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Work is scheduled to begin in early 2021 and carry into 2022. (Image Credit: Oceaneering)

Oceaneering to conduct additional operations in the Khaleesi/Mormont and Samurai fields

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Date: Mar, 2021

Integrated Rig Services website 700x394

Oceaneering International (Oceaneering) has announced that its Subsea Robotics (SSR) and Offshore Projects Group (OPG) have been awarded an integrated rig services contract for covering the Khaleesi/Mormont and Samurai fields in the Gulf of Mexico.

The work scope includes the provision of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with collocated ROV tooling and technicians, remote positioning and metrology survey resources, and installation and workover control system (IWOCS) equipment and technicians. Work is scheduled to begin in early 2021 and carry into 2022.

Earl Childress, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Oceaneering, commented, “The operator’s decision to contract our robotics and IWOCS services is a positive and anticipated response to our realigned segments, which allows us to deliver the integrated processes and products that enable consistent and efficient work scopes.”

Expanding operations in Khaleesi/Mormont and Samurai

This announcement closely follows a connector supply contract, awarded by TechnipFMC at the end of 2020, to provide 2-inch M5 connectors and chemical throttle valves (CTV) for the tieback project in the same fields.

The M5 connector provides an easy-to-install, fly-to-place connection solution that enables injection of gas or chemicals into subsea infrastructure and serves as an access point for future subsea field intervention activities such as gas lift, chemical injection, well stimulation, hydrate remediation, flooding and venting operations, acid injection and scale squeeze.

Oceaneering rotator CTVs regulate the flow of chemicals (such as scale, wax, and corrosion inhibitors) delivered to subsea production systems. Their functions are diverse, from flow control to metering and highly accurate dosing. CTVs effectively eliminate the need for topside injection and dedicated umbilical lines.

3D at Depth’s geophysical survey services recently completed a major project for post-hurricane NTL surveys in the Gulf of Mexico. (Image Credit: 3D at Depth)

3D at Depth launch offshore Geophysical Survey Services division

  • Region: All
  • Date: Feb, 2021

image boat system 3

3D at Depth, a company expert in commercial Subsea LiDAR (SL) laser technology has announced the launch of its Geophysical Survey Services division to provide optimised surveys to support both nearshore, inshore and offshore deepwater development activities.

The company has focuses on 3D data excellence through innovative technology solutions that enable cost savings across any survey initiative without sacrificing data quality. The new division is supported by a team of experienced LiDAR experts, 3D data specialists, geophysical, and hydrographic professionals providing a multi-disciplined approach to guide, identify and analyse data acquisition initiatives across survey campaigns.

3D at Depth’s offerings

The Geophysical Survey Services division will leverage 3D at Depth’s in-house electronics, system integration, and design capabilities as key differentiators. Subsea LiDAR 3D data sets will be merged with multibeam echosounder (MBES) multi-frequency, multi-spectral data acquisition and optical technologies which will enable more robust, higher quality output, maximising results for the end client. Deepwater offshore, inshore, and nearshore projects will also have a clear advantage with 3D at Depth’s integrated autonomous or tethered underwater vehicle and vessel mounted survey solution.

The fully integrated solution incorporates a hovering supervised autonomous AUV/ ROV package and takes full advantage of 3D at Depth’s Subsea LiDAR (SL) laser with remote sensing technology - inertial navigation coupled with a multibeam echosounder and pipeline and hydrocarbon leak detection sensors.

The application of 3D at Depth’s disruptive technology approach will enable it to expand into Geophysical survey services and is built around solving customer challenges in three areas: reducing environmental and human risks, lowering the project's overall carbon footprint, and providing more robust data acquisition solutions. Specifically, the technology was developed from best practices in deep water survey campaigns to tackle the challenges of shallow water survey data collection and acquisition projects. Shallow water projects have exposure to lengthy weather events; crew and ship standby costs, sea-state challenges for collection, etc. All of which impact the time, budget, and quality of the data.

