The very latest news on oil industry innovation and development
16 June 2011 - Article
Drillable Mud Motor System Brings Step Change for Running Tubulars
Lance Davis, SPE, Deep Casing Tools, and Abdulaziz Al-Othman, Gotech
Oil and gas well construction requires the installation of tubulars at a specific depth, prescribed for reasons of mechanics, formation pressure and wellbore integrity, or accessing reserves. Deepwater construction has an additional need to land all strings in the subsea wellhead with precision. The industry recognizes this as a most significant operation. There have many instances of failed well programs where critical depths have not been secured. A step change technology for this purpose has been created to reduce well construction risk, applicable to all casing strings, liners, and completion strings.
Introduction: Solving an Important Industry Problem
Adverse wellbore conditions, instability, irregularity, doglegs, and fill, among other factors, often result in inefficient, incomplete casing running operations in terms of nonproductive time and potentially lost production. If the rig is equipped to do so, it may be possible to overcome such problems by reaming. However, as casing strings get longer and heavier, and for rigs without a top drive or where other factors lead to a limited ability to rotate the casing, there has been little option but to accept that casing placement problems are just a “cost of doing business.”
The industry problem is clear, but there do not appear to be key performance indicators on the percentage of casings run to 100% of target depth. Well construction creates well integrity, ensured in part by following the plan, landing casing on depth, and obtaining a well cemented tubular. Cost of failure to run the casing to design depth can reflect any factors, including the costs of drilling unused hole; running, pulling, and rerunning casing; and any subsequent casing plan revision. There is also the potential cost to reputation for failing to deliver to plan.
In developing a new technology to address the problem, it is of primary importance to add no risk to the existing well control or casing running process. Ideally, for reasons of safety, operation of new equipment should not require additional personnel.
Technology Proposal
The proposed concept comprised the provision of a sacrificial mud-powered motor with a specific life, integrated with a drilling or reaming shoe assembly. The critical feature was that the motor would be manufactured with materials that enable a drill bit to easily and readily drill out the product similar to drilling out a cement plug.
The schematic of Fig. 1 shows the tool configuration, where the components are as follows:
A. Top sub. It joins the tool with the end of the string by means of proprietary joints. This section can house telemetry to transmit key information such as torque, compression, or directional information.
B. Mud motor. There are a number of mud motor types, each with different torque, power, and speed characteristics (e.g. axial flow turbines or positive displacement motors).
C. Drive shaft, integral as a one-piece component. It provides rotation and power to the cutting structure.
D. Near-bit stabilizer. It lifts and centers the casing/completion string to the middle of the borehole.
E. Circulation valve. It ensures that mud or cement can be circulated after placing the casing at depth.
The Design Conundrum
The assembly has to be drillable by a polycrystalline diamond cutter bit that can then drill ahead onto the next section. Whereas most oilfield drilling equipment is designed and improved over many years to yield a demanding mean time between failure and a low-cost maintenance cycle, the design requirement of this proposed technology was to design for a specific life and leave as little residual value as possible.
The Prototype
To prevent in-house engineering work from proceeding in isolation from the eventual users, a joint industry program - established with operator funding - provided direct access to drilling engineers’ input and the operator’s internal design acceptance and quality assurance programs. Regular meetings were held with drilling staff to critique the design and establish performance goals. The initial goals were set to provide reaming time for at least 20 hours, a torque capacity of 1,500 lbf-ft with a high-speed reaming action of up to 800 rev/min. The drillout time was set at six hours, a figure based on a reasonable spread rate cost vs. the benefit gained by landing the casing on depth. Prototype tools, with a maximum design length of 16 ft, were constructed to join directly with casing joints.
The maximum available torque from downhole drilling motors varies with the manufacturer, but it was considered that adequate torque at the cutting face would be 6,000 to 8,000 lbf-ft to drill virgin formation at rotational speeds of 100 to 150 rev/min. It was then assumed that to clean the hole of collapsed, mechanically weak debris and ream the face of a swelling salt or shale, it would require 20% of the maximum original drilling torque. The power of any downhole system is defined as torque multiplied by rotational speed and is dependent on the hydraulic capacity of the rig pumps. Thus for a given hydraulic power supply, the prototype needed high-speed reaming capability.
