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Vol. 225 No. 12 |
Optimize target selection
Seismic Insight, Inc., announces a new signal-processing technique to improve the success ratio of targeted drilling locations. This signal interpretation engine, called contrast imaging, can identify desirable drilling locations by correlating waveform attributes from post-stack 3D data to those of known areas of hydrocarbon production. Contrast imaging was originally developed to monitor brainwaves to determine the cycle time for a drug in the human body. The same technique allows operators to minimize risk by optimizing the target selection process. Similarities in brain and seismic waves make the technology adaptable for the exploration industry. It uses algorithms to identify, classify and separate seismic traces into contrasting “State A” and “State B” categories, as defined by the customer; for example, oil versus no oil, economic versus non-economic production, sand versus no sand, etc.
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New seismic vessel
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 WesternGeco added the Western Regent to its Q-Technology seismic vessel fleet. The Regent will be the fifth vessel in the company's deepwater fleet to be so equipped, joining the Western Neptune, Geco Topaz, Western Pride and Geco Searcher. The ship is scheduled for deployment in the first half of 2005. Q is the WesternGeco suite of advanced seismic technologies for enhanced reservoir location, description, and management. Q-Marine technology uses calibrated sensors, calibrated sources, calibrated positions and steerable streamers to deliver high image quality and repeatability.
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Low-friction ball actuators
 For load applications requiring precise, efficient linear movement, Duff Norton introduces the Ball Screw Actuator. The new 1-ton-capacity ball screw actuator has a standard 23.1% efficiency rating and is available with top plate, clevis, or threaded end mounts. Operation is simple: As the horizontally mounted worm shaft is turned, sliding contact is made with a worm gear inside the actuator housing. The worm gear is attached to a ball nut fitted with re-circulating steel balls that makes translating contact with the ball screw, thereby reducing friction to a bare minimum and converting torque to thrust. The positive action of the low friction ball screw (heat-treated for less wear) and nut design provides longer life at load and requires less power to achieve a specified thrust. Actuators can be used individually, in tandem, or as part of a larger mechanical system.
Flexible protective coating
Flexshield 1000 is a two-component polyester aliphatic urethane coating from ITW Devcon Futura Coatings. The product is designed to outperform standard coatings in heavy-duty industrial, chemical, and other corrosive environments. With exceptional flexibility and 25% elongation, it provides long-term protection of equipment and surfaces that are subject to vibration, flexing and impact. Its chemical, corrosion, UV and abrasion resistance make it suitable for protecting steel in harsh environments. The product offers excellent resistance to a broad range of chemicals, acids, bases and solvents. With a rust-inhibitive primer and specially formulated top coat, the system has surpassed more than 4,000 hours of salt spray exposure with no blistering, delamination of the coating, or corrosion of the protected substrate.
Multiphase testing of both oil and gas wells
Schlumberger Oilfield Services has extended the high-accuracy multiphase well testing Vx technology to gas wells. Using a new interpretation model jointly developed by Schlumberger and Framo Engineering, the Vx technology brings the benefits of multiphase well testing, such as operational safety, improved accuracy and lower operating costs, to all phases of gas and gas-condensate field development. The technology is deployed via two service and product offerings: PhaseTester for mobile well testing and PhaseWatcher for permanent installations. The ability to operate in two modes introduces the concept of a single meter able to measure both oil and gas well multiphase production. Switching between oil and gas measurement is achieved through normal communication lines to the system's flow computer, and requires no intervention or hardware reconfiguration.
Self-cleaning filters
 RPA's AFR Series tubular backwashing pressure filters automatically filter solids from 2 microns to 500 microns at 95% efficiency, while self-cleaning upon reaching a preset differential pressure threshold. This compares to disposable filter cartridges, which are rated at about 10 microns and catch 40 – 60% of solids when fresh, and perform progressively less well when nearing capacity, risking well stoppage and equipment damage. The AFR filters equal the performance of sand filters but at about one-tenth the size, one-quarter the water use and half the cost. They are also applicable for seawater injection and platform production, where space is at a premium. With a 40-in. X 40-in. footprint and flowrates as high as 2,000 gpm at operating pressures up to 250 psi, a single AFR filter can replace a 13-station multiplexed system, and can be combined for higher flowrates. Since it uses a single valve with a rotating diverter, instead of a comparable eight-station system with 16 valves, it also reduces maintenance.
Manage early-pay contracts
Digital Oilfield, a software company that optimizes financial and operational processes between energy companies and suppliers, announced the release of OpenContract EarlyPay, a new module in their OpenContract suite of products to streamline the processing of invoices subject to early-pay discount incentives.Using OpenContract EarlyPay ensures payment turnaround in contract terms, benefiting both supplier and operating company. Most upstream E&P companies have relationships with suppliers where discounts are applied if invoice payment is expedited. To do this, accounts-payable personnel must understand tax requirements, differentiate supplier direct charges from third-party charges, and know the terms of every early-pay contract the operating company manages. With OpenContract EarlyPay, operating companies can manage the discount terms (percent discount and timing) associated with an early pay contract. Suppliers select which individual items are subject to the discount, ensuring that third-party charges and freight charges not subject to the discount are not included in the calculation. The new module has been released in conjunction with the 5.0 release of the OpenInvoice and OpenContract applications
Well-data viewing software
Petris Technology Inc. has entered into an agreement with Zebra Geosciences to provide its WebDataView software, a web-based well log, seismic, image and document-viewing tool, as an option to the PetrisWINDS Enterprise system. The viewer will be fully integrated, providing interaction with all PetrisWINDS Enterprise data and services, a vendor-neutral, web-based data management application environment offering an interface for access to key oil and gas data via the internet. PetrisWINDS provides a set of services that guarantees data transfers, security and data integrity for well, seismic, engineering, land and production records. The software enables integration of structured and unstructured data and automation of workflows, and provides metadata cataloging for results capture and knowledge management. Remote viewing of Well Log and Seismic data is the key feature of WebDataView. Both viewers feature interactive user control of a wide range of onscreen layout parameter settings. WebDataView also allows viewing of a host of documents and data files published in their native formats, such as Word, Excel, PDF, CGM and DWG, without reformatting. EZRender technology is used to overcome the file-size and format problems and deliver real-time data viewing via standard web browsers without specialized viewing software.
Digital valve controllers
Emerson Process Management announces the Fisher FIELDVUE DVC2000 Series digital valve controller. Designed in accordance with NAMUR standards IEC60534-6-1 and IEC60534-6-2, the DVC2000 can be mounted on Fisher and other brand actuators, enabling the FIELDVUE performance to be applied to a wide range of applications. The two-stage pre-amplifier design multiplies small changes in the pneumatic signal, while a digital tuning algorithm configures the instrument to suit the actuator. Magnetic technology in the position feedback system improves DVC2000 reliability on linear and rotary valves. Instrument mounting is simplified with the linkage-less design, as is removal of the instrument from the valve. The low-power liquid-crystal display provides a local user configuration interface that supports English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Chinese and Japanese languages. A quick setup routine calibrates and tunes the instrument specifically to the actuator
Subsea leak detection
Aquadyne AS, Poseidon Group AS and Reson AS have collaborated on an adaptation of the Reson Seabat 8128 focused forward-looking multibeam sonar that enables users to see hydrocarbons escaping from seabed installations and pipelines in zero visibility. The high-resolution imagery provided by the gas detection system is comparable to a clear black and white photograph. The rapid update rate of the sonar image allows it to be viewed in real time on a surface display. The high definition of the sonar images also makes the system suitable for inspecting or planning work on seabed installations regardless of water clarity.
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