Gulf Importers

Deep Casing Tools successful in Gulf

Some company products

UK firm Deep Casing Tools has supplied oil and gas operators in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE with over 50 tools sold in the region, the company said.

 “The best-selling tools have been the Turbocaser Express for casing running, and the Turborunner for running completions,” said Avril Carruthers, the Aberdeen-based company’s marketing communications director. “The growth has been six fold over that period, doubling approximately each year.  This has occurred as the Deep Casing Tools’ equipment progressed to being proven technology.

“The most active use has been seen in the Saudi Arabian market. During 2014, the Turbocaser Express reamed through 1800 ft of trouble zone to reach 26,044 ft target depth, which was record depth. This was one of the most challenging and critical jobs, successfully concluded by the combined Deep Casing Tools and operator team.”

Carruthers added: The focus is to grow in the region, taking the case history successes and the examples of lowering operating cost and risk to new clients.  Having a headquarters in the region introduces an ability to respond faster, understand the operator issues better, and provide

The Turbocaser Express provides a unique reaming and drill through technology with significant time and cost savings when compared to conventional methods. With the new ability to ream while running in, the casing can be run sooner while the hole is in best condition, eliminating wiper trips and reducing open hole exposure, Carruthers explained.

The Turborunner is a total reaming system built for completions. The operator is able to ream through trouble zones, without the inherent risks of rotating the string from the surface.  This reaming operation is done at the same time as running the completion, eliminating the need for wiper trips. The system operates simply by circulating drilling, or completion fluids, and works with low flow rates and low pressures.

The company recently opened a new office in Dubai to serve the region better.

“Local sales and operational services have contributed to the company’s success and the establishment of a new regional base underpins the commitment to new and existing customers,” a company statement said.

“As well as serving the company’s established Middle East market, the combined office and warehouse facility will also provide a supply base for the growing demand for tools in the Far East, where supply agreements have recently been signed with major contractors in Malaysia and Vietnam.

“The facility underpins the strong reputation that the company has established with major operators in the Middle East and reinforces its ambitious growth plans.”

To support this growth, a new post has been created and John Rider has been appointed as vice president, Middle East and Asia Pacific, based in UAE. John has previously worked in the UAE, USA, Caspian, Russia UK and Africa.

This latest branch expansion follows the launch of a new subsidiary company in Canada in June of last year, adding to a US base established in 2013. Deep Casing Tools secured £2.1 million ($3.19 million) from the Scottish Loan Fund (SLF) last year, which the company said would provide working capital to “exploit its market opportunity” and develop operations globally.

As well as the Turbocaser Express and Turborunner, the company has a developed a high-speed reaming system, Shalerunner, for the shale fracking industry.

 

GULF SUCCESS

Deep Casing Tools has featured in several Gulf projects.

Early last year, the company set a new world record in Saudi Arabia for the longest tool run, which Carruthers referred to earlier.

The turbine powered reaming capability of the Turbocaser Express enabled the new record of 26,318 ft to be reached successfully. Without rotating the string, 2,250 ft of open hole was reamed over a six-hour period, successfully completing the longest measured depth section where Deep Casing Tools has used the Turbocaser Express.

Deep Casing Tools workers handling company equipment

Deep Casing Tools workers handling company equipment

The new record also included running the longest seven-inch liner (16,750 ft) right to the target depth. This achievement broke the previous record set only months before when another seven-inch Turbocaser Express reamed through 1,800 ft of trouble zone to reach 26,044 ft target depth. This was one of the most challenging and critical jobs which was successfully concluded by an engineering and operational team effort.

The Turbocaser Express technology was deployed to reduce the operational risk, given the hole geometry and the tight hole conditions, noticed while drilling and pulling out of hole over the final section. Because the product reams on demand, the wiper trip was eliminated, and during liner operations the tool was activated when tight hole conditions were encountered from 22,450 ft onwards. This resulted in landing the liner at the exact planned target depth, after which the liner was cemented normally. The next step of drilling straight through the motor was completed.

Deep Casing Tools CEO Lance Davis said at the time: “The successful performance of the Turbocaser Express has been rewarded with tool orders over £3 million already delivered to Saudi Arabia. It set off discussions for delivery of multiple tools, including the five-inch Shalerunner for completions.

“Deep Casing Tools’ reaming and unique drill through technology provides significant time and cost savings when compared to conventional methods. With the new ability to ream while running in, the casing can be run sooner while the hole is in best condition, eliminating wiper trips and open hole exposure.”

 

OMAN PROJECT

Deep Casing Tools conducted the first commercial run of a 5” Turborunner in Oman in 2013.

The tool successfully landed 4,500 m of 4.5-inch liner in an essentially vertical well, which included doglegs around a drilling fish. The Turborunner was activated, and reamed the liner through the collapsed hole. The operation took only 16 hours, following several conventional attempts to get the liner to total depth.

Due to persistent wellbore problems, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) decided to run the 5-inch Turborunner with a 4.5-inch liner. The sandstone formation was known to be problematic and unstable and the hole liable to degrade over time. The Turborunner was used to ream the last 18 joints of liner through this challenging zone, re-establishing a 5 7/8-inch gauge hole in order to land the 4.5-inch liner. Cementing operations were then completed as normal.

At the time it was introduced, Saudi Aramco had called the Turbocaser Express tool as “promising”.  “This tool is an expandable turbine that can be connected to the bottom of the completion with a reaming shoe.

The benefit is that you will guarantee the deployment of the completion at all times, even in areas where wellbore stability issues are a concern. This is even more relevant these days when well geometry and completion jewelry is getting more complex, ie, multi-stage frac completions,” it said.