Putting the driller back in control

NOV’s integrated managed-pressure drilling (MPD) control system, part of the MPowerD product family, is now commercially available. This centralized control system aims to achieve true rig integration by holistically synchronizing MPD functionality with top drive, drawworks and mud pump control. Doing this enables consistent and optimized performance for the overall drilling operation while simultaneously accounting for both pressure control accuracy and drilling key performance indicators. When the MPowerD system is integrated into the rig, mud pump ramping and surge and swab effects of running or pulling pipe are automatically controlled to stay within the target control objectives required for the MPD operation. Without integrated automation these time-consuming manual tasks require careful planning and fingerprinting to ensure that the nonintegrated control system will actually follow the driller’s commands. By adding MPD controls to the normal driller’s interface NOV aims to put the driller back in control of the process, directly providing him or her with all relevant measurements and control parameters. Complex connection sequences, mud pumps ramp-up and tripping operations optimization can be activated by a click on a keypad. nov.com

Monitor and control multiple zones

Conventional intelligent completions typically require multiple control lines, which complicates installation and adds a risk of failure for long horizontal completions. Schlumberger’s Manara production and reservoir management system, developed in conjunction with Saudi Aramco, connects all downhole monitoring and control stations to the surface with a single electric control line, thereby simplifying deployment and reducing wellhead penetrations to one, according to the company. For the first time ever, this system makes in-lateral zonal monitoring and control possible. www.slb.com/manara

System saves 1.5 hours of operational time

Packers Plus Energy Services Inc. has released its PrimeSET liner hanger system. Anti-preset features ensure reliability and performance, resulting in time and cost savings for operators, a press release stated. Between July and December 2016 Packers Plus successfully installed and completed more than 15 wells across North America using the PrimeSET liner hanger system. Using premium sealing technology to pack off the annulus and secure the liner in intermediate casing, the hanger can be used in both cemented and openhole applications. The tool includes a balanced piston that prevents presetting while running in hole, thereby enabling the system to reach planned depths. This system saves 1.5 hours of operational time per well over traditional systems. packersplus.com/solution/plh

Mobile filtration system removes solids, oil

Fountain Quail has released SCOUT, a mobile automated filtration system. The backbone of the SCOUT system is a well-proven completely automated back-washable media filtration system that removes 95% to 98% solids greater than 2 microns while simultaneously removing 90% to 95% of hydrocarbons, a press release stated. This performance is achieved in a small footprint. In fact, a system with a capacity more than 10,000 bbl/d of water can be pulled by a pickup truck and set up by a single operator, thereby allowing costs and footprint to be driven down. The system operates without manpower, chemical or the need for disposal of filter media. There is a far higher flux rate than traditional filters, which means less size, weight and cost. The SCOUT platform allows quick setup time, and the product is synergistic with Fountain Quail’s MAVREX and ROVER platforms. The product will be used for oilfield applications, including infield produced water treatment, pit remediation and saltwater disposal pretreatment. fountainquail.com

Sensors for unmanned and autonomous vehicles

LORD Sensing MicroStrain has expanded its portfolio of sensors for unmanned and autonomous vehicles for air, land and sea with the release of the 3DMGX5 family of inertial sensors, a press release stated. The latest generation of this inertial sensor is designed to measure attitude (pitch, roll and yaw), position (latitude and longitude) and velocity in a variety of applications, including antenna pointing, platform stabilization, flight tracking, navigation and regime monitoring. The GX5-45 GNSS/ INS allows a greater degree of precision by moving through terrain in 3-D with a GNSS-aided navigation system when a GPS signal alone is not accurate enough. Key upgrades from the GX4 line include improved performance through in situ heading calibration. Automatic magnetometer calibration and anomaly rejection eliminate the need for field calibration. lord.com

New subsea inspection service for offshore

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has released its Subsea Inspection Services to support underwater inspections of subsea pipelines, assets and facilities for energy companies operating offshore, a press release stated. Services include project management, consultancy, personnel, quality control, data processing and data management applicable to ROV, AUV and diver projects. Headed by LR’s Subsea Inspection Manager Andrew Inglis and delivered by the company’s in-house experts in subsea inspection, survey and asset integrity, services will be provided to operators and contractors in the offshore oil and gas, wind farm, and submarine cable sectors. As operators begin to prepare for their annual subsea inspection programs, the company’s expertise will help operators achieve their subsea asset integrity requirements by optimizing project planning, execution and delivery and facilitating the potential for multiclient multiproject operations. lr.org

Collaboration lights the way for improved diver safety

A new on-demand wireless ribbon lighting system designed to improve diver safety and efficiency in remote subsea locations has been released following a collaboration between WFS Technologies Ltd. and PhotoSynergy Ltd. (PSL), a press release stated. Seatooth LIGHTPATH is a combination of two advanced technologies—WFS’s Seatooth, a subsea wireless communication system that can download and log information gathered on subsea installations remotely, and PhotoSynergy Ltd.’s LIGHTPATH, a side-emitting flexible fiber that projects a continuous line of light that carries no electrical power. The new product works for both diver and ROV operators working either near surface or at depths of up to 3,000 m (9,842.5 ft). The light is engaged automatically when the diver or the ROV comes within 5 m (16 ft) of a structure and provides instant illumination of subsea architecture and delineating features such as control valves, docking bays and even the outline of the structure itself against the natural darkness of the underwater environment. It switches off automatically when the diver or the ROV departs the scene and has the ability to act as a proximity warning system when approaching installations, other divers, ROVs or danger areas. The unit has been successfully tested in a laboratory and was scheduled to be trialed in subsea conditions in early 2017. photosynergy.co.uk