Flow tests were carried out in which fluid was pumped through the prototype tools to test the longevity and durability of bearings and measure the pressure drop through the tool. The mud used in flow tests was a standard oil-based mud, with 18% solids and a lime content of 1.2 lbm per barrel. Flow tests, even with CaCO3-laden mud systems, demonstrated that the tool would not suffer erosion, but also showed that the major design issue at that stage was thrust-bearing wear. An engineering action plan was launched to remedy the bearing design.
Dynamometer tests were also carried out in a similar fashion, but with water as operating fluid, to check that computational fluid dynamics (CFD) estimates of torque, rotational speed, and pressure drop matched the real figures. Early results proved that within 10%, the CFD estimations on torque were reliable. A typical output plot of torque, rev/min and flow is given in Fig. 2. The motor design continued to evolve to reduce the drill-through time, eventually by more than an order of magnitude.
Running Casing Tubulars
The commercial tools are best described as drillable, independently powered casing reaming systems. The selected power system is based on modified turbine technology. Turbine technology provides high-speed, lowtorque performance, which is ideal for reaming. Other features of turbine technology include perfect dynamic balance, low pressure drop across the device, and the absence of elastomers, which allows turbine technology to work at high temperatures and with any drilling fluid chemistry. Another less obvious feature is the pressure telltale or signal at surface, which goes down when the motor stalls. These attributes have been enhanced and will be discussed further.
A factor requiring significant attention was the drill-through time. By using appropriate materials and designing each component to be easily drillable, the drill-through time has been reduced to minutes. After cementing, it remains only necessary to drill the cement in the shoe track and through the reamer bit. It should be noted that following the reaming process, the cementing is also carried out in the normal manner; cement accessories such as float collars are run above the tool, and the cement is pumped through the tool.
Running Completion Tubulars
Completion technologies, in line with all oilfield technologies, have continuously evolved. The level of sophistication of completions has increased to meet the drainage strategy of the operator and the required life-of- well reliability. There is a greater focus on completion technology, whether casedhole functionality, sand control, production monitoring, or inflow performance management. Completion control technology provides the ability to selectively produce from, and inject into, specific zones to improve reservoir and field management. Hydraulic control lines, fiber optic cables, intelligent well mandrels, screen systems and permanent monitoring completions are essentially nonrotatable. The benefits of these more delicate sensing systems are obvious, but the ability to rotate the completion string is gone. The mechanics of completing very long horizontal wells dictates the use of lighter weight, low-torque liner systems; so even in the simpler cases, it is not possible to treat the equipment in the same manner as drilling equipment.
The use of motors is not a new concept in completion placement. However the use of drilling motors such as positive displacement motors may add risks to the completion operations. Drilling motors can introduce vibration damage, reactive torque at low speeds, necessarily high operating pressures and circulating rates, and pressure pikes that can trigger hydraulically actuated components in the completion string. Additionally, the weight on bit required to effect a reaming action, and the ability of the tool to sidetrack inadvertently, add to the risks when combining drilling technology within the constraints of new advanced completion systems.
The same approach to engineering design was adopted. The initial goals were set to provide reaming time for at least 20 hours, a torque capacity of 1,000 lbf-ft with a high-speed reaming action of up to 800 rev/min. Prototype tools, with a maximum design length of 16 ft, were tested. The inherent properties of the turbine fit the requirements very well, namely low levels of torque, reactive torque, vibration, and pressure drop; the absence of elastomers; and, importantly, the pressure response at stall. The turbine technology can deliver rotational speeds from 600 rev/min under load to 1,500 rev/min under no-load conditions, with a very low pressure drop through the tool. The operating flow rate can be as low as 2 bbl/min with a 200-psi pressure drop, thus ensuring compatibility with low flow rate components. The same operating window allows safe management of circulating pressure to avoid formation damage. By varying the number of stages in the tool, and/or by varying the actual shape of the rotors and stator blades, the pressure drop across the tool can be tailored to a known hydraulic situation. In this way, the effective circulation density can be managed.
There are low frictional losses within the tool from a bearing system that can absorb considerable thrust loads, improved from the earlier work. With average completion fluid densities, the system will deliver 700 to 1,000 lbf-ft of torque, adequate for reaming, but well under the torque makeup figures for even lightweight couplings. Furthermore, the fluid drive will prevent sudden impulses of reactive torque. When the reamer stalls, the circulating pressure declines, providing both a telltale signal at surface and the required protection for any downhole component such as a hydraulically set liner hanger. To highlight the absence of vibrations, tools have been tested to free run speeds of 1,500 rev/min and higher, without noticeable vibration to the hand. Thus, it is a suitable technology to avoid vibration damage to completions. However, it has been necessary to dynamically balance all reamer shoes to match this performance.
