California energy services startup expands to Houston area

swing and a hit

Upwing Energy has expanded and opened an office in Katy. Photo via upwingenergy.com

Southern California-based startup Upwing Energy is establishing an outpost in Katy.

Upwing says it already has four full-time employees assigned to its Katy location, which features 1,000 square feet of office space and 2,500 square feet of warehouse space. The company’s new digs are at Nelson Way Business Park, near Katy Freeway and Pin Oak Road.

Herman Artinian, president and CEO of Upwing, says the company plans to employ 10 people in Katy by the end of this year. Altogether, Upwing employs 50 people.

“As the Energy Capital of the World, Houston provides an ideal location for our new facilities, positioning our personnel and materials closer to wells we’re servicing and at the center for innovation in the industry,” Artinian tells EnergyCapital.

The company says the Katy location provides a base for field operations personnel and proximity to natural gas wells owned by current and potential customers.

“Natural gas holds the long-term promise of sustaining our energy ecosystem as demand continues to climb,” Artinian says in a June 29 news release. “The technology is here, and we’re excited to continue scaling it and making it more accessible to the industry.”

Upwing, based in Cerritos, California, offers services designed to boost natural gas production and recovery. It was founded in 2015 as an offshoot of Calnetix Technologies. Calnetix makes high-speed, energy-efficient industrial electric drive and generation systems.

In November, Upwing closed $25 million in series C funding. Artinian says the funding has enabled his company to expand its workforce and testing capabilities.

“Overall, we’re scaling incredibly quickly as we continue to see growing demand for solutions to more effectively and responsibly sourced natural gas,” he says.

Upwing says its subsurface compression technology doubles incremental production from existing natural gas wells while reducing production costs by 70 percent and requiring no new drilling. Thanks to this technology, Upwing customers can expect additional monthly income ranging from $200,000 to $2.6 million per well.

In 2020, Upwing won the Offshore Technology Conference’s Spotlight on New Technology Award for its subsurface compressor.

The Upwing team has visited the energy capital of the world on several occasions before officially expanding here. Photo via upwingenergy.com


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This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

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The Offshore Technology Conference has revealed plans for its Energy Transition Pavilion. Photo via OTC/Facebook

Major international energy conference announces low-carbon activation

new to OTC

A new pavilion being introduced at this year’s Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) will focus on the energy industry’s low-carbon future.

The Energy Transition Pavilion will showcase technological advances in alternative energy, including efforts to promote energy decarbonization and sustainability. OTC describes the pavilion as a “go-to meeting place for conversation and dialogue around the energy transition.”

“OTC is widely recognized as a central hub for energy professionals and industry thought leaders to collaborate and develop solutions for the energy challenges surfacing this generation and [the] next,” Paul Jones, chairman of OTC, says in a news release. “The addition of the Energy Transition Pavilion enables us to bring together cutting-edge technologies and offshore industry expertise that combined can develop the innovative solutions required to deliver the global transition to a low-carbon economy.”

Jones is principal of Houston-based Lockbridge Energy, a consulting firm that serves the energy industry.

The 2022 conference will take place May 2-5 at Houston’s NRG Park. It’ll be the first fully in-person conference since 2019. Last year’s conference, held in August, was a blend of virtual and in-person activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 conference was canceled.

Presenting sponsors of the pavilion are:

  • Deloitte
  • Nabors Industries
  • Schlumberger
  • Technip Energies

Tier One sponsors are TechnipFMC and Wartsila North America, and Tier Two sponsors are Hiber and the University of Houston’s energy initiative.

Among the events at the pavilion will be a panel discussion 9:45-11 am May 3 that will explore whether there’s space for oil and gas in a low-carbon environment.

