1. ™
Published by vNewsBase
Bringing you the latest innovations in exploration, production and refining
Issue One August 2012
adrok’s atomic
dielectric
resonance
scanner
Mapping deep surface
geology with electro
magnetic radiation
Page 3
deepwater Look! MEASURING
testing No wires UP
ShawCor’s SSV predicts Red Spider’s Remote Eztek’s TallyBook
pipeline performance Open Close Technology DAQ units
Page 4 Page 8 Page 7
2. THE
POWER
TO
HANDLE THE
COMPLEXITY
OF RISK
Swift and dramatic changes in business conditions, stricter regulations,
intense public scrutiny: managing risk has never been more critical
– and more complex.
At DNV, we understand risk at all levels from the detailed technical to long-term business strategy, helping you to handle the
complexity of risk.
Classification • Verification • Technology qualification • Safety, health & environmental risk management • Asset risk management • Enterprise
risk management
www.dnv.com/energy
3. August 2012 InnovOil by vNewsBase page 3
A Stove, a
beach and a
virtual borehole
ADROK’s ADR Scanner offers a new way
to examine the subsurface before drilling
C
onventional science says that electromagnetic like unconditioned electromagnetic waves, passes through most
energy can only penetrate solid ground to a depth of materials (it has problems with dense metallic masses), and as it
centimetres to a few metres (depending on wavelength). travels it causes the electrons it strikes to resonate in a characteristic
So, in the 1980s, when carrying out experiments with manner. This resonance releases energy which is transmitted in part
the European Space Agency transmitting X band radar at a beach back to the surface detector. Here the resonant energy is analysed
in Scotland (whose penetration was predicted to be in millimetres), and compared with a library of known patterns, to give a material
Dr Colin Stove was surprised to find that he was imaging the water classification that resembles a Virtual Borehole Log, showing
table several metres below the surface of the beach. lithology and fluid content by depth. Depths are classified according
Puzzled by this very unexpected effect, Dr Stove’s follow-up to a time base just as in a radar scan – the longer the return time of
research showed that because he was using a polarised transmission an “echo”, the deeper the target.
at a low power in a directional beam, the radiation he was In addition to its capability to detect materials and image with
transmitting was “trickling” into a standing wave, which acted like precision, the ADR Scanner has other advantages. The energy
an electromagnetic drill, working its way past matter by making employed is very low (less than a watt), and the waves generated
the atoms in its path resonate with rather than absorb the radiation. are non-destructive, so there is no detectible chemical or biological
In effect, the research was bearing out physics which had been change in the materials under investigation. ADR can operate at
predicted by Dr Feynmann’s revolutionary but still challenging close range or long-range, and can operate through air, and (so far)
Quantum Electrodynamic (QED) theory, and as such was a real up to about 75 metres of water. ADR has now proven its ability to
challenge to traditional Maxwellian physics. classify strata at depth of up to 4,000 metres, and is working on
extending this horizon. ADROK is currently working on making
ADR ADR an airborne technology. The equipment itself is light,
Research into QED and the dielectric effects of matter on energy compact and readily transportable, fitting into a handful of robust
produced a patent for the process, christened Atomic Dielectric cases weighing a total of 100 kgs. Power supply is a simple 12v
Resonance (ADR) in 1999, and since then the principles of ADR, battery. ADROK’s Virtual Borehole provides stratigraphy, rock
using focused polarised low energy radar waves, operated by characteristics, and finally actual rock petrography, all without
ADROK from its base in Edinburgh, UK, has been proved at drilling.
ever deeper depths and ADROK has developed a classification ADROK has worked with operators to test ADR on more than
library that allows it to identify the chemical composition of target 20 operating onshore oilfields and gas fields. During these, it was
structures down to 4,000 metres. demonstrated that ADR could successfully detect and image oil
Where a Virtual Borehole generates data which does not fit and gas deposits at depths from 300 metres to 4 km. In one case in
existing ADROK library patterns, it is necessary to benchmark a North Africa, ADROK’s ADR Scanner was tested against a previous
survey against a known well log, but even here, a Virtual Borehole drilling log and independently located a thin subsurface gas layer
can remove the need to drill multiple wells on a structure to to within 7 metres depth range. BG Group, Teck Resources and
characterise it. ADROK’s experience is that it can help cut the cost Caithness Petroleum are among some of Adrok’s repeat customers.
