top of page

Energy Market Research

Oil & Gas Market Research-Custom Project Examples

Upstream: Inshore, Offshore, Surveys, Exploration, Drilling, Completion, Treatment, Hydraulic Fracturing Unconventional. Service and Workover Rigs, Search and Salvage. Offshore Transport, Offloading, Decommissioning. Subsea, Deepwater, FPSOs. TLPs, FPSSs, Spars, Semisubmersibles.

 

Midstream: Pipelines, Gathering, Boosting, Processing, Compression, Transmission, Transport (pipeline, rail, tank trucks, marine), Storage

 

Downstream: LNG Liquefaction, Transport (pipeline, vessels), Import Regasification and Storage. FLNGs, LNG Tankers. FSRUs, Refineries, Chemical, Petrochemical 

 High Power Gas Engines-Hydraulic Fracturing, Drilling 

Project Scope: A leading supplier of gas turbine engines required an independent business assessment of opportunities in the US hydraulic fracturing market. Frac fleets required increasing power for pressure pumping, drill rigs for faster penetration and multi-well pads.

Key questions included: engine configurations to offer, recommended price points, list of shale basins and customers with greatest potential, addressable market size, competitive analysis and market shares, major advantages to emphasize vs. current solutions, near-term sales and longer-term growth potential, and other key calculations.

Execution: This custom assessment included an analysis of the current and future shale O&G market with emphasis on hydraulic fracturing and drilling, reviews of major suppliers of engines and pumps, new technologies being adopted, major market drivers and constraints, recent new entry initiatives and lessons learned, sales and qualification approaches in this market (decision-making, key influencers, competitive forces), and other major aspects.

This relied heavily on latest market data and in-house intelligence as well as extensive research conducted directly with leading E&Ps, operators, service providers, packagers, and pump-compressor companies.

Direct research was essential to provide this company with detailed insights direct from the market on major issues of current interest, and also probe interest in specific company's offerings.

Result: the company now had a current and comprehensive assessment of its specific business opportunity with a clear game plan for optimum sales and revenue generation. Many critical questions were answered and clarified, and the company now was able to make fact-based decisions on product design, pricing, sales targeting, financial investments, and future revenue projections.

Offshore, Deepwater Drilling and Production-New Riser Connection Solutions 

Project Scope: A company with specialized capabilities in elastomeric coatings, structures, and vibration control  was seeking to expand its business in the offshore and deepwater O&G market with new riser connection solutions for both drilling and production.These were important to reduce motion-induced stresses in drilling-production risers and offshore-deepwater platforms such as FPSOs, FLNGs, TLPs, Spars, Semi-Submersibles, as well as Drill Rigs.

Objective was to define most critical problems, potential opportunities, assess competitive solutions, calculate addressable market size and growth, and design a global sales strategy plan.

Execution: This included an update of current and future offshore deepwater projects in major global regions with highest growth potential, assessment of current offerings, and recent new technologies.

This utilized latest market data including in-house intelligence. Direct research interviews were conducted with a representative group of operators, engineers, maintenance managers, fabricators, material specialists, and other knowledgeable planning and operations personnel in a variety of exploration and production companies and related firms (Anadarko, Chevron, Oceaneering, Saipem, SBM Offshore, Subsea 7, Technip, Total, Williams, others.). Key topics: changing and unmet needs, attractiveness of client solution(s) vs. current offerings, most relevant applications, price ranges, required certifications, decision process to adopt, level of purchase interest, suggestions on market entry and expansion strategy. This direct research was conducted unbranded (not mentioning company as sponsor).

 

Based on this combination of latest market data and custom survey research, an original, detailed spreadsheet was assembled listing 45 most attractive opportunities by type of platform, projected value, average unit pricing, and annual unit forecast out 10 years.

Result: the company now had a current and comprehensive assessment of its specific business opportunity with a clear game plan for optimum sales and revenue generation. Many critical questions were answered and clarified, and the company now was able to make fact-based decisions on product design, pricing, sales targeting, financial investments, and future revenue projections.

LNG Operations-Portable, Fixed Gas and Flame Detection

Project Scope: Supplier of fixed, portable gas detection, flame detection, related equipment for worker safety was interested in growing its business in fast expanding LNG market. Growth in shale gas production new LNG export facilities were key market drivers.

