Expro, a global provider of energy services, has achieved a significant breakthrough in its international operations with the successful delivery of the world’s first fully remote five-plug cementing operation in Saudi Arabia. This marks a major step forward in the company’s strategic expansion across the Middle East and showcases its dedication to innovation, safety, and advanced engineering in the well construction space.
The landmark operation was carried out using Expro’s Generation-X Remote Plug Launcher (RPL) and the SkyHook cement-line make-up device—two proprietary technologies designed to automate complex cementing processes. This fully hands-free system enabled a multi-stage cementing job to be completed without any red-zone entry or man-riding operations, setting a new benchmark for operational safety and remote performance in the field.
This latest achievement builds on Expro’s initial cementing job in the Kingdom, completed in January. That successful operation laid the groundwork for rapid growth in the region, culminating in the delivery of this more complex five-plug job in May. Both operations reflect Expro’s deliberate progression from market entry to technology leadership, highlighting the scalability, precision, and reliability of its automated cementing solutions in high-demand environments.
The recent five-plug operation involved cementing a 9-5/8” casing in a high-pressure gas well—the longest of its kind in the field. All five components were pre-loaded into the modular Generation-X RPL in a controlled environment and launched remotely at the well site with high accuracy. This significantly reduced rig time, eliminated high-risk manual tasks, and improved cement placement and zonal isolation-critical factors in maintaining long-term well integrity.
“Our entry into Saudi Arabia is more than just geographic expansion – it’s about transforming cementing operations through advanced engineering,” said Jeremy Angelle, Vice President of Well Construction at Expro. “This breakthrough showcases our Generation-X and SkyHook technologies as world-class innovations that drive measurable safety and efficiency gains.”
Additional deployments of these technologies across the region have further validated their performance, with one customer achieving cement displacement rates of up to 13 bpm through the top drive—delivering cleaner wellbores, quicker casing-to-cement transitions, and shorter wellbore static times.
“Both the Generation-X launcher and SkyHook system were designed with safety, control, and field adaptability in mind,” Angelle added. “To see them deliver such strong results in a new region is a proud moment, and a signal of what’s possible as we grow our well construction capabilities globally.”
Expro continues to invest in expanding its footprint in Saudi Arabia and beyond, aligning its offerings with evolving customer needs in oil, gas, and geothermal markets. With proven success and growing demand, its remote cementing solutions are now poised for wider global adoption.