of characterising an onshore structure by 90% in an average case. One answer ADR Scanning can not yet give is whether a rock
In 2007 ADROK detected a gas filled rock formation at formation is porous or permeable. This will be the subject of future
750 meters for Caithness Petroleum (corroborated by subsequent trials. Also under trial is the ability to scan through greater water
drilling). Since then, with substantial investment from Teck, depths, and ADROK is currently looking for opportunities to deploy
ADROK has been developing and improving its technology to help the ADR Scanner in deeper water surveys to reach this objective. n
the hydrocarbon industry cut costs.
ADROK’s technology centres on the ADR Scanner. The ADR Contact:
Scanner conditions and transmits ultra-wide bands of collimated Gordon Stove, Managing Director, Adrok Ltd
radio-wave, micro-wave, sub-micro-wave and thermal infra-red EM Email: gstove@adrokgroup.com ; Telephone: 0131 555 6662
energy. The transmitted energy, rather than being rapidly absorbed Website: www.adrokgroup.com
4. page 4 InnovOil by vNewsBase August 2012
Tests
in the
pipeline
ShawCor’s SSV offers a means of
predicting pipeline performance,
which will be critical as operations
move into deeper and deeper waters
A
s the world’s production frontier moves into ever-deeper
water, the problem of predicting how subsea production
systems will perform over time and under pressure
comes very much to the fore. A key factor is thermal
insulation – working under great pressure, in an ambient temperature
near freezing, how well will pipe, valves and other subsea
production structures maintain their internal fluid temperatures? If
production has to be stopped for any reason, how long have you got
before the internal temperature of your system falls below a critical
point? Until now, theoretical models, limited experience elsewhere,
a large element of over-specification and a pinch of good luck
have been the only way to specify pipe and valves for deepwater
completions.
That obviously is not good enough for the long term, so ShawCor
has built the world’s largest and most capable vessel for simulating
offshore service conditions up 3,000 metres water depth (300 bar)
and with fluid temperatures up to 180°C – the Shawcor Simulated
Service Vessel (SSV)
The SSV is an 82 tonne pressure vessel located in the ShawCor
Subsea Test Facility in Toronto, Canada, in which the sample being
tested is loaded on to a carriage and then inserted into a pressure
cylinder. The test sample, which can be rigid or flexible pipe, Once thermal equilibrium is established, the SSV is pressurised and
valves, seals, joints, flanges, and even custom fabricated parts, is held at the required pressure for the duration of the test. Pressure is
then heated to the desired test temperature, while being subjected to increased in steps to assess the immediate and long-term response
external pressure to simulate its planned operating environment. The of the insulation properties to changes in pressure at a specific
SSV can test multi-layer or injection-moulded insulation coating operating temperature, and so capture the reaction of the system
systems, and can take pipe up to an external diameter (including to pressure changes. For example, the typical response for foam is
insulation) of 910 mm. that it compresses over time, while for a solid polymer, the material
The data collected from a complex suite of sensors gives hard shows an immediate response that plateaus after about one week.
foundations to computer models of how the pipe element will
perform over time. Key tests are done to determine how well To create consistent and reliable data the mea urement and
s
its thermal insulation performs, and to find the rate and effect control system of the SSV has several features. The test sample
of compressive creep as external pressure deforms the thermal is heated with a seven-zone electrical heater and controlled by
insulation and thus changes the rate of heat loss. The SSV can also thermocouples in each zone.
measure the performance of new materials and thermal insulation
designs. The following parameters are monitored:
The sample to be tested is instrumented with thermal sensors • Water temperature
and heat flux sensors to determine the heat loss from the system. • Pressure
5. August 2012 InnovOil by vNewsBase page 5
• Temperature of the insulation coating surface Further tests such as triaxial creep and finite element analysis
• Heat flux in the radial direction at different zones (FEA) modelling of the insulation can run in parallel with the SSV
• Radial displacement, using linear variable differential tests to establish reliable predictors of the long-term performance of
transformer (LVDT) sensors the insulation to minimise project risk.