Members of the panel will be:

  • Amy Chronis, the Houston-based U.S. oil, gas, and chemicals lead at Deloitte.
  • Guillermo Sierra, vice president of strategic initiatives for energy transition at Houston-based Nabors Industries.
  • Paul Sims, vice president of marketing at Houston-based Schlumberger.
  • Jane Stricker, vice president of energy transition Greater Houston Partnership and executive director of the partnership’s Houston Energy Transition Initiative.
  • Nicolas Tcherniguin, head of offshore technologies at Paris-based Technip Energies, which has a significant presence in Houston.
Another Offshore Technology Conference, another Venture Day hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship. Photo by Zukiman Mohamad/Pexels

Rice Alliance announces 4 most promising energy tech companies at OTC

rising stars

Fourteen companies pitched at the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship's Energy Venture Day at the 2021 Offshore Technology Conference, and virtual attendees voted on the companies they think are the most promising.

The companies, which hailed from three countries, again pitched virtually. Last year's venture day was also hosted virtually. The event's judging panel usually names 10 of the most promising companies at the event, however, just like last year, Rice Alliance put the power into the people viewing the pitches online.

Here are the four most promising energy tech companies that pitched at the annual OTC event.

American Hydrogen

Image via amhydrogen.com

Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, American Hydrogen offers a fully integrated, end-to-end implementation solutions for hydrogen generation, storage, and distribution facilities.

"With roots in traditional energy, the American Hydrogen management team consists of senior oil and gas professionals who have spend decades developing infrastructure in prominent energy hubs across the United States. Through this field experience our team can furnish reliable and proven execution for an emerging clean technology market," per the company's website.

Alabastron Technologies

Image via alabastron.net

Houston-based Alabastron Technologies has developed a sensor that can detect organic and inorganic deposition in pipelines before any actual deposits form.

"Our service is a real-time closed-loop sensing, measurement and control strategy that remotely monitors oil production and the tendency of flow-restricting-substances or depositions prior to actual deposition," reads the company's website.

Applied Bioplastics

Photo via Getty Images

Applied Bioplastics, based in Austin, is commercializing an alternative to plastic by combining it plant fiber — operating with a carbon footprint 30 percent smaller than traditional plastic.

"Our products reduce petroleum dependency, pollution, and habitat destruction. Through our supply chains, we support eco-friendly agriculture in developing countries," according to the website.

DataSeer

Photo via dataseer.digital

Houston-based DataSeer is a cloud-based software application uses artificial intelligence to automatically detect, label and extract information from engineering data. The technology improves its customer's quality control and quality assurance of data extraction at scale.

"DataSeer was built in close collaboration with users at some of the largest engineering firms in the world, who we are proud to call our customers," the website reads.

OTC has been delayed again due to the pandemic. OTC/Facebook

Major Houston energy conference once again postponed due to COVID-19

OTC MOVES AGAIN

This year, thousands of visitors from some 100 countries around the world were expected to descend on NRG Center for the annual Offshore Technology Conference. But like so many major in-person happenings, the event has been again postponed due to the pandemic, organizers announced.

Often dubbed the "South by Southwest for offshore" by insiders, the massive expo had initially been postponed to May 3-6, 2021, as CultureMap previously reported. But on November 16, the OTC's board of directors announced a new schedule: August 16-19, 2021. The move is "due to the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19 and out of the greatest care for the health and safety of our partners, attendees, exhibitors, staff, and community," per a press release.

The OTC board added, in a statement:

In the coming weeks, OTC will be communicating with authors, speakers, exhibitors, and partners to develop new in-person and virtual plans and ensure the conference continues to provide a platform for energy professionals to meet and exchange ideas.

By postponing OTC to the second half of 2021, we aim to preserve the significant work of the program committee and authors, as well as minimize the economic impact this decision has on businesses in Houston and throughout the industry.

A mainstay since 1969, the conference is a significant boon to the local economy, as industry regulars, investors, and entrepreneurs pack our hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The OTC has spawned OTC Brazil, OTC Asia, and even the Arctic Technology Conference.

