North America

Technology firm BeyonC has been selected to join Chevron Technology Ventures’ (CTV) Catalyst Programme, an initiative to help start-up companies enhance their technologies in order to benefit the energy sector.

The programme acts as an incentive for BeyonC to further develop its proprietary technology designed to improve the safety of subsea inspections all the while reducing carbon emissions, improving asset reliability and reducing costs.

The BeyonC technology platform has been shown to dramatically reduce CO2 footprints with its mini-ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) when it comes to providing asset integrity data, as opposed to surveys carried out by large offshore vessels. The technology supplies CP status and visual surveys for offshore installations, mapping the integrity status for offshore facilities and providing operators with decision-data.

With its patent-pending technology, BeyonC will target oil and gas pipelines and plans to deliver the first offshore wind integrity survey in 2023.

From its launch in 2017, the CTV Catalyst Programme aims to accerlate the maturation of early-stage companies which show promise in creating technologies that will prove beneficla to the energy industry. By joining the programme and meeting the milestones head on, BeyonC will be presented the opportunity to have its technology commercialised and complete trials with global operators.

Thomas Sperle, Chief Executive Officer, BeyonC, said, “We are proud and excited to join the CTV Catalyst programme. This is a major recognition from the industry that we expect will enable BeyonC to accelerate development and commercialisation of our propriety and unique technology. We are delighted that out technology-focused approach has been recognised by Chevron Technology Ventures and we look forward to counting collaborations in the next phase of our growth and development.”

The omens for the offshore decommissioning market are looking positive as the industry prepares for 2023 and all that it has in store.

While a turbulent geopolitical environment has caused market fluctuations over the last few years (with Covid restrictions giving way to war in eastern Europe), a healthy oil price has been enjoyed through most of 2022, which is expected to settle in short- to medium-term. In addition, the pandemic revealed more than ever the pressing concerns around the fragile nature of our environment and has spurred the energy industry to promote sustainable practices wherever possible. In the case of the latter in the offshore world, there has been a renewed focus on decommissioning responsibilities, to ensure operators leave their stomping grounds as tidy and climate-friendly as possible.

Such concerns have been expounded by developments in Australia where the ongoing decommissioning of the Northern Endeavour FPSO (and the controversy around the trailing liabilities attached to it) has pushed this issue even more to the fore. The understanding of the forthcoming decommissioning wave has never been so developed, and the perception that we must get ahead of this, lest we get swept away by it, is sharp. By example, a recent report by Offshore Energies UK indicated that around the UK more than 2,000 North Sea wells are to be decommissioned at a cost of around UK£20bn. OEUK Decommissioning Manager, Ricky Thomson, said, “The UK’s decommissioning sector is snowballing and will continue growing for years to come.”

Fortunately, a healthy oil price and an ever-growing demand for oil and gas is filling the coffers of operators across the globe, making the burden of end-of-life activities easier to bare. Owing to these developments, industry reports are indicating that the global offshore decommissioning market will experience a strong growth in the immediate and long-term future. One report published by Visiongain, for instance, has forecasted that the market (which it valued at US$10.275bn) will grow at a CAGR of 6.5% between 2023 and 2033.

The opportunity to capitalise here is a tantalising one, with Thomson adding that with right government support the decommissioning challenge can be turned into gain, with the potential to create thousands of jobs. Indeed, many in the industry are not ignorant of this opportunity but are making moves to capitalise on this potentially lucrative market. At the end of 2022, for example, Harbour Energy, ConocoPhillips, Spirit Energy and Repsol Sinopec formed a well decommissioning collaborative initiative in conjunction with the Net Zero Technology Centre (NTZC). The initiative will enable new technologies to be trialled and tested in collaborative field trials enabling faster, lower-cost trials and wider industry adoption.

So, while no one knows for certain what 2023 will hold for the decommissioning sector, the strong position it has started the year in is a positive sign for its future growth and development in years to come.

HydraWell has revealed the latest development in its perforation, wash & cement (PWC) technology in the HydraCT which could reportedly signal a major industry shift for the future of P&A activities.

