E&P Tech: Tenaris Connector Makes Promising Field Debut Offshore Mexico

Perforaciones Marítimas Latina (PML) was the first company in the world to adopt TenarisHydril EasyDock connector. Located off the coast of Tabasco, in Mexican shallow waters, the Koban Field set the perfect stage for the first running of this weld-on connector.

Offshore development wells in this field feature HPHT profiles and light oil production. PML chose TenarisHydril EasyDock as conductor casing for its Koban-5 well, a deviated “J” type with 6,461 M of planned total measured depth (MD). 

PML was looking for a robust conductor casing for offshore applications that would be easy to operate, considering the difficulties associated with an average pipe weight of 5.5 tons. 

“Because this was the first running of the product, we were anxious about the outcome,” said Fernande Valdiviezo, PML engineering and design manager. “We needed to be able to prove its success before actually moving forward with the project. Having on-site technical support during running was a key factor, as we wanted to cover any situation that could arise during the operation.”

Moreover, installation was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding an extra layer of complexity to the project. More than ever, operations at the rig needed to be kept to a minimum in order to minimize risks, and everyone involved in the operation had to comply with health and sanitization protocols, wearing all the mandatory PPE with no exceptions.

An optimized system to complete well architecture

TenarisHydril EasyDock connector relies on extensively tested and field-proven technologies developed by Tenaris. This weld-on connector is suitable for onshore and offshore medium service severity applications and was specially designed to assure quick, trouble-free makeup even under challenging installation conditions.

Its proprietary design, featuring multiple thread starts and few threads per inch, allows for assembly requiring 3/4 of a turn to final makeup. Its fast thread taper enables deep stabbing while self-alignment guides steer the connector preventing pin and box thread misalignment, reducing risk of cross-threading.

Anti-rotational keys (ARKs) provide extra assurance against connector accidental back-off and are pre-installed at Tenaris’ manufacturing facilities, simplifying logistics and operations, with no spare parts and no special tools needed for on-site activation.

Integrated systems

Through the Rig Direct service model, a fully integrated approach that feeds materials from the production units and service centers to the rigs, Tenaris contributes to simpler and more cost-efficient operations.

Rig Direct covers a full range of support, from technical advice for string design and material selection, collaborative demand and supply planning, to efficient supply chain management from the mill to the rig and on-site technical assistance.

“By working under the Rig Direct service model, we partnered with PML throughout the whole project and we were able to integrate the supply of conductors, casing, tubing and services in a single package, instead of looking for solutions with three or four different suppliers,” said Pablo Gómez, Tenaris commercial vice president in Mexico. “We shortened the supply chain and ensured the availability of pipes and accessories in the right quantity, place and time.”

In order to increase efficiency, Tenaris offered RunReady delivery for the Koban-5 project. A total of 22 joints were prepared at its regional service center and delivered ready to be run at the rig. There was no need for the application of running or storage compounds at the yard, simplifying handling operations and saving time. 

In addition, Tenaris provided the float shoe already welded to the first pipe, allowing the crew to operate in a safer rig environment without welding activities. Also, a water bushing was sent as support for the cementing activities.

Preparation is the key to success

During the months prior to installation, Tenaris participated actively in string design and material selection along with the PML team. In order to show the connector’s robustness and overall behavior to the customer, a rig demonstration was carried out at Tenaris’s Rig Direct Academy.

In this training and testing center, located in Veracruz, Mexico, Tenaris technical experts perform real scale running and test premium connections under a wide combination of extreme operating conditions, allowing customers to experience product performance under expected real-life scenarios.

Given there were no previous field records of TenarisHydril EasyDock connector, being able to recreate the actual operating conditions they could face at the rig encouraged the customer to adopt the new product.

Following the rig demo, several meetings were held in order to cover handling and HSE best practices in detail. Before running operations at the rig, a pre-job meeting was held, during which Tenaris field service specialists provided torque values, demonstrated the proper activation of ARKs and ensured that all the required tools were available and in proper conditions. 

TenarisHydril EasyDock connector recorded zero rejects and zero re-makeups. A total of 22 joints reached effective depth at 250 MD. Running speed reached an average of 20 minutes per joint. Deep stabbing made the final assembly fast and easy, showing clear torque stability.