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10 24 20

03 Comment
Contents 31 Vibration mitigation
Farhod Hamidov, BICO Drilling Tools, Inc., and
February 2018
Volume 11 Issue 02

05 World news Sachin Rajadhyaksha and Meghan Paulson, K&M Technology

Group, show how operators can use bypass tools to optimise hole
cleaning and off bottom vibration mitigation in horizontal wells.
10 Coming in from the cold
David Bizley, Oilfield Technology, discusses recent developments in
the Russian oil and gas sector.
34 Creating clear fluid solutions
Lenus King, TETRA Technologies, USA, reviews a range of
chemical products designed to counter challenges within the
14 Drilling advances: an overview
petroleum industry.
Oilfield Technology Correspondent, Gordon Cope, reports on
how service companies and operators are using inventive
technologies and processes to improve drilling.
38 Building better mousetraps
Matt Offenbacher, AES Drilling Fluids, USA, discusses the advantages
of leveraging promising chemical technology from the past to inspire
19 Increasing magnetic ranging accuracy
new solutions for today.
Georgy Rassadkin, Douglas Ridgway, and Clinton Moss,
Scientific Drilling International, USA and Canada, discuss
increasing the accuracy of magnetic ranging by using
41 Safer, faster, greener
simultaneous gyro referencing. Dieter Wijning, Huisman, the Netherlands, explains how new
automation and robotics technologies are improving the safety
and efficiency of drilling operations.
23 A combined future
Colby Champagne and Katie Poché, Frank’s International, USA,
explore recent developments in casing and drilling technology.

27 The shape of things to come 43

Federico Bellin, Varel, USA, discusses how changing the geometry of This feature showcase technologies designed to handle the
standard flat PDC cutters alters forces at the bit for greater efficiency harshest conditions faced by the global oil and gas industry.
and higher ROP. Contributions come from:
Weatherford – Improving wellbore isolation, Keith Adams shows
how safe and reliable wellbore isolation can be achieved in
extreme environments with VO-rated retrievable bridge plugs.
Hardide Coatings – Countering remote and hostile frontiers,
Dr. Yuri Zhuk explores coatings that maximise equipment and
component life in extreme environments
Front cover FairfieldNodal – Underwater innovation, John Smythe explains
how safety, efficiency and data quality drives the development of
Scientific Drilling is a proven new technology in ocean bottom nodes.
FEBRUARY 2018
leader in unconventional EXPLORATION | DRILLING | PRODUCTION

drilling around the world,

delivering innovative 58 Data-driven world
technology and experienced
Liane Smith, Wood, UK, explains the need for asset intelligence to
personnel for the most
achieve reliability, productivity and financial control.
challenging well placement
applications.
61 Doing more with multiphase meters
Whether in the tar sands Lars Anders Ruden, Emerson Automation Solutions, Norway, shows
of Western Canada or how innovations in multiphase metering are being used to overcome
the heavy oil reservoirs in obstacles, such as changing conditions and costs.
Russia, Scientific Drilling
International (SDI) provides
robust drilling solutions
designed to attain maximum
return in even the most
complex operations.

For more information, please

visit www.scientificdrilling.com
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 Comment David Bizley, Editor
February 2018
Contact us
david.bizley@oilfieldtechnology.com Editorial
Managing Editor: James Little
james.little@oilfieldtechnology.com

O
il prices have been on a little bit of a rollercoaster in recent Editor: David Bizley
weeks. At first, prices were pushed up into the high US$60s david.bizley@oilfieldtechnology.com
and then over US$70 by a weakened US dollar. However, Editorial Assistant: Laura Dean
unexpected turbulence in US and global stock markets has since laura.dean@oilfieldtechnology.com

seen prices take a something of a dip. Seemingly overnight, the Dow

Jones Industrial Average fell by 1175 points or 4.6% – a drop last Design
seen in 2011 when Standard & Poor’s downgraded the US credit rating.1 The UK’s FTSE 100 Production: Hayley Hamilton-Stewart
hayley.stewart@oilfieldtechnology.com
and Japan’s Nikkei 225 also saw declines.
So, what has caused this sudden drop? Is it a sign of impending economic Armageddon?
Well, paradoxically, it seems like the problem is good news – specifically, good news about
Sales
Advertisement Director: Rod Hardy
the US economy. On 2 February, the US Labor Department released new data that showed rod.hardy@oilfieldtechnology.com
wages had gone up by 2.9% compared to a year earlier, marking the fastest growth in Advertisement Manager: Ben Macleod
nearly a decade.2 This in turn had been taken as evidence that the low unemployment rate ben.macleod@oilfieldtechnology.com
is pushing employers to pay more. Whilst positive for workers, the flipside is that higher
pay burdens can mean lower profits for shareholders and, more importantly, increasing
Website
Website Manager: Tom Fullerton
wages lead to increasing interest rates – something that the US Federal Reserve has been tom.fullerton@oilfieldtechnology.com
predicting for years. Torsten Slok, Chief International Economist at Deutsche Bank was Digital Editorial Assistant: Nicholas Woodroof
quoted by the Washington Post as saying, “The Fed has been predicting inflation and nicholas.woodroof@oilfieldtechnology.com
interest rates would go up since 2013 – it felt like a boy-who-cried-wolf situation, but now
it’s finally happening.”3 In response to the news, shareholders dumped stocks and moved Marketing
the money into bonds, which typically benefit from increased interest rates. Erin Gibbs, Subscriptions: Laura White
Portfolio Manager for S&P Global Market Intelligence, was quoted as saying, “This isn’t a laura.white@oilfieldtechnology.com

collapse of the economy. This isn’t a concern that markets aren’t going to do well, this is Administration: Nicola Fuller
nicola.fuller@oilfieldtechnology.com
concern that the economy is actually doing much better than expected and so we need to
Reprints:
re-evaluate.”4 Risky as it is to make predictions, the general agreement seems to be that the reprints@oilfieldtechnology.com
trend is temporary and that market fundamentals will see oil prices continue to rise.
Speaking of which: US oil production is booming once again, returning to a peak last
seen 47 years ago, as shale producers rush to make the most of the highest prices seen in Palladian Publications Ltd,
15 South Street, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7QU, UK
several years. Figures from November last year show output at 10.4 million bpd, just slightly Tel: +44 (0) 1252 718 999 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 718 992
below the all-time US record set in November 1970. “For decades the only question was Website: www.oilfieldtechnology.com

how fast are US oil imports going to rise […] Now global oil markets have been put in a
bottle and shaken up, and new patterns are emerging,” said Daniel Yergin, Vice-Chairman of
IHS Markit.5 Whilst a weakened dollar topped up prices over recent weeks, the bulk of the
support behind current prices comes from the production cuts made by OPEC and its allies.
If rampant shale production begins to weigh down on prices, it’s likely the group will feel
the need to react – whether that will be by making further production cuts or flooding the
market is hard to say. The only thing that’s clear is that once again, the industry finds itself
in a Mexican-standoff between state-sponsored cartels and free enterprise.
References
1. ‘US stock plunge sparks global sell-off’ – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42942921
2. ‘Dow closes down nearly 1,200 points in volatile trading’ –https://www.washingtonpost.
com/business/economy/dow-drops-more-than-300-at-opening-extending-fridays-
losses/2018/02/05/624f72c6-0a80-11e8-8890-372e2047c935_story.html?utm_term=.9e9f31414995
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid at 1.
5. ‘Shale powers US oil output to heights of 1970’ – https://www.ft.com/content/7da16504-06af-11e8-
9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5
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February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 3

World news February 2018

Shell announces deepwater discovery in Gulf of Mexico In brief

Shell Offshore Inc. has announced one of its largest US Gulf of Mexico exploration finds in
the past decade from the Whale deepwater well. The well encountered more than 1400 net ft Canada
(427 m) of oil bearing pay. Evaluation of the discovery is ongoing, and appraisal drilling is
Total has announced that the Fort Hills
underway to further delineate the discovery and define development options.
oil sands project located in Alberta,
“Deepwater is an important growth priority as we reshape Shell into a world-class
Canada, 90 km north of Fort McMurray,
investment case,” said Andy Brown, Upstream Director for Royal Dutch Shell. “[This]
has achieved first oil. Production will
announcement shows how, through exploration, we are sustaining a strong pipeline of
ramp up over the next months to reach
discoveries and future projects to sustain this deepwater growth.”
a plateau of 180 000 bpd. The project
Whale is operated by Shell (60%) and co-owned by Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (40%). It was
is operated by Suncor and owned by
discovered in the Alaminos Canyon Block 772, adjacent to the Shell-operated Silvertip field
Suncor (53.06%), Total (26.05%) and Teck
and approximately 10 miles from the Shell-operated Perdido platform.
(20.89%).
“Whale builds on Shell’s successful, nearly 40 year history in the deep waters of the
“We are pleased to see Fort Hills
Gulf of Mexico and is particularly special in that it offers a combination of materiality,
achieving first oil after a challenging
scope and proximity to existing infrastructure,” said Marc Gerrits, Executive Vice-President
construction programme of several years
Exploration for Royal Dutch Shell. “The result is another opportunity to think differently about
in a difficult climatic environment and
ways we can competitively develop deepwater resources.”
we congratulate the operator Suncor,”
This major discovery in a Shell heartland adds to the company’s Paleogene exploration
stated Arnaud Breuillac, President
success in the Perdido area. Through exploration, Royal Dutch Shell has added more than one
Exploration & Production at Total.
billion boe resources in the last decade in the Gulf of Mexico.
In line with its strategy, which aims
Shell currently has three Gulf of Mexico deepwater projects under construction
at focusing its capital allocation on low
(Appomattox, Kaikias, and Coulomb Phase 2) as well as investment options for additional
breakeven oil projects and managing
subsea tiebacks and Vito, a potential new hub in the region. The Shell group expects its
its investment effort with discipline
global deepwater production to exceed 900 000 boe/d by 2020, from already discovered,
on the most profitable projects, and in
established areas. 
agreement with the other partners of the
project, Total reduced gradually since
ExxonMobil named 2017 Strike Energy prepares to 2015 its interest from 39.2% to 26.05%. It
Explorer of the Year spud Jaws-1 should eventually settle near 25% once
the final project cost is known.
ExxonMobil has been named 2017 Strike Energy Limited has announced
Explorer of the Year by the World Oil and that the Ensign 965 drill rig has begun
Gas Council in recognition of excellence arriving at the Klebb Field in PEL96 of the Italy
and innovation in the global energy Southern Cooper Basin. Strong gas flows on test have confirmed
industry. Mobilisation is on track for 14 February a significant discovery for Australia’s
“This award is recognition of spud. Po Valley Energy Limited at its new Selva
ExxonMobil’s successful efforts to This milestone marks the beginning gas field in northern Italy.
strengthen our portfolio by accessing of the Halliburton lead operations for The company announced the strong
and discovering the highest quality the drilling and fracture stimulation of gas flows had resulted from successful
resources,” said Steve Greenlee, president Jaws-1. The rig itself will arrive over the flow testing of the recently drilled
of ExxonMobil Exploration Company. next 96 hours. Podere Maiar 1dir exploration well on the
During the year, ExxonMobil Ensign 965 is one of the largest and Selva gas field within the Podere Gallina
announced a number of discoveries, most powerful land rigs in Australia, Exploration licence in northern Italy
acquisitions and activities in various with a hook load of 700 000 lb and over (PVE 63% Operator; United Oil & Gas Plc
countries, including Brazil, Cyprus, 2000 hp of hydraulic pumping capacity. 20%; Prospex Oil & Gas Plc 17%).
Equatorial Guinea, Guyana, Mauritania, The Jaws-1 well is part of PEL96 of The drilling programme intersected
Papua New Guinea and Suriname. which Strike is Operator and the holder two identified gas reservoirs, C1 and C2,
Significant exploration activity took of a 66.667% joint venture interest, and in the Medium-Upper Pliocene sands of
place offshore Guyana, where ExxonMobil Australian Gasfields Limited (AGL), is the the Porto Garibaldi Formation.
announced four new discoveries in 2017.  holder of 33.333%. 

February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 5

 World news February 2018

Diary dates
Hydrocarbons discovered SBM Offshore kicks off
20 - 22 February, 2018 in Oyo-NW Well for Liza FPSO
IP Week Erin Energy Corporation has completed SBM Offshore has announced that the
London, UK the drilling of the Oyo-NW well. Based on first-steel cut event has officially kicked
E: joanne.mcbratney@hg3.co.uk
preliminary evaluation, it has discovered off work for the construction of the
www.ipweek.com
hydrocarbons in the Miocene Formation. topsides for the Liza floating, production,
The well is located approximately 9.5 km storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel
05 - 08 March, 2018 northwest of the Oyo Central field on the project at the Dyna-Mac yard.
GEO 2018 company’s offshore Nigeria block 120. This phase was marked with a
Manama, Bahrain Currently, well-suspension activities two-day safety-engagement event
E: fawzi.alshehabi@ubm.com are being completed so the well can hosted by SBM Offshore management
www.geo2018.com be re-entered in the future for possible in collaboration with the two Singapore
production. yards to underline the priority of
06 - 08 March, 2018 The well was successfully drilled to upholding the highest health, safety,
the proposed total vertical depth subsea security and environmental (HSSE)
IADC/SPE Drilling Conference
Fort Worth, USA (TVDSS) of 12 218 ft and penetrated standards on this project.
E: drillingconf@experient-inc.com multiple sand units with total gross “With the topsides fabrication now
www.spe.org thickness of 260 ft in the depth range from running in parallel with the tanker
7052 - 10 873 ft TVDSS as interpreted from conversion, the construction phase is
wireline log data. proceeding as planned,” says Bernard van
27 - 29 March, 2018
Preliminary evaluation of the Leggelo, SBM Offshore FPSO Managing
AAPG Global Super Basins well data shows that the two main Director. “SBM is proud of its safety
Houston, USA sand units, the Miocene U7.0 and record over the 34 FPSO projects that it
E: customerservice@aapg.org.
U8.0, with a gross thickness of has completed to date and we aim for
https://superbasins.aapg.org/2018
~83.6 ft are hydrocarbonbearing. Work has continuous improvement on the Liza
commenced to estimate the discovered project. We will strive to meet and exceed
20 - 23 May, 2018 volumes and to determine the relevant ExxonMobil’s world-class standards and
AAPG ACE 2018 appraisal and development programme. expectations for safety on this project.”
Salt Lake City, USA
E: convene@aapg.org
https://ace.aapg.org/2018
Spirit Energy to drill new well at key UK field
Web news Spirit, one of the top independent oil and gas operators in Europe, is to drill a new well at
highlights the Chiswick field in the Southern North Sea to bring around a further 50 billion ft3 of gas
on stream.
Ì ExxonMobil aims to triple Permian The new well, which represents a £75 million investment from Spirit, will be drilled by
production by 2025. Noble’s Hans Deul jack-up rig, one of five rigs Spirit Energy has on hire in 2018 – accounting
Ì Third successful well result on the
for 10% of the active rig market in Europe.
The Chiswick field is part of Spirit Energy’s Greater Markham Area, which also includes
SM 71 development.
the Markham, Grove and Kew fields. Combined, the Greater Markham Area fields produced
Ì Total announces major deepwater 23 billion ft3 of gas net to Spirit in 2017.
discovery In the Gulf of Mexico. Fraser Weir, North Sea Director at Spirit Energy, said: “Having already produced billions
Ì Petrotechnics: digitalisation key to of cubic feet of gas since coming on stream 11 years ago, we are delighted that the hard
operational excellence. work and collaboration of our teams in both the UK and the Netherlands has led to us
continuing our investment in the Chiswick field and extending the life of a key part of our
portfolio.
To read more about these articles “This is just one part of a busy rig programme for Spirit Energy in Europe this year, as
and for more event listings go to: we explore for fresh discoveries, maximise the potential of existing fields and plug wells
which have ceased production.”
www.oilfieldtechnology.com The infill well at Chiswick, which first came on stream in 2007, will be the fifth well drilled
in the field, and the first since 2010. The Hans Deul will start preparatory work in April.

6 | Oilfield Technology February 2018

 




 



!

 









 

   
 World news February 2018

Nostra Terra announces permitting for three new BP makes two new
Permian Basin wells North Sea discoveries
Nostra Terra, the oil and gas exploration and production company with a portfolio of assets BP has announced two new exploration
in the USA and Egypt, has announced the acceleration of its plans for developing its assets in discoveries in the North Sea. Capercaillie
the Permian Basin. is located in Block 29/4e in the Central
On 27 December 2017, Nostra Terra announced its intention to initiate the permitting North Sea, and Achmelvich is located in
process for a new well at one of the company’s 24 drill-ready locations across its Permian Block 206/9b west of Shetland.
acreage. However, with legal completion of the new Senior Lending Facility expected to take BP fully owns Capercaillie, while the
place before the end of January 2018 (announced on 8 January 2018), which provides the Achmelvich well partnership comprises
company with immediate access to US$1.2 million of funding, the Board has now decided to BP (operator, 52.6%), Shell (28%) and
increase the number of permits it applies for from one to three. Chevron (19.4%).
The increase in the number of permitted drilling locations would enable Nostra Terra to Both wells were drilled by the
drill new wells in quicker succession. The company intends to review various options in this Paul B Loyd Junior rig in Summer 2017.
respect, including the possibility of securing a drilling rig beyond the initial well. Such an The Capercaillie well was drilled to a
approach could have the benefit of reducing the overall costs of drilling the individual wells total depth of 3750 m and encountered
by spreading certain fixed expenses. light oil and gas-condensate in Paleocene
Matt Lofgran, CEO of Nostra Terra, commented: “Confirmation of the new Senior Lending and Cretaceous-age reservoirs. The well
Facility could prove to be a catalyst for exciting growth for Nostra Terra. We are an ambitious data is currently under evaluation.
and nimble company. Our strategy over the last 18 months has been to take advantage of The Achmelvich well was drilled to a
depressed oil prices, by securing assets that are both economic at lower oil prices and provide total depth of 2395 m and encountered
further development and exploration upside. As previously announced, we estimate our oil in Mesozoic-age reservoirs. Evaluation
assets in the Permian Basin to have a 2:1 ROI at US$40 oil. At higher oil prices we could not be and interpretation of the well results is
more excited to drill.” ongoing to assess future options. 