Neil Manning, Chief Operating Officer of 3D at Depth, commented, “We pulled from our deep-water technology portfolio to fast-track a solution that meets the current requirements of the shallow water survey market. With over 600 offshore projects behind us and an increasing backlog, I am excited to push the flexible vehicle systems and in-house patented technology into the geophysical market. By moving the budget needle in the right direction for our customers' survey projects, we assist the offshore energy market in obtaining quality data for a reasonable price.”

3D at Depth’s geophysical survey services recently completed a major project for post-hurricane NTL surveys in the Gulf of Mexico for a large U.S. based pipeline company. The project continues with expanded requirements. 3D at Depth will partner and act as the prime contractor to ensure best practices, and unsurpassed technical expertise is always on hand. Geophysical and geotechnical capabilities for the projects will be available from vessel mounted or subsea vehicle-mounted methods to allow for both long and close-range inspections which enable a blend of efficient data collection and high data quality to meet and exceed the demands from the end-users.

The new small-footprint coiled tubing (CT) reeler. (Image Credit: Logan Industries)

Logan Industries introduces new set of coiled tubing reelers for open water interventions

  • Region: All
  • Date: Jan, 2021

CT reeler

Logan Industries, a hydraulic repair, manufacturing and rental company, has manufactured and delivered the second set of a new and innovative design of small-footprint coiled tubing (CT) reelers.

The new CT reelers, the largest reeler Logan has manufactured, are suitable for storing and deploying 10,000ft of 2 3/8in tubing and enable operators to perform open water well interventions without bringing in a full drilling rig; boosting efficiency and reducing costs.

Dean Carey, Technical Director at Logan Industries, said, “One of our most valued customers trusted our expertise to deliver them with a unique solution when nothing on the market met their needs. Our new CT reelers are truly innovative designs and game changers for the offshore intervention market because they feature such a small footprint. This enables customers to take on more well stimulant fluid load, meaning they can perform a bigger job for longer. Logan has become the industry leader and the preferred option in CT deployment for open water intervention service providers.”

Logan pioneered new ways of assembling drive systems on large drums, and new methods of ensuring the CT lays and stays on the drum and wraps. Prior to Logan’s development of this solution, no fatigue models existed for CT performance. Since Logan’s development of these types of reelers, distinguished professors have investigated new methods of evaluating CT and have published their findings. Now, Logan’s CT reelers are specified in several of these papers and Logan has helped introduce a new requirement for CT fatigue evaluation. 

Logan maintain the mantra, ‘if you can describe it, we can bring it to life; make it safe; and make it work for you’ and the CT reeler set is the latest from their extensive catalogue (alongside products such as winches, hydraulic machinery, spools and handling equipment) that aims to prove it.

Connectivity was discussed as part of the presentation on Connected X as a Service. (Image Credit: LTI)

The importance of connectivity in the path to Industry 4.0

  • Region: All
  • Topics: All Topics
  • Date: Jan, 2021

Connect X webinar

According to a recent PwC survey 90% of upstream companies have begun investing in digital initiatives and research by McKinsey suggests that 70% consider digital operations at the top of their operations strategy agenda. LTI and Offshore Network hosted a webinar entitled ‘Simplifying the Journey to Industry 4.0 through "Connected X as a Service”’, as Kartik Raman Iyer Head of Delivery of Indusrial IoT at LTI, and Frode Støldal, Chief Digital Officer at Tampnet, discussed the benefits of digitalisation that the upstream oil and gas industry has begun to recognise and identified connectivity as crucial step along this journey.

Connectivity as the key

Raman began by outlining that with new advances in technology the potential to transform and optimise business within the upstream oil and gas industry is enormous and one fundamental enabling factor has been the advancements made in communication technology.

