eTools for Safety in Oil
and Gas Well Drilling
and Servicing

Working with industry, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed an online eTool for Well Drilling and Servicing. This eTool, accessible at www.osha.gov/SLTC
/etools/oilandgas/index.html, is a stand alone, interactive, web-based training tool designed to augment company safety programs. Current sections, each with additional submenus, include: site preparation, drilling, well completion, servicing, plug and abandon, and general safety. The Association of Energy Service Companies, along with representatives from the American Petroleum Institute and International Association of Drilling Contractors, worked with OSHA in developing the eTool.

Ceramicrete-based Sealant for Permafrost Environment

In a project within DOE's Natural Gas and Oil Technology Partnership (NGOTP), chemically bonded phosphate ceramic (CBC) borehole sealants are being evaluated for oilfield applications. CBCs are cement-like, rapid-setting dense materials with great tensile (connected porosity of <2 percent) and compressive (>8000 psi) strengths. They are self-bonding and bond with sandstones, shales, and other types of formation rocks. 

CBC sets within hours, even in saline water, is stable in pH 3-11 environments, and is both drillable and machinable. It so happens that CBC sealants also exhibit good properties at low temperatures as might be encountered in a permafrost environment. 

Argonne National Lab (ANL) is performing laboratory tests to explore this niche permafrost application. In laboratory tests, characteristics of Ceramicrete-based sealant with Class C and F ashes was monitored at permafrost conditions. ANL has plans for further testing with hollow silica spheres, which would lower the thermal conductivity even more without altering pumping characteristics.

For further information about this niche application or ceramic sealant work in general, contact Arun Wagh, phone 630-252-4295, email wagh@anl.gov.

State Rules and Regulations on CD-ROM

The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) recently released a new CD-ROM, Summary of State Statutes and Regulations for

Oil and Gas Production. Coverage is provided for 37 states, plus IOGCC's  international affiliates (Republic of Georgia and government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada). Among others, topics include: bond, casing and tubing, completion, documents required, drilling permit, spacing, underground injection, and unitization. Purchasers can join an automatic subscription list to receive the summary update each year. The CD-ROM costs $30 and may be ordered online (www.iogcc.state.ok.us). Hardcopy in a three ring binder with state dividers costs $105 and may be ordered by calling IOGCC at 405-525-3556.

Deepwater Well Control Guidelines on CD-ROM

Deepwater well Control Guidelines by the International Association of Drilling Contractors are now available on CD-ROM. Developed for those drilling in deepwater, the guidelines focus on well planning, well control procedures, equipment and emergency response and training. Included with the guidelines are a 2000 supplement that covers unplanned disconnects in deepwater drilling, riser margin overview, external loading of BOP equipment and volumetric rating of subsea accumulator bottles. When purchased online (www.iadc.org), cost is $125.

Produced Water
Life Cycle Cost

In a recent SPE paper and article, Shell International shared data from their analysis of produced water management. Operators know produced water is a major issue, but just how major. Overall average cost considering the total life cycle for Shell is $0.58 per barrel. 

Components of that overall cost include: Pumping (28%), De-Oiling (21%), Lifting (17%), Separation (15%), Filtering (14%), Injecting (5%)The above may seem high, but think about produced water's "true" cost. Shell notes that an integrated approach is needed for individual fields, if not even wells (i.e., one size doesn't fit all). Top priority is given to minimizing produced water volumes close to the source. Effective water management starts even with the drilling phase. Thorough understanding of reservoir geology, fluids and water entry points is required. 

For that water which must be produced, one must look for ways to realize value. Waterflooding is a common example of realizing value through injection. Beyond injection, industry is working towards refining technologies for cleaning up water for other beneficial surface use. 

Extracted from "Water To Value— Produced Water Management for Sustainable Field Development of Mature and Green Fields," by Zara Khatib and Paul Verbeek in Journal of Petroleum Technology, January 2003, pp. 26-28 (SPE73853).

Pollution-Free Power Plant of The Future

Pollution-Free Power Plant of The Future DOE Secretary Abraham recently announced plans for building a prototype of the fossil fuel power plant of the future, dubbed FutureGen. This one billion dollar venture will combine electricity and hydrogen production virtually eliminating harmful emissions, including greenhouse gases. DOE is asking the power industry to organize a consortium and provide at least 20% of the costs. Plans are for the plant to be built over the next five years, then operated for at least five years beyond that. The plant would be sized to generate about 275 megawatts of electricity, roughly equivalent to a mid-sized coal-fired power plant.

Carbon sequestration will be a primary feature that will set the prototype plant apart from other power plants. Carbon dioxide would be captured and sequestered in deep underground geologic formations, which in some cases might be in hydrocarbon reservoirs for additional recovery. The initial goal is to capture at least 90% of the plant's carbon dioxide and even better capture may be feasible with technology advances.

Beyond operating virtually emission free, DOE anticipates that technology advances will significantly increase plant efficiency, as much as double conventional coal-burning power plants.

In a related effort, DOE and the Department of State outlined plans for creating the international "Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum." The Forum will bring together ministerial-level representatives to discuss the growing body of research and emerging technologies for permanently isolating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. An inaugural meeting is planned in Virginia during June.

For more information, see DOE's techline (www.netl.doe.gov/ publications/press/2003/tl_
cslf.html  and tl_futuregen1.html.