• Power consumption in each zone. The SSV has already successfully completed several tests for
future offshore pipelines to be installed in the Gulf of Mexico and
Heat flow is measured directly by sensors mounted on the test Brazil. The advanced testing facility has also been awarded the 2012
pipe to provide real-time accurate measurements along the length of Spotlight on New Technology Award by the Offshore Technology
the pipe. The heating system provides precise temperature control Conference (OTC), the world’s foremost event for the development
with a high capacity chiller and circulating pump, to maintain a of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production
water temperature of 4-6°C. The system continuously monitors and and environmental protection. n
records thermal properties during the test.
The SSV’s precise measurement capabilities allow detailed Contact:
characterisation of performance and accurate real-time measurement Vlad Popovici, Marketing Manager
of heat flux, thermal conductivity and U-value (the rate of heat loss), ShawCor Ltd.
all of which can then be used to model and design the insulation Tel: +1 416 744 5839
system. vpopovici@shawcor.com
6. page 6 InnovOil by vNewsBase August 2012
When your pipeline is 3,000 meters subsea, you can’t afford uncertainty
ShawCor’s new Simulated Service Vessel (SSV), winner of the 2012
OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award, is the industry’s largest
and most advanced deepwater test chamber for end-to-end thermal
insulation systems. It accommodates pipe samples up to 6 m long and
910 mm external diameter, and simulates water depths to 3,000 m
and temperatures up to 180°C. The innovative SSV helps validate
2012 Award Winner Watch the SSV video:
your subsea insulation design through accurate determination of
www.shawcor.com/ssv
U-value, cool-down and compressive creep; precise control of
testing process; real-time data acquisition and expert analysis.
ShawCor – when you need to be sure
shawcor.com
7. August 2012 InnovOil by vNewsBase page 7
Eztek measures up
“If you can’t measure it, how can you manage it?”
W
ith a number of its clients in the oil industry
posing this question, Eztek embarked on the
development of the TallyBook range of data
acquisition (DAQ) technology. TallyBook is
a standalone DAQ unit designed for use by the oil and gas
industry in harsh environment and hazardous areas.
TallyBook DAQ units have the capacity to provide
transparent reporting on complex procedures such as
well interventions, with a view to making operations
safer and more efficient. Another key feature of
the technology is that it offers post-operational
analysis so that future processes can be
optimised.
North Sea case study
TallyBook technology is currently being
used in a major project in the North Sea in
which a leading operator is working on a
series of long-standing wells. The operator
is performing a number of chemical squeeze
procedures to regain production levels by cleaning
up the well, and requires pinpoint data acquisition to
ensure the safety and efficiency of the work.
The key parameters the operator wished to measure and
record in the project were temperature, flow and density.
Eztek developed the Zone 1 certified TallyBook to meet the
client’s criteria, as well as that of the EU’s ATEX directive on
equipment that can operate in explosive atmospheres.
The Zone 1 TallyBook was subsequently mounted on the
pumping skid and attached to the required sensors. It became
apparent very quickly that the information delivered by the unit was
invaluable on many levels. It not only allowed the water-chemical However, the addition of a 10.4-inch (264-mm) touch screen makes
mix to be read in real time, but could also be adjusted, thus giving it versatile and simple to use as the operator can swiftly switch from
the best possible results immediately. graphical to digital display.
Furthermore, Eztek’s application offered the operator the ability Applications for this unit range from coil-tubing operations
to download the data that was acquired for analysis. This is an for measuring pipe heavy/pipe light to depth and pressure. The
especially advantageous feature for operators working in hazardous TallyBook Touch is also adaptable to pumping equipment that
areas as it stores the data to be examined and can be retained as a allows for a Zone 2 unit to be employed.
history of the well. Eztek promises its clients a dedicated after-sales support
experience, with the company’s in house software development team
Efficiency on hand to deal with any permutations thrown up by the TallyBook
The most obvious benefit offered by the TallyBook DAQ units is units during operations in the field. Most software updates can
the time saving efficiencies that they offer. Previously, a chemical be done via email and sent to anywhere in the world. This makes
squeeze procedure on an old well would have to be carried out every the TallyBook an essential piece of kit for operators working in
six months. But with the application of Eztek’s technology, the hazardous environments across the globe that are looking to cut
expected time until the next intervention could be up to 15 months. costs and save time.
