wireline or downhole via hydraulic or electric motor-based automated systems. Subsurface safety valves shut off all flow of fluids to the surface in the event of an emergency, thus saving the well and preventing pollution of the environment. These valves are required in substantially all offshore wells. Intelligent Completions® use real-time, remotely operated downhole systems to control the flow of hydrocarbons from one or more zones.
Sand Control. Sand control equipment includes gravel pack tools, sand screens and fracturing fluids. Sand control systems and pumping services are used in loosely consolidated formations to prevent the production of formation sand with the hydrocarbons.
Wellbore Intervention. Wellbore intervention products and services are designed to protect producing assets. Intervention operations troubleshoot drilling problems and improve, maintain or restore economical production from already-producing wells. Products for wellbore intervention range from service tools and inflatable products to conventional and through-tubing fishing systems, casing exits, wellbore cleaning and temporary abandonment. Service tools function as surface-activated, downhole sealing and anchoring devices to isolate a portion of the wellbore during repair or stimulation operations. Service tool applications range from treating and cleaning to testing components from the wellhead to the perforations. Service tools also refer to tools and systems that are used for temporary or permanent well abandonment. Inflatable packers expand to set in pipe that is much larger than the outside diameter of the packer itself, so it can run through a restriction in the well and then set in the larger diameter below. Inflatable packers also can be set in “open hole,” whereas conventional tools only can be set inside casing. Through-tubing inflatables enable remedial operations in producing wells. Significant cost savings result from lower rig requirements and the ability to intervene in the well without having to remove the completion. Fishing tools and services are used to locate, dislodge and retrieve damaged or stuck pipe, tools or other objects from inside the wellbore, often thousands of feet below the surface. Wellbore cleaning systems remove post-drilling debris to help ensure trouble-free well testing, completion and optimum production for the life of the well. Casing exit systems are used to “sidetrack” new wells from existing ones, to provide a cost-effective method of tapping previously unreachable reserves.
Specialty Chemicals
We are a leading provider of specialty chemicals to the oil and gas industry. We also supply specialty chemicals to a number of industries including refining, pipeline transportation, petrochemical, agricultural and iron and steel manufacturing and provide polymer-based products to a broad range of industrial and consumer markets. Through our Pipeline Management Group, we offer a variety of products and services for the pipeline transportation industry.
Oilfield Chemicals. We provide oilfield chemical programs for drilling, well stimulation, production, pipeline transportation and maintenance programs. Our products provide measurable increases in productivity, decreases in operating and maintenance costs and solutions to environmental problems. Examples of specialty oilfield chemical programs include emulsion breakers, corrosion inhibitors, and chemicals which inhibit the formation of paraffin (from organic material dissolved in crude oil), scale (from mineral-based contaminants dissolved in produced water), and natural gas hydrates.
Refining, Industrial and Other Specialty Chemicals. For the refining industry, we offer various process and water treatment programs, as well as finished fuel additives. Examples include programs to remove salt from crude oil and to control corrosion in processing equipment and environmentally friendly cleaners that decontaminate refinery equipment and petrochemical vessels at a lower cost than other methods. We also provide chemical technology solutions to other industrial markets throughout the world, including petrochemicals, fuel additives, plastics, imaging, adhesives, steel and crop protection.
Pipeline Management. Baker Hughes offers a variety of products and services for the pipeline transportation industry. We offer custom turnkey cleaning programs that improve efficiency by combining chemical treatments with brush and scraper tools that are pumped through the pipeline. Efficiency can also be improved by adding polymer-based drag reduction agents to reduce the slowing effects of friction between the pipeline walls and the fluids within, thus increasing throughput and pipeline capacity. Additional services allow pipelines to operate more safely. These include inspection and internal corrosion assessment technologies, which physically confirm the structural integrity of the pipeline. In addition, our flow-modeling capabilities can identify high-risk segments of a pipeline to ensure proper mitigation programs are in place.
Artificial Lift Systems
We are a leading manufacturer and supplier of artificial lift systems including electrical submersible pump systems (“ESPs”) and progressing cavity pump systems (“PCPs”).
