Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Reservoir Group's surface logging business, Empirica, appointed Etienne Roux as its new managing director.

Roux, who has more than 10 years of oil and gas experience, started his career with Schlumberger as an LWD field engineer. His most recent role involved the management of Weatherford Drilling Services formation evaluation, surface logging and drilling operations for the Europe, Caspian and Sub Saharan African regions.

He will be responsible for overseeing the transition of Warren & Christian into Empirica, while establishing the business as a cohesive surface logging company that is recognized around the world, a key strategic aim for Reservoir Group.

Warren & Christian has decades of experience in the U.S. mudlogging sector, with a growing fleet of more than 40 wellsite trailers, gas detection equipment and industry standard logging software. Its computerized logging system is currently in use extensively across Oklahoma and North Texas. The company will retain its existing personnel and management team, headed by company president, Jack Christian.

“Leading Empirica is a natural progression for me and I am truly humbled at being afforded this opportunity,” Roux said in a prepared statement. “As managing director, my main task will be to ensure the successful integration of the several companies that make up Reservoir Group's surface logging business, including its newest member Warren & Christian. I will also be looking to extend Empirica's geographic reach, as our aim is to be recognized throughout the industry as a company able to execute on wells anywhere in the world.  Most importantly, I want to ensure that we are leveraging the bright minds encompassed in Empirica, while striving to consistently deliver services and technology of the highest standard.”

“I am delighted that Etienne has agreed to drive forward the next stage of Empirica's development,” said Reservoir Group chief operating officer Wade McCutcheon in a statement. “He is a strong and enthusiastic leader and a great role model for our company values. I am pleased to welcome him to the club.”

Reservoir Group is an international oilfield services organization and specialist in the fields of downhole drilling, completion and production and physical and digital data management.  

Etienne Roux is originally from South Africa and started his oilfield career in 2000, working with Schlumberger as an LWD Field Engineer in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

He worked as field service Manager in Eastern Venezuela and “worldwide product champion” for Schlumberger's Formation Pressure While Drilling technology.

Roux also spent time in Brazil as the company's operations manager for all drilling, rotary steerable and LWD operations offshore, before joining Weatherford Drilling Services at its base in Hannover, Germany. This most recent role saw him manage all drilling, formation evaluation and surface logging operations in the North Sea, Continental Europe, The Caspian and Sub-Sahara Africa.