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Vol. 226 No. 2 |
Extended pressure range for multivariable transmitter
 Bristol Babcock announces that an upper-range limit (URL) of 4,000 psi is now available in the multivariable model that also includes measurement of differential pressure and process temperature. This new range is driven by natural gas production applications. New gas sources, including coalbed methane, typically require relatively shallow depths, while conventional formations are deeper. The operating pressures for deep wells are beyond the URLs offered by many multivariable transmitters. The 4,000-psi URL allows a producer to install a flow-measurement system on a well that has a higher-than-usual operating pressure. The 3808 MVT provides measurement of all three variables for the differential metering usually employed at well sites. It requires very low current draw, less than 2 mA in most applications, and is compatible with the solar power systems that are commonly used in remote locations.
GOM deepwater knowledge base
Knowledge Reservoir has released the latest update for Reservoir KB, a Web-based, deepwater reservoir performance knowledge base for the Gulf of Mexico. This module of Reservoir KB incorporates information drawn from 104 deepwater fields in varying stages of development, and a number of fields that have been sanctioned for development. The knowledge base incorporates substantial production data used to perform independent analyses of performance at field, reservoir and well level.
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Dehydrate fluids without flame
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 The ShockWave Power Reactor (SPR), from Total Separation Solutions, dehydrates heavy processing and completion fluids without using flame. Rotation within the SPR creates pressure differences within the liquid, causing tiny bubbles to form, rapidly expand and collapse. The resulting shock waves can be used to heat, concentrate and mix more effectively than traditional processes. Because there are no heat transfer surfaces, uniform heating is achieved and scale is eliminated. The SPR mixes similar or dissimilar fluids at the molecular level. Better hydration of oilfield polymers and other in-field processing applications, such as mixing gases and fluids for oxidation, are achieved. The SPR also offers an increase in the mass transfer rate for other chemical reactions. The technology can be used for densification of: heavy brines; concentration of muds, glycols and other fluids; oil/ water separation; upgrading of heavy oil; steam injection; stack gas scrubbing; emulsification/ separation; and gas/ liquid mixing.
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1,000-ton traveling block
The LeTourneau Ellis Williams Co. (LEWCO) offers an eight-sheave traveling block capable of sustaining a static load of 1,000 tons. The company manufactures the block to API 8C standards, and in accordance with the certification requirements of the American Bureau of Shipping and Det Norske Veritas. The block’s sheaves have a 72-in. OD and can accommodate a 1-5/8-in. or 1-3/4-in. wire line.
Guide to chemical resistance of elastomers
 Holz Rubber Co. recently updated its Chemical Resistance of Elastomers Specification Guide with additional information. The 20-page guide includes elastomer performance ratings for more than 2,100 different chemicals. The guide groups chemical resistance in four categories: excellent, good, conditional, and not recommended; matrixed with 10 elastomeric compounds. In addition, standard material selection data, elastomers properties and information helpful in specifying a rubber expansion joint is included.
Power section supports greater power output
 R&M Energy Systems will release the Moyno ERT Power Section, a new even-rubber-thickness stator, which will significantly improve the overall performance of power sections used in downhole drilling. The stators have internal contours that are precision-machined rather than hydraulically formed. Applying an even thickness of rubber to the stator contour and supporting each lobe with steel minimizes the rubber’s dimensional change during use due to temperature, chemical attack and loading, and can produce up to 100% more power output compared to conventional stators.
Compact multiphase meters
Jiskoot Mixmeter multiphase meters provide continuous high-accuracy on-line measurement of mass and volumetric flowrates of oil, water and gas. The compact, solar-powered, 4-in. Mixmeter meters are rated at 900 lb and feature a homogenizer to eliminate phase slip, making them suitable for all flow regimes, including slug flow. They use differential pressure to measure bulk velocity while the individual phases (oil, water and gas) are measured using a dual energy gauge. This provides accuracy and insensitivity to changes in fluid properties. Measuring liquid flow of 400 to 24,500 bpd and gas flow to 390,000 ft3/d at pressures between 150 and 2,000 psi, the meters are less than 1.5 m square.
Sealless gear pumps
The Viking Mag Drive 855 Series internal gear pumps offer exceptional reliability through a sealless design, which eliminates seal leakage. The pump’s driver turns an outer magnet from which force passes through a stationary O-ring-sealed canister to turn an inner magnet, driving the pump shaft without the need for seals. Pumps include adjustable end clearance to maximize efficiency and ANSI- or DIN-flanged ports for sealing reliability. This series offers flowrates of up to 135 gpm, with pressures up to 200 psi, at temperatures ranging from – 60° to 500°F ( – 51° to 260°C). The pumps are suited for hazardous liquids or where minimal maintenance is required.
New flights to West Africa
Lufthansa is increasing its flights to key oil and gas markets in West Africa. Starting in April 2005, the airline will offer three flights a week from Frankfurt to Port Harcourt in Nigeria. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, an Airbus A330-300 will leave for Port Harcourt, continuing to the Nigerian capital of Abuja. Additionally, Lufthansa will introduce daily flights to Lagos, Nigeria, continuing on to Accra, Ghana. Arrival and departure times at Port Harcourt have been tailored to the requirements of the local oil industry and also timed to allow onward flights by helicopter to the oil platforms.
Seismic stimulation
Applied Seismic Research Corp. introduces a new development in oil recovery – Hydro-Impact Technology (HIT). The new technology uses seismic wave stimulation to shake loose oil trapped in existing wells. The low-cost procedure was developed by ASR to enhance oil recovery in depleted fields, make it economically possible to restore wells previously abandoned, and increase the yield in producing fields. Unlike acoustic and surface vibroseis stimulation, HIT produces shockwaves with a power ranging from 2 million to 10 million W (compared to 10 – 100,000 W) and a pressure at the wave front greater than 3,000 psi. The shockwaves traveling at 1.5 miles/ second cover distances of well over 1 mile and in all directions. The shockwaves release oil that otherwise would never have moved otherwise.
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