 

A new business area, the company needed to better understand potential market size, current and changing requirements, product features would be of most interest to various users. Also key competitors, decision-making process, and specific near-term sales opportunities. 

Execution: This research developed custom calculations of estimated market size, growth and timing, competitive strategy and share, drivers and constraints of relevance including government policy implications (FERC, OSHA, DOE, DOT), and other key measures. It involved direct research with key decision-makers to better understand current and future needs, expected changes, new features of interest. 

 

Research involved in-depth surveys with key contacts at major LNG plants including lead facility engineers, instrumentation and automation managers, HSE directors, and operations managers at leading companies such as Canaport LNG, Cheniere Golden Pass LNG, Dominion Cove, Freeport LNG, GDF Suez, and others. Also key executives at top LNG engineering and construction firms such as Apache, Bechtel, KBR, McDermott Intl, Mustang, and Worley Parsons. 

Research was conducted unbranded, not acknowledging this company as the sponsor, and in line with company's desire to not rely on off-the-shelf research reports to make critical new business diversification decisions.

Result: This company now had highly relevant direction to establish a detailed business case for expansion into this market as well as set priorities, target specific sales opportunities, establish product design priorities, and make other decisions going forward. This greatly accelerated their overall timetable to market and revenue, avoiding costly wasted time and effort.

Global Refineries, Petrochem, Chemical Plants-Wireless Portable and Fixed Gas Monitors

Project Scope: Leading supplier of fixed and portable gas detectors seeking to expand its business with refineries, chemical, petrochem plants who were integrating cloud servers, wireless networks, intrinsically safe cell phones and related technologies into plant operations. Areas affected included process, health and safety, IT, worker communications, and others. 
 
The company needed an independent assessment to better understand steps it should take to be successful. Key questions: current level of adoption, wireless applications of interest, future adoption plans, major features of interest in wireless gas detection, decision-making process to adopt. Its goal was to gain an up-to-date, directly relevant understanding of current market adoption and likely future purchases.

Execution: This project utilized a combination of direct research with key decision-makers as well as analysis of latest published data and in-house research. 

Output included custom spreadsheets showing specific plant (target customer) timetables for likely adoption 10 years forward including key contact decision-makers. 

Companies like Saudi Aramco, Reliance, Sinopec, ExxonMobil, Valero, Phillips 66, Conoco Phillips, Essar Oil, and multiple others organizations were engaged, including refinery managers, HSE specialists, safety coordinators, automation I&E supervisors and others.               

Result: the company now had current understanding of this market. They now understood key motivators for adopting wireless, and the role that fixed and portable gas instrumentation would likely play in the broader industry transition to wireless. It allowed them to better guage the seriousness of competitive threats, make informed decisions on internal technology investment, and plan sales and marketing efforts.       

Small-Mid Scale LNG-Compressor Solutions (Compact, High HP)

Project Scope: Manufacturer of high-horsepower, compact, lightweight units to drive compressors utilized in medium and small scale LNG facilities seeking to expand its business in LNG market. Medium-scale and small-scale LNG plants were a growing alternative to large-scale LNG facilities. This emerging segment was part of the emerging "distributed LNG" trend (breaking down traditional complex plants into local, modular, and even mobile facilities) to serve trucking fleets, drilling and fracturing, mining and rail. This was also an attractive solution for stranded and flared gas.

This company had many business case questions prior to making significant investments in product, marketing and sales resources, and required a custom market assessment and entry strategy roadmap. 

Execution: This research developed custom calculations of estimated market size, growth and timing, competitive strategy and share, drivers and constraints of relevance including government policy implications (FERC, OSHA, DOE, DOT), and other key measures. It involved direct research with key decision-makers to better understand current and future needs, expected changes, new features of interest. 

 

Research involved in-depth surveys with key contacts at major LNG plants including lead facility engineers, instrumentation and automation managers, HSE directors, and operations managers at leading companies such as Canaport LNG, Cheniere Golden Pass LNG, Dominion Cove, Freeport LNG, GDF Suez, and others. Also key executives at top LNG engineering and construction firms such as Apache, Bechtel, KBR, McDermott Intl, Mustang, and Worley Parsons. 