Raman commented, “If you look at the oil and gas vertical, especially with operations whether onshore or offshore, connectivity has been a challenge all along. But with advancements in connectivity there lots of possibilities opening up in terms of digital interventions. All these used cases and innovations help bring in operational efficiency and also bring in efficiency from a workforce standpoint. This helps in accelerating the entire digital transformation journey. In terms of technology trends connectivity is the backbone but beyond that you have AI, automation and analytics as well.”

Due to demand fluctuation, a current industry dynamic as a result of the pandemic, operators are increasingly seeking to strike the correct balance between production and demand, making visibility and quick action vital.

Raman continued, “Organisations need to be agile, nimble and flexible to really adapt to the changing market dynamics. Providing real time visibility of an entire operation allows necessary interventions based on insights you are getting in real time. Because of the advancement on the connectivity side there are lots of used cases emerging around convergence as well because now you have access to the right working data on the enterprise side and analytics is possible. Many of these insights you are getting will help you take decisions very fast.”

Tampnet Infrastructure

For Tampnet, connectivity is everything, and Støldal outlined his company’s role as planners, builders and operators of fiber that connects offshore assets. They have also now implemented mobile infrastructure that can extend around 50-60 km from each asset, which allows complete coverage of the entire value chain and enables faster communication along it.

He commented, “Latency is core of what we do at Tampnet, one of the reasons for this is we also have a carrier business where some of the most advanced customers in financial industry are customers of Tampnet. If you are doing trading you are obsessed with latency. So we try and assign the entire infrastructure to minimise latency.”

Støldal added that the company also provides services to introduce complete coverage over the whole of an asset, regardless of size and complexity, so that there is a connection between different use cases, be them sensors, tablets or service containers. Together with DNV GL, Tampnet conducted a complete quality assurance test of the infrastructure at a Dutch site. Støldal said, “Feedback was very very good. The survey concluded that there was less safety exposure, no helicopter flight needed, no real travel needed, no offshore presence of a surveyor needed, smaller environmental footprint, efficient time and cost, and kept company assets compliant, safe and reliable. For business cases the improvements are quite significant.”

Connected X as a Service

For a quick, simple and cost effective way to make the most of new connectivity technology and embark on the journey to Industry 4.0 Støldal and Raman recommended the Connect X as a Service. This has been developed to evaluate the range of new digital technologies on the market, provide comprehensive a assessment to identify where digital advancements can be made, and guide and maintain businesses along the path to digitalisation. To listen to the webinar recording exploring this service in more detail, click here.

Corvus Energy will supply Wärtsilä with Energy Storage Systems (ESS) to retrofit the electric propulsion systems of four additional offshore platform support vessels operated by Harvey Gulf. (Image credit: Wärtsilä Corporation)

Wärtsilä confirms Corvus Energy ESS order for four Harvey Gulf OSVs

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics
  • Date: Jan, 2021

Wartsila

Corvus Energy has received an order from Wärtsilä for four Energy Storage Systems (ESS) for the offshore support vessel fleet operated by Harvey Gulf.

Wärtsilä will integrate the battery-based ESSs, each with a capacity of 745kWh, into their LNG-fueled hybrid-electric propulsion system. The ESS and Wärtsilä Energy Management System (EMS) will allow the vessels to operate in dynamic position mode on a single engine augmented by battery power, to operate more efficiently in transit and other operational modes, and to operate on battery-power only when stationary.

Harvey Gulf CEO, Shane Guidry, commented, “This fleet of vessels will be crucial in assisting our clients’ efforts to achieve net carbon zero, and we will continue to listen to them and invest in technology that will assist with their goals.”

Its robust design, high C-rate and proven performance makes Corvus Energy’s Orcas Energy ESS the ideal fit for the critical role it serves meeting demanding load profiles on the offshore platform supply vessels.

