Tech Trends

MVD provides safer, more reliable ESP control in remote applications

An optional marine version of the Speed-Star MVD can be used in nonhazardous and harsh environments typical of platforms or offshore applications. (Image courtesy of Schlumberger)

The Schlumberger SpeedStar MVD variable-speed drive NEMA 3R option is a medium-voltage drive (MVD) designed for the control of ESPs and surface pumping systems for outdoor installations. According to the company, the MVD provides a reliable and efficient control solution for high-horsepower, high-value applications in a single package and is the first in the industry that does not require installation in a climate-controlled environment.

The SpeedStar MVD is engineered for remote applications where building infrastructure is unavailable or nonexistent. An integral, application-insensitive sine-wave output filter eliminates resonance, regardless of variations in cable length and motor type, which produces a nearly sinusoidal output voltage and current that ensures speed control without a speed-sensing device. It also comes equipped with a visible disconnect switch interlocked with Kirk keys to protect personnel and assets, input fuses that provide a current limit, and vacuum contactors that can interrupt a fault current and potentially prevent fire and explosion. Additionally, the technology features a pre-charge circuit, which limits the inrush current and any mechanical and electrical stresses during startup to ensure longer-term reliability, the company said. slb.com/mvd

RBMI inspection software integrates equipment maintenance programs

Reliability-based mechanical integrity (RBMI) software by Lloyd's Register identifies critical assets and prioritizes maintenance and inspection tasks to help provide fewer equipment and in-service failures. Its design includes new modules that recognize different maintenance programs needed to test rotating and instrumentation equipment needs and the controls that have a substantial impact on safety and operational reliability.

According to the company, the software modules integrate with the components of Capstone RBMI, allowing companies to combine asset maintenance schedules into one program to improve process efficiency. Because rotating and instrumentation equipment have more diverse components and damage mechanisms and higher variations in damage rates and usage-to-failure times than fixed equipment, they require more complex lifecycle assessments, the company said. In answer to this need, the Capstone RBMI system uses a screening process to select the best maintenance strategy for each piece of equipment by accessing streamlined information that supports real-time testing, which, according to Lloyd's Register, can reduce downtime and increase cost savings. lrenergy.org/software

Multiphase pumping solution extends well production life

The Tri-Phaze System’s low total cost of ownership and pumping efficiency can improve the profitability of marginal wells. (Photo courtesy of Moyno Inc.)

The Moyno Tri-Phaze System is an abrasion-resistant solution for multiphase pumping applications used to simultaneously transport all wellsite fluids, including oil, water, gas, and sandy fluid, through one pipeline to a central processing station.

The unit features a stator elastomer formulation that exhibits exceptional resistance to aromatics, and low-shear pumping action preserves each fluid's characteristics without emulsification or degradation, the company said. It also is capable of generating flow rates up to 60,000 b/d of fluid, with suction pressures to 900 psi and discharge pressures to 1,200 psi, and can handle gas void fractions up to 99%. Moyno.com

New mixers boost performance in drilling mud applications

According to Chemineer, the company's range of mud mixers combined with advanced impeller technology enhance performance, efficiency, and reliability in mud mixer applications.

The mixers feature high-efficiency gearboxes designed for agitator service and have configurations to meet appli- cation requirements that are unique to mud mixing applications, the company said, and proprietary analysis software is available to evaluate process parameters and ensure proper impeller selection for specific drilling mud-mixing conditions. Additional benefits include:

• Proven performance in mixing larger and deeper mud tanks for cost-effective operation;
• Rugged gear drives that withstand harsh environments typically encountered in mud-mixing applications for reduced maintenance costs and long service life;
• Highly efficient impeller technology that reduces horsepower requirements and blade erosion over canted impellers and submersible mixers;
• Uniform suspension of solids for optimal drilling mud consistency; and
• Upgrades for underperforming agitators. Chemineer.com

New seismic workflow predicts reservoir lithology, prestack fluids

LithoSI, part of the HRS-9 suite of reservoir characterization applications by Hampson-Russell Software & Services, can be used to predict facies type and fluid content from seismic inversion attributes while quantifying prediction uncertainty, the CGGVeritas company said.

According to Hampson-Russell, the latest software suite encompasses all aspects of seismic exploration and reservoir characterization, from AVO analysis and inversion to 4-D and multicomponent interpretation. The new workflow is based on the modeling of multivariate probability density functions from log data or inverted elastic attributes at well locations, allowing reservoir geoscientists to further refine risk profiles and optimize reservoir production. Probability functions are mapped to elastic property volumes from seismic inversion using a supervised Bayesian classification, and outputs include a series of litho-probability cubes and a cube of the most probable facies. CGGVeritas.com

Diverless ARC technology improves bend stiffener connections

First Subsea’s ARC bend stiffener connector was deployed on the Glas Dowr FPSO operating in up to 320 m (1,050 ft) water depth at the Kitan oil field, located in the Joint Petroleum Development Area in the Timor Sea. (Image courtesy of First Subsea)

First Subsea's automatic release clamp (ARC) connector was successfully used to attach six Technip bend stiffeners for lift and production flexible risers to the Glas Dowr FPSO at the Eni-operated Kitan oil field offshore Australia. The technology was designed for riser and umbilical bend stiffener connections in applications where external intervention can be difficult.

According to the company, the ARC connector eliminates the need for an ROV and diver during termination head connection. During the Glas Dowr operation, the connector was used to join 2-in. gas lift risers and 6-in. production risers to the FPSO's I-tubes.

Specifically, the First Subsea connector technology, which comprises a male ballgrab ball and taper component attached to the riser, is pulled into the pre-machined, compact female receptacle attached to the FPSO's tube, giving a grip that increases in direct proportion to the load applied, the company said. FirstSubsea.com

Subsea tool maximizes production time in remote downhole operations

Red Spider is expected to deploy its new eRED-FB downhole valve products on a series of subsea dual-ESP wells this summer in the UK North Sea. The technology will allow the removal of all wireline runs used in completions operations, offering significant savings and risk reduction, the company said.

The eRED tool is the company's first to implement its patented ROCT technology for remotely operating downhole valves. The latest offering provides a downhole barrier that can be opened and closed by remote command, allowing the tubing integrity to be tested without using conventional plug and prong equipment and eliminating the need to deploy traditional wireline methods.

According to Red Spider, the valve has allowed major operators to save nearly US $500,000 during a single subsea completion operation by typically reducing slick-line runs from 8 to 1. In deepwater workover operations, for example, savings of up to 36 hours and approximately $800,000 have been recorded in a single job. Additional benefits listed by the company include removing the requirement for rigging up and down wireline units, speeding up operations, reducing risk to personnel and equipment, and reducing the risk of exposure to bad weather. RedSpiders.com