New products and services

Containment toolkit reduces environmental impact of subsea mishaps

Trendsetter Engineering has completed a containment toolkit devised to minimize the environmental impact of a subsea well incident. It includes a flowline end termination, side-entry flow spool with subsea test tree latch, diverless subsea connectors, coiled tubing termination head, chemical distribution assembly, deployment reels for flying leads, flexible jumpers/flowlines, topsides transfer pumps and coolers, hose end valves and offloading hoses. In cases where a well cannot be shut in, the modular system is intended to flow hydrocarbons from a subsea well to the surface for safe storage and disposal. The toolkit will be stored in strategic locations to facilitate timely response worldwide. According to Trendsetter, it simplifies and expedites mobilization and installation efforts, while minimizing storage and maintenance costs. Image: Trendsetter Engineering.

www.TrendsetterEngineering.com

Welded line pipe decreases lead time

Tata Steel has expanded its new range of welded line pipe. This year, the company was the first to deliver double-submerged, arc-welded longitudinal pipe through reeling methods in the North Sea. Now, the firm is expanding its range even further with the production of new X65 sizes, with a wall thickness of up to 38.1 mm and a diameter of up to 559 mm. This allows the company to offer traditionally seamless pipe sizes in a welded form, which is expected to decrease lead time, improve weldability and reduce project costs. The new products already have been deployed successfully in the North Sea, and in deepwater projects in the Gulf of Mexico.

www.tatasteeleurope.com

GPS unit stays connected in trying environments

Hoover Container Solutions, a subsidiary of Hoover Group, Inc., has unveiled its new Liquitrac Tracer. The battery-powered GPS unit can be attached easily to any of the company’s comprehensive product line offerings to track asset location, even in the most precarious environments—both domestic and international. The unit is constructed to support calling-based movement, denoting immediate notification of movement of a GPS or GPS-equipped unit. It is ATEX-certified and features prolonged battery life.

www.hooversolutions.com

Simplified wellhead design increases safety and efficiency

Plexus Holdings PLC has launched the POS-GRIP Python Subsea Wellhead. The new wellhead has been under development since 2011, within a JV project supported by BG, Royal Dutch Shell, Wintershall, Maersk, TOTAL, Tullow Oil, Eni, Senergy and Oil States Industries, Inc. It offers instant casing hanger lockdown and is used to secure hangers with “HG” seals, which provide high-integrity sealing. The simplified wellhead design has eliminated many conventional components, such as lock rings and wear bushings, which results in enhanced reliability and fewer installation slips. According to Plexus, its technologically advanced features increase safety and operational efficiency, and reduce cost. The wellhead was tested in conditions replicating real-world field conditions and at “worst case tolerance stack-up,” which ultimately demonstrated that the system works with any selection of individual components.

www.plexusplc.com

Microturbine engines require minimal maintenance

Horizon Power Systems now offers highly efficient Capstone microturbine engines that reliably produce 30 KW to 5 MW of low-emission power. Compared to traditional reciprocating engines, these microturbines operate at an average of 99% availability, which amounts to approximately 25 more operating days per year. With just one moving part, it requires no lubricants or coolant, which means it requires less maintenance and operates at longer intervals. The air-bearing technology is specifically designed to avoid costly power failures and production shutdowns at both manned and unmanned sites. Image: Horizon Power Systems.

www.horizonpowersystems.com

Sucker rod couplings reduce risk of well failure

Materion has released the new ToughMet 3 sucker rod couplings, designed to maximize production output and significantly reduce the costs of artificial lift operations. According to Materion, the couplings cut the frequency of sucker rod coupling and production tubing damage, reducing the probability of well failure. The couplings are made of a unique temper of copper-nickel-tin spinodal alloy, engineered specifically for use in the oil industry. They resist mechanical wear, thread damage, corrosion and erosion. Additionally, they are non-galling to prevent damage to production tubing, and retain their strength, even at elevated temperatures. Image: Materion.

www.materion.com

Integrated service delivers improved business performance

Schlumberger and IBM have introduced a new service that will optimize integrated upstream production operations. The service combines Schlumberger’s production optimization services and Avocet production operations software platform with IBM’s enterprise asset management and enterprise services. The service is expected to provide customers with improved productivity, efficiency and cost management across operational areas, including production optimization, flow assurance, logistics, scheduling, HSE, human resources, equipment monitoring and maintenance. The service’s specialized workflows and business processes enable multidisciplinary solution teams to implement tailored business offerings, which cover asset to enterprise levels.

www.slb.com; www.ibm.com