Plugs deliver safer wells, more efficient operations

Archer Oiltools has released the SPARTAN plug suite to help operators deliver safer wells, boost operational efficiency and reduce costs, a press release stated. The SPARTAN plugs were developed to ensure well integrity during operations, secure well suspension and provide safe plug and abandonment for all wells. The SPARTAN plug delivers protection for short-, medium- or longterm suspensions and rapid deployment and retrieval, which ensures safer wells and reduces operational time and costs. archerwell.com

Drill fluid two-in-one conditioner creates super muds

ProOne has technologically surpassed its XPL+ drilling mud additive with a new industry standard two-in-one drill fluid conditioner, the company said. Effectively turning ordinary muds into super muds, Diamond Dust powder with asphalt attributes combines with XPL+ lubrication to deliver benefits for laterals, verticals and curves. The conditioner is easily dispersed in any mud (water- or oil-based). A field-proven next-generation product, the Extreme Pressure lubricant provides the best coefficient of friction reduction against competitors at a three-times lower concentration—increased power using less additive, according to the company. Developed by a longtime R&D head at a major company, Diamond Dust with its friction reducer also stabilizes shale formations, reduces drag with its lubricity, enables a better filter cake, provides high-temperature fluid loss control and is excellent for seepage and lost circulation material control. Additionally, it maintains the biodegradability of XPL+, including being ecofriendly offshore. pro1energy.com

Air-mobile capping stack for global subsea market

Boots & Coots Services, a Halliburton business, has developed the Global Rapid Intervention Package (GRIP), a suite of services designed to help reduce costs and deployment time in the event of subsea well control events, a press release stated. GRIP provides well planning and well kill capabilities facilitated by the company’s global logistics infrastructure and existing product service lines. This includes an inventory of well test packages, coiled tubing units and relief well ranging tools. In addition, GRIP features the new high-temperature 15,000-psi RapidCap air-mobile capping stack. Sourced from Trendsetter Engineering Inc., RapidCap incorporates a specially designed gate valve-based system, making it significantly lighter, less expensive and more mobile than options currently on the market, according to the company. halliburton.com

Reimaging program improves data quality

TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Co. (TGS) and Schlumberger announced a new multi- and wide-azimuth (M-WAZ) multiclient reimaging program in the highly prospective Central U.S. Gulf of Mexico, a press release stated. Final results are expected in early 2018, ahead of a period when substantial block turnover in the area is anticipated. The new Fusion M-WAZ reimaging program comprises data covering more than 1,000 Outer Continental Shelf blocks (about 23,000 sq km or 8,880 sq miles) from 3-D WAZ programs previously acquired by TGS and Schlumberger with the WesternGeco Q-Marine pointreceiver marine seismic system between 2008 and 2012. This large reimaging program will process data from the Mississippi Canyon, Atwater Valley and Ewing Bank areas using the latest imaging technology to provide a significant uplift in data quality for upcoming licensing rounds. The area is expected to remain a high priority for E&P companies in the foreseeable future and will benefit from two licensing rounds every year for the next five years under the new Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 2017-2022 five-year program. tgs.com, slb.com

New subsea sampling cylinder reduces risks

Proserv has released a new subsea sampling cylinder that is designed to improve the quality of results and reduce risks normally associated with sample transfer, a press release stated. Based on existing technology, the Proserv Subsea Sampling Cylinder (SSC) is the world’s first fully qualified and certified “for shipping” sample cylinder to be deployed in a subsea environment. The system accurately captures well properties throughout the lifetime of a field. Subsea cylinders allow operators to take representative production samples from a subsea system for direct transfer to a laboratory. Proserv’s SSC eliminates the risks associated with handling and transferring samples on the surface, reducing the risk of containment loss and exposure to H2S/CO2. proserv.com

Understand the growth, size and scope of subsea opportunities

Douglas-Westwood has released its Subsea Cable Tracker, which identifies the vessel installation day demand and a breakdown of component type by region as well as considering global drivers and outlook, a press release stated. Over the next five years Douglas-Westwood expects to see a significant increase in subsea cable demand, primarily driven by the strong growth in the offshore wind market. Douglas-Westwood has released the Subsea Cable Tracker to assist businesses in understanding this growth and the size and scope of opportunities that exist. The tracker details the subsea cable demand growth totaling 24,103 km (14,978 miles) over the 2017-2021 forecast period. douglas-westwood.com

Please submit your company’s updates related to new technology products and services to Ariana Benavidez at abenavidez@ hartenergy.com.

To enter your product or service for an 2018 Meritorious Engineering Award, go to epmag.com/mea/mea-process/php.

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