Case History
The new reaming systems have been used in the North Sea. One example required the drilling of an 81/2-in. horizontal drain, then running 3,000 ft of 75/8-in. predrilled liner to 8,700 ft measured depth. There were significant difficulties on the first attempt to run the liner, the root cause being borehole instability. After sidetracking the abandoned well, a larger diameter 91/2-in. horizontal drain was prepared for the predrilled liner. String rotation was prohibited because of the limited torsional yield strength of the flush joint connections being used. Other motors were not considered because of the risk of a pressure spike on stalling or starting, which could prematurely set the liner. Because of the relatively low fracture gradient in the reservoir, it was not possible to increase mud weight without the risk of losses and well impairment.
The deployed reaming system was successful in re-establishing 3,000 ft of open hole, accessing 1,750 ft of net pay. A combination of reaming, reciprocation, and circulation was used to enable the string to bottom over a 12-hour period. The end of well report concluded that the optimal procedure would have been to drill from the start an 81/2-in. standard hole and run the 75/8-in. completion with the new system.
This article is based on paper SPESAS-939, by the same authors, which was prepared for presentation at the 2011 SPE/DGS Technical Symposium and Exhibition in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, 15–18 May.
*Posted with kind permission of JPT.
06 June 2011 - Press Release
Deep Casing Tools appoints new Finance Director and Marketing Manager as part of its ongoing growth strategy.
Aberdeen-based innovative casing and completion technology provider Deep Casing Tools has announced the appointment of a Finance Director and a Marketing Manager.
Chartered Accountant and Scottish solicitor Ken McHattie has taken on the role of Finance Director while John Prescott joins the company as Marketing Manager following a 28-year career with Baker Hughes. Both appointments are part of Deep Casing Tools’ ambitious growth strategy, which includes plans for a greater presence in the United States and Norway in addition to increasing an already-strong reputation in the Middle East.
Mr McHattie has more than 14 years experience in the oil and gas industry. He was previously Finance Director for Energy Development Partners, which was established to develop marginal assets in the UKCS. Prior to this, Mr McHattie was Finance Director of Tuscan Energy, the company responsible for developing the Ardmore field in the North Sea.
John Prescott joins Deep Casing Tools after a successful career with Baker Hughes, in which he most recently held the position of global account director. Prior to that Mr Prescott was the Managing Director of Baker Hughes Saudi Arabia for four years. He has held a variety of management and sales positions in the UK and overseas, also working in operations for drilling contractors, oil companies and as a drilling fluids engineer before joining Baker Hughes.
Commenting on his appointment Mr McHattie said: “Deep Casing Tools has an ambitious growth strategy complemented by a rising demand for its innovative suite of technologies. I am looking forward to working with the team here to help take the business through to its next stage of development and build a robust global presence.”
Mr Prescott added: “This is an important year for Deep Casing Tools as we look to expand the business and significantly increase turnover throughout the remainder of this year and into 2012. Our reputation amongst our client base is one of being able to deliver a quality service and revolutionary products and I want to use my experience in the oil and gas industry to build on this and turn our growth plans into reality.”
CEO of Deep Casing Tools, Lance Davis said: “I am delighted to be announcing such high calibre appointments. Both Ken and John’s extensive experience in the oil and gas sector will prove very useful to Deep Casing Tools as it continues to explore the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. I am confident that they will prove invaluable when it comes to further increasing Deep Casing Tools’ already significant reputation and customer value.”
25 May 2011
John Prescott of Deep Casing Tools to present in Aberdeen.
Deep Casing Tools’ Marketing Manager, John Prescott, will be presenting at the monthly SPE evening meeting on Wednesday 25 May at the Douglas Hotel, Market Street, Aberdeen.
The presentation, entitled ‘Step change technology for running tubulars’, is based on a SPE paper. It will cover the development and application of casing and completion tools that enable drilling and completion engineers to land casings and completions at target depth first time, eliminating non-productive time in demanding wellbore conditions.
