Offshore: OTC Announces Technology Winners

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) announces 15 winners for its inaugural Spotlight on New Technology Program. These winners are recognized before, during and after the 35th annual OTC, 3-6 May, Reliant Center at Reliant Park in Houston. Winners and their submissions are listed in alphabetical order:

"We are excited about the response to the introduction of the Spotlight on New Technology program, " said Rod Allan, OTC .04 Chairman. "The companies that are Involved in the offshore industry are incredibly innovative, as they have to be, due to the technical challenge inherent in producing oil and natural gas at ever-increasing water depths in more remote locations."

Applications for the Spotlight on New Technology were distributed at OTC .03 and were due 9 January 2004. Submissions had to meet four criteria: new and innovative, proven, broad interest, and significant impact.

Winners will be recognized on site at this year's conference, scheduled May 3-6, on the exhibition floor and in the registration area. Spotlight on New Technology will continue as an annual recognition program coinciding with OTC. For more information on visiting OTC, see www.otcnet.org/2004.

ABB Offshore Systems

Vessel Internal Electrostatic Coalescer (VIEC)

VIEC moves the functionality of the traditional electrostatic coalescer, which is large and sensitive to operating conditions, inside the inlet separator. This is the first time such equipment has been exposed to the violently fluctuating conditions immediately downstream from the wells. The VIEC is only four inches thick with big one-inch holes, which prevents clogging. Installation can easily be done during a normal revision stop. It is modular for easy transport through manways and can be installed for any separator size. The fully isolated electrodes prevent short circuiting for any amount of free gas or water. VIEC combines new materials with old functionality and puts it in an entirely new place in the process plant.

Baker Hughes INTEQ

TesTrak (Formation Pressure Tester)

The formation pressure tester created by Baker Hughes Inteq is equipped with an intelligent control system based on the FRA algorithms that tightly control the drawdown pump. The tool can perform different types of pressure tests including standard test, optimized repeat tests, and successive drawdown tests. The pressure data can be utilized directly to optimize the casing points and adjust the mud weight and ECD, thus effectively and safely increase the rate of penetration and/or more safely drill into high pressured zones. The new formation testing tool can provide pressure data on extended reach horizontal wells while drilling that would otherwise have required an additional pipe-conveyed, wireline formation test run.

Baker Hughes INTEQ Acoustic Properties eXplorer (APX)

Acoustic technology has broad interest and appeal for drilling and logging while drilling. The quadrupole technology has even broader interest because with it we can reliably measure while drilling shear wave travel time even in slow formations. The quadrupole technology incorporated into this tool offers the most accurate measure of shear for LWD operations. The APX tool is the only acoustic tool (LWD and wireline) that uses quadrupole acoustic technology.

CDS Separation Technologies

FMC Inline Deliquidizer

Separation of liquids from a gas stream has traditionally taken place inside a pressurized vessel. However, because of weight and space limitations and installation downtime requirements, compact separators are becoming increasingly important, especially for deep water and subsea applications. CDS has taken the compact concept one step further with its new and innovative inline deliquidizer, formed from piping components, for efficiently removing liquids from gas. The deliquidizer's cost savings potential is significant - both for capital and operating costs.

Epcon Offshore AS

Epcon CFU Technology

The Epcon CFU Technology is the only new and innovative technology in the area of produced water treatment for many years, and is the alternative to centrifuges, hydro-cyclones and degassing vessels. The technology has a broad interest and appeal for the industry as the oilfields are producing more water each year as they mature. No other technology can meet the zero discharge limits for OIW. Benefits provided by Epcon CFU Technology are: low weight; small footprint; robust; high operational range (down to 20% flow); simple to operate; performance