New products

Vol. 228 No. 5

Mobile rotary drill for difficult-to-reach sites

The Atlas Copco RD20 is a truck-mounted rotary, deep-hole drill designed for oil, gas, and coalbed methane drilling. Mounted on a 380-hp, 5-axle, 10 x 6-ft tridem carrier, with manually controlled Detroit lockers on all three rear axles, it can reach most locations under its own power. The separate truck engine and drive train are designed to move the rig down the road at standard highway speeds and provide ample power for off-the-road maneuverability. From the time the unit arrives on location, it typically can be rigged up and be drilling in 1 to 3 hr, with rig-down equally fast. With a 755-hp rig engine and available air-on-board, the rig can handle air-rotary and DHD drilling. Converting for mud service can take less than 15 min. With an Atlas Copco disconnect box, the compressor can be removed from the power train, saving fuel and wear. The two-cylinder carriage feed system and hydraulic top-head drive are designed to deliver 120,000 lb of pullback and 30,000 lb of pulldown force. Tubulars are handled with the rotary head, eliminating the need for a large drawworks and spinner. The torque limit control allows precise torque settings that match pipe and casing requirements. When a joint is torqued to specification, the rotary head automatically stops. Derrick and centralizer table handle Range III casings. With clearance of 51 ft, 7 in., the RD20 can handle 30-ft RD20 pipe or Range II (32 ft) externally upset oil field pipe. The 8,000 ft-lb spur gear tophead drive is designed to maintain full torque, regardless of changes in speed. The rig is powered by a Cummins QSK-19C, 755-hp deck engine and a 1,250-cfm, at 350-psi, Ingersoll-Rand HR2.5 over/under air end.

Low-emission diesel engines

John Deere introduced the PowerTech Plus series of high-performance diesel engines with emissions technology that complies with Tier 3/Stage III A emissions regulations, which will go into effect for 130-kW (175-hp) engines. The major directive of the regulations is 40% NOx reduction. Reducing NOx tends to increase the presence of particulate matter (Pm), but the company was able to reduce NOx and maintain Pm at an acceptable level. PowerTech Plus models are available in 4.5, 6.8, 9.0 and 13.5-liter displacements. The engines feature a high-pressure, common rail fuel system, which increases fuel pressure for more efficient combustion, and full authority electronic controls. They offer a platform and performance similar to, or better than, their Tier 2/Stage II counterparts.

High-power turbodrills

Sii-Neyrfor has developed a short and compact high-energy advanced turbodrill (HEAT) that provides increased torque and rpm to the drill bit. Turbodrills can generate much higher downhole mechanical power than any other downhole drive system under equal hydraulic conditions, due to the vane drive system’s efficiency in converting hydraulic energy from the mud column into mechanical energy at the bit. Because of a new turbine blade profile design, the HEAT tools generate more power and torque from shorter power sections. Shorter tool length provides more efficient drilling operations, as well as more accurate downhole information, since the MWD/LWD can be placed closer to the bit. The turbodrill operates with much lower fluctuating and reactive torque than a positive displacement motor, resulting in easier control of the tool-face. Directional response is improved while retaining three points of stabilization close to the bit. They also allow improved pass-through capability in situations involving high dogleg severity.

Pressure-critical drilling fluid

Baker Hughes Drilling Fluids has introduced the RHEO-LOGIC constant-rheology synthetic-based drilling fluid. This fluid mitigates the rheology�the effects of temperature and pressure on the viscosity of the fluid downhole�allowing operators to better manage dynamic pressures while drilling critical wells. RHEO-LOGIC is simple by design and does not exhibit an elevated viscosity profile. The low-maintenance system reduces mud loss, allows increased trip speeds, improves hole cleaning and enhances overall drilling efficiency in pressure-critical wells.

Corrosion-resistant bolts

Dan-Loc Bolt & Gasket is  introducing a new category of stud bolts for corrosion-resistant applications. The Dan-Loc TuffCor bolt is engineered to provide lower maintenance and extended life in severe environmental conditions, such as offshore and coastal onshore locations. The company developed the new bolt category using salt fog tests conducted by independent labs, in which the bolts lasted 5,000 hr without corroding, compared to standard bolts that corroded after 1,000 hr.  The bolt eliminates rust bleed, reduces breakout torque, and does not require torch cutting.