Two years ago, more than 60,000 attendees and 2,300 exhibitors packed the event.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

OTC Houston 2020 has been canceled. OTC/Facebook

Another major Houston conference cancels due to COVID-19

OTC offline

First, CERAWeek announced it would not take place in early March — and SWSW followed suit, as did Rodeo Houston. The spiral of canceled events and conferences continues as the annual Offshore Technology Conference has been canceled.

Every year in Houston, thousands of visitors from some 100 countries around the world descend on NRG Park for the massive expo, which has been a mainstay since 1969, attracted more than 60,000 attendees two years ago, along with more than 2,300 exhibitors — all who come to celebrate the oil and gas industry and its impact on the local economy.

The annual oil and gas event is a significant boon to the local economy, as industry regulars, investors, and entrepreneurs pack our hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The OTC has spawned OTC Brazil, OTC Asia, and even the Arctic Technology Conference. The event has been dubbed the "South by Southwest for offshore" by local insiders.

But amid the COVID-19 pandemic, officials at OTC announced that the 2020 conference — initially postponed until August or September — is canceled. Organizers, already looking ahead, have announced that plans will commence for OTC 2021 in Houston from May 3-6, 2021.

"Amid continued health and travel concerns during this uncertain time, the OTC Board of Directors felt this decision was the most feasible and responsible for staff, exhibitors, partners, attendees, and the Houston community," organizers said, in a release.

"As we navigate these difficult and uncertain times, it is with a heavy heart that the OTC Board of Directors has determined that it is in our best interest to cancel OTC 2020. Our priority is the health and safety of our attendees and exhibitors, and we have taken federal, state, and local guidelines into account in making our decision," said Cindy Yeilding, OTC chairperson, in a statement.

For those involved in the conference, a call for papers will be open on May 28. Event updates will be posted on the official website.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

A Houston real estate expert suggests that the icon that is the Astrodome should be restored to be used for energy conferences and other business needs. Photo courtesy of the city of Houston

Houston expert: The Astrodome should be reimagined for the future of the energy industry

guest column

Over the past several years, there's been a continuous conversation about the iconic Astrodome and what should be done with it. Dubbed the "Eighth Wonder of the World," Houstonians certainly don't want to see the Astrodome go, as it is a landmark deeply embedded into the hearts and minds of our beloved city.

Ideas have been thrown around, yet none of them seem to stick. The $105 million county-approved plan to renovate and build a multi-story parking garage that was approved under Judge Ed Emmett's court in 2018 has been placed on hold until further notice.

For the betterment of business

Houston is famously known as the world capital of the international energy industry, petroleum exploration, space exploration, medical communities and vast port systems across the Gulf. Our city hosts the annual Offshore Technology Conference, one of the largest oil and gas trade shows in the world, which features the industry's latest technology, products, networking opportunities, and more.

On average, more than 59,000 people attend OTC annually, with more than 15,000 attendees visiting from outside the U.S. In addition, Houston is also headquarters to more than 500 oil and gas exploration and production companies and has 10 refineries producing over 2.6 million barrels of crude oil daily.

Houston is a prime location to become a candidate for a new commodity exchange center housed inside the Astrodome. The current New York Mercantile Exchange, a commodity futures exchange owned and operated by CME Group of Chicago, is located in Manhattan, New York City. There are additional offices located in Boston, Washington, Atlanta, San Francisco, Dubai, London, and Tokyo. Surprisingly, Houston is not on that list. The NYMEX division handles billions of dollars' worth of futures and options contracts for energy products such as oil and natural gas.

Renovating and repurposing

Scalability is important to consider when discussing the repurposing of the Astrodome. Oil and gas is the only industry that could support the Astrodome's expenses and generate a profit. Other options such as turning it into a parking garage or a hike and bike trail would not be sufficient. Moving something as significant as the oil and gas futures exchange to Houston would provide NRG with the necessary monthly residual income to sustain the beloved Astrodome.

