Upstream Pumping Solutions 2013 #1

8/12/2019 Upstream Pumping Solutions 2013 #1

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January/February 2013

Pumping and Related Technology for Oil & Gas


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4/522 Upstream Pumping Solutions January/February 2013

From the Editor

There seems to be no end insight for North Americasshale oil and gas boom. Even

as operations shi from natural gasdrilling to drilling for liquid hydrocar-bons, operations forge ahead. Activityin shale plays continues to grow, andthat is true for the Utica Shale, whichhas received increased attention fromoperators since 2010.

Analysis and research mustbe completed before we know ex-actly how lucrative the play will be.However, depending on the total car-bon content of the rock throughoutthe area, it could be one of the larg-est, if not the largest, natural gas fieldsin the world. To learn more aboutthe Utica Shale, read our coverage onpage 28.

On page 29, Doug WalsersReport from the Field examinesthe Utica Shale and discusses the hy-draulic fracturing processes used inoperations there. He also discussesthe infrastructure changes necessaryto make tapping the plays vast natural

gas resources economically viable foroperators, which will only increaseproduction operations in the areaduring the next few years.

In this issues special section, wire-less monitoring and communication

are featured. Check out page 33 tolearn about wireless oilfield produc-tion automation. In this issues off-shore coverage, the benefits of wire-less monitoring systems on offshoreplatforms are discussed on page 36.

Water sourcing, movement andtreatment are critical to all upstreamoperations. In the Well Completionsection (page 16), these topics are pre-sented, as well as new technology forlonger fluid end life.

At Upstream Pumping Solutions,we are excited about the New Yearand the addition of two more issuesin 2013. As always, if we can answerquestion or if there are topics youwould like to read about, let us know.

Best Regards,

Lori DitoroEditor

Editorial Advisory Board

Chad Joost,Sales Manager, Well Stimulation Products, Stewart & Stevenson

Daniel Lakovic,Progressing Cavity Pump Technical Expert, seepex, Inc.

Santosh Mathilakath, Vice President - Mono Group, National Oilwell Varco

Gord Rasmuson, Sales Manager, Oil Lift Technology

Bill Tipton,Division Vice President - Business Development, Weir Oil & Gas

Doug Walser,Technology Manager, Pinnacle, a Halliburton Business Line

Shaun White,Mud Pump Designer, White Star Pump Company

PublisherWalter B. Evans, Jr.

VP of SalesGeorge Lake

[email protected] 205-345-0477

VP of EditorialMichelle Segrest


Creative DirectorTerri Jackson

[email protected]

EDITORIALEditor

Lori K. [email protected] 205-314-8269

Associate EditorAmanda Perry


Contributing EditorDoug Walser

CREATIVE SERVICESCreative Director

Terri Jackson

Senior Art DirectorGreg Ragsdale

Marketing ManagerJaime DeArman

[email protected]

PRODUCTIONProduction Manager/Traffic

Lisa [email protected] 205-212-9402

Web Advertising TrafficAshley Morris


CIRCULATIONJeff Heine


ADVERTISINGAddison Perkins


Derrell [email protected] 205-345-0784

Mary-Kathryn [email protected] 205-345-6036

Mark [email protected] 205-345-6414

Vince [email protected] 205-310-2491

from the publishers of

P.O. Box 530067, Birmingham, AL 35253

Editorial, Circulation and Production Offices1900 28th Avenue South, Suite 110

Birmingham, AL 35209, Phone: 205-212-9402

Advertising Sales Offices2126 McFarland Blvd. East, Suite A

Tuscaloosa, AL 35404, Phone: 205-345-0477

UPSTREAM PUMPING SOLUTIONS(ISSN# 2159-3035) is published bimonthly by Cahaba Media Group, 1900 28th Avenue So., Suite 110, Birmingham, AL 35209. Standard A postage paid atBirmingham, AL, and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: Free of charge to qualified industrial pump users. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualifications. Annual subscriptions: USand possessions $48, all other countries $125 US funds (via air mail). Single copies: US and possessions $5, all other countries $15 US funds (via air mail). Call (205) 212-9402 inside or outside theU.S. POSTMASTER:Send changes of address and form 3579 to Upstream Pumping Solutions, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. 2013 Cahaba MediaGroup, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy ofany advertisements, articles or descriptions herein, nor does the publisher warrant the validity of any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. The opinions expressedare those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Cahaba Media Group. Cahaba Media Group makes no representation or warranties regarding the accuracy orappropriateness of the advice or any advertisements contained in this magazine.SUBMISSIONS:We welcome submissions. Unless otherwise negotiated in writing by the editors, by sending us

your submission, you grant Cahaba Media Group, Inc. permission by an irrevocable license to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish and adapt your submission in any medium on multiple occasions.You are free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned. Volume 4 Number 1

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Table of Contents

DEPARTMENTS

Drilling

13 A Strong Land Drilling PackageBy Wayne Philpot, Short Horn Service Company

Leadership, crew and component performance, along

with an exceptional equipment package, are the keys to

a dependable drilling rig.

Well Completion

17 Water Reuse SolutionsBy Shawn Shipman, Morgan McCutchan, Baker Hughes

Incorporated, & Derek Smith, Rex Energy

Chlorine dioxide water treatment prepares producedand flowback water for reuse in hydraulic fracturing

operations.

20 Long-Life Fluid EndsBy Jacob Bayyouk, Weir Oil & Gas

The harsh reality of unconventional drilling requires the

pressure pumping market to rethink its approach to fluid

end technologies.

22 Portable Pumps in Drilling &Hydraulic FracturingBy Kristen Gurick, Xylem, Inc.

Versatile pump options help operators navigate the

landscape of wellhead operations.

25 Progressive Cavity Pumps MoveClarifier UnderflowBy Daniel Lakovic, seepex, Inc. & Upstream Pumping

Solutions Editorial Advisory Board

A Mt. Pleasant, Pa., facility finds success with hydraulic

fracturing water treatment.

Production

41 Fluid Pulse Technology HelpsMaximize Oil Recovery RatesBy Armando Sanchez, Wavefront Technology

Solutions Inc.

Increase the efficiency of existing infrastructure with

minimal additions.

IN EACH ISSUE

6 Industry News

39 Trade Shows

44 Oilfield Resources

47 Classified Ads

47 Index of Advertisers

48 Upstream Oil & Gas Market

Nomac Drillings PeakeRig 70 is

hard at work in the Utica Shale.

Photo courtesy of Chesapeake

Energy Corporation

January/February2013

PumpingandRelatedTechnologyforOil &GasJanuary/February 2013

Volume 4 Number 1

28

32 16

FEATURES

Utica Shale

28A Play with Great PotentialBy Lori K. Ditoro

If commercially recoverable natural gas exists throughout the area, this

shale could be one of the largest known natural gas fields.

29 Hydraulic Fracturing in the Utica ShaleBy Doug Walser, Pinnacle, a Halliburton Business Line

Responsible consolidation of surface locations and facilities is a focusin this play.

Instrumentation, Controls & Monitoring

33 Wireless Oil Production AutomationBy Jim Gardner, FreeWave Technologies, Inc.

For oil producers, wise automation technology selection is important.

36 Wireless Communication onOffshore PlatformsBy Ira Sharp, Phoenix Contact

WirelessHART and WLAN technologies are well suited for use in harsh

offshore applications.


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Industry News

NEW HIRES,PROMOTIONS &RECOGNITIONS

ANDY MARTIN,

Best PumpWorks/

PumpWorks 610HOUSTON (Jan.3, 2013) AndyMartin has acceptedthe position of direc-tor, Marketing and New BusinessDevelopment, at Best PumpWorks/PumpWorks 610. In this role, Martinwill lead the professional develop-ment of business-to-business market-ing communications efforts to growBest PumpWorks/PumpWorks 610srapidly expanding business. He hasheld prominent positions in compa-nies such as EagleBurgmann, JohnCrane, LORD Corporation and aninternet online advertising agency.

Best PumpWorks specializes inthe distribution and remanufactureof pumps, seals and packaged sys-tems. www.bestpumpworks.com

CLIFF ALFORD,

Wilo USA

ROSEMONT, Ill.(Dec. 18, 2012) Wilo announced thatCliff Alford was ap-pointed as key offshoreaccounts manager for Wilo USA.Alford began his new duties on Dec.1, 2012.

Wilo USA LLC is a subsidiaryof Wilo SE, which is a manufacturerof pumps and pump systems forheating, cooling and air-conditioningtechnology, as well as water supply,sewage and drainage.www.wilo-usa.com

CUMMINS INC.

