READ is sending waves through the industry with its fourth recognition this year on its work with the award winning Hydraulically Expandable Tubular System (HETS) line of products, a huge accomplishment for any niche technology service provider in its sector.

The Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise 2009 Innovation category recognises the READ Group for demonstrating a proven ability to create nurture and develop innovative products and services that substantially improve the commercial performance or prospects of the company. This prestigious innovation award is sponsored by Wood Group and focuses on READ’s ongoing work on its award winning Hydraulically Expandable Tubular System (HETS) line of products.

Reaching the final three for the Innovation award at the Grampian awards is just the latest awards success for READ. In the last few months, the company has won the SOAA- the Scottish Offshore Achievement Awards - Innovator of the year 2009, been finalists in the Northern Star Commitment to Research & Development Award, and are also finalists for the Energy Institute’s Technology award.

The judges of the award will be looking for evidence of a product that is unique or groundbreaking in its sector, satisfies a real need in the marketplace and has the potential to positively impact the Grampian economy: all of which the HETS line of products possess. The nomination was issued on the 19th of August 2009, and will be awarded at a black tie event on Thursday the 22nd of October at the Mercure Ardoe House Hotel Aberdeen.

Commenting on this nomination, Fraser Louden, READ’s CEO says ‘’ On behalf of everyone at READ, I am delighted that HETS is now more commonly employed as the solution to solve our customer’s well integrity problems. Many years of challenging innovation, development, engineering and testing work has gone into the current suite of HETS solutions. The READ Group is committed to developing innovative niche solutions for drilling and completion teams to help improve the safety & efficiency in the oil and gas industry.’’

The HETS product range is continually being extended to meet individual customer needs. HETS solutions include; Zonal Isolation Barrier, External Casing Patch, Liner Hanger/Casing Packer, and Internal Patch.

READ is a niche technology service provider to the global hydrocarbon exploration and production industry.  Core expertise lies in borehole seismic and cased hole well logging (data acquisition and data processing) and solid expandable tubular (casing patch/ casing packer/ liner hanger, zonal isolation barrier) solutions. Operational centres are in Bergen (Norway), Aberdeen (UK), Houston (USA), Rio de Janeiro-Macae (Brazil), Port Harcourt (Nigeria) and Luanda/Molongo (Angola). READ currently provides services to many of the oil majors and independents.

For further information on READ please visit: http://www.readgroup.com/