Another viable option would be to host the annual Offshore Technology Conference at the Astrodome. Oil and gas companies would set-up year-round exhibits on the floor of the Astrodome for convenience, providing an opportunity to showcase their equipment and product to potential clients.

To further capitalize on this concept, the Astrodome would offer corporate suite rentals for oil and gas companies to lease in order to provide a meeting space for people flying in and out of town. While the equipment and product would be on the floor for people to look at, NRG could bring in additional rental income from the suites.

To maintain the iconic nature of the building, signage would hang on the outside of the Astrodome, featuring the top oil and gas company's logos and placing a pump jack on top of it to emulate an oil rig.

The beauty of all of this is the simplicity of it. The hard part is done. Houston has become the oil and gas capital of the world over the last 100 years. The easy part is ahead; filling the Astrodome with oil and gas companies that want to do business.

Your move, Houston.

The first step toward making an endeavor like this possible is simply suggesting that it is. There's no need to fix what's already working in New York. We can use the same business model, bring it down to our great city, put the Astrodome back to good use, and truly become the petrochemical exchange capital of the world.

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Frank Blackwood is the senior director of Lee & Associates - Houston.

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2 Houston space tech cos. celebrate major tech milestones

big wins

Two Houston aerospace companies — Intuitive Machines and Venus Aerospace — have reached testing milestones for equipment they’re developing.

Intuitive Machines recently completed the first round of “human in the loop” testing for its Moon RACER (Reusable Autonomous Crewed Exploration Rover) lunar terrain vehicle. The company conducted the test at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

RACER is one of three lunar terrain vehicles being considered by NASA for the space agency’s Artemis initiative, which will send astronauts to the moon.

NASA says human-in-the-loop testing can reveal design flaws and technical problems, and can lead to cost-efficient improvements. In addition, it can elevate the design process from 2D to 3D modeling.

Intuitive Machines says the testing “proved invaluable.” NASA astronauts served as test subjects who provided feedback about the Moon RACER’s functionality.

The Moon RACER, featuring a rechargeable electric battery and a robotic arm, will be able to accommodate two astronauts and more than 880 pounds of cargo. It’s being designed to pull a trailer loaded with more than 1,760 pounds of cargo.

Another Houston company, Venus Aerospace, recently achieved ignition of its VDR2 rocket engine. The engine, being developed in tandem with Ohio-based Velontra — which aims to produce hypersonic planes — combines the functions of a rotating detonation rocket engine with those of a ramjet.

A rotating detonation rocket engine, which isn’t equipped with moving parts, rapidly burns fuel via a supersonic detonation wave, according to the Air Force Research Laboratory. In turn, the engine delivers high performance in a small volume, the lab says. This savings in volume can offer range, speed, and affordability benefits compared with ramjets, rockets, and gas turbines.

A ramjet is a type of “air breathing” jet engine that does not include a rotary engine, according to the SKYbrary electronic database. Instead, it uses the forward motion of the engine to compress incoming air.

A ramjet can’t function at zero airspeed, so it can’t power an aircraft during all phases of flight, according to SKYbrary. Therefore, it must be paired with another kind of propulsion, such as a rotating detonation rocket engine, to enable acceleration at a speed where the ramjet can produce thrust.

“With this successful test and ignition, Venus Aerospace has demonstrated the exceptional ability to start a [ramjet] at takeoff speed, which is revolutionary,” the company says.

Venus Aerospace plans further testing of its engine in 2025.

Venus Aerospace, recently achieved ignition of its VDR2 rocket engine. Photo courtesy of Venus Aerospace

METRO rolls out electric shuttles for downtown Houston commuters

on a roll

The innovative METRO microtransit program will be expanding to the downtown area, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County announced on Monday.

“Microtransit is a proven solution to get more people where they need to go safely and efficiently,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in a statement. “Connected communities are safer communities, and bringing microtransit to Houston builds on my promise for smart, fiscally-sound infrastructure growth.”

