How Quality Electrical Construction Reduces Downtime in Oilfield Operations
Every day in oil and gas, production teams depend on safe and steady power to keep wells flowing. When electrical systems fail, the result is downtime, repair costs, and added strain on field crews. Many operators want to know why these problems keep happening and how to prevent them. The answer often comes down to one thing: the quality of the electrical construction work that supports the entire site.
In this article, John Serr, Head of Electrical for Design Solutions and Integration in the Northern Region, explains what he sees across artificial lift sites, SWDs, and tank batteries. John has spent more than 13 years supporting field crews in North Dakota. He helps troubleshoot power issues, guides construction teams, and supports project managers across a wide range of electrical and controls work. His experience offers a clear view into what drives reliability in the field and what causes repeated failures.
This guide breaks down how to diagnose the source of power problems, how modern electrical construction improves performance, and what leaders should look for when hiring electrical construction contractors. It is written for operations leaders and technical professionals who manage critical assets, want fewer shutdowns, and need stronger, safer systems across their sites.
How to Tell if Power Issues Come from Poor Construction or Aging Equipment
When a site starts showing power problems, many leaders want a quick answer. They want to know if the issue comes from poor original electrical construction or from equipment that has reached the end of its life. John explains that there is only one accurate way to know. “You would not be able to accurately answer that question without getting on to location and actually troubleshooting the issues.”
Different root causes show up in different ways. Poor construction may cause recurring trips, nuisance alarms, overheating components, or weak grounding. Panels may not be labeled well, and devices may not be sized correctly for the loads they support. These issues create patterns of failure that return again and again.
Aging equipment shows different symptoms. Motors run hotter and fail more often. Drives trip during normal operation. Panels warp or vibrate after years of service. Replacement parts become harder to find because the original manufacturers have moved to newer product lines. When this happens, patching the system does not restore full reliability.
In both situations, ignoring the problem leads to the same result. As John notes, if a team does not fix the real cause, “It’s going to keep happening over and over and over until you fix the issue at hand.”
Strong electrical construction gives operators a better path forward. Clean work, correct sizing, and proper grounding reduce failures from the start. Good documentation makes repairs faster and safer when issues do arise. Together, these practices help create a more reliable and stable power system across the entire location.
How Updated Electrical Construction Improves Reliability Across the Field
Modern oilfield sites depend on accurate controls and stable power. Outdated electrical construction makes this harder to achieve. Updated electrical construction gives teams a stronger foundation for artificial lift systems, SWDs, and tank batteries.
For artificial lift systems, updated wiring and modern devices help reduce motor trips, protect drives, and improve overall uptime. Motors, VFDs, transmitters, and sensors all perform better when supplied with clean, steady power. Old or undersized components create weak points that lead to recurring shutdowns.
John explains that trying to rely on old technology creates long term problems. “Old technology is going to continue to fail. There’s going to be lack of support to get that kind of stuff fixed, as well as lack of materials to replace or repair your outdated equipment.” This creates delays, higher costs, and longer outages during repairs.
For SWD sites, modern electrical construction helps pumps run smoothly and reduces nuisance trips. It supports better communication between drives, PLCs, and protection systems. Tank batteries benefit from stronger power distribution, cleaner installs, and updated monitoring devices that give operators more accurate data.
Updated electrical construction also prepares sites for automation. Many producers now invest in SCADA systems to reduce field travel, improve visibility, and dispatch crews only when needed. John sees this shift every day. He notes that producers want transmitters, ESDs, drives, and PLCs integrated so that “everything that’s capable of being put onto a SCADA system can be monitored by one person in one central location.”
With modern electrical construction, teams gain the reliability they need to adopt these newer systems and reduce long term overhead.
What to Look for When Choosing an Electrical Construction Contractor
Awarding electrical construction work in the oilfield is a high stakes decision. The wrong contractor can create years of recurring issues. The right one builds systems that last and support future upgrades.
John shares several key criteria producers should consider.
First, licensing is non-negotiable. “If you’re hiring a contractor to do any sort of work for you in the field, they need to be licensed with the state of North Dakota as an electrical contractor with correctly licensed individuals such as masters, journeymen, apprentices, etc.” This ensures that crews know how to perform the work safely and correctly.
Second, producers should look for real experience in oilfield electrical and controls work. The contractor should understand artificial lift systems, SWDs, VFDs, tank batteries, and the unique conditions of oil and gas operations. Oilfield electrical is different from general commercial work. It requires training, planning, and awareness of site safety programs.
Next, the contractor should have strong in-house automation capabilities. As John explains, the contractor must have “adequate in-house automation and control capabilities, as well as vendor partnerships and certifications.” This ensures they can support both construction and future automation upgrades.
Contractors should also design with the future in mind. They must install systems that can adapt to new technology, updated SCADA programs, and changes in producer standards. Good contractors also provide strong documentation, redlines, and as built drawings. These materials improve safety, reduce repair time, and support long term maintenance.
Finally, quality work leads to lasting partnerships. When a contractor delivers a clean and well documented install, customers stay with them. As John says, “The customer is usually going to be pretty happy and then they’re going to look for repeat business.”
Conclusion
Power stability is one of the most important factors in oilfield reliability. Sites that rely on old electrical construction or outdated equipment face more failures, more downtime, and higher operating costs. Updated electrical construction reduces these risks and prepares the field for future technology.
Strong electrical construction helps artificial lift systems run more smoothly, reduces pump trips in SWDs, and improves tank battery monitoring. It supports SCADA systems, lowers overhead, and gives operators clearer insight into equipment health.
Choosing the right electrical construction contractors also matters. Licensed teams with deep oilfield experience create installs that last. They document their work, design for future upgrades, and help producers operate with confidence.
For operations leaders and technical professionals, investing in high quality electrical construction is one of the most direct ways to reduce downtime and protect production across the field.
About the Guest
John Serr is the Head of Electrical for Design Solutions and Integration in the Northern Region. Based in Stanley, North Dakota, he supports electrical crews, project managers, and automation teams across a wide range of oilfield sites. John has more than 13 years of experience working in electrical construction and field troubleshooting.
About the Company
Design Solutions & Integration (DSI) is a faith based, 100 percent employee-owned company with more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. With 125 employees and operations across the Bakken and Permian Basin, DSI delivers electrical, automation, fabrication, engineering, and turnkey field services. The company focuses on integrity, long term partnerships, and high-quality solutions built through a vertically integrated model. Learn more at www.relyondsi.com.