Delta Marine Unveils New ROV Business

Delta Marine Technologies, Inc. (DMTI) announced the formation of Delta SubSea, LLC.  Delta SubSea was formed through the contribution of the pre-existing DMTI business into the newly-formed Delta SubSea, which was then re-capitalized with significant new equity capital from CSL Capital Management, LLC. 

DMTI was founded by Scott Dingman in 2004 and is a leading provider of engineering and personnel contracting services for the global offshore oil and gas industry.  Going forward, the Company will continue to offer these services while also making a major expansion into ROV services for offshore operators and contractors. The Company expects to enter into a multi-year framework agreement with a major manufacturer of ROV systems. Delta SubSea's fleet will be focused on work class ROV solutions for customers in the inspection, repair and maintenance, construction, drilling and decommissioning market segments. Dingman will continue to lead the Company as its Chief Executive Officer and is a co-owner of the Company.

"We are very pleased to partner with CSL Capital to form a leading integrated independent provider of ROV services and solutions. We at Delta SubSea strive to be best-in-class in all we do and this is the core philosophy of our new ROV business. We look forward to serving our customers with rapid deployment customized solutions for the challenges of the offshore oil and gas industry," Dingman said.

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Schramm Unveils New 'Walking, Talking' Telemast Rig

Walking and talking are two verbs typically not associated with a drilling rig. However, the latest version of Schramm Inc.'s Telemast drilling rig can do both, a company official told Rigzone.

The Westchester, Pennsylvania-based company recently shipped one of its new T500XD Telemast drilling rigs to a customer for use in the Utica and Marcellus plays.

The latest rig in Schramm's Telemast drilling rig line, the T500XD, has a number of interesting characteristics, said Fred Slack, vice president of business development at Schramm, in an interview with Rigzone.  Unlike traditional rigs which are on rails that only allow movement from left to right or front to back, the T500XD has a walking subbase which lifts the entire rig six inches allowing the rig to turn.

The rig can walk at a pace of 30 feet per hour and move a full 360 degrees, rather than moving forward and back or side to side, and can move quickly from hole to hole without the traditional two-axis pad mounted design limit.  The T500XD also "talks" in that it allows drilling data to be transmitted via the Internet or satellite communications systems to remote operations centers in multiple locations, Slack noted.

The rig, which is in the 500,000-pound hook load class, can drill horizontally or directionally to 15,000 feet or more, and can control weight on bit without utilizing traditional drill collars and gross string weight alone.  This method is not a particularly accurate science, Slack noted.

The T500XD also offers best in class 35,000 feet-pounds of top head torque, third party directional steering interface and 80,000 pounds of hydraulic pulldown capacity, third party directional steering interface and 80,000 pounds of hydraulic pulldown capacity, meaning the rig can be used in a number of shale play opportunities globally.

The T500XD also features the LoadSafe XD automated pipe handling system can handle 24-inch diameter Range III tubulars weighing up to 10,000 pounds. In this system, drill pipe also is racked in the horizontal position for easy loading and offloading, dramatically improving operator safety.  

"Traditionally you've had roughnecks working with their bare hands. With safety an important consideration, the joystick controls now allow workers to operate the rig without touching moving parts," Slack said.

The rig can be set up without a crane within a short period of time, and the rig, walking subbase, power unit and pipehandling system can be transported in only eight truckloads, said Slack. This compares with competitor rigs that advertise 12 truckloads.

Five to six crew members would typically be needed for a rig of this size, but the T500XD only requires three crew members, two in the control room operating joysticks and a helper, Slack noted. As a result, Schramm's rigs have a smaller footprint, and are less disruptive to the environment, Slack said.

Launched in 2002, the Telemast rig line features a telescoping mast instead of a traditional erector-set type gantry seen in traditional drilling rigs. The telescoping mast uses hydraulics to retract a rig into a truck transportable position in one piece, Slack said. The initial Telemast rig, the T130XD, was utilized in coalbed methane drilling; it then grew into the TXD rig, which has been used for tophole work in the Marcellus and Utica plays as well as the Permian Basin in Texas, Slack commented.

One approach operators have been using is to use a TXD rig to go in quickly and drill a tophole, the use a larger rig to drill the lateral. The latest Telemast rig now allows for both operations to be carried out with one large Schramm rig, Slack said.

Founded in 1900, the company made air compressors for a number of years – the company was the first to a portable engine driven air compressor, Slack noted. In the early 1950s, the company transitioned to manufacturing drilling rigs that used high pressure air instead of mud. 

"We are an industry leader in mining and mineral exploration applications with reverse circulation that uses high pressure air to blow the material out of the hole instead of traditional cones with mud drilling applications," Slack commented. "One of the advantages of our rigs is that the TXD uses air hammer for tophole drilling, which allows for a more efficient process than traditional rotary drilling with mud."

Energy, mineral and water exploration make up the three legs of Schramm's business. The company has also been involved in the geothermal drilling market, although that market is quiet at the moment, Slack noted.

Approximately 70 percent of the company's rigs are exported overseas to markets that include China – where the company has enjoyed tremendous success – Australia, Uzbekistan, Iceland and Cameroon. The roster of countries in which Schramm rigs operate literally runs A to Z, from Australia to Zambia, said Slack. At a recent service school, the company actually had students from the two countries.

Slack said the company is in discussions with a number of operators for the rigs to be utilized in other U.S. shale plays in addition to the Utica and Marcellus.

