New Technology Allows for Hands-Off Intervention During Cementing Operations Increasing Safety and Operational Efficiency

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Ramon ◽  
Tony Wooley ◽  
Kyle Martens ◽  
Amy Farrar ◽  
Seth Fadaol

Abstract The culture of safety within the oil and gas industry has undergone an evolution since the advent of significant E&P operations in the late 1800s. The initial focus on safety was to protect property, not people. This mentality has shifted over time to include a greater focus on the safety of personnel, in parallel with technology developments that have pushed the limits of operators’ and service providers’ abilities to drill and complete more complicated wells. The safety efforts introduced to date have yielded results in every major HS&E category; however, falls and dropped objects continue to be areas in need of improvement. During cementing rig up and operations there are still many manual activities that require working at heights in the derrick. New technological advances have allowed the industry to reduce the number of hands-on activities on the rig and operators have moved to eliminate these activities by automating operations. Man lifting operations are recognized as a high-risk activity and, as such, many rigs require special permitting. During cementing operations, not only are personnel lifted into hazardous positions, but they are usually equipped with potential dropped objects. Some of these objects, if dropped, reach an impact force that could seriously injure or, in worst cases, result in a fatality. During these operations, personnel are also hoisted along with a heavy cement line in very close proximity. This introduces other dangers such as tangling, pinch points, and blunt force trauma. These risks are heavily increased when working in adverse conditions, such as high winds or rough seas. By utilizing a wireless cement line make up device, along with wireless features on a cement head to release the darts/plugs/balls and operate the isolation valves, an operator can eliminate the need for hands-on intervention. This paper will discuss current cement head technologies available to the operator that allow them to improve safety and efficiencies in operational rig time. Three field studies will be presented that detail running cement jobs with all functions related to the wireless attributes of the cement head. The field studies will present the operational efficiencies achieved by utilizing the wireless features compared to the standard manual method. Before the recent introduction of a wireless cementing line make-up device, a wireless cement head still required hands-on intervention to rig up the tools, putting people in high-risk situations.

Author(s):  
Veronica Ferrara ◽  
Lars E. Bakken ◽  
Stefano Falomi ◽  
Giuseppe Sassanelli ◽  
Matteo Bertoneri ◽  
...  

In the last few years wet compression has received special attention from the oil and gas industry. Here, the development and implementation of new subsea solutions are important focus areas to increase production and recovery from existing fields. This new technology will contribute to exploitation of small and remote fields and access in very deep water. In this regard liquid tolerance represents a viable option to reduce the cost of a subsea compression station bringing considerable simplification to the subsea process itself. However, the industry may experience some drawbacks: the various levels of liquid presence may create operational risk for traditional compressors; the liquid may cause mechanical damage because of erosion and corrosion of the internal units and the compressor performance might be affected too. The experimental investigation conducted in the study considers dry and wet conditions in a laboratory setup to understand how the presence of liquid influences the stage performance. The test campaign has been carried out at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, in Trondheim, to assess the performance and operating range of a tridimensional impeller when processing a mixture of gas and liquid phases. Experimental results allowed validating the OEM internal prediction code for compressors’ performance in wet conditions. Finally, the effect of liquid on machine operability has been assessed through a left-limit investigation by means of dynamic pressure probes readings in order to evaluate the stall/surge behaviour for different values of liquid mass fraction.


2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 639
Author(s):  
Michael Lynn ◽  
David Wirrpanda

As oil and gas operators and service providers look to embrace automation and analytics, many of the traditional partnerships with Aboriginal communities relating to employment and career pathways are likely to be challenged. The paper explores how digital trends are affecting, and are likely to affect, Indigenous communities in their partnerships with oil and gas organisations. Workplace roles and activities are evolving in our increasingly digitised world, causing a perceived threat to employment for minority groups such as Indigenous communities. In order to ensure the ongoing presence of opportunities for Indigenous workers in the ‘future of work’, oil and gas organisations will need to augment digital technologies to cater for and enhance existing and future roles. This paper presents a framework for Indigenous communities, governments, oil and gas operators and service providers to embrace digitisation and create sustainable relationships. An approach is considered to engage with Indigenous communities with objectives of executing on their Reconciliation Action Plans and addressing culture and employment challenges that arise through digitisation. The framework positions oil and gas operators and service providers to pivot themselves not only to sustain, but also to enhance Indigenous employment opportunities in a digital workplace. Digitisation is here, but with the right approach it can positively affect and shape partnerships between oil and gas organisations and Indigenous communities.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 585
Author(s):  
Christopher Coldrick ◽  
Rowan Fenn ◽  
David Sahota

Maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) materials typically represent 15–20% of the operating costs for a mature oil and gas asset. Of this, a substantial proportion is comprised of high-value repairable equipment such as motors, compressors and pumps. This equipment is often at bottlenecks in the production process and so the impact of materials cost on profitability is magnified by the production ramifications of an outage. Effective management of this equipment is key to the sustainable, profitable operation of any oil and gas asset, and is key to improving the competitiveness of the Australian industry. Oil and gas companies are adopting a variety of models to handle the repair process, with varying degrees of success. Challenges include: poor materials availability and lack of traceability; complex infield materials management processes resulting in costly wastages; difficulty in managing consistency, suitability and specifications of repairs; high cost for those undertaking the repairs; and, correct allocation of responsibility and risk in the materials management process. Developed in collaboration with Australian oil and gas operators, with input from case studies outside the oil and gas industry, this extended abstract discusses the roles and opportunities for the circular economy in helping companies to meet their sustainability and profitability targets. Using several real-life examples, it makes recommendations for vendors, service providers and operators that can have material impact on the profitability of the industry.


Author(s):  
Ricardo de Lepeleire ◽  
Nicolas Rogozinski ◽  
Hank Rogers ◽  
Daniel Ferrari

Within the oil and gas industry, significant costs are often incurred by the operating company during the well-construction phase of drilling operations. Specifically, the operators cost to drill a well can cost tens or hundreds of millions of USD. One specific area where significant changes in drilling operations have occurred is in the offshore environment, specifically operations from mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). With the ever-increasing demand for oil and gas, operators globally have increased drilling budgets in an effort to meet forecasted demand. However, the increased budgets are often eroded or offset by increasing drilling costs. Therefore, operators are continually in search of new technology, processes, or procedures to help improve drilling operations and overall operational efficiencies. One Latin America operator identified a common operation as a possible area where operational cost could be easily reduced through the implementation of systems that allow the manipulation of valve manifolds remotely. Additionally, operating such valve manifolds remotely enhanced operational safety for personnel, which was an equally important consideration. This paper details the evaluation of existing equipment and procedures and a process used to develop a new remote-control system using a machine logic control (MLC) that has been designed, built, tested, and deployed successfully on MODUs operating in Latin America.


Author(s):  
Ho Minh Kha ◽  
Nguyen Thanh Nam ◽  
Vo Tuyen ◽  
Nguyen Tan Ken

The gas-liquid cylindrical cyclone (GLCC) separators is a fairly new technology for the oil and gas industry. The current GLCC separator, a potential alternative for the conventional one, was studied, developed, and patented by Chevron company and Tulsa University (USA). It is used for replacing the traditional separators that have been used over the last 100 years. In addition, it is significantly attracted to petroleum companies in recent years because of the effect of the oil world price. However, the behavior of phases in the instrument is very rapid, complex, and unsteady, which may cause the difficulty of enhancing the performance of the separation phases. The multiple recent research shows that the inlet geometry is probably the most critical element that influences directly to the performance of separation of phases. Though, so far, most of the studies of GLCC separator were limited with the one inlet model. The main target of the current study is to deeply understand the effect of different geometrical configurations of the circular inlet on performances of GLCC by the experimental method for two phases flow (gas-liquid). Two different inlet configurations are constructed, namely: One circular inlet and two symmetric circular inlets. As a result, we propose the use of two symmetric circular inlets to enhance separator efficiency because of their effects.


1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 632
Author(s):  
P. G. Le Huray

This paper focuses on the Indonesian taxation issues relevant to activities undertaken in Area A of the Zone of Cooperation in the Timor Gap by non-Indonesian (foreign) contractors and service providers. This area is controlled equally by Indonesia and Australia through the Timor Gap Treaty (Treaty) arrangements.The broad framework of how taxes will be applied to Area A activities to achieve an equal sharing between Australia and Indonesia has been agreed through the Treaty, with the administration being left to the Tax Authorities of each country.On the Indonesian side, no regulations have yet issued to provide specific guidance on, inter alia:whether the application of Indonesia taxes to foreign contractors will follow that adopted for the Indonesian oil and gas industry;the tax treatment of foreign service providers operating in Area A; andhow the agreed modifications in the Treaty to reflect shared taxing arrangements will be observed in the application of Indonesia's Taxation Laws.The absence of any guidance has created much uncertainty among foreign contractors and their service providers undertaking activities in Area A. At the time of writing, we understand from a senior officer within the Indonesian Taxation Office (ITO) that this issue is high on their agenda and regulation(s) will be forthcoming within the near future.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Schlosser ◽  
M.. Johe ◽  
T.. Humphreys ◽  
C.. Lundberg ◽  
J. L. McNichol