“We are very proud and pleased to be selected again by Harvey Gulf and Wärtsilä,” said Sveinung Odegard, Vice President Sales North America and President of Corvus Energy, USA. “Our technology, understanding of customer needs and commitments towards lifecycle support is again being acknowledged by receiving this order. We look forward to continuing serve the integrator and vessel owner in the years to come.”

The four LNG-battery hybrid vessels will be fitted with the 1100VDC – 745kWh ESSs in 2021 and are expected to go into service in early 2022.

With the energy industry suffering a shock in 2020, many sectors are still reeling and full economic recovery looks a long way off. However, last year revealed an increasing emphasis on clean energy, with governments, industry and investors doubling down on their commitments to curb climate change. In such times optimising energy efficiency and reducing emissions is paramount and currently more than 50% of the world’s hybrid and zero-emission vessels are equipped with Corvus ESSs.

The Importance of Equipment Calibration - Part 2

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics, Integrity
  • Date: Feb, 2020

23

The discussions subjects covered in these postings are covered in my well integrity training courses. Go to www.internationalwellintegrity.com for more details. In this article I would like to comment on the issue of sand production and its measurement. This is a high-level view of the problem, representing the tip of the iceberg.

The technology of spectral noise logging is very powerful when in the right hands and can really provide a much direction in problem solving downhole issues. As a tool that listens for sound and does not transmit sound provides a more direct answer of downhole issues, simply relying on a pressure change OR sound of moving particles such as sand. BUT coming back to the issue of calibration, this critical element must be available, repeatable and transparent.

Your service provider should provide comprehensive details of calibrations and especially with dates, times and environmental conditions. Crucially, when calibrating the environment must be insulated from background noise, so having trucks thundering past, that vibrate and shake the work surfaces or having to tip toe past the calibration cell for fear of extraneous interference is not acceptable. But is something I have witnessed recently in one service provider facility, and questions the validity of the calibration and associated logging results.

Reviewing the service provider to ensure and validate their calibration process is key to success. Additionally, auditing of tool servicing and maintenance is crucial, especially as we are coming out of a downturn and cut backs have been severe.

Sand in the flow stream if not fully understood and correctly measured can be catastrophic. Therefore, knowledge of the sand source, the rate it is producing at and where in the well system it reaches when on production, provides a greater understanding of the problem complexity and how it might be mitigated.

A small checklist will help in the diagnostic process -:

1.      Sand detection at the surface tells you straight away that you have a problem, but what is the rate of this sand production? How many pounds of sand per million standard cubic feet or thousand barrels?

2.      Is the sand production rate dependant? If so, what is maximum rate the well can be produced at without sand at the surface?

3.      Is there evidence in the surface equipment of sand? If so, try to sample and analyse and with a geologist determine where in the well is this coming from.

4.      Measure wall thickness of elbows and compare to original construction dimensions to help measure the surface rate of metal loss

5.      If an intervention is planned choose the logging company carefully, and only accept logging companies who can provide you with a numerical answer to the sand production rate. Just ticking a box to confirm its in the flow stream will not provide you with a full answer. You need to know the sand rate production versus well production rate.

6.      Using slickline tools try to determine if the sump depth of the well has changed as this will suggest that the sand is dropping down the well and not all being produced to the surface.

7.      Once the sand is better understood, you are then in a position to review, risk assess and determine a course of action that provides a working environment with an action plan if problems occur.

The Importance of Equipment Collaboration

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics, Integrity
  • Date: Dec, 2019

23

By Simon Sparke – International Well Integrity

‘If you don’t monitor it you can’t measure it’, while this is probably fully understood, what is missing is ‘ensuring your measurement equipment is properly calibrated’, as a measurement is meaningless if the equipment response cannot be relied upon. As well integrity engineers, we need ONE source of truth and this must be reliable, repeatable and transparent.

Technology advances but are we missing something? In this digital age there seems to be less overall adherence to this critical task of calibration of downhole tools, even to the point where I have been told it was not necessary as the tool is self-calibrating which has the same amusement levels being told that gas wells have a bubble point.

