Finalist
Energy Technology
When Kemal Farid founded Merrick Systems Inc. in 1989, he intended to launch a software company focused on regulatory compliance and pipeline-supply management. But it didn’t take Farid long to recognize that the entire spectrum of upstream operations in the oil and gas industry was ripe for digital innovation.
Over the next decade, Farid broadened Merrick’s offerings to include drilling, field-data capture, hyrdrocarbon accounting and technical data management. He then embarked on a series of technology acquisitions that included innovative approaches for operations, engineering and business functions across oil and gas production and drilling processes. All told, Farid acquired and took a half-dozen precommercialized technologies to market.
With a full range of technological offerings as a base, Farid set his sights on building Merrick into a world leader.
He led Merrick through a global expansion, which included founding offices in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific Rim. And he forged relationships with key players in the petroleum industry to better understand engineering and operational challenges.
Farid’s investment in global markets is paying off. This year, Merrick has experienced growth in top- and bottom-line revenue despite the downturn of the global oil and gas industry and the deep worldwide recession.
Today, Merrick offers a dozen technology and software applications that make Farid’s vision of the digital oil field a reality. His products support operations, engineering and back-office functionality for many of the largest companies in the world.
How to reach: Merrick Systems Inc., (713) 579-3400 or www.merricksystems.com
