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There's some good news in the drilling industry relating to making hole. Drill bits are no longer the weak link in the drilling process. Higher hydraulics, rotary speed, torque, and [...]

GlobalSantaFe designed the GSF Development Driller I to meet deepwater drilling challenges, and it is optimized for development drilling and subsea completion projects. Its design includes 18,000 sq ft of [...]

RC Technology has developed Data Stem, a line monitoring system that allows the operator to acquire well log information in the form of pressure and temperature during any slickline, braided [...]

Glenwood-based Kerotest Manufacturing Corp., an employee-owned industrial valve maker, use established templates to guide their decision-making and bring structure to the process of bringing new products to market. One of the Kerotest's templates is based on a blueprint adapted by Catalyst Connection, a Hazelwood based nonprofit that helps manufacturers with marketing and product development plans, technology upgrades, among other services.

Deepwater design specialist GustoMSC has developed two new concepts for mild environment operations. One is a dry tree production semisubmersible targeted at West Africa, a sector dominated hitherto by FPSOs [...]

Three recent releases from developing companies unveil interesting new technologies worth noting. These include: 1) a new process for upgrading heavy oil; 2) a downhole stimulation tool; and 3) subsea [...]

GVA Consultants has designed a new semisubmersible geared for production deepwater fields in the Gulf of Mexico. The GVA 3000, good for water depths of 1,000-3,000 m, is aimed at [...]

Baker Oil Tools has developed a premium downhole sand exclusion device that Baker says has a combination of mechanical advantages. The EXPress Expandable Screen System combines the sand controllability of [...]

The first attempt in the US to tap methane hydrates, a potentially immense source of future energy, is using what could be the forerunner of a new type of onshore [...]

A new water management technology features a relative permeability modifier (RPM) that selectively blocks water flow to the well without blocking oil or gas. AquaCon RPM technology was developed by [...]

The U.S. DOE has begun a new advanced technology project to explore stratigraphic traps using nine component (9C) seismic acquisition. 9C is really 3C with a twist. A simple explanation: [...]

McElroy Manufacturing recently improved the fusion machine that is said to have revolutionized the industry of polyethylene pipe fusion. The new TracStar 500 Series II adds strength and versatility to [...]

Balmoral Group took its observations about buoyancy needs, added what it found lacking in broken modules that entered its repair yard, and molded these findings into the UltraFloat and, later, [...]

While Dolphin Drilling's Belford Dolphin drillship was en route from Trinidad to Brazil, a new system was being used to inspect the vessel's drilling riser. Dolphin was required to provide [...]

A new environmentally friendly and cost-effective marine heavy-lift concept could be a viable alternative to the existing heavy lifting methods. SeaMetric International AS is developing the Twin Marine Lifter, a [...]

One of the more interesting pieces of drilling equipment at the recent OTC exhibit was the Hex Pump 150 on National Oilwell's stand. The prototype displayed will be further tested [...]

Development of rig floor equipment that will allow the continuous circulation of drilling mud while making a drill pipe connection is nearing completion. The principal tool, using the configuration of [...]

A DOE-sponsored project has resulted in a new, low-cost sonic scale remover for use in natural gas wells. The tool was proven in wells in a gas-storage withdrawal setting. Cleaning [...]

Expandable tubular technology is at the forefront of some of the latest well engineering designs. A unique and patented technique has been successfully developed and tested by READ Well Services, [...]

The development of remote, deepwater oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, and Brazil has posed a challenge to oil companies because of the absence of pipeline infrastructures. In [...]

Dutch heavy lift specialist Jumbo has developed a modular crane extension system that will enable its two J-1600 newbuilds to offer heavy-lift transport, with installation capability. The J1600s will be [...]

Conoco and Tesco Corp. have jointly announced plans to construct three revolutionary drilling rigs using Tesco's proprietary Casing Drilling technology. The rigs will operate under an exclusive contract to Conoco [...]

An extensive, complex conversion of Heerema Marine Contractors' semi-submersible crane vessel, Balder, into a multipurpose deepwater construction vessel (MDCV) has been successfully completed, after more than 1.2 million man-hours were [...]

The service life of ABB Vetco Gray's drill cuttings re-injection system will be extended, thanks to erosion research carried out by BHRSolutions. Experiments carried out at the fluid engineering center [...]

ABB Offshore Systems has set in motion the 30@3000 research and development program, through which it aims to extend its subsea capability to the design, supply, installation, and maintenance of [...]

Marsco (Houston) completed a series of Gulf of Mexico in-situ vane shear tests in water depths ranging from 4,700 ft to 7,700 [...]

Unconsolidated formations in the deepwater offshore West Africa sometimes result in less than desirable core recovery necessary for exploration and appraisal programs in the area. A 100% core recovery rate [...]

Part 2--Twenty-five innovations for downhole/surface electrical submersible pumping (ESP) equipment/software, and other artificial-lift technology In Part 1, presented last month, 19 new developments covered: six beam pumping; four progressing cavity [...]

Tom Leeson is general marketing manager for the subsea product line of the Expro Group, based in Aberdeen. He is responsible for driving new product development, identification and implementation of [...]

The Z-ball Gold zirconia ball is suited for sucker rod pumps running under corrosive or abrasive conditions. Compared with the previous generation (white) Z-ball, the new valve has higher fracture [...]

THE AUTHORS Stephane Anres is a section leader in the R&D Division of Bouygues Offshore SA and project manager for the development of several deepwater concepts including barge type and [...]

New technology is allowing operators to install steel catenary risers (SCR) on floating production systems (FPS). According to Oil States Industries Inc., its FlexJoint technology will accommodate FPS motion. SCRs [...]

Pipeline Integrity International (PII), the former BG subsidiary, is developing a remotely operated Crawler pig. The project was initiated following PII's production of a tethered inspection vehicle. The Crawler uses [...]

Robotic Camera Systems (RCS), Calgary, has developed a camera that can enter on-line pressure vessels for inspection. This camera can be inserted remotely, rotated, and articulated. Its video is recorded [...]

ABB Vetco Gray is developing a serrated steel flowline that could serve as an alternative to flexible pipe in the short jumper market, and possibly other applications. The product is [...]

Rowan is building the world's largest mobile jackup drilling unit - the Super Gorilla V. According to Rowan Drilling, the Super Gorilla V is a Rowan/LeTourneau enhanced Gorilla-class, slotilever, cantilever [...]

Baker Oil Tools has developed a high-pressure, high-torque packer system which directs and permanently places a whipstock within a cased wellbore in exiting casing. Weatherford Enterra has developed a retrievable window milling system which reduces the number of required wellbore trips and, if wellbore conditions are favorable, enables all operations to be completed in one trip. Both technologies will potentially facilitate casing exit operations., Two innovative technologies recently developed promise to make exiting casing a bit easier. A high-pressure, high-torque packer system developed by Baker Oil Tools permanently orients and anchors a whipstock in [...]

According to a press release from Aker, the Oslo-based engineering giant, it has developed and is ready to build, a new type of floating platform that will make the difference [...]

Successful trials have been performed off the Belgian coast with a new type of trenching method called flow dredging. For these tests, the hopper suction dredger Antigoon was directed towards [...]

Woerden-based Suction Pile Technology has developed a new design for a reusable, lightweight wellhead platform suited for remote, shallow water marginal oil and gasfields. The design was presented to various [...]