Subsea 7 awarded
contract offshore Norway
Subsea 7 S.A. announced the award of a
sizeable contract from Statoil for the Johan
Castberg field development, located 240 km
from Hammerfest in Norway.
The contract comprises the design,
coating, fabrication and installation of a
53 km rigid flowline including 34 km of
pipe-in-pipe flowline. Project Management
and engineering will commence
immediately at Subsea 7’s offices in
Stavanger, Norway. Fabrication will take
place at Subsea 7’s spoolbase at Vigra,
Norway and offshore operations will be
carried out in 2020.
Phil Simons, Subsea 7’s Vice
President North Sea and Canada, said,
“We are pleased to have been awarded
this key project by Statoil and to be
part of the further development of
the oil and gas infrastructure in the
Barents Sea, delivering regional content
in the North of Norway. This award draws
upon Subsea 7’s substantial experience in
safely and effectively delivering rigid pipelay
projects.”
SDX Energy Inc. discovers
gas in ONZ-7 well
SDX Energy Inc., the North Africa focused
oil and gas company, has announced
that a gas discovery has been made at its
ONZ-7 development well on the Sebou
permit in Morocco.
The ONZ-7 well was drilled to a
total depth of 1167 m with five m of net
conventional natural gas pay in the Hoot
formation. The well came in on prognosis
but reservoir quality exceeded initial
expectations, encountering porosity in
the pay section of 35.3%.
The well will now be completed,
tested and connected to existing
infrastructure.
“We are very excited to be able
to announce another discovery, the
fourth from five wells drilled to date
in our nine well Moroccan campaign,”
Paul Welch, President and CEO of SDX,
commented. “For this well we used our
own high resolution 3D seismic data, as
we have for the other successful wells
and as we will for the remainder of the
campaign.”
Shell agrees to sell stake
offshore Thailand
Shell Integrated Gas Thailand Pte Ltd
and Thai Energy Company Ltd, affiliates
of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, have agreed
to an asset sale of their 22.2222%
interest in the Bongkot field and
adjoining acreage offshore Thailand to
PTT Exploration & Production Public
Company Limited (PTTEP) and PTTEP
International Limited, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of PTTEP, for a transaction
value of US$750 million.
The transaction is expected to
complete in the second quarter of 2018,
subject to completion conditions as
prescribed in the agreement.
The agreement is for Shell’s stake
in Blocks 15, 16 and 17 and Block
G12/48. Following the completion
of this transaction, PTTEP’s stake in
Bongkot will increase to 66.6667%,
with the remaining 33.3333% owned
by Total. PTTEP is the current operator
of Bongkot. This announcement has
no impact on Shell’s other business
interests in Thailand. 

8 | Oilfield Technology February 2018

 Start from a place of safetty.

Since 1924, the American Petroleum Institute has been a cornerstone in establish-
ing and maintaining standards for the worldwide oil and natural gas industry. Our
work helps the industry invent and manufacture superior products consistently,
provide critical services, ensure fairness in the marketplace for businesses and
consumers alike, and promotes the acceptance of products and practices globally.
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Copyright 2018 – American Petroleum Institute, all rights reserved. API and the API logo are trademarks or registered trademarks
of API in the United States and/or other countries.
Coming in from
the Cold
David Bizley, Oilfield Technology, discusses
recent developments in the Russian oil and
gas sector.

10 |
A
lthough Russia cannot exactly be called an ‘oil state’ – akin
to the likes of Saudi Arabia, for example – its economy has,
for decades, been underpinned by revenues generated from
vast domestic oil and natural gas reserves. To get a rough idea of
just how important hydrocarbons are to the Russian economy, one
only needs to look at a few key statistics. Hydrocarbons accounted
for 64.99% of the country’s exports in 20141, and accounted for
over 16% of GDP in 20122. Five of Russia’s ten largest companies
(by market cap) are based in the oil and gas sector, with Rosneft
and Gazprom holding the first and second spots respectively.3
Consequently, the health of Russia’s stockmarket and the value of its
currency, the ruble, are closely tied to the success of the oil industry
and global oil prices.
It is little wonder then that, since the downturn, Russia has
become more involved in attempts to stabilise global oil prices,
working with OPEC and others to establish and enforce widespread
production cuts. The Russian oil and gas sector, and consequently the
Russian state, is currently faced with a variety of challenges. These
challenges come from across the political and economic spectrum,
ranging from sanctions, to the impact of the shale industry, to declining
production from maturing fields. This article aims to provide an
overview of some of these factors and consider how the Russian oil and
gas industry might evolve over the coming years.
Oil prices and OPEC
The dramatic fall in oil prices from the end of 2014 struck a heavy blow
to the Russian economy. Weaker global demand and surging US shale
production provided the conditions for a ‘perfect storm’ as the global
balance of supply and demand was completely upended. With Russia
losing roughly US$2 billion in revenue per dollar reduction in oil prices,
the country’s finances came under intense pressure, with economic
forecasts for 2015 showing growth forecasts being slashed and warning
of an imminent recession. However, much like Saudi Arabia and other
major oil producers, there was initial reluctance to cut output. Energy
Minister, Alexander Novak was quoted at the time as saying, “If we cut,
the importer countries will increase their production and this will mean
a loss of our niche market.”4
By the beginning of 2016, low oil prices (and other factors) had
caused Russia’s GDP to fall by 3.7%,5 prices were near their lowest
levels for years (~US$30) and output from US shale had failed to die off
as expected. It is perhaps unsurprising then, that by the OPEC meeting
of 30 November that year, Russia had indicated its willingness to take
part in production cuts. Oil prices immediately surged to over US$50
on the news, and have continued to be supported by the so-called
OPEC+ cuts ever since. On 30 November 2017, Russia and OPEC agreed
to continue the cuts until the end of this year in an effort to remove the
last of the supply glut. Paradoxically, the problem that Russia now faces
is the risk of prices rising too fast. Russia has been lobbying its OPEC
allies to provide clear guidelines on exactly how and when the cuts
will be repealed; getting the timing wrong would likely result in supply
shortage, skyrocketing prices and a renewed surge of output from the
US. For now, Russia and OPEC have agreed to wait until this year’s June
meeting before making any adjustments.
Sanctions
In the wake of Russia’s involvement in the 2014 Crimea Crisis and
subsequent annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, many Western
governments enacted punitive sanctions against various aspects of
the Russian economy. Key amongst the areas impacted was the energy
sector, a high-profile target because of its importance to the Russian
economy.
The sanctions have affected the Russian energy industry across
two key areas: technology/expertise and financing.
As a result of the sanctions, three Western ‘supermajors’, Shell,
Total, and ExxonMobil, were forced to withdraw from multiple projects,
taking with them the technology and expertise that they had been
| 11
brought in to provide. In response, Russian companies have sought to
leverage domestic expertise, and ‘go it alone’, but as the country seeks
to expand production in harsher and more remote areas, such as the
Arctic, the problems caused by a shortage of advanced technology are
only likely to become more acute.
With regard to the impact on financing and foreign loans, sanctions
have made it increasingly difficult for Russian operators to invest in
new projects. New offshore operations, particularly those in the Arctic,
are expensive and therefore likely to be amongst the hardest hit.
Ongoing operations are likely to suffer too, as Russian producers are
unable to finance field developments and infrastructure improvements.
Inevitably this will result in reduced output and, consequently, reduced
revenues. Some estimates show that the Russian economy will lose
approximately US$170 billion as a combined result of low oil prices and
financial sanctions.6
Current trends
Despite the challenges posed by sanctions and low oil prices, the
Russian energy industry continues to see new projects come to fruition.
A shining example of this is the giant Yamal LNG project, which
began loading its first seaborn shipment in early December. The
Yamal LNG project encompasses natural gas production, liquefaction
and shipping. The project’s LNG plant has an annual output of
16.5 million t and is supplied by the South Tambey field, which has
probable natural gas reserves of 926 billion m3.
Cut off from many Western sources of financing, the US$27 billion
project was largely funded by Chinese banks. A key selling point of the
project was its location; situated in Sabetta on the Yamal Peninsula
in the Russian Arctic, LNG shipments can reach China in as little as
15 days. By contrast, the traditional route that skirts around the edge of
Europe and through the Suez Canal can take up to a month. President
Putin was quoted as saying, “When this project began, several people
made a list of reasons why it would not work. There were risks. But you
can see it has been a success […] This is a crucial event, not just for
energy but for the whole use of the Arctic […] and the northern route.”7
Chinese investment in the Yamal LNG project is a sign of an
emerging trend that has seen Russia move its export focus away
from European markets and towards Asia. As China, hungry for fossil
fuels and seeking alternatives to coal power, continues to drive up
demand, Russia has made plans to cut oil shipments from its Baltic
sea port of Pimorsk by 160 000 bpd.8 Other signs of Sino-Russian
cooperation include the 2017 purchase of a US$9 billion stake in
Rosneft PJSC by CEFC China Energy Co. Rosneft, which is set to supply
the Shanghai-based company with over 60 million t of oil over the
coming five years.9 Whilst the majority of Russian crude oil exports go
to Europe, China is the single largest destination at a national level,
receiving over 1 million bpd.10
Looking ahead
Until recently, the outlook for Russian oil production was far from
ideal. For much of the last decade, production has only grown at a
little over 1% annually. Growth has slowed considerably since the
early 2000s as output from maturing fields in Western Siberia has
declined.11 Even with the development of fields in Russia’s Far East,
Eastern Siberia, and the Russian Arctic, it seemed that a decline in
output was inevitable. However, much to the surprise of analysts, the
impact of maturing fields has been significantly dampened by wide-
ranging efficiency improvements and production from new fields
coming online more quickly than had been anticipated.12
Even though the uncertain political environment and volatile
market have increased the risks involved in major projects, Russia
has many underway. Some examples include:13
12 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
Ì The Armur Gas Processing Plant, which is on track to
see its first phase completed in 2021, has a price tag
of US$22.1 billion. At full output, Armur will produce
42 billion m3 of natural gas and related products annually.
Ì Gazprom is undertaking a US$1.5 billion modernisation of
its Moscow oil refinery, which is scheduled for completion in
2020.
Ì Gazprom is also leading the development of Russia’s first true
Baltic LNG hub at Ust-Luga. The US$18.5 billion project is
set for completion in 2022 - 2023 and will be able to produce
10 - 15 million t of LNG annually.
Ì Lukoil and the Iranian National Oil Company have been
working on the exploration and development of the Caspian
Sea. Lukoil’s recent completion of a new well has added some
5 million tpy to the output of the Vladimir Filanovsky field.
Ì Exploration is also continuing throughout Siberia, which still
has significant potential for as-yet-undiscovered resources.
Estimates put exploration and development expenditure for
this region at US$50 billion over the next five years.
According to analysis by GlobalData, US$79.4 billion will
be spent on Russian oil projects over the next four years alone.
The analysis also shows that 16.4 billion bbls of oil will be
produced from 1565 Russian oilfields over this time period – with
636 million bbls coming from new fields. Rather than boosting
production to higher levels, Russia’s ambition seems simply to
keep output stable. Anna Belova, Senior Oil & Gas analyst for
GlobalData, commented on the expenditure, “This is to ensure
that the country’s production remains at 11 million bpd. Russia
has 34 key oil projects and 14 gas projects in the development
pipeline. The contribution of new fields to the already producing
oil and condensate fields, will have Russia maintaining its oil
production for over four years.”14
Summary
Despite the an adverse economic environment, sanctions,
and maturing fields, Russia remains a key player in the global
upstream industry. The billions of dollars of investment in new
fields and the establishment of strategic links to burgeoning Asian
markets look set to keep it that way for some time. 
References
1. ‘What did Russian Federation export in 2014?’ - http://atlas.cid.harvard.
edu/explore/?country=186&partner=undefined&product=undefined&produc
tClass=HS&startYear=undefined&target=Product&year=2014
2. ‘World Development Indicators: Contribution of natural resources to gross
domestic product’ – https://web.archive.org/web/20141022042737/http://
wdi.worldbank.org/table/3.15
3. ‘Top 20 Russian Stocks by Market Cap’ – http://eqibeat.com/top-20-russian-
stocks-market-cap/
4. ‘Falling oil prices: Who are the winners and losers?’ - http://www.bbc.co.uk/
news/business-29643612
5. ‘Russia’s GDP falls 3.7% as sanctions and low oil price take effect’ - https://
www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/25/russias-gdp-falls-37-as-
sanctions-and-low-oil-price-take-effect
6. ‘How Have Sanctions Affected the Russian Oil Sector?’ - https://www.
diplomaatia.ee/en/article/how-have-sanctions-affected-the-russian-oil-
sector/
7. ‘Russia ships first gas from $27bn Arctic project’ - https://www.ft.com/
content/515d451c-dc11-11e7-a039-c64b1c09b482
8. ‘Russia-China Oil Friendship Makes Crude Costlier for Europe’ - https://
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-02/russia-s-oil-friendship-
with-china-makes-crude-costly-for-europe
9. Ibid.
10. ‘Russia exports most of its crude oil production, mainly to Europe’ - https://
www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=33732#
11. Simola, H., & Solanko, L., Bank of Finland, BOFIT, ‘Overview of Russia’s oil
and gas sector’, (19 May, 2017).
12. Ibid.
13. ‘7 must-see Russian oil & gas projects for 2018’ - https://www.mioge.ru/
en-GB/press/news/4882.aspx
14. Belova, A., GlobalData, ‘Russia’s investment will ensure stable supply of
Russian crude through 2021, says GlobalData’, (1 February, 2018).
14 |
Oilfield Technology Correspondent, Gordon Cope,
reports on how service companies and operators
are using inventive technologies and processes to
improve drilling.

S
ince the collapse of oil prices four years ago, North American
oil companies have had to improvise on many levels in
order to stay afloat. Much has been made of their efforts to
slash daily rig rates and pare out unnecessary expenses. In the last
two years, breakeven prices for most major shale basin plays have
dropped almost 50%.
Advances in drilling technologies have played a pivotal role.
Starting long before the bit even touches rock and stretching
through punching hole and fraccing, innovations are reducing
costs, increasing drilling efficiency and augmenting production
and ultimate reserves.
It all starts with well planning. Major service companies
offer integrated suites of software that mine seismic, rock and
production data using advanced algorithms in order to determine
‘sweet spots’ of high hydrocarbon content, optimal well-spacing
patterns, length of well laterals, stimulation patterns and surface
processing facilities.
Schlumberger, for instance, recently introduced a new,
digital-based exploration and development platform. The DELFI
environment sits in the Google Cloud Platform and contains
over 1000 3D seismic surveys, 5 million wells, and 400 million
production records from around the world.
In conjunction, the company also unveiled DrillPlan, a new
drilling and completions application. It operates in the Cloud,

