People, Companies & Products
Transocean opens new training center, offices in Kuala Lumpur
Transocean has opened a new 32,000-sq-ft training center and offices in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, near the PETRONAS Towers.
The training center supports Transocean’s personnel worldwide, including the Far East and Australia (FEA) Division, which has 17 contracted rigs in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and Brunei. With six rigs under construction in South Korea and Singapore – two ultra-deepwater drillships and four high-specification jackups – crews will receive the state-of-the-art training at the new center before the rigs enter service.
The training center will serve 1,200 Transocean personnel a year, with more than 20 different courses. The center has seven classrooms and three simulators – a crane simulator, a conventional drilling simulator and a well-control simulator – with observation rooms and video-taping facilities. Two cyber-chair drilling simulators are planned for 2012.
Development Driller III to use ThrusterSCAN
Transocean has ordered Kittiwake’s ThrusterSCAN, an online condition-monitoring technology for azimuthing thrusters that helps predict failure, enable preventive maintenance and reduce downtime.
The technology will be installed on Transocean’s eight-thruster Development Driller III. ThrusterSCAN warns of thruster component damage, lubricant degradation and seal leaks/failures, providing information to optimize operations and manage overhaul schedules. It monitors wear debris, water ingress and oil quality.
Kittiwake recently acquired Procal, a provider of in-situ emissions monitoring, and Holroyd, a specialist in acoustic emissions monitoring.
V&M USA opens office closer to shale plays
V&M USA has opened a sales office in Cranberry Township, Pa., to support activity in the Utica and Marcellus shale region. Early next year, the company expects to commission a new pipe mill in nearby Youngstown, Ohio, location of V&M Star’s integrated production site.
T3 Energy Services relocates to serve Barnett Shale
T3 Energy Services, a unit of Robbins & Myers, has moved their Alvarado, Texas, operations to Bowie, Texas, to better serve the Barnett Shale region. The new facility, which is 9,000 sq ft with a 2.25-acre yard, will allow T3 to store customer property as needed.
The site will be used to assemble and perform testing and installation of conventional and T3 diverter wellhead systems, as well as perform frac tree testing and installation and repairs of frac valves.
Nick Leal joins DOYLES as account manager
DOYLES has hired Nick Leal as account manager. Mr Leal brings with him 14 years of sales experience. Prior to joining DOYLES, he worked for Key Energy Services and Boots & Coots International.
DOYLES also has engaged two companies as exclusive sales representatives. Energy Services Srl will be responsible for sales in Italy and the Mediterranean region, and Admasco Oil Field Services will handle sales in Egypt.
InterMoor prelays mooring system offshore Vietnam
InterMoor, an Acteon company, recently installed a prelay mooring system for PetroVietnam Technical Services. The prelaid mooring spreads were installed in July on two offshore Vietnamese locations. The moorings for each location consisted of eight conventional lines with insert wire, grounded chain and eight 12T Stevpris NG Anchors. InterMoor prelaid 29 anchors in less than two weeks.
VAM USA opens facility in Oklahoma City
VAM USA has opened an office in Oklahoma City, Okla., to support shale plays in the region. The 4,000-sq-ft facility will house VAM service tools and provide office space for management and service representatives.
PRODUCTS
AmeriMex offers single 2,000-hp drilling motor
Houston-based AmeriMex Motor and Controls recently developed the industry’s first single 2,000-hp drilling motor. It is designed to work with small and mobile equipment and incorporates 30% more copper and has a life expectancy two to three times longer than standard, according to the company.
Using the patented “Eliminator” contaminant-removing filterless blower, the motor is designed to work in environments up to 50°C. Targeted for both land and marine markets, the first completed motor has been put in service by Integrated Drilling Equipment on drawworks.
AmeriMex is now developing a single 2,500-hp drilling motor. The company also manufactures a 3,000-hp motor for marine duty.
WCS, 3D Interactive to improve well control e-learning program
Well Control School (WCS) and 3D Interactive are overhauling the SYSTEM 21 well control e-learning platform accredited by IADC and API. The system was developed as a competency-based well control training program. Its curriculum contains more than 2,000 well control-related topics and skills. Interactive tasks and role-playing assist learners to familiarize with well control concepts.
Thern’s power winch boasts two-ton load capacity
Thern has released the Atlas II Series power winch, designed to provide rugged durability and portability to accommodate a broad range of oil and gas applications and requirements. With a cast aluminum body, the compact and lightweight winch boasts a two-ton load capacity that is ideal for lifting equipment and positioning pipe.
Precision machine-cut gearing with an enclosed oil bath help to reduce wear and ensure long-lasting operation. Corrosion-resistant epoxy finishes are also available to extend operating life in saltwater environments.
Smith Bits releases next-generation PDC cutter
Smith Bits has released the ONYX II premium polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter, which has the ability to retain a sharp edge to drill more efficiently in harsh formations. The premium cutter is synthesized using a proprietary two-step process that gives it superior abrasive wear and exceptional resistance to thermal degradation compared with prior generations of PDC cutter technology. The cutter is designed to resist spalling and chipping.
Caterpillar updates C280-16 generator set
Caterpillar has released its Cat C280-16 generator set with 10% increased power. The C280-16 60 Hz generator set is available at 5359 ekW, 900 rpm and features many electronic upgrades. The C280 engine family meets EPA Marine Tier 2 and IMO Tier II emissions and is suited for use on semisubmersibles.
The C280-16 integrates the next-generation package monitoring system, which allows data from multiple generator sets to be monitored through the overall rig system.
Paradigm 2011 to help industry interact with data
Paradigm has introduced the Paradigm 2011 during a virtual online launch event on the company’s website. The release is the largest synchronized release of exploration, development and production technology in the company’s history. It presents technologies to assist geoscientists and engineers interact with data.
The release also enhances multidisciplinary processes by expanded data integration, an intuitive user interface, ergonomic design and performance enhancements.
Downhole Products launches advanced CaseBit
Downhole Products, a manufacturer of casing accessories and completion and design tools, has launched CaseBit, an advanced casing drilling bit. A joint development with parent company Varel, the bit is a departure from existing Downhole products. It incorporates patent-pending features to ensure effective drilling and smooth drill-out for the following string.
The CaseBit line addresses the need for an advanced cutting tool for casing-while-drilling operations. The proprietary approach combines key polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bit technologies, including force balancing, spiral and asymmetric blades, cutting structure wear modeling and computational fluid analysis with flexible manufacturing and casting technology.
The bit can be drilled through by a smaller-diameter PDC bit once the casing has been set and cemented.
