Ann: Preliminary Wireline results shows Multiple Potential Zones, page-433

From my experience the quality of service from a service company isn't dictated just by the company's size. Quality of service depends to alarge degree the quality of the personnel at the nearest base and the distance from that base to the wellsite. Another factor is how busy the oil patch is. When the patch is busy tools and people are in short supply and sometimes tools get turned around without a full service at the base. During downturns many of the experienced people get laid off and many of them don't return to the industry. Unfortunately the oil and gas industry is a short sighted one....each downturn is basically the same as the last....nobody seems to learn anything.

Logging tools...especially MWD/LWD tools are large, long and heavy. If tools need to be flown then often a dedicated freight flight is the only option....I've been on a few jobs where we've ended up chartering a large freight aircraft just to get tools into the country. An expensive exercise...but cheaper than sitting on your hands waiting for tools with the rig on full day rate. You could probably get tools into Zimbabwe from nearest major service company base within 48 hours....but you then have to get the tools from the nearest major airport capable of handling large aircraft to the wellsite. From my experience in working in remote locations this can take a lot longer than 48 hours. If logging tools include radioactive sources (used in density tools and older neutron tools) then you can have major delays with customs. These are just a few of the challenges associated with the logistics of drilling in out of the way locations.

Re Mudlogging services. Over the years mudlogging has gone from a stand alone service to an add-on to other more lucrative services such as wireline and MWD/LWD. Mudloggers are generally not paid a lot and on many rigs I've worked on they're at the bottom of the rig pecking order. In many cases the onsite mudlogging crew can be good but they're let down by poor support from their base. The unit might arrive on site in a complete shambles with half the equipment not working. The unit will usually be short of spares and consumables and the hapless crew are the ones who take the flack from the drilling supervisor/Tool Pusher while they're furiously trying to get stuff working. It's all a bit of a vicious circle.....you're never going to attract good people unless you pay them a decent wage and provide them with decent base support. That said most of the mudlogging crews I've had have been good..despite the fact many of them are earning less than a lease hand and constantly struggling to get decent field support from their company.