People, Companies & Products
AFGlobal inks deals with MHWirth, Expert Riser Solutions
AFGlobal and MHWirth have entered a distribution agreement, providing the managed pressure drilling (MPD) market with a comprehensive package for deepwater rig systems. The agreement enables MHWirth to offer AFGlobal MPD equipment for sale within its rig equipment business.
In separate news, AFGlobal has signed a frame agreement with ExPert Riser Solutions that brings together the companies’ marine drilling riser inspection and drilling riser repair services.
The agreement will combine the companies’ core technologies, experience, engineering and manufacturing capabilities to provide a robust marine riser inspection and repair solution for drilling contractors, consisting of onboard, onsite and at-facility services using proprietary automated and manual inspection techniques. The agreement will also provide full-service repair facilities in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, as well as forging and machining assets for aftermarket parts manufacturing.
Baku facility supports Expro’s contract extension with BP
Expro has strengthened the opening of its purpose-built facilities in Baku with the award of a four-year contract extension for BP’s Shah Deniz Stage 2 project. The contract extension will see Expro continue its provision of subsea landing string equipment and services to the project in the southern Caspian Sea.
In 2014, Expro secured a five-year contract for the project, providing its Landing String Assembly – High Pressure (ELSA-HP) 15k valves in conjunction with its EXPRESS electrohydraulic control systems. To support this contract, Expro opened a new facility in November. The 8,500-sq-m facility will allow Expro to provide integrated subsea services to clients in the region.
Green named President of Chevron North America
Chevron has named Steven W. Green as President of Chevron North America Exploration and Production, effective 1 March 2019. Mr Green succeeds Jeff Shellebarger, who is retiring from Chevron after 38 years of distinguished service. Mr Green is currently President of Chevron Asia Pacific Exploration and Production.
Intertek opens licensed compex training center
Intertek has opened a new licensed CompEx training center in Lafayette, La. The center, which relocated from the company’s Houston facility, joins an existing training center in Lafayette that provides educational instruction and courses to the oil and gas industry. With the move, Intertek becomes the only licensed CompEx training center in Lafayette.
PDC Logic rebranded to become Taurex Drill Bits
PDC Logic has rebranded itself as Taurex Drill Bits. The change comes on the heels of ownership and management changes that have led to expanded growth initiatives.
Bement named CEO of Hydraulic Systems
Hydraulic Systems has appointed James Bement as its new CEO, effective immediately. He succeeds Charles Maurice, who had served as CEO since 2011. Mr Maurice will maintain his role as Chairman of the Board.
Mr Bement was previously Senior VP of Drilling for Forum Energy Technologies. Prior to joining Forum, he spent more than 30 years with Halliburton, serving as VP of Business Development, VP of the Sperry Drilling product line, VP of Canada, and VP of the Drill Bits product line.
NOV to provide wired drill pipe on Equinor rigs
National Oilwell Varco has announced a frame agreement with Equinor for the provision of IntelliServ wired drill pipe to outfit their global fleet of offshore drilling rigs. The initial agreement is for three and a half years, with five extensions of two years each. The agreement also includes eVolve Optimization & Automation Services.
Helmerich & Payne (H&P) has formed a new business entity, H&P Technologies, that will be used to drive development of advanced technologies and directional drilling automation solutions.
Further, the company has acquired Angus Jamieson Consulting (AJC), a software-based training and consultancy company based in Inverness, Scotland. AJC’s software expertise is expected to align with MOTIVE Drilling Technologies, which was acquired by H&P last year.
Paterson to lead Weir’s pressure-pumping business
Weir Oil & Gas has hired David Paterson as President of Pressure Pumping, based in Fort Worth. He will oversee the strategic direction of global operations, manufacturing and service footprint. Prior to joining Weir, Paterson was President, Artificial Lift at Schlumberger.
Haden joins Halliburton as VP of Project Management
Steve Haden has joined Halliburton as Vice President of Project Management, based in Houston. Mr Haden comes from Maersk Oil and Gas, where he served as VP of Asset Excellence and VP of Global Wells. Prior to that, he had a long career with BP, where he held numerous drilling and completion leadership positions, including Global VP of Technical Function and Eastern Hemisphere VP of Drilling and Completions.
