People, Companies & Products

Transocean inks service agreements with GE Oil & Gas, Schlumberger for pressure-control equipment

Transocean recently signed two service agreements for pressure-control equipment, one with GE Oil & Gas and one with Cameron, a Schlumberger company.

Under the GE agreement, valued at approximately $180 million, GE will provide condition-based monitoring and maintenance services for pressure-control equipment on seven of Transocean’s rigs over the next 10 to 12 years.

The agreement leverages GE’s digital capabilities to shift from event- and calendar-based maintenance to condition-based monitoring and maintenance. Working with GE on parts forecasting and service scheduling will allow Transocean to optimize operations by proactively planning and minimizing between-well maintenance.

Separately, Cameron has signed two 10-year pressure-control equipment management service contracts on behalf of Transocean valued at greater than $350 million. The first contract calls for Schlumberger to manage Transocean’s Cameron risers in the Gulf of Mexico.

This comprehensive agreement includes storage, maintenance, inspection, repair, recertification and data-driven riser management on the rigs.

Through the second contract, Schlumberger will provide a comprehensive suite of solutions to maintain and service blowout preventer systems and other pressure-control equipment for nine of Transocean’s ultra-deepwater and harsh-environment drilling rigs.

Patterson-UTI, Seventy Seven Energy enter merger agreement

Patterson-UTI Energy and Seventy Seven Energy have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Patterson-UTI will acquire Seventy Seven Energy in an all-stock transaction.

Following the closing of the transaction, Patterson-UTI will have 201 high-spec rigs, as well as one of the largest and most modern pressure-pumping fleets in the industry, with more than 1.5 million hydraulic fracturing horsepower.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals, stockholder approval of both companies and other customary closing conditions. Closing is expected late Q1 2017.

NOV announces Saudi Arabia composite pipe manufacturing facility

National Oilwell Varco (NOV) announced that it is expanding the operations of its Fiber Glass Systems business unit with a new composite pipe manufacturing facility located near the city of Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

The facility will establish NOV as Saudi Arabia’s first local manufacturer of high-pressure spoolable composite pipe and will further enhance the company’s ability to provide lightweight, corrosion-resistant, engineered solutions from its global team of experts supported by 12 manufacturing facilities around the world.

The manufacturing complex will produce spoolable and jointed pipe, including the flagship line of Fiberspar spoolable products, STAR Glass Reinforced Epoxy high-pressure line pipe and downhole tubing and casing.

Operations are expected to begin in Q1 2018.

Tenaris inaugurates new service center in Midland, Texas, to deploy rig direct

Tenaris inaugurated its new service center in Midland, Texas, on 5 December. The investment is seen as critical to the deployment of Rig Direct, Tenaris’ business model of working directly with oil and gas customers to synchronize pipe manufacturing with drilling operations.

The service center is a $36 million, multi-year investment project that handles the storage, inspection, rig preparation and delivery of oil country tubular goods (OCTG), accessories, sucker rods and, in the future, coiled tubing.

Approximately 90% of Tenaris’s OCTG sales in the Permian are through Rig Direct, which comprises technical consulting, pipe management services and field support. The company began dispatching pipe from the facility earlier this year and employs approximately 30 people, most of whom are local hires.

Clay Neff named President of Chevron Africa and Latin America E&P

Chevron has named Clay Neff President of Chevron Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production, effective 1 January 2017. Mr Neff succeeds Ali Moshiri, who will retire from Chevron after 38 years of distinguished service, effective 1 April 2017, consistent with the company’s mandatory retirement policy. Mr Neff, who was previously Managing Director of Chevron’s Nigeria Mid-Africa Business Unit, will oversee Chevron’s exploration and production activities in 15 countries across Africa and Latin America.

In his new role, Mr Neff will report to Jay Johnson, Chevron’s Executive Vice President, Upstream.

William Gamisans takes on extended sales, marketing role for Vallourec   

William Gamisans, Accessories Managing Director for Vallourec USA, will enlarge his scope of responsibilities as Sales and Marketing non-OCTG Products in addition to his current role. Mr Gamisans will continue to report to Nicolas de Coignac, President, North America. Mr Gamisans’ extended scope of responsibilities will be to accelerate the synergies between Vallourec Tube-Alloy and the Industry Division. He will also support the growth of non-OCTG sales in North America.