COLUMBUS, Ind. (Dec. 17,

2012) Cummins Inc. honored

seven employees with the Companyshighest technical award for theirwork on two inventions. Mark D.Akins, Bryan W. Milburn, DennisM. King and Greg M. Pataky wererecognized for their work to im-

prove turbocharger technology onCummins midrange engines. egroup patented an innovation thatallowed Cummins to control turbospeed without the use of a real speedsensor by using a virtual speed sensorfor the Chrysler Ram pickup.

Steven M. Bellinger, Brian C.Tyler and John F. Kalill received the2012 Perr Award for developing asystem and method for estimatingvehicle mass, which enabled LoadBased Speed Control (LBSC).

Cummins Inc. is a corporationof complementary business units thatdesign, manufacture, distribute andservice engines and related technolo-gies. www.cummins.com

MAURY DUMBA,

Greenes Energy

GroupHOUSTON (Dec.10, 2012) GreenesEnergy Group pro-moted Maury Dumbato senior vice presidentof business development. Dumba,who is based in Houston, previouslyserved as the companys vice presi-dent of business development wherehe developed strategic plans andidentified future growth opportuni-ties. In his new position, Dumba willmaintain these duties and will alsoprovide oversight for organic growthinitiatives.

Greenes Energy Group is aprovider of integrated testing, rentalsand specialty services for drilling,completion, production and pipelineoperations. www.greenesenergy.com

DONALD HUMPHREYS,

Exxonmobil

IRVING, Texas (Nov. 29, 2012) ExxonMobil announced that DonaldD. Humphreys, senior vice president

and principal financial offi cer, willretire Feb. 1, 2013, aer more than36 years of service. Humphreysjoined Exxon Chemical Company inAugust 1976 and has been a memberof the corporations managementcommittee since January 2006.

ExxonMobil is an oil and gascompany. www.exxonmobil.com

PETROFAC TRAINING

SERVICES

MONTROSE, Scotland (Nov. 27,2012) Petrofac Training Serviceswas named International TrainingProvider of the Year at the 2012OPITO Safety and CompetencyAwards in Abu Dhabi. e awardrecognizes companies that are mak-ing a difference to the safety andcompetency of workers in the global

oil and gas industry.Petrofac Training Services

provides training and consultancysolutions. www.petrofactraining.com

LAMAR MCKAY, BP

LONDON (Nov. 23, 2012) BPappointed Lamar McKay as chiefexecutive, Upstream. McKay willlead BPs combined Upstream busi-ness, comprising the Exploration,Development and Production divi-sions together with the Upstreamstrategy and integration team.McKay is chairman and president ofBP America, a role he has held since2009, serving as BPs chief represen-tative in the U.S. and also overseeingBPs Gulf Coast restoration work.

BP is an oil and gas company.www.bp.com

Andy Martin

Cliff Alford

MauryDumba


9/52www.upstreampumping.com 7

MICHAEL LARSEN, Gardner

Denver, Inc.

WAYNE, Pa. (Nov. 19, 2012) Gardner Denver, Inc., appointedMichael M. Larsen president andCEO. Larsen served as vice president

and chief financial offi cer of thecompany since 2010 and as interimCEO since July 2012. Larsen was alsoappointed to the Gardner Denverboard of directors.

Gardner Denver, Inc., is a manu-facturer of compressors, liquid ringpumps and blowers. www.gardnerd-enver.com

SYLVIA KERRIGAN &

LANCE ROBERTSON,

Marathon Oil Corporation

HOUSTON (Nov. 1, 2012) Marathon Oil Corporation an-nounced that its Board of Directorselected Sylvia J. Kerrigan as executivevice president, general counsel andsecretary. Lance W. Robertson waselected vice president of Eagle FordProduction Operations. Kerrigan

previously served as vice president,general counsel and secretary.Robertson previously served as re-gional vice president of South Texas/Eagle Ford.

Marathon Oil Corporation is aninternational energy company. www.marathon.com

JARED GARTON,

JDA Global

REDLANDS, Calif.(Oct. 19,2012) JDA Globalannounced the addi-tion of Jared Garton,who will handle inside sales activitiesand contribute to inventory manage-ment and procurement.

JDA Global is a pump holdingcompany. www.jdaglobal.com

CHRIS PEETERS,

Schlumberger

PARIS (Sept. 20, 2012) Schlumberger announced the ap-pointment of Chris Peeters as direc-tor of the Europe, Middle East and

Africa (EMEA) region. Peeters alsoassumed responsibility for managing

the Utilities practice, which is basedin Paris.

Schlumberger BusinessConsulting is an energy sectormanagement consultancy. www.sbc.slb.com

Jared Garton

godwinpumps.com

Xylem offers you the most comprehensive dewatering solutionson the market with its Godwin and Flygt brands of pumps.

From water supply on frack sites to flowback and drilling mud,our diesel and electric driven Godwin pumps are designed tohandle your toughest conditions. With a complete inventoryof rental pipe and fittings, we have the parts, service andengineering support to ensure your success

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Industry News

IN THE FIELD

SHELLS Kulluk Drilling Unit

Arrives in Kodiak Island

THE HAGUE, e Netherlands( Jan. 7, 2013) Shell confirmed

that its Arctic-class drilling unit,the Kulluk, has been towed to a safeharbor on Kodiak Island in the Gulfof Alaska, where it will undergo athorough safety assessment beforeresuming its journey to its winterharbor for repairs and maintenance.

Shell is a global group of energyand petrochemical companies. www.shell.com

GE OIL & GAS to Open New

UK Subsea Hub

ABERDEEN, U.K. (Dec. 18,2012) GEs Oil & Gas SubseaSystems business plans to build onits presence in the U.K. throughthe creation of a new subsea center

in Bristol at the citys Aztec WestBusiness Park. By establishing thisfacility, GE Oil & Gas will create 200new jobs in 2013.

GE works to find solutions inenergy, health and home, transporta-

tion and finance. www.ge.com

TRANSOCEAN Agrees to

Plead Guilty to

Environmental Crime

WASHINGTON ( Jan. 3,2013) Transocean Deepwater Inc.has agreed to plead guilty to violatingthe Clean Water Act (CWA) and topay a total of $1.4 billion in civil andcriminal fines and penalties for itsconduct in relation to the DeepwaterHorizon disaster, the Departmentof Justice announced today. ecriminal information and a proposedpartial civil consent decree to resolvethe U.S. governments civil penaltyclaims against Transocean Deepwater

Inc. and related entities were filedtoday in U.S. District Court in theEastern District of Louisiana.

For more information visitwww.epa.gov/enforcement/water/cases/transocean.html.

CHURCHILL DRILLING

TOOLS Invests in

Aberdeen Facility

ABERDEEN, U.K. (Dec. 18,2012) Drilling systems specialistChurchill Drilling Tools has an-nounced a 2.5 million investmentin its Aberdeen base to meet increas-ing global demand for its innovativetechnologies.

Churchill Drilling Tools is anengineering company focused ondelivering systems for the drilling andcompletion sectors. www.circsub.com

LEISTRITZ CORPORATION

Receives Production

System Contract

ALLENDALE, N.J. (Dec. 6,2012) Leistritz Corporation re-

ceived contracts from three engineer-ing firms for the design, constructionand commissioning of 11 Leistritzmultiphase production systems. esystems will be deployed in the shal-low waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Leistritz is a pumps, elevator hy-draulics and machine tools company.www.leistritzcorp.com

ROSNEFT & EXXONMOBIL

Partner in Tight Oil Project

IRVING, Texas (Dec. 6, 2012) Rosne and ExxonMobil signed apilot development agreement estab-lishing a joint project to assess thepossibility of commercial productionof tight oil reserves at the Bazhenovand Achimov formations in westernSiberia. e program encompasseswork across a number of areas, in-

cluding drilling new horizontal and

WEIR OIL & GASacquires Mathena Inc. Jan. 2, 2013

NATIONAL PUMP COMPANYacquires American Turbine Pump Companies Dec. 21, 2012

PROSERV

acquires Total Instrumentation & Controls Dec. 20, 2012

SCHLUMBERGER

acquires GeoKnowledge AS Dec. 13, 2012

FREEPORTMCMORAN COPPER & GOLD

acquires Plains Exploration & Production Company and

McMoRan Exploration Company Dec. 5, 2012

FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

acquires Merrimac Manufacturing Dec. 5, 2012

AKER SOLUTIONS

acquires rum Energy Nov. 22, 2012

HARVEST PARTNERS, LP,

acquires FCX Performance Inc. Oct. 18, 2012

ITT CORPOR ATION

acquires Bornemann Pumps Oct. 15, 2012

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS



vertical wells, deepening existingwells and redeveloping idle wells.

