Petroleum Technology Transfer Council
PEOPLE AND CONNECTIONS
Shortening the Technology Application Life Cycle

Technology—The Engine That Drives O&G Production

JULY 31, 2007

 

Industry Highlight: Electrical Submersible Pumps—Riding Out Those Power Blips

Power blips are a fact of life and are particularly troublesome for submersible pumps and variable speed drives. There is lost time when the pump goes down and potentially shorter motor life. Many power blips are very short term. Baker Hughes Centrilift addressed that challenge with its "Power Ride Through Module." This unit detects power interruptions and energizes the downhole equipment during these events—for the very short term blips, equipment keeps operating smoothly. In a Venezuelan application, shutdowns due to power system transients were reduced 95%.

Above is just one of many developments highlighted in World Oil's annual "What's New in Artificial Lift" in their April and May issues available online. Those responsible for maintaining reliability and efficiency in artificial lift are encouraged to review the articles to learn about other technology developments that may fit their application.

DOE Highlight: Power From Stranded Gas Saving California Leases

A DOE-supported project (Oil Field Flare Gas Electricity Systems or OFFGASES) is demonstrating how distributed power generation from stranded natural gas reduces power costs and is making a difference in saving marginal leases. Results from four field demonstrations with fuels of varying energy content/quality are demonstrating the possibilities. 

  • High-Btu gas (1,600 Btu/scf): boosted oil production in its three-well marginal oil field from 10 to 23 bopd.

  • Medium-Btu gas (not meeting pipeline quality requirements): now producing 150 bopd in a 19-well field that had been at risk for abandonment.

  • “Harsh” (contains naturally high levels of N2, CO2, H2S) gas: brought into compliance with air emissions regulations by scrubbing hydrogen sulfide from the gas using a patented sulfur-treating system.

  • Ultralow-Btu (as little as 15 Btu/scf): Just to flare it, producers have to spike it with purchased natural gas. Tests using FlexEnergy's Flex-Microturbine, which uses catalytic combustors, are ongoing. While the microturbine is working, improvements are still needed and testing continues.

PTTC Highlight: Your Input Needed Regarding Knowledge Centers—Take the Survey

The knowledge center concept is simple. For a given topic, say hydraulic fracturing, PTTC would identify a few respected, unbiased individuals, universities or organizations that are recognized as leaders in the field. We listen to those experts, letting them help define what content needs to be captured within a knowledge center. We then retain them to develop the knowledge center and make information available through the Internet and workshops. It is not really research; it’s gathering all that is relevant (as determined by experts).

To determine if this concept is really feasible, PTTC needs your input—please let us know your priorities for different topics, or suggest additional topics, by taking the Online Survey. Candidly, the amount of response is one factor PTTC will consider in evaluating the feasibility of developing knowledge centers.

Trivia Question: In directional drilling, why is a whipstock so named?

Trivia Answer: A common 19th Century horse-drawn carriage accessory was a slanted whip holder known as a whipstock.  It was often mounted on the dashboard and “had an angle to it.” When West Virginia drillers began using wedges to redirect boreholes, the term was adopted and remains part of oilfield lexicon. (Petroleum Age Vol. 3, No. 2 - June 2006) Courtesy of American Oil & Gas Historical Society (www.aoghs.org).