When not traveling the world and being showcased internationally at various events and opportunities, the technology displays that Baker Hughes constructed to use as demonstrations and sales tools sat mostly in storage collecting dust until their next gig. That didn't sit well with Matt Hartman.
As sales and commercial enablement director, Hartman saw an opportunity for another use for these displays — one that would take them out of far-flung storage facilities.
"I wanted to reduce our storage and carbon footprint there, but I also wanted to make all of these items accessible at all times. And what better place to do it than one of the energy capitals of the world here in Houston," Hartman tells Energy Capital. "We moved everything out here and displayed it in a way that tells the full Baker Hughes story from drilling through production and including our new energies."
Now, the Baker Hughes Technology Showcase exists permanently at the company's Western Hemisphere Education Center in Tomball just outside of Houston.
There are more than 30 physical displays — some scaled down and 3D printed while others are exact replicas of the technology out in the field. In addition to these tangible pieces, hundreds are available to peruse on the touch-screen displays.
While there's the full technology spectrum represented, there's a particular focus on clean energy technologies — ones that aren't just future facing but are actually being used in the field today.
"It's all in line with our commitments that we made in 2019 to be net-zero by 2050," Hartman says, noting that Reuters reported the company's carbon footprint to 28 percent this year.
The showcase is designed for visitors and in-house teams alike, including current and potential customers, new hires, university students, and more.
"This particular building — the Western Hemisphere Education Center — is a really good building to have it in because we do anything for our training for our employees and our customers here," Hartman says. "What better place to have pieces of our technology or solutions here that they are learning about in a classroom and then they can come out here and actually put hands on."
The pieces of technology still travel of course, but when they aren't being displayed internationally, they now have a permanent place of residence to continue to be showcased.
Photo courtesy of Baker Hughes
Pieremanuele Canepa, Robert Welch assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH, is leading a research project that can change the effectiveness of sodium-ion batteries. Photo courtesy of UH