Bryan Wilborn, Founder and CEO of Paloma Pressure Control, discusses the company’s key role in the provision of best-in-class oilfield services for North America’s oil and gas industry and how it has cultivated a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation, and most importantly, care.
CULTURE AT THE CORE
Following years of volatility caused by a fluctuating economy and cyclical price points, the North American oil and gas industry has begun to stabilize.
Having spent his entire career working in the sector, Bryan Wilborn, Founder and CEO of leading oilfield equipment supplier Paloma Pressure Control (Paloma), reflects on current market conditions.
“Today’s atmosphere is different to what we’ve experienced in the past; I would describe it as stable,” he introduces.
Thanks to the advent of new technologies across the industry, Wilborn has witnessed evolution occur at breakneck speed, with the upstream sector, which has historically been slower in adopting and implementing new innovations, keeping pace. All these advancements have led to improved operational efficiency.
“At Paloma, we’re thrilled to play a small role as the industry continues to gain momentum – it’s an incredibly exciting time to work in our space,” he adds.
Delivering specialized pressure control products and services to oilfield operators throughout the US and Canada, Paloma understands that operational efficiency is key to rapid production, and its flagship products support customers in this effort.
Headquartered in the Permian Basin, the US’ highest-producing oilfield, and with a large and expanding presence across Alberta, one of the richest oil provinces in Canada, the company is well-placed for continued success.
“At Paloma, we’re thrilled to play a small role as the industry continues to gain momentum – it’s an incredibly exciting time to work in our space”
Bryan Wilborn, Founder and CEO, Paloma Pressure Control
POISED FOR EXPANSION
As a long-standing company that specializes in providing premium oilfield services for a wide range of exploration and production companies, Paloma has maintained an acute awareness of both market conditions and the needs of its customers.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a mandate was brought forward by the company’s investors and its customers outlining how oil and gas companies should focus on free cash flow and responsible, sustainable growth – as opposed to the boom-and-bust mentality of the past.
“While sustainable expansion has always been a key focus of Paloma’s managerial team, we stayed disciplined during the pandemic and made two strategic acquisitions in 2021, increasing our asset base by approximately 35 percent,” Wilborn prides.
The successful completion of these acquisitions has allowed the company to continue growing within the Permian and Canadian markets, as well as expanding geographically into the Midcontinent (MidCon), Eagle Ford, and Haynesville Shale Basins.
“Since the pandemic, we’ve been much more strategic in terms of our growth and where we’re allocating capital,” he explains.
Today, Paloma’s core products include its MF frac valve line and Rapid Run frac line for remote and extended fracking applications, weldless missiles such as the Paloma Single Barrel (PSB), a semi-automatic disconnect system, and Birdseye View (BEV) automation system.
“In all applications, our field services team is available to support with rig-up and rig-down, torque and test requirements, and field maintenance and operations,” Wilborn assures.
MAKING IT HAPPEN
Born out of three guiding principles, Paloma differentiates itself from the rest by seeking to take care of and develop its employees and customers while working harder and smarter than its competitors.
This has allowed the company to develop a dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled workforce with an unrivaled culture of customer focus.
“Fostering a ‘make it happen’ culture and taking care of people both inside and outside of Paloma is incredibly important to us,” Wilborn acknowledges.
Much more than just words, the company’s three guiding principles set standards for its workforce to live by.
In line with its culture, Paloma is always seeking opportunities to improve the efficiency of its processes, develop its people, and enhance its product offering to solve challenges, alongside advancing customer operations as a top priority.
As such, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is extremely important to the company as it strongly believes it should support and care for the communities in which it operates.
Paloma therefore sponsors various educational and family-focused events throughout the year, including a ‘toys for tots’ donation drive in which Paloma matches the number of gifts and toys brought in by employees for local children.
“We also host a back-to-school drive where we collect backpacks and supplies for students in the area, hosted at a local park. It’s a family-friendly day with hot dog stands, ice cream trucks, and the local radio station playing,” Wilborn smiles.
“Fostering a ‘make it happen’ culture and taking care of people both inside and outside of Paloma is incredibly important to us”
Bryan Wilborn, Founder and CEO, Paloma Pressure Control
VALUE-ADDED SOLUTIONS
One of Paloma’s key priorities is to listen to its customers’ challenges from the field and provide value-added solutions.
“With so much new technology being deployed, we’re working to intertwine our innovative products and services in a way that matches new operator techniques,” Wilborn informs.
For example, the Rapid Run frac line helps maximize efficiencies to achieve first production faster. With a reach of 5,000 feet (ft) and counting Paloma’s Rapid Run extended flowline system enables complex remote, multi-pad, or simultaneous frac rig-ups without the bird’s nest of iron and hoses usually required, allowing for a cleaner and safer site.
Elsewhere, Paloma is focused on improving its real-time pressure monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automation processes to optimize operations.
“Specifically, we’ve been working on expanding our BEV system to provide enhanced visibility into wellsite operations while integrating additional pressure monitoring capabilities for better data-driven decision-making,” he reveals.
The advanced BEV system provides a real-time view of critical pressure control equipment and systems for optimal wellsite performance and management. With such advancements, larger projects are now more feasible for Paloma.
“While artificial intelligence (AI) could play a role in the future, our current focus is on refining and deploying proven automation technologies that align with our operational needs,” Wilborn confirms.
SAFEGUARDING A CULTURE OF INTEGRITY
As it continues to cultivate strong relationships with suppliers, Paloma feels a deep sense of loyalty toward those who have helped it grow over the years.
“Our suppliers are our partners in every sense of the word. We’re proud of our supplier relationships and have benefited from their exceptional quality, service, and commitment to doing what’s right and never taking shortcuts,” Wilborn pronounces.
Given its growth since the two acquisitions made in 2021, Paloma has a distinct idea of what it seeks to achieve going forward.
As such, employee development is a key priority for the business, having worked hard to maintain a culture of integrity.
“As companies grow, it’s hard to maintain the type of culture we’ve developed, and we’re very protective of it. We always want to be a company that our customers can rely upon when trying to solve a problem,” he shares.
Celebrating its entrepreneurial and innovative thinkers, problem-solvers, and solution-minded team members, Paloma is a proudly people-centric organization.
“We’re on a constant mission to improve our operations – that starts with the folks we hire and the culture within,” Wilborn passionately concludes.
PALOMA PRESSURE CONTROL PARTNER
