People, Companies & Products

GE to invest $500 million in Brazil

GE is investing US$500 million to expand its operations in Brazil and to accelerate technology partnerships with Brazilian companies. Additionally, Rio de Janeiro was chosen as the home for GE’s multidisciplinary, $100 million Brazil Global Research Center. When fully operational, it will employ 200 researchers and engineers working on advanced technologies for the oil & gas, renewable energy, mining, rail and aviation industries.

The company also plans to invest $400 million over the next three years in technology, training, new product development, new plant and equipment and human capital.

GE Oil & Gas’ drilling & production business was recently awarded $120 million in Brazil deepwater equipment orders. The two contracts are with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering of South Korea. Under the first contract, GE will supply a BOP stack and control system to be installed on a Petroserv-owned drillship for oil and gas production activities offshore Brazil.

In addition, GE will supply two complete drilling packages to be installed on Odebrecht Oil & Gas-owned drillships, each including a 10,000-ft riser system and BOP stacks and controls.

Lindsay named executive VP, COO of H&P

John Lindsay has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Helmerich & Payne Inc, effective 7 December 2010.

He joined the company in 1987 as a drilling engineer and has since served in various positions, including operations manager for the company’s Mid-Continent region and vice president, US land operations.

In 2006, he was appointed executive vice president, US and international operations for Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co.

Mr Lindsay graduated in 1986 from the University of Tulsa, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering. He served as chairman of IADC in 2007.

Union Drilling names White as VP safety, training

Craig L White has joined Union Drilling as vice president of safety and training. He previously served for seven years as a senior consultant and key account manager at Moody International.  Most recently, he was a team leader on the expanded safety program that Moody International is implementing at Union Drilling.

Prior to Moody, Mr White has served in various HSE consultant and management roles since 1993. He has a degree in psychology from the University of New England QLD Australia.

Dutch groups recognize Swart with Colonel Drake Award

Dick Swart, senior adviser at Dick Swart Consultancy, has received the Colonel Drake Award from the Royal Institute of Engineers in the Netherlands and the Mining Student Association of Delft University. He was recognized for his contributions to the safe application of petroleum engineering, specifically drilling technology and well engineering, together with the introduction of new drilling concepts/applications onshore and offshore. These include the introduction of deep geothermal drilling in The Netherlands. He also played a critical role in the Delft Geothermal Project in collaboration with Delft University. He also contributed to a “hurricane-proof” solution for the Macondo blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.

Expro wins well testing contracts in Tunisia

Expro has been awarded two contracts in Tunisia. One is an integrated well testing project, including slickline, data acquisition and drill stem testing offshore in the Gulf of Hammamet. Another contract is an extension to an integrated project in Tunisia. The company had originally been commissioned to provide wireline intervention services; the contract has been extended to include sampling and analysis, drill stem testing and data acquisition.

Total Safety acquires safety equipment supplier

Total Safety has acquired Scotsafe, a Scotland-based supplier of safety equipment and services, including gas-detection systems and equipment, breathing air, fit testing, and other critical safety systems and personnel.

Derrick Services expands presence in Asia, Mideast, North Africa

Derrick Services (DSL) has opened new offices in Southeast Asia and appointed Ryan Moore as regional manager to oversee that area’s growth. Mr Moore will be based in Singapore.

The company also recently announced new contracts in the Middle East and North Africa. DSL opened a base in Abu Dhabi last year and is about to open another in Algeria. DSL has been awarded a contract from CTF of Tunisia for engineering and project planning for the decommissioning of the CTF Rig 05 from Platform 2.

DSL was also awarded a contract from ENAFOR in Algeria for the inspection and recertification of their land drilling rigs, as well as a similar deal by Abu Dhabi’s National Drilling Company. The contract covers nearly 30 offshore and onshore rigs in the Middle East.

Total Deepwater Solution package helps with BOEMRE requirements

Wild Well Control is offering the Total Deepwater Solution package to assist clients with the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) requirements in terms of well permitting and emergency response to a deepwater well control event. It includes emergency response planning, relief well planning, well kill design and technical review assistance.

The package also includes dedicated BOP capping assemblies — 18 ¾-in. 15M 3-Ram and 13 ^5/8-in. 15M 3-Ram, subsea dispersant injection system, specially designed debris removal equipment and other response equipment as required. The company intends to further develop the package for use outside the Gulf of Mexico.

SkillsXP ready to assist with safety, environmental rules compliance in GOM

The Tritanium Company, makers of the SkillsXP software, announced that it is poised to help companies comply with new safety and environmental regulations, including the SEMS requirement, scheduled to take effect this year in the United States. “Because SkillsXP is SEMS-compliant and field-proven, it is perfectly suited to address the requirements of the new legislation,” said Edi Gittenberger, managing director of Tritanium.

Percussion Initiator, Time Delay Fuse get CE marking

Fike has received CE marking on its Percussion Initiator and Time Delay Fuse products, part of the company’s specialized line of energetic devices that work with oil and gas downhole operations. GB Explosives Notified Body (ENB) offers an independent, specialized technical service in the assessment and certification (CE-marking) of explosives within the scope of the European Directive 93/15/EEC. The Percussion Initiator device is typically used in tubing conveyed perforating operations to initiate the detonation chain of perforating guns for the completion of oil and gas wells. Used in similar applications, the Time Delay Fuse is a chemically generated device used to initiate detonation of an oilfield cord booster on perforating guns.

Torque tester verifies top drive torque at surface

The wireless 3PS Torque Tester helps to verify and validate top drive torque directly at the surface below the top drive. The system uses reliable and stable strain gauge technology to measure torque. The sensor has been shock- and vibration-tested to 90 G. Peak torque and current live torque are displayed simultaneously. Each system is range-tested to verify operation beyond 1,200 ft. Both devices can easily be made RF silent by removing the battery in each device.

As a wireless system, both static and rotating torque (left and right hand) can be measured. This system can also be used to check other torque application systems, such as power tongs. It is available with most API rotary shoulder threaded connections.

Tuffband approved for new drill pipe applications

Postle Industries’ Tuffband NC Hardbanding has been NS-1 approved for new drill pipe applications. The alloy hardband is applied crack-free on new pipe and is casing-friendly. It can also be used as a matrix for tungsten carbide applications.

New hydraulic IBOP actuator on the market

GDS International has released a new hydraulic IBOP actuator that can open or close the top drive while the top drive is in rotation. This feature eliminates the mess often associated with models that must stop rotating before opening or closing. It also offers a compact body to allow ample room for the elevator links to pass by. The actuator is designed to fit any major brand top drive.

Baker Hughes offers environmentally preferred fracturing fluid systems

Baker Hughes has launched its BJ SmartCare family of environmentally preferred fracturing fluids and additives, which has been qualified through a recognized third-party chemical evaluation process. The qualification process identifies the products and systems that meet or exceed existing regulatory requirements and provides a scientific protocol for evaluating and selecting products for use in areas where regulations are limited or absent.

To date, products have been qualified in four fracturing systems: slickwater, linear gel, crosslinked and viscoelastic.

QTR transmissions aimed for pressure pumping, fracturing markets

Cummins is offering the QTR Series Transmission line to meet requirements of high-horsepower pressure pumping operations. The transmissions will be capable of up to 3,000 hp. The first in the series – the QTR2500 and QTR3000 – will be available in Q4 2011. The transmissions will be available as a package, coupled with a Cummins QSK50 or QSK60 engine, depending on the horsepower requirement, or as stand-alone transmissions. QTR Series transmissions use Dual Clutch technology with Cummins Synchro Shift design for smoother operations.