What Upstream Engineering does

Upstream Engineering, LLC is a Houston, Texas-based specialized engineering firm founded in 2002 that delivers front-end engineering, detailed design, and EPC project solutions to upstream and midstream oil and gas operators worldwide. The company operates as a registered Texas Engineering Company (No. F-2752) with a headcount of 11–50, led throughout its history by working principals Ronnie Smith and Don Ybarra. Its service portfolio is structured around five integrated offerings: Front End Engineering (concept select, pre-FEED, FEED, AFE cost estimating); Detail Design Engineering (multi-discipline engineering across process, mechanical, instrumentation/controls, electrical, safety, civil/structural, pipeline, and CAD drafting); EPC Delivery (full project execution through procurement, fabrication oversight, installation, and startup); licensed SeaHorse Platforms (the firm's core differentiator); and Fabrication via a long-term partner yard on the Texas Gulf Coast in Ingleside, Texas.

The underlying technology centerpiece is the SeaHorse platform, for which Upstream Engineering is the licensed provider across North and South America, the Caribbean, West Africa, and Malaysia. SeaHorse is positioned as a fit-for-purpose, cost-optimized marginal-field platform solution with more than 200 successful installations globally, deployed in harsh environments including the US Gulf of Mexico, the Bay of Campeche, the North Sea, and Malaysian waters. The firm has delivered concrete reference projects including the Mizton Wellhead Platform for ENI Mexico (February 2019, 60,000 BOPD), the Ichalkil-2 Del and Pokoch wellhead platforms for Fieldwood Energy (February 2020, 51,000 BOPD combined), the Sercan WHP for EOG Resources Trinidad (250 MMSCFD gas handling), the Tembikai Central Production Platform for Vestigo in Malaysia (SeaHorse III), the Okwok Wellhead Platform for Oriental Energy Resources in Nigeria, and the South Texas Gateway Modular Oil Loading Terminal for Buckeye Pipelines in Ingleside, Texas.

Upstream Engineering makes money through professional-services/project-based contracts priced under quote-based, non-publicly-disclosed terms, with flexible contracting strategies spanning E, EP, EPCM, or EPC to accommodate client preferences. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, with the working principals engaging operators personally through the project cycle. Revenue is concentrated in international and U.S. upstream producers and midstream operators across approximately 13 countries spanning the Americas, West Africa, and Southeast Asia, with multi-year project cycles that produce lumpy, milestone-driven income.

Name

Upstream Engineering

Legal name

Upstream Engineering, LLC

Website

https://upstreamengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Upstream Engineering is a Houston-based engineering services firm specializing in offshore upstream and midstream oil and gas projects, including front-end engineering, detail design, EPC delivery, and licensed SeaHorse marginal field platforms. Founded in 2002, the firm serves IOC and NOC operators across the Americas, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Offshore Oil & Gas Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333132)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533)

akta.pro primary industry

Production Operations & Well Optimization (Artificial Lift, Flow Assurance) (EUALAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Drilling & Well Construction (E&P Operator-led) (EUALAAAD)

Keywords

• Offshore engineering services
• Oil and gas EPC
• Platform fabrication
• Front end engineering
• FEED engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. EPC Project Delivery: Full engineering, procurement, and construction services for offshore platforms and terminals. Revenue generated through project-based contracts with flexible contracting options (E, EP, EPCM, or EPC) serving upstream and midstream oil and gas operators globally.
2. Engineering Services: Front End Engineering (FEED), Detail Design Engineering, and Concept Select Studies provided to oil and gas operators throughout the project lifecycle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Upstream Engineering is a specialized engineering firm that delivers front-end engineering, detailed design, EPC project execution and offshore fabrication services to upstream and midstream oil and gas operators. The firm holds a license to provide SeaHorse marginal-field platform technology and supports clients from concept select studies through installation and startup using flexible E, EP, EPCM or EPC contracting models.

Product overview

Upstream Engineering is a specialized engineering firm focused on delivering project solutions to upstream and midstream oil and gas sectors. The company's service portfolio consists of five integrated core offerings: Front End Engineering (concept studies, pre-FEED and FEED), Detail Design Engineering (multi-discipline engineering services), EPC Delivery (full project execution including fabrication), SeaHorse Platforms (licensed provider of the industry-leading marginal field platform solution), and Fabrication (offshore fabrication through a Texas Gulf Coast partner). Projects span wellhead platforms, central production platforms, modular oil loading terminals, and associated infrastructure. The company operates globally with previous projects in Argentina, Angola, Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, Mexico, Malaysia, Peru, Trinidad, China, Middle East, and West Africa. Founded in 2002 and led by principals Ronnie Smith and Don Ybarra, Upstream Engineering is registered in Texas (No. F-2752) and offers flexible contracting strategies including E, EP, EPCM, or EPC delivery models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SeaHorse Platforms: Licensed provider for SeaHorse platforms - a pioneer in marginal field platform solutions with over 200 successful projects, known as the most cost-effective platform solution in the offshore industry.