Electrical Submersible Pump Systems. ESPs lift large quantities of oil or oil and water from wells that do not flow under their own pressure. These “artificial lift” systems consist of a centrifugal pump and electric motor installed in the wellbore, armored electric cabling to provide power to the downhole motor and a variable speed controller at the surface. Baker Hughes designs, manufactures, markets and installs all the components of ESPs and also offers modeling software to size ESPs and simulate operating performance. ESPs may be used in both onshore and offshore wells. The range of appropriate application of ESPs is expanding as technology and reliability enhancements have improved ESPs’ performance in harsher environments and marginal reservoirs.
Progressing Cavity Pump Systems. PCPs are a form of artificial lift comprised of a downhole progressing cavity pump powered by either a downhole electric motor or a rod turned by a motor on the surface. PCPs are preferred when the fluid to be lifted is viscous or when the volume is significantly less than could be economically lifted with ESPs.
Permanent Monitoring and Chemical Injection Systems
Permanent Monitoring Systems. Permanent downhole gauges are used in oil and gas wells to measure temperature, pressure, flow and other parameters in order to monitor well production as well as to confirm the integrity of the completion and production equipment in the well. We are a leading provider of electronic gauges including the engineering, application and field services necessary to complete an installation of a permanent monitoring system. In addition, we provide chemical injection line installation and services for treating wells for corrosion, paraffin, scale and other well performance problems. We also provide fiber optic based permanent downhole gauge technology for measuring pressure, temperature and distributed temperature. The benefits of fiber optic sensing include reliability, high temperature properties and the ability to obtain distributed readings.
Chemical Automation Systems. Chemical automation systems remotely monitor chemical tank levels that are resident in producing field locations for well treatment or production stimulation as well as continuously monitor and control chemicals being injected in individual wells. By using these systems, a producer can ensure proper chemical injection through real-time monitoring and can also remotely modify the injection parameters to ensure optimized production.
Integrated Operations and Project Management
Integrated Operations and Project Management. We offer integrated operations and project management services to our customers. Integrated operations and project management is the process of coordinating the delivery of multiple product lines and services to a specific customer or project normally under a single contract or agreement, including the coordination of third-party products and services in addition to those which we may provide. Under a project management contract, we may be asked to assume responsibility for certain risks related to a project. These assumed risks may include the performance of our products and services, performance of products and services of third-party providers, or completion of the project in accordance with specified technical parameters or in a specified timeframe.
PENDING MERGER WITH BJ SERVICES
On August 30, 2009, the Company and its subsidiary and BJ Services Company (“BJ Services”) entered into a merger agreement (the “Merger Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company will acquire 100% of the outstanding common stock of BJ Services in exchange for newly issued shares of the Company’s common stock and cash. BJ Services is a leading provider of pressure pumping and oilfield services. The Merger Agreement and the merger have been approved by the Board of Directors of both the Company and BJ Services. Consummation of the merger is subject to the approval of the stockholders of the Company and BJ Services’ stockholders at special meetings scheduled on March 19, 2010 subject to adjournment or postponement, regulatory approvals, and the satisfaction or waiver of various other conditions as more fully described in the Merger Agreement.
Subject to receipt of all required approvals, it is anticipated that closing of the merger will occur in March of 2010. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, each share of BJ Services common stock will be converted into the right to receive 0.40035 shares of the Company’s common stock and $2.69 in cash. Baker Hughes has estimated the total consideration expected to be issued and paid in the merger to be approximately $6.4 billion, consisting of approximately $0.8 billion to be paid in cash and approximately $5.6 billion to be paid through the issuance of approximately 118 million shares of Baker Hughes common stock valued at the February 11, 2010 closing share price of $46.68 per share. The value of the merger consideration will fluctuate based upon changes in the price of shares of Baker Hughes common stock and the number of BJ Services common shares and options outstanding at the closing date.
MARKETING, COMPETITION AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
We market our products and services on a product line basis primarily through our own sales organizations, although certain of our products and services are marketed through independent distributors, commercial agents, licensees or sales representatives. Over the past several years, we have significantly reduced the number of commercial agents that we use to conduct our business. In the markets in which we formerly utilized commercial agents, we have established our own marketing operations and are continuing to build direct relationships with our customers. We ordinarily provide technical and advisory services to assist in our customers’ use of our products and services. Stock points and service centers for our products and services are located in areas of drilling and production activity throughout the world.