The HydraCT is an advanced PWC system which is specifically designed for coil tubing applications with the potential to cut Co2 emissions by 80% and costs by up to 60%. Last month, it was successfully debuted in Alaska, USA, which was the first project of its kind to use coil tubing, eliminating the need to mobilise a rig to site. By running coil tubing as the deployment method, the rigless HydraCT campaign spanned less than 24 hours.

HydraWell’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Sørheim, commented, “Our first successful campaign demonstrates there is no doubt the HydraCT technology is an ideal solution for coil tubing applications.

“Our research has shown there is industry demand for more sustainable and cost-effective alternatives in plug and abandonment operations and we will continue to respond to this demand by creating superior solutions which are carefully aligned with the needs of clients and the market.”

“Working without rigs is the next chapter for P&A activities and we will remain at the forefront of guiding how the sector can move away from the need for a rig to pull pipe towards rigless, coiled tubing using HydraCT,” continued Mark. “HydraWell regards sustainability as one of its top priorities as we strive for efficiency gains while minimising our environmental footprint.

“HydraCT is a key component in the path towards rigless P&A and this breakthrough technology has allowed us to make huge strides in supporting our clients’ environmental savings as well as working for the greater good of the industry as a whole.”

Wellbore Integrity Solutions (WIS) recently presented at the Offshore Well Intervention Gulf of Mexico (OWI GOM) conference, showcasing the service company’s impressive portfolio of well abandonment and debris management solutions with its ProMILL™ technology and Heli-Mag™ , as well as highlighting its success in delivering a project in the Gulf of Mexico.

With WIS’s extensive knowledge and industry experience of over 75 years, WIS brings together some of the most renowned brand names in wellbore integrity products and services; Red Baron, DRILCO, and Thomas Tools. Each showcases various capabilities from supporting drilling operations and production, to well intervention and well abandonment services. The Red Baron brand focuses primarily on well intervention services, including fishing and remedial for both open and cased hole projects; Wellbore Departure, which consists of sidetracking a wellbore by utilising the TrackMaster Select™ systems; Wellbore Cleanout Tools, which includes equipment such as the Heli-Mag inline magnet, ideal for debris management in multiple applications; Well Abandonment and Slot Recovery services utilising the ProMILL and ProMill Duo™ technologies, and Thru-Tubing Services for various tubular and wellbore projects. DRILCO provides global tubular products and services including field and in-house tubular inspection and repairs, along with manufacturing various drill pipe, whipstocks, fishing and well abandonment equipment. Thomas Tools specialises in rental equipment for special projects or additional assets to rig inventories including blowout preventers (BOPs).

With all the above available in WIS’ arsenal, the company strives to present the broadest portfolio of services across the well lifecycle, a fact that was highlighted during the company’s presentation at OWI GOM, detailing the importance of effective debris management in all projects concerning well intervention. Delaney Olstad, Well Abandonment Manager at WIS Red Baron, discussed how important the practice is, especially in recent years, in regard to making each project as safe and efficient as possible.

“Debris management is absolutely critical in terms of minimising HSE and operational risks. Studies have shown that debris in the wellbore can lead to premature failure of equipment, which can be both costly to the client in terms of downtime and equipment repairs,” stated Olstad.

“I think it's also more prevalent nowadays than it has been in the past because the seriousness of downtime; some of these offshore operations are into the hundreds of thousands of dollars a day. And if there's downtime because you must deal with swarf, an incredible operation can come, basically, to a standstill because you must address the metal debris and shavings.”

To further improve the practice of effective well abandonment, in 2016 the ProMILL technology was created. ProMILL is a single-trip system which allows operators to handle multiple operations, saving on the overall costs. The milling system combines a bridge plug assembly, section mill, and high-ratio underreamer in a single trip solution, which achieves rock-to-rock zonal isolation, and prepares the formation for an uninterrupted abandonment cement barrier.

“The introduction of ProMILL technology enabled rock-to-rock barriers that ensured the integrity of the abandonment process. The ProMILL system is a single trip BHA designed to reduce the number of trips necessary to meet the project and customer requirements,” commented Olstad.

“In the long term, it is obviously essential that wells, which have been abandoned, are abandoned in a way which will prevent future leaks. The ProMILL has played an important part of that safe and reliable abandonment process.”