Products and services

• Front End Engineering Early project development services including concept select studies, pre-FEED and FEED engineering, AFE cost estimates, and project schedules to evaluate prospects and determine solutions for upstream and midstream oil and gas operators.
• Detail Design Engineering Comprehensive engineering services across process, mechanical, instrumentation/controls, electrical, safety, civil/structural, pipeline disciplines and CAD drafting to support project needs throughout the entire project life cycle for upstream and midstream oil and gas operators.
• EPC Delivery Full project execution from engineering through procurement, fabrication, installation and startup with experienced personnel for project management, scheduling and cost control, procurement, construction management, fabrication, and pre-commissioning, delivered via flexible E, EP, EPCM or EPC contracting strategies.
• SeaHorse Platforms Licensed delivery of SeaHorse platform technology, described as the pioneer marginal field platform solution with over 200 successful projects worldwide and positioned as a cost-effective platform solution for harsh offshore environments.
• Fabrication Offshore fabrication services delivered through a long-term relationship with a fabrication yard strategically located on the Texas Gulf Coast in Ingleside, Texas, enabling EPC project execution in Mexico, Nigeria, Argentina and Malaysia.
• SeaHorse Platform Cost Estimate Tool Online AFE cost estimation tool for SeaHorse platforms that collects field name, location, water depth, number of wells, topsides requirements, product facility/design rate, and facility type (manned/unmanned, compression, riser) inputs from prospective customers to generate indicative project pricing.

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Fabrication Yard Partner (Ingleside, Texas)coreOthersLong-term working relationship with an offshore fabrication yard strategically located on the Texas Gulf Coast in Ingleside, Texas. This partnership has enabled execution of several EPC projects in Mexico, Nigeria, Argentina, and Malaysia. The collaboration combines Upstream's engineering expertise with the fabrication partner's manufacturing capabilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Saipem: Global offshore EPC contractor with deep expertise in fixed platforms, FPSOs, and offshore field development. Comparable to Upstream Engineering in offshore upstream EPC services but operates at a much larger scale with owned vessels, yards, and integrated subsea capabilities.
• KBR: Large-scale engineering, procurement, and construction services provider with a deep offshore upstream portfolio. Comparable in service categories (FEED, detail engineering, EPC) but serves a much broader client base and project scale than Upstream Engineering.
• Aker Solutions: Norwegian offshore engineering and EPC firm specializing in fixed platforms, subsea systems, and offshore wind transition infrastructure. Comparable to Upstream Engineering in offshore platform engineering for harsh environments, but with much broader service portfolio and global scale.
• McDermott International: Tier-one EPC contractor specializing in offshore upstream facilities, including fixed platforms, subsea tiebacks, and integrated EPCI solutions. Comparable to Upstream Engineering in offshore platform delivery but operates globally at significantly larger scale with owned fabrication yards.
• TechnipFMC: Integrated offshore engineering, equipment, and project delivery company with leading positions in subsea production systems and offshore platforms. Overlaps with Upstream Engineering's platform engineering scope but with proprietary subsea equipment, broader geographic reach, and substantially larger scale.
• Worley: Global engineering and project delivery firm with a substantial offshore upstream practice through its Advisian and Energy project units. Overlaps with Upstream Engineering in FEED, detail design, and EPC for offshore platforms, but operates at significantly larger scale and scope across energy and chemicals.

Direct peers

• Lamprell: UAE-based provider of offshore platform fabrication and engineering services for the upstream oil and gas sector. Comparable to Upstream Engineering in offshore platform delivery (particularly jackets and topsides), with overlap in Middle East and international offshore markets.
• Audubon Engineering Solutions: Houston-based engineering firm specializing in offshore and subsea engineering, field development, and project execution for upstream oil and gas. Comparable to Upstream Engineering in size, geography, and customer base, with overlap in FEED, detail design, and EPC services for offshore platforms.
• Doris Engineering: Paris-headquartered offshore engineering firm specializing in deepwater and marginal field developments, including FPSO topsides and platform engineering. Comparable to Upstream Engineering in its focus on cost-effective, fit-for-purpose offshore production infrastructure for IOCs and NOCs.

Regional players

• TOYO Engineering: Japan-based engineering and construction firm with offshore upstream platform and FPSO delivery capability, particularly active in Southeast Asia. Comparable to Upstream Engineering's work in Malaysia and broader offshore EPC services, but anchored to Japanese and Asian clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upstream Engineering