15-18 May 2011
Deep Casing Tools to Exhibit and Present in Saudi Arabia
Deep Casing Tools will be exhibiting and presenting at the Technical Sessions SPE/DGS Annual Technical Symposium & Exhibition in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, May 15-18 2011
Technical Paper: Step Change in Running Tubulars SPE-SAS-939
02-05 May 2011
Deep Casing Tools to Exhibit at OTC 2011
Deep Casing Tools will be exhibiting at OTC 2011 in Houston, Texas from 02-05 May. Visit Booth 2363-3 in the Scottish Pavillion.
25 February 2011 - Press Release
Deep Casing Tools Unveils Breakthrough Casing Technology for Well Integrity
Deep Casing Tools has launched the first ever drill-through tool to ensure casing to target depth, allowing wells to be drilled as planned and enhancing integrity.
The company’s breakthrough Turbocaser Express delivers a step change in drilling industry process. After reaming casing to target depth, the Turbocaser Express has a unique, patented internal design that can be drilled through in minutes with standard drill bits after normal cementing, in one cost-effective operation.
Drillers face an ever-increasing demand to run casings to greater depths and at higher angles. Tools that enable drilling teams to land casings at target depth first time can decrease drilling costs and have obvious economic attractions. Often, conventional methods are also not practical or prudent – for example, the casing grade, size, length and the well trajectory can all make it impossible to rotate the casing string
Manufactured as a single body from high-strength steel, the Turbocaser Express is a rugged and reliable down hole tool that can ream casings through obstructions without casing rotation. The tool is fully high pressure/high temperature compliant and works with any drilling fluid without deterioration in power output, reliability or performance.
Orders for the Turbocaser Express have already been placed by two global major operators and a Middle East independent company.
Deep Casing Tools will be showcasing the Turbocaser Express at booth 115 at the SPE/IADC drilling conference and exhibition in Amsterdam, 1-3 March.
"In demanding down hole conditions, getting casing to target depth, or landing the casing exactly in the subsea tree, are essential first steps for ensuring well integrity and constructing the well as planned,” said Lance Davis, CEO of Deep Casing Tools.
“After developing the Express version of the Turbocaser system, we now have orders from operators from as far as the Middle East and Alaska, where the technology can dramatically reduce the risks and costs of well construction.”
24 February 2011
Deep Casing Tools to Exhibit in Amsterdam
Deep Casing Tools will be exhibiting at the 2011 SPE/IADC Drilling Conference and Exhibition at the Amsterdam RAI from 1st to 3rd March. Be sure to come and visit us at stand 115.
28 January 2011 - Press Release
Deep Casing Tools Announces Ambitious Growth Plans, Jobs and New Product
Deep Casing Tools has announced plans to create several new jobs and more than triple its turnover during the forthcoming year following the launch of its latest unique technology.
Displaying strong business growth, the company has already doubled its revenue
year-upon year, having announced a turnover of £1 million in 2010.
In a bid to establish itself as the world leader in its marketplace, it has
also announced an ambitious growth strategy including plans for a greater
presence in the United States and Norway, as well as increasing an
already-strong reputation in the Middle East and the North Sea. In 2012, it
plans to develop facilities (warehouse and assembly plant) as well as a
workforce in the Middle East to complement its Aberdeen operations.
In order to cope with the increasing demand for its suite of technology, the
company will be recruiting for a number of positions in the near future with
employee numbers due to increase by 50% to approximately 20 before the end of
2011.
Deep Casing Tools has already seen several new appointments in recent months,
with the employment of an additional sales manager and, as part of the
manufacturing process, a new technology manager in Aberdeen.
It recently welcomed international oilfield technology expert Stuart Ferguson
onto its advisory board. Until recently, Mr Ferguson was senior vice president
and executive officer of Weatherford International Ltd, having served in a
number of roles including chief technology officer, senior vice president for
reservoir and production, and divisional president for completion systems.
Prior to joining Weatherford, he worked for both oilfield service and E&P
companies, having started his career as a petroleum engineer with BP.
Continuing to develop its successful range of products, the company has
launched its latest revolutionary innovation, the Turbocaser Express - a
unique, independently powered high speed drill-through reaming system -
worldwide this year, which has already attracted great interest from the
drilling community. Designed to allow drilling engineers to land casings at
target depth first time, the Turbocaser Express sports the unique feature of
being completely drillable, which removes the need to sidetrack wells, thereby
reducing costly non-productive time.
In addition, successful applications for PetroCanada and CNR International are
now boosting the track record of the company's unique Turborunner 5 inch and
7inch independently-powered high speed reaming tools, with several more runs
secured for Spring 2011.