Abstract The Oil and Gas industry has explored and developed the Lower Shaunavon formation through vertical drilling and completion technology. In 2006, previously uneconomic oil reserves in the Lower Shaunavon were unlocked through horizontal drilling and completions technologies. This success is similar to the developments seen in many other formations within the Williston Basin and Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin including Crescent Point Energy's Viewfield Bakken play in southeast Saskatchewan. In the Lower Shaunavon play, the horizontal multistage completion era began in 2006, with horizontal divisions of four to six completion stages per well that utilized ball-drop sleeves and open-hole packers. By 2010, the stage count capabilities of ball-drop systems had increased and liners with nine to 16 stages per well were being run. With an acquisition in 2009, Crescent Point Energy began operating in the Lower Shaunavon area. The acquisition was part of the company's strategy to acquire large oil-in-place resource plays. Recognizing the importance that technology brings to these plays, Crescent Point Energy has continuously developed and implemented new technology. In 2009, realizing the success of coiled tubing fractured cemented liners in the southeast Saskatchewan Viewfield Bakken play, Crescent Point Energy trialed their first cemented liners in the Lower Shaunavon formation. At the same time, technology progressed with advancements in completion strategies that were focused on fracture fluids, fracture stages, tool development, pump rates, hydraulic horsepower, environmental impact, water management, and production. In 2013, another step change in technology saw the implementation of coiled tubing activated fracture sleeves in cemented liner completions. Based on field trials and well results in Q4 2013, Crescent Point Energy committed to a full cemented liner program in the Lower Shaunavon. This paper presents the evolution of Crescent Point Energy's Lower Shaunavon resource play of southwest Saskatchewan. The benefits of current completion techniques are: reductions in water use, increased production, competitive well costs, and retained wellbore functionality for potential re-fracture and waterflooding programs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-177
Author(s):  
Anthony E. Ladd

While fossil fuel interests have long played a powerful role in shaping American politics and culture, in recent decades, transnational oil and gas companies have formed hundreds of “partnerships” with American colleges and universities to fund energy research and development. Moreover, oil and gas interests have established a foothold in major universities by sponsoring research conferences, scholarships, science centers, and laboratories addressing technological advances in hydraulic fracturing methods, including leasing land for drilling on university-owned property. In this article, I critically assess some of the broad economic linkages between fossil fuel companies and higher education in the United States and the role that corporate philanthropy plays today in expanding the profits and power of the oil and gas industry, as well as the financial base and academic stature of select colleges and universities. Finally, I draw some preliminary conclusions about the growing colonization of university space and other public institutions by energy corporations.


VINE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayachandra Bairi ◽  
B. Murali Manohar ◽  
Goutam Kumar Kundu

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10138
Author(s):  
Shahrina Md Nordin ◽  
Ammar Redza Ahmad Rizal ◽  
Rafidah Abd Rashid ◽  
Rohayu Che Omar ◽  
Unggul Priyadi

Health, safety and the working environment are of paramount importance, especially in the high-risk environments found at facilities in the oil and gas industry, where hazards are inevitable and accidents may lead to regrettable situations such as explosions, oil spills and other disasters. The high number of accidents and disasters at such facilities bring safety-related matters to the fore. The complexity of the communication process is very often underestimated, where failures in communication could lead to major disasters. This paper investigates the role of communication management and the organizational communication climate and their impact on incidents and disaster avoidance. This study embarks on a quantitative approach involving 260 personnel from high-risk workplaces at oil and gas facilities, based on purposive sampling. Hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM to identify causal relationships and for mediation analysis. The findings of this study show that communication management and the organizational communication climate have a significant impact on disaster avoidance. The organizational communication climate is also found to be a significant mediator for the relationship between communication management and disaster avoidance. Communication management and the organizational communication climate need to be enhanced and to be integrated with other technology and innovation to improve safety regulation adherence in the oil and gas industry.


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