Voices: “What are the main technology trends for your sector this year?”

In 2014, we expect to see an emphasis on automation and control systems to enhance rig efficiency and safety. Multi- Machine Control is one technology that will expand beyond the drill floor to improve the consistency of other complex handling situations such as delivering riser to the drill floor and automate the sand building process. Pipe Interlock Management and improved Anti Collision Systems will increase the safety of the machinery systems to prevent collisions and loose pipe incidents. Machine Control Diagnostic Tools will improve the ability of the operators and technicians to understand what interlocks are preventing an action that allows the driller to clear the interlock rather than reaching for the override. The newly developed simulators that are based on rigspecific software will help to improve HIL testing, software quality checks, and user training. This will be installed on several newbuild rigs for onsite training.

 

Svein Ove Aanesland, Strategic Rig Packages Director, NOV

Well intervention, whether it is slickline or coiled tubing, is carried out for many reasons, and in some cases, the purpose may be to a fix a problem with the prize only being to restore the well to the previous production rate. However, whatever the reason, any additional information gained can be invaluable. Technology developments relating to data gathering during interventions will be a key driver for the future.

 

Michael Taggart, Engineering Manager, Baker Hughes, and Chairman, ICoTA Europe Chapter

Stringent testing protocols, including scenarios of survival loads or worst case discharge, have led to changes in string designs in order to safely meet challenges and drilling hazards in deepwater operations. Increased formation pressure and temperatures demand superior products with enhanced collapse and burst, increased remaining body wall, controlled yield range and extreme tight clearance. To meet these requirements, Tenaris has developed two new products for Shell’s Olympus TLP project: the TenarisHydril Wedge 623™ Dopeless® connection featuring both internal and external metal-to-metal seals and the TenarisHydril Blue® Riser, which has an exceptional level of fatigue resistance and sealability performance.

 

Julie Mathis, Technical Sales Manager, US, Tenaris

Most oil and gas companies have had internal applicant tracking systems for a number of years to both advertise new career opportunities and manage applicants but what we are starting to find is that companies are now developing the connectivity of these systems to support a much wider range of functionality. With the advancement in technology companies can now manage benefits, provide new starter inductions, manage performance and career development, process payroll and support PTO policies, as well allowing managers to forecast future staffing budgets.

 

James Bradley, Permanent Hire Recruitment Manager, NES Global Talent

The biggest challenge we’re seeing in our offshore business in the US is how best to work with partners to apply technology in ways that increases oil recovery from ultra-deep reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico. Our experience in Norway with applying a wide range of advanced technologies that boosts recovery rates had led to significant increases in oil produced and extended field life, and we’ve now set a new target in Norway of achieving 60% recovery rates. We believe recovery rates may double in some GOM fields. At the same time, any technology we bring forward has to be aligned with our corporate priorities around safety and environmental responsibility.

 

Jason Nye, Senior Vice President, US Offshore, Statoil

As the industry looks to exploit more challenging plays, delivering the most advanced technologies in a cost effective manner is an issue that the global oil and gas sector now faces. In well testing, increasing the value from wells and fields, optimizing well performance, and increasing efficiency, as well as reducing safety and environmental concerns is huge challenge. In response we’ve created a range of cost effective solutions, including our wireless gauges, clamp-on metering, trailer mounted packages for land wells and small footprint systems for offshore to answer the technological challenges in this area.

 

Daniel More, Group Technology Director, Expro

Finding and developing hydrocarbon resources is becoming more challenging and expensive, driving the need for more accurate subsurface images that can be quantitatively interpreted, such as those resulting from massive wide azimuth long offset surveys. In the marine environment, this requirement has made seabed seismic technology not only more price competitive but also more desirable due to the superior quality of the resulting images and the more complete physics. ION is taking a holistic approach to seabed seismic, including our seabed cable system, CalypsoTM, innovative acquisition designs, a full suite of processing algorithms for compressional and converted wave, and a full quantitative interpretation.

 

Jacques Leveille, Senior Vice President, Technology Advisor, ION Geophysical