Material-balance software

 The SimSci-Esscor unit of Invensys Process Systems has introduced simulation and modeling software that converts raw process data into consistent and reliable information to support asset performance management strategies. The new Material Balance Module (MBM) for the company’s Advanced Real-time Performance Modeling (ARPM) suite is a flowsheet-based solution that uses advanced mass and volume reconciliation to reveal sources of random error, bias and gross error in real-time plant data. The MBM software interfaces directly with a plant’s IT infrastructure to automate data reconciliation without additional routine data entry. It combines advanced reconciliation methodologies within a flowsheeting tool to automate creation of daily material balance reports for each major unit, identify bad flow instrumentation, and aid in pinpointing material loss locations. It enables direct drag-and-drop retrieval of process information from a variety of sources, including the DCS, LIMS and data historians with direct embedded interfaces to PHD and PI historians, as well as Invensys’ own InFusion Historian.

Rugged contamination monitor

Schroeder Industries has introduced the TestMate Contamination Monitor for continuous measurement of solid contamination in fluid. The TCM provides users with a small, tough and versatile stationary sensor. It gives instantaneous readings and is able to self-diagnose continuously with error vindication via the status LED. The monitor is designed for connection to hydraulic and lubrication lines with pressures up to 1,450 psi (100 bar) and viscosities up to 4,635 SUS (100 cSt). A small flow of oil is diverted for measurement. Enclosed in a 4-in.-diameter case, it utilizes an optical sensor to measure particles in four sizes: >4, >6, >14 and >21 microns. Measurement results can be output as a contamination code, according to ISO 4406: 1999 or SAE AS 4059 (D).

E&P visualization software 

 Interactive Network Technologies, Inc. (INT) has announced availability of GeoToolkit.NET 2.2. Specifically designed for the Microsoft.NET environment, the software delivers high-performance graphics capabilities for oil and gas E&P applications being developed in the C# language. Developed for data visualization in upstream oil and gas, GeoToolkit.NET is a package of C# libraries, including support for specialized seismic, contour, well log, and well schematic displays.  It also provides advanced features, such as multi-language support, simplified web support and sophisticated vector object handling. Scaled display and hardcopy (including CGM output) are provided.

Coiled tubing logging head

  AnTech Ltd announced the launch of its new coiled tubing (CT) logging head. The logging head features a remotely operated emergency electrical disconnect that makes it possible to carry out a controlled release of the logging head from the coiled tubing. Running electric logging tools improves the effectiveness of CT operations, and these require an electric cable to be run inside the tubing. The new CT logging head provides a secure means of connecting the logging tools to the coiled tubing and the electric line. The electric release disconnect version makes the logging head more robust, and eliminates the possibility of shock or pressure spikes activating the release.

Oilfield sludge remover

 Nalco Company introduced its new Clean N Cor technology, a cleaning and corrosion inhibitor treatment program, designed to protect and maximize production from oil fields with oil sludge deposition. The sludge on the inside of pipelines, often referred to as “schmoo,” can cause serious injection restraints in produced-water injection systems, increased incidence of localized corrosion and higher operating costs. The technology utilizes advanced chemistry and in-field monitoring to provide a treatment solution that removes schmoo deposits from inner pipe walls and filter equipment and then prevents aggressive corrosion from taking place. In lab and field trials, the system removed 99% of oilfield schmoo from dirty production equipment in a fraction of the time it took conventional inhibitors to remove 30%.

Complex graphics processors

 NVIDIA Corp. unveiled a new line of professional graphics solutions: Quadro FX 4600, Quadro FX 5600, and Quadro Plex VCS Model IV, designed to help solve the highly complex professional graphics challenges, including oil and gas exploration. These new solutions offer: next-generation Vertex and Pixel programmability�Shader Model 4.0 enables high performance and ultra-realistic effects for OpenGL and DirectX 10 applications; up to 1.5-GB frame buffers for interactive visualization and real-time processing of large textures and frames, enabling full-scene anti-aliasing; unified architecture capable of dynamically allocating compute, geometry, shading and pixel processing power for optimized GPU performance. Additional features include faster 3D texturing for better performance when zooming and panning high-resolution images; SLI technology for improved graphics performance; dual dual-link display connectivity; and PureVideo technology for picture clarity, smooth video playback, and accurate color and precise image scaling for SD and HD content.