People, companies and products

Statoil to use Aker subsea system on Aasta Hansteen

Aker Solutions has signed a contract with Statoil for the supply of a subsea production system for the Aasta Hansteen field development project on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The contract is valued at approximately NOK 2 billion.

Work will include three template-manifold structures, seven subsea trees, in addition to wellheads, controls, workover and tie-in systems.

“Aker Solutions is dedicated to supporting Statoil in optimizing their assets and maximizing production rates and gas recovery at Aasta Hansteen,” Alan Brunnen, head of Aker Solutions’ subsea business, said.

TAM International expands offerings in Permian Basin

TAM International has opened a new district office and shop in Midland, Texas. The new office is the latest in a series of recent growth and expansion efforts to support rapid growth markets like the Permian Basin.

Vallourec pursues long-term collaboration with Petrobras

Vallourec’s Brazilian subsidiary V&M do BRASIL and Petrobras have signed a five-year-contract to supply Petrobras operations with premium OCTG products, including seamless pipes, steel grades and connections using state-of-the art technology.

Transocean, Oceaneering ink deal on BOP control systems 

To comply with the recently issued API 53, a Transocean subsidiary has signed a contract with Oceaneering International to add subsea blowout preventer (BOP) control systems to three existing semisubmersibles. API 53 requires subsea BOPs with a single shear ram to be upgraded or replaced. Deliveries are expected in Q4 2013 and Q1 2014.

Aquatech awarded water treatment facility permit

Aquatech has been granted a permit to operate a central treatment facility in Tioga County, Pa. The facility will deliver wastewater treatment and recycle services to the regional shale gas
producers.

Weatherford, Variable Bore Rams team up in Asia Pacific

Variable Bore Rams has entered into an agreement with Weatherford Asia Pacific to provide BOP rams. Equipment stocking began in February. The range of stock will include rams of multiple sizes in varying categories.

Craighead to assume role as Baker Hughes chairman

Baker Hughes chairman Chad Deaton will retire on 25 April 2013 at the company’s annual meeting. Martin Craighead will become chairman, in addition to his current role as president and CEO. Mr Craighead began working with the company in 1986 and has served as president and CEO since January 2012.

Independence Contract Drilling appoints Ed Jacob as COO, executive VP

Independence Contract Drilling has appointed Ed Jacob III as executive vice president and COO.

Mr Jacob most recently served as president and CEO of Keen Energy until its sale in late 2012 to Latshaw Drilling.

“I have known and worked with Ed for years and cannot think of another leader so uniquely qualified to add immediate value to our team,” Byron Dunn, president and CEO of Independence, said.

Orion Drilling promotes Calvert Jones to COO

Orion Drilling has promoted  Calvert Jones to COO. Mr Calvert joined Orion in 2008 as a senior drilling engineer and became vice president of operations in 2009. Prior to joining Orion, Mr Jones served as a senior drilling engineer at EOG Resources.

Mark Vance joins Murchison Drilling Schools

Murchison Drilling Schools has hired Mark Vance as an instructor. He began his career in 1978, working for Keydril as a roustabout, roughneck, derrickman, driller, toolpusher and superintendent. Mr Vance is an accredited IADC and IWCF instructor and will teach well control and drilling operations courses.

Statoil awards DSME contract for Dagny topsides

Statoil and its partners TOTAL and Det Norske have awarded Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) a contract to build the topsides for the Dagny platform, with Aker Solutions as a major subcontractor. The total contract value is estimated to NOK 6.1 billion.

Aker Solutions in Stavanger and Oslo, Norway, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will be close partners in the detailed engineering services and offshore hook-up and commissioning.

“We feel confident that the supplier we have chosen for the main contract can deliver on time, cost and quality,” said Jon Arnt Jacobsen, Statoil’s chief procurement officer. “We’re putting strong emphasis on avoiding late changes to the design and experienced Statoil personnel will follow up the deliveries in all phases. We’re also drawing on experience.”

The assignment will begin immediately and is expected to be completed in Q1 2017.

“Dagny is one of Statoil’s new major developments, with an estimated 225 million barrels of oil equivalent,” said Ivar Aasheim, SVP for field development on the Norwegian continental shelf. “This shows how important it is to explore and develop fields in mature areas with infrastructure in place. This field development is tied to Sleipner and will help to extend its lifetime for many years to come.”

Investments in the Dagny development are estimated at NOK 31 billion.

Maersk Drilling was awarded the contract for production drilling on Dagny in 2012.

NanoSteel names Harald Lemke VP, general manager

Harald Lemke has joined NanoSteel as vice president and general manager of powder metallurgy.

Mr Lemke will lead the commercialization of NanoSteel’s alloys into the powder metallurgy industry, utilizing both the recent breakthrough in advanced high-strength steel and the company’s established coatings product.

Mr Lemke was most recently global vice president of materials marketing at coatings division of Sulzer-Metco.

DPS Offshore is now Forum Subsea Rentals

Forum Energy Technologies is rebranding its DPS Offshore product line as Forum Subsea Rentals. Forum Subsea Rentals will service existing and new clients from key locations in Aberdeen, Great Yarmouth, Houston, Dubai and Singapore.

Wild Well Control receives ISO 9001:2008 certification

Wild Well Control has been certified to ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems. The certification is for worldwide emergency response for well control and containment; non-emergency services for well control engineering, training, incident prevention; and well-related marine/subsea intervention and decommissioning services.

PRODUCTS

IDE offers open-platform drilling control system

Integrated Drilling Equipment (IDE), has launched the second-generation Centurion Drilling Control System. The system was installed on a new, 1,500-hp AC Sparta rig delivered for Lewis Energy.

Developed by IDE’s Automation and Controls Division, the system employs cutting-edge technologies, including an open-architecture software platform to put real-time information and control in the hands of the drilling contractor, operator and service companies.

Open architecture is a software interface type that allows for the adding, swapping and upgrading of controls. Using this type of platform enables service companies to employ specialized applications for control of the autodriller and pressure control aspects of rigs.

The system does not utilize proprietary networks or software. Subsequently, customers may spearhead troubleshooting and the integration of customized features while still having access to IDE’s 24-hr technical support.

“IDE has taken a forward-thinking approach to the automation and controls sector of the industry,” IDE CEO Steve Cope said. “Allowing for a specialization of the software used with the Centurion system means that our customers do not have to use valuable time learning another interface. Additionally, information can be accessed onsite and offsite via the Internet using a personal computer, smartphone or tablet PC.”

The Lewis Rig 38 Centurion package will be loaded with all available options.

Capital Safety upgrades automated i-Safe 3.0 line

Capital Safety introduces two new additions to its i-Safe 3.0 Intelligent Safety System global product line – the Unitech PA690 Handheld Unit and the MX5 USB Reader for Desktop Application. The highly advanced, automated i-Safe 3.0 makes managing a safety inspection program faster, easier and more cost effective.

Preferred Sands launches technology for proppants

Preferred Sands has launched the first non-phenolic, resin-coating technology for proppants used in hydraulic fracturing. The technology was developed with Dow Chemical Company.