Halliburton Unveils Latest Advancement in Horizontal Completions

- Halliburton Unveils Latest Advancement in Horizontal Completions

Monday, August 15, 2011
Halliburton Co.

Halliburton has deployed the most recent addition to its horizontal completion portfolio. The new RapidFrac™ completion system allows operators to set new standards for fracture completion efficiency and post-fracture production.

This innovative horizontal sliding sleeve completion system is a differentiating technology that allows for enhanced reservoir contact. In a changing landscape where operators are drilling longer laterals that require increasingly complex completions, the RapidFrac system delivers several unique differences from the "plug and perforate" system and other similar techniques.

The RapidFrac system uses a metering process that enables a single ball to open multiple sleeves isolated within an interval by swellable packers. Each RapidFrac sleeve can be tailored to specific fracture requirements along a horizontal wellbore so as to enhance post-frack production. Up to 90 sleeves can be incorporated into any one horizontal completion, ensuring maximized stimulated reservoir volume. By facilitating continuous pumping, the RapidFrac system reduces stimulation cycle time from days to hours and reduces the volume of water consumed.

"The RapidFrac system allows operators to optimize completion design, reduce operational risk, and materially reduce the time to first hydrocarbons," said Marc Edwards, senior vice president, Halliburton Completion and Production Division. "This technology also enables Halliburton to increase the utilization of its unconventional asset fleet."

Although initial system deployments have occurred in the Bakken Shale with Brigham Exploration and Williams Production Company, this technology has application for shale developments on a global basis.

"Brigham's success in the Bakken has been driven by its early adoption of game-changing technologies," said Lance Langford, executive vice president, Brigham Exploration. "We believe our industry is in the very early stage of developing tools and techniques to optimally exploit the Bakken and working with Halliburton to successfully launch its RapidFrac system is an example of what can be done in this world class resource."

In order to prove this technology with Halliburton, Williams drilled two comparable offset wells. The first was completed with the traditional "plug and perforate" method and the second utilized the RapidFrac system.

"The new RapidFrac completion system delivered significant performance benefits," said William Stenzel, vice president, Williams Williston. "(The) RapidFrac (system) enabled us to complete the well in less than half the time of a "plug and perforate" system, while delivering a stronger early time production performance. This is a major step forward in completion efficiency."

Halliburton continues to develop technical innovations designed to address the efficiency and effectiveness of unconventional hydrocarbon development, while meeting the highest environmental and safety standards.

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Schlumberger Launches Latest Additions to ACTive Family of CT Services

- Schlumberger Launches Latest Additions to ACTive Family of CT Services

Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Schlumberger Ltd.

Schlumberger announced the release of the latest additions to the ACTive family of coiled tubing (CT) services. The ACTive gamma ray (GR) and ACTive tension and compression (TC) make up a new downhole platform that allows operators to obtain a variety of downhole measurements to enable real-time decisions and operational control.

The new platform delivers downhole measurements specifically for internal and external pressure, temperature, casing-collar locator (CCL) depth correlation and optional gamma ray or tension and compression, all in real time. Premium pressure measurements and modularity enable increased confidence and overall job efficiency during CT interventions.

"The ACTive service allows operators to optimize stimulation design, reduce time on location and improve operational success. Additionally, raw reservoir properties are measured and downhole tool status can also be provided with the latest ACTive family additions," said Dominique Malard, president, Schlumberger Well Services. "This knowledge translates to the optimization of resources and increased production."

On-depth perforating and effective placement of packers is achieved through real-time depth correlation against the formation with a pump-through GR module. Wellbore and reservoir depth correlation can also be achieved with these latest ACTive family additions, as well as the industry's first pump-through, pressure compensated downhole tension and compression measurements. Depth accuracy for precision applications such as perforating and zonal isolation is given with the combination of the real-time collar location and GR measurements.

Saudi Aramco was looking for a solution to decrease water cut and revive oil production in a slanted openhole producer well that was drilled and completed in 2002. The ACTive in-well live performance service was selected, including the ACTive TC and ACTive GR, in combination with the CoilFLATE coiled tubing through-tubing packer, to isolate the production zone from the water source and create a precise cement placement. The well was successfully revived, with postjob production rising to 13,500 bbl/d of oil with just 10% water cut on a fully open choke.

The ACTive family of services provides live downhole measurements that are conveyed on a fiber-optic enabled CT. The system is made up of a bottomhole assembly, surface electronics and dynamic interpretation software. The ACTive family offers solutions for various applications such as matrix acidizing, wellbore cleanout, perforating, zonal isolation, lift operations and Distributed Temperature Survey profiling.

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Pacific Drilling Receives Latest Drillship

- Pacific Drilling Receives Latest Drillship

Thursday, June 02, 2011
Pacific Drilling S.A.

Pacific Drilling has received delivery of its newest drillship, the Pacific Mistral. The Pacific Mistral can operate in water depths of up to 12,000 feet and drill wells of up to 35,000 feet total depth. The rig features technologically advanced equipment that allows customers to improve drilling efficiency, including offline handling capabilities.