Calibration is the act of comparing a device under test of an unknown value with a reference standard of a known value and in so doing, provides us with the means to determine the error or verify the accuracy of the device under test.

As well integrity engineers, one of our concerns is the status of the well tubulars through the field life, so that we need to understand the sources or causes of sustained annulus pressure and the location(s) of metal loss over and above that of allowable metal loss during manufacture. The change in wall thickness will help determine the MAASP or MAWOP and how this impacts the well operating status.

I use the phrase ‘metal loss’ as this is important. Pipe wall thickness variations occur for several reasons; manufacturing tolerance, wear caused by interventions, erosion, and corrosion. These various attributes need to be understood by any analyst including the logging company and form part of a rational discussion about well status and the causes for change.

A range of tools are available to help determine remaining wall thickness in our well tubulars. These include -:

·      The multi fingered caliper measures the internal status of a single tubular; recording metal loss due to corrosion but also recording wall thickness gains such as scale(s), paraffins and asphaltenes.

·      Electro magnetics, can make measurements of multiple tubular strings in a single logging pass and these tools are NOT influenced by scale, paraffin or asphaltenes

·      Sonic based tools can measure wall thickness and surface tubular status but can only record a single string and require a liquid filled environment

·      Cameras now provide a comprehensive ‘view’ of the tubular and the associated completion jewellery but can only measure a single tubular string.

How do we move forward and who or what do we believe? As well integrity requires rigorous charted, signed and witnessed pressure tests on much of our pressure control equipment, then surely it is correct for logging tools etc to be subject to a similar test(s) in order to qualify their effective readings, especially as the results could have an impact on well integrity and the safety of our colleagues. The data required should include; pipe size(s), weight, wall thickness and metal grade. It should be signed and dated. Review this calibration before logging starts and ensure it passes the ‘sniff test’. Therefore, if the service provider cannot or will not support their reports with repeatable calibration data, we must question their standards.

What must be used are the allowable wall thickness variations in the tubular manufacturing process. Two key documents are available; API-5CT for regular tubing and casing (OCTG) provides for a variation in wall thickness of -12.5%

API-5CRA for corrosion resistant alloy tubulars provides for a variation in wall thickness of -10.0% OR -12.5% which is driven by the heat treatment process.

To piece all this together and provide a meaningful result, several elements are needed. These include; logging results, API wall thickness tolerance, completion design + the well production characteristics + well history and a degree of common sense. However, and most crucially, calibration data is very important.

The pictures below show tools to measure metal loss in multiple tubing/casing strings. Operators use this data to determine well status, re-calculate MAASP and if/when a workover might be required to replace strings.

Setting a good industry example. My belief is that we should have similarly high expectations of service providers and they should demonstrate tool calibration as shown in the picture below. This company, Ginnovo, sends tools to the wellsite complete with a calibration cell. This provides the opportunity to confirm the accuracy of the collected data, while still in the field. It withstands scrutiny and demonstrates the appropriate level of professionalism that we as responsible companies should demand. If they can’t deliver, then my recommendation is to seek alternative providers and in this field there are several. 

Deepwater GOM Open Hole Cut & Pull

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics
  • Date: Oct, 2019

23

See the successful deployment of the TRIDENT® System, which performed two cuts and recovered casing to surface in a single trip.

Download Attachments: Download PDF

 

BSEE CLARIFY REGULATORY UPDATES

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics
  • Date: Apr, 2019

23

Understand what the new regulatory updates mean for those involved in Gulf of Mexico well intervention and hear BSEE’s comments relating to both riserless well intervention systems and BSEE’s final rule.

Download Attachments: Download PDF

 

UNDERSTANDING WELLBORE HOLD-UP ISSUES

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics
  • Date: Sep, 2019

23

Wellbore deformation can occur at any stage in the life of a well. Whether a result of changes in temperature, pressure or tectonic forces, wellbore deformation may result in serious downhole issues such as restricted access for interventions or the loss of well integrity, and could ultimately lead to premature well abandonment.