Rosne is a petroleum company.www.rosne.com

EXXONMOBIL Gives

Holiday GiftIRVING, Texas (Dec. 6, 2012) ExxonMobil presented Dallas-basedInterfaith Housing Coalition with a$50,000 grant to assist the agency infulfilling its mission of providing tran-sitional housing assistance and ancil-lary services to local, working-poorfamilies. Each year, Interfaith servesapproximately 100 homeless familiesin an effort to realize its mission oftransitioning families from workingpoor to working class to middle classin three years.

ExxonMobil is an oil and gascompany. www.exxonmobil.com

EIA: Growth in US Energy

Production Outstrips

Consumption Growth

WASHINGTON (Dec. 5,

2012) e U.S. Energy InformationAdministration (EIA) releasedthe Annual Energy Outlook 2013(AEO2013) Reference case, whichpresents updated projections for U.S.energy markets through 2040. eseprojections include only the effects ofpolicies that have been implementedin law or final regulations.

e EIA collects, analyzes anddisseminates energy information.www.eia.gov

EXPRO Announces

New Facility

ABERDEEN, U.K. (Dec. 1, 2012) Expro opened a new facility inAberdeen to enhance its growing wellintervention business. e sitewillhouse Expros wireline, well interven-tion, well services, well integrity and

cased hole logging services.

Expro provides services andproducts that measure, improve,control and process flow from oiland gas wells, through the marketingsegments of well testing and commis-sioning, production systems, wireline

intervention, connectors and mea-surements and deepwater interven-tion. www.exprogroup.com

SWIRE OILFIELD SERVICES

Opens New Headquarters

ABERDEEN, U.K. (Nov. 28,2012) Swire Oilfield Servicesopened its new 4 million globalheadquarters in Aberdeen, U.K. enew headquarters are part of thecompanys overall investment in thebusiness to support its companysinternational development strategy.

Swire Oilfield Services suppliesoffshore cargo carrying units. www.swireos.com

BP Temporarily Suspended

from New Federal Contracts

WASHINGTON (Nov. 28, 2012) e U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) temporarily suspend-ed BP Exploration and Production,

Inc., BP PLC and named affi liatedcompanies (BP) from new contractswith the federal government. EPAtook this action due to BPs lack ofbusiness integrity as demonstrated bythe companys conduct with regardto the Deepwater Horizon blowout,explosion, oil spill, and response, asreflected by the filing of criminalinformation.

e EPA was established to pro-tect human health and to safeguardthe natural environmentair, waterand land. www.epa.gov



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Everywhereyou are weare right therewith you.

Email: [email protected]

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P h

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f I d

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When describing the attri-butes that come togetherto create a strong drilling

rig, promoting one brand, type, styleor method over the others could gen-erate argument.

ere are always other ways to dothings and new equipment, methodsand innovations on the horizon.

e thousands of tons of steel,wire, rubber and paint combinedwith the knowledge, sweat, grit andskill of the crew create a living, breath-ing, adaptable organism, or more ac-curately, a system of organisms.

e main purpose of any drillingpackage is to accurately place the bit,

create a wellbore and terminate thewellbore exactly where the customerprescribes in the drilling contract, re-gardless of hurdles encountered. erig package should be roughneckfriendly, or as simple as possible topackage, load and move, and then re-assemble at the next location.

Finally, whennot ifa majorcomponent fails, what are the fieldservice possibilities on the equip-ment? What is the worst-case scenarioof transporting parts and techniciansto the location to facilitate repairs ona major system? is article answersthese questions.

Match ContractRequirementsA rig package that matches the re-quirements detailed on a drillingcontract will be the driving factor toputting the rig to work and collecting

a day rate. Some things to considerwhen making a comparison of a rigpackage to the requirements of an op-erators contract are: e power package has to provide

enough horsepower to drive all thenecessary components on the rig.

e derrick should have enoughheight to safely rack the drill pipein singles, doubles or triples as de-scribed in the contract. It must alsobe engineered to support enoughweight in drill pipe, drill collarsand downhole tools to safely reachthe total depth described in thecontract. e racking board shouldbe sized to rack back all the drillcollars and drill pipe necessary toreach the total depth of the well.

e drawworks require the weightcapacity and ability to move the

traveling block at a prescribednumber of feet per minute.

e auxiliary drawworks brake, ifrequired, should provide the brakehorsepower needed to safely stopthe drawworks drum rotationunder full-rated load capacity.

e substructure should be tallenough to clear the blowout pre-venter (BOP) stack beneath it, andshould be able to support enoughweight on the setback to hold allthe drill collars and drill pipe toreach the total depth of the well.

e BOP and accumulator systemshould be adequately configuredand have the psi capability to shutthe well, should a well-controlproblem be encountered.

A Strong LandDrilling PackageBy Wayne Philpot, Short Horn Service Company

Leadership, crew and component performance, along

with an exceptional equipment package, are the keys toa dependable drilling rig.

Opposite:116-foot mast in South TexasAbove:Rig loaded for transport

PhotocourtesyofLoadcraftIndustries,

Ltd



DRILLING

e rotary table in the substructureshould adequately power the drillstrings rotation and withstand theoperating torque generated.

e top drive should possess atleast the same weight capacity as

the derrick and enough torque torotate the drill strings full length.

e traveling blocks number ofsheaves and weight capacity shouldmatch the derrick configuration.

e mud pump(s) require the samehorsepower as the power pack-age, and it (they) should provideenough drilling mud volume andpressure to cool the bit, flush thecuttings and control the pressureof air or natural gas pockets thatcould escape the wellbore.

e mud system should have thecapacity to supply the mud pumpswith clean drilling mud to moveinto the wellbore, and enoughcapacity to thoroughly clean (withshakers, desanders and desilters)the cutting-filled mud that exitsthe wellbore.

e water system should supply allwater needs on the rigfor drill-ing mud and cleaning operations.

e fuel tank requires adequatecapacity to supply all engines withdiesel and should not requirefrequent refilling.

e instrumentation shouldprovide rig personnelprimar-ily the driller, tool pusher andcompany manwith the necessaryinformation. is includes weightindication, mud pump pressureand strokes per minute, drawworksrpm, compressed air system pres-sure, hydraulic system pressures,rotary table rpm, top drive torqueand rpm, tong pressures, and otherdetails that operators must moni-tor and manage.

Other Options &SpecificationsOther options and specifications areavailable to complete the rig pack-agesuch as tool houses, dog houses,crew quarters, junk baskets, pipe tubsand hydraulic catwalks. ese willbe required or supplied as operatorsand contractors require or prefer. e

question is how much does an opera-tor need to or want to haul in and outof a location?

Along with being equipped withall the necessary components and fea-tures to meet or exceed the require-ments of a drilling contract, anotherkey design attribute, or set of attri-butes, should render the rig packageroughneck friendly. e ease withwhich each component can transi-tion from being hauled during the rigmove to being accurately placed onthe location and rendered functionalis the measurement of how strong thedesign is.

A few ways to rate the roughneck-friendly nature of a rig design are: How many truck loads are required

to move the rig package? How many cranes and/or winch

trucks must be used to rig up andrig down?

Do the mating rig component sec-tions pin or bolt together?

Does each rig component have ad-equate and handy padeye locationsfor easy rigging?

Are sensitive components (com-pressed air regulators; hydraulic,

water, oil, air piping and hoses; andgages) protected from the rigors ofmoving heavy equipment?

Are more complicated tools thanbasic hand tools required to as-semble the major components?

With the competitive arena inwhich drilling contractors are bat-tling, the speed of moves, rigging upand rigging down will play as muchinto the equation of winning a con-tract as the rig inventory meeting thecontract specs.

The Importance of LongLife and ServiceWith the life span of a rig stretchingto years and decades, the strongestpart of a good drilling package lies inthe serviceability of every component.

A 1,000-horsepower drilling rig, completed drilling package, in Libya

PhotocourtesyofLoadcraftIndustries,

Ltd



is does not refer to normal preven-tive maintenancefluid, lubricant,filter changes and daily inspections,which are all critical practices for thelongevity of the rig. is refers to theavailability of parts and service exper-

tise applied to every engine, transmis-sion, clutch, bearing, seal, roller chain,sprocket, gear, sheave, drum, sensor,plug, receptacle, and machined andfabricated component.

