Fibre-optic technology detects, repairs oilfield leaks
Technology employed in over 200 wells
In the oil and gas industry, after a well is drilled, layers of steel pipes — called casing — are cemented into place underground.
John Hull founded Hifi Engineering, which develops fibre-optic technology that enables oil and gas companies to detect and repair any potential leaks quickly and cost effectively.
Hifi’s technology has been deployed in more than 200 wells across North America, and is trusted by major players such as Cenovus, Suncor, ConocoPhillips, Husky Energy and Shell Canada, to name a few. How did you come up with the idea for your startup? Was there an
“aha” moment? Spending 10 hours a day trying to find leaks, and the data we were gathering didn’t help with what it was supposed to do. It created more questions than answers. That’s when I thought there had to be a way to accurately find leaks the first time. What has been the biggest challenge so far? Technical hurdles are always there. Getting the industry to change to new technology takes time. Early on it can also be challenging finding proper legal and business management advice.
Having a strong network to leverage is very helpful and something I learned over time. Working hard, putting in the time and having a lot of perseverance is a given. Once you’ve developed a track record and strategic alliances with big organizations, people tend to take you more seriously. Are there any key individuals outside of your organization that have been of great help to
your startup? The guys from Cenovus’ venture capital arm introduced our technology to their operations team as well as helped expand our network.
Derek Logan has also been a great adviser and mentor. What’s new with your startup that we can
share? We just won the ASTech Award for outstanding achievement in applied technology and innovation.
We’re also in the process of launching three new leak detection applications. Do you think it is more difficult to raise capital or find the right talent? Any suggestions to make
it easier? Both go hand in hand. You need capital to get talent. Without capital your hands are tied; you can end up spinning wheels in the sand and also make compromises that can hurt your business.
I would say expand your network and evangelize your technology. For us, getting immersed in the business community has certainly helped. What has contributed to your success to this
point? What advice would you like to share to early stage or new entrepreneurs?
You need a broad skill set to be a founder. Spend your time and pay your dues learning about your industry. Also learning where and how to find help without overpaying is crucial as you can’t do everything by yourself. I learned this the hard way.
What made you choose to go down the path of entre
preneurship? Naivety and laziness. Naive because I thought it would be easy and laziness because I wanted to make life easier. I’ve always tinkered with systems to figure a bet- ter, more efficient way to make them work. What are your thoughts on our startup community? There are lots of support mechanisms here. People are always ready to help you, but it takes a whole lot to get them to write you a cheque. It’s so difficult to get startup capital here.
Seeking out government funding programs early on is helpful. There needs to be a more streamlined method to access funding and support, essentially a helpdesk for startups. What’s your ask right now? What do you and
your startup need? We’ve proven scalability and now we’re looking for strategic partners to help take the business to the next level. Check out hifieng.com and send us a note if you think there’s a fit.