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Editor's note: This "Tech Trends" section appears in the new E&P newsletter. This weekly section highlights the latest upstream technologies and services for the oil and gas industry. The copy herein is compiled from press releases and product announcements from service companies and does not reflect the opinions of Hart Energy. Submit your company’s updates related to new technology products and services to Ariana Hurtado at ahurtado@hartenergy.com.

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Autonomous directional drilling technology instantly interprets, acts on data

Schlumberger
In the Permian Basin, an operator used a similar solution to autonomously drill the curve and lateral sections for seven wells. The operator reduced downlinks by 42% for all curve sections, while increasing ROP by 39%. (Source: Schlumberger)

Schlumberger has released Autonomous Directional Drilling, which includes solutions to steer autonomously through any section of the wellbore. The technology leverages a downhole automated control system that instantly interprets and acts on data. Autonomous Directional Drilling technologies are built upon four distinct pillars: intelligent planning, intelligent execution, surface automation and downhole automation. To achieve downhole automation, Schlumberger has released a downhole automated control system—an advanced and intelligent close-loop control unit—that acquires, interprets and acts upon data to drill better wells faster. The system performs corrections immediately, ensuring drilling trajectory accuracy and removes data-to-surface delays to improve decision latency, resulting in greater overall directional drilling efficiency. Current Autonomous Directional Drilling applications include auto-vertical, auto-tangent and auto-curve. In the Middle East, an operator used Schlumberger’s Autonomous Directional Drilling to drill curves on four wells, which enabled the operator to reduce downlinks to the rotary steerable system by 49% as compared to offset wells drilled in manual mode, while achieving a 37% increase in ROP. 

Companies team up to offer frac optimization system

NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. has released the IntelliStim fracturing optimization system and has completed its first project for a major operator in the Midcontinent region. The IntelliStim system packages the full array of NexTier’s NexHub digital technologies into a comprehensive offering that will enable NexTier customers to monitor every aspect of the completion operation in real time, including detailed downhole visualizations to verify the fracturing treatment is performing as planned. The system builds upon the company’s focused strategy of integrated wellsite operations that improve wellsite performance and decrease oilfield operators’ ultimate cost per barrel. Using personnel already on location to quickly deploy instrumentation, the system is designed to merge seamlessly and without interruption in today’s high-efficiency fracturing operations. From pre-job treatment design to offset well monitoring, stage-by-stage performance assessments and detailed visualization of downhole fracture propagation during pumping, all surface and downhole data will be hosted on the NexHub Digital Center and displayed using the Corva visualization platform. The IntelliStim system uses Silixa's Carina sensing system to assess frac design performance in real time. The Carina system incorporates a Constellation fiber-equipped sensing wireline cable to cost-effectively monitor fracture growth, azimuthal development and cluster efficiency while pumping. With the ability to be repeatedly deployed and retrieved in multiple offset wells via a NexTier wireline truck, this Silixa intervention tool is designed to achieve the most accurate measurements and highest signal-to-noise ratio in the industry. 

Electromagnetic flowmeter has no moving parts, eliminating pressure drop and minimizing maintenance requirements

OleumTech
OleumTech has released the new Mag Meter to its H Series line of hardwired instrumentation. (Source: OleumTech)

OleumTech has released an electromagnetic flowmeter as another addition to its H Series hardwired instrumentation line. The HEFM Magnetic Flow Meter (Mag Meter) is designed to improve performance, while delivering reliability and accuracy ideal for oil and gas, petrochemical, and water and wastewater applications. The Mag Meter offers PTFE lining material, a backlit local display interface and various self-diagnostic features for managing critical device health. The flowmeters can be custom ordered using a variety of line sizes, materials and power options to fit the needs of OleumTech end users. Measurement is independent of fluid density, viscosity, temperature, pressure and conductivity. Additional highlights include two measuring points inside the meter with no moving parts to eliminate pressure drop; IP67 protection, robust construction and materials; AC or DC power supply option; and operating temperatures between -4 F and 248 F.

Dynamic micro-CT system for soil sciences in oil E&P

TESCAN
TESCAN's dynamic micro-CT system provides insight to a sample’s internal structure as well as its behavior under environmental conditions over time. (Source: TESCAN)

TESCAN ORSAY HOLDING has released its UniTOM HR, the first dynamic micro-CT system to offer sub-micron resolution 3D non-destructive imaging for static studies and high-temporal resolution for uninterrupted 4D dynamic CT experiments. UniTOM HR is ideal for both industrial and academic researchers that need micro-CT imaging to visualize a sample’s internal structure and also want to gain a deeper understanding of a sample’s behavior under certain environmental conditions. This is especially useful for soil sciences in oil E&P. The technology can characterize newly developed materials at the highest possible micro-CT spatial resolution, a requirement for sub-micron scale static 3D imaging. It can also provide researchers with a better understanding of how these new materials and functional components created from these materials will behave under changing conditions through real-time, not time-lapse, visualizations.

Cloud-based data visualization and insights platform

NDT Global has released the OPTIX Data Visualization and Insights Platform, providing pipeline operators with a cloud-based dashboard to visualize all inline inspection (ILI) data in one accessible location. Digitization of the final inspection report, combined with the ease of filtering and arranging relevant data, allows operators to better understand their ILI results and make more informed decisions to ensure the integrity of their pipelines. The platform provides a comprehensive view of pipeline conditions not previously available, bringing together results from many inspection runs. Continued advancement in ILI technologies has led to significantly more data to extract and interpret. Moving to a secure, cloud-based platform makes those data readily available and accessible, allowing each end user to explore the information relevant to them and gain insights based on their specific needs. Having this information at their fingertips means operators can make better pipeline decisions quickly.

Renewable technology offers distribution line data, breaking into the carbon sequestration space

LandGate
New features on landgate.com include facts and analysis, distribution lines, interconnection queues, upload/manage shapefile, powerplant historical production and carbon sequestration data. (Source: LandGate)

With LandGate, users can get facts and analysis on every parcel including solar or wind farm activity, sale or lease values, buildable acreage, nearest substation, local incentives and potential number of solar panels or wind turbines. LandGate has expanded distribution line coverage and hosting capacity, which is available at the distribution line level. It displays interconnection queue data so users can see what projects are being planned to connect to the grid. LandGate has added LandEstimates for carbon storage values on every parcel in the U.S. where users can view soil types, tree canopy, carbon credit estimates and carbon capture data (tons/year). In terms of upcoming features, subscribers will soon be able to access hosting capacity for both transition lines and substations. LandGate is working to make available production data for solar farms across the U.S. The dataset will include full economics and forecasted cash flow of solar farms.

Interactive online platform offers new way to transact

Alzare is a new full-service digital platform that connects energy clients with energy professionals to cost-effectively facilitate the provision of products, services and solutions. By bringing together the three main arms of the energy industry—companies, lenders and employees—the digital platform improves deficiencies in the provision of oilfield and energy services, leveling the playing field, creating large-scale employment and helping individuals and businesses establish a visible and active brand. The technology offers a new way to transact and provide and obtain services and products.