Asphaltene inhibitor improves production flow, delays remediation needs
Baker Hughes has released its high-performance, low-dosage FATHOM XT SUBSEA525 inhibitor that helps control asphaltene deposition in deepwater wells, providing better flow assurance and reducing remediation costs by minimizing the risk of blockages in production lines and equipment, the company said in a news release. The inhibitor was designed and certified for offshore applications using a proprietary qualification protocol and a stringent laboratory evaluation method to enable full compatibility with subsea equipment and effective performance at low treatment levels. During production, crude oils can deposit asphaltenes inside pumps and pipes, creating serious production issues such as plugged flowlines and fouled equipment and resulting in the need to stop operations and perform a costly remediation procedure to get production back online at acceptable levels. Many times these procedures only offer temporary relief. To lessen the risk of asphaltene deposition and enhance flow, the FATHOM XT inhibitor can be applied at low treatment levels during IP and throughout the life of the well. The low-dosage rate simplifies supply logistics, reduces onsite storage and lowers handling risk, the company said. bakerhughes.com

Platform brings benefits of industrial Internet to power industries
Automation & Controls was born from the Alstom Power acquisition and announced in November 2015. The solutions enable users to connect their machines, data and people for better, faster, safer and more reliable performance, the company said in a release. The comprehensive portfolio of automation and control solutions provides the foundation to enable the collection of data from assets and processes and helps customers leverage those data to derive actionable insights. The products included in GE’s Automation & Controls solution platform—industrial software, distributed control systems and process safety systems—control, automate and optimize the processes that power the world. GE’s Automation & Controls technology controls and monitors thousands of assets worldwide every day. In addition, Automation & Controls provides customers with support services, including a global network of professionals with application and industry-specific expertise, 24/7 emergency support, online case management and more. geautomation.com

Environmental monitoring, oil spill detection made easier
International oil spill player Aptomar has developed a new method for environmental monitoring, making it simpler, more reliable and cost-efficient for oil companies to have around-the-clock monitoring, detection and reporting on unintended oil spills, a press release stated. The newly developed environmental monitoring service, Blue Deal, is tailor-made for monitoring fields in both E&P phases. The service is based on a new technical concept for surveillance and monitoring. Through the BlueDeal service, Aptomarin, the Aptomar 24/7 maritime control center, will on behalf of the customer monitor the sea surrounding the installation or vessel and operationally and technically take responsibility for documenting and reporting that the oil company is operating within the given requirements. It also will detect unintended oil spills within 1 to 3 hours. Aptomarin will be responsible for gathering, analyzing and trending the data from the operation in addition to creating detection reports where the spill, probable polluter and events leading up to the accident are documented. The conducted environmental monitoring will be summarized in a yearly or end-of-well Blue Environment report, which can be used internally or offered to the government or the public. aptomar.com

Web-based mobile technology captures, shares operations data
Flogistix LP has released its new Flux technology that provides visibility into long-term performance of oilfield compressors by digitally capturing and sharing operations data in real time, according to a product announcement. Flux is a user-friendly, web-accessible interface that provides real-time insight into unit performance. This visibility provides Flogistix field personnel and customers with immediate answers and capabilities of seeing long-term trends. It is built on top of clustering technology that gives it the ability to run multiple parallel computations on data as it streams in. Sensor data are automatically optimized for viewing over large timespans, giving the user the ability to quickly identify performance trends and possible scenarios. Flux allows users to quickly assess how their rental fl eet is running by maintaining a rolling 30-day run-time calculation for each unit. Built on HTML5 mobile-friendly web technologies, Flux is accessible via any mobile device. Flux data are stored securely in the cloud using government-level encryption. flogistix.com

Mobile units help reduce emissions, keep oil wells operating at full capacity
How do you meet ever-stricter fl are gas capture requirements in an area with limited oil and gas infrastructure? For Enerplus, the answer includes mobile gas capture and natural gas extraction units from GTUIT, a manufacturer in which Caterpillar is a minority shareholder, a press release stated. The units, which are about the size of a semitrailer and easily connect to an engine or generator set, significantly decrease the volume of fl ared gas at the wellhead, reducing the volume of volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere. Instead, those compounds are captured as NGL, which can be conserved and sold on the market for later use. cat.com

Tool provides high-quality imaging in horizontal, deviated wellbores
Weatherford International Plc has released its Compact oil-based mud (OBM) microimager (COI), a slim-profile tool that delivers fullbore high-definition images in wells drilled with oil-, diesel- or synthetic-based muds. The tool’s 4.1-in. diameter enables deployment in a wide range of geometries including narrow, horizontal and highly deviated wells. The COI, which joins the company’s established Compact suite of formation evaluation measurement tools, features eight pads with 72 total measurement electrodes that provide optimum coverage. The images can be further enhanced through Weatherford Reveal 360 image processing. Reveal 360 technology uses structural and textural information in the measured parts of the image to reconstruct any gaps between pads. “The COI tool enables us to offer a more comprehensive logging program in OBM wells,” said Olivier Muller, global vice president of Wireline and Testing Services at Weatherford. “By analyzing COI images, we can detail the structural, stratigraphic and depositional geology around the wellbore—even in wells previously deemed too complex for imaging services.” weatherford.com

Software makes driver-based compliance the new regulatory standard
A better way for oil and gas companies to technologically manage their complex regulatory requirements is available from Houston-based ACS Engineering through its Continuous Compliance Monitoring System (CCMS) software, according to the company. Eliminating the inefficient, awkward but widely used task-based approach, theCMS is regulation/driver-based and unique in design, delivery and maintenance, making it exceed other automated concepts. For all the regulatory complexities, ACS system’s operation is simple; now companies do not have to painstakingly figure out how to comply with applicable regulations. With the CCMS, companies only receive relevant regulations, which are auto-applied to compliance manuals and tasks. As a compliance-centric bonus, using only site-specific applicability rules (not more or less) loaded into the system saves time and increases economic efficiency, the company said. No glitzy software “extras.” Driver-based software is the key. This system deals exclusively with permits, regulations, plans and manuals, for example, that drive the compliance tasks. After the system is populated with a company’s applicable regulations—e.g., formatted by task and frequency—it continually expands its knowledge base with each new operation. By automatically tracking and continuously updating the drivers, the system stays current 24/7 without the traditional manual rigors. The CCMS has become a compliance game changer for companies not because of technological complexities but because it simplifies compliance. acsengineering.com

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