As much as users wish it were nottrue, things wear and break. Mistakesare made, and these problems needcorrection in a timely fashion. Whenconsidering these facts and the impa-tience of the oilfieldtime is simplytoo valuable, and too much money isat stakethe word timely takes ona new meaning. e parts and piecesthat create the package need to havereplacements or service availableanywhere that the rig could possiblybe deployed within a short time pe-rioddays not months.

is is one major reason that us-ers see the same major component

manufacturers on many rig packages,regardless of who owns them. emanufacturers have the capacity toproduce the original equipment, and

they have the financial wherewithal tomaintain stocks of replacement parts,the manufacturing capacity to rapidlyproduce any of their part numbersand highly trained and experiencedstaff available on demand. ey are

ready to deploy these assets whereverin the world the rig might land a con-tract or experience a break down.

Anyone in this industry can sharehorror and success stories of how rig-down situations have been resolved.e difference between both ex-tremes can usually been traced to thementality and culture of the originalequipment manufacturer (OEM).Murphys Law does apply to rig break-downsthe more remote the rigs lo-cation, the closer it is to a holiday, thecloser it is to 5 p.m. or midnight on aFriday, the more likely it is that an un-timely failure of a major componentwill occur. e OEM should forgeahead despite the day on the calendaror the latitude and longitude locationof the breakdown.

ConclusionPerformance makes a strong drillingrig. e drilling contractors leader-ship performance in providing an

equipment package that meets orexceeds contract requirements, theperformance of each component andeach person on the crew operating thecomponents and the performance of

the manufacturers when situations aretough make a strong drilling rig.

Wayne Philpot is CEOof Short Horn ServiceCompany, LLC. Hehas been involved inthe manufacturingbusiness since 1983,

specifically in the oil and gas manufac-

turing and service business since 1987with a 5-year stint as the programchair of Machining Technology,Welding Technology, and Industrial

Maintenance Technology at TexasState Technical College. Philpot gradu-

ated om Tarleton State Universitywith a BS in industrial technology.

He can be reached at [email protected].

An AC 1,200-horsepower drilling rig in California

Third-party pull test

Photocourte

syofLoadcraftIndustries,

Ltd

PhotocourtesyofLoadcraftIndustries

,Ltd


18/52

16

Upstream

Pumpi ngSol uti onsJanuary/ February201 3

Photo courtesy of Baker HughesPhoto courtesy of Baker Hughes



Managing water in the Mar-cellus Shale is a challenge.A minimal number of

water disposal wells are available inPennsylvania because of the poor geo-logical characteristics of the underly-ing formations to accept fluids fordisposal, making water disposal cost-ly. ird-party transport and disposalcosts can be up to $15 per barrel. Op-erators need effective, economic andenvironmentally-safe ways to treatflowback or produced water for re-

use in fracturing operations. Effectivetreatment of these fluids also offers re-duced costs in procuring source waterfor future projects.

Onsite treatment of producedand flowback water in Pennsylvaniais highly regulated. Special permit-ting is required from the Departmentof Environmental Protection to treatwater onsite within an impoundment.ese impoundments must be linedto prevent accidental fluid release.

Water ChallengeAn operator needed a solution totreat water in Butler County, Pa.Using truck transportation, the op-erator moved pit water from oneimpoundment to another. e flow-back and produced water containedsignificant bacteria, dissolved iron,

hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and iron sul-fide (FeS) that resulted in poor waterquality. ese contaminants limitedthe waters beneficial reuse. e H2Spresented a potential safety risk dur-ing fluid handling and fracturing op-erations, and it provided a mechanismthat influenced corrosion in produc-ing wells.

e contaminants and poor wa-ter quality also presented a potentialimpact to the fracturing fluid. Highlevels of iron can break down fric-

tion reducers needed in high-ratehydraulic fracturing operations. isbreakdown necessitates an increasedapplication rate of friction reducer,which can impact the cost of the wellcompletion. If not mitigated beforeor during the operations, high sulfate-reducing and acid-producing bacteriacounts within the water can poten-tially contaminate the wellbore. esebacteria can cause souring of a well bycreating H2S, FeS and increased levelsof corrosion in tubular goods.

e destination impoundmentcontained substantial fresh water tobe used for the multi-well fracturingoperation. is water did not requiretreatment due to very low bacterialactivity. Adding the contaminatedwater to that impoundment withouttreatment would have contaminated

all the water, requiring that the opera-tor treat the entire volume.

The SolutionBefore deciding on a solution, multi-ple potential treatment strategies were

reviewed. With the variety of contam-inants in the water, some traditionalchemical applications were rejectedbecause they only targeted a specificcontaminant. Potential options thatwere explored included traditionalliquid scavengers for H2S mitigation.However, these treatments only tar-get H2S and can create a tremendousincrease in the scaling tendency thatcould cause flow assurance concernsin future well production.

Traditionally, liquid biocidesonly remove the bacteria that cre-ate FeS and H2S and do not removeproduced sulfides. Additional oxidiz-ers are available for iron precipitationand sulfide reduction, but require ahigh load rate for treatment. Differentsurfactants were also considered forodor control, but they only mask

the problem and do not aid in reuse.e operator chose chlorine dioxide(ClO2) because the environmentallyfriendly solution eliminates bacteriaand also will scavenge existing H2S,oxidize FeS and force precipitation ofthe dissolved iron in the water with asingle treatment application.

ClO2 is a selective disinfectingoxidizer that has been used in U.S.industries for more than 70 years,including the disinfection of munici-pal drinking water supplies. It is alsoused to disinfect fruits and vegetablesintended for human consumption.For more than 20 years, ClO2 hasbeen used in the oilfield for hydrau-lic fracturing treatment; remediationof near-wellbore damage in produc-tion, injection and disposal wells;and surface applications of water in

Water Reuse

SolutionsBy Shawn Shipman, Morgan McCutchan, Baker Hughes Incorporated,& Derek Smith, Rex Energy

Chlorine dioxide water treatment prepares produced

and flowback water for reuse in hydraulic

fracturing operations.

Opposite:Because every shale formation is different, providing a customized fracturing treatment with the rightequipment, fluid systems, modeling and expertise will help maximize well productivity.



WELL COMPLETION

pits, tanks and surface vessels. ClO2isgenerated onsite via a mobile or per-manently mounted generator usingwater and usually three common liq-uid precursors: Sodium hypochlorite (commonly

known as bleach) Hydrochloric acid Sodium chlorite

Although ClO2is a true gas, onlyliquid phase ClO2 is used for surfaceand subsurface oilfield applications.Typical surface water applicationsinclude: Spent polymer and gel removal FeS and H2S mitigation Chemical treatment of freshwater

for drilling or hydraulicfracturing operations

Treatment of produced and flow-back water for reuse or disposal

With so many treatment options

available, what makes ClO2 a betterchoice? While neither new nor novel,ClO2 is an environmentally friendly

solution with many benefits. It worksfast and effi ciently at lower dosagesand offers a broad range of bacteria,fungi and virus destruction. ClO2penetrates and sloughs biofilm, miti-gating destructive bacteria. It is non-toxic, reacts well with most organicmaterials and ammonia or forms ofhypochlorous acid or free chlorine.It is most effective against sessile

bacteria. ClO2 is less corrosive thanchlorine and oxidizes manganese,iron, phenols, sulfides, cyanides andodor-causing substances.

It is not affected by system pH,effectively slowing corrosion. ClO2is cost-competitive compared with

other chlorine alternatives and tradi-tional liquid treatments. e processuses hands-off automated feed andcontrol for safer operations.

OperationA mobile ClO2system (see Image 1)was used to treat the operators pro-duced and flowback water as it wastransferred from the storage pit to

working tanks.e 76,000 bar-rels of water werethen hauled viatruck to the im-poundment loca-tion.

e gen-eration unit de-signed for thisoperation takes a

slip stream of the

influent water from the transfer head-er. at water is then passed throughthe mobile ClO2 system to create aconcentrated solution of ClO2 toachieve the correct treatment amountin the main stream. e concentratedsolution is returned to the header to

treat the water going to the storagetanks (see Image 2). Depending onthe ClO2 demand in the water, thegeneration unit can treat at pumprates in excess of 120 barrels per min-ute .

A water analysis was performedon the source water impoundmentprior to treatment to obtain theionic composition of the water anddetermine the demand of ClO2 forthis treatment. During this applica-tion, the water was treated while be-ing transferred at a rate of 20 to 25barrels per minute. During transferand treatment, the source water wasperiodically sampled. Finished prod-uct samples were obtained to ensurewater quality and were tested forClO2 residuals. Water in storage im-poundments can stratify, causing the

ClO2 dosage demand to increase or

Image 1. An operator checks the chemical feed rate on the ClO2system.