The TallyBook also offers project-planning benefits. Using the Eztek also produces a wide range of safety and efficiency
technology, it is now easier for operators to gauge the amount of enhancing products from intercom and video systems to wireline
chemicals needed for each process, thus reducing the need for panels. n
unnecessary stock with lower logistical costs offshore.
Contact:
In Touch Mervyn Newberry, Business Development Manager
The latest addition to Eztek’s range of measurement and control mervyn@eztek.co.uk
instrumentation is the TallyBook Touch. The unit is a Zone 2-rated Tel: +44 (0)1224 798829 Mobile: +44(0)780 242 9975
DAQ system with the same recording features as its siblings. www.eztek.co.uk
8. page 8 InnovOil by vNewsBase August 2012
Look! No wires
Red Spider has developed innovative remote-controlled technology for
oil companies to tackle challenging intervention and completion work
R
ed Spider has developed a range of new technology well completions and workovers via the removal of wireline runs.
for operators in the oil industry to tackle challenging This in turn makes the operation more efficient and safer.
intervention and completion work with a view to In order to provide solutions to those problems, the 70-strong
mitigating risks and cutting costs. Aberdeen-based company has invested heavily in R&D with
The UK-based company’s flagship innovation, eRED®, is a backing from the oil and gas Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF).
downhole computer-controlled valve that can be opened and closed This investment, allied with close interaction with operators and
multiple times by remote control without the need for intervention. industry bodies, has enabled it to develop its suite of open-close
The tool has been designed as part of Red Spider’s Remote Open technology tools that are designed to deal with the particular
Close Technology product line, which aims to save time and money challenges thrown up by completion and intervention work.
whilst simultaneously removing risk during operations. The company’s breakthrough eRED valve has now been used in
excess of 100 times in the field by over 20 oil companies. Operators
Solutions that have used the technology have reported savings of more than
The Remote Open Close Technology product line consists of US$500,000 during a single subsea completion operation, typically
eRED, eRED-FB (a tubing-mounted, full bore version of eRED) reducing slickline runs from eight to one. In deepwater workover
and PowerBall® (a formation isolation valve). Each tool has an operations, savings of up to 36 hours and US$800,000 have been
integrated power supply and electronic control module so it can recorded in a single job.
carry out pre-programmed instructions either autonomously or by eRED is normally pre-installed or deployed below a carrier such
reacting to a command from surface. as a wireline lock. In practice, it works exactly like a wireline plug
The driving force behind Red Spider’s intervention-less technology but without requiring any intervention to deploy or retrieve it when a
is a need within the industry to cut rig times and costs by simplifying barrier needs to be put in place or removed.
You hit home
runs, not by
chance but by
preparation
Jim Rohn
eRED
in a league of its own
®
100 runs
and counting
Our eRED valve reduces wireline
runs - saves time, saves money and
redspiders.com removes risk from well operations.
9. August 2012 InnovOil by vNewsBase page 9
Contact:
Red Spider Technology Tubing Hanger
Peregrine Road, Westhill, Aberdeenshire, AB32 6JL
Tel: +44 1224 275000 www.redspiders.com
Standard Lock 4.875 in
Any application where a wireline lock and plug are used can be
replaced by an eRED valve, thus achieving exactly the same results
without the need for repeated intervention jobs. This removes the eRED
risk and cost associated with multiple slickline runs.
An eRED action, such as opening or closing, is initiated only
when a specific well condition (known as a trigger) is detected.
Upon successful completion of that action, the eRED can look for
another trigger, which in turn initiates the next action. Using a series
of different trigger and action combinations, the eRED can be used
in complex well programmes, opening and closing as many times as
required without any intervention.
