The new rig has a drilling depth capacity of 18,000 ft (5,490 m). The drilling structure can skid up to 140 ft (42.7 m) in one direction and 10 ft (3 m) in another direction from the initial well location to allow simultaneous drilling and production operations, while eliminating multiple rig moves. (Image courtesy of IDM)

New drilling system designed

Grey Wolf Inc., a provider of contract oil and gas land drilling services in the United States, owns and operates a fleet of 121 drilling rigs. The company has introduced a new fit-for-purpose drilling system. The PaDSRig (Production and Drilling System) is designed and manufactured by IDM Group. Pad drilling has emerged as a way to minimize environmental impact because it allows multiple-well access to larger areas and targets beneath sensitive surface environments such as lakes, towns, national forests, parks and wildlife areas. Combined with directional drilling techniques, multiple-well pad drilling has been used to reduce initial habitat disturbance by as much as two-thirds or more.

PaDSRig No. 109 was debuted on April 25, 2008. The rig was engineered and manufactured in Houston by IDM Group and represents IDM’s Polar Developer Class of cold-climate drilling systems. It incorporates IDM’s QuickSkid pad drilling technology.

The QuickSkid system features the ability for the rig to skid on a rail track in single- or bi-directional planes from the initial well to other producing wells on the pad.
The new rig has a drilling depth capacity of 18,000 ft (5,490 m). The drilling structure can skid up to 140 ft (42.7 m) in one direction and 10 ft (3 m) in another direction from the initial well location to allow simultaneous drilling and production operations, while eliminating multiple rig moves. AC technology enhances drilling control and improves fuel efficiency. It features a 28-ft (8.5 m) high drilling floor, 375-ton block and 375-ton hook load rating, and is operable in harsh environments down to -5°F (-20°C). Rig 109 will commence operations in the second quarter of 2008 and has a three-year term contract with Plains Exploration and Production Company. It will be working in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. www.idmequipment.com

Shale questions answered

Halliburton’s ShaleEval service helps operators, geologists, and engineers answer key questions at critical junctures during the life of shale asset. Through the Duncan Technology Center, teams of experts apply analytical and interpretive skills to provide better understanding of a shale reservoir. The process is divided into four screening stages, which are used to determine the sample shale’s formation, fluids, and its susceptibility to fracture treatment and evaluation. It also uses a candidate selection process with the company’s ultra-low permeability testing apparatus. The result is an optimized analysis of a shale reservoir all the way through post-treatment. www.halliburton.com
Fast-acting well control boosts efficiency

Rugged and compact, the in-riser SenTURIAN control system operates all models of Schlumberger’s record-setting subsea well control systems. The new control system incorporates evolutionary improvements in performance and operating efficiency. The modular design enables full compliance with ISO 13628-7 standards by offering electronic redundancy and pressure readouts for each subsea function. Operational safety comes from built-in electro-hydraulic actuation circuitry that can close all valves and unlatch a completion landing string in as little as 15 seconds. This fast-acting system can benefit well control operations performed from a floating vessel.

Engineered to operate SenTREE completion landing string systems in water depths to 15,000 ft (4,572 m), the control system is primarily designed for completion installations and flow-back operations performed from a dynamically positioned vessel. However, the compact and simple design also makes it suitable for anchored vessel operations. A direct result of advanced engineering design, the system requires fewer electrical cables, reducing the diameter of the control umbilical and risk of damage during installation. Its modular design provides simplified operation and maintenance and enables customization to meet project-specific requirements. The control system is certified in accordance with reliability standard IEC 61508, SIL 2 for safety-related systems. www.slb.com

Formation logging tool launched

GE Energy’s Oilfield Technology, which incorporates the recent Sondex acquisition portfolio, launched its new Sondex Ultrawire Formation Logging Tools (U-FLT) at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston. The Sondex U-FLT is an openhole system that integrates high-end formation evaluation sensors into turnkey systems that are reliable and easy to maintain. The suite of U-FLT logging tools helps collect formation information that is vital in determining the commercial viability of a well. www.gecom/energy

New sonar capable of 3-D imaging

Subsea visualization specialist SRD’s Eclipse is a new sonar imaging system with 3-D measurement capability. This is the first product launch since SRD’s inclusion within the Tritech International Group. Aimed at the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) market, it will be supported by Tritech’s global distribution network. Eclipse is ideally suited for all but the smallest subsea vehicles. A single housing incorporates an orthogonal pair of dual transmit and receive multibeam arrays, operating at 240 kHz with a range of up to 396 ft (120 m). The system uses the developer’s innovative electronic transmit beam-shaping technology, providing the user with a high-performance imaging system which is considerably more versatile than conventional 2-D sonar. Eclipse can be used in volume visualization, forward looking, and profile imaging modes. 3-D Volume Visualization provides a realistic graphical representation of scanned objects. By electronically steering the horizontal or vertical transmit beam, successive scans illuminate a volume ahead of the sonar over a 120° by 45° field of view. This is converted in real time to a full 3-D image. A scan rate up to 140 kHz is possible at close range, with 7 Hz update rate at 330 ft (100 m) range.

Additional flexibility allows the user to generate images in either vertical or horizontal planes, with a measurement tool providing range and bearing to any acoustic target. In Forward Looking mode the transmit beam is electronically shaped to provide an instantaneous wide field of view. In the Profile Imaging mode the vertical or horizontal transmit beam is electronically narrowed for enhanced measurement capability. The system is ideal for many subsea and surveillance applications. www.srduk.com

Polymer stick increases efficiency

The Chemical Marketing Company’s WPS Polymer Stick is designed to increase efficiency and eliminate safety hazards during the drilling of crude oil and natural gas wells. The drilling process generates cuttings that must be flushed or swept from the well to maximize efficiency of the drilling operation. Conventionally, this sweeping process has been carried out by pouring a liquid polymer into the drill string from the surface. The WPS Polymer stick is introduced into the mud system by inserting a stick directly into the drill pipe while making a connection. As the fluid moves down the drill string, the polymer stick dissolves and sheers at the bit causing a sweeping action. Applying the polymer in stick form eliminates waste in buckets and the threat of waste from spills is removed. The polymer stick also eliminates accidents caused by spilt liquid polymer. The polymer stick increases the penetration rate and drilling efficiency of the drilling process by preventing the clays from sticking and minimizes bit and stabilizer balling. It can be used in both fresh and salt water operations. It decreases wear on the drilling string and will increase the life on downhole motors and bits due to the slick film on the metal surfaces. www.plasterandwald.com