Our primary competitors include the major diversified oil service companies such as Schlumberger, Halliburton and Weatherford, where the breadth of service capabilities as well as competitive position of each product line are the keys to differentiation in the market. We also compete with other competitors who may participate in only a few product lines, for example, Smith International, National Oilwell Varco, Champion Technologies, Inc., Nalco Holding Company, and Newpark Resources, Inc.
Our products and services are sold in highly competitive markets, and revenues and earnings can be affected by changes in competitive prices, fluctuations in the level of drilling, workover and completion activity in major markets, general economic conditions, foreign currency exchange fluctuations and governmental regulations. We believe that the principal competitive factors in our industries are product and service quality, availability and reliability, health, safety and environmental standards, technical proficiency and price.
INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS
We operate in over 90 countries around the world. We have manufacturing operations internationally in various countries including, but not limited, to the United Kingdom, Germany, Venezuela, Argentina, and the UAE. The business operations of our two segments are organized around nine primary geographic regions. In the Western Hemisphere there are four regions: U.S. Land, Gulf of Mexico, Canada and Latin America. In the Eastern Hemisphere there are five regions: Europe, Africa, Russia Caspian, Middle East, and Asia Pacific. Through this structure, we have placed our management close to our customers, facilitating stronger customer relationships and allowing us to react more quickly to local market conditions and needs.
Our operations are subject to the risks inherent in doing business in multiple countries with various laws and differing political environments. These risks include the risks identified in “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” Although it is impossible to predict the likelihood of such occurrences or their effect on us, we routinely evaluate these risks and take appropriate actions to mitigate the risks where possible. However, there can be no assurance that an occurrence of any one or more of these events would not have a material adverse effect on our operations.
Further information is set forth in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT; PATENTS
We are engaged in research and development activities directed primarily toward the improvement of existing products and services, the design of specialized products to meet specific customer needs and the development of new products, processes and services. For information regarding the amounts of research and development expense in each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2009, see Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 herein.
We have followed a policy of seeking patent and trademark protection in numerous countries and regions through out the world for products and methods that appear to have commercial significance. We believe our patents and trademarks to be adequate for the conduct of our business, and aggressively pursue protection of our patents against patent infringement worldwide. No single patent or trademark is considered to be critical to our business.
SEASONALITY
Our operations can be affected by seasonal weather, which can temporarily affect the delivery and performance of our products and services, as well as customers’ budgetary cycles for capital expenditures. The widespread geographic locations of our operations and the timing of seasonal events serve to reduce the impact of individual events. Examples of seasonal events which can impact our business include:
• the severity and duration of the winter in North America can have a significant impact on gas storage levels and drilling activity for natural gas;
• the timing and duration of the spring thaw in Canada directly affects activity levels due to road restrictions;
• hurricanes can disrupt coastal and offshore drilling and production operations;
• severe weather during the winter months normally results in reduced activity levels in the North Sea and Russia; and
• large export orders which tend to be sold in the second half of a calendar year.
RAW MATERIALS
We purchase various raw materials and component parts for use in manufacturing our products. The principal materials we purchase are steel alloys (including chromium and nickel), titanium, beryllium, copper, lead, tungsten carbide, synthetic and natural diamonds, printed circuit boards and other electronic components and hydrocarbon-based chemical feed stocks. These materials are generally available from multiple sources and may be subject to price volatility. We have not experienced significant shortages of these materials and normally do not carry inventories of such materials in excess of those reasonably required to meet our production schedules. We do not expect significant interruptions in supply, but there can be no assurance that there will be no price or supply issues over the long term.
EMPLOYEES
On December 31, 2009, we had approximately 34,400 employees, as compared with approximately 39,800 employees on December 31, 2008. Approximately 2,900 of these employees are represented under collective bargaining agreements or similar-type labor arrangements, of which the majority are outside the U.S. Based upon the geographic diversification of these employees, we believe any risk of loss from employee strikes or other collective actions would not be material to the conduct of our operations taken as a whole.