New cutter technology drills more footage in less time

The new ONYX II premium polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter developed by Smith Bits, a Schlumberger company, is setting drilling records in hard, abrasive formations. The ability to retain its sharp edge enables the cutter to drill more efficiently in such harsh formations, the company said. ONYX II premium cutters are manufactured using an enhanced synthetic diamond manufacturing process that gives the new cutter superior abrasive wear and thermal degradation characteristics. The cutter is designed to resist the spalling and chipping that shortens the life of other hard-formation drill bits and, according to the company, it can drill 22% more footage in less time. In a controlled laboratory comparison, the new cutters showed better dull characteristics after 91,440 m (300,000 ft) of drilling than the earlier ONYX version did after only 76,200 m (250,000 ft) of drilling.

A comparison of an ONYX II (top) and ONYX cutter shows less chipping and degradation of the diamond after 300 passes of a granite block. This evolution in manufacturing technology creates a cutter that retains its sharpness leading to better performance. (Image courtesy of Schlumberger)

In Sublette County, Wyo., a 6-in PDC MDi516 bit equipped with the new ONYX II cutters outperformed an offset well drill bit fitted with prior generation ONYX cutters, drilling 1,455 m (4,775 ft) in 78.5 hours at a rate of 19m/h (61 ft/h), compared to 1,189 m (3,900 ft) drilled in 79.4 hrs at an average rate of 15 m/h (49 ft/h). Slb.com.

Emergency disconnect solution reduces offshore risks

SECC Oil & Gas's next-generation emergency disconnect solution helps reduce the risk of pollution and provides protection to offshore personnel, subsea equipment, and the marine environment.

The Mid Line Valved Breakaway Connector is a full-bore, pressure-balanced connector that can be positioned anywhere on the line and can perform under full working pressure at more than 3,000 m (10,000 ft) water depth. The company developed the technology specifically for projects using offshore vessels that could experience a loss of dynamic positioning, causing drift-off. When the vessel shifts position, the movement applies tension to the line on which the connector sits, enabling it to automatically disconnect when a predetermined load level is reached and self-seal each end of the bore. This ensures the safety of the vessel and personnel while avoiding the potential damage, such as fluid spill, caused by an uncontrolled disconnection or emergency guillotine device. Cygnet-ed.com.

Rugged handheld tablet improves oil field mobility, connectivity

The Toughbook H2, a next-generation Windows tablet PC by Panasonic Solutions Co., provides mission-critical workers with additional functionality and computing capabilities to augment control, management, and inspection of equipment in oil and gas processing locations. The handheld tablet is powered by an Intel Core i5-2557M vPro processor for faster speeds, 4 GB RAM expandable to 8 GB, and a 320-GB, 7,200-rpm hard disk drive, with an optional 128 GB solid-state drive available. A 10.1-in. dual touch display can be viewed in all lighting conditions, including direct sunlight, using Panasonic's TransflectivePlus technology, the company said.

The Toughbook H2 includes a molded hand strap that allows workers to comfortably stand or carry the device for an entire shift. The device also will offer embedded support for 4G networks, with certifications expected by year-end. (Image courtesy of Panasonic Solutions Co.)

As a fully rugged device, the Toughbook H2 is MIL- STD-810G tested with a six-ft drop rating, designed to operate in extreme weather conditions, and engineered and certified for vehicle use. In addition to embedded wireless technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the tablet includes optional integrated features such as barcode and RFID readers, a camera, and GPS receiver. Critical data are kept secure by such features as a fingerprint reader and a contactless or insertable SmartCard reader. Toughbook.com.

Downhole system maximizes recovery, controls flow

Multizonal production management and selective control of multiple zones are achieved with Schlumberger's IntelliZone Compact modular zonal management system, the first fully integrated intelligent completions system for multizone wells.

IntelliZone’s integrated single unit consists of a multiport packer, flow control valve, downhole permanent gauges, multidrop module, and position sensor. (Image courtesy of Schlumberger)

Less than 9 m (28 ft), this downhole system brings together in one compact unit an advanced design and production modeling engine, a fully integrated intelligent completion module, and a user-friendly remote operating system. Selective well control capabilities are enhanced through the automatic power unit that enables simultaneous control in real time. The system can be installed in up to 15 zones using only five hydraulic control lines, the company said.

IntelliZone's hydraulic multidrop module allows for flow control valves to be deployed on fewer hydraulic control lines compared to traditional intelligent completion systems, according to Schlumberger. The monitoring system within the intelligent completions system is a dual-gauge station that provides annulus and tubing pressure and temperature measurements in proximity to the fluid entry points. The system also provides the absolute position of the flow control valve choke. Slb.com/intellizone.

Data visualization tool fast-tracks application development

Interactive Network Technologies has released the GeoToolkit 4.2, the components of which reduce effort required to complete software development projects, promote resusability and consistency across applications, and give developers more time to focus on core technologies.

The new offering is a cross-platfrom C++ library of components for data visualization that permits developers to fast-track the development of oil and gas E&P applications in Windows or Linux and is integrated with Nokia's Qt4 environment.

According to the company, the platform provides cutting-edge features such as multilanguage support; sophisticated vector object handling; scaled display; and hardcopy, which includes CGM output. It also features improved seismic display with support for anti-aliasing, transparency, and image rotation as well as new indexed seismic data support for rapid access of large datasets. Int.com.

New patent covers faster 3-D subsurface reservoir interpretation

A patent has been granted for Austin GeoModeling's next-generation 3-D geological interpretation and modeling technology, which expedites the interpretation cycle-time and is useful for real-time horizontal well log interpretation in conventional and unconventional oil and gas reservoirs. The Recon software solution and its underlying Cascade Technology were designed to improve the accuracy of oil and gas subsurface reservoir interpretation, which can effectively lower risks, increase efficiency, and streamline E&P operations. The patent covers a unique workflow that automates day-today cross-section and map generation tasks for oil and gas reservoirs. It also covers the creation of recursively conformable stratigraphic frameworks within 3-D structural fault-block definitions while using stratigraphic termination rules. Geoscientists can use the Recon software to generate zones containing attributes such as average porosity, net-to-gross, and facies values, while 3-D horizons, faults, and zone averages are automatically updated as new data are added. Focusontechnology.com.

– Nancy Agin, Associate Editor