Image 2. Untreated (left) and treated (right)flowback water



decrease throughout the treatment.Several automation controls are builtinto the unit to adjust the dosagerate throughout an application tokeep ClO2residuals within the targetrange.

e treatment resulted in aneight bottle log reduction in bacte-ria and oxidized FeS and H2S for theelimination of odor and improvedclarity. e storage impoundmentodor was eradicated, and water clarityimproved significantly. Most impor-tant, a greater percentage of producedwater was preserved for reuse.

Quantifiable Benefits

Removing the contaminants fromthis water provided the same hydrau-lic fracturing fluid formulation thatis typically required for freshwater.Had these contaminants not beenremovedespecially the dissolvedironfriction reducer degradationcould have occurred, which wouldincrease costs. e treatment allowedthe operator to save on expenses that

would have been required for dis-posal. Providing a beneficial treat-ment program for reuse also keepsthe fluids within the water cycle, re-ducing the need for additional fresh-water sourcing. Treating this waterbefore transportation preserved thequality of the five million gallons offreshwater already in the impound-ment. is prevented the need foradditional treatment of all the water.ClO2 has proved to be an effectiveEnvironmental Protection Agency-approved treatment to enhance anoperators ability to reuse producedand flowback water.

is added versatility is helpingoperators increase their levels of reusewithin their completions and improv-ing well economics without sacrific-ing production or flow assurance.

ShawnShipman is

BakerHughes areamanager for

Water Management.He can be reached at

[email protected].

MorganMcCutchan isBaker HughesNortheast areatechnical

manager for Water Man-agement. He can be reached

at [email protected].

Derek Smithis seniordirector of

HSE for RexEnergy, an

energy company engagedin the development of

natural gas, headquar-tered in State College, Pa.

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WELL COMPLETION

In the last decade, the oil and gasindustry has experienced one ofthe largest changes in its history

with the rise of unconventional drill-ing. Drilling deeper, horizontally andin harsher environments made pro-cesses like pumping operations duringhydraulic fracturing much harder onthe equipment.

The ProblemMainstream pump fluid ends weredesigned for conventional fractur-

ing techniques and not unconven-tional shale plays. In some cases,the shi to unconventional drillingcan cut fluid end life in half becauseof wear. is affected operations by

increasing maintenance and serviceinterruptions. It also affected budgetsby causing a need for additional capi-tal expenditure on new equipment.Operators need innovative fluid endtechnology to meet the growing andincreasingly challenging requirementsof the pressure pumping industry.

Developing a SolutionA team of 50 engineers had a clearchallengedevelop a fluid end forunconventional shale plays that, on

average, will operate about twice aslong as a conventional fluid end.

A 16-month development jour-ney began focused on the fundamen-tal root causes of fluid end failure: Cracking in the cross bores Cracking in the valve seat deck Corrosion pitting

Addressing these three areas in-volved combining of new geometry,improved manufacturing processesand looking at alternative materialoptions. e result is a new, patent-pending technology, engineered toimprove the life of the fluid ends inunconventional shale plays. Extensiveengineering collaborationswhichinvolved industry specialists, leadingacademics and expertsworked todesign the technology and challenged

existing engineering practices in fluid

end design (see Figure 1). Two of thethree typical causes of fluid end failurewere tackled by focusing on the geom-etry and manufacturing processes offluid end technology. is includedcracking of the cross bores and crack-

ing in the valve seat deck. First, thepatent-pending technology incor-porated offset suction and dischargebores, as opposed to the parallel boresof conventional fluid ends. By takingthis approach, stress in the cross boresis reduced (see Figure 2).

en the team determined thatcracking in the valve seat deck was dueto stress loading, which plays a majorrole in fluid end failures. Calling thisthe next weakest link, the team fo-cused on the design of the seat andits relationship with the fluid end.Designing a valve seat that created afriendly environment for the inter-working of the fluid end, which miti-gated stress loads common in conven-tional valve seat design, was critical.

is resulted in a valve seat engi-neered specifically for use in the new

fluid end technology. is valve seat,when combined with the offset borefeature of the fluid end technology,is designed to deliver 30 percent lessinternal stress and around 50 per-cent greater fatigue life when com-pared to conventional fluid ends thatdo not feature the new technology.Ultimately, this focus on the geome-try, coupled with additional enhancedmanufacturing processes, resulted in afluid end that on average has at least

Long-LifeFluid EndsBy Jacob Bayyouk, Weir Oil & Gas

The harsh reality of unconventional drilling requires the

pressure pumping market to rethink its approach to fluid

end technologies.

Figure 1. A fluid end featuring the

new technology

Figure 2. Optimized geometry plays a

critical part in increased fluid end life.



double the operating life when com-pared to conventional fluid ends thatdo not feature the new technology.1

Developing material to addresscorrosion pitting was the next step.A company has created proprietary

stainless steel that incorporates thenecessary mechanical properties toenable hydraulic fracturing pumps tooperate longer in todays unconven-tional shale plays.

is proprietary stainless steelprovides corrosion resistance whilethe fluid end technology reduces theinternal stresses and increases fatigue

life when compared to conventionalfluid ends. According to preliminarytest results, combining the use of thisproprietary stainless steel with thenew fluid end technology can achievemore than 1,000 active pumping

hours in the field.1

Field Proven

Extensive field testing with majoroperators validated that, on average,a fluid end with the new technologyhas at least double the operating lifeof a conventional fluid end run underthe same conditions.2

Additionally, computationalanalysis by academic partners veri-fied the specifications of the improve-ments delivered with the new fluidend technology. Implementation waseasy because the fluid end technologyworks with conventional power ends.

While the new technologysolved todays challenge, the engineer-ing team is already looking at the nextgeneration of pumping equipment tosolve tomorrows toughest industrychallenges.

Notes

1 e fluid ends with the new technology arecurrently being field tested against conven-tional fluid ends under the same operatingconditions.

2 Fluid ends featuring the new technologywere field tested for several months againstconventional fluid ends under the sameoperating conditions.

Jacob Bayyouk is the pressure pumpingengineering manager at Weir Oil& Gas.

For more information on SPMDuralast fluid end technology, visitwww.weiroilandgas.com.Image 1. A hydraulic fracturing pump

with new fluid end technology

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WELL COMPLETION

During the past few years,increased awareness of en-vironmental impact has led

to a need for greener, safer methodsand technologies. Clean energy isan essential part of this. Companieshave begun finding ways to meet thedemand for more environmentally-

friendly energy sources. Domesticnatural gas is one resource. Newertechnology was necessary to accessnatural gas reserves, which are avail-able deep underground in several ar-eas of the U.S. Horizontal drilling andhydraulic fracturingwhich has beenused for decades to aid production inoil wellswere further developed toimprove natural gas extraction.

Hydraulic fracturing is oen per-formed in shale rock formations inwhich fractures are already present.At accessible depths below the Earthssurface, expanding these fractures al-lows more gas to be extracted from asingle well source. A fracture networkis created through horizontal drillingto access a wider area and restore orincrease the flow of natural gas. Waterand additives are injected into a well

with high pressure to increase the

number of fractures and push themopen. Sand is typically pumped intothe well with the fracturing liquidto allow the pores in the rock to bepropped open and gas to flow morefreely through the fractures. is al-lows more hydrocarbon extraction,maximizing production.

Portability atthe WellheadPortable pumps are used in drillingand hydraulic fracturing applicationsto transfer water and drilling mud.Submersible pumps or centrifugalpumps are used in water withdrawalstations to draw water from the sourceto the site or well pad for use in thefractionation process.

e water may come from: Surface waters (lakes, streams,

rivers) Municipal water supplies (conve-

nient and easy, but costly) Produced waters from area wells Alternative sources such as mine

drainage or treated wastewater

e use of portable dewatering

pumps instead of water trucks saves

energy companies time and money.Because of the remote and arid loca-tions in which many hydraulic frac-turing operations take place, someprojects might need to employ hun-dreds of trucks to transport water tothe site. Instead, temporary pumps

and piping can be used to transfer thewater. Aside from the bulky opera-tion that the projects would require,pumps keep truck traffi c off the roads,which reduces the carbon footprintfrom emissions and prevents expen-sive repairs of road infrastructure.

Liquid transportation is a neces-sity during all phases of the process.Pumps are used to circulate drillingmud while the drill rig is on site, be-fore hydraulic fracturing begins. emud is used to flush out the boringhole and for lubrication. ere can beup to 15,000 feet or more of pipe inthe ground, and using oil-based drillmud as a lubricant keeps everythingrunning smoothly without the needfor additional product.

Portable pumps can move waterfrom impoundment to storage tanks

and supply water to high-pressure

Portable Pumpsin Drilling& HydraulicFracturingBy Kristen Gurick, Xylem, Inc.