As part of its plans for continued growth, Deep Casing Tools will be taking
part in this year's SPE/IADC Drilling Conference & Exhibition in Amsterdam
from 1-3 March. The company also plans to exhibit in the Scottish Pavilion
during the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston from 2-5 May.
Lance Davis, CEO of Deep Casing Tools, said, "We are delighted with the
success of our innovative and unique products, particularly with the recent
successful applications being enjoyed by existing clients including PetroCanada
and CNR International.
"Demand for our technologies is gathering greater and greater momentum as
the drilling and completions community seeks the most effective method of
achieving target depth in the most demanding conditions. We are already
experiencing a significant amount of interest in Turbocaser Express and we expect
that to increase through 2011.
"In addition to this we intend to pursue our goal of achieving a greater
presence in other key markets, which should subsequently enable us to recruit
for several positions in 2011 and 2012.
"These are extremely exciting times at Deep Casing Tools. The success we
enjoyed in 2010 is carrying over into this year and we fully intend to
capitalise on that."
25 January 2011
Deep Casing Tools Achieves ISO 9001:2008 Certification
Deep Casing Tools, the Aberdeen-based company whose innovative and unique technology delivers major benefits in the oil and gas industry, has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification.ISO is the world’s largest publisher of international standards, and the 9000 ‘family’ of standards addresses quality management, providing a set of standardized requirements.
Designed to help organisations ensure that that they meet the required needs of customers and other stakeholders, ISO 9001:2008 certification has become a vital feature in today’s business marketplace; This latest step affirms Deep Casing Tools’ already strong commitment to quality and to fulfilling the needs of the customers worldwide.
Lance Davis, CEO of Deep Casing Tools, said “We are very pleased to have achieved ISO certification. With the growing backorders for our Turborunner, Turbocaser Express and Turboblade products, we, with our suppliers, have to invest in our supply chain to provide the quality and the deliveries expected.”
With this additional approval, Deep Casing Tools will continue its already substantial development throughout 2011.
10 January 2011 - Press Release
Deep Casing Tools runs first offshore UK application for a new 5” reaming system
Deep Casing Tools successfully ran the new 5” Turborunner™ system for CNR International in a horizontal application offshore central North Sea. Deep Casing Tools is an Aberdeen based company whose growing family of innovative technology delivers major benefits in well construction.
This new size of Turborunner™ tool, specifically design to support smaller open hole completion placement, combines optimized washing with a rotational reaming capability, avoiding rotation of the completion string itself. The very low operating pressure is ideally suited for integration with completion systems.
Placement of the liner was seen to be a significant risk due to the stability of the sand shale sequences in the long open hole section. The CNR International drilling team selected the Turborunner™ to provide an operational advantage in the event of difficulties in running the liner. The tool was run on a 5500 foot long 4 ½” liner into a 6” open hole. Upon reaching planned depth, the tool and the liner were cemented in place without issue.
Senior Drilling Engineer for CNR International – Stephen Cameron, commented “The Turborunner is a cost effective solution which greatly enhances the successful running of the liner string in potentially unstable formations, without compromising the well”.
Lance Davis CEO of Deep Casing Tools said, “This application typifies the challenges faced by the industry brown field opportunities. On one side, the challenge stems from balancing mud weights, particularly in long horizontals, to support the borehole. On the other, the challenge is to deliver what can be an expensive completion to target depth without rotation, premature setting or damage.”
With continued success, uptake of the Deep Casing Tools technology is increasing. The experience gained from the Turborunner™ applications has also a direct impact on the Turbocaser™ to be released early 2011. This new product is specifically designed to aid the placement of casing and intermediate strings with the key feature of a fullbore motor.
24 December 2010
Deep Casing Tools CEO presented with "Entrepreneur of the Year" award.
Deep Casing Tools is proud to announce that CEO Lance Davis has been awarded a semi-finalist certificate in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the year 2010
The “Entrepreneur of the Year” is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses.
Congratulations to Mr Davis!
08 December 2010
Deep Casing Tools exhibit at Basra with new agent.
Deep Casing Tools recently exhibited in Basra, Iraq, with the company's new agent; Federal Petroleum Company Limited.