The program started in June 2023 when the city’s nonprofit Evolve Houston partnered with the for-profit Ryde company to offer free shuttle service to residents of Second and Third Ward. The shuttles are all-electric and take riders to bus stops, medical buildings, and grocery stores. Essentially, it works as a traditional ride-share service but focuses on multiple passengers in areas where bus access may involve hazards or other obstacles. Riders access the system through the Ride Circuit app.

So far, the microtransit system has made a positive impact in the wards according to METRO. This has led to the current expansion into the downtown area. The system is not designed to replace the standard bus service, but to help riders navigate to it through areas where bus service is more difficult.

“Integrating microtransit into METRO’s public transit system demonstrates a commitment to finding innovative solutions that meet our customers where they are,” said METRO Board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. “This on-demand service provides a flexible, easier way to reach METRO buses and rail lines and will grow ridership by solving the first- and last-mile challenges that have hindered people’s ability to choose METRO.”

The City of Houston approved a renewal of the microtransit program in July, authorizing Evolve Houston to spend $1.3 million on it. Some, like council member Letitia Plummer, have questioned whether microtransit is really the future for METRO as the service cuts lines such as the University Corridor.

However, the microtransit system serves clear and longstanding needs in Houston. Getting to and from bus stops in the city with its long blocks, spread-out communities, and fickle pedestrian ways can be difficult, especially for poor or disabled riders. While the bus and rail work fine for longer distances, shorter ones can be underserved.

Even in places like downtown where stops are plentiful, movement between them can still involve walks of a mile or more, and may not serve for short trips.

“Our microtransit service is a game-changer for connecting people, and we are thrilled to launch it in downtown Houston,” said Evolve executive director Casey Brown. “The all-electric, on-demand service complements METRO’s existing fixed-route systems while offering a new solution for short trips. This launch marks an important milestone for our service, and we look forward to introducing additional zones in the new year — improving access to public transit and local destinations.”

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

Cart.com's M&A move, energy innovators recognized, and more top articles from the week

trending news

Editor's note:Let's roundup the most-read Houston innovation news from the week. Trending Houston tech and startup articles from InnovationMap and its daily newsletter included a new health tech grant for Houston researchers, Cart.com's latest acquisition, and more.

Houston med school lands $3.5M grant to rollout genetic telehealth platform for underserved newborns

Baylor College of Medicine received $3.5 million to expand its telehealth platform to improve genomic diagnostics and care for critically ill newborns in underserved neonatal intensive care units in West and South Texas. Photo by Tim Bish on Unsplash

Baylor College of Medicine received $3.5 million to help hospitals in Texas better care for and diagnose some of the state's most vulnerable patients.

The funds come from the National Human Genome Research Institute for the Making Genomics Accessible to Newborns in Texas, or MAGNET, program. They'll be used to adapt BCM's Consultagene telehealth platform to be used in underserved neonatal intensive care units in West and South Texas, according to a statement.

Families in this region of the state currently can travel up to 300 miles to reach the nearest in-state geneticist, according to MAGNET. The program aims to help close that gap through BCM's established remote consultation service. Investigators also plan to create educational videos in English and Spanish to educate providers and patient caregivers on genetic diagnoses.

“Only 20 years ago, less than 3 percent of genetic conditions in newborns could be molecularly diagnosed,” Dr. Brendan Lee, co-principal investigator and professor and chair of the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics and Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair in Molecular and Human Genetics at BCM, says in a statement. Continue reading.

Houston e-commerce platform expands logistics network with acquisition of fulfillment operations arm

Cart.com has acquired OceanX, adding two new facilities and expanding its logistics network to enhance efficiency and support high-volume beauty, wellness, and lifestyle brands. Photo courtesy of Cart.com

A Houston e-commerce unicorn has made its latest strategic acquisition.

