New products and services
Subsurface safety valve is an industry first
Baker Hughes has released the industry’s first V1-validated subsurface safety valve, the DeepShield deepwater safety valve, per API Spec 14A. Tested to help ensure fail-safe operations, the valve is designed to close if well control is lost. This establishes a reliable safety barrier to help minimize the likelihood of reservoir fluids escaping up the wellbore, as well as any resulting health, safety and environmental impacts. The valve features a patented, redundant operating system that enables it to function at extreme depths and pressures. It can also be held open at lower pressures, reducing infrastructure costs required to maintain higher wellbore pressures during operations.
Cellular monitoring system requires no Internet connectivity
Sensaphone has introduced a cellular version of its Sentinel system, which now provides 24/7 monitoring of unattended equipment and remote locations, where Internet or Ethernet connectivity is unavailable. The system detects changes in conditions, such as tank levels, flowrates, pump status, power supply, and temperatures ranging from -109°F to 168°F. When a problem is identified, the system sends immediate alerts by phone, text or email, over standard cellular networks. The instant notification allows personnel to respond accordingly, saving time and cost. One unit can monitor up to 12 environmental and equipment status conditions. Multiple devices, however, can be managed from one account using web-based management tools. Additionally, the system provides unlimited information storage and protects against data loss.
Downhole system controls multiple zones
Halliburton has successfully achieved the first installation of the SmartPlex downhole control system in a six-zone multilateral well. It was the first electro-hydraulic system that they installed in the Middle East. The control system enables remote actuation of downhole control devices using electro-hydraulic control lines from the surface. The multi-drop system also provides zonal control of up to 12 interval control valves in a single wellbore, using a minimum number of control lines. According to Halliburton, the system activates valves significantly faster than competing direct hydraulic control systems. It also offers the ability to selectively open and close different sets of valves, which reduces uncertainty and allows for multi-zone completions with a high degree of reliability.
Sand-tolerant pump reduces damage
Weatherford International has added the sand-tolerant pump (STP) to its artificial-lift solutions offerings. The STP is an alternative to standard rod pumps in wells with high sand production. It is designed to operate at depths reaching 9,000 ft, and to prevent abrasion caused by sand accumulation in the barrel. A wiper assembly and filter coupling reduce sand damage by moving sand upward through the pump and away from the barrel interface. The STP is available in most API pump sizes, and can perform in temperatures up to 360°F. According to field trial test results, it has demonstrated up to 5.5 times longer run life than conventional rod pumps in sandy conditions.
Tracer technology enables detection and evaluation of proppant
CARBO Ceramics has introduced CARBONRT ULTRA, an easily detectable inert tracer technology for sand stimulated completions in both vertical and horizontal wells. Enabling the detection and evaluation of near-wellbore proppant location and quantity, it provides an accurate measurement of perforation cluster efficiency and near-wellbore connectivity, maximizing recovery. Because the tracer does not dissolve or wash away, operators can conduct post-fracture logging months, or even years, after fracturing. According to CARBO, this added visibility helps support more cost-effective completions, which ultimately increases recovery.
Insulation cover withstands extreme temperatures
Trelleborg’s offshore operations group has engineered a new insulation cover that will withstand extremely cold temperatures at subsea depths, as well as extreme temperatures of hot hydrocarbons. Molded directly to the pipe, the cover gives easy access to critical parts of the flowstream. The covers are made from a combination of insulation systems, including silicone Vikotherm S1 and polyurethane Vikotherm P7. Despite being significantly lighter than standard steel covers, it has endured the highest temperatures yet. According to Trelleborg, these technological advancements enable systems to operate at ever-increasing water depths and operating temperatures.
High-strength additive affords greater density reduction
3M’s Advanced Materials Division now offers a new glass bubble product used to improve productivity at a reduced cost. The HGS4K28 is a high-strength, low-density additive, specially designed to afford greater density reduction capabilities. The use of this density reducing agent for completion, workover and cement slurries, offers the potential for improved well integrity, reduced non-productive time, and increased well productivity, when drilling in highly depleted zones and weaker formations. It may minimize, or even eliminate, problems associated with fluid loss, lost circulation and formation damage. These hollow glass microspheres use less additive, making it a stronger cured cement for better performance.
- Applying ultra-deep LWD resistivity technology successfully in a SAGD operation (May 2019)
- Adoption of wireless intelligent completions advances (May 2019)
- Majors double down as takeaway crunch eases (April 2019)
- What’s new in well logging and formation evaluation (April 2019)
- Qualification of a 20,000-psi subsea BOP: A collaborative approach (February 2019)
- ConocoPhillips’ Greg Leveille sees rapid trajectory of technical advancement continuing (February 2019)