| 15
allowing clients to collaborate with geoscientists, engineers,
drillers and completion services in order to enhance well design,
drilling and completion of wells.
DrillPlan is also designed to incorporate new information
in order to continuously improve the efficiency and quality
of every well drilled. “We are delivering a radical new way of
working that will give our customers faster and higher quality
drilling plans by enabling the automation of repetitive tasks and
validation workflows leading to a more coherent approach,” said
Davin Rennick, president of Schlumberger’s Software Integrated
Solutions (SIS).
According to SIS, the application was field tested for one
year in West Texas and Canada by seven O&G companies. The
companies were able to customise the software to their specific
needs, significantly reducing the time needed to deliver well
planning programmes.
Rigs
Automated drilling rigs (ADRs) are now the norm for
North American fleets. The traditional derrick has been
superseded by a self-erecting, hydraulic-telescoping mast. The
mast itself has a hydraulic top drive built in, and is equipped
with a torque wrench and automatic pipe handler. Conventional
manual tongs have been upgraded to hydraulic power tongs.
Rig functions are controlled by hand-operated joysticks
that raise, lower and stop the traveling block, and operate the
pipe-handler rotation. Drilling information can be displayed
in real time, and compared to historical performance in order
to consistently optimise weight on bit (WOB) and rate of
penetration (ROP).
Operators prefer ADRs because they dramatically reduce
non-productive time (NPT). A conventional rig may require
20 loads to move from site to site; comparable ADRs can have as
little as four, with the self-erecting mast and other components
mounted onto trucks, trailers and skids. Some rigs that are
designed to drill multiple wells on the same pad use a hydraulic
system in the substructure to ‘walk’ the rig at speeds of 3 - 10 m/hr
between wells. These innovations can add 45 - 75 drilling days per
year compared to a conventional rig of similar capabilities.
ADRs also punch hole faster. According to Rystad Energy,
a consultancy, the average drilling speed in US shale plays has
increased almost 60%, from 500 ft/d in 2014 to nearly 800 ft/d in 2016.
Rig metrics are expected to improve dramatically when
the next generation of drill rig automation enters service.
Precision Drilling, based in Calgary, recently announced that it
is moving forward with the full commercialisation of its process
automation control (PAC) technology throughout its fleet.
Traditionally, a rig crew makes thousands of decisions while a rig
is drilling a well. PAC offers an improvement in drilling efficiency,
as it uses specialised applications to automatically make those
decisions. The technology has been tested in over 70 wells, with
great success.
“We expect this technology will generate 5 - 8% reduction
in drilling time for our customers and create an incremental
revenue stream for Precision while enhancing market share in
the competitive advantage for our Super Series rigs,” said Kevin
Neveu, CEO of Precision Drilling, during a recent investors’
conference.
Drill bits
The latest generation of drill-bits now contain moving parts to
enhance ROP and extend bit life.
16 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
For Baker Hughes, the focus is on reducing stick slip, in which
the bit sticks while the drill-string rotates, causing acceleration
and deceleration of the two components. Stick slip can damage
equipment, decrease productivity and raise drilling costs.
Baker Hughes devised the TerrAdapt diamond bit, which can
automatically adjust the depth-of-cut (DOC) as it encounters
different rock strata. The bit contains cartridges with moving
pistons that are attached to the DOC elements. When the bit
encounters stick-slip, the cartridges extend within milliseconds.
The bit was tested in the Delaware basin, where operators
were having difficulties drilling through interbedded layers
of shale, limestone and salt, causing downhole tool failures.
The TerraDapt bit completed a 1000 m section 27% faster than
standard polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits with no
damage to the bottom hole assembly.
Smith Bits, a Schlumberger subsidiary, developed
the AxeBlade ridged diamond bit to improve ROP in shale
formations. The bit combines the shearing action of a
conventional PDC and the crushing action of a roller cone bit in
order to penetrate rock with 30% less force than conventional
PDC bits. Shell tested the bit on an offshore Louisiana field,
using a rotary steerable system to cut 13 674 ft in 45 hours, at an
average ROP of 305 ft/hr, a 100% improvement over the field’s
median.
Halliburton’s new Cruzer bits have small diamond rolling
elements on the bit face that reduce the coefficient of friction.
The rollers help maintain DOC control while reducing equipment
wear and tear. An operator using the bit to drill the Bakken
formation in the Williston basin in North Dakota was able to drill
a horizontal well’s curve in just 14 hours, the fastest run in any
well in the area.
Drill pipe
Aluminium drill pipe (ADP), is gaining prominence as the versatile
material proves itself in demanding unconventional plays. ADP,
manufactured by Alcoa, Germany-based OFDS, and others, has
a superior strength-to-weight ratio when compared to steel drill
pipe (SDP) of a similar size.
Because ADP is up to 40% lighter than SDP, friction from
contact between the drill string and borehole is minimised,
which in turn decreases torque and drag load and makes
extended laterals easier to control.
In a field experiment conducted in the Eagle Ford shale, four
similar wells with 7000 ft laterals were tested with combinations
of the two materials. ADP had significantly improved rates of
penetration and reduced torque in the lateral borehole compared
to SDP.
Mud
Drilling mud has several functions, including reducing friction
and transporting cuttings to surface. Unfortunately, it can also
penetrate reservoirs during drilling, causing damage. A team
of oil and gas professionals and researchers at the University
of Calgary have come up with a series of clay nanoparticles
that can be added to drilling mud in order to make drilling for
hydrocarbons less expensive and more efficient, while reducing
reservoir damage.
One nanometre (nm) is equal to one billionth of a metre. At a
scale of 1 - 100 nm, particle properties are governed by quantum
mechanics, as opposed to gravity and electro-magnetic forces.
Calgary-based nFluid devised processes that produce bespoke,
high-quality nano-compounds for drilling muds. Pilot clients
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of nFluid report that drilling fluid losses have shrunk by 90%
and rig downtime (worth up to US$40 000/d) was significantly
reduced.
Sand
Service companies continue to innovate with proppants in order
to fine-tune hydraulic fracturing technology. Plays that target
liquids-rich shales such as those found in the Permian basin
require sands that optimise permeability in fractures.
Ohio-based Hexion has devised OilPlus, a curable resin
coated sand that offers higher oil production compared to
conventional sands. Over 1 billion lb of the product has been
used in 1000 wells, and production data studies indicate higher
initial production, higher cumulative production, reduced cost
per boe and greater ROI. In all, comparable tests showed a 24%
increase in production in the Permian basin, a 24% increase
in the Bakken formation and a 28% increase in the Eagle Ford
shale.
Drilling patterns
In order to save time and money, drillers are using innovative
drilling processes in areas where there are stacked plays.
Encana, for instance, owns several million acres of land
over the Montney play in northeast British Columbia and
north-western Alberta. The thick play has several layers of
prospective, liquids-rich shale.
The Calgary-based company uses what it calls a ‘cube’
drilling pattern. Starting from a single pad, a rig drills in a
pattern resembling a wine rack, placing horizontal boreholes
in a series of descending rows. In their latest renditions, the
company is simultaneously drilling and completing 28-well
pads, resulting in a 25% reduction in costs, as well as significant
increases in production; the company reported 127 000 boe/d, in
Q4 2017, a 32% increase from Q3 2017.
In the Permian basin of Texas, Encana has been taking the
cube model even further. Since its entry into the play in 2010,
the company has increased its spacing of four horizontal wells
per section to 60 per section. “In plays like the Permian and
the Montney, where there are thousands of feet of stacked
pay, it has become clear that the efficient exploitation of these
resources requires a 3D development model where wells are not
only tightly spaced side-by-side, but also above and below one
another,” said Encana executive vice president David Hill.
Well monitoring
One of the complications with the cube model is that it requires
sophisticated coordination in order to avoid unplanned
downtime. During operations, there are times when more than
50 drilling and completion service companies are on-site, and if
one goes offline, it can idle the rest, causing the operator to lose
as much as US$10 000/hr.
Several service companies do provide monitoring systems
that can supply prompt warning; they are designed with a
combination of pressure gauges and electrical sensors that
indicate open or closed valves. However, the older-generation
systems have several drawbacks; most are not designed with
more than one well in mind, and the valve indicators are
susceptible to vibrations, causing false readings.
GE Oil & Gas devised the Hawk-i platform specifically for
pad drilling applications. The system sits directly on multiple
wellheads, generating and transmitting multiple files of
pressure and valve indicator data for each well. In addition, they
18 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
installed tough, vibration-resistant electronic valve indicators
that functioned with a high degree of accuracy. Finally, GE
customised algorithms to decipher the data and indicate to the
operator what service was being performed – or not.
To test the robustness of their new system, GE ran extensive
field tests in northeast British Columbia and northwest
Alberta under extreme weather and operating conditions. In
October, 2017, the Hawk-i application was officially launched,
and operators have expressed keen interest in installing the
application.
Case study
Delphi Energy owns a major gas and condensate play in the
Montney shales in western Alberta. The Bigstone play has gone
through several generations of drilling and completions since
the Calgary-based company began operations in 2012.
Delphi was one of the first companies in the play to drill
extended horizontal sections, running them out to 3 km, twice
the industry norm for the play.
During stimulation, Delphi uses a ball-drop system to
reach 40 stages; the goal is to reach 50 stages. They also
use a fine-grained sand, and pump approximately 2 t/m of
horizontal hole. The result is a fracture complexity that allows
for the release of larger percentages of condensate. Third and
fourth generation frack designs now produce over 1000 bpd of
condensate and 5 million ft3/d of gas.
By reducing both drilling and completion costs, since 2012,
expenditures per well have dropped from C$11 million to
C$6.5 million. Although day rates for rigs have decreased, the big
saving is the drop in the number of days per well, from 35 - 45 in
2012, to a current rate of 25 - 26 days.
Having achieved significant gains in reducing costs through
faster drill rates, Delphi is now concentrating on improving
completions to increase liquid hydrocarbon production. The
company is experimenting with frac chemistry, introducing
additives such as specialised surfactants that allow greater
recovery of condensates.
By 2019, the company expects to reach 22 000 boe/d in
production, thanks largely to improved technology. “From the
logistics side of things we will continue to grind costs lower,
but the real win is in some of the science being developed with
fluid chemistry,” said David Reid, president and CEO, “I am a big
believer in the science, and that is going to have a very positive
impact on not just our wells. The industry will continue to
benefit from them.”
The future
In addition to the latest drill bits, service companies are working
to make other ‘smart’ components that can detect changes in
the drilling environment and automatically adjust accordingly in
order to optimise productivity.
Halliburton, for instance, is working on predictive technology
that will allow the rig to sense and automatically adjust
to evolving rock structures before the bit encounters new
formations, ensuring a seamless drilling process.
Although the industry has suffered a downturn over the last
several years, service companies and operators have created
and adopted a range of drilling improvements that continue to
reduce costs, increase productivity and boost ultimate recovery.
While many industry observers expect the innovation dividend to
eventually peter out, as far as new technologies are concerned
today, the benefits continue to roll in. 
 COVER STORY

INCREASING
MAGNETIC RANGING
ACCURACY
Georgy Rassadkin, Douglas Ridgway,
Clinton Moss, Scientific Drilling International,
USA and Canada, discuss increasing the
accuracy of magnetic ranging by using
simultaneous gyro referencing.

T
he results of magnetic ranging consist of the direction and distance to the target.
If directional survey data for a well, where the ranging tool is located, is available
and the well has some inclination, it is convenient to use gravity highside toolface
of the ranging system to define the direction to the target in the north-east vertical (NEV)
coordinate frame. The use of an azimuthal magnetic toolface is unacceptable because it will
not be accurate due to the magnetic interference coming from the target.
In order to make it possible to drill ahead, a typical industry practice is to run a
survey tool (such as a wireline gyro) and a ranging tool separately. Then, the azimuth
measurements from an independent gyro survey combined with a gravity highside toolface
of an independent ranging tool are used to define the direction of the ranging tool reference
axis in the NEV coordinate frame. This is a sufficient solution if the environment of the
measurements has significant inclination.
However, when the wellbore with a magnetic ranging tool is near vertical, the use of
the gravity highside toolface is problematic. There is no guarantee that both independent
systems will be positioned the same in a vertical well. A slight deviation in the position
will result in discrepancies in azimuth and lead to an incorrect ranging tool reference axis
representation within the NEV coordinate frame. Also, the gravity highside toolface is hardly
defined at vertical.
The solution to this problem is to combine and align both gyro and ranging systems
in one tool-string and use azimuthal gyro toolface to define the orientation of the ranging
probe within the world NEV coordinate frame.

| 19

Figure 1. Conventional survey position uncertainty. Reference well
(grey), drilling well (orange).
Figure 2. Conventional survey position uncertainty. Vertical reference
well (blue), horizontal drilling well (red).
Figure 3. Reference well (grey), magnetic oriented (red), and gyro
oriented (blue).
20 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
Methodology
This article discusses the downhole ranging results of two distinct
magnetic ranging methods, where the magnetic sensor package has been
combined with a north-seeking rate gyro for direct determination of sensor
orientation.
Method 1
The first described method is a solenoid based ranging system. This
method was successfully used to drill a precisely parallel wellbore in close
proximity to a previously drilled vertical well. A total vertical depth of both
boreholes was about 500 m. The borehole separation was 5.8 m at surface
and requested to be 4.7 m (+/-0.65 m) centre-to-centre at TD.
Due to the tight tolerance set by the client, the drilling wellbore could
not be confidently positioned with respect to the reference well using
conventional survey methods. Even when the gyro-while-drilling system
was used to survey the drilling well, a 2 sigma error associated with
GWD surveys of the drilling well and MWD surveys of the reference well
could cause +/- 3 m positional uncertainty at TD, much higher than the
allowed tolerance (Figure 1). The ranging uncertainty in this case was only
+/- 0.15 m.
The ranging system setup consisted of two major parts: the signal
receiving components located in a drilling well and the magnetic field
source located in a reference well. A sensor section of the receiving part
of the ranging system was based on the gyroMWD string consisted of a
tri-axial magnetometer package, a tri-axial accelerometer package, and a
north-seeking rate gyro package. All sensor sections were rigidly connected
and aligned with each other meaning all these components were set to the
same high-side reference (matching BHA scribe line).
Method 2
The second described method is at-bit-while-drilling ranging. The objective
of the job was to safely pass by a vertical well while drilling a horizontal
well in close proximity. The modelled 2 sigma uncertainty for the MWD
surveys (OWSG MWD+IFR2+MSA) at horizontal was so large (Figure 2) that
it would be impossible to confidently solve this problem without ranging.
The ranging system consisted of a magnetic field detecting probe
rigidly connected and aligned with a north-seeking rate gyro sensor
package located in the cased vertical well and a magnetic bit sub included
into a BHA located in the drilling well.
Results
Method 1 results
In the case of the solenoid based ranging system, the target casing located
in close proximity to the ranging assembly resulted in a major azimuth and
magnetic toolface uncertainty, reducing the accuracy of the sensor attitude
referencing and causing significant ranged position scatter.
Simultaneous gyro orientation improves ranging accuracy and
reduces position data scattering caused by magnetic interference. Figure 3
represents the ranged positions of the drilling well with respect to the
reference well; red path is magnetic oriented ranging, blue is gyro oriented
ranging.
Table 1 reflects some numerical data regarding magnetic oriented
ranging versus gyro oriented ranging accuracy. The ranging shots are
compared to optimally smoothed path fit (reverse survey). It is clear that
gyro orientation provides much more consistent ranging results: average
N/E error is reduced 10-fold (derived from RMS ratio). The smoothed path
based on the gyro oriented ranging shots matches the geometry of the
gyro-while-drilling survey path (not shown on the figure to avoid visual
complexity). The spread of the gyro oriented ranging shots around the fit
is minimal. The spread of the magnetic oriented ranging shots around the
fit is large.
Method 2 results Table 1. Comparison of magnetic ranging methods.
The downhole test of the Magnetic oriented ranging shots compared to their reverse Gyro oriented ranging shots compared to their reverse survey
at-bit-while-drilling method survey (RS) path. (RS) path.
also proves the effectiveness MD, N err, E err, RS DLS, MD, N err, E err, RS DLS,
of the simultaneous gyro m m m ˚/30 m m m m ˚/30 m
orientation when the magnetic 450.3 1.07 0.61 5.68 450.3 -0.06 -0.02 0.99
ranging sensor is placed in a 460.0 -0.52 -0.37 4.66 460.0 0.01 0.00 0.34
cased vertical well. The azimuth
469.7 -0.23 -0.02 10.27 469.7 -0.09 -0.08 1.08
interpolated to the sensor
479.3 0.32 0.12 4.32 479.3 0.03 0.04 0.80
depth from a previous survey
does not guarantee an accurate
orientation in a vertical well and the highly accurate north-seeking rate
gyro rigidly strapped-on and aligned with ranging assembly solves this
problem.
Figure 4 demonstrates inconsistency (light grey) in the magnetic
ranging when interpolated prior survey is used for the ranging system
orientation.
The standard deviation of the vertical well position at the pass by
depth calculated using the gyro oriented ranging shots is two to three
times smaller in a north-east plane in comparison to the ranging shots
processed with interpolated prior survey orientation.

Conclusion
The results demonstrate that simultaneous gyro measurements can
improve magnetic ranging accuracy by up to ten-fold over previous
methods. The described technique is an effective solution when
magnetic ranging measurements need to be performed in a vertical
and magnetically perturbed environment. The applications for the Figure 4. Vertical well with the ranging assembly inside (blue). MWD
described technique include, but are not limited to, relief well drilling, surveyed path with ellipses (OWSG MWD+IFR2+MSA) – (blue). Ranged
plug and abandonment, collision avoidance/risk mitigation, civil and position oriented via interpolated prior survey (light grey). Ranged
mining projects.  position oriented via simultaneous gyro measurements (dark grey).
Be wise
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of circulation. In today’s business
climate you can’t afford not to.

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Combined
Future
Colby Champagne and Katie Poché,
Frank’s International, USA, explore recent
developments in casing and drilling technology.

T
he confluence of a currently troubled market and the growing
trend of offshore reservoirs becoming deeper, some reaching
30 000 ft, has precipitated significant adaptations in the offshore
drilling sector. In search of solutions, deepwater operators have had to
reconcile the necessity of more complex (and expensive) well designs
within the framework of strict budgetary constraints. To that end,
operators are seeking technological innovations to improve traditional
drilling and completions techniques and yield more efficient and safer
operations.
Reviews of current practices indicate that certain procedures within
a drilling operation are inefficient and dangerous, thereby warranting
reconceptualisation. The transition from casing to drill pipe equipment,
for example, is fraught with time-consuming, high-risk activities.
Specifically, the techniques employed to land casing strings necessitate
switching bails and swapping casing handling equipment for drill pipe

| 23

Figure 1. VERSAFLO tool in casing configuration.
Figure 2. VERSAFLO tool in drill pipe configuration.
24 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
handling equipment. Additionally, the casing fluid management
tool must be rigged down, and a drill pipe fluid management tool
must be rigged up in its stead.
Traditionally, the bail and tool change out requires at least
1 - 4 hrs to complete. On average, an hour of non-productive
time (NPT) costs deepwater operators US$42 000. Over the life
of a well, at this rate, landing several casing strings with their
associated NPT adds up to a substantial cost.
Another time-related issue pertains to how long the wellbore
is left open during the casing-to-drill pipe transition period.
Ideally, once the rig crew has begun running casing, advancing
the string to the bottom of the wellbore is achieved as quickly as
possible to minimise open-hole exposure. While swapping tools,
the wellbore is frequently left open for longer than an hour. The
longer a wellbore is left open, the more susceptible it becomes to
such mishaps as well degradation, wall damage, and filter cake
build-up. Such a setback could prove critical in that it may cause
the string to become lodged downhole or prevent the casing
from reaching the bottom of the well. Without casing to support
the hole, the risk of wellbore collapse greatly increases, along
with a potential cost to the operator in the millions of dollars.
In addition to exorbitant cost, the casing-to-drill pipe
transition period as currently executed carries a high degree
of safety risk. The rig-up/rig-down process regarding bails and
tools is one of the most dangerous tasks performed during
a deepwater drilling operation, due to the excessive manual
handling of equipment and the extended personnel exposure
within the red zone. The fact that four to six rig-hands are
required to execute this task – as opposed to only one or two
for connection make-up/break-out – compounds the risk factor.
In the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) region alone, from 2014 to 2016, an
average of 4.6 incidents occurred per year specifically during the
rig-up/rig-down process. Furthermore, 16% of all field incidents
in the GoM region take place during the casing-to-drill pipe
transition period.
Meeting the challenge
Recent developments in casing and drill pipe
fill-up/circulation/flowback technology have yielded a new
technology that can reduce the costs and risks outlined above.
Frank’s International’s VERSAFLO™ Casing and Drill Pipe
Flowback and Circulation Tool offers improved functionality.
Traditionally, fluid management tools are either casing-specific
or drill pipe-specific, which necessitates the time-consuming
and dangerous tool swap-out when attempting to land casing
strings. In contrast, the VERSAFLO tool accommodates both
casing and drill pipe fill-up/circulation/flowback with only minor
adjustments. Aside from its ability to save rig time by completing
applications more efficiently, the tool can also be used to pump
out bottom hole assemblies (BHAs) to prevent swabbing. It is
also designed to remove the need for the rig to make tedious
connections with the top drive for every stand.
Intended primarily to work with drilling rigs equipped with
top-drive systems, the tool can be operated while running
casing or landing out drill pipe, with no shutdown required. The
complete system is comprised of an upper portion that serves as
a drill pipe module and a lower portion that functions as a casing
module, the two halves of the tool joined by a special crossover
sub. Furthermore, the tool’s compact design allows the use of
16 ft bails, and wireless controls permit operations from outside
the red zone, reducing risk to personnel by removing them from
the vicinity of pressurised lines and valves.
 The Volant Cement Swivel enables reciprocation and rotation of your
completion string for optimal cement distribution during the most
demanding jobs. Compatible with the industry leading CRTi ™ and CRTe™
casing running tools, Volant offers a combination that reduces rig-in time
and gets the job done in the most challenging conditions. Tough Tools
for tough conditions. Volant Tough.

sales@volantproducts.ca volantproducts.ca | sales@volantoiltoolsUS.com volantoiltoolsUS.com