Versatile pump options help operators navigate the

landscape of wellhead operations.Pumps (primary and backup) used

to transfer water from a truck offloadstation to fill tanks at approximately

2,000 gallons per minute



hydraulic fracturing trucks. Wellflowback and produced water can beblended with fresh water during thehydraulic fracturing process, treatedand reused during operations. Pumpsare used to manage the flowback from

the wells to the storage tanks and tomove solids-laden drill fluids.

When transporting raw water upthrough the storage tanks that feedthe water system, pumps with hardiron partssuch as impellers and in-sert ringsare used because of theirdurability and strength to withstandtough fluids. ey are suitable forwastewater with oxygen or chloridelevels up to 500 parts per million(ppm), which prevents clogging anderosion.

Pumps can be powered by elec-tricity, diesel or natural gas and areavailable in both high-volume (forshort distances and flat terrain) andhigh-head (for long distances or ex-treme terrain) versions. Geographyand area topography dictate the flowrate and li required. Centrifugal

dewatering pumps are used for theseapplications, along with rental pipe,

hoses and manifolds. Fluid transferspecialists should operate the pumps,tanks and valves. For a temporary jobof this nature, one could consider us-ing a pump company with all the es-sential accessories and service techni-

cians. Water transfer is needed in eachstep of hydraulic fracturing, and arental company has the knowledge tokeep it running smoothly.

Some benefits of working with avendor with a large rental fleet are: Rental availability of pumps, acces-

sories and control equipment Complete 24/7 access to service,

support and inventory Onsite system setup, operation

and maintenance Application specialists and

design engineers Optimized pipeline installation

and high density polyethylene(HDPE) pipe fusion service

Regulatory compliance System optimization for reduced

cost and carbon footprint Ease of scaling the pump system up

or down, safely and effectively

LandscapeShale rock, which consists of con-solidated clay particles, is the mostcommon sedimentary rock. It hashigh porosity and low permeability.Shale gas occurs in vertical fractures

or tiny, poorly connected pores, sonew methods were needed to extractthe natural gas. is gas is an uncon-ventional energy source, which haduntapped potential in many locationswhere hydrocarbons were not usuallyproduced.

In many cases, shale basins in theU.S. are found in flat regions, suchas the basins in Texas. When every-thing is flat, it is most economical touse ring-lock pipe, snap it togetherand begin. However, the MarcellusShale, located in Pennsylvania andNew York, is found in a mountainousenvironment. High density polyethyl-ene (HDPE) pipe with different pres-sure ratings is used, and knowledge ofpumping extreme high head is crucial.Understanding the environment andgeography is important so that end

users are able to perform pressure

Pumps (primary and backup) used to transfer water at a rate of 4,000 gallonsper minute from storage tanks to high-pressure pump trucks

Bag filters are used to filter waterat different flow rates and different

degrees of filtration.



WELL COMPLETION

calculations for piping and fusion re-quirements. For example, as the pipecontinues up a mountain, differentpipe ratings would be used and fusionrequirements would be evaluated.

High pressure systems are re-

quired to get the water over themountain. A typical portable pumpwould not work for supplying waterin the Marcellus Shale.

e ideal would be a high headpump with total dynamic head(TDH) capabilities reaching 500 feetor more. is would eliminate theneed for multistage pumps for jobs inwhich placement could be crucial to asuccessful, streamlined project.

Environmental

Precautions

Federal and state regulators workto ensure that natural gas extraction

does not harm the environment.Limitations are in place on theamount of groundwater and surfacewater that can be withdrawn to reduceany potential stress. Efforts are alsoin place to prevent spills and restrict

potential contamination. Hydraulicfracturing is a regulated industry. Aslong as guidelines are followed, it isan environmentally-sound method ofextracting natural gas.

Several pumping elements canbe tailored to be environmentallyfriendly.

Interim Tier 4 engines can beused to power dewatering pumps.ese engines offer a reduction innitrogen oxides (smog), particulatematter (soot) and hydrocarbons.

e pumps also have the optionto use an electric motor or a naturalgas engine, which uses fuel produced

on the hydraulic fracturing site. Spillcontainment is stressed to furtherminimize the carbon footprint.

References

Hydraulic fracturing. Wikipedia, the free

encyclopedia. N.p., June 4, 2012. Web.Hydraulic Fracturing Background

Information. U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency. EPA, May 9, 2012.Web.

Natural Gas Extraction HydraulicFracturing. U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency. EPA, May 4, 2012. Web.

Kristen Gurick is amarketing communi-

cations specialist forXylem, Inc. She canbe reached at kristen.

[email protected] 856-467-3636.




Gas production using hy-draulic fracturing is grow-ing across the U.S. produc-

tion fields including the Marcellus,Utica and Huron basins in the east,the Haynesville in the south and theBakken in the Dakotas. However,hydraulic fracturing presents severalchallenges. Water constitutes about

90 percent of the liquid media used inhydraulic fracturing. Freshwater supplies are oenlimited in production areas.With an increase in envi-ronmental and transporta-tion (trucking) controls, theoperating companies mustincorporate water treatmentand reuse into their businessmodels.

BackgroundA facility formerly knownas American Video GlassCo., which was whollyowned and operated bySony Corporation, hadbeen in operation in Mt.Pleasant, Pa., for severaldecades before closing its

doors in 2004. e facility was sold toCommonwealth Renewable Energy,Inc. in 2006, which planned to use thefacility to produce ethanol. at proj-ect fell through in 2008. In 2009, theplant was permitted and converted totreat water used in hydraulic fractur-ing in the Marcellus Shale gas fields.e rehabilitated plant was opened in

April 2010.

Challenges ofRestorationAndy Kicinski, P.E., president andCEO of Reserved EnvironmentalServices, LLC (RES), realized theplants potential for treating hydrau-

lic fracturing water. Working with apump distributor, Kicinski was able toput the needed equipment togetherto get the plant up and running.

is plant had been shut downfor half of a decade before Kicinskibought it. It had dead animals, rust-ing machinery, broken piping, pumpsand instrumentation cluttering the fa-cility grounds.

Kicinski was faced with remedi-ating an abandoned water treatmentfacility that was le without properdecommissioning for potential reuse.No process was available for treatingthe hydraulic fracturing water. With25 years of experience as a consultantand experience with U.S. Filter, he de-vised a plan for refurbishing the treat-ment plant. e fluids (hydraulic frac-turing liquid) arrive on trucks, which

unload into large holding tanks. e

Progressive CavityPumps MoveClarifier UnderflowBy Daniel Lakovic, seepex, Inc.& Upstream Pumping SolutionsEditorial Advisory Board

A Mt. Pleasant, Pa., facility finds success with hydraulic

fracturing water treatment.

Progressive cavity pumps used to transport flocculants



WELL COMPLETION

wastewater is then chemically treatedfor metals and the removal of otherpollutants within large clarifier tanks.From there, progressive cavity (PC)pumps move the clarifier underflowor sludge to a proprietary dewatering

system that Kicinski designed.

Why Use a PC pump?Kicinski previously worked with pro-gressive cavity pumps at a treatmentfacility in West Virginia and was fa-miliar with their advantages. e PCpump consists of a single-helix metalrotor turning inside a double-helixelastomeric stator. e cavities trans-port fluid without shear or emulsifi-cation. e sealing line between therotor and stator separates each cavityand handles solids, liquids, gases orany combination of the three.

e clarifier underflow oencontains high-salt liquids and highlyabrasive solidsincluding sand. Foruse in the RES treatment plant, thepumps also needed to be chemicalresistant to a 120,000 parts per mil-

lion chloride content. erefore, therotor and all other wetted parts weremachined from duplex stainless steel.

e pump also had a hastel-loy mechanical seal to withstand thehigher corrosion levels. e rotor was

ductile chromium coated to with-stand the increased abrasion oenseen in this type application. Kicinskialso ordered several PC pumps forpumping flocculants.

A representative from the pumpdistributor said that the PC pumpsproduced the same pressure as four-stage pumps but were much smallerand less expensive than other designs.e pumps were outfitted to use astandard hydraulic motor, which

decreased downtime. is type PCpump can also be used for oil and gascompletion applications, water welldrilling and grouting rigs. ey canalso be used to pump explosive emul-sions into drill holes for blasting.

Whats Next?Trucks are arriving from a 60-mileradius, but we have had trucks de-livering water from as far as 80 milesaway, says Kicinski. e treatmentplant has a 30,000-barrel-per-day (1.2million-gallon-per-day) capacity anda 30-minute unloading/recycle pro-cess turnaround time.

RES is a zero liquid discharge fa-cility where 100 percent of the treatedwater is returned to the shale gas pro-

duction field. e pumps have been introuble-free service since April 2010,supporting one of the fastest growingshale gas production areas inthe country.