12 November 2010 - Press Release
Industry leader joins Deep Casing Tools
Deep Casing Tools, the Aberdeen based company which specialises in the development and manufacture of casing and completion tools that enable Drilling and Completion Engineers to land first time at target depth, is pleased to announce the appointment of Stuart Ferguson to the board. Stuart is a respected industry leader and advises a number of oilfield technology companies and investment companies.
Until recently Stuart was a Senior Vice President and Executive Officer of Weatherford International Ltd, having served in a number of roles including Chief Technology Officer, Senior Vice President for Reservoir and Production, and Divisional President for Completion Systems. Prior to joining Weatherford, Stuart worked for both oilfield service and E&P companies, having started his career as a petroleum engineer with BP.
"I am delighted to
have the opportunity to join the Deep Casing Tools team and I have great
respect for the management of the company", said Stuart. “The Deep Casing
Tools’ products are very exciting and clearly have the potential to deliver a
step change in well construction and wellbore integrity."
Lance Davis CEO of Deep Casing Tools said, “We are very pleased that Stuart has decided to join us. His considerable industry experience will be invaluable in helping to establish our exciting casing and completions technology as the new industry standard”.
12 November 2010 - Press Release
Well integrity experts Deep Casing Tools moves to new head office.
Deep Casing Tools Ltd, the Aberdeen company which specialises in the design and manufacture of casing and completion tools to improve well integrity for the oil and gas industry, has moved all core operations from multi-sites around Aberdeen to a new single larger office at York Street. Deep Casing Tools has made the decision on the move in order to accommodate the steady increase in size of the company and have all core company operations under one roof.
A spokesman for Deep Casing Tools said “The office move is a clear statement of our ambition and our confidence in the future of Deep Casing Tools and of our desire to provide our staff with modern, attractive and comfortable office space that enhances the efficiency of the way we work together for the ultimate benefit of our customers. The new office space will provide the opportunity for clients and other visitors to view all of our latest products and get involved with any of their products in test phase”.
20 October 2010
Deep Casing Tools has become a member of IADC
Deep Casing Tools has become a member of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), the organisation dedicated to enhancing the interests of the Oil & Gas and Geothermal drilling and completion industries worldwide.
IADC was founded in 1940 and aims to improve health, safety and environmental practises within the industry, as well as championing responsible standards, practises, legislation and regulations providing for safe, efficient and environmentally sound drilling operations across the globe.
05 October 2010
Deep Casing Tools to exhibit at Technology Showcase
Deep Casing Tools will be exhibiting at the Technology Showcase, organised by the Oiltech Investment Network - of which two of the company's investors, Energy Ventures and SEP, are members - on November 17th 2010. The event will be held at the Aberdeen Marriott Hotel, and will run from 16:00 to 21:30.
05 October 2010
Deep Casing Tools featured in Autumn issue of Venturer
The merits of Deep Casing Tools' innovative products - the Turborunner and Turbocaser Express - have been discussed in the article 'Voyage of Discovery', featured in the Autumn issue of SEP's Venturer magazine. Also featured are comments from CEO Mr Lance Davis on the routes to commercialisation, and the benefits of SEP backing.
SEP, one of Deep Casing Tools' investors, has recently become a membes of the newly-launched Oiltech Investment Network. To read more, visit SEP's .
30 September 2010
Deep Casing Tools to attend Energy Ventures Event
Deep Casing Tools will be attending Energy Ventures' Technical Session in Houston at the La Colombe d'Or on October 27, 2010.
30 September 2010
Visit Deep Casing Tools at ADIPEC
Deep Casing Tools will be exhibiting at ADIPEC 2010 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE. The event will run from 1st to 4th November. Please visit us at stand number 06095 in Hall No.6
09 September 2010
The risks associated with placing complex open hole completions across the reservoir are increasing. Deep Casing Tools’ Mark Presslie explains why and describes how a new tool assists the first-time placement of liners or completions. Read more at Oil Online
28 July 2010
Turborunner reaming system in Drilling Contractor Magazine. Read full technology review at Drilling Contractor
19 July 2010
Challenges ahead
The risks associated with placing complex open hole completions across the reservoir are becoming greater.
Mark Presslie of Deep Casing Tools explains why.
Read the article here -
30 April 2010 - Press Release
Deep Casing Tools, the Aberdeen based company whose innovative technology delivers major benefits in the construction of Oil and Gas wells has successfully run its new Turborunner™ system in the central North Sea, UK.