 Additional design features mean the tool is not only able to
manage fluids or reduce surge pressure at the rig floor, but is
also easy to set up, with streamlined operation, broad versatility,
improved safety, and reduced ecological footprint. A hydraulic
swivel, for example, allows the top drive to rotate downhole
assemblies without tangling umbilical lines, providing better
efficiency during rotating operations by negating the need to
disconnect hydraulic/mud lines from the tool. The ability to perform
fill-up/circulation/flowback without having to stop to rig up hoses or
other accessories also saves further rig time.
The casing module is equipped with a packer-cup assembly
capable of sealing up to 5000 psi that can be outfitted to stab into a
range of casing sizes from 8 ⅝ in. to 18 ⅝ in. The fact that the packer
cup seals on the ID of tubulars prevents contact with the top and/
or OD of premium connections. And an automatically-operated
internal valve – complete with an auxiliary mud drain line – assures
no overflow of drilling fluid on the rig floor.
When transitioning from casing to drill pipe, rather than
completely rigging down one set of equipment and rigging up
another, the tool casing module can be detached from the system,
which remains positioned above the main elevator. Utilising a
breakout plate equipped with arms to provide backup against the rig
bails, the top drive can break out the casing module and crossover
sub. The assembly is then landed out on the casing stump and
removed from well-centre via a lift cap.
With the addition of a special packer cup capable of
creating an effective seal on a range of drill pipe IDs, the drill
pipe module is now ready to stab into the landing string via
a hydraulically-operated piston. The telescoping device and
universal packer cup together mitigate several operational risks,
Table 1. Comparison chart of conventional methods versus using the VERSAFLO tool.
Conventional Using the VERSAFLO tool
Data collected from standard rig tubular running service
operations by conventional means using conventional Data collected from rig operations utilising the
VERSAFLO casing
casing fill-up and flow back equipment and drill pipe
casing fill-up and flow back equipment. circulation tool
such as the inability to effectively control circulation and pressure,
a critical preventive measure when tripping in/out of drilled holes.
Moreover, without any need to disconnect or remove the piston or
packer cup from the ID of the drill string, the tool drill pipe module
can be screwed directly into an API 6 ⅝ in. full-hole drill pipe
connection, support up to 2 600 000 lb string weight (i.e. tensile
capacity), and withstand as much as 70 000 ft-lb of torque. Like its
casing counterpart, the drill pipe module also features an internal
mud-saver valve whose actuation does not require any axial
movement in order to protect against unwanted fluid circulation
from the Kelly Hose pressure head.
Case studies
Over the span of only three months, this tool has successfully
completed 13 jobs for two major deepwater operators. On
average, the tool saved each operator a total of six hours per job.
It took approximately 15 minutes to crossover from casing to
landing string, saving an average of one hour compared to the
conventional way of rigging down and rigging up two separate
tools. The tool saved an average of 5 - 7 minutes per stand, which
can accumulate to 4 hrs per run depending on the landing depth.
Additional projected savings could result if the tool was coupled
with complementary dual-capacity equipment, such as the Frank’s
Combination Drill Pipe/Casing Spider and Elevator.
When conducting a side by side comparison (Table 1)
between tubular running operations using conventional tools
and procedures versus the VERSAFLO tool, the following was
determined based on collected data: rig up/rig down steps were
reduced from 10 to 9. Run in hole (RIH) using conventional tools
ranged from 17 - 19 minutes per stand of landing string. RIH
using the tool was found
to take 10 - 13 minutes per
stand of landing string.
According to this data, in
one example taken from a
and drill pipe flowback and job in the Gulf of Mexico,
the tool ran 50 stands

Ì Rig up casing flow back tool and other casing Ì Rig up VERSAFLO tool and other casing handling of 6 ⅝ ft FH connection
handling equipment. equipment. landing string/drill pipe
Ì Run casing. Ì Run casing. followed by 74 stands of
Ì Rig down casing elevators – 30 minutes. Ì Rig down casing elevators – 30 minutes. the TT-585 connection size
Ì Rig down casing flow back tool – 20 minutes. Ì Remove casing adapter from VERSAFLO tool – 20 landing string/drill pipe
Ì Rig up drill pipe flowback tool – 30 minutes.
Ì
minutes. without the need to make
Ì Rig up drill pipe elevators – 20 minutes.
Ì
Rig up drill pipe elevators.
a cup change between
Ì Pick up and make up hangar.
Ì
Pick up and make up hangar.
the tapered string. In this
Ì Rig down casing spider.
Ì
Rig down casing spider.
case, the tool’s combined
Ì Rig up drill pipe spider.
Ì
Rig up drill pipe spider.
efficiency improvements
Ì Run landing string.
Run landing string.
resulted in a total RIH
RIH was found to take 10 - 13 minutes per stand of landing string/drill pipe
When using conventional methods, RIH was found to landing string.
take 17 - 19 minutes per stand of landing string. time savings of between
Break down: Break down: 12 and 14 hrs.

Ì Lift stand over stump and make up with iron Ì Lift stand over stump and make up with iron
Conclusion
roughneck. roughneck.
Ì Make stand up to the top drive. Ì Extend VERSAFLO tool shaft with extended range During this market
Ì RIH. packer cup seal into stand. downturn, and following
Ì Set slips. Ì RIH. the eventual recovery,
Ì Break off top drive from stand. Ì Set slips. operators will benefit
Ì Repeat. Ì Bleed off and retract VERSAFLO tool shaft. from new and advanced
Ì Change connection size of drill pipe. Ì Repeat. tools that offer improved
Ì Total time required to change over saver subs due Ì Rig down – 20 minutes. functionality, efficiency
to dismantle of the bell guides, gripper housing, Ì Remove packer cup assembly for drill pipe ID – and safety while reducing
reassembly and testing: 1 - 3 hrs. 2 minutes.
costs. 

26 | Oilfield Technology February 2018

 THE
THE SHAPE
SHAPE
OF
OF THINGS
THINGS
TO
TO COME
COME
Federico Bellin, Varel, USA, shows
how changing the geometry of standard
flat PDC cutters alters the forces at the
bit for greater efficiency and higher ROP.
S
haped cutters for PDC bits are on the leading edge of advances
in drilling optimisation. Integrated, real world modelling and
testing are making unique cutter geometries a practical option
for fine-tuning bit performance. By precisely altering conventional
flat diamond tables, these shaped geometries change how the cutters
interact with the rock and create new opportunities for improving
drilling operations.
Two recent innovations include a concave high-efficiency shearing
cutter and a raised profile, ridged cutter that ploughs the rock for
higher penetration rates. The two cutters are in the first phases of
field-testing, including drilling in the competitive Delaware Basin in
West Texas. Results from the rig support modelling and laboratory
studies showing significant gains in efficiency and penetration rates.
Application modelling shows the cutters may also yield other
attributes, including better torque response, reduced vibration, and
improved tool face control.
Fine-tuning performance
Modern wellbore construction describes almost every aspect of drilling,
from the rig to the bottom of the hole, in minute digital detail. At the
bit, this in-depth understanding of drilling operations is driving the fine-
tuning of cutter geometries to meet demanding performance objectives.
This process depends on efficiently and reliably tying bit design
to real world performance, so that R&D quickly translates to practical,
low risk application. The complex development necessarily integrates
the full scope of bit design with rock modelling, drilling simulations,
and field data. With this capability, new ideas are explored, vetted, and
moved to the field with greater confidence and lower cost.
A key component of the process is cutter design and ongoing
studies of how variations in geometry affect the cutter’s interaction
with the rock. Varel Oil & Gas Drill Bits is exploring a wide scope of
shaped cutters using its ‘Ideal Modeling Package and Cutter Technology
Suite’ (IMPACTS), lab tests, and field-testing.
| 27
Cutter geometry
Conventional planar cutters consist of a flat, two-dimensional
diamond table supported by a tungsten carbide substrate. In
contrast, shaped cutter diamond tables have three-dimensional
geometry. Varel’s concave SCOOP™ and raised profile TRIFORCE™
cutters illustrate the broad scope of shapes and cutting forces
being developed. The concave geometry uniquely varies cutter
aggressiveness to produce a highly efficient shearing force for greater
ROP. In contrast, a raised profile ridge improves ROP by focusing
energy to deeply fracture the rock.
Figure 1. The concave SCOOP cutter improves efficiency with a variable
effective back rake depending on the depth of cut.
Figure 2. The raised profile TRIFORCE cutter improves ROP by focusing
force on a single point to deeply fracture the rock.
Figure 3. A polished point highlights the focused force of the TRIFORCE cutter in before (left) and after images during tests.
28 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
Angles of attack
PDC cutters are mounted on the bit body at a fixed relief angle. This
angle determines the angle at which the cutter face engages the
formation. The angles are typically the same: a 20˚ relief angle yields
a 20˚ back rake.
Back rake angle is specified at manufacture to achieve specific
performance characteristics. A lower back rake angle is more
aggressive and typically used in softer formations. In harder
formations, a higher, less aggressive back rake angle helps reduce
vibration and cutter damage at the cost of lower ROP. However, back
rake is limited by constraints on the relief angle: too low and the
substrate of the cutter can be exposed to life-limiting wear; too high
and ROP suffers.
Hard or soft rock, the fixed back rake typically makes ROP gains
increasingly less efficient because a greater depth of cut (DOC) that
removes more rock requires increasingly more mechanical specific
energy (MSE).
Shaped geometries improve efficiency and other performance
characteristics by altering how vertical and shearing forces are
applied to the formation. The two new cutters do this primarily
by varying the effective back rake with DOC, or by pinpointing
force. Both approaches change the optimal cutter back rake angle
compared to flat cutters. Studies show a 5˚ change in back rake
generally produces a greater reaction force than with flat cutters. The
optimal back rake of the shaped cutters is higher (less aggressive) at
20˚ or more compared to the typical 12 to 15˚. The result is a gain in
efficiency that produces a higher ROP for an equivalent weight on bit.
Effective back rake
Concave SCOOP cutters eliminate the fixed link between relief angle
and back rake angle. While the cutter’s relief angle is fixed, its concave
geometry produces an effective back rake that varies depending on
the DOC. The radius of the concave surface describes this changing
back rake angle relative to the point at which the cutter contacts the
formation – the DOC. A cutter with a fixed relief angle of 20˚ may
have a back rake of between 0 and 20˚ across its concave radius. As
the cutter shears deeper into the rock, its concave face presents a
progressively higher effective back rake for high-efficiency shearing
force. As a result, greater ROP is achieved with the same weight on
bit.
The concave cutter also optimises back rake without
compromising the relief angle. For example, at an initial 2 mm DOC,
the effective back rake is equal to 5˚. Doing this with a traditional flat
cutter would dictate a 5˚ relief angle. This angle would soon expose
and wear the carbide substrate, generating a large reaction force and
heat that would accelerate cutter wear.
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Focused force
TRIFORCE shaped cutters apply force in a very different way to the
concave geometry.
Instead of shearing, the ridged cutter profile focuses force on a very
small leading edge to fracture and plough through the rock.
The ploughing action presents a positive trade off. While it requires a
slightly greater force than concave and flat geometries, it also generates
deeper damage to the rock that compensates with greater ROP. For the
same amount of travel, the cutter moves a higher volume of rock.
The geometry features three raised ridges joined at the centre of the
cutter and radiating out at 120˚. The ridges are horizontal to the plane of
the diamond table, making the effective and actual back rake angle the
same.
The cutters are oriented so that one of the ridges is normal to the
formation, or perpendicular to the cutting profile. Force is focused on the
outer point of the ridge to create a ploughing action that deeply damages
the rock. The other two ridges do not engage the formation; during bit
refurbishing, the cutter is rotated to align a fresh ridge with the formation.
The normal alignment must be precise. Studies show a 10˚ variation
can significantly increase reaction forces and reduce performance. A
cutter/pocket indexation system has been developed to precisely rotate
and orient the cutters so they are properly set.
The cutter geometry may also make it easier to manage DOC to
improve cutter life. Because taking a bigger bite of the formation takes
more force, the cutter’s optimum DOC is somewhat self-governing. In
formations with varied rock conditions, WOB and DOC can fluctuate. If the
DOC is too great, the resulting high temperature can quickly degrade the
cutter. Because it engages optimally at the point of the ridge, the cutter
resists sudden WOB and DOC variations with increasing resistance for
enhanced consistency and reduced damage.
Reaction forces
Laboratory tests compared the vertical and shear reaction forces of flat,
concave, and raised profile geometries. Cutters with a 15˚ back rake
angle were tested in a very abrasive man-made rock with a relatively
soft UCS of 14 kpsi (97 Mpa). Reaction force data was collected for each
500 ft/min. cutter pass and DOC was increased every 36 passes at 0.015,
0.03 and 0.045 in. DOC, and 12 passes at 0.118 in. DOC.
In vertical and shear force tests, the concave cutter was consistently
more efficient than the flat cutter with less force required for a given DOC.
A lower vertical load (weight on a single cutter) was required to remove
the same amount of rock and this efficiency advantage improved with
DOC. Similarly, shear force measurements for the concave cutters were
lower at the same DOC, and efficiency improved with greater DOC.
Depth of cut comparisons using new cutters examined differences in
shear and vertical forces before wear occurred. Again, the data showed
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Figure 4. The concave cutter efficiency advantage in vertical and shear forces improved with DOC, as shown by the diverging lines.
30 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
the concave cutter was more efficient than the flat cutter, and relative
efficiency increased with DOC.
The raised profile cutter was less efficient than the concave cutter
but at lower DOC, shear force was similar to the standard cutter and
vertical force was slightly greater. As DOC increased, the raised profile
cutter required increasingly more shear and vertical force. Nevertheless,
the increases were not great, and present a positive trade-off for
relatively greater ROP.
Concave cutter field tests
Proof concept field-testing was conducted in two vertical 12 ¼ in. holes
in the Oswego formation in Oklahoma. The Oswego interval consists
of a fine-grained sandstone, shale, and conglomerate with UCS of
+/- 5 - 10 kpsi.
A bit with standard cutters was run on a motor drive and the concave
cutters were run on the same bit using a rotary drive. The concave cutter
bit exhibited a higher ROP with a lower WOB than the standard cutters.
ROP was consistently higher as depth and confining pressure increased.
Less WOB was required to achieve higher levels of torque, and as torque
increased, the concave cutters produced a higher ROP. Conventional
cutters required an increasingly higher WOB to achieve similar levels of
torque.
Equivalent torque demand was seen for both cutters in the
300 - 400 ft/hr ROP range. But with increased torque, the concave cutter
ROP was much higher, reaching 600 ft/hr.
In West Texas, a recent Delaware Basin test also resulted in above
average footage drilled and ROP. The sandy Bone Spring lateral was
drilled with concave cutters about 12 800 ft at 233.4 ft/hr compared to
offset average of 177.55 ft/hr with a high of 191.5 ft/hr.
First cutter test
The initial run of first-generation TRIFORCE cutters in early January 2018
was promising. The West Texas test in the Delaware Basin achieved
almost 6000 ft, drilling in sandstone, limestone, and shale, compared
to an offset average of 5433 ft. ROP averaged 73.7 ft/hr versus an offset
average of 76 ft/hr.
The bit performed at the same level as standard bits used in offsets.
Compared to a direct offset, the torque (differential pressure) versus
WOB reaction was very similar despite a very different cutter shape.
Conclusion
The initial field successes of concave and raised profile cutters are a
sign of the growing capability for improving PDC bit performance using
non-planar, 3D geometries. These geometries change the way force
is translated to ROP, and other bit characteristics to provide a new
capability for addressing drilling optimisation. 
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 T I O N M I T I GAT
R A IO
I B Farhod Hamidov, BICO Drilling Tools, Inc.,

N
and Sachin Rajadhyaksha & Meghan Paulson,
V

K&M Technology Group, show how operators can use bypass

tools to optimise hole cleaning and off bottom vibration mitigation
in horizontal wells.

H
ole cleaning has always been a challenge while drilling high angle or horizontal wells. Prior to tripping
out of a horizontal well, effective hole cleaning is essential to reduce the risk of stuck pipe while
tripping out with the BHA and running the casing/liner to bottom. Typically, high angle/horizontal
wells are drilled in the laminar flow regime. As a result, the flow rate is not sufficient to stir up the cuttings that
are laying on the low side of the wellbore. Therefore, in order to achieve effective hole cleaning, additional
energy is required in the form of high speed rotation.
Many unconventional horizontal wells utilise rotary steerable tools with a downhole motor, to drill the
lateral section. Once off bottom, rotating with high surface RPM (in addition to motor generated RPM)
has caused significant damage and/or failure of downhole tools as result of high lateral
vibrations. Furthermore, rotating big bend setting motors for extended periods
of time with high RPM has also proven to be damaging
to the motor and has

| 31
caused LIH incidents. This introduces additional well cost in the form of
tool repairs, additional trips.
If it were possible to increase the flow rate to a point where the
flow regime in the annulus converts from laminar to a turbulent
regime, the turbulent flow itself would be sufficient to stir up the
cuttings from the low side of the wellbore to achieve the hole
cleaning objective. This would ensure that additional energy in
the form of high off bottom surface RPM is no longer required for
hole cleaning, cutting down the additional well cost as result of
tool failures/damages. However, this is usually not possible due to
BHA and hydraulics limitations that prevent pumping at very high
flowrates.
Figure 1. PBL activation procedure. Drilling mode flow to bit (left), vinyl
activation ball seated (centre), open position flow through ports (right).
Figure 2. PBL de-activation procedure. Steel de-activation balls
dropped and pumped down pressure up (left), balls sheared through
seat tool reset (centre), drilling mode flow to bit (right).
Figure 3. Fast Ball (left). Fast Dart (centre). Split Flow (right).
32 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
A flow bypass tool above the BHA will ensure that a higher
flowrate can be achieved by eliminating the BHA (motor, MWD and
RSS) and bit pressure losses from the circulating system providing
the hydraulics capability. Additionally, since the high flowrate
will not be seen by the BHA components, they are not required
to be designed for these high flowrates. Once at TD or prior to
a trip, this bypass tool can be activated to increase the flowrate
above the critical velocity to achieve turbulent flow in the annulus
and thus provide effective hole cleaning without inducing and
damage/failure to the BHA.
Turbulent flow
The Reynolds number (NRe) is a dimensionless number that is used
to determine whether a fluid is in laminar or turbulent flow.
Where:
V – Annular velocity.
ρ – Fluid density.
τw – Shear stress at the wall.
The critical Reynolds number which indicates the onset of
turbulence is calculated based on the below:
Where, n – Power law index.
The power law index is based upon the FANN 35 curve which
will determine what Reynolds number is required to achieve the
transition from laminar to turbulent.
As a general rule of thumb, a Reynolds number of >2100 is
required to achieve the transition and >3000 is required to achieve a
fully turbulent regime.
The Reynolds number is dictated by the following parameters:
Ì Drilling fluid density.
h The higher the density, the higher the Reynolds number.
Ì Fluid rheology.
h The lower the viscosity (thinner the fluid), the higher the
resultant Reynolds number.
Ì Annular velocity.
h The smaller the annular flow area, the higher the Reynolds
number for a flowrate (sensitive to hole washouts).
h The higher the flow rate, the higher the Reynolds number.
Considerations
To design for turbulent flow as a primary means of hole cleaning, the
following things need to be considered in the well design:
Ì Hydraulics – The pressure losses should be calculated to
determine the highest flow rate possible with the bypass sub.
Ì Rheology – The low-end mud rheology (Fann 35 100, 6 and 3 rpm
values) should be designed to be as thin as possible. This thinned
mud rheology is not required while drilling the high angle section
and can be achieved towards the end of the section prior to
circulating the hole clean.
Ì Reynolds number – The Reynolds number should be calculated
to determine if turbulent flow can be achieved and its sensitivity
to changes in mud rheology and hole size. If the hole is
excessively over gauged turbulent flow might not be achievable.
Ì ECD impact – The higher flowrates after opening the bypass sub
will result in a significantly higher ECD. The ECD impact should
be calculated and evaluated against the minimum fracture
gradient in order to avoid losses.
Procedure
Ì Once at TD, pump down ball to activate the PBL sub to bypass
flow. This flow bypass can be designed to 100% bypass or split
flow based on hydraulics requirement to achieve turbulent regime.
Ì Increase the flow rate to intended rate to achieve turbulent regime.
Ì Monitor cuttings volume over the shakers (compare to previous
wells with laminar flow).
Ì Circulate until shakers are clean.
The PBL Multiple Activation Bypass System is a simple and reliable
tool that can assist in reducing drilling costs and risks associated with
different types of hole conditions. With increased activity and demand
for horizontal and ERD drilling, it has become apparent that there is a
need for such a tool that removes excessive rotation when on bottom,
while preventing detrimental BHA damage.
By activating the PBL tool, the operator has ability to increase
the flow rate up to 300%. It has been proven that this increase in flow
Table 1. Case Study 1.
changes the characteristics of the fluid from laminar to turbulent flow.
PBL tools offer other various key features:
with 4 in. drill pipe. The section was drilled with 200 - 250 gpm and
80 - 100 surface rpm [downhole BHA rpm: 180 - 200] (Table 2 and
Figure 5).
Conclusion
If off bottom high speed string rotation during clean up cycle
is a concern (vibrations, tool failures, etc.), a PBL tool can be
used as an alternative for achieving the hole cleaning objective.
Activating the tool to bypass flow above the BHA will allow for
higher flowrate by eliminating the BHA and bit pressure losses.
Depending on the hydraulics and ECD limitations, if high flowrate
can achieve a turbulent regime across the drill pipe annulus, this
can be effectively used to achieve the hole cleaning objective
without subjecting the BHA to high speed off bottom rotation, thus
preventing any further risk of damage/failure to the BHA. 
Drilling PBL activation

Ì Multiple cycles on a single trip in well.