The next product in Red Spider’s Remote Open Close
Technology line is the eRED-FB, which is the tubing-mounted Tubing
version of the eRED. It consists of a remotely actuated full-bore ball
valve that can be opened and closed multiple times, controlling flow
through the tubing without the need for any umbilical control line.
The use of eRED-FB completely eliminates the requirement
for any wireline runs during a completion placement operation,
resulting in savings of between 32-38 hours and US$600,000 to
over US$800,000 in subsea operations. Moreover, a mechanical
downhole barrier is present at all times during operations, to be
Production Packer
activated upon request and to take control of the well.
Eliminating the requirement to deploy traditional control line-
operated equipment speeds up the completion process, bringing wells
on stream sooner and reducing the risk of exposure to bad weather.
When closed, the eRED-FB provides a bi-directional downhole
barrier, capable of holding up to 5,000 psi from above or below.
When open, the large internal diameter maximises production or
injection and allows easy access to the well and equipment below
the valve. Another Red Spider innovation, PowerBall, is a reservoir
isolation barrier designed for reliability in debris-laden environments.
It is intended to be run open, then subsequently closed during lower
completion deployment and finally to be re-opened permanently by
remote command for production or injection to commence.
Remote opening of PowerBall happens with no pressure cycles, but
on detecting a specific trigger, much in the same way as with eRED.
Standard Lock 4.313 in
This in turn results in a much more flexible and efficient operation.
Savings of up to 12 hours can be achieved thanks to the efficient
activation method of PowerBall. All the moving parts are placed
below the closed ball, where they are not exposed to debris,
improving the reliability of the tool.
Drilling technologies that are exposed to large amounts of
eRED
debris can result in operational failure and costly shutdown time.
By moving the mechanical parts of the ball mechanism below the
closed ball area of the tool, and as a result protecting them from
debris, PowerBall offers maximum reliability in dirty environments.
Avoiding remedial action caused by failure of a fluid loss device can
result in savings in the region of US$2 million. Tubing
eRED and its sister applications are particularly suited for
deepwater and subsea work, where rig-time savings are most
valuable. This makes the products especially suitable for deployment
in the North Sea, Brazil, Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, Australia and
Asia-Pacific, where deepwater oil exploration is ramping up rapidly. n
10. page 10 InnovOil by vNewsBase August 2012
Reaching deeper
for reservoir
knowledge
Senergy’s IP package provides operators with a chance
to move into a new age of reservoir prediction
S
energy, a global provider of energy consulting services,
has led the way in reservoir modelling for many years
incorporating its Interactive Petrophysics package (IP™),
and has now released a significant update of IP™ with
much enhanced visualisation and interpretation tools aimed at giving
the reservoir operator increasing ability to characterise reservoirs,
whether new or mature.
Until now, reservoir modellers would have sourced image log
analysis or sedimentology services from a third party, and then
had to cobble together a reservoir model by bolting these separate
components together into a statistical illustration of how a reservoir
might be expected to behave. The new release of IP™ enables
enhancement of the model from illustration to prediction. depth,” to predict the sand-free operating envelope for a range of
IP™ contains an Image Log Processing and Analysis module, rock strengths and well completion options.
which fully covers the workflow from raw data processing, speed IP™ is now also equipped with a variety of workflows
correction, image enhancements, thorough manual and automatic for organic shale reservoirs, plus general speed and memory
picking, through to statistical analysis of the results, including improvements.
stereonet analysis. High resolution pseudo images of the borehole Senergy provides static and dynamic reservoir evaluation and
wall are produced from petrophysical measurements that allow solutions which can cover the complete cycle for a reservoir from
geological and drilling related features in the borehole to be exploration through appraisal and development to ‘brown field’
identified, interpreted and, importantly, oriented. This data helps redevelopment.
build a greatly improved static reservoir model, and so gives The Aberdeen-headquartered company, with over 550 staff
reservoir engineers a better understanding of a reservoir’s dynamics located around the world, is continuing to expand its global
and viability, maximising returns. footprint, and can point to a proven track record in this field.