ProSep, Puffer-Sweiven ink distribution agreement

ProSep, an oil, gas, and water treatment specialist, has signed a distribution agreement with Puffer-Sweiven, a supplier of products and services for process control and flow control.

The partnership aims to leverage ProSep’s mixer and produced water technologies with Puffer-Sweiven’s record as a distributor across multiple industries.

SKF, GE partner on active magnetic bearing techs

SKF and GE Oil & Gas have signed a non-exclusive, license-based collaboration agreement aimed at further developing the use of active magnetic bearing technologies within the oil and gas sector.

As part of the agreement, GE Oil & Gas will make use of SKF’s leading magnetic bearing technologies from front-end engineering design to installation, testing and service to customers. The partnership also provides the basis for future collaboration to widen the scope of applications of active magnetic bearings into other GE Oil & Gas turbomachinery, such as steam and gas turbines.

GEODynamics Acquires perforating business

GEODynamics has acquired Paradigm GeoKey’s Aberdeen, Scotland-based perforating business unit. As a result of the transaction, GEODynamics has established its UK operating company. Chris Chalker, former Managing Director of Paradigm GeoKey, has joined the GEODynamics team as Vice President – Eastern Hemisphere and will be based in Aberdeen to manage and grow GEODynamics’ business throughout the region.

New Sandvik Distribution center to open in Singapore

Sandvik is opening a new distribution center adjacent to Changi Airport in East Singapore. It will accommodate tube products such as seamless high-temperature tubes, furnace tubes, as well as stainless steel hollow bar for component manufacturers. The center will also stock welding consumables, precision wire and Kanthal resistance wire and furnace products.

Products

Emerson offers MPFM 2600 M multiphase flow meter

Emerson Automation Solutions has introduced the Roxar MPFM 2600 M multiphase flow meter. It is a flexible and easily manageable wellhead measurement solution based on a field-proven technology platform.

The meter can identify and measure non-symmetrical flow in varying flow regimes, providing improved measurement uncertainty monitoring and reliability. It includes the advanced signal processing, field electronics and electrode geometry innovations of the third-generation MPFM 2600.

Schlumberger Launches openpath Diversion Stimulation Service

Schlumberger has launched the OpenPath Sequence diversion stimulation service. It sequentially diverts acid into additional clusters or zones to maximize wellbore coverage, resulting in more precise treatment placement and greater production compared with conventional methods. OpenPath Sequence service is the first in the industry to use degradable fibers to suspend multimodal particles that enable sequential stimulation of intervals in acid stimulations. Suitable for both cased and open-hole completions, the service can be used for acid fracturing or matrix stimulations in carbonate reservoirs.

SmartCut glove provides heavy-duty cut protection

Brass Knuckle has introduced the SmartCut BKCR404 glove, fit for heavy-duty cut protection, handy slip resistance and no-smudge surface protection. Designed with an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber thread blend to ensure dexterity and tactile sensitivity, the HDPE knit fiber provides ANSI cut level 4 protection without bulk. The soft polyurethane coating over the palms and fingers is pliable, enhancing dry grip.

Baker Hughes introduces tretolite snap fluids separation technologies

Baker Hughes has commercially released its TRETOLITE SNAP fluids separation technologies. It is designed to help operators maintain dry oil and good water quality, while also stabilizing operations and reducing costs without limiting production.

This next generation of chemical solutions includes water clarification and demulsification technologies that deliver improved performance in multiple production applications, including steam-assisted gravity drainage facilities, as well as conventional and other unconventional onshore and offshore fields.

Cruzer depth-of-cut rolling element launched

Halliburton has released the, a drill bit technology designed to increase tool face control without reducing drilling efficiency. It provides the ability to increase rate of penetration at a lower cost per foot for improved economics.

The enhanced feature is available on Halliburton’s polycrystalline diamond compact drill bits, which are designed for high abrasion and impact resistance in challenging formations.

Optime to supply new hyperbaric testing system

Optime Subsea Services has signed a contract with an undisclosed US-based customer to supply a new hyperbaric testing system that simulates hydrostatic pressures found at water depths up to 14,000 m. The 20,000-psi hyperbaric pressure vessel will be manufactured at Optime’s headquarters at Notodden, Norway.