Having experienced placement challenges in previous wells, PetroCanada selected the Turborunner for a horizontal application in the Saxon development well, 21/23b-S2, and achieved successful placement of a 3,000 ft pre-drilled liner from a Semi Submersible.
The new Turborunner™ tool, is specifically designed to enable completion engineers to successfully achieve open hole completion placement operations and combines optimized washing with a rotational reaming capability without the need to rotate the completion string. The Turborunner’s very low operating pressure allows for integration with most completion systems and assists in the first time placement of liners or completions.
Senior Drilling Engineer for PetroCanada UK - Steve Salter, commented: “We felt the tool gave us an operational advantage with little or no operational risk and were happy with the performance it provided.”
Mark Presslie – Sales Manager for Deep Casing Tools said; “Credit must go to the JW Mclean Drilling Team for overcoming what proved to be a significant challenge due to hole instability and also running the tool to Depth from a Semi Submersible. Confidence in the Turborunner™ from PetroCanada’s wells delivery team is extremely encouraging and represents an important step towards the uptake of this new technology in challenging well scenarios. We look forward to showing the system at OTC next month”
For Offshore Magazine article on Turborunner click here.
13 April 2010
Deep Casing Tools presented its drill-thru reaming system Turbocaser and premium solid casing centralizers Turboblade at the Oil and Gas West Asia Exhibition 2010, which took place in Muscat (Oman) on 11 – 13 April 2010.
01 March 2010
The Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC), a supercomputing centre based at the University of Edinburgh, has completed a series of detail simulations of motor systems developed by Deep Casing Tools. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using OpenFOAM software package indicated that the theoretical model predictions of torque and speed matched the practical results allowing Deep Casing Tools to build a range of tools for different applications. This work was funded by Scottish Enterprise.
26 March 2010
For the second consecutive year, Deep Casing Tools has been recognized at the Scottish Offshore Achievements Awards in the Innovator category.
The innovator Award recognizes excellence in innovative technological solutions developed in the UK for the oil and gas sector. The judges were looking for evidence of how the technology is innovative and in particular how it will contribute to the overall objective of maximizing recovery of hydrocarbon reserves.
Deep Casing Tools has in two years designed and built a new tool to reduce well construction risk for operators. Oil and gas well construction requires the installation of tubular casing strings to a specific depth, prescribed for reasons of mechanics, formation pressure and wellbore integrity. Entire well programs can be jeopardized if operations fail to land casing strings on target. Deep casing Tools has created a solution with the rapid prototype development of Turbocaser™, a powered drill-thru casing reaming system. The Turbocaser™ is a unique solution, the only drillable motor and reamer shoe in the market. Deep Casing Tools has surface trials complete, the first tool offshore North Sea, and two new tools constructed for an operation in the Middle East.
26 Feb 2010
Deep Casing Tools is exhibiting at Offshore Technology Conference 2010 in Houston. The booth will be located in Scottish Pavilion in block 2363 - 3.
5 May 2009
Deep Casing Tools Ltd. introduces the Turbocaser casing reaming system, a powered, drill-through reaming system for casings and liners to facilitate casing placement.After drilling any borehole section conventionally, casing is run with the Turbocaser system, which reams through any obstructions, getting the casing to the correct depth. Casing is then cemented through the system. The next drilling assembly then drills right through the system and drills straight ahead. BP is providing Deep Casing Tools with drilling engineering and operational input into the design and will propose the first candidate well trials later this year.
Malcolm Banks, wells team leader at BP, said, “We are supporting this development as Turbocaser will deliver significant cost reduction to our intermediate casing operations in difficult formations. Currently, rotation of large intermediate casings is expensive and Turbocaser gives us a more reliable and cost-effective reaming solution. The fact that Turbocaser is drillable allows additional operational efficiencies and reduces risk.”
Lance Davis, chief executive of Deep Casing Tools, said “Inefficiencies and failure to land casing on depth are too often accepted as part of doing business. The Turbocaser system allows reaming without casing rotation and, because it is fully drillable, it represents much reduced operational risk and increased confidence of success. It works with all casings and liners, with or without a top drive, and no additional crews are needed. We are showcasing Turbocaser on our stand number 2363 at OTC this year.”
01 September 2005
Deep Casing Tools Win Scottish Enterprise SMART Award.
It was announced by enterprise minister Nicol Stephen that Deep Casing Tools (under their former name of Futuretec) was one of the 18 winners in the SMART: SCOTLAND competition.