Daniel Lakovic holdsa BS in InternationalBusiness om WrightState University. He

has worked for seepex,Inc. for two years, per-

forming roles such as marketing man-agement, pump development, rentalpump program and special events.He is also a member of UpstreamPumping SolutionsEditorialAdvisory Board. Lakoviccan be reached at [email protected].

Left view of a PC pump showing the clarifier connection and transfer hose goingto the dewatering system

Right view of a PC pump that transfers the clarifierunderflow or sludge to the dewatering system


29/52

UTICA SHALE: NORTH AMERICAS NATURAL GAS GIANT

UTICA SHALE:

North Americas

Natural Gas Giant

COVERSERIES

Ph

otocourtesyofChesapeakeEnergyCorporation

Nomac Drillings PeakeRig 70 ishard at work in the Utica Shale.

www.upstreampumping.com 27



COVERSERIES

T

he oil and gas boom in North

America is not slowing. Ashi is occurring from natu-

ral gas production to producing liq-uid hydrocarbons. However, as natu-ral gas prices rebound, operators willreturn to natural gas production andactivity in natural gas shale plays willincrease. According to Baker Hughes,31 rigs were in operation in the area(week of Jan. 18, 2013).1

According to www.geology.com,the Utica Shale, a rock layer a fewthousand feet below the MarcellusShale (see Upstream PumpingSolutions, Summer 2011), is capableof producing commercial quanti-ties of natural gas, natural gas liquidsand crude oil.2 e Utica Shale ismuch deeper than the Marcellusinsome areas more than 2 miles belowsea level. e thickness of the Utica

rock layer is from less than 100 feet to

more than 500 feet. It extends across

the Appalachian Basin and is locatedin portions of:

Kentucky Maryland New York Ohio Pennsylvania Tennessee Virginia West Virginia

e play also lies beneath partsof Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and intoOntario, Canada. If hydrocarbonquantities prove to be commerciallyviable throughout the entire shale, itcould be one of the largest known gasfields in the world.

While considered a natural gasgiant, the play also produces oil andnatural gas liquids. Currently, most of

the drilling has been in Ohio, where

dry and liquid hydrocarbon produc-tion is possible. Estimates for poten-tial recoverable hydrocarbons in theplay are 1.3 to 5.5 billion barrels of oil

and 3.8 to 15.7 trillion cubic feet ofnatural gas.

Challenges facing operators whowant to tap into the Uticas vast poten-tial are its depth and the limited infor-mation that is currently available onthe total organic content of the rock.Operators must also find and developtalented employees. is activity hasincreased employment opportunities,particularly in Ohio, where most ofoperations are occurring.

e drop in Ohios unemploy-ment during the past two years indi-cates that Utica Shale development iscreating jobs. e unemployment ratewas 6.5 percent in compared to an8.6 percent rate through 2011 and 10percent unemployment in 2010.

ats directly tied to develop-ment of the Utica Shale, said Dan

Alfaro, spokesman for Energy InDepth, an industry trade group.3

As in most unconventional plays,horizontal drilling and hydraulic frac-turing will be employed. For moreinformation on drilling, completionand production in the Utica Shale, seeDoug Walsers Report from the Field,Hydraulic Fracturing in the UticaShale, on page 29.

References

1 Baker Hughes, www.bakerhughes.com, Jan.18, 2013

2 www.geology.com, Jan. 20, 2013.

3 Pritchard, Edd. Energy companies look-ing for locals to join work force, www.CantonRep.com, Jan. 13, 2013.

4 www.uticashaleblog.com, Jan. 19, 2013.

Lori K. Ditoro is editor of Upstream

Pumping Solutions.

A Play with

Great PotentialBy Lori K. Ditoro

If commercially recoverable natural gas exists

throughout the area, this shale could be one of the

largest known natural gas fields.

PhotocourtesyofChesa

peakeEnergyCorporation




The Appalachian Basin prov-ince portion of the UticaShale has received substantial

attention from operators interestedin producing hydrocarbons that arephysically located near downstreammarkets. is Ordovician-age, blackshale generally has a 1 percent to 3percent total organic carbon (TOC)content, and the portions with great-

er than 2 percent are generally con-sidered the sweet spots. e vastmajority of the play (see Figure 1)is associated with thermally matureshale-containing gas, but about 14percent of the sweet spots are locatedin areas with less mature hydrocar-bons. ese areas are collectivelyknown as the oil window. Largerthan the oil window, but smaller thanthe dry gas extent, is the portion ofthe acreage that produces natural gasand natural gas liquids.

e Point Pleasant formation di-rectly underlies the Utica Shale andis oen the formation that is actuallypenetrated when attempting to tar-get hydrocarbons via hydraulic frac-tures that span both horizons. ePoint Pleasant is most oen a seriesof interlaminated limestone and shale

with somewhat higher porosity and

permeability than the Utica Shale.Not only can it contribute to a por-tion of the overall production, but itcan effectively function as a tempo-rary storage pressure sink for hydro-carbons that are sourced in the Utica.

ough activity in the play in-creased substantially from 2010through the first half of 2012, the fer-vor has somewhat abated, for a num-ber of reasons:

e pure oil window in centralOhio has not yet adequately dem-onstrated that it can repeatedlyproduce commercial quantities ofliquid hydrocarbons. In addition,the total acreage in this categorywith TOC greater than 2 percentis somewhat limited.

e dry gas window is simply

not commercial under current

commodity pricing scenarios fornatural gas. Existing MarcellusShale exploration, developmentand infrastructure are directlycompeting for the same closeproximity, natural gas market.

Portions of the play that haveyielded high initial productionrates of natural gas liquids (pri-marily ethane and propane) havebeen newsworthy. Unfortunately,local infrastructure related toprocessing ethane and propane iscurrently severely limited, and thecost to transport these productsto Gulf Coast processing facilitiescan approach or exceed the cur-rent commodity pricing structure.Several local projects are underway to remedy local ethane and

propane handling infrastructure

Hydraulic Fracturingin the Utica ShaleBy Doug Walser, Pinnacle,a Halliburton Business Line

Responsible consolidation

of surface locations

and facilities is a focus

in this play.

REPORT FROM

THE FIELD

Doug Walser



COVERSERIES

shortages, but the extended time-frames required to activate thesemidstream ventures place stress oncurrent drilling and completionscheduling.

Wells in the portion of the playthat produce large volumes ofnatural gas liquids also generallyproduce high volumes of naturalgas. Natural gas pipeline construc-tion in the area has not yet caughtup to the capacity that is expectedof 2013 development drilling andcompletion activities.

Hydraulic FracturingProcesses EmployedBest completion practices have been

imported into the area from otherunconventional plays across NorthAmerica in an attempt to shortenthe overall industry learning curve.Because most Utica Shale reservoirs

exhibit ultra-low permeabilityval-ues are oen in the nanodarcy or lowmicrodarcy rangethe number offracture initiation points per unit ofhorizontal lateral length is high, onthe order of 18 to 22 points per 1,000feet. is means a lateral could have asmany as 3.7 to 4.3 stages/1,000 feetwith four or five exit points/stages.

Stokes law suggests that pump-ing a proppant such as sand with aspecific gravity (SG) of 2.65 in slick-water with a SG of 1 and viscosity of

approximately 1.8 would likely resultin sand settling at or below the lateral.ough the practice could conceiv-ably result in adequate propping ofthe Point Pleasant, propped cover-

age of the Utica Shale portion of thelithostatic column could be severelylimited. Many operators have circum-vented this problem by specifyinghybrid fracturing fluids that containhigh apparent viscosity non-Newto-nian systems as a portion of the totalfluid package. e high apparent vis-cosity assists in carrying sand uphill,above the lateral and into the UticaShale itself (see Figure 2). Fluid vol-umes range from approximately 5,000barrels (bbl) per stage to as much as

Figure 1. Current area activity and sweet spot hydrocarbon windows




11,000 bbl per stage, and pump ratesrange from 60 to 90 bbl per minute.

During the acreage delineationprocess, far-field fracture mapping

is oen used to determine fractureazimuth (and therefore the optimumlateral orientation), degree of upwardpenetration into the Utica, fracturehalf-length and preliminary estimatesof optimum parallel lateral spacing.

Likely TrendsDuring these current acreage delin-eation efforts, surface locations aresomewhat scattered over the acreagesextent.

As field development effortsmove to the forefront of operatorsplanning efforts, more attention maybe given to responsibly consolidatingsurface locations and facilities in thisplay than has been given in othersacross North America. During devel-opment activities, the probable trendsappear to favor:

Four or eight horizontals drilledfrom one surface pad. One frac-turing fleet of between 14,000and 21,000 hydraulic horsepower

remains on the pad until all stageson all wells have been completed,along with appropriate auxiliaryequipment.