Olstad also discussed the importance of creating a system which effectively and efficiently eradicates all potential leak paths during the P&A process, as even the tiniest gap can have disastrous and highly expensive consequences.

“When you abandon a well that means it has reached the end of its lifecycle, so you remove everything from the top side. You might put a marker there to identify the well location and you leave. If after a plurality of time, be it two years, 10 years, 20 years, or more, something changes and a hydrocarbon sneaks out, what do you do?” he said.

“To go back and re-enter the well, and re-abandon the well, is extremely expensive – sometimes 10-to-100 times more expensive – depending on where you are. If you're offshore, where was that well? It might leak and show up a mile and a half away, in any direction. That's why it's unquestionably crucial to do it right the first time and utilise equipment that can do it correctly. Being successful in a single trip is beneficial to everyone involved because it’s less time on the rig and less cost associated with overall operations.

“The WIS Red Baron team focuses on completing our operations in a way which meet both the regulatory and project requirements, so that the well does not leak into our most precious commodities – the water and our environment.”

Not only is WIS creating waves through the industry with its efficiency in eradicating leak paths, it is also making headway with its Wellbore Cleanout Heli-Mag technology; a downhole inline magnet which is used during milling operations to maximise debris recovery. The technology consists of 16 rows of rare earth magnets in a helical configuration which ensure that even the smallest pieces of swarf are removed.

In July 2022, WIS worked with KOSMOS Energy on a project in the Gulf of Mexico which required use of the Heli-Mag inline magnets were used in conjunction with the TrackMaster whipstock system to effectively recover debris as a large volume of cuttings were expected, causing concern about the amount of metal produced during a dual casing exit and having adverse consequences in the wellbore and the BOP stack.

“We ran nine of the Heli-Mag inline magnets close to the milling BHA above the heavyweight drill pipe so that they were in tension to capture all the swarf before it went up hole. But just in case any swarf did by we put one more just below the BOP. And by doing that, we captured 1,600 pounds of swarf on the first day,” said Olstad.

“Overall, the Heli-Mags ended up bringing almost 3,000 pounds of swarf out of the hole. Less than 1% of the total amount of recovered debris, 16 pounds of swarf, made it into the rig’s debris recovery equipment.”

Impressive indeed. Looking to the future, Olstad discussed the importance of having a business emphasis on the significance of integrity within the wellbore, as the industry collectively works harder than ever to protect the environment. As our world becomes more fragile, the big players within the industry, including WIS, are emphasising the importance of making every process as sustainable and as safe as possible.

 “This is our world, and we only get one, so it is of paramount importance that we strive to conduct ourselves and our actions as best as possible to preserve it and ensure the longevity of the operations, the environment, and humanity,” Olstad concluded.

As the oil market fluctuated more than it has in over a decade due to the fragile global developments that have occurred over the last few years, decommissioning and abandonment services in the Gulf of Mexico are facing a turbulent future as demand skyrockets.

As the restrictions eased after the Covid-19 pandemic, the world opened up again, bringing with it a tidal wave of demand, and due to the tightened restrictions put in place all over the Gulf to meet the needs of a sustainable future, the industry became gridlocked in a chain of bureaucratic laws and the increasing costs of labour and equipment.

Limited crews and equipment are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg as the ‘boomerang’ asset problem has started to cause havoc around the Gulf. With the law stating all operators, past and present, are liable for the decommissioning costs regardless of how long they owned the asset, mixed with the skyrocketing rates of inflation and equipment, the costs presented to operators may be insurmountable. The Fieldwood bankruptcy, which was finalised in 2020, is still sending waves around the Gulf, increasing the scope of work of up to 1,000 additional wells.

It's not all doom-and-gloom however, as opportunities for third party operators to shoulder the costs are becoming more prevalent. Operators who can’t afford the increased costs and scope of work in the given time frame can sell their assets to outsourced organisations who take full responsibility in carrying out decommissioning services. For the next few years, the Gulf is expected to continue riding the decommissioning wave until the spike in demand has dropped significantly.

The scope for decommissioning services in the GOM region is exponential, and is predicted to keep on rising, creating a haven for oil and gas operators. As long as the scope of work doesn’t outweigh the resources available, the Gulf is set to be in a very desirable position in the years to come.