(flow through BHA) (BHA bypassed)

Ì Tool will close when pumps are turned off. Flow rate 250 gpm 375 gpm

Ì Large no-gos to allow third party ball passage. Standpipe Pressure 5984 psi 6084 psi
Ì Autolock option to trip dry pipe. Mud weight 16.05 ppg 16.05 ppg
Ì 100% fluid bypass when activated. ECD 16.90 ppg 17.73 ppg

Annular Velocity (across 4 in. DP) 212 ft/min. 320 ft/min.

Additional features include the Fast Ball™, Fast Dart™, Booster
Bypass™ and Split Flow™ systems, which are designed for horizontal Reynolds Number 1934 3133

and extended reach wells. The Split Flow Dart option is designed Annular Flow Regime (across 4 in. DP) Laminar Turbulent
to enhance hole cleaning ability while not pumping excessive fluid
Table 2. Case Study 2.
through the MWD/LWD, RSS (rotary steerable system), drilling
Drilling PBL activation
motor or drill bit causing possible washouts and difficulty steering.
(flow through BHA) (BHA bypassed)
Additionally, it provides a cooling effect on sensitive components
Flow rate 250 gpm 400 gpm
of the BHA, thus helping reduce the detrimental effect of the
bottomhole temperature. This simple and reliable system can save Standpipe Pressure 5400 psi 4560 psi

operators large amount of rig time, reduce BHA damage and repair Mud weight 12.50 ppg 12.50 ppg
costs, and result in overall cost savings (Figure 3). ECD 16.14 ppg 20.00 ppg

Annular Velocity (across 4 in. DP) 295 ft/min. 470 ft/min.

Case study 1
Reynolds Number 1750 3370
US land well in the Haynesville drilled to 17 583 ft MD (12 200 ft TVD)
in 6 ¾ in. hole size – Annular Flow Regime (across 4 in. DP) Laminar Turbulent
7 ⅝ in. intermediate
casing set at 11 423 ft.
The 6 ¾ in. horizontal
lateral was drilled
with a 16.05 ppg oil
based mud and a
Motor + MWD BHA
with 4 in. drill pipe.
The parameters used
while drilling the
lateral were 250 gpm
and 80 rpm. (Table 1,
Figure 4).

Case Study 2
US land well drilled
to 10 000 ft MD
(5000 ft TVD) in
6 ⅛ in. hole size – 7 in.
casing set at 4000
ft MD. The 6 ⅛ in.
hole was drilled with Figure 4. PBL application - hole cleaning - Figure 5. PBL application - hole cleaning .
Motor + RSS BHA drilling scenario - 6 3/4 in. hole run no. 3 .

February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 33

CREATING
CLEAR FLUID
Lenus King, TETRA Technologies, USA,
reviews a range of chemical products designed to
counter challenges within the petroleum industry.

34 |
 oday’s well completions and interventions present unique challenges as operators
move to more remote locations, logistical issues, high-pressure high-temperature
(HPHT) wells, complex subsea and wellbore conditions have demanded new and
innovative technologies. With the current economic environment in the industry today,
more than ever before, producers want to reduce risk, increase completion efficiencies
and maximise production, all of which must be done at lower cost. TETRA Technology has
developed a range of technologies to help operators meet these challenges.

High density, non-zinc completion fluid

TETRA CS Neptune® completion fluid is a high-density completion fluid free of solids,
zinc and formates. The completion fluid was specifically developed for deepwater and nd
complex high-pressure wells that require high-density clear brine solutions to contro ol well
pressure during the completion phase. The fluid addresses the environmental challle leng
n es
facing offshore oil producers seeking an alternative to zinc brines, which are class ssif
ified as
‘marine pollutants’ in the US and have been prohibited from being used in the No North Sea
since the late 1990s. Caesium formate brine replaced zinc brines in the North Se Sea and have
continued to be the only alternative. The fluid provides another environment ntaally friendly
and cost-effective option that meets requirements for both the Gulf of Mex exic
ico and North
Sea, as well as for use in other environmentally sensitive areas. It is an e ngineered solution
formulated with renewable chemistry, stable at elevated temperatur ures
es and during storage,
and mixable with standard clear brine blending equipment. It is co com
mpatible with elastomerss ,
poses a low corrosion risk, and performs at low temperatures and high pressures with out
crystallisation. The fluid can also be formulated as a low-sollid
idss reservoir drill-in fluid.

| 35
Completion fluid case study
The fluid was employed in the Gulf of Mexico on four
ultra-deepwater completions where the operator was unable
to produce into a host facility without removing zinc from the
production stream. Alternative solutions, such as extended
flowback to temporary storage or caesium formate, were not viable
cost-effective options. The job required 14.5 - 15.0 ppg completion
brine, for use at a well depth of 30 000 ft (9150 m) in a water depth
of more than 7200 ft (2200 m) and a seabed temperature of 39˚F
(3.8˚C). The completions were installed successfully, and the
fluid performed as designed with no issues during 15 000 psi BOP
test, including no problems with true crystallisation temperature
(TCT) or pressure crystallisation temperature (PCT) throughout
well operations. The completion fluid displayed no compatibility
issues with lost circulation material, polymers and the synthetic
Figure 1. Wellbore cleaning tool post displacement.
Figure 2. CS Neptune calcium chloride.
36 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
oil based mud (SOBM) was displaced without any fluid property
deterioration. The fluid was tolerant to low levels of seawater
contamination, with fluid clarity equal to that of a standard brine,
staying at a nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU) measurement below
5. The operator also used it as a packer fluid.
Combination with CaCl2
The completion fluid with calcium chloride added was developed
to solve the problem of using and storing higher density calcium
chloride in low temperature environments. It is a solids-free brine
and can be formulated to densities up to 11.8 ppg and a TCT down
to < -40˚F. The fluid can also be formulated as a reservoir drilling
fluid. This allows operations the opportunity to continue the use
of higher density calcium chloride year-round without having to
convert to higher cost bromide fluids. The fluid system can be
delivered in liquid form, or can be blended onsite into the operator’s
existing fluid by adding TETRA’s Galatea™ additive.
Developments
While the current generation of this completion fluid system can
be produced up to a density of 15.4 ppg and covers a large portion
of the global well density requirements. TETRA is in the final
phases of the development of the next generation systems to meet
ever-increasing well density requirements. TETRA CS Neptune HDD
completion fluid system is capable of a density up to 15.7 ppg and
the XHDD completion fluid system will push the density limit up to
17.0 ppg.
The HDM completion fluid system is a monovalent version of the
fluid system that will meet the operator density requirements up to
13.2 ppg when a divalent fluid is not compatible with the reservoir.
Advanced displacement system
The TETRA Advanced Displacement System - TADS™ fluid blend
allows for the balanced displacement of synthetic (SBM) and
oil-based (OBM) drilling fluids. The fluid blend system was
developed in an effort to meet demands for more efficient and
environmentally responsible drilling fluid for completion brine
displacements. Typical deepwater displacements of SBM use
a spacer train of chemicals followed by seawater and then the
completion fluid. This method takes more rig time to implement,
increasing cost, plus the use of harsh, less environmentally friendly
chemicals. Another method of wellbore displacement is to directly
displace the drilling fluid with a chemical spacer train followed
by the completion fluid. Previous direct
displacement methods used large
quantities of the chemicals, had more
mud/brine interface resulting in increased
filtration time and waste disposal. TETRA’s
approach was to find natural, non-toxic
bio-based materials to effectively remove
the drilling fluid and useless product while
producing a cleaner wellbore.
Displacement system field case study
An operator in the Gulf of Mexico
requested a solution to displace a 14.4 ppg
ester/isomerised olefin (IO) base mud
(IOBM) system with 13.9 ppg calcium
chloride/calcium bromide (CaCl2/CaBr2)
completion fluid on a subsea well in
4409 ft of water. The wellbore consisted of
a 9 7/8 in. liner with a cast iron bridge plug
(CIBP) set at 19 805 ft, and 9 7/8 in. production casing tied back to the
well head at the mud line, where a set of subsea BOP’s and a 21 in.
marine riser extended up to the drill ship. The well was displaced
with a 5 7/8 in. work string, which included cased hole and riser clean
up tools to provide for the scraping of the entire wellbore and riser
with a ~4300 ft short trip. Solids removal and filtration efficiency
were critical factors to reduce risks and operating costs, maximise
displacement efficiency and minimise post-displacement fluid
system clean up.
TETRA recommended a hydraulically balanced direct
displacement using the TADS fluid blend system, followed by the
completion fluid. The fluid blend system was designed to separate
the IOBM from the completion fluid, clean the casing, riser and
service lines, minimise the mud/completion fluid interface and leave
the tubular surfaces water-wet without exceeding the equivalent
circulating density (ECD) or rig pump limitations.
The fluid blend system removed the IOBM from the wellbore,
returning the 13.9 ppg CaCl2/CaBr2 completion fluid to the surface
with only 75 bbls of interface. Following the short trip and BOP
jetting operations, a final circulation removed all residual solids
from the wellbore and riser with one complete circulation. The clean
up efficiency of the fluid blend system reduced the solids loading on
the Diatomaceous Earth (DE) filtration system, resulting in longer
filtration cycles and reduced clean up time. Turbidity measurements
showed a 94% improvement, with a final turbidity of 14 NTUs
with negligible solids. Examination of the Wellbore Cleanup Tool
assembly (WBCT) demonstrated effective hole cleaning performance
and water-wetting of tubular surfaces.
cycles and reduced clean up time. The treatment resulted in no
alteration in fluid base brine pH, viscosity, density or usability.
Filtration services
TETRA OilFix™ filtration service is an onsite service designed
to reduce oil and grease levels in aqueous fluids, and provide
confidence that fluids will meet relevant environmental
requirements. The service is comprised of two components
that normally are used in combination, but can be provided as
‘stand-alone’ services, where appropriate.
The service components are 1) TETRA O-LOK C, which is
used to remove oil and grease during the normal DE plate and
frame filtration process, and 2) the provision of a portable
infra-red spectrophotometer to determine oil and grease levels in
contaminated aqueous fluids prior to discharge.
The advantages of this filtration service include: the use of a
standard DE plate and frame filtration equipment; no significant
effect on Filtration rates; more cost-effective than oil removal
cartridges; oil and grease measurements can be completed onsite;
and oil and grease measurements correlate with gravimetric
measurements
Conclusion
In the current competitive market place, global operators are
constantly seeking innovative solutions to reduce operating cost
while protecting people and the environment. The products and
services described in this article are a few ways that out of the box
thinking can provide realistic answers to achieve these goals.

Complementary displacement chemicals

A complementary set of products to the Advanced Displacement
System have been developed – TETRAFloc CB and ZCB. These
products help improve displacement efficiency and reduce rig time
and are a mixture of charged cationic polymers, which are a highly
effective flocculent for facilitating solids removal and extending
the run time of the diatomaceous earth (DE) filter press. The CB
polymer is compatible with all water, monovalent, and high-density
non-zinc-based brines, whereas ZCB is specially made for zinc
containing brine. The polymers in it are non-hazardous to the
environment and pose minimal risk to personnel.

Case study
An operator in the Gulf of Mexico requested a solution to displace
a 17.3 ppg diesel oil-based mud (OBM) system with 17.2 ppg zinc
bromide based completion fluid on a platform in 380 ft of water. The
wellbore consisted of a tapered casing string with 9 7/8 in. and 7 5/8 in.
casing with a 5 1/2 in. liner, with a measured depth of 19 370 ft and a
maximum deviation of 30˚. The well was displaced using a tapered
work string of 5 in. pipe, 3 1/2 in. pipe and 2 7/8 in. pipe, bit and casing
scrapers. The drilling rig had minimal completion fluid pit capacity,
so solids removal and filtration efficiency were critical factors.
Figure 3. BOP jelling tool post displacement.
To reduce risks and operating costs, the operator requested
a system that would maximise displacement efficiency and
Table 1. TETRA OilFix filtration service calculator.
minimise post-displacement fluid system clean up.
A direct displacement using the fluid blend was Volume to filter (bbls) 2904
recommended, followed by completion fluid treated with ZCB
– a mixture of polymers designed for use in zinc bromide-based Oil and grease content (mg/L) 423.00
completion fluids.
Pounds per barrel oil and grease (lb/bbl) 0.1481
The ZCB-treated completion fluid following the TADS spacer
train successfully agglomerated and transported fine solids Total pounds of oil to be removed (lb) 429.9372
to the shale-shakers for removal of the flocculated solids. The
TETRA O-LoK C required (lb) 215
solids reduction prior to DE filtration resulted in longer filtration

February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 37

 Matt Offenbacher,
AES Drilling Fluids, USA,
discusses the advantages
of leveraging promising
chemical technology from
the past to inspire new
solutions for today.

38 |
 Building
Better
Mousetraps
W
hile it is up for debate whether he actually said it, Ralph
Waldo Emerson is attributed with the quote: “Build a better
mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.” As
the unconventional market demands cost-saving innovation, companies
are seeking the next great idea to further lower costs and improve
performance.
One can imagine any number of revolutionary chemistries in a
research lab, but the greatest impacts for today’s market build upon the
promising technology of the past that failed to mature or never found
the right application. Innovative reinvention of these building blocks has
resulted in millions of dollars saved through faster drilling, reduced losses
and elimination of casing intervals.
Mixed metal hydroxide (MMH)
From their introduction nearly 30 years ago, MMH systems offered
exciting fluid properties: low pump pressures, excellent hole cleaning, and
resistance to lost circulation all with highly favourable health, safety and
environmental profiles. While MMH demonstrated promise, limitations
quickly became apparent. Improper treatment or contaminants
irreversibly disrupted the MMH network, resulting in a near-instantaneous
collapse of suspension properties, which transformed the shear thinning
fluid and gave it water-like characteristics. One failed system in the field
was sufficient to eliminate MMH as an acceptable fluid option for most
operators.
An MMH system works through the charge interaction between MMH
crystals and clay platelets. This charge interaction facilitates its unique
properties where at high shear, viscosity remains relatively low, while at
low shear, viscosity is high (Figure 1).
MMH technology always demonstrated great potential but addressing
the drawbacks appeared insurmountable as the industry returned to
generic systems. Ultimately, the discovery of an inhibitor package enabling
MMH systems to tolerate a wide variety of contaminants revitalised a once
dormant technology. With the introduction of the EnerSEAL MMH system, it
is possible to address challenges that benefit from MMH properties without
the potential failure mechanisms that limited widespread adoption.
Figure 2 compares a conventional MMH system against EnerSEAL
with 0.25 lb/bbl lignite contamination. Note the dramatic reduction in
rheological properties for the conventional system. It is this stability that
opens mixed metal hydroxide technology to new applications.
EnerSEAL is well suited for challenging hole-cleaning scenarios,
including milling and large diameter deviated wellbores. Another key
benefit is the limited turbulence at the wellbore face to reduce washout
in poorly consolidated or salt formations. In lost circulation scenarios, the
high viscosity at low shear limits fluid invasion as EnerSEAL enters narrow
fractures and thickens (Figure 3).
Direct emulsions
Historically, direct emulsion systems were employed to drill depleted,
loss-prone regions by reducing the mud weight below that of water. These
systems feature a water-continuous phase with a dispersed oil phase,
typically diesel or mineral oil that reduces the overall density of the fluid. A
stabilising surfactant maintains the dispersion to prevent separation of the
two immiscible phases.
Direct emulsion applications, such as those in depleted reservoirs,
were cost-sensitive. The inclusion of an expensive non-aqueous phase
made utilisation unattractive even with the opportunity to mitigate losses.
In many projects, a few wells employed a direct emulsion system, only to
revert back to drilling with water as a cheaper option.
Direct emulsion systems faded into the background with periodic
requests and a similar adoption and abandonment cycle for depleted
reservoirs and other loss-prone formations. The Permian Basin presented a
unique challenge where a direct emulsion system would help with density
control, but in this case as a saturated salt system to drill through a salt
section.
While the concept remains, the surfactant chemistry to address these
concerns required further development. Surfactants feature an oil-soluble
tail end and a water-soluble head which lowers the surface tension
between the insoluble phases. In the old freshwater systems, plenty of free
water made identifying properly soluble surfactants a simple task. With a
saturated salt system, new surfactant chemistry was required to ensure
fluid stability (Figure 4).
Extensive testing of a number of surfactants and surfactant blends
led to the development of the EnerLITE direct emulsion system, enabling
simultaneous density control and salt inhibition. The system enables
the elimination of a casing string isolating a salt formation layer, helping
reduce drilling time, material costs, and waste volumes. This also
removes the necessity of earthen pits, which are prohibited in many
areas.
Low clay systems
As laterals extend further, the window between drilling equivalent
circulating density (ECD) and fracture gradient narrows in key formations.
Customers continue to investigate the potential for longer and longer
wells as rig capabilities and drilling optimisation improvements make the
| 39