Central water processing facilitiesfor every 24 to as many as 48 wells.is includes storing and transfer-ring source water, recycling andtreating produced water, and pro-visions for responsibly handlingand/or disposing of any water thatis not recycled.

Short-term proppant storage andhandling facilities that minimizeairborne and noise pollution.

In the shorter term, most op-erators are focusing on determiningwhich portions of their acreage aremost suited for further development.Extensive manufacturing mode may

not make sense for many companiesuntil further infrastructurefrac-tionation, natural gas liquids stor-age, gas processing and pipeline

goes online in late 2013 and 2014.Meanwhile, there is quite a bit of pro-cess optimization that needs to be ac-complished in the Utica Shale.

Doug Walser has extensive (31 years)Permian Basin, Mid-continent,Appalachia, Rockies and South Texasexperience with Dowell Schlumberger;e Western Company of NorthAmerica; BJ Services; and Pinnacle,

a Halliburton business line. He hasspecialized in the calibration of three-dimensional acture modeling via anumber of methods. Recently, he hasspecialized in the examination andcomparison of the various emergingresource plays in North America, andmore specifically, plays with liquidhydrocarbons. He has authored 14papers, and holds three patents in hisareas of interest. He can be reached [email protected].

Figure 2. Typical completion, side view


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SPECIALs e c t i o n

SPECIALs e c t i o n INSTRUMENTATION,

CONTROLS & MONITORING

32 Upstream Pumping Solutions January/February 2013



INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROLS & MONITORING

The use of plunger li tech-nologies in the productionof natural gas in the U.S. has

allowed producers to optimize wellproduction. In fact, during the past3 years, natural gas production hasbeen so successful that it is experienc-ing a surplus. Because of this excess,producers have seen a dramatic shiin demand from natural gas to oil andhave begun to focus production ef-

forts on oil.e increased demand for oil

brings the need to optimize produc-tion methods, such as directionaldrilling. In turn, producers are con-tinually searching for the most ef-fective and effi cient ways to produceoil. Many have found that a reliablecommunications network helpsstreamline operations, allowing forsystem monitoring and control on areal-time basis. Automation is at theforefront of this ideology, but manyoptions are available, making it im-portant for producers to make theirchoices wisely.

Traditional Methodse conventional approach of put-ting a flow computer or a controller,

such as a remote terminal unit (RTU)or programmable logic controller(PLC), on each wellhead can becomeredundant and expensive. Many ofthe first multi-pad wells used onemuch larger flow meter or controllerthat could handle multiple wellheads.Another popular early attempt wasto use hardwire and direct buriedcable from each wellhead to a centralcontroller.

However, the wells were oenbrought onto the production line atdifferent times and automation tech-nology was added incrementally. ismeant that crews were brought toeach location at different times, andbackhoes were required to dig trench-es from each wellheadwhich couldbecome costly and time-consuming.In some cases, wiring from a previ-ous installation was damaged duringa second installation. With new wellsrich in hydrocarbon liquids, produc-ers needed to address increased tankcapacities on each pad. Some loca-tions required six or seven tanks togather liquid for 12 to 16 wells.

Additionally, the wiring from thewellheads to the tank batteries wouldbe placed under the access roads for

the trucks required to transport theliquids to other facilities. is be-came problematic because the heavyweight of the trucks and the highvolume of traffi c ravaged the buriedcables and caused the wiring to be-

come non-functional. Depending onthe locations and soils, some produc-ers replaced their buried cable in lessthan a year, another expensive andtime-consuming proposition.

Despite the costly and resource-consuming process of installing cable,most oil producers are accustomedto wired solutions. Because wire isa common solution, it is trusted bymany producers. When using neweroptions, such as wireless data radios,compromised reliability is a commonconcern for producers. Some believethat the radios will have higher failurerates than wired solutions. However,during the past 5 years, the oppositehas proven true. As the use of wirelessdata radios has increased, many pro-ducers have found that they are morereliable and have low failure rates.

Wireless data radios also havean advantage because they are not af-fected by construction or equipmentrelocation, which is a risk factor for awired solution. No device is immuneto a loss of signal, though many radiomanufacturers have planned accord-ingly and offer solutions with built-in, fail-safe or default setting configu-rations.

is allows producers to setparameters around the radio. Forinstance, if communication is lost,producers can pre-set whether a valveshould be closed, opened or le as is.ey can essentially choose how longthey prefer to wait and what actionwill take place should communica-tions fail. With wire, these optionsare not available.

Wireless Oil

Production

AutomationBy Jim Gardner, FreeWave Technologies, Inc.

For oil producers, wise automation technology selection

is important.

Opposite:Image 1. A tank batterythe gray box in the center is the same box in Image 2, but it is closed.It monitors the level measurements from each tank and sends it wirelessly to the central controller.



SPECIALs e c t i o n

Wireless I/O

What is Wireless input/output(I/O)? Wireless I/O is a mechanismby which analog (4-20mA, 1-5VDC,etc.), discrete and other raw signalsare transmitted via radio to and from

a central processing devicesuch asa distributive control system (DCS),programmable logic controller(PLC) or other remote terminal unit(RTU). In the simplest terms, wire-less I/O is wire replacement, wherethe wireless communications linkemulates wire in an existing applica-tion. No changes are required to the

system architecture. Wireless linksare used to transmit the same datathat the physical wire once carried.

Wireless I/O is a more recentoption for automating multiple wellpads. Today, wireless I/O is recog-

nized as an effective and reliable wayto monitor and control plunger li,and many producers are adoptingit as an option for oil production.Technology manufacturers that havefollowed industry trends are aware ofthe decreased need for gas-produc-ing technologies and the increaseddemand for technologies that can

monitor and control multiple wellson one pad to maximize production.

Producers oen use advancedproduction techniques, such as direc-tional wells where oil comes in at highpressuresfrom 6,000 to 10,000 psi.

Wireless I/O radios have the abil-ity to transmit varying data straightto producers offi ces, allowing themto closely monitor casings, tubing,and intermediate and surface pres-sures. With wireless I/O, producerscan view temperatures, pressures andalarms in the system from miles away.Many wireless I/O radios are now ca-

pable of transmitting data morethan 60 miles with good line ofsight communication paths.

ese wireless technologiescan also control the valve at thewellhead. Because these wellsare so prolific, six to 10 tanksand a tank battery may be usedat each location. Some wirelessI/O providers can transmit tanklevels for multiple tanks, allow-ing for optimal valve control.

For example, should one tankbecome full, a wireless I/O willautomatically instruct the valveto close and signal a new tank toopen. Essentially, wireless I/Otakes the information from thewellhead or the tank back to thecontroller. e controller thenprocesses the data, reads the al-gorithms and makes decisions,which the wireless I/O data ra-dio carries back to the valve. evalve opens, closes or remains asis depending on the signal fromthe radio.

When producers investigatewireless I/O options, they mustalso consider that some manu-facturers offer more variety thanothers. For example, some man-ufacturers radios offer multiple

I/O points, allowing for severalImage 2. A remote slave with a wireless I/O slavethe box also contains an RTU,battery and a voltage regulator.



INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROLS & MONITORING

temperatures, pressures, etc., to becommunicated through one radio.It is more common to have just oneI/O point. Depending on how manypoints are needed, seeking a providerwho offers multiple I/O points, also

known as I/O expansion, may bebeneficial for end users.

For example, a wireless I/O basemay have two digital inputs, two ana-log inputs, two digital outputs andtwo analog outputs, allowing the userto simply snap a module onto the ra-dio that has up to 16 additional I/Opoints. For oil wells, the ability tohave I/O expansion is crucial becausewhen measuring high-pressure fluids,casing, tubing, surface and interme-diate pressures must be monitored.I/O expansion helps increase theoverall health of oil production sys-tems by offering producers real-time

data that can be analyzed for multiplepressure readings via one communi-cation source.

Conclusion

In oil production, advancements

such as directional drilling allow formultiple wells on a single pad. isincreases effi ciency and overall pro-duction.

However, to keep up with theseadvancements, a communication sol-ution that can effectively monitor dif-fering data points is essential. WirelessI/O and I/O expansion meet theseneeds and offer benefits, such as afail-safe way to handle communica-tion failure. Additionally, wirelessI/O can transmit the data needed tocontrol valves on oil tanks, prevent-ing overflow and optimizing produc-tion. Choosing the right automation

technology can be a daunting task, soproducers should be familiar with allthe options. Today, wireless I/O radi-os

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