Vol. 59 No. 1
January 2007
Dennis Denney, JPT Technology Editor
Metal-to-Metal Expandable Seal
Baker Oil Tools’ Z-Seal metal-to-metal expandable seal
Baker Oil Tools now uses metal-to-metal high-expansion Z-Seal technology, increasing the capability of its downhole equipment to provide pressure integrity, particularly in hostile high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) environments. The high-expansion sealing device uses expanding metal in place of elastomers to form a high-integrity pressure seal against the tubular wall. The seal is made entirely of metal, making it highly insensitive to temperature failure and able to withstand high-pressure forces. The seal makes intervention possible in hostile well environments that previously were deemed inoperable. The metal seal expands to as much as 160% of its original size while maintaining true HP/HT performance. It also uses applied differential pressure to exert additional self-energizing load to reinforce the seal. The system can be retracted fully in applications that require tool retrieval. The system has a low profile and a small outside diameter for protection from mechanical damage, and it conforms to irregular bore shapes. Currently, the technology is used as a medium- to high-expansion solution for bridge plugs, straddle systems, and flow-control devices.
For additional information, visit www.bakeroiltools.com.
Streamlined Drilling Operations
Production Access Inc. and Petris Technology Inc. announced the integration of Operations Center and PetrisWINDS DrillNET, respectively. This effort combines the capabilities of these drilling and well-data products to increase data access and reuse. Operations Center provides an integrated platform to manage operational data for drilling and well work and for production operations. The system streamlines the acquisition and management of this information. DrillNET provides a suite of planning tools for drilling-program design and execution, including the ability to view data while drilling for near-real-time decision making. The networking capability permits data to be shared, stored, and reused among system users. Networking promotes collaboration, which in turn allows reuse of program data. Designed to display text in multiple languages, drilling engineers work in the language of their choice, even if reports must be generated in another language. The modular configuration allows the use of most-needed applications. Discrete scenarios that are based on variations in input data can be modeled for quick assessment of potential program outcomes. Input can be adjusted during drilling with real data and new models generated to assess the progress of the program.
For additional information, visit www.petris.com.
High-Speed Streaming Data
Sperry Drilling Services and IntelliServ Inc. have interfaced technologies and tested a system that uses the IntelliServ Network drillstring telemetry to transfer all the data and information generated by downhole drilling and formation-evaluation tools to the surface in real time, at rates up to 10,000 times those previously available. The network, which is fully compatible with the Sperry INSITE logging-while-drilling services, offers new drilling and formation-evaluation capabilities, including the transmission of high-resolution images of the subsurface in real time. The data-management service enables drilling and other relevant rigsite data to be collected, transmitted, replicated, and managed in real time. The service can provide team collaboration and real-time data use to improve placements of complex horizontal wells. The telemetry system enables instantaneous bidirectional communication between the drill floor and the drill bit. Commands from the surface, or between downhole devices, can be sent, received, and acted upon instantly to improve monitoring and measurement of all vital data during downhole operations. Regardless of fluid regime, depth, or formation type, the system provides access to high-volume downhole data while drilling for use in underbalanced drilling. For extended-reach-drilling projects, this system delivers high-speed, high-volume data from downhole tools, regardless of drilling depth.
For additional information, e-mail sperry@Halliburton.com.
Wellhead Outlet
AnTech’s Wellhead Outlet
AnTech Ltd. has introduced its next-generation Wellhead Outlet. The device is used to connect downhole cable to the surface-telemetry system. Typically, it is used in permanently installed pressure- and temperature-monitoring systems. It can accept either one or two conductors and can accommodate most flanged connections. The outlet is certified for use in Zone-1 and -2 hazardous areas. The cablehead is a critical component because it terminates the downhole cable and seals against wellbore pressure with pressure-testable seals. The pressure rating is 10,000 psi. The outlet provides a safe and efficient means of joining downhole electrical cable to the surface cable. If the downhole cable is flooded, the integrity of the wellhead is maintained. The outlet can handle up to 420 V and 7 A, and it has a dual-conductor option. A subsea version also is available.
For additional information, visit www.antech.co.uk.
Subsurface Challenges
Petrel 3D well planning
The Schlumberger Petrel Windows-PC software is an integrated solution for seismic interpretation and reservoir simulation. The common environment and workflow captures knowledge as work progresses, which helps to eliminate information mismatch or information loss that is common with the use of individual applications. Tools from seismic interpretation to simulation, in one application, eliminate import/export problems and promote collaboration. Strong visualization capabilities provide quality control of all data in 3D. Models can be updated instantly when new data arrive, and results can be copied/pasted to any Windows application for reporting and presentation. With a reservoir model in place, the simulation workflow can be used to perform streamline simulation. Advanced scaleup techniques enable the re-creation of geologically accurate models for full reservoir simulation. Utility systems allow designing wells interactively by digitizing the path directly into the 3D window; use of neural-network technology to simulate well logs, surfaces, seismic volumes, and 3D-property models; and data analysis to understand data before modeling and to validate the model afterward. Features include data transformations, trend and distribution analysis, interactive variogram modeling, and histogram and crossplot generation.
For additional information, visit www.slb.com/petrel.
Data Preservation
Neuralog Inc.’s upgraded NeuraScanner is a portable log scanner for preserving logs, maps, core photos, reports, and other data. Many companies have much paper-based knowledge in danger of being lost as fragile well logs and other documents degrade. The scanner has individual red/green/blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) custom-matched to a 600-dpi 24-bit color sensor for high sensitivity to capture detail, and it is especially effective on older or lighter documents such as blue-line logs. The scanning speed is as fast as 10 in./sec in black/white and grayscale modes at 200 dpi. A 2-in./sec delicate-speed setting handles fragile logs. Software innovations enable quick viewing, processing, and printing of images (and log-ASCII-standard files) before analysis. The software includes text annotation and image processing that allows users to optimize the log image from a high-quality archive proof.
For additional information, e-mail sales@neuralog.com.