Also new is the NavQC module to correct bad navigation data, Multi-disciplinary teams are often mobilised to undertake specific
Dual OBMI support and an interactive, high resolution 3D engine geological projects for the client. Recent examples include an
for visualisation of Image Logs. integrated project in the Neuquen basin, Argentina, where Senergy
Another new component for IP™ is nDPredictor, which has been technical staff were involved in optimising facilities from the
designed to address highly nonlinear geological data and is based on reservoir to the separation facilities and in a number of mature North
a Geological Differential Method (GDM). This integrates various Sea fields where integrated Senergy technical teams worked with
forms of data, preserving geological identity, to produce a true point operators to optimise infill locations and re-completions.
by point solution of the selected target parameters. nDPredictor Senergy’s view is that rather than going to several different
produces a deterministic solution in comparison to the statistical companies that specialise in one or two things, it offers the whole
methods which can only produce a realisation. package under one roof. n
A further win for IP™ is the picture it gives Geomechanics and
Production engineers of the likelihood of rock failure in sandstone Contact:
reservoirs and hence the chance of sand production in the well. Senergy,
Calculations can be run for an open hole or a cased and perforated 15/16 Bon Accord Crescent, Aberdeen AB11 6DE, UK
completion, and for any well azimuth and deviation. IP™ can Tel: +44 1224 213440
analyse multi-depth situations, allowing the user to predict the onset email: info.uk@senergyworld.com
of sand failure across the whole reservoir, or it can be set to “discrete web: www.senergyworld.com
11. ENHANCING
PERFORMANCE
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helicopter flights per annum worldwide
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Survitec Group
Survitec House, Kirkton Drive, Dyce, Aberdeen, AB21 0BG, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1224 214460 / Email: info@survitecgroup.com
www.survitecgroup.com
12. page 12 InnovOil by vNewsBase August 2012
No inhibitions
Optimising hydrate inhibitor
injection with HydraCHEK
S
ome 80 years ago oil producers trying to transport natural unpleasant consequences for the Capex costs of installing plant to
gas in cold climates made an uncomfortable discovery. handle the inhibitors, and Opex costs for it to the point of origin,
When natural gas and water come together at low injecting it and ultimately recovering or disposing of it.
temperatures water molecules rearrange to form a ball-like Hydrafact, a spin-out company from the world-class hydrocarbon
cage around a gas molecule, producing gas hydrates. Hydrates are research campus of Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, has
solid, and relatively stable, so form large immobile plugs inside worked with BP, Total, Chevron, Statoil and Petronas to develop
pipelines. Apart from obstructing the gas flow, operators found a technology to cut these costs, without compromising either
that clearing the blockage by heating created serious risks of a operational safety or performance.
catastrophic release of gas in a runaway PVT event. The result is HydraCHEK, an analytical tool to give producers
A problem that was occasional, even exotic, in the 1930s, is fast and accurate measurements of the hydrate inhibitor, and salt
now commonplace. Deepwater wells and export pipelines work concentrations from produced water samples. This data when
in an ambient temperature of near zero, even in warm climates. combined with the hydrocarbon fluid composition is used to find
Shallower plant also finds itself near freezing in winter, and of the actual phase boundary for the system being tested.
course onshore gas is being produced in locations where zero Using acoustic velocity and electrical conductivity tests on
would be a balmy summer’s day. downstream produced water samples, an Artificial
Apart from complete water removal (difficult!), Neural Network, and a proprietary thermodynamic
the generally accepted solution is to add model, HydraCHEK correlates results to
chemicals that act as hydrate inhibitors to produce accurate predictions for the
change the conditions at which hydrates hydrate phase boundary of a system.
can form. The most commonly used Combined with the operating pipeline
inhibitors are methanol and ethylene temperature and pressure the actual
glycol (MEG), which act to reduce the degree of inhibition and safety margin for
temperatures at which hydrates are a system can be easily determined. All of
stable. Other solutions are to use Kinetic this is done by a robust field-capable unit,
Hydrate Inhibitors (KHIs) which within 10 seconds of measurement.
