The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[OakesCS]

SLB tried to do the rock & fluids service game and failed (is failing) miserably. They won’t be able to sell any of that business because they’ve utterly destroyed the businesses they acquired in their attempt to play. I think part of their thinking was that even if they failed, they would keep technology from going to HAL. Stupid.

Unless there is serious consolidation in the lab analysis biz or there is big increase in oil price, it will b difficult for anyone to make $. SLB dreaded commoditization and that’s what has happened - partially cuz SLB (& others) whacked so many of their lab folks & some of those folks set up independent businesses.

Much like environmental lab companies. Dime/dozen. No shortage of people w a 2 yr degree that can black box a GC/HPLC and the overhead to run that equipment isn’t huge.