Cart.com, which operates a multichannel commerce platform, announced that it has acquired Guthy-Renker's wholly-owned fulfillment operations arm OceanX. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Around 200 OceanX employees will be assumed onto the Cart.com team, and the fast-growing company will add two new facilities totaling over 600,000 square feet to its network, expanding to include a West Coast distribution hub in Southern California and its third facility near Columbus, Ohio.

"Acquiring OceanX is part of Cart.com’s strategy to continue to scale our platform and capabilities across industries, leveraging our proprietary technology to improve efficiency and deliver superior results to our clients and their customers,” Omair Tariq, Cart.com founder and CEO, says in a news release. “By deploying our Constellation OMS and WMS software and seasoned operations team across these two new facilities, we will improve order visibility, labor efficiency, shipping costs and customer satisfaction for the benefit of our new clients.” Continue reading.

3 clean energy innovators make Forbes list of top young energy professionals

Three young professionals have made the cut for this year's Forbes Under 30 list in the Energy and Green Tech list for 2025. Photos via Forbes

A handful of Houstonians have been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Energy and Green Tech list for 2025.

Kip Daujotas is an investment associate at Aramco Ventures, a $7.5 billion venture capital arm of the world's largest energy company. Houston is the Americas headquarters for Saudi Aramco. Since its inception in 2012, Aramco Ventures has invested in more than 100 tech startups. Daujotas joined the team over two years ago after studying for an MBA at Yale University. He led Aramco’s first direct air capture (DAC) investment — in Los Alamos, New Mexico-based Spiritus.

Also representing the corporate side of the industry, Wenting Gao immigrated from Beijing to obtain an economics degree from Harvard University, then got a job at consulting giant McKinsey, where she recently became the firm’s youngest partner. Gao works on bringing sustainability strategies to energy and materials companies as well as investors. Her areas of expertise include battery materials, waste, biofuels, and low-carbon products.

Last but not least, Houston entrepreneur Rawand Rasheed is co-founder and CEO of Houston-based Helix Earth. He co-founded the startup after earning a doctoral degree from Rice University and co-inventing Helix’s core technology while at NASA, first as a graduate research fellow and then as an engineer. The core technology, a space capsule air filtration system, has been applied to retrofitting HVAC systems for commercial buildings. Continue reading.

Rice University, Houston Methodist launch new institute to revolutionize health care through AI, innovation

Rice University and Houston Methodist have partnered to create the Digital Health Institute, combining advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and interdisciplinary expertise to transform health care. Photos courtesy

Rice University and Houston Methodist have established through a multi-year joint effort the Digital Health Institute, which aims to transform healthcare through advanced technology and the collaborative expertises of the university and hospital.

Rice’s leadership in engineering, digital health and artificial intelligence will combine with Houston Methodist’s academic medicine and research infrastructure.

“This partnership embodies Rice’s bold vision to lead at the forefront of innovation in health and responsible AI,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches says in a news release. “By combining our strengths with Houston Methodist, we are creating a transformative platform to address critical challenges in healthcare with solutions that are ethical, accessible and impactful. This initiative exemplifies our commitment to driving interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing global health for the benefit of humanity.” Continue reading.

2 Houston professors named as fellows for prestigious group of inventors

Omid Veiseh from Rice University and Edward Ratner from the University of Houston have been named 2024 National Academy of Inventors fellows for their innovative contributions. Courtesy photos

The highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors, the National Academy of Inventors, have elected two fellows from Rice University and the University of Houston for its 2024 class.

Edward Ratner, computer information systems lecturer in the Department of Information Science Technology at the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering, and Omid Veiseh, bioengineer at Rice University and director of the Biotech Launch Pad, were two of the 170 honorees representing 39 states and 12 countries.

The 2024 class will be honored and presented their medals on June 26 in Atlanta, Georgia by a senior official of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Continue reading.

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