extend the time it takes for hydrates to The result? With a much more
form, or Anti-Agglomerants (AAs), representative picture of the hydrate risk
which don’t stop hydrates forming, and inhibitor effect, the pipeline operator
but limit their size and prevent is now able to optimise the amount
clustering and deposition long of inhibitor, and to understand much
enough for the system to enter a more clearly what their safety margins
warmer environment. are (obviously, the size of the safety
The bad news, of course, is that margin is the choice of the pipeline
these additives are not free, and operator, and HydraCHEK gives the
must be transported, stored and operator better knowledge to make
pumped to the point of origin of the that choice).
gas flow for injection, making their In practice, using HydraCHEK
use even more expensive. Given that very quickly results in greatly reduced
natural gas is already a relatively low value material, the economics inhibitor use. In a recent application on a platform in the North Sea,
of hydrate prevention is a major concern to a gas producer, and can the operator proved that existing inhibitor levels were well above
even turn a good field into a bad one. In extreme cases, the inhibitor those actually required – in short, the system was being hugely over
requirements may be greater than 50% by weight of the produced inhibited. Utilizing HydraCHEK the operator was able to roughly
water in a gas pipeline. halve their inhibitor injection, with no loss of safety, and a NPV of
In current practice, the amount of hydrate inhibitor needed to savings calculated at above £10m (US$15.7m).
protect a system is calculated based on the hydrate phase boundary HydraCHEK is currently being deployed by Total,
for the specific fluid composition (of gas, oil, water and salt) being ConocoPhillips and Dolphin Energy. n
transported and the predicted worst case temperature and pressure
operating conditions. Other factors must also be considered, Contact:
such as the loss of some of the inhibitor, owing to its own phase Tom Gorlach,
changes from liquid to gas. To counter the uncertainties for a given Hydrafact Ltd.
system, a large safety margin is normally applied to minimise the email: tom.gorlach@hydrafact.com
risk of hydrate blockage, with the net result being that presently Tel: +44 131 449 7472
the industry is using far more inhibitor than it needs to. This has Web: www.hydrafact.com
13. August 2012 InnovOil by vNewsBase page 13
Thinking
ahead with
e-planner
UK firm e-products is designing a suite of software
solutions for use throughout the oil and gas industry
E
dinburgh-based e-products, a business solutions can also be employed independently. The costing module allows
developer, is in the final stages of developing a suite of companies to estimate and tender for projects easily, enabling
software solutions for use across the oil and gas industry. managers to keep on top of projects via comprehensive dashboards
The firm was commissioned by engineering and reports. A fully audited variations system also allows for mid-
consultancy Optimus to design e-planner, which is being used to project budgetary changes.
manage and control all of the latter’s 193 current projects. Scheduling is synchronised with Oracle’s Primavera P6
Various modules make up the fully integrated e-planner system, Enterprise Project Portfolio Management, and for companies that
with e-products currently at work developing the final phase of the do not use Oracle, e-planner has an inbuilt scheduling module.
system – invoicing. Once this has been launched in early September, E-planner can be configured to send automatic reminder emails to
the company intends to release the software to other companies trigger data entry (for example timesheet entry). Moreover, project
searching for efficient project planning tools. managers are able to vet times if required. These features can help
The e-planner system provides oil and gas companies with a remove bottlenecks while reducing billing errors.
comprehensive tool to manage projects from initial estimate phase The absence module allows managers to track absences – such
through to completion, helping them to come in on time and budget. as planned contractor absences and staff holiday entitlements – on
E-planner relies on its integrated nature to save time and avoid a companywide basis, allowing for greater planning of project
error, while saving users from having to switch manually between resources. A Microsoft Outlook add-in allows central filing of
several separate systems. E-planner not only reduces administration important project emails, which can then be accessed by the entire
overheads but also provides greater visibility throughout a project’s team. The contracts module ensures that renewal dates are never
lifecycle. missed, by sending notifications of any contracts that require
E-planner was conceived two years ago and commissioned by attention. Contract documents are also securely stored so they can
Aberdeen consultancy Optimus, which provides process, facilities be easily referenced. The invoicing module reduces errors, identifies
and safety engineering, and project execution. Optimus had bottlenecks and increases cash flow by automatically generating
searched for a single system to manage all of its projects while invoices from project data. n
tightening up project controls – and having failed to find such a
platform commissioned e-products to build one. In 2011 Optimus Contact:
reported record sales of over £10m (US$15.7m), and pre-tax Trevor Cattle
profits of £900,000 (US$ 1.4m), using e-planner as its core project email: trevor@e-products.co.uk
management software. Tel: 0845 009 4050
E-planner is a fully integrated system, whose various modules web: www.e-products.co.uk
14. Oil Spill
Detection &
Monitoring
Hydrocarbon Oil Sensors
Proven range of in-situ sensors optimised
for monitoring crude and refined oil from
coastal margins to deep ocean.
