Covenant Testing Technologies Merges with Stuart Pressure Control to Create Pressure Control and Flowback Powerhouse

HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Covenant Testing Technologies, LLC (“Covenant”) announced today that it has combined with Stuart Pressure Control (“Stuart”) to form the premier provider of Well Flow & Sand Management and Pressure Control Solutions in the Permian, DJ, Eagle Ford and Haynesville. The transaction is a debt-free, equity-for-equity combination whereby Catapult Energy Services Group, LLC, an NGP and NGP Energy Technology Partners portfolio company, and affiliates of White Deer Energy will partner together under common equity ownership in Covenant.

Covenant now represents the leading provider of flowback, production and sand management, and pressure control products and associated services. The combined strength of Covenant’s well flow technology and Stuart’s pressure control offering creates the largest independent well flowback and pressure control provider in the Permian, DJ, Eagle Ford, and Haynesville. The combined company’s blue-chip customer base will benefit from the expanded product and service offerings to deliver superior value to their completion, production, and workover applications. This platform drives deeper focus and talent into the areas Covenant and Stuart are known for – well flowback and pressure control. The Company’s pressure control lines now consist of frac stacks, Single Line®, zipper manifolds, wireline PC, drill outs, torque & test, and blow-out preventers (BOPs). The well flow management lines now consist of flowback, well testing, sand management and production site management services.

Stuart’s Chairman and CEO, Joe Compofelice, commented, “In this new oil price environment, consolidation in the oilfield services business is necessary, and partnering with Covenant will make us both stronger and able to retain and build on our leading positions in the marketplace.”

Jim Burtner, President and CEO of Covenant, will lead the combined businesses. Mr. Burtner has extensive oilfield service experience, largely focused on completions, production services and technologies as a Vice-President of Baker Hughes and Partner at Select Energy Services. Mr. Burtner commented, “By combining our people, assets and systems in accordance with our core values and safety culture, the combined company will deliver superior equipment and service to the well site from frac to production. With our expanded service offerings, our competitiveness in each business line will increase and enable us to be more efficient and cost-effective for our customers. “

Greg Laake will continue as Managing Partner of Catapult Energy Services Group and take a strategic role as Executive Chairman at Covenant. Mr. Laake remarked, “Bringing together two top-flight field organizations under one set of professional management with a strong performance culture makes all the sense in the world. We will continue to seek efficiency and cost reductions in the industry to provide a better value proposition to our combined customer base. We are pleased to partner with White Deer Energy as we continue to seek efficiencies and deliver value in this market segment.”

FMI Capital Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to Covenant and Locke Lord LLP served as legal counsel in the transaction. Bracewell LLP served as legal counsel for Stuart.

About Stuart Pressure Control & White Deer Energy
Stuart Pressure Control offers a complete pressure control package for unconventional oil and gas development. Stuart’s customers benefit from the cost savings associated with purchasing complete pressure control services from one vendor, as well as from their safer and more efficient well site environments. Stuart was a portfolio company of White Deer Energy, a leading energy, industrials, and infrastructure focused private equity firm that has raised in excess of $2.7 billion in committed capital since inception. White Deer will continue to be a shareholder in Covenant.

About Covenant Testing Technologies
Covenant combines high-quality equipment and leading technology with some of the most skilled and knowledgeable operators in the business. Covenant provides best-in-class flowback and well testing services with a special focus on horizontal and pad drilling for the upstream oil and gas services industry.

About Catapult Energy Services Group
Catapult uses an innovative approach to invest in start-ups, acquisitions, and workout situations in the oilfield services sector. Led by experienced OFS professionals, Catapult is funded by NGP and NGP Energy Technology Partners.

About NGP
Founded in 1988, NGP is a premier private equity firm in the natural resources industry with over $20 billion of cumulative equity commitments organized to make strategic investments in the energy and natural resources sectors. For more information, visit www.ngpenergycapital.com.

About NGP Energy Technology Partners
NGP Energy Technology Partners (“NGP ETP”) invests equity capital for growth and buyout transactions in companies that provide products and services to the oil and gas, power, environmental, energy efficiency, and alternative energy sectors. Founded in 2005, NGP ETP manages approximately $500 million in committed capital and is led by investment professionals that have extensive experience investing in those subsectors. The investment team strives to partner with strong, experienced management teams and work with them to create significant value.