Fracturing service boosts recovery in hydraulically stimulated wells
Baker Hughes has released its Ascent high-side fracturing service. The Ascent fracturing service increases the conductive fracture area to improve recovery in stimulated wells compared to conventional fracturing techniques, a product announcement stated. This service incorporates specialized modeling, pumping techniques and proppant technology to create and maintain open fractures above the lateral wellbore. Unlike conventional fracturing fluid applications, in which proppant often fails to remain in the high side of the fracture network, the Ascent fracturing service leverages advanced modeling and strong ultralightweight proppant technology with a specific gravity near that of water. The fracturing service keeps the proppant in place above the lateral wellbore even after pumping has concluded and the formation begins to close, propping open those hydrocarbon pathways and ensuring access to more potential production—even in formations with extended closure times. Additionally, because the service transports the proppant using extremely low polymer loading, the risk of gel residue restricting hydrocarbon flow through the proppant pack is virtually eliminated. bakerhughes.com

System remotely monitors oil, gas facilities without Internet connection
Sensaphone has introduced a cellular version of its Sentinel system that provides 24/7 monitoring of unattended equipment and remote locations where Internet or Ethernet connectivity is unavailable. The Sentinel system is ideal for monitoring equipment operating at oil and gas wells, refineries and storage facilities because it can detect changes in conditions such as tank levels, flow rates, pump status, power supply and temperature from -78 C to 75.5 C (-109 F to 168 F), a press release stated. When the system identifies an issue, it immediately sends alerts by phone, text or email over standard cellular networks. This instant notification allows personnel to take corrective action, save critical assets and quickly address a potentially costly situation. Only one Sentinel unit is required to monitor up to 12 different environmental and equipment status conditions. The system stores all sensor readings in the cloud, which provides unlimited information storage and protects against data loss. Multiple devices can be managed from one account using web-based management tools. No software is required, so installation, integration and management of the system are fast and easy, the company said. The Sentinel system’s enhanced data-logging capabilities allow users to print, graph or export event reports daily via email, providing an audit trail of all user data activities. In addition to the cellular system, Sensaphone offers an Ethernet-based model. sensaphone.com

ESP designed to handle solids, gas and heavy oil
Elite Multiphase Solutions has released an alternative pump solution for oil and gas well operators and suppliersof electric submersible pumping (ESP) systems. The pumps are designed to produce in harsh well environments. When an oil and gas well has a high volume of sand or high volumes of gas and heavy oil, a centrifugal pump might not be the best alternative due to the tortuous design of the pump stage, thus causing early failure due to wear on the pump resulting in vibration, which is highly detrimental to the system. The V-Pump is designed to handle solids, gas and heavy oil, thus improving the runlife of the ESP system, according to a press release. The V-Pump is designed to produce in a range of 900 bbl/d to 5,000 bbl/d of fluid. The pump can handle high volumes of sand with test data exceeding 50,000 parts per million without the need for a sand filter, gas through the pump without the need of a gas separator, and heavy oil. The V-pump does not have metal-to-metal contact between the rotor and stator (pump stage); thus the pump can operate at a wide range for wells with rapid depletions rates. elitemps.com

DNV GL offers barrier management solution through HSEQ software
With the latest release of the HSEQ software solution Synergi Life, DNV GL offers a new barrier management module with an integrated system of live bowties and barrier dashboards for effective updates and monitoring, a product announcement stated. The holistic approach offers a way of collecting and consolidating information from both proactive and reactive sources to generate more complete and updated decision support tools. With the new module, users can rapidly track changing risks, preventive barriers and mitigations, leading to improved decision-making to secure stable, safe and predictable operations. The software features a framework to monitor and manage the integrity of barriers with an integrated system of updated bowties and barrier dashboards. This includes drill-downs to the barrier integrity and underlying data status, prompting implementation of actions to maintain integrity. It provides a line of sight from a corporate perspective down to various operational contexts and individual barrier performance, action plans and improvements. dnvgl.com

Friction-breaking tool designed without moving parts, elastomers
The XRVG3 is Thru Tubing Solutions’ third-generation extended-reach vibratory tool. Engineered for operational efficiency, the new tool features lower pressure drops than its predecessors. Designed without moving parts or elastomers, the XRVG3 can handle virtually any environment, chemical or temperature, according to the company. The tool features a compact rugged design, low differential pressure, no moving parts and unlimited temperature range and is compatible with anti-friction beads. With no moving parts or elastomers, the XRVG3 is “the shortest, most reliable” extended-reach tool, according to the company. The XRVG3 can be configured for different fl ow rates to accommodate operational requirements. Maintaining the nominal flow rates will yield optimal results; however, the tool will still operate effectively within a wide range of flow rates. thrutubing.com

Collaboration leads to enhanced lifting technology
Sparrows Group and Norwegian firm OptiLift have formed a strategic partnership to deliver robot vision laser technology, which will dramatically improve the uptime of lifting operations, according to a press release. Traditionally, decisions about lifting in harsh weather are based on significant wave height, but OptiLift’s Motion Reporter collects real-time vessel movements that identify the actual wave height on deck, which often varies by several meters on different parts of the vessel. These data will enable crews to make informed decisions about safely continuing lifting operations and avoiding unnecessary delays. The Motion Reporter works using a laser and camera that automatically generate 3-D models of supply vessels without any sensors or instrumentation required to be on the vessel itself. As part of the agreement, Sparrows Group will distribute, install and maintain the Motion Reporter on behalf of OptiLift. sparrowsgroup.com

Expanded functionality for petrophysicists, geologists and engineers
Paradigm has released its Geolog 7.4, the latest version of its Geolog formation evaluation software suite. Geolog 7.4 offers a rich set of new engineering functionalities that expand the product’s reach into additional phases of the production cycle, a press release stated. This release also extends third-party connectivity, including support for Petrel 2015, enabling users to bring the power of Geolog into workflows based in other products. Geolog 7.4 enhances the solution for engineers with tools to enable an independent assessment of well integrity, critical to ensuring safe operations, and new well schematics and production logging tools to assist with post-production formation evaluation. In addition, a new full-functioned geomechanics module offers a comprehensive series of calculations and interactive tools for assessing mechanical conditions around the wellbore, resulting in a better understanding of the reservoir. New reservoir characterization plots enable the estimation of reservoir flow properties from log data. And the Geolog pore pressure prediction functionality is now available in a single integrated workfl ow for improved efficiency. pdgm.com

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