DIAL-ed In: Stephen Faux

Our expert Q&A sessions are designed to give you insight into the people behind Silverwell and share the value they bring. Each month, one of our global experts will share information on their role and their vision for the future of the industry.

Stephen Faux is Silverwell’s global business implementation manager. DIAL in to learn about his journey as one of our first employees, and how he is helping to revolutionize artificial lift.

Tell us about yourself and your background

I grew up in Norfolk, UK and studied at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. After receiving my BSC in Electronics (with honors) I began my career as a technician and test engineer at several research and development companies in the Cambridge area.

I joined Silverwell in 2009 as a projects and systems engineer where I worked on product developments and the initial DIAL prototype design. After five years I became a senior systems engineer for a short time then moved into the sales and marketing team, supporting global business development. My current role is Application Engineering Manager; It’s a broad role and no day is the same. I’ve been with Silverwell for 12 years, three of which have been out of Dubai.

What does your role involve?

I interface between our clients and internal teams to determine gas lift designs and requirements, translating that into product specifications for our Engineering and Manufacturing teams. I also have regional operations responsibilities such as project management and job preparation as well as deploying at client locations to install and commission our equipment. Our clients typically want to know about the additional functionality our system can offer compared to a traditional gas lift valve, which as an enthusiastic “Techy”, I am happy to discuss. It's enjoyable to see how our system has improved gas lift operations and our case history is making this discussion easier as time goes by.

What trends do you think the oil and gas industry will see over the next five years? How can Silverwell contribute?

I think we will begin to see a call for more automation and artificial intelligence within the industry. With the digital world evolving in other industries, I see no reason why oil and gas would not follow this route. DIAL is taking a step forward in the industry and introducing capabilities far beyond what the industry currently offers to address the shift to digital and the need for surface control & monitoring of gas lifted wells. . Oilfield technology companies today need to address where automation is required and need to fully understand the operator’s requirements to ensure the correct solution is implemented. I feel by applying DIAL’s technological capabilities, we are doing just that for the artificial lift space. I would like to see Silverwell revolutionize artificial lift with data centers, working in collaboration with operators to ensure their assets are managed and producing as efficiently as possible.

Why is faster technology adoption important for the oil and gas industry?

The industry needs new technology to remain competitive with other energy sources. Innovative and intelligent technology reduces operating expenditure.

More operators are recognizing the benefits of pioneering technologies for production optimization. Silverwell is working with operators around the globe to develop new technologies and gas lift techniques to address their operational challenges. DIAL brings automation and a digital edge to gas lift which ensures more can be recovered from existing assets, reducing the carbon footprint of our clients

One area we are exploring is strong technology partnerships to link software applications with the DIAL system. This will allow operators to autonomously unload and continuously optimize their oilfields while responding to the downhole dynamics.

We’ve seen a great deal of innovation in other forms of artificial lift: it’s time gas lift caught up.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

I’m a family man and I enjoy my weekends running my kids around to different clubs and activities. I love sport, specifically Football and Rugby. I love to read and have a broad interest in modern history and current events. I also like to take time to fix things and enjoy the process of fault finding.

For more information on how we can solve your gas lift challenges contact our team.