Henderson acquires HP piping solutions
HENDERSON has acquired HP Piping Solutions to improve its service capabilities in North America. It offers high-pressure mud piping, mud gas separators, relief loops, well control manifolds and other drilling-related products. Its Genesis Pressure Control Group also manufactures blowout preventer control units, nitrogen backup systems and reservoir filtration units.
Trendsetter to deliver template slot adapters
Trendsetter Engineering is set to deliver during Q1 2019 three template slot adapters (TSA) and associated TCS connectors for a major operator in West Africa. By utilizing the TSA, the operator will be able to reconfigure the template and associated manifold slots to allow for the tie‐in of satellite trees without removing the existing wellhead systems or production guide bases. This technology provides flexibility to add new wells, eliminating the need for specialized tooling.
PRODUCTS
Drilling Systems launches new simulator for jackups
Drilling Systems has launched a new training simulator featuring software that mirrors all operations of a jackup. It is used in conjunction with the company’s On-the-Rig (OTR) mobile simulator, which can be easily transported into the field.
The new technology takes simulator training and assessments for jackup operators to the rig, reducing travel time and overall training costs.
The functions and graphics of the software replicate the actual conditions and systems onboard a jackup and include all elements of operations, from well control to drilling operations and crane lifting.
HardidE provides new coating for ArticuLock tool
Hardide Coatings has provided a coating solution for a new tool that extends weather windows for drilling operations. DeltaTek Global selected the Hardide CVD tungsten carbide-based coating for the key component of its new ArticuLock tool. ArticuLock provides operators with longer weather windows to deploy subsea hardware and improves operational reliability by removing bending fatigue in subsea running tools and landing strings.
The Hardide-T CVD tungsten carbide-based coating was used on a complex shaped ball and socket pivot joint, which is subject to extreme loads of up to 400 tonnes, 5,000 psi of working pressure and 30,000 ft-lbs of torque. The severe operating conditions meant that a hard-wearing coating was needed for the pivot joint body.
Hardide Coatings and DeltaTek worked together to achieve the necessary hardness, thickness and smooth surface finish through coating and polishing alone, rather than using grinding.
Use of ArticuLock will allow operators to run tools in environments where drilling would have been suspended. It can increase operable wave heights by 400%.
Vero uses artificial intelligence to improve connections
Weatherford has introduced Vero automated connection integrity, which applies artificial intelligence to minimize safety risks and validate well integrity with absolute certainty.
The solution employs two proprietary features: AutoMakeup technology, which precisely controls the makeup of tubular connections automatically, and AutoEvaluate software, which continually assesses torque against original equipment manufacturer specifications.
By applying artificial intelligence at every stage, from pipe manufacturing to well installation, the Vero solution removes the uncertainty of human judgment from the connection process. In doing so, the solution can minimize the chance of catastrophic well failures associated with poorly made up connections.
Halliburton releases in-bit sensor package, frac plug
Halliburton has released the Cerebro in-bit sensor package, which obtains performance data directly from the drill bit and analyzes it to optimize cutter engagement, reduce uncertainty and increase drilling efficiency. The system provides a view into an entire run by continuously capturing downhole vibration and motion data.
Separately, Halliburton has released the Illusion Spire fluid-efficient dissolvable frac plug. This offering provides a larger internal diameter and less mass for greater efficiency. During multiple field trials conducted in North American basins, the plug demonstrated unprecedented fluid and time efficiency improvements.
Active FLI combines single point, distributed data
Well-SENSE has launched its latest FiberLine Intervention (FLI) development, Active FLI. It builds on the capability of the company’s fiber-optic downhole data acquisition system with discrete measurement devices. These include single-point temperature and pressure sensors, with the addition of a casing collar locator for depth correlation. The tools capture measurements as it descends downhole and complement distributed sensing along the length of the fiber-optic lines.
