The Offshore Technology Conference has announced the 15 winning technologies that will receive the 2013 Spotlight on New Technology Awards recognizing innovative technologies significantly impacting offshore exploration and production.
Winning technologies are selected based on five criteria:
• New: The technology must be less than two years old.
• Innovative: The technology must be original, groundbreaking and capable of revolutionizing the offshore E&P industry.
• Proven: The technology must be proven, either through full-scale application or successful prototype testing.
• Broad interest: The technology must have broad interest and appeal for the industry.
• Significant impact: The technology must provide significant benefits beyond existing technologies.
ABB’s Onboard DC-Grid is an innovative marine technology that uses direct currents to transport energy to different consumers onboard the vessel. It enables variable speed operation of generator sets, significantly reduced fuel oil consumption, improved emissions reduction, reduced maintenance and new operational modes with a more responsive vessel system.
Baker Hughes’ FASTrak logging-while-drilling (LWD) fluid analysis sampling and testing service provides knowledge of reservoir fluid properties that enhances critical decision-making about the reservoir. FASTrak addresses the growing need to acquire fluid samples in LWD environments, such as horizontal or extended-reach wells, resulting in significant time and cost savings.
DOW NEPTUNE Advanced Subsea Flow Assurance Insulation System, developed by Bayou Wasco Insulation, Dow Oil & Gas, PIH and Trelleborg Offshore, is a simple, robust, end-to-end flow assurance solution offering enhanced performance safety with its two-layer application. It protects equipment, line pipe and field joints across a wide application and in-service temperature range, which runs from-40°C to 160°C, or -40°F to 320°F, withstanding hydrostatic compression greater than 400 bar.
FMC Technologies and Sulzer Pumps have developed a high-speed, helico-axial multiphase subsea boosting system optimized for subsea applications. This system combines field-proven pump hydraulics from Sulzer Pumps with FMC Technologies’ permanent magnet technology from Direct Drive Systems for less maintenance with greater speed, efficiency and power.
GE Oil & Gas has developed the next-generation technology for shearing and sealing wellbore tubulars. The patent-pending Blind Shear Ram is designed for use with GE’s ram blowout preventers in offshore drilling. It provides an industry-first capability to shear some 6 5/8-in. drill pipe tool joints while achieving a wellbore seal holding up to 15,000-psi pressure differential.
GE Oil & Gas’ RamTel Plus provides operators with a direct method of determining ram position. The ROV Display allows the ROV to read stack sensor data, including wellbore temperature and ram position subsea indicators.
FMC Technologies’ Condition and Performance Monitoring (CPM) is a surveillance system that enables proactive maintenance of subsea production and processing systems associated with a 24/7 collaborative expert environment for diagnosis and problem solving. CPM combines continuous monitoring of sensors and subsea instrumentation with a historic database to identify fault condition and deviations from normal operating conditions.
Reelwell’s RDM-Riserless system enables drilling in 9,843 ft (3,000 meters) water depths from third-generation drilling units due to the reduced weight related to omitting the riser. This is possible because the cuttings are transported to surface inside the dual drill string, i.e., the dual drill string acts as the riser.
Wärtsilä has developed a system to turn VOCs or associated gases that were previously considered as waste into a source of energy. The Wärtsilä GasReformer enables self-sustaining power generation for the offshore operation. It provides cost savings and environmental sustainability.
SBM Offshore’s Drilling Riser Trip Saver is a rail-mounted transport system that relocates a suspended drilling riser with a drilling riser tensioner system and surface blowout preventer in place. The apparatus and method for drilling multiple subsea wells consecutively saves time and cost and reduces risk by avoiding removal of the suspended drilling riser from the well bay.
Bredero Shaw’s Mobile Robotic Cutback System is an innovative end machining technology for insulated pipe. It replaces manual processes that form the cutback, including wire brushing, grinding and scraping. The technology is safer, quieter, requires less labor and produces consistent high-quality cutback profiles while generating recyclable waste.
WeST Drilling Products’ Continuous Motion Rig (CMR) is a fully robotized rig and offers continuous drilling operations. CMR reduces overall drilling time by up to 50% and facilitates managed pressure drilling. CMR substantially reduces downhole problems associated with differential sticking and pressure fluctuations and eliminates personnel safety risk.
Statoil’s remote-controlled hot tap operation consists of a robot welding a T-piece on to the pipe while gas is flowing through it. Afterwards, a remote-controlled drilling machine will drill holes in the producing pipeline, with no effect on pressure and production.
Superior Energy Services’ Complete Automated Technology Systems (CATS) is an onshore and offshore completion services rig that uses remote-operated or pre-programmed robotics to control various completion components, including a snubbing unit, BOP/well control stack, pumps, circulation tanks, top drive, closing systems and pipe handling systems as part of one unit.
Welltec’s Well Cutter enables efficient drill pipe and casing recovery without explosives. No shavings are generated, a smooth surface remains after the cut and e-line conveyance ensures accurate depth control. Click here to read about the Well Cutter from the Sept/Oct 2012 DC.