Research was conducted unbranded, not acknowledging this company as the sponsor, and in line with company's desire to not rely on off-the-shelf research reports to make critical new business diversification decisions.

Result: This company now had highly relevant direction to establish a detailed business case for expansion into this market as well as set priorities, target specific sales opportunities, establish product design priorities, and make other decisions going forward. This greatly accelerated their overall timetable to market and revenue, avoiding costly wasted time and effort.

Compact High Power Systems

Project Scope: Manufacturer of mobile gas turbine engines was seeking new growth the gas pipeline construction, maintenance and repair market. New investment was planned in pipelines and other infrastructure to meet increasing volume of oil and from nearby shale fields including thousands of miles of new transmission pipelines and gas gathering lines.

This company needed an independent assessment to better understand steps it should take to be successful. Key questions included major growth factors, timing for market size and growth, key customers, current practices, changing needs, competitive offerings, and recommended sales strategies.

Execution: This analysis included a detailed update of planned infrastructure investments and maintenance repair spending across key opportunity categories. It involved updated statistical projections on addressable market size and growth, key drivers and constraints, illustrated examples of planned investments direct from target prospect contacts, analysis of a variety of other critical factors, and a summary of most likely risks and rewards.

 

This project relied on in-house data, select published material, extensive direct input from key decision-makers and market experts including interstate gas transmission and intrastate service companies. These included planning and maintenance pipeline operator and field station officials at NA transmission pipeline companies such as Devon Energy, Dominion, Kinder Morgan, TransCanada), contractors responsible for construction, repair, and reconstruction; and a variety of other sources.

Result: This company was now able to make specific plans for longer-term investment and sales priorities in a complex and rapidly changing market.

This independent, current and fact-based research assembled from latest market data and validated by key decision-makers, enabled this company to significantly accelerate its internal timetable for investments and manpower planning.

Positioning Technology-Offshore Survey, Heavy Equipment Installation and Logistics Support 

Project Scope: An industry leader in oceanographic instrumentation, undersea sensor solutions, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for defense and security, ports and harbors, civil government, ocean science, and commercial oil and gas was seeking to expand and diversify their business in two areas. Both were related to positioning solutions (high-performance, low logistics), networked undersea, for mid-and deep water survey, construction, and installation. 

The company needed an independent assessment and supportable research on potential size of markets, realistic market share, average pricing, key customer targets, competitive advantages and disadvantages, and future competitive strategies. They also required specific feedback from potential decision-makers to features and capabilities in their preliminary product designs. 

Execution: This project involved initial assembly of relevant secondary data, and extensive validation from target group of subject matter experts including future potential customers. This covered offshore operators, integrators and equipment installers including Fugro, Technip, Amec Foster Wheeler, John Wood Group, Subsea 7, Baker Hughes and others. 

 

Result: As a result of this independent assessment, this oceanographic company was now able to make highly informed decisions in final product design, competitive differentiators, initial pricing, and draw up a well-reasoned forecast and financial plan. Key decision-maker input provided a critical validation for final recommendations to client. The research also identified several top prospects interested and willing to deploy and test these new solutions. Overall, this project enabled this company to accelerate its original plan by over 18 months compared to what it could have done internally.

Custom Engineered Bellows For Valves, Actuators, Seals, Other Components In O&G Exploration and Production

Project Scope: Assess new business opportunity for specialized welded, flexible bellows solutions for harsh, high temp, corrosive environments in subsea O&G, ultra-deep water requiring better solutions. Artificial lift, drilling, ROVs, pressure pumping, wireline applications.  

Pipeline (Methane) Leak Detection Technology-Remote Airborne Monitoring, Imaging Solution

Project Scope: New airborne imaging solution for  methane leakage (increasing green house gas emissions from pipelines, gathering, processing, compression, fractionation, transportation (rail, barge, truck),  and  storage). Current solutions, changing regulations, unmet needs,  market size, pricing.

Mobile High Power Steam Injector (Cleaning) System  O&G Refineries, Petrochemical plants

bottom of page