Figure 1. Left: MMH crystals adhere to the bentonite platelets by ionic
exchange in which the naturally occurring cations on bentonite are
exchanged with MMH. This forms a strong association on the face of the clay
platelets. Right: The MMH complex entangles a network of clay platelets. The
electrostatic charge maintaining the network readily breaks with shear. This
is what provides the unique rheological properties of MMH systems.
Figure 2. Conventional MMH versus EnerSEAL rheology at 120˚F with 0.25
lb/bbl of lignite.
Figure 3. EnerSEAL enters the low shear region of a fracture network,
thickening and slowing or eliminating losses.
Figure 4. Left: A surfactant features a hydrophobic (oil-loving) tail and a
hydrophilic (water-loving) head. Right: The new approach with the EnerLITE
system was to feature a surfactant that created a stable dispersion of oil in
saturated brine versus older freshwater systems.
40 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
concept a potential reality. To improve hole-cleaning in longer laterals,
many rigs have upgraded pumps to 7500 psi. This accounts for the friction
pressure loss across a longer drill string and wellbore, but the fracture
gradient of the formation remains the same. Lower ECD becomes more
critical as elevated pressure requirements draw closer to the strength of
the formation.
In the offshore market, clay-free and low-clay systems boast minimal
ECDs, particularly as they relate to the temperature variations between
the seabed and downhole. While the unconventional market does not
face these conditions, minimising organophilic clay additives aids to lower
ECDs through a reduction in overall solids within the system. Introduction
of polymeric viscosifiers provides sufficient rheology for hole-cleaning
without the elevated plastic viscosity found with excess clay additions.
The EnerREACH low-clay system was developed with a new viscosifier
to provide the necessary suspension and control ECDs where necessary
– customised to the demands of the land market. Key design elements
include contaminant tolerance, compatibility with base fluids, and system
reuse before dilution. This technology was designed to account for the
demands of land with inspiration from offshore.
The toolbox
Last year, a technology company called Juicero, which had raised over
US$120 million to produce a machine that squeezed fresh juice from
individual packets, closed its doors. During a product review, it turned out
that hand-squeezing the packets made the same quality juice – in less
time. The machine was a classic case of a solution looking for a problem.
There is not one single fluid solution for all of the drilling challenges.
It is essential to have the right tools in the toolbox for any number of
requirements and optimise system properties for well conditions.
Information is critical to identify the best available option. From there,
laboratory testing, hydraulic simulation, and a mud programme define the
best properties and contingency plans.
Execution remains key
Delivery with the right people determines success or failure for any new
system. This includes training, a commitment to customer service, and
experience.
A few years ago, the United States government spent millions of
dollars to re-develop a material code-named FOGBANK. The exact purpose
of FOGBANK is classified, but it is a material used in nuclear weapons. It
seems that over a number of years, anyone who knew how to produce
the material retired or left and nobody within the government knew
how FOGBANK was manufactured. After tens of millions of dollars, the
government was able to re-learn what it once knew.
Leveraging the knowledge and experience of prior accomplishments
with new technology of today is essential to avoid repeating the same
costly mistakes of the past. Drilling fluid systems only succeed with the
combination of proper skills and the focus to deliver. The dynamic nature
of fluid property maintenance for well conditions requires competence
and foresight. In the Utica, the AES VERT system exhibits the reliability of
a quality invert emulsion system to drill wells approaching 30 000 ft with
20 000 ft horizontals in less than 20 days. The only way to achieve this is
for best practices to be standard practices with experience carried over to
every well.
Summary
A look towards fluid solutions of the past has inspired new solutions for
today. Research will continue on ‘blue-sky’ innovation, but reviewing
promising technologies and addressing their unsolved issues proves
an effective pipeline to added value for customers. These technologies
continue to deliver when matched with the right applications and the right
people in the field to ensure success. 
SAFER,
Dieter Wijning, Huisman,
the Netherlands, explains
how new automation and
robotics technologies

FASTER,
are improving the safety
and efficiency of drilling
operations.

GREENER
C
rude oil prices fell sharply since
July 2014 from a level of about
US$110/bbl to approximately
US$30 - 35, rising to US$60/bbl
in late 2017. As a result, major
oil and gas companies have
postponed investments in high
cost exploration projects and
are searching for new ways to shape
their future. Although crude oil prices are
slowly recovering, innovation aimed at improving
efficiencies is needed more than ever before and
developing new technologies is crucial to bringing down
exploration and production costs. The focus on customer needs
creates an ongoing demand for technical solutions that are safer,
smarter, cheaper, and more efficient.
Often it is a completely new solution, sometimes a simple
‘no-brainer’. However, the focus should always be on improving the
process on board: faster, easier and safer, with the ultimate aim to
make operations profitable. With current oil prices, it is crucial to
achieve cost reductions. With this knowledge in mind, technologies
are being developed that should allow operators to keep producing
offshore oil and gas in a viable manner, well into the future.

The importance of automation

Automation and robotics are currently the topics of interest
to oil companies when it comes to well construction; they are
focusing on efficiency and drilling innovation that will reduce
well costs. When looking at the market segment for drill ships,
the spread costs per minute during drilling operations can run over
US$500. Every saved minute of time is, therefore, valuable. Realising
these savings is essential. Huisman aims to not only speed up the drilling
process but also to develop time-saving, smart systems to execute the
other necessary work related to that same process. Significant cost savings
can be realised on these other work-related processes as only a quarter
of the time onboard is, in fact, spent on actual drilling. Three-quarters of
the time the crew is occupied with other activities such as tripping pipe,
pumping cement in the borehole or lowering/retrieving the BOP.
One aspect Huisman is currently focusing on is a robotised drilling
process. Robotised systems are well suited to repetitive processes and drilling
is a matter of endless repeats. These kinds of processes are exactly where a
human being is at a disadvantage. All goes well for a thousand times, but then
concentration becomes less and mistakes are made. Robots, on the other
hand, are very good at repeating operations. They can continue to repeat
operations indefinitely. That is why automation of the drilling process offers

| 41
real and effective opportunities. With this in mind, Huisman developed
so-called ‘robotic manipulators’, which are connected to a drilling tower.
These manipulators should be seen as robots equipped with a range of
tools controlled by a computer. Human thought and action are completely
excluded. For example, the computer is instructed to run 5000 ft of pipe in
the borehole and start. No further action is needed by the crew.
Another solution is, for example, the running of longer drill pipe
stands. Drill ships usually run stands of 90 ft or 135 ft. Huisman introduced
running of 180 ft stands. Longer stands have two advantages: fewer
drilling connections and higher tripping speeds. Today it is possible to
automatically trip at 5600 ft/hr. A handling system suited to run these
lengths and speeds has also been developed.
Simply adding computers and robotics to a traditional drilling system
is not the best approach to automation, however. One has to start with
the process and then design the process such that it can be automated.
So Huisman has critically and thoroughly studied the entire pipe handling
process around the drill tower. Work was begun under the premise that
if a system were designed around a process, then the end result would
automatically be more efficient. The study resulted in development of
a new handling method, not only using a new design of drill tower for
180 ft stands of pipe, but also a design that eliminated the conventional
Figure 1. Huisdrill 12000 with flush deck fore to aft and Dual
Multi-Purpose tower with 180 ft stands and robotic manipulators.
Figure 2. Huisman Innovation Tower, HIT, located in Schiedam, the
Netherlands.
42 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
sub-structure, making the entire drilling system roughly 15 m lower on a
drill ship than was previously possible. This way, the disadvantages of a
higher drill tower and the related centre of gravity are eliminated.
A new generation
In cooperation with drilling contractors and operators, Huisman has
demonstrated that the implementation of the 180 ft stands in combination
with automation can result in 20 - 30% timesavings compared to a
traditional system. When a drilling operation of approximately 100 days
can be reduced to 70/75 days, significant savings can be realised. In the
future, it is envisioned that fewer people will be required on board drill
ships. Although precise personnel reductions cannot yet be given, it is clear
that automation will pave the way for reduced manpower. Automation
will also require a different type of human being with new skill sets. In
the offshore industry a shift is being seen in crews on board. Veterans
are leaving due to attrition and new crews are forming from a relatively
young generation that just left their PlayStation surroundings to come
on-board. This younger generation does not consist of men connecting
pipes with huge wrenches but of well-educated young people who have
grown up with the phenomenon of automation. An example of this was on
a drillship featuring Huisman’s Multi-Purpose Tower. The tower is designed
to maximise productivity and safety. During a recent project off the coast
of Brazil, the drilling system was managed by two men just in their thirties.
The duo knew exactly how the system worked and how they could operate
it to get the maximum efficiency. The entire operation went flawlessly and
significant time savings were realised, something many operators can only
dream of nowadays.
Testing
It is a challenging time for the newest generation drill ships, which are and
will become idle as operators postpone drilling in anticipation of better
times. Due to the large amount of available drill ships it has become a
fierce market in which day rates are put under pressure. Similar to the
philosophy of Huisman, contractors should, therefore, differentiate
themselves by offering the very latest generation drilling systems with the
latest in time saving and safe automation. That may be in the form of new
build ship or by a major retrofit of an existing ship. With an installation of
a completely new, safe and cost-effective drilling system, the vessel will
be able to fully comply with the requirements oil companies will demand
for efficient operations. The challenge now is to prove in practice what
was claimed in theory. Drillers want to see first before they buy. That is
why Huisman recently built a full-scale 90 m high fully automated drilling
tower, capable of handling 55 m (180 ft) stands and 46 m (150 ft) risers and
with the ability to simulate dynamic vessel movements at its production
facility in Schiedam, the Netherlands: the Huisman Innovation Tower (HIT).
All the new automated systems and equipment are implemented on the
HIT, so they can undergo thorough testing in a simulated real operational
environment.
Conclusion
The HIT has demonstrated fully automated tripping speeds of greater
than 5600 ft/hr with 180 ft stands of drill pipe, all while swaying the tower
in dynamic mode +/-2% to simulate real operational conditions. Future
testing includes the introduction of a modular top drive system that
by-passes the load path around the top drive for drilling/running casing
and an efficient iron roughneck that is aimed at setting the new standards
for precise tubular make-up and break-out in semi and fully automated
modes. The idea behind the HIT tower is to be able to fully vet new
innovations in near-real operational conditions. This will allow operators
to not only witness testing protocols but to gain hands-on experience
and prompt future innovations aimed at safely increasing operational
efficiencies and reducing well delivery costs. 
 Aimed at showcasing technologies designed to
handle the harshest conditions faced by
the global oil and gas industry.

Read on to hear from Weatherford, Hardide Coatings,

and FairfieldNodal.
 IMPROVING
WELLBORE ISOLATION
KEITH ADAMS, WEATHERFORD, SHOWS HOW SAFE AND
RELIABLE WELLBORE ISOLATION CAN BE ACHIEVED IN EXTREME
ENVIRONMENTS WITH VO-RATED RETRIEVABLE BRIDGE PLUGS.

W
ellbore isolation is critical during all phases of production, as well as during interventions.
Unfortunately, conventional flow-control methods frequently fail to obtain a high-integrity
seal when deployed in mature wells where the nipple profile is damaged. In fact, the
average success rate of conventional methods in these applications is only around 40%.
The primary reason for this high rate of failure is that traditional completion
installations require nipple profiles, which are pre-installed within a completion string
and have accompanying locks to isolate wellbores. This setup introduces a few major
challenges. For example, the nipple profiles in conventional flow-control tools create

44 |
restrictions in wellbores. Additionally, as wells age,
corrosion and erosion damage and wear down nipple
profiles and cause locks to fail.
For these reasons, the long-term integrity of locks has
historically been a challenge throughout the industry.
Because of the poor track record of conventional
flow-control methods, operators are increasingly
switching to an alternative qualified barrier system that
has significantly higher success rates as well as the added
flexibility of setting barriers anywhere within the tubing
string, independent of a nipple profile.
A new standard method for isolating wellbores is to
install monobore completions and use retrievable bridge
plugs. Retrievable plugs are not associated with the
inherent problems of nipple profiles and locks. However,
until now, the maximum pressure rating for a retrievable
plug has been 7500 psi (51.7 MPa). As production continues
to expand into more challenging environments and the
number of high-rate gas wells grows, operators require
a retrievable well barrier that can withstand extreme
operational demands while avoiding nonproductive time.
DEVELOPING A RETRIEVABLE WELL BARRIER
FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS
In 2016, Weatherford decided to develop a retrievable
well barrier with an expanded operational envelope. The
R&D team began by looking at ways to improve the overall
design.
Unlike comparable technologies available for
high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) wells, this new
plug does not require any restriction-creating nipple
profiles for setting and sealing within the completion
string. The result is a monobore barrier.
The plug has five components: a slip system that
anchors the plug to the tubing; body lock rings to retain
the setting pressure; an element system that provides an
enhanced seal; an inner mandrel that facilitates setting,
pressure equalisation, and retrieval by means of an internal
sleeve; and an outer mandrel to which all components are
rotationally locked.
This simple, robust, single-chassis design helps
minimise moving parts and makes the plug suited for
remote, hostile environments, where field redress and
repairs must be performed independent of an assembly
facility. Furthermore, the plug can easily be modified for
different tubing sizes at the wellsite using a conversion kit.
Next, the team looked at the most common
applications that would require this plug and determined
the optimal size and conveyance methods to meet operator
needs. The small maximum outside diameter (OD) of the
new plug enables smooth passage through typical wellbore
restrictions without catching and becoming stuck, or
snapping the wire used in conveyance. This allows for
easy run-in and retrieval even in extreme environments.
The plug is available for tubing sizes from 3.5 to 7 in.
and can be deployed using industry-standard setting
tools on any conveyance method – slickline, electric
line, wireline, or coiled tubing (CT) – for operational
flexibility and efficiency. Most operations use slickline
and a non-explosive setting tool, which means that these
interventions are typically completed within 24 hours.
The large slip area distributes stress evenly throughout
the tubing as the slip system engages and anchors into the
tubing, which minimises the risk of tubing damage. The
optimal slip-to-casing contact also reduces the possibility
of deformation to the slips. An extended slip retainer
increases stability during deployment and retrieval.
The multi-durometer packing element system has a
primary sealing element as well as back-up elements that
seal the extrusion gap between the outside of the plug
and the inside of the casing. The body lock rings retain the
hydrostatic boost system pressure within the element and
prevent the plug from moving once it has set and sealed.
All of this contributes to a reliable, V0-rated seal that holds
pressure from above and below for the duration of any
operation, and protects the bidirectional, low-stress slip
system from debris contamination.
Another key aspect of the new plug is the retrieval
method. The majority of retrievable plugs release in
response to upward force. However, this creates a
potentially dangerous situation. During an operation,
pressure can accumulate and become trapped underneath
the plug, and when the plug is pulled up, operators risk an
uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons.
Instead, the new plug has a built-in safety feature that
requires two steps: first shifting down to equalise pressure
below and above the plug, and then jarring up to release
and retrieve the plug. A standard retrieval tool is run into
the wellbore and latches onto the plug. This shifts the
internal sleeve of the plug downward to the open position
and enables the differential pressure to flow, where it is
equalised into the wellbore by means of a flow area in a
controlled operation. At this point, the plug remains in the
set position.
The plug has a large inside diameter (ID) to
accommodate the pressure-equalisation process. The
flow area entering and exiting through the ports exceeds
the flow area of the plug ID for debris tolerance in
overbalanced applications. Once pressure below and
above the plug are equal, no force can blow the plug up
or down the well and cause a potentially catastrophic loss
of well control. A straight upward pull using as little as
3000 lb (1361 kg) of force releases the plug and causes the
slip system to retract. This minimal force enables the use
of slickline for retrieval. As a result of these features, the
retrieval process can be completed within just hours.
February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 45
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 Additionally, the body lock rings prevent re-engagement
of the slips after release. A release-retention system
maintains the run-in diameter for easy removal from the
wellbore despite the presence of any restrictions.
Dual internal and external fishing necks using standard
wireline pulling tools provide another contingency option
for removal. All five components of the plug are rotationally
locked to facilitate milling in the event that conventional
retrieval methods fail.
EXTENSIVE AND RIGOROUS TESTING
Having completed the design phase, the new plug was
subjected to rigorous testing. At a testing facility, the plug
was set within the maximum intended pipe ID with the goal
of creating the largest possible extrusion gap. Under these
conditions, the plug was expected to hold its seal from
above and below for 15 minutes, without any bubbling,
upon the application of 10 000 psi (68.9 MPa) and 350˚F
(177˚C). These parameters aligned with the criteria for the
API 11D1 V0 bubble-tight nitrogen-gas test. The testing time
was then extended to 1 hour, a full 45 minutes beyond the
API-required testing minimum, and confirmed the plug’s
success.
Next, a restriction pull-through test gauged the
capability of the plug to pass through the narrowest
wellbore restrictions that the plug will likely face during
operations. For the test, a restriction of 3.688 in. was placed
inside a 3.94 in. pipe. A 3.65 in. plug was set in the pipe
and packed off, and a pressure of 7500 psi (51.7 MPa) and a
temperature of 300˚F (149˚C) were applied. To ensure that
the plug can be retrieved through restrictions, the element
must return to its original run-in diameter. Typically, the
rubber elastomer material resists the plug returning to its
run-in OD once it has reached its compression-set limit – the
tendency is to maintain the same shape it had when it was
manufactured and cured. The elastomer design on the plug
makes it possible for the plug to return to the run-in OD. As
a result, the plug can pass through restrictions with a low
retrieval force and using slickline.
To stress test the plug, electronic strain gauges were
strategically placed on the areas of casing where the slips
of the plug would anchor. Once the plug was anchored in
place, a force of 10 000 psi (68.9 MPa) was applied to the
plug. The strain on the casing was then measured to help
determine overall stress levels on the casing and whether
the yield point had been exceeded. This test validated
previous finite element analysis (FEA) and the accuracy of
stress calculations, and confirmed that the plug has a large
Figure 1. The ISO Extreme retrievable well barrier is qualified to ISO 14310 V0 standards for gas-tight isolation.
slip-to-pipe engagement area that minimises stress on
casing. The test also enabled the subsequent reproduction
of other plug sizes to predict the degree of stress on
customers’ casing or tubing with a high degree of accuracy.
A customer in the Middle East required multiple wellbore
barriers for a workover application. The plan involved the
installation of two bridge plugs in the wellbore between
depths of 12 000 and 15 000 ft (3658 and 4572 m) and use of
the wellhead as a third barrier. To confirm the utility of the
plug for this application, Weatherford subjected the plug to
a 24 hour differential nitrogen-gas test. The field test was
similar to the previous bubble-tight test except this time the
plug was required to maintain its seal from above and below
for 24 hours – with zero bubbling throughout the entirety of
the testing period. The plug passed this real life application
test and confirmed the sealing integrity of the plug for
safety-critical applications.
NEW CAPABILITIES
The Weatherford ISO Extreme retrievable bridge plug
has a significantly higher average success rate compared
to conventional flow-control methods. The plug is able
to achieve these results in part because of its gas-tight
capabilities.
Capable of withstanding differential pressures up
to 10 000 psi (68.9 MPa) and temperatures between
40˚F and 325˚F (4˚C and 163˚C), the plug is qualified to
ISO 14310 V0 standards for gas-tight isolation. It reduces
the loss-of-containment risk in extreme environments along
with the associated health, safety, and environmental (HSE)
risks. As a result, the plug can be used in both onshore and
offshore wells, and can be set at either shallow or deep
intervals.
Additionally, the plug has design features that enhance
operational flexibility, avoid wellbore sticking during run-in
and retrieval, achieve a high-integrity seal, and enable a
predictable, safe release.
When isolating the most critical wellbores, this plug has
been designed to combine efficiency, ease of deployment,
and retrieval with a robust performance not typically
associated with retrievable bridge plugs. With a pressure
qualification of 10 000 psi (68.9 MPa), several advanced
design features that eliminate previous challenges with
flow-control technologies, and a rigorous testing programme
that goes beyond minimum requirements, this plug helps
make isolating wellbores in a broad range of extreme
conditions more reliable, safe, and incident free. This has a
positive impact on costs, timelines, and HSE performance.
February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 47
 COUNTERING REMOTE
AND HOSTILE
FRONTIERS
DR. YURI ZHUK, HARDIDE COATINGS, UK, EXPLORES COATINGS THAT
MAXIMISE EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENT LIFE IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS.