At the recently concluded Offshore Well Intervention Gulf of Mexico conference, representatives from Caltex Oil Tools provided a detailed presentation of a recently concluded damaged wellhead repair project where the company utilised new technology and methodologies to successfully bring a well back online.

Since bursting onto the subsea scene in 2018, Caltex has become an established solutions-focused business which provides rentals, services and bespoke engineering capabilities for subsea operations. In the case of the latter, the company and its affiliates offer a range of services including equipment rental to support vessel and rig-based pre-commissioning, controls, completions, intervention and decommissioning activities; consultancy services with experts specialising in business development, sales, remote technologies, subsea controls, diver and diverless interventions, vessel based IMR operations, and emergency response repairs; as well as engineered solutions where it specialises in unplanned emergency response requests to developing transformative technical solutions.

The project that was presented at OWI GOM began when a major operator contacted Caltex over an offline well which had visible damage to the VX profile, FX profile and isolation sealing surface. Knowing Caltex’s extensive capabilities, the operator sought the company’s immediate help to intervene and bring the well back online. In turn, Caltex responded by developing a custom solution for machining the inner wellhead profile to remove the damaged surfaces.

It was in November 2021 when Caltex first began work on the project, with an initial concept to remove protruding materials and polish damages. According to Carter Kacal, Project Manager at Caltex, it was shortly after this, in January, when the project began to grow and the scope developed from what was originally perceived. After analysis of damage, their plans involved to machine the new ID .25’’ beyond the last damage, increase the ID of the wellhead by 0.125’’ and machine a 30° lead-in bevel at top/bottom of the increased ID.

This involved the development of a tool with the goal to machine a new ID of the damaged wellhead to tight specifications which also incorporated an automated system featuring closed loop controls and independent electronic actuator controls. From January onwards, Caltex swiftly developed Software (in just 15 days) and tested the tool to perform the required work before travelling to the manufacturer of the wellhead to perform an SIT at the beginning of March.

The technology utilised in the solution delivered by Caltex, according to Kacal, included a real mix of field-proven to new technology, resulting in a bespoke solution. It included three electronic actuators, an RPM sensor, subsea control units, a localised subsea power bank and an optical communication link connected through the ROV and controlled from the surface.

Kacal commented, “The results of the SIT were extremely positive, better than we could have expected, and well within the specifications we needed to be which is shown in the table.”

“We needed to be within 0.005'' concentricity and we achieved 0.002'' which was great. And then the surface finish that was well below what it needed to be as well. The goal (measured in Ra) was to be 111 Ra or lower. And so you can see there the average of the three numbers [on the table] is around 46. The only thing missing there is the results on the bevel cut. So we needed to cut a bevel as well as machine new diameter. We needed to be 30°, we were at 26°. This was a little steeper than we needed to be, but still successful nonetheless. From that everyone was happy to go offshore and we felt comfortable as well.”

Indeed, little time was wasted in doing so as, by the middle of March, the tool was offshore and ready to perform. Kacal continued, “We had a timely mobilisation with no downtime for the tool. We performed the operation in five days (from mobilisation to demobilisation) which included less than 24 hours operation of the tool itself. Then, once we pulled it off and actually tested the wellhead, everything was successful and eventually the well was able to be brought back online.”

For a job that began in November and had to contend with workscope changes along the way, it was a remarkably quick turnaround for the company which was ultimately successful. Kacal remarked that, alongside the timeliness of the operation, what worked very well was the automated system with closed loop controls alongside the performance of the tungsten carbide tool tip. He added that given slightly more time they could have spent more time developing and optimising the tool, however this did not overtly affect the performance and it has given the company confidence that they could deliver another project of similar scope and time effectively again.

“If there's ever an opportunity, we'd love to be able to try our hand at it again because we've proved it, we've developed it. At the moment I would say many people just don’t really know that is out there and no one really discusses if they have a damaged wellhead or not. So we want to show, with this example, that this technology is available and we have the ability to remediate the wellhead with a less invasive strategy than what is currently out there. At OWI GOM we had some interested discussions around this and people seemed definitely interested so we shall see what the future holds.”

