Innovation Recognised: David Barclay on Winning the Curtis Blount Award
When David Barclay, Production Solutions Region Technical Sales Manager at Halliburton, learned they’d won the prestigious Curtis Blount Award in 2025, his reaction was simple: "Surprised and proud."
The winning presentation, "Riserless Coiled Tubing (RLCT) Services from Light Well Intervention Vessel," showcased a world-first achievement—RLCT live well intervention using a dual injector system. The presentation covered the introduction and benefits of RLCT operations and detailed the groundbreaking well intervention performed.
"It was a source of great pride and achievement that we were recognised as a team for delivering industry-leading innovation," David reflects.
Opening Doors and Raising Profiles
The impact of winning has extended far beyond the award itself. "There has been a lot of industry interest in the RLCT technology, and it has led to us visiting with operators across the globe to present this industry first," David explains. "Winning the Curtis Blount Award has certainly helped in raising the profile of our achievement."
One particularly memorable moment came when David presented the paper at ICOTA/SPE in Kuala Lumpur as part of winning the award, giving the team the opportunity to share their innovation with an even wider international audience.
Why Industry Recognition Matters
For David, the importance of industry awards extends beyond personal achievement. "It is important as an industry that we continue to innovate and share new technologies. Awards such as the Curtis Blount Award can help greatly in sharing our new technology and successes across the entire Oil & Gas Industry."
His advice to those considering entering? "Go ahead, winning only has positives."
Curtis Blount Award 2026
The Curtis Blount Award winner recognises outstanding technical papers and presentations that advance knowledge and innovation in the oil and gas industry. If you've been involved in groundbreaking work or innovative solutions, this could be your opportunity to gain recognition and share your achievements with the global industry. The winner of the 2026 Award will be announced at the Global SPE/ICoTA Conference in Houston in March.
February 13, 2026