Delivering Now
Configurable fluorimeters
Targeted spectral response
Oil spill monitoring
Pipeline leak detection
Environmental remediation
Long term monitoring
Chelsea Technologies Group Ltd
+44 (0)20 8481 9000
sales@chelsea.co.uk
www.chelsea.co.uk/Oil.htm
15. August 2012 InnovOil by vNewsBase page 15
Casting a
critical light
The general assembly of AQUA
Measuring is shown in Figure tough conditions
III hydrocarbons in 1. The
can be ainstrument comprises four major sub
difficult job but Chelsea Technologies’
assemblies:
fluorometers are up to the task
U
a) A Turret Assembly that houses
K-based Chelsea Technologies Group’s range of
the optical components and
in situ fluorometers have been used in the offshore
industry since 1990. Originallycap
makes the front developed for for military
applications, the UV AquaTracka has the ability to
the Pressure Housing.
detect very low levels of hydrocarbons to depths of 6,000 metres.
b) UviLux Electronics shallower depths (600
The newly launched
An is designed for Chassis that
contains:
metres) but now yields equivalent sensitivity performance. Both
instruments are capable ofthe signal and refined oils in the
detecting crude circuits of the
marine and freshwaterinstrument.and are in use around the globe.
environment
“There has been unprecedented demand for our hydrocarbon
detection sensors following thelight source Gulf ofits power
the oil spill in the and Mexico,”
supply.
Bruce Kimber, Chelsea’s customer services manager, told InnovOil.
c) A Pressure Housing that
He went on to say that: “More recently we’ve been contacted to
supply the UviLux hydrocarbon sensor to monitor potential spillage
encloses the Electronics Chassis.
during the procedure of offloading the ship’s fuel from the stricken
Costa Concordia vessel inRear End Cap that is used to
d) A Italy.”
Monitoring authorities tend toPressure Housing.
seal the select the UV AquaTracka because
of the robust measurements offered by the fluorometer, as well as its
unparallel sensitivity and full ocean depth capability.
The turret has two plain bores
Recent work within Chelsea’s R&D department has now
yielded equivalent sensitivityinto it, one from the UviLux in-
machined performance bore houses the
situ fluorometer. This UV LED optics, the other lighter
excitation fluorometer is smaller and the
than the 6,000m rated UV AquaTracka. The UviLux provides a
emission optics. The optical
depth rating of 600 metres and offers a high specification in-situ
hydrocarbon sensor at lower cost.consist of can be configured
components The UviLux a series of
for measurements of crude oil,filters and, on the detection
lenses and refined oils or CDOM for other
applications. n side only, a photodiode. Each bore
Contact:
runs parallel with the length of the
Ellen Keegan, instrument and is optically linked by a
Chelsea Technologies Group
prism mounted separately in the top
Tel: +44 (0)20 8481 9019.
section of the turret. The lenses, filters
and photodiode are held in their
correct axial positions by a set of
spacers. The optical layout is shown in
Figure 2.
AQUAtracka III (left) and its new sibling, UviLux
AQUAtracka III assembly
16. Published by vNewsBas ™
e
Bringing you the latest innov
ations in exploration, producti
Pilot issue on and refining
July 2012
adrok’s atomic
dielectric
resonance
scanner
Mapping deep surface
geology with electro
magnetic radiation
Page 3
deepwater look!
testing HigHer
no wires sensitivity
ShawCor’s SSV predicts
Red Spider’s Remote
pipeline performance Chelsea Technologies’
Open Close Technology
Page 4 fluorometers deliver
Page 7
Page 14
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