I
n industries characterised by extreme operating environments that push materials, components,
equipment and tools to the edge of their design capabilities, companies are challenged to continually
seek economically viable ways to improve performance, safety and competitiveness.
From sour service and high pressure high temperature (HPHT) finds to shale and deepwater plays,
oil and gas operators are increasingly moving into new, remote and hostile frontiers, which by their
very nature present significant challenges.
For example, bearing the brunt of shock loads and high pressures, components can
become deformed, causing fracture, chipping and catastrophic equipment malfunction.
In addition, seawater, sour oil and gas containing aggressive H2S, other grades of crude
containing CO2, and acidic fluids can quickly cause corrosive attacks which, especially when

48 |
combined with abrasion or erosion, can significantly accelerate
corrosion and lead to the premature failure of parts and tools.
ENGINEERING A SOLUTION
Existing coating alternatives range from high velocity
oxy-fuel (HVOF), hard chrome plating (HCP) and physical
vapour deposition (PVD) to emerging processes such as
electroless-nickel composite plating and explosive bonding.
However, although successful in some applications, each
has its limitations.
The Hardide-T chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coating
– typically used in the oil and gas industry – is proven to
outperform these alternatives in a number of critical areas.
This coating belongs to a novel family of nano-structured
tungsten/tungsten carbide coatings that are used on
components subjected to high levels of wear, erosion,
corrosion, galling and shock loading.
The coating can be used in applications calling for smooth
external and internal surfaces, and on many complex shapes,
including downhole tools, fraccing tools, retrievable packers,
actuators, control valves and subsea pumps.
The CVD coatings are crystallised atom-by-atom from
low-pressure gas media, producing a uniform, pore-free coating
which does not need to be sealed. The absence of porosity is a
result of the highly mobile reaction products filling micropores
and defects in the coating as it grows.
The gas phase of the CVD process enables internal surfaces
and complex designs to be coated, which allows this technique
to coat non-line-of-sight surfaces and geometries where
alternative spray coatings cannot be used.
The dispersed tungsten carbide nanoparticles give the
material enhanced hardness, which can be controlled and
tailored to give a typical range of between 800 and 1600 Vickers
hardness (HV) for different coating types. The CVD coating is
typically applied at a thickness of 50 microns (0.002 in.).
IMPROVED
PERFORMANCE
In testing, the CVD coating
outperforms alternatives in areas
including enhanced protection
against corrosion, wear, erosion,
acids, and other chemically
aggressive media. It also displays
improved fatigue life and
toughness.
CHEMICAL AND CORROSION
RESISTANCE
Traditionally-used coatings
such as HCP, thermal spray and
electroplating have micro-pores
and micro-cracks that can widen Figure 1. Samples of three different coatings after salt spray corrosion tests. Hard chrome after 288 hrs
under load, allowing media (left); HVOF after 480 hrs (centre); CVD Tungsten Carbide coating after 480 hrs (right).
to attack the substrate. Sealing can improve the corrosion
performance, but there are several limitations including – in the
case of organic sealants – maximum use temperature.
Plus, as the coating wears, deeper, previously-concealed
pores that were not sealed will eventually open.
The pore-free CVD coating’s performance was confirmed
in accordance with ASTM B117-07a standard. Here, mild steel
plates were coated with HCP, HVOF, and CVD coatings, and were
subjected to 480 hour neutral salt spray tests. The HCP samples
were badly corroded and were removed from test after just
288 hours of exposure. HVOF-coated samples showed heavy
rust stains and the coating blistered due to intensive corrosion
of the steel plate beneath. The CVD samples showed only light
staining.
Unlike soft anti-corrosion coatings, CVD offers the
additional benefit of enhanced wear and erosion resistance in
temperatures up to 750˚F, beyond the capabilities of organic
coatings and sealants.
GALLING PREVENTION
The CVD tungsten carbide coating’s galling resistance was
tested using a Phoenix TE77 high-frequency reciprocating test
rig.
The test uses the reciprocating dry sliding movement of
a cylinder on a flat plate with loads gradually increasing from
10 N up to 800 N – equivalent to 810.2 MPa contact pressure –
and monitors the coefficient of friction (CoF), where above 1.0
indicates severe galling.
In comparison with a baseline control test using a stainless
steel pin, which was stopped due to sample seizure after
reaching critical 1.0 CoF quickly with just a 65 N load when
a CVD-coated pin was tested against a coated plate, the dry
friction coefficient remained low, stablilising at around 0.2.
Importantly, no galling was observed even under the
maximum load this test rig could produce.
February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 49
 In contrast, the steady state dry friction coefficient of
HCP was reported at 0.70+/-0.1,1 more than three times
higher, with spray coatings’ dry friction range stated as
0.56 to 0.61.
SULFIDE STRESS CRACKING
The CVD coating was tested by Bodycote Materials Testing for
resistance to aggressive media in accordance with the NACE
standard (TM0177-2005/ASTM G39) 30 Day Sulfide Stress
Cracking Test.
This test is performed in a solution of 5 wt% sodium
chloride, 0.5 wt% acetic acid saturated with H2S. Samples were
tested in deformed conditions with coating elongation up to
3000 microstrain.
During the test, the uncoated sample cracked across the
full 20 mm width and experienced extensive micro-cracking
and pitting, while the CVD-coated substrate showed no micro
or macro-cracking or degradation.
ACID RESISTANCE
The CVD coating was tested alongside a tungsten
carbide-cobalt (WC/Co) detonation coating for resistance to
nitric acid.
The CVD sample turned yellowish due to slight surface
oxidation, meanwhile its dimensions did not change, and the
weight loss was not measurable (less than 0.001 g). Its surface
roughness remained at 0.10 micron Ra: indicating it had not
been attacked.
In the same test, the detonation coated sample changed
colour to dark grey, while the acid solution became a rose
colour due to cobalt leaching. The weight loss
of the sample after 46 hours and 40 minutes was
approximately 0.3 g. Roughness changed from
0.10 microns Ra to 0.41 microns Ra after testing in
20% acid because of metal binder leaching.
fracture toughness exceeded the level that can be measured
using methods commonly used on hard coatings.
FATIGUE RESISTANCE
Hard coatings are known to reduce fatigue life by fatigue
‘debit.’
When the CVD coating is cooling down from its application
temperature of 843 - 932˚F, the mismatch between coating
and substrate thermal expansion results in it being in a
compressive stress: beneficial for wear resistance and fatigue
properties.
In addition, the CVD coating material’s enhanced
toughness and ductility, together with its uniform, pore-free
micro structure and compressive residual stresses, give it
enhanced fatigue performance.
In several tests, it showed minimum fatigue debit ranging
from +10% to -10%, compared with HCP’s typical fatigue debit
of -20%. HVOF has even higher debit due to tensile stresses
and porous multi-phase structure where inclusions and
defects can become stress concentrators and crack initiation
sites.
WEAR AND EROSION
Resistance tests performed in accordance with the ASTM G65
standard showed the coating wear rate is 40 times lower than
abrasion resistant steel, 12 times lower than hard chrome and
four times lower than thermal spray.
Sand in water slurry erosion resistance tests performed at
24 m/s 90˚angle, showed the CVD coating resists erosion on
average seven times better than HVOF 85WC-10Co-4Cr hardfacing.

TOUGHNESS, RESISTANCE TO IMPACT AND

DEFORMATIONS
Toughness, resistance to impact and deformations
without spalling or cracking are properties of
significant practical importance for applications
involving shock loads.
HCP in general has good toughness; however,
brittleness and poor impact resistance are among
its main drawbacks. HVOF coatings too are known
to crack and spall under high load and high cyclic
fatigue conditions.
In contrast, the CVD coating’s structure and
composition is optimised to maximise toughness.
During micro and nano-scale testing,
the coating sample did not fracture after
100 nano-impacts, and a diamond cube corner Figure 2. Diamond cube corner indenter with sharp edges was used to measure
indentation failed to induce cracks. In neither test fracture toughness, but it produced no cracks which in brittle coatings extend from
did the coating exhibit brittle behaviour, thus its the indentation corners.

50 | Oilfield Technology February 2018

REAL WORLD CAPABILITY AND POTENTIAL
FOR GROWTH
In September 2017, Hardide Coatings announced a
collaboration with Canada-headquartered Master Flo Valve
Inc (MFV) to protect HPHT subsea choke valves.
The Canada-headquartered flow management
company needed a new coating solution for its choke
valves’ stem assemblies. The coating needed to be rated
to temperatures as high as 400˚F – a requirement that
eliminated all standard coating options
– and be capable of withstanding
pressures up to 20 000 psi.
In addition to this, resistance to
in performance, not just an improvement of existing
technologies. In fact, the use of this CVD process opens the
door to enable a level of engineering flexibility that is simply
not possible with alternatives. 
REFERENCE
1. Lee, D., (Deloro Stellite Co. Inc. - Stellite Coatings Div), ‘Performance
Testing of HVOF Coatings and Comparison with Hard Chrome Plate (HCP)’,
HCAT/CHCAT Meeting, (14 December, 2000).

DURABAND®NC
wear, corrosion, and erosion were all
critical. Plus, the coating needed to be
durable, and be able to be polished to
an extremely smooth finish.
All these properties were crucial to
preserving the tool’s metal-to-metal
seal, which needed to operate
reliably over hundreds of cycles in

Cuts Drilling Costs!

subsea environments such as single
or multiphase production, as well as
water, chemical or gas injection.
As a result of working together to
engineer a solution, the Hardide-T CVD
coating is now used to hardface stems
on the MFV P4-15k and P4-20K subsea
bolted bonnet choke valves.
Fully qualified to relevant API
requirements, the tools using the
Hardide-T coating are rated to 10 000 ft
in temperatures from -20˚F to 400˚F
with a working pressure of 15 000 psi for
~
Reduce Total
the P4-15k and 20 000 psi for the P4-20K. Hardbanding
The CVD coating is also used on an
application for a capping stack, designed Costs By 75%
to be deployed in a blow-out situation.

CONCLUSION ~
Less Tripping
In industries like oil and gas where
components are pushed to the extreme,
companies need to continually seek
~
Less Downtime
ways to safely improve performance.
Providing exceptional wear and ~
More
corrosion resistance combined with
toughness and ductility, increasing Productivity
wear and erosion resistance, CVD
coatings add value to components and
reduce operational costs by saving
downtime, and increasing productivity.
Outperforming other alternatives,
and using new materials technology,
these coatings are a significant advance

www.hardbandingsolutions.com
hbs400@hardbandingsolutions.com
February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 51
 UNDERWATER
INNOVATION
JOHN SMYTHE, FAIRFIELDNODAL, USA, EXPLAINS HOW SAFETY, EFFICIENCY
AND DATA QUALITY DRIVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY IN
OCEAN BOTTOM NODES.

S
eismic acquisition using ocean bottom nodes (OBN) has seen steady growth since the first
commercial surveys in 2004. Although conceptually simple, nodes are highly engineered
autonomous seismic recording devices that feature a housing (rated for depth down to
4000 m), an accurate atomic clock, four component sensor package, lithium-ion batteries and
flash memory data storage. OBN systems are not burdened with cables or connectors, a
weakness in ocean bottom cable (OBC) systems that is often associated with technical
downtime maintenance.
Once deployed, nodes are capable of continuously recording seismic data for
extended periods, sometimes months, during which time the sources are towed and

52 |
activated at the sea surface. With precise knowledge of the the ability to repeat a subsequent monitor survey. In the
source activation time (from a ship board GPS reference case of deepwater OBN acquisition, receiver positions are
time), synchronised with a precision internal atomic clock precisely reoccupied by node deployment using remotely
in the node, the individual seismic records can be extracted operated vehicles. 4D repeatability also benefits from
upon node retrieval and readied for further processing. ‘carpet-type’ shooting as source positioning constraints
However, the type of node and method of deployment and can be relaxed in very high-density OBN source geometries.
retrieval differ depending on water depth. FairfieldNodal’s The reliability of node positioning, improved access around
Z3000™ deepwater nodes are large, delivered to the surface obstructions and superior image differentiates OBN
seafloor with a high-speed loader (HSL), and subsequently from any other acquisition system for 4D seismic.
transferred to a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for
deployment on a pre-planned grid designed to meet the SHALLOW WATER OBN: INCREASED
survey’s imaging objectives. In shallow water, smaller Z700® EFFICIENCIES DRIVE NODE TECHNOLOGY
nodes are deployed to the seafloor and retrieved using an DEVELOPMENT
acoustically monitored passive rope. ZXPLR™ is a new node The market realities of recent years have motivated oilfield
capable of deployment in deep or shallow water, and is operators to focus on maximising the productive capacity of
designed to enhance safety, efficiency and scalability of OBN existing fields. OBNs provide a flexible and scalable solution
operations. for production seismic in all water depths. The value of the
seismic data and the quality of the information it provides
DEEPWATER OBN FOR PRODUCTION SEISMIC directly correlates to reduction of risk and uncertainty in
Adoption of OBN technology has followed increased
demand for high quality seismic data necessary for reservoir
management in deepwater basins like the Gulf of Mexico,
Brazil and West Africa. In these basins, complex seafloor and
salt overburden present significant imaging problems. Those
problems are compounded by dense surface infrastructure,
extreme water depth and simultaneous field operations
that challenge seismic acquisition using multi-vessel,
wide-azimuth towed streamer (WATS) and traditional ocean
bottom cable. OBN acquisition is now the primary seismic
tool for deepwater field development where well costs are
high, HSE risk exposure is great and uncompromising image
quality is required.
Additionally, growth in OBN acquisition has been driven Figure 1. Co-located, Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migrated seismic
by the widespread adoption of time lapse or 4D seismic lines from the shallow water Gulf of Mexico. (a) Legacy, narrow
for reservoir management. All of the Z3000 deepwater azimuth OBC data. (b) Full azimuth node (FAN) data. Note the clear
OBN surveys, conducted over the last 13 years, have been imaging improvements around the salt dome flanks as a result of
baseline or 4D monitor surveys. 4D surveys can be flexibly
improved acquisition.
designed according to imaging and monitoring objectives.
Full field surveys, acquired every year or two, measure
large-scale reservoir properties that change slowly over
time. Smaller surveys designed to measure the effects of
water injection in the vicinity of a wellbore, using only a
subset of the full field nodes, can be deployed quickly and
efficiently. The changes in reservoir properties over time
and the resulting change in seismic response, known as the
4D signal, give critical information to reservoir management
teams about:
Ì Pore pressure.
Ì Pore fluid type and saturation.
Ì Undrained reservoir compartments.
Ì Water flood sweep efficiencies. Figure 2. FairfieldNodal’s ZXPLR system. Automated back deck
systems improve safety and efficiency during node deployment
The degree to which the 4D signal can be measured and retrieval. The system can be configured for deepwater
depends on the quality of the initial or baseline survey and (pictured) or shallow water acquisition.