Pacific Drilling CEO Chris Beckett stated, "We are proud to announce the delivery of the Pacific Mistral. This constitutes the third on-time, on-budget delivery in Pacific Drilling's fleet of six premium ultra-deepwater drillships. The final payment to the shipyard was substantially funded by our Project Facilities Agreement lenders, consisting of two Export Credit Agencies and nine commercial banks based in the United States and Europe. We are in the advanced stages of negotiations with several major E&P companies and expect to announce a drilling contract for the Pacific Mistral in the near future."

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BP, MOEX Agree to $1.1B Settlement for Macondo Spill

- BP, MOEX Agree to $1.1B Settlement for Macondo Spill

Friday, May 20, 2011
BP plc

BP has reached agreement with MOEX and its affiliates, Mitsui Oil Exploration and MOEX USA, to settle all claims between the companies related to the Deepwater Horizon accident.

MOEX - which had a ten percent interest in the Macondo well - has joined BP in recognizing and acknowledging the findings by the Presidential Commission that the accident was the result of a number of separate risk factors, oversights and outright mistakes by multiple parties and a number of causes. Like BP, MOEX Offshore has also recognized and acknowledged the conclusions of the United States Coast Guard that, among other things, the safety management systems of both Transocean and its Deepwater Horizon rig had significant deficiencies that rendered them ineffective in preventing the accident. MOEX has concluded that entering into a settlement with BP is in its best interest. The agreement is not an admission of liability by any party regarding the accident.

Under the settlement agreement, MOEX USA Corporation, the parent company of MOEX Offshore 2007, will pay BP $ 1.065 billion. BP will immediately apply the payment to the $20 billion trust it established to meet individual, business and government claims, as well as the cost of the Natural Resource Damages.

The parties have also agreed to mutual releases of claims against each other. BP has agreed to indemnify MOEX for compensatory claims arising from the accident. BP's indemnity excludes civil, criminal or administrative fines and penalties, claims for punitive damages, and certain other claims.

"This settlement is an important step forward for BP and the Gulf communities," said BP group chief executive Bob Dudley. "MOEX is the first company to join BP in helping to meet our shared responsibilities in the Gulf, and Mitsui, through MOEX USA Corporation, is showing great corporate citizenship in standing behind its affiliate and making a contribution to meet the costs of this tragic accident. We call on the other parties involved in the Macondo well to follow the lead of the MOEX and Mitsui parties."

BP and the Mitsui group are committed to enhancing their business relationship globally now that the issues surrounding the Macondo well have been resolved between the two companies.

Today's settlement is the most recent step BP has taken to raise funds to help BP meet its commitments in the Gulf of Mexico. BP has so far concluded agreements for asset divestments totaling approximately $25 billion, and has recently announced that it will also divest a number of operated oil and gas fields in the UK and two of its US refineries - Texas City and Carson - along with their associated marketing interests.

BP is also working to ensure that the other parties involved in the Macondo well - notably, Transocean, which owned and operated the Deepwater Horizon rig; Halliburton, which designed and pumped the unstable cement that the Presidential Commission found was a key cause of the accident; and Anadarko, which owned 25 percent of the project - contribute appropriately. From the outset, BP has committed to paying all legitimate claims and fulfilling its obligations to the Gulf communities under the Oil Pollution Act. To date, BP has paid nearly $6 billion in claims.

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Schlumberger Unveils Latest Version of Wellbore Software Platform

- Schlumberger Unveils Latest Version of Wellbore Software Platform

Monday, May 16, 2011
Schlumberger Ltd.

At the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts Annual Symposium, Schlumberger announced the release of Techlog 2011 software.

"This latest release of Techlog enables customization at several levels of granularity—from the corporate perspective, within a project, and for the petrophysicist, geoscientist or engineer," said Stephanie Gottlib-Zeh, vice president, Geoscience and Drilling, Schlumberger Information Solutions (SIS). "This ensures consistency and auditability, while still supporting productivity and personalized workflows for individual users."

The new Pore Pressure Prediction module incorporates industry standard methods to compute the pore pressure and fracture gradients and establish the safe mud weight window to ensure safe drilling operations. The 2011 release also sees the full implementation of GeoFrame ELAN functionality in Techlog, augmenting the existing mineral solver capabilities with the proven algorithms from this industry recognized application. Other advanced applications such as NMR and Wellbore Imaging received significant upgrades in this release.

The 2011 release delivers a complete modernization of the application interface. The new ribbon interface combines highly intuitive icons with complete customization capability—to bring clarity and knowledge sharing directly into the application. A key innovation in usability, the convenient dashboard mode supports automatic window tiling to maximize the workspace and reduce mouse movements. Furthermore, an intelligent right-mouse-click in context brings frequently used tools and actions directly to the users' fingertips. All of these new developments ensure a significant increase in productivity.

