New products

Vol. 230 No. 3

New design air winches

Thern Inc.’s line of Big Red TA Series air winches has been improved with more features and options. For easier operator control and added flexibility, the winches now feature a reversible air control valve that may be placed on either side of the winch. Additionally, an extended handle has been added to the line guide to allow operators easier access when the auto disc brake option is installed. The company has also added a neutral lockout mechanism to the control valve to prevent accidental startup of the winch while in the neutral setting. Crossover air plumbing assemblies for automatic brake units feature improved corrosion resistance for operation in saltwater environments, with an epoxy finish on all control network plumbing components, including the brake unit, air valve assemblies and crossover plumbing. All fasteners have also been upgraded to stainless steel construction to further prevent corrosion.

Double block and bleed plug

T.D. Williamson Inc. has introduced the latest advance in pressurized piping system technology, the Stopple Train plugging system for high-pressure environments. The system is unique because it links two plugging heads into a train capable of providing a double block and bleed function. Whereas other methods typically require more than one hot tap and fitting to achieve double block and bleed, this plugging system requires only one. Pressure ratings for the system follow traditional parameters. The plugging heads use standard sealing elements, and all standard Stopple tools apply to the maintenance of the heads. Overall, use of the plugging system requires nearly identical training, operation and maintenance as for all standard Stopple systems. The company is releasing an initial wave of five plugging head sizes. The 4-, 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-in. sizes are all designed for use with Schedule 40 pipe, and all are rated to 1,000 psi at 180°F, or to 600 psi at 350°F.

External-inflate packer

TAM International has introduced the TripSAVR, a new external-inflate packer that enables pressure-testing of the various internal seals and connections of a lower marine riser package offline at the surface. The packer is an exposed slat inflation element mounted on an externally inflated packer assembly. The tool can be inverted, allowing for pressure tests from above or below the desired area, where the exposed slats act as an anchor to hold the packer in place. Testing with the packer eliminates a potential cause of non-productive time on offshore rigs by identifying pressure leaks at the surface, before a lengthy trip to the seafloor in deep water.

Offshore radio repeater

The FRX-1 ATEX Portable Radio Repeater from Fern Communications Ltd. improves radio coverage aboard vessels by eliminating radio “black spots” that disrupt radio signals. The FRX-1 can be positioned between two points aboard a vessel or platform where no radio communication is possible due to structures such as steel bulkheads and watertight doors. The FRX-1 is the only system of its kind that effectively bends the radio signal around a solid structure so that it reaches its target destination. The system is approved for use by the European Union in hazardous Zones 1 and 2, gas group 11C, and is temperature-rated to T6. With both EU and FCC approval, it can be used in North America, Europe and most oil-producing regions. It is ingress-protected to IP66, which makes it dust-tight and protected against heavy seas. Operating on VHF, marine and UHF frequencies, it is fully compatible with existing radio communication systems used offshore. A four-position channel switch selects among four frequencies. Output power can be set to between 1 and 5 watts. The unit weighs 14 kg and is compact for ease of positioning on platforms, rigs and FPSOs. The system’s Li-lon battery can operate for more than 18 hours between charges.

Low-power, harsh-environment controller

End users and SCADA system designers can have a single-source solution used in harsh and extreme environments with the Allen-Bradley DataSite Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) controller from Rockwell Automation. A PLC that processes a user program, and controls and monitors the operation of other equipment, the DataSite RTU is designed to operate in remote locations with extreme temperatures, such as those often found in the oil and gas industry. The unit can operate on 12 V DC, making it suitable for remote environments where solar cells or small wind generators are used to charge a battery. The controller features an advanced 32-bit processor with an embedded real-time, multitask operating system, as well as serial and Ethernet ports. In addition, it has a HART multidrop port that can monitor up to 13 instruments on a two-wire system.

Third-generation multiphase meter

Roxar ASA announced the launch of the Roxar Multiphase Meter 2600, a third-generation meter based on its new Zector Technology. The MPFM 2600’s technology consists of new field electronics, new electrode arrangements and voxel-based signal processing, providing higher accuracy than previously available. It allows a large number of simultaneous flow sectors to be investigated with a measurement rate of 12,000 measurements per second, and also allows a more accurate understanding of flow regimes, mixing effects and velocity profiles. It can detect rapid changes in compositon. Multiple oil and gas flow velocities can be measured as a function of their 4D location; e.g., near-wall velocity will be different from center-of-pipe velocity, and velocities will also vary over time due to composition, turbulence, viscosity and other effects. The MPFM 2600 feastures a lightweight design that, at 110 kg (220 lb) and 650 mm (25.5 in.), is 80% lighter and 50% shorter than previous Roxar multiphase meters. This allows operators to install the meters on individual wells and in previously inaccessible locations. The standard version of the meter does not have radioactive technology, and covers the full operating range of 0–100% watercut and 0–100% Gas Void Fractions (GVF). For special applications or GVF above 95%, a compact gamma density system can be added.

Padder for large-diameter pipeline jobs

CRC-Evans Pipeline Equipment has introduced its most advanced, highest- volume padding machine. The Super Padder has been engineered to handle pipeline diameters of 36 in. The machine is self-loading and self-propelled, allowing operation with less equipment and manpower. A single operator controls the machine by a wireless remote that manages speed, direction and all other functions from a safe distance with maximum visibility. Designed by Laurini, the Super Padder is ultra-stable and can work uphill or downhill. It is track mounted to handle the biggest jobs in tough terrains, with a high-frequency vibrating screen that outputs vast volumes of fines from either side and from varying distances. Screened rocks and debris are discharged outside of the track path, either into the ditch or away from it.

Keppel FELS Ltd. has completed the Development Driller III for Transocean. The ultra-deepwater drilling rig was built to Keppel’s DSS 51 semisubmersible design. The new semi is designed to construct wells as deep as 11,430 m (37,500 ft) and operate in water depths up to 2,286 m (7,500 ft), upgradable to 12,192 m (40,000 ft) and 3,048 m (10,000 ft), respectively. Designed by Keppel’s Deepwater Technology Group in collaboration with Marine Structures Consultants of the Netherlands, DSS units have several distinctive cost-efficient and safety features. The rig has a total payload of 13,500 tons, and also has distinct double-skin columns, which protect critical equipment from damage by external impact. The layout of the engine rooms was designed to minimize the potential of both being shut down at the same time during an emergency. The rig also features reduced emissions and discharges.