February 2018 Oilfield Technology | 53

 delineation of economic reservoir limits, estimation of reserve
volumes, placement of in-fill well locations and designing EOR
strategies.
Recently, the benefits of OBN technology have been
extended to mature, shallow water areas where flexible and
precise placement of nodes around dense infrastructure have
made large-scale OBN surveys a cost-effective alternative to
traditional OBC and marine streamer acquisition. Improved node
designs, innovative acquisition geometries and safe, high-speed
deployment methods have extended the use of nodes beyond
production seismic to large-scale, exploration surveys.
Figure 3. Nodes have no fixed interval constraints enabling flexible
acquisition geometries. In this case, 967 Z3000 nodes were placed
with 500 m spacing. An additional 533 nodes were placed at 1000 m
spacing. This geometry allows for a densely-sampled core area
while providing extended areal coverage.
Figure 4. Deepwater Z3000 images from the Julia Field in Walker Ridge area of the Gulf of Mexico. (a) This image was formed using all nodes from
the field acquisition geometry, 400 m x 400 m. (b) An image formed using a reduced node dataset, 800 m x 800 m. The favourable comparison has
important implications for large-scale deepwater OBN acquisition.
54 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
Seismic surveys used for exploration and regional analysis
must be efficient and cost-effective to acquire. Large-scale
exploration surveys, conducted using the Z700 system, are
generally characterised by:
Ì High efficiency, passive rope deployment and retrieval.
Ì Source effort and receiver effort in balance.
Ì Large receiver area that minimises repeated shots and
efficiently utilises simultaneous or blended sourcing.
Simultaneous source acquisition is the key technology
that allows efficient acquisition of large-scale OBN surveys. In
conventional marine acquisition the time intervals between
successive shots are large enough to avoid interference in
time. With simultaneous source or blended source acquisition,
multiple source vessels operate in a completely independent
fashion. The multiple sources are shot in an overlapping fashion
on a pre-determined random spacing. Waiving the constraint
of no interference leads to improved productivity since more
sources can be used in a given time period. The procedure of
recovering the data as if they were acquired in the conventional
unblended way is called ‘deblending’.
131 blocks of blended, multi-client long offset, full azimuth
node (FAN) data was completed in November 2015, in the Eugene
Island protraction of the Gulf of Mexico Shelf. The FAN data
over-shoots earlier vintage narrow azimuth OBC acquisition.
Figure 1 is a comparison of co-located lines from both surveys.
Comparisons between FAN data and narrow azimuth OBC data
show significant FAN image quality uplift, potentially revealing
new development and exploration opportunities.
NEW IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRE
SCALABLE AND FLEXIBLE OBN GEOMETRIES
Today, safety, efficiency and data quality continue to drive
advancements in OBN technology. New imaging technologies
that require ultra-long offsets, full azimuths and low frequencies
are creating demand for unique acquisition geometries that can
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 only be accomplished with ocean bottom nodes. In response to
this need, FairfieldNodal recently introduced ZXPLR (Figure 2),
a hybrid nodal system capable of dual mode deployment with
either a passive rope or by ROV. The new system improves
operational efficiency and flexibility while maintaining
accessibility and repeatability in shallow or deep water.
From an operational standpoint, this system has been
designed to simplify node management, maintenance and
inventory control while decreasing overall operational costs
Figure 5. A model study to examine the effects of full angle illumination.
(a) A complex shape inserted into a linearly increasing background velocity
model. (b) A simulated 400 m x 400 m receiver geometry detects the ‘Z’. (c) A
simulated 600 m x 600 m receiver geometry improves the image quality. The
600 m node spacing widens the angle of illumination resolving features in the
model left undetected by the 400 m node spacing.
56 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
by supporting multiple operational models with a single
system. The system is easily scalable and extends existing node
technology with high efficiency battery charging, improved system
performance monitoring, increased data collection rates, high
density storage and improved management of large unit counts.
In a deepwater configuration, ZXPLR helps improve
node deployment, recovery and HSE exposure by increasing
HSL payloads, employing mid-water docking and active
heave controls on HSL and ROV systems. In a shallow water
configuration, the system features automated retrieval
and deployment with safe and efficient hands-free rope
connection and disconnection. In either configuration,
overall survey and back deck management systems have
been improved and made safer. Additionally, onboard data
quality control has been largely automated, enabling onboard
processors to quickly and consistently verify node data.
The upgraded onboard processing simplifies downstream
processing and node performance tracking.
DEEPWATER IMAGING CHALLENGE
In deepwater field development, the seismic objective
often involves 3D imaging beneath complex overburden,
particularly below and around salt, where illuminating a
formation of interest can be highly sensitive to the direction
(azimuth) and distance (offset) of the source point relative to
the node location. To optimise the imaging beneath complex
overburden, OBN surveys are designed to illuminate the target
area from all azimuths, and to do so continuously in offset
out to a maximum distance suitable for the survey objectives
(8 - 12 km is typical but significantly more offset is possible).
The design flexibility that nodes provide enables large-scale
deepwater OBN surveys with multiple objectives. Since ocean
bottom nodes have no fixed interval constraint, hybrid receiver
geometries that satisfy the sometimes-competing objectives
of dense subsurface sampling, long offsets and large areal
coverage are possible. Recent studies have shown that typical
node spacing of 400 m can be increased to as much as 800 m,
outboard of the primary imaging area, with little adverse effect
on the final processed image as long as high quality 3D angle
gathers can be constructed from the sparse node dataset.
Angle gathers play a critical role in the iterative velocity model
building necessary for subsalt imaging. Figure 3 is an example
of a hybrid OBN geometry that provides dense sampling in
a core area of interest while providing large areal coverage
possibly providing a benefit to appraisal drilling.
Figure 4 compares images from an actual and simulated
Gulf of Mexico deepwater node survey. The image in Figure 4(a)
is the result of actual field recording geometry, 400 m x 400 m
node spacing and 50 m x 50 m source spacing. A reduced node
set, simulating 800 m x 800 m node spacing and 50 m x 50 m
source spacing, formed the image in Figure 4(b). The favourable
comparison between the images has important implications for
imaging larger areas more efficiently given a fixed node inventory
and potentially acquiring deepwater node data at exploration
scales.
Spacing the nodes farther apart also enables wider angles of
illumination for improved subsalt imaging. Figure 5 is a model study
of the effects of full angle illumination on imaging of structurally
complex targets. In this case, a body in the shape of a ‘Z’ (Figure 5(a))
has been inserted into an earth model of linearly increasing velocity
with depth. A simulated acquisition geometry of 400 m x 400 m nodes
and 50 m x 50 m sources, with sources extending beyond the node
grid (Figure 5(b)), adequately detects the ‘Z’. However, using the
same number of nodes but increasing the node spacing to 600 m x
600 m gives the result in Figure 5(c). The long wavelength features
missing from Figure 5(a) are now resolved, even though the source
effort is unchanged. The key is that turning waves, which propagate
horizontally through the target, are now being captured by nodes at
the longest offsets. Turning waves contain information about long
wavelength features of the earth, and methods such as Full waveform
inversion (FWI) aim to extract that information. Note, however, that
in addition to long offsets, FWI success typically requires a seismic
source rich in low frequencies – ideally, frequencies as low as 1 - 2 Hz.
The development of low frequency marine sources is an area of active
research with several industry initiatives underway.
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Ideas like these lead to consideration of innovative, fit-
for-purpose node geometries that could be used to improve
existing narrow azimuth, limited offset streamer data. Such
geometries are only possible with safe, efficient, high-speed
node deployment methods. Node spacing of 1500 m x 1500 m,
although not suitable for imaging, could cover vast areas and,
when combined with low frequency sources, could provide
critical, long wavelength velocity information. Earth models
obtained from this type of ‘velocity survey’ could then be used
to generate more accurate images from existing streamer data.
CONCLUSION
Beyond safety and efficiency, the ZXPLR system provides the
cost-effective flexibility and scalability demanded by production
managers and exploration teams alike. New OBN acquisition
geometries, densely sampled for 4D analysis and production
decision making or sparsely sampled for exploration and
velocity model building, can be imagined and delivered with
more favourable economics than ever. ZXPLR’s new deployment
methods combined with technologies such as blended source
acquisition will allow for exploration scale OBN surveys in deep or
shallow water. 
 Liane Smith, Wood, UK,
explains the need for asset
intelligence to achieve
reliability, productivity and
financial control.

58 |
T
he oil and gas sector is broad and diverse. Every
organisation is unique. Strategies, priorities, structures and
objectives vary widely.
Nonetheless, the same questions are heard again and again.
The precise formulation of the questions, the order in which they
are asked, and the priority given to each will certainly alter each
time.
Operators are increasingly focussed on reaching production
targets, especially when the challenges of ageing assets require
an increase in operating expenditure. Whilst specific asset
types, condition and company priorities vary, there is a common
desire to make the correct decisions regarding capital and daily
operating budget; ensuring successful asset management at
minimum cost. There is also the need to make the best use of the
available data, to have a 360˚ view and to have confidence that
the best intelligence is being brought to business decisions. But
how to achieve this best practice is not always known or clear.

From asset management to asset intelligence

Effective financial decisions are made by managers who have
access to the bigger picture. In order to deliver that bigger picture,
smart organisations have:
Ì Integrity management for physical assets so that they remain
available.
Ì Production management that ensures optimum exploitation
of those assets.
Ì Staff equipped with collaboration-enabling technology to
deliver operational efficiency.
Ì Maximum use of the full value of all data feeds from the field,
in all its forms.
Ì Analytical capacity to allow this wealth of information to
support informed decision-making.
Ì Data visualisation that supports the agile management-control
of all operations in real time.
However, simply deploying the relevant systems in siloes
may achieve limited benefits in terms of informed and accurate
decision-making.
An array of legacy IT systems covering varying aspects of
asset management is another common characteristic shared by
operators. On an individual basis, these software products deliver
value from the inherent expertise that goes into their development
and the support they provide specific roles in the business.
These systems may be best described as supporting effective
asset management. However, whilst they are kept independent,
they offer a limited view on the business. In many cases, this can
actively discourage big-picture thinking because of the tight focus
of the insight they provide.
Nonetheless, these solutions can be classified against two
criteria:

Ì The role of the software: from simply holding information and

reporting on it, to using that data for predictive evaluations.

| 59
Ì The scope of any software: from a tight focus on specific
physical assets, to the generation of large-scale, or even
company-wide, asset and business-decision support.
Plot typical software systems and functionality against these
two criteria on a graph and it gives an overview of the breadth of
asset intelligence. This covers the scope from individual pieces
of data from single equipment, through to a financial dashboard
overview of the whole enterprise (Figure 1).
In this framework, specialist software products and
comprehensive business workflows across all aspects of
operations, maintenance, condition assessment, integrity
management, staff training and competency, data analysis and
visualisation are linked and integrated.
Most organisations do not have all of the systems shown in
Figure 1, nor do they necessarily need them all to achieve asset
intelligence. However, what asset intelligent organisations do
share are the predictive and financial analytics capabilities shown
in the top right corner.
Asset intelligence in action
To achieve asset intelligence, organisations need to be able
to interrogate information generated by their systems using
higher-level data-analysis across an integrated data-set. This
presents information from one system in the context of data
coming from all other systems, and provides managers with
numbers, insights and context for effective decision-making.
The following example shows how organisations could
experience significant business value by implementing asset
intelligence.
Consider a not untypical scenario in which senior management
are facing requests from: the maintenance engineers who need
confirmation to go ahead with their proposed schedule; the
investment department, who want to commence work on a
brownfield project; and the integrity management team, which is
considering changing operating parameters to extend the life of a
given asset with some negative impact on current productivity.
Withdrawing funding from, or directing funding to, any
of these will have an impact on the organisation’s assets. An
asset intelligent organisation, however, can make decisions
that best match organisational strategy, while planning for any
consequences that will arise further in the future.
In other words, decision-makers can compare the cost of
immediate action against the cost of delayed action for the
Figure 1. The landscape of asset intelligence.
60 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
first time. This enables the organisation to put a common
monetary value on a diverse set of processes or requirements, and
so make valid comparisons based on equalised criteria in order to
achieve financial control around existing and proposed physical
assets. This gives management the freedom to make decisions
that enable technical and engineering staff to meet corporate
objectives.
Achieving asset intelligence
Gap analysis and roadmaps
The first aspect of achieving asset intelligence is around processes
and procedures. To ensure that achieving asset intelligence is
itself a carefully targeted use of funds, a detailed gap analysis is
needed. Focusing on existing IT systems and business processes,
the result is a proposed roadmap, which shows how gaps will be
filled, integration achieved and chosen objectives delivered.
Dashboards, big data and visualisation
Finding ways to collate, analyse and then present data in an easily
accessible, easily understood and easily actionable way is key to
asset intelligence. Addressing data management and presentation
issues is therefore the second step of asset intelligence.
With data coming in from many different sources, interpreting
those data-sets and presenting them in a holistic way represents
a significant step forward from the capabilities of current siloed
systems.
However, the sheer volume of data that is now available
exacerbates the challenge of siloed systems. That data
volume is only set to increase with the Internet of Things (IoT),
IT/OT convergence, and technologies supporting ‘Industry 4.0’.
Organisations are at the point where true business or asset insight
is at inverse proportion to data volumes.
Rather than investing in huge new systems, a light framework
can be implemented over the top of existing platforms to provide:
Ì Reliability analysis based on all the lifetime data in asset
integrity, maintenance management and other related
systems.
Ì Predictive analytics to support informed, evidence-based
decision-making.
Ì A data visualisation dashboard to present benchmarking and
performance against chosen metrics across all assets.
Ì A task-based graphical user interface that shows a
continuously updated and re-prioritised set of tasks.
Conclusion
Achieving asset intelligence is vital in an increasingly
data-driven environment. While it builds on the advantages
delivered by existing systems such as integrity-management,
maintenance-management, and asset-management solutions,
it goes beyond the day-to-day management of physical assets.
Instead it focuses on delivering an integrated, holistic view of the
organisation and the daily interactions between individuals and
departments, in which value can be derived from newly available
data, and financial resources directed to areas where they will
achieve desired outcomes most efficiently.
Web-based tools enable the successful integration of data
sources with conventional, predictive and proactive analytic
capabilities. When combined with data visualisation and reporting
capabilities and management controls, and supported by robust
methodologies operators can achieve asset intelligence – a step
change in the way they view and manage core assets over time. 
 Doing more with
multiphase meters
Lars Anders Ruden, Emerson Automation Solutions, Norway, shows
how innovations in multiphase metering are being used to overcome
obstacles, such as changing conditions and costs.
A
s operators strive to increase efficiencies,
meet production targets and ensure the
cost-effective delivery of hydrocarbons, greater
insight into flow regimes, flow rates and the multiphase
measurements of oil, gas and water from the well is
critical.
Such information on a well’s production
capabilities determines the levels at which the well
can produce, pre-empts any flow assurance issues,
and anticipates changes in well and field output. It is
also central to royalty and fiscal allocation, where flow
control and measurement are crucial to apportioning
royalties to different field owners.
Yet, for all the benefits of multiphase meters, two key
obstacles to widespread multiphase meter deployment
today are the changing field conditions (and a lack of
flexibility in addressing them) and cost.
Process conditions and water salinity
Many oil and gas wells today are being produced over a
wider range of process conditions with more water and
other liquids present in the flow in addition to high gas
volume fraction (GVF) and increased examples of water
salinity.
In such cases, there are questions as to whether
existing multiphase metering technologies can adapt
| 61
to such fluctuating conditions and still identify accurately and quickly
when formation water, for example, is entering the flow – important
information for flow assurance purposes.
In addition, few multiphase meters in the past have given enough
prominence to water salinity. Salinity measurement tells the reservoir
engineer whether formation water is entering the flow and helps the
process engineer adjust injection rates of scale and corrosion inhibitors.
With a lack of confidence on multiphase meters’ ability and
flexibility to adapt to different process conditions and detect salinity,
operators in the past would simply estimate how much hydrate
inhibitor (such as methyl ethyl glycol, or MEG) they would have to
inject into a gas well to prevent hydrates. This tended to result in a very
limited flow assurance strategy.
Too expensive?
Secondly, there is the perception that multiphase meters are unwieldy
and expensive, with many operators put off by the scale and potential
expense of such deployments as well as the inability to change
solutions mid-course. In addition, there is the possibility that such
meters will not last for the lifetime of the field.
With the alternative to multiphase metering – well testing – unable
to provide real-time flow rate information, operators are often left
in the unenviable position of having to choose which wells warrant
multiphase meters.
Figure 1. Emerson has recently launched a small size, modular
flow meter specifically designed to address the flow profiles of
North American shale and unconventional fields.
62 | Oilfield Technology February 2018
Thus, at a time in the industry when accessing real time flow rates
and ensuring that wells are performing to their optimal potential
has never been more important, operators are having to make
compromises.
Technology innovations – changing process
conditions
The good news, however, is that many technology innovations are
taking place to ensure more flexible and cost-effective multiphase
metering. Take the issues of changing process conditions.
Over the last few years, wet gas meters have emerged that can
provide accurate subsea measurements of hydrocarbon flow rates
and water production in challenging conditions. The enhanced
Roxar Subsea Wetgas Meter, for example, provides the earliest
possible detection of water in the wellbore, resulting in more accurate
production measurement, reduced risk in regard to water formation,
and improved flow assurance.
Salinity measurement is also paramount, with Emerson having
recently introduced the Roxar Subsea Wetgas Salinity System – particularly
suited to high GVF/wet gas flows that characterise wet gas fields.
Whereas traditional formation water detection was based on
indication values that would increase as more saline water entered the
flow, the new system provides quantitative and qualitative real time
measurements in many types of field conditions.
The system, which is a key element of the Roxar Subsea Wetgas Meter,
is based on microwave (MW) resonance technology that ensures an
instant response to changes in conductivity of the flow stream. Small
pockets of formation water leaking into the flow can therefore be
detected instantaneously.
As a result, the operator can quickly identify production threats,
develop effective scale, corrosion and hydrate prevention strategies,
and ensure optimal production. It is wet gas meters’ new capabilities
in such field conditions that will play a key role in their even wider
deployment.
Recent multiphase metering applications
One recent multiphase meter application with salinity measurement
requirements took place on the Edvard Grieg field in the North Sea.
Thirteen Roxar multiphase meters were adopted; two being placed
on the import lines coming from the Ivar Aasen platform. Each installed
meter for the Edvard Grieg production wells had its own built-in salinity
measurement system for direct, continuous measurement of water
conductivity in the multiphase flow.
In addition, Emerson’s field management software,
Roxar Fieldwatch, provided an overview of all meters, and collected,
monitored and visualised data outputs – not only from the meters,
but also from other Emerson instrumentation, such as acoustic sand
detectors and erosion probes.
A flexible multiphase metering strategy
It is this ability for multiphase meters to meet operators’ different
applications requirements that is central to a greater flexibility in
multiphase metering, as well as reduced costs.
With this in mind, Emerson has developed a new modular family
of multiphase flow meters that can either be one component of
an integrated well test system or provide cost-effective standalone
wellhead measurement. The fact that such meters are cost-effective
also allows for the possibility of allocating one meter per wellhead.
The Roxar modular meters are based on a proven measurement
technology platform that includes advanced signal processing, field
electronics and electrode geometry, as well as high-resolution sensors
capable of capturing very small changes in the electrical properties
of the multiphase fluid passing through it. The dual velocity system,
cross-correlation capabilities and optional gamma system also provide
measurements capable of handling multiple flow regimes.
Operators need only purchase the features they require and can
select from a set of meters designed for different applications.
If the primary driver for measurement is metering with multiple
owners and high accuracy requirements for royalty payments or fiscal
obligations, for example, then a fully-kitted multiphase meter will be
required. Such meters have a greater flexibility to handle a wide variety
of well types without additional calibration.
For operators looking to monitor individual wells for reservoir
and production optimisation – where the data is used internally and
there is a lesser focus on accuracy – the base model might be the most
cost-effective solution.
For operators looking for improved accuracy and robustness
in one’s measurements, the gamma version might be considered;
whereas for those looking to increase the GVF operating range, a meter
with an add-on Venturi might be the most suitable choice. For many
producers, the ability to select and operate a multiphase meter without
the gamma module also eliminates concerns surrounding transport
and upkeep of radiation sources.
For wet gas or gas condensate fields, it is recommended that the
wet gas mode be enabled, and if changes in the formation water and
its conductivity are expected, the separate multiphase salinity system
can be added, providing direct real time measurements of water
conductivity in high water-cut wells.
Whether oil and wet gas wells, direct wellhead monitoring,
multi-well testing, or allocation metering, the modular portfolio of
metering solutions ensures a suitable fit for all conditions.
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Customising for unconventional fields
Such meters can also be customised for some of the most
challenging applications in the oil and gas sector today –
unconventional fields.
In such fields, there is a need to generate accurate flow rate
and fluid information from wells that have artificial lift, high water
cuts, unpredictable flow regimes, and low operating pressures,
but also reduce the costs of multiphase allocation and production
measurement.
To this end, Emerson has recently launched a small scale,
modular flow meter specifically designed to address the flow
profiles of North American shale and unconventional fields. The
meter, which has an internal diameter of just 35 mm (1.38 in.),
specifically aims to address unconventional fields’ unique well
characteristics through improved algorithms and models, graphical
views, and trending software.
The meter will also have a significant impact on well
pad economics. According to estimates, it can reduce capital
investments at the well pad by over 50% – vital for operators looking
for capital efficiencies in their shale assets – and continuous well
and field insight from multiphase meters can also yield up to 20%
more in production.
The end to a one-size-fits-all approach
Like so many other industry sectors, multiphase meters are just
one example of how technologies must adapt to meet operators’
changing requirements. The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is no longer
applicable with flexibility and cost-effectiveness the new norms for
multiphase metering. 
Coming up next month
March
Image from NOV

- Regional Report:
Asia

- Completions technology

- Multi-client seismic

- Hydraulic fracturing
Image from TGS
- Water treatment/management
Image from Terves
Image from Dover Artificial Lift
- EOR

- Subsea technology

- Coiled tubing
B
- Health & safety DIST ONUS
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TION
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WELL CONTRO ASIA
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3 Ma
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