Mentoring device improves driving behavior

Inthic’s WaySmart 820 RTS (Real Time Safety) is designed to create immediate, dramatic improvements in driving behavior of commercial fleet drivers. The system delivers real-time, in-cab alerts to drivers to let them know when they are conducting unsafe driving behavior. The device also prompts them to discontinue actions such as seatbelt violations, aggressive driving and speeding. It supplies a flexible set of control and management tools for companies to account for assets and the driving records of employees. The product comes equipped with a hand-held device used to provide verbal and text communication from the driver to the company. Messages and functions such as vehicle speed, location, DOT Hours of Service regulations and other information are displayed for the driver and management as needed. A variety of reports are available to notify management regarding performance, vehicle positioning and trends. Additionally, if desired, management can receive real-time alerts via phone call, text message or email regarding certain infractions or incidents such as an accident. Management can streamline business with access to the fleet’s latest data at any time through a user-friendly Web interface called GAIN (Global Access Information Network). www.saferfleets.com

Digital flow profiling improves recovery

Sensornet and its partner FloQuest have developed the Digital Flow Profiling application that can locate fluid entry points across an entire reservoir and identify fluids present. The system may benefit both conventional and complex wells, multilateral operations, long horizontals, intelligent producing/injecting wells, and wells with infrequent or no production logging technology deployment. The system provides continuous PLT-type data in highly deviated and complex wells without the costs, risks and deferred production issues associated with conventional logging techniques. It monitors the flow distribution of production and injection wells in real time. Zonal flow information is determined using the company’s distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technology. This system is able to measure temperature changes of less than 0.01?C at all points along the reservoir. Additionally, the ability to provide updates every 10 seconds allows transient events to be analyzed, providing a new dimension in DTS interpretation. www.sensornet.co.uk

Monobore extension drives down costs

The linEXX system from Baker Oil Tools allows operators to begin well construction with one smaller casing size, which may drive down costs significantly. The objective of the monobore extension enables the operator to implement one more casing string, without reducing hole size. This well-construction technique can be planned as either a basis of casing design, or for the purpose of contingency or insurance planning. The system has a significant benefit for high-cost “floater” drilling programs. The system can also benefit operations by retaining hole size for a full evaluation of a reservoir, or to produce wells at rates deemed commercially optimum. The tool can also provide an effective method of blocking off drilling zones without reducing casing inside diameter. It can be deployed in vertical and horizontal wells, and can be used with cement to improve holding qualities with variable lengths of deployment to match the application. www.expandableproducts.com

System samples hostile environments

Halliburton’s Armada Sampling System is a tubing conveyed carrier for single phase downhole sampling. It is designed to operate in normal or hostile cased-hole environments for extended periods of time. The new slim line design allows the tool to be run with up to nine Inconel single phase samplers plus one or more pressure/temperature gauges to monitor bottomhole conditions. The samplers use a positive displacement sample chamber and a nitrogen pressure compensation system to ensure that fluid inside the sample chamber never falls below reservoir pressure. The carrier is equipped with three rupture disc ports to enable samples to be taken during three separate flow periods in the course of a multi-flow well test. The versatile configuration allows the system to be run with nine samplers and one gauge or six samplers with four gauges, eliminating the need for a separate gauge carrier. The entire system can be assembled onshore and only charging the N2 sections is needed offshore for significant savings of rig time. The Armada sampling system is designed with extreme sour gas wells in mind. The inert nature of the Inconel sampler limits hazards related to stress corrosion cracking of conventional 17-4 PH sample tools, and it also facilitates measurement of trace elements such as mercury and H2S. The tool has a smooth bore inside diameter and is equipped with a unique sample junk chamber to ensure optimal sample quality. www.halliburton.com

Drift-off simulator increases drill time

The DeepDrift onboard vessel/riser drift-off simulator is designed to increase the safety of operations using a dynamically positioned drilling rig. The software uses prevailing or forecast environmental conditions such as wind, wave, and current to ensure the vessel has constant and up-to-date information on alert offsets so that operators can maximize the drilling window and minimize downtime. The tool predicts the vessel drift-off path in the event of power failure and determines when the riser emergency disconnect sequence should be activated. The outputs from the program are the yellow and red alert offsets for the DP power-loss scenario. www.imcs.com

Concentric reamer cuts longer intervals

The hydraulically expandable Rhino Reamer XS is a concentric reaming tool that can cut longer intervals through a wide range of formation types at fast penetration rates. The tool was designed by Smith International Inc., and is available in a variety of sizes for deepwater and other high-cost drilling environments. The tool has three hydraulically actuated cutter blocks to deliver a high-quality, concentric well bore on the first pass. The tool is ideal for use in rotary steerable drilling systems. The reamer uses polycrystalline diamond compact cutter blocks to improve rate of penetration in wide range of formation types. Its back reaming capability ensures a full diameter bore construction, and integrated jet nozzles and flow paths improve cleanout while reaming. www.smith.com