With no symptoms presented at surface, operators often discover deformation issues the hard way – during interventions. However, proactive diagnosis of well deformation enables operators to understand the cause and severity of the issue, enabling them to adjust their strategy and overcome it before a critical stage is reached.

EV’s 24 arm Integrated Video Caliper was deployed on e-line to help identify the cause of the hold up. The IVC tool combines industry leading Optis camera technology with multi-finger caliper technology to provide measurements of internal tubing and casing diameters.

This combination of video with multi-finger caliper data leads to enhanced interpretation and provides invaluable 360° pipe coverage to compliment the limited radial coverage available from a stand-alone mechanical caliper.

The liner top was inspected and a full 360-degree 3D model was provided. No visible signs of damage were identified and the geometry was confirmed to be normal. However further up the casing, the caliper data processed on MIPSPro indicated that the casing was helically buckled above the liner hanger.

Further RestrictionVA analysis was carried out based on data obtained from the multi-finger caliper. Firstly, a Pipe Deformation Analysis (PDA) was undertaken to define and quantify the 3D geometry of the tubulars that may have been sheared, buckled or deformed by other mechanisms. This process confirmed the presence of helical buckling in the casing and the reason why the original plug and perf string was unable to descend to the target depth. Then, by simulating the passage of multiple BHAs through this 3D geometry, a drift analysis was provided to understand the limits for access and identify the optimal BHA to pass the restriction.

Permian and Eagle Ford Well Intervention Demand

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics
  • Date: Sep, 2018

23

Offshore Network have created a forecast of the well intervention service demand in the Eagle Ford and Permian basins. The whitepaper highlights the likely path of the oil price throughout 2018 and the correlating well services which will be in demand.

Download Attachments: Download PDF

 

Video of Access Issues While Attempting to Run Through the Downhole Safety Valve

  • Region: Gulf of Mexico
  • Topics: All Topics
  • Date: Feb, 2018

23

A deepwater Gulf of Mexico operator began Gas Lift Valve Change Out operations with the intent to optimize production in a producing well. The operation encountered access issues while attempting to run through the downhole safety valve.

With the memory camera deployed on slickline and positioned one foot above the flapper valve, the operator attempts to cycle open the safety valve from the surface while the camera captures the action. The stunning clarity of the well bore conditions have been achieved by simply shutting the well in and injecting gas to displacing the oil column below the flapper of the subsurface safety valve.

With no indication at the surface there are any safety valve problems but downhole tools stacking out in the valve, the operator was kept guessing on how best to address the problem. This Video of the Month case story illustrates how being proactive and deploying EV’s MemoryHD downhole camera results in knowing the next best step to contend with the issue. The camera records the action of the flow tube movement as hydraulic pressure is applied, pushing it downward until it finally makes contact with the flapper.

Once the contact is made, the flapper is seen becoming slightly misaligned, possibly due to a broken or bent hinge assembly, and it cannot open to allow wellbore access. In response, the Customer chose to rectify the problem by running an explosive knockout tool designed to shatter the flapper into pieces small enough to fall downhole and thereby remove the obstruction.

The customer decided to verify the complete removal of the flapper in a post inspection camera run. In the next run, we can clearly see that the explosive projectile was fired successfully, however, it did not completely shatter the flapper as hoped, but instead, shot a hole through the middle section, leaving remnants around the outside edges that could cause problems with subsequent runs

EV’s Video data enabled the decision to be made quickly to continue to produce the well, and return in the future with coiled tubing, to mill out the remaining flapper remnants. Additionally, EV’s Integrated Video Caliper tool can be ran after the mill-out is completed to inspect the condition of the downhole safety valve and its profile to assess any damage possibly caused by the milling operation.

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