Schlumberger has officially changed its name to SLB in an effort to underline its vision for a decarbonised energy future and affirming its transformation to a global technology company focused on driving energy innovation for a balanced planet.

The legacy Schlumberger brand and nearly all of its affiliated brands will become one under the new SLB brand, which comes with a new logo and fresh identity.

Olivier Le Peuch, Chief Executive Officer, SLB, commented, “Today we face the world’s greatest balancing act – providing reliable, accessible and affordable energy to meet growing demand, while rapidly decarbonising for a sustainable future. This dual challenge requires a balance of energy affordability, energy security and sustainability. It requires a balance of innovation and decarbonisation in the oil and gas industry as well as clean energy solutions. It requires a balanced energy mix for a balanced planet.

“Our new identity symbolises SLB's commitment to moving farther and faster in facilitating the world's energy needs today and forging the road ahead for the energy transition. It’s a bold challenge. But the legacy of our people, technology and performance are unmatched, and we are ready to answer this challenge.”

The SLB brand builds on nearly a century of technology innovation and industrialisation expertise in the energy services industry. The company has spent the last three years laying the groundwork for its increasing focus on low – and zero –carbon energy technology solutions while continuing to drive innovation, decarbonisation and performance for the oil and gas industry.

This includes the launch of its New Energy business; its commitment to a net-zero target inclusive of total Scope 3 emissions from its technologies; the introduction of Transition Technologies to its portfolio; and the announcement of SLB End-to-end emissions Solutions.

With these foundations laid, SLB will now focus on delivering results-driven solutions for its customers across new energy systems, industrial decarbonisation, digital at scale and oil and gas innovation.

Katharina Beumelburg, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer, SLB, remarked, “Our new identity boldly symbolises our ambition to accelerate the energy transition with sustainability at the centre of everything we do. Our new brand and strategy are built for this moment in our history. A moment that demands the need for a balanced energy system for our planet and the need to achieve and go beyond net zero to address the climate challenge.

“Everything we have chosen, from the shape of the logo to our new, bright blue colour, symbolises the boldness of our ambitions and ingenuity of our team to make the new energy future a reality. ’For a balanced planet’ is more than just our new tagline. It’s central to our purpose and our culture. It takes the incredible history of this world-class company, enhances it and moves it forward toward a more sustainable and net zero future.”

C-Innovation (C-I) and Grand Isle Shipyard, LLC (GIS), two strategic oil and gas industry partners, have been awarded a plug and abandonment contract by Helix Alliance Decom, LLC, to provide pre-feed services for the decommissioning of three offshore platforms for a major deepwater client.

In Phase I of the project, C-I provided ROV services to deliver marine water inspection and integrated the data within MODS software to provide live operations for the client operating fixed leg platforms in 165-200 ft of water. The GIS Aerobotics Drone Division provided aerial inspection services. The joint technical innovations aim to determine the current condition of the wells and the facility, enabling the timely and cost-effective decommissioning of the wells, platform and jacket for each of the three platforms.

The partnership harnessed its technology to offer increased safety margins. All of the inspections were able to be completed via line wireless transmission from the back of the boat within a connex box without requiring the deployment of personnel on ropes.

Michael MacMillan, Operations Manager, C-I, stated, “The equipment used took very little time to mobilise and provided subsea operations in a safe and efficient manner while using a limited number of personnel. The ability to launch this type of ROV from almost any asset not only allows operations to be efficient but also mitigates safety risks while practically eliminating the traditional risks associated with the launch and recovery of an ROV.”

DaCoda Bartels, GIS Aerobotics Division Manager and Pilot, said, “The GIS drone can safely operate from up to 100 ft away from the asset as we have the camera stabilisation technology to zoom in on an area of interest. Most of these areas are not accessible by human personnel. We are able to live stream the drone's camera view in real time to make informed decisions on the spot. It’s a super fast and super safe alternative, where the only potential risk is to the equipment rather than the personnel.”

MacMillan added, “Our partnership with GIS enables C-I to continue to demonstrate our flexibility to provide resources and equipment in a non-traditional scenario. The availability of equipment and personnel for these types of scopes is more important now than ever, due to the demands of today’s market.”