The powerful workflow interface enables users to create comprehensive cross-domain analysis workflows that are applicable across single or multiple wells with equal ease. Workflows can be saved and shared as templates, edited and re-applied to new data facilitating consistency, ease of use and efficient sharing of expertise across asset teams.

"With the significant developments in usability, technology from GeoFrame and more advanced expertise contributions from Schlumberger, we continue to develop Techlog as the most capable wellbore package available on the market," said Gottlib-Zeh.

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ABS Offers Guidance for Latest OSVs

ABS Offers Guidance for Latest OSVs

Monday, May 02, 2011
American Bureau of Shipping

Increased sophistication within the offshore support vessel (OSV) market has prompted leading classification society ABS to develop standalone guidance for these more specialized yet multi-functional vessels. Newly developed criteria and relevant existing Rule requirements have been consolidated into the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Offshore Support Vessels.

ABS classes approximately one-third of the worldwide OSV fleet and in the past had reviewed these specialized vessels by following the ABS Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels Under 90 Meters (295 Feet) in Length. The new OSV Guide will be applicable to OSVs of all sizes and it includes specific guidance for the various segments of the global support vessel market.

"Today's support vessels are a far cry from previous designs sharing the same name," says Mike Sano who leads the society's OSV Market Sector Group. "As the search for oil and gas moves into deeper waters, along with increased activity in the renewable offshore energy market, more specialized and technically advanced types of OSVs are needed for various support roles."

ABS engineers are reviewing plans for some of the most technically advanced OSVs being proposed. The recent specialized multipurpose designed vessels carry out maintenance and repairs on platforms, facilities and subsea piping, equipment and systems. The new requirements from ABS are tailored for these new generation vessels.

"The Guide takes a comprehensive approach toward OSV design," says Wei Huang, ABS Manager, Offshore Technology and principal author of the Guide. "New categories of offshore service types such as well intervention and oil spill recovery vessels are included along with updates for advances in specialized equipment."

The OSV Guide consists of four major sections: scope and conditions of classification; hull construction and equipment; machinery and systems; and offshore support services. Material and welding, strengthening for navigation in ice, and survey during and after construction are referenced from the ABS Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels. The intent is to evolve the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Offshore Support Vessels into Rules during the society's next Rule making cycle.

Included in the OSV Guide are explanations of notations reflecting specialized capabilities such as transportation of supplies and equipment, towing and anchoring of offshore structures, fire fighting, diving, oil spill recovery, safety standby rescue, pipe laying, handling heavy surface and subsea loads, well intervention, well stimulation, well test and wind farm support.

Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.

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BP Signs Agreement to Restore GOM Projects

BP Signs Agreement to Restore GOM Projects

Thursday, April 21, 2011
BP plc

BP has signed a ground breaking agreement with federal and state agencies that will accelerate work starting this year to restore areas of the Gulf of Mexico that were affected by the Deepwater Horizon accident.


The agreement commits up to $1 billion to projects that will restore injured natural resources in the Gulf at the earliest opportunity. It allows projects important to the Gulf's recovery to begin now, as early restoration projects, rather than waiting for the Trustees to complete all of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) studies that are underway. The projects will undergo public review before they are funded, and priority will be assigned to projects aimed at improving areas that offer the greatest benefits to wildlife, habitat, and recreational use.

"BP believes early restoration will result in identified improvements to wildlife, habitat and related recreational uses in the Gulf, and our voluntary commitment to that process is the best way to get restoration projects moving as soon as possible," said Lamar McKay, chairman and president, BP America Inc. "Our voluntary agreement to accelerate restoration projects builds upon the cooperative approach BP has taken toward working with Gulf communities and regulators since the accident, and in assessing the potential injury to natural resources. We hope to work in partnership with the Trustee Council to address injured resources in the Gulf as soon as possible. We believe the early restoration projects to be funded through this agreement represent the best way forward in restoring the Gulf."

BP's commitment to early restoration is not required by the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) at this stage of the NRD process, and will have the effect of speeding up restoration work that otherwise likely would be deferred for several years, while the NRD assessment continues.

OPA directs the federal and state Trustees to study potential injuries, complete a report that identifies the injuries resulting from the incident, and develop restoration plans to address the identified injuries. The process typically takes years to complete. Shortly after the incident, BP began working with federal and state agencies to collect data needed to assess damages to natural resources, through the NRDA process. Over 100 cooperative studies are underway to evaluate the potential for injury to all types of wildlife and habitat in the Gulf of Mexico.

Under the expedited restoration framework made possible by this agreement, and to allow restoration to begin as quickly as possible, the Trustees will use the study data they have collected to date to identify injuries that are evident now and propose plans to restore those resources at the earliest opportunity, focusing on projects that can start in 2011 and 2012. According to the agreement, "the Parties intend to work cooperatively to seek to achieve significant, meaningful restoration of natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico."

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