Maintenance is the process of ensuring a certain standard is upheld by constantly looking into problems and fixing them, or trying to anticipate and pre-empt. Usually maintenance is preventative, that is, it executes tasks on equipment so as to prevent equipment problems and or failure. Preventative maintenance is known as scheduled maintenance, and as its … Continue reading Maintenance
Tag: Industry Operations & Practices
Valve Problems-Cavitation
Like all equipment valves are subject to problems in operation, quick and accurate identification and troubleshooting of the problem is necessary to ensure that the problem doesn't impede the process or result in equipment failure. The valve body is prone to cavitation, this occurs when the fluid within occupies 2 phases, vapour and liquid, essentially … Continue reading Valve Problems-Cavitation
Valve Actuators
These are used to remotely control a valve and are common in the modern industrial plant environment, they represent the final element of control for a particular process. They may be either air, gas or hydraulic and are classified depending on the power supply used to actuate the valve. Pneumatic actuators use air to control … Continue reading Valve Actuators
Valves
The gate keepers of any industrial process fluid flow, these devices are responsible for or aid in the control of fluid flow. They are mechanical devices that can be interacted with directly or indirectly. Directly the operator can physically/manually operate the valve to open, close or throttle the fluid flow passing within. Indirectly the valve … Continue reading Valves
Running Casing
Pre-running procedures Always pre-plan Ensure proper layout on the rig rack Joints need to be laid out properly especially when dealing with different weights of casing in one run. Clean the threads. Once the thread protectors are removed the threads should be cleaned. The tubular interiors should be inspected. Handling procedures Use thread protectors Use … Continue reading Running Casing
A Guide to Reaming
Always Plan your tripping schedule: Record tight spots from previous trips Know the wellbore geometry; the deviation, doglegs etc. maintain constant communication with your directional personnel. Despite pulling up always be prepared to run downward. This may be needed to free the pipe after a connection. One example is the consistent execution of 200 to … Continue reading A Guide to Reaming
A Guide to Hole Cleaning
Hole cleaning is an essential part of drilling. It ensures that the material that is drilled is effectively and efficiently being removed from the wellbore. Failure to achieve proper hole cleaning can result in a host of wellbore problems and issues. Indications of poor hole cleaning: Excessive pull on trips High rotary torque Lowered rate … Continue reading A Guide to Hole Cleaning
Effect of bit on Rotary Assembly
Roller Cone – makes very little difference on the build, hold or drop angle. This type of bit does influence the walk rate. They have a right walk tendency, long tooth bits exhibit this more than short tooth bits. PDC – no walk occurs. They do affect the inclination. The gauge length of the … Continue reading Effect of bit on Rotary Assembly
Cementing Additives and Mechanisms
There are 8 general categories of additives. Accelerators – Reduces setting time and increases the rate of compressive strength build up. Retarders – Extends the Setting time. Extenders – Lowers the density. Weighting Agents – Increases density. Dispersants – Reduces viscosity. Fluid Loss Control Agents. Lost Circulation Control Agents. Specialty Agents. Accelerators Can be … Continue reading Cementing Additives and Mechanisms
Replaceable Sleeve Stabilizer
Conventional Completions
Casing Flow; means that the producing fluid flow has only one path to the surface through the casing. Casing and tubing Flow; means that the there is tubing within the casing that allows fluid to reach the surface. This tubing can be used as a kill string for chemical injection. The tubing may have … Continue reading Conventional Completions
Horizontal Completions
Formation considerations Homogenous Heterogeneous Naturally Fractured Homogenous-found in heavy oil sands. Easy to accommodate in completion and don't require wellbore segregation. Can be treated with the entire wellbore exposed using coiled tubing or perforated technology. Heterogeneous-reservoir quality and pressure vary between sections of the wellbore. These segments of the wellbore need to be isolated to … Continue reading Horizontal Completions
Chemical Treatment of Drilling Fluids
Chemical treating agents reduce flocculation in clay water drilling fluids by one of more of the following mechanisms; Removal of contamination be precipitation Reducing the contaminant effect by sequestering the contaminant Neutralizing flocculation by satisfying cationic charges on the clay particles Forms a protective film around the clay particles Phosphates Powerful anionic dispersants, only … Continue reading Chemical Treatment of Drilling Fluids
Drilling Fluids: Suspend and Release Cuttings
The mud must trap the cuttings while drilling but at the same time it must allow the solids control equipment to be able to remove the drilled solids. If cuttings settle out during the drilling process then this may bridge the well bore and cause problems. Also if the fluid is not designed properly then … Continue reading Drilling Fluids: Suspend and Release Cuttings
Electric Submersible Pump (ESP)
This a electrically powered pump that is inserted into oil-well bore to facilitate the lifting of the well bore fluid. The pump as its name implies is electrically powered and submerged in the fluid. The operation of the pump as with all pumps creates a pressure difference allowing the fluid to flow upward out of … Continue reading Electric Submersible Pump (ESP)
(Oil)Well Bore Packers
 Packer Applications               Casing Protection               Separation of multiple Zones               Isolation Packers               Elimination of Surging and heading               Sub-surface safety control               Artificial/Gas LiftThere are three types of packers; mechanical and hydraulic set and permanent. All packers fall into one or a combination of these.Mechanical Set Packers- These are set by some form of tubing movement, usually a rotation … Continue reading (Oil)Well Bore Packers
Gas To Liquid
This is a refining process to convert gas to other gaseous hydrocarbons with longer chains such as gasoline or diesel. Methane rich gases are converted into liquid synthetic fuels via direct conversion or via syngas. Methanol to Gasoline Process (MTG) The process starts by converting the natural gas to syngas then conversion of the syngas … Continue reading Gas To Liquid
Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel
With the rise in environmental concern and caring the fuel we use has had to be improved. There have been several iterations of making the fuel more environmentally palatable. The most popular was the introduction of unleaded fuel and MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether). Initially lead was used to prevent knocking of the fuel, then … Continue reading Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel
Sulphur Recovery Unit
In the case of an oil refinery the process used is the Claus process as opposed to the wet sulphuric acid process (WSA Process). The process recovers elemental sulphur from gaseous hydrogen sulphide. The overall main reaction is: 2H2S + O2 => S2 + 2H2O The process was invented by Car Friedrich Claus, a chemist … Continue reading Sulphur Recovery Unit
Acid Amine Treatment
This is also known as gas sweetening or acid gas removal. It refers to a group of processes that use aqueous solutions of various alkylamines (amine) to remove hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide. It is known as sweetening as the process removes the H2S gas thus improving the odour of the waste/process gas. Different amines … Continue reading Acid Amine Treatment