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Jerry,

The main reason to explain Russian esp supply standards was that parts were not available.

The Soviets operated on a command control system. The Russian ESP manufacturers had to adapt. They actually engineered a good product considering their hands were tied for advanced materials and a parts supply chain.

Most engineered parts came from the Russian defense system. Wiring, bar stock, elastomers and the like.

RETIRED REDA EMPLOYEES

Thought everyone would like to know about our get together. This article clipped out from the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise.

Reda Pump retirees still get together
By Emily Droege E-E Feature Writer


Great food plus enjoyable friends more often than not equals a good time. And that’s exactly what Bill Collier is hoping for at the Reda Pump retiree dinner this Thursday.

The pot-luck dinner event will take place at 5:30 p.m. March 13 at the Dewey Adult Center Building. Collier, president of the Reda Retiree group, says that all former Reda Pump employees, family and friends are encouraged to come and enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship.

“We are expecting a good turnout for this,” says Collier. “Everyone has a great time, and the programs we’ve had in the past have been really good too. It will be a nice time for everyone to socialize and meet with each other again.”

Retirees of the Reda Pump Company have been getting together for dinner at least once a year since 1977, according to Collier. At that time, Armais Arutunoff, a Russian immigrant and founder of the company, encouraged employees to come together under one roof for a night of camaraderie.

The Reda Pump facility in 1930 employed 29 people making the company’s revolutionary submersible pump. It soon became the largest manufacturing company operating in Bartlesville. Over time, its workforce grew to approximately 900, including personnel of the Bartlesville plant and branches in many other cities and countries.

“Mr. Arutunoff always said that his employees are one big, happy family,” says Collier. “We are just continuing that tradition. This event is just like a big family reunion.”



Collier explains that besides tasty food to be eaten, there will also be live music and door prizes.

“We always have a band performing songs every year and this time we’ll have the Calico Boys Band,” says Collier. “There will also be a lot of fun things to give away.”

Collier says that he took the reins as president of the club this past September, while his mother, Helen, served as president for 11 years.

“Our group has a lot of fun, especially during the dinner parties,” Helen says. “There’s always lots of laughter and plenty of practical jokes going on.”

Helen also describes the retiree group as a family, emphasizing the fact that members come together throughout the year to monthly meetings and periodically help each other out when the need arises.

“We’re always there for each other,” says Helen. “When a member of the group passes away, everyone goes to the funeral and helps out that grieving person. We really do act like a big family.”

Retirees of Reda Pump are encouraged to bring a covered dish for this Thursday’s potluck dinner. For more information, contact Collier at (918) 273-1409

Who is selling to who ? Is Schlumberger
Reda selling to Green Country or is it
Grn. Country selling to Schlumberger ?
Anyone know ?

Curlie,

SLB to GC. Suppose one of us can call Lester G. at GC to inquire more information about this.

I wonder, when did the term "ESP" get started ?

I noticed that the Reda advertisement from 1951 on the front home page did not mention ESP at all. It was named a "submergible centrifugal electrical" . I'm guessing that's why Carle named it Centrilift in the late 1950's because centrifugal was part of the system name, unlike today's electric submersible pump.

Anyone know for us nostalgia hounds?

news about ray:
On May 10, MDC members, Midland City Council members and Mayor Mike Canon handed a check to SOS President Ray Johnson, completing Midland's third economic development agreement.
...
The company employs 40 now and could be at 50 by the end of the year, according to Johnson.

It was the first MDC deal for a local business wanting to expand.

"All of these are local people and the money is in Midland." Johnson said.

MDC succeeded with this deal in other aspects -- most notably SOS, according to Johnson, was set to remain in Odessa where it resided before the MDC deal was drawn up.

"I didn't think (the MDC) could work with a company as small as us," Johnson said.

The result was not only the jobs and the payroll, but office space -- 50,000 square feet on 6 1/2 acres located on an industrial park near Loop 250 and I-20. It was an investment of more than $1.5 million spent on land, building, renovation and capital expenses, Johnson said.

You missed some key points about CL beginnings. Joe Carle was the key player who started Centrilift in California in the late 1950's for good reasons. First, he speculated that operators there wanted another supplier. Second, he was already talking to BJ ( some buddies at BJ) in California, and they showed some interest if they could get some personal ownership themselves. However they told Joe he had to start it up first. Third, Joe did not get along with Mr Arutunoff and did it for spite, $, and his ego. Carle and his crew had a dickens of a time,and struggled early on. BJ picked up Centrilift in 1959 during a small boom as Reda had no competition - the very early 60's saw a slowdown. BJ moved it to Tulsa and Carle moved back to his old stomping grounds to manage the startup. He could never return to Reda and he knew it. It was actually very difficult to get experienced Reda employees who would want to work for him. It was a kiss of death, so Joe Carle was stuck picking up those that did not get along at Reda. SoCal remained Centrilift's only market in the early days, then some encroachment into OK oilfields. But it was slow going. Centrilift sold on low price and BJ carried them until CL was finally sold to Hughes. CL never really performed well for BJ.

As far as Centriift is concerned, it wasn't until the merger with BakerLift systems that Centrilift started to become something. That happened in late 80's. Brady handled the merger vs Dept of Justice. BakerLift was in limbo for awhile until approved. But this added lots of mass to Centrilift once approved. Reda was in strife during those times.

How did Weatherford start into this ESP industry? Did they buy somebody? When did they start on the ESP side of the business?

Black and White
Probably Weatherford bought SOS after
their start up less than 2 years and probably the Russians bought most of it
just this last year and probably most of the pumps are from China .

thank you Curlie, and would like u to write more about Weatherford and their past and future plans.

Black and White,
there isn't much more I can tell you
about Weatherford . Maybe they are going
to get out of ESP as quick as they got in.
Though they probably are selling a lot
of pumps in west Texas .

Borets Weatherford are doing pretty good I hear in West Texas. The Midland operations are their first real cut into the market. So they're doing good for that. Lots of people don't know, but that is one of the toughtest markets for esp in the world, If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

whAT DOES BORETS HAVE TO DO WITH ARTUNOFF?

When did Wood Group get into ESP bus. ?
Anyone know ?

wood group entered into the esp bus when they bought espi sometime around 2000.

Thanks Sam . How do their pumps compare?
Wood Group's .

Why are the people at ESP leaving ?
Are they going to Weatherford or is it a
layoff ? Anyone know reason ?

now we hear that sos is broke