13 July 2021
At Fishbones, our team sit at the heart of everything we do. Having grown from a newcomer in stimulation technology, to establishing ourselves as an industry leader, we’ve flourished from a small group of experts to a 25 strong collaborative team based all over the world.
We want to use this month’s blog to begin introducing you to the remarkable people behind our solutions, starting with our VP of Operations, Viljoen Duvenhage.
Viljoen, who is currently based in Oman, is responsible for managing our global operations, a job which in more ordinary times can see him stepping onboard multiple flights a year.
Originally from South Africa, Viljoen has travelled extensively over the years, including when he first joined Fishbones as a Global Field Engineer based out of Kenya in 2013. Since then, he has visited every Fishbones installation and base around the globe and prides himself on keeping his finger on the pulse when it comes to operational details and customer relations. While Viljoen, like many of us, has spent the past year and a half at home, he looks forward to getting back out there to interact with customers, see operations come to life in and to be reunited with the team again in person.
As head of what is a truly global operation Viljoen’s day can often be dictated by time zones. Entering the office in Oman on a morning can see him welcomed by a stack of emails from those who are already awake and working, while many of his colleagues in Norway are still in bed. Daily video calls keep Viljoen up to date with the team, while comprehensive data and information sharing processes mean he can keep across vital details from complex high-value operations.
It’s this tailored process of solution development with customers that Viljoen believes makes Fishbones unique. Customer relationships are generally established over a significant period of time, with Fishbones undertaking a rigorous evaluation process to understand the complex requirements of customer projects. As a result, Viljoen highlighted that Fishbones turn down as many projects as they take. This zero cost, zero commitment approach is central to the team’s core principles of trust and collaboration and their commitment to ensuring that Fishbones technology remains a bespoke and effective solution.
The development of the team behind this process is one of the highlights that Viljoen counts in his proudest moments at Fishbones. From working with just one other operations professional when he first joined, to building an entire team with the skills to conduct projects across the globe, Fishbones has grown as an organisation based around the calibre of its people.
These people are responsible for the development of the solutions including Fishbones Drilling which entered the Fishbones solutions range in 2014 following successful testing in a representative sandstone outcrop in Luxembourg – another of Viljoen’s career highlights.
With Fishbones now utilising these technologies across the globe, Viljoen has been part of the team that has guided the technology behind numerous successful installations. As the year goes on, he will continue to work with our customers across the globe, with exciting projects coming up in Norway, Mexico, the Middle East, China and other locations. Whether from his office in Oman, or out on location, Viljoen will continue to lead the delivery of innovative tailored stimulation technologies to customers old and new.
Interesting in learning more about Fishbones Jetting and Drilling Technologies? Click here