The company, which currently has 250 employees, has had offices at the same location in WestChester since 1917, and has employees who are the fourth generation of families who have worked for Schramm. Schramm manufactures up to 200 rigs per year; the price of each rig ranges from $750,000 to $7.65 million. The newest Telemast rig has as a price tag of $7.65 million.

Slack credits the company's culture of doing good for the company's families, community and the industry – a principle driver of Schramm's business – with the company's ability to design and manufacture innovative products.  This same culture was also behind the company's successful 2010 rescue of 33 miners trapped in in the San Jose Mine in Copiapo, Chile, after the mine collapsed in August of that year.

Nine Schramm rigs that were being used in mineral exploration nearby were used to drill holes to find the miners.  A T685 rig, which drilled probing holes 5.5 inches in diameter approximately 2,300 feet deep, found the miners Aug. 22, two days before they would have run out of food. The hole drilled by the rig allowed rescuers to supply the miners with food and supplies. A second T685 rig completed a 5.5 inch hole that would ultimately become the Plan B borehole through which the miners were rescued.

Three drilling plans – A, B and C – were pursued in the rescue attempt. The Chilean government had initially estimated that it would take up to four months to rescue the miners. However, the fast progress made in reaming out the Plan B borehole allowed the miners to be rescued Oct. 9, 2010, instead of sometime before Christmas.

Following the Chilean mine rescue, the company began offering a mine rescue rig package. Slack said the company recently sold such a package to a company in China for use in a mining accident there.

"They are making tremendous progress in improving safety," Slack commented.

In January, the company's quality management system received a number of American Petroleum Institute and ISO certifications. Three of the specifications – API-Q1, ISO-9001: 2008 and ISO/TS 29001 – certify that Schramm's rigs comply with internationally recognized quality management system requirements.

This certifications help Schramm ensure that its design, manufacturing and order fulfillment processes consistently satisfy its customers across all markets served. These certifications also are increasingly asked for by customers as safety, Slack commented.

"The API Q1 [certification] was a major event for us and very important for larger rigs," Slack noted. "Our customers are calling for that as safety becomes a major focus. The company also is getting into CE-marked rigs. The CE mark is a manufacturer's declaration that their product complies with European Union legislation, allowing the product's free movement within Europe. The company has sold a number of rigs to customers in eastern Europe," said Slack.

The company's rigs can be converted to burn natural gas, Slack said.

"We don't take the attitude that what you see is what you get. We have standard products but can also fit them out on a case-by-base to meet customer needs."

Karen Boman has more than 10 years of experience covering the upstream oil and gas sector. Email Karen at kboman@rigzone.com.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

View the original article here

Schramm Unveils New 'Walking, Talking' Telemast Rig

Walking and talking are two verbs typically not associated with a drilling rig. However, the latest version of Schramm Inc.'s Telemast drilling rig can do both, a company official told Rigzone.

The Westchester, Pennsylvania-based company recently shipped one of its new T500XD Telemast drilling rigs to a customer for use in the Utica and Marcellus plays.

The latest rig in Schramm's Telemast drilling rig line, the T500XD, has a number of interesting characteristics, said Fred Slack, vice president of business development at Schramm, in an interview with Rigzone.  Unlike traditional rigs which are on rails that only allow movement from left to right or front to back, the T500XD has a walking subbase which lifts the entire rig six inches allowing the rig to turn.

The rig can walk at a pace of 30 feet per hour and move a full 360 degrees, rather than moving forward and back or side to side, and can move quickly from hole to hole without the traditional two-axis pad mounted design limit.  The T500XD also "talks" in that it allows drilling data to be transmitted via the Internet or satellite communications systems to remote operations centers in multiple locations, Slack noted.

The rig, which is in the 500,000-pound hook load class, can drill horizontally or directionally to 15,000 feet or more, and can control weight on bit without utilizing traditional drill collars and gross string weight alone.  This method is not a particularly accurate science, Slack noted.

The T500XD also offers best in class 35,000 feet-pounds of top head torque, third party directional steering interface and 80,000 pounds of hydraulic pulldown capacity, third party directional steering interface and 80,000 pounds of hydraulic pulldown capacity, meaning the rig can be used in a number of shale play opportunities globally.

The T500XD also features the LoadSafe XD automated pipe handling system can handle 24-inch diameter Range III tubulars weighing up to 10,000 pounds. In this system, drill pipe also is racked in the horizontal position for easy loading and offloading, dramatically improving operator safety.  

"Traditionally you've had roughnecks working with their bare hands. With safety an important consideration, the joystick controls now allow workers to operate the rig without touching moving parts," Slack said.

The rig can be set up without a crane within a short period of time, and the rig, walking subbase, power unit and pipehandling system can be transported in only eight truckloads, said Slack. This compares with competitor rigs that advertise 12 truckloads.

Five to six crew members would typically be needed for a rig of this size, but the T500XD only requires three crew members, two in the control room operating joysticks and a helper, Slack noted. As a result, Schramm's rigs have a smaller footprint, and are less disruptive to the environment, Slack said.

Launched in 2002, the Telemast rig line features a telescoping mast instead of a traditional erector-set type gantry seen in traditional drilling rigs. The telescoping mast uses hydraulics to retract a rig into a truck transportable position in one piece, Slack said. The initial Telemast rig, the T130XD, was utilized in coalbed methane drilling; it then grew into the TXD rig, which has been used for tophole work in the Marcellus and Utica plays as well as the Permian Basin in Texas, Slack commented.

One approach operators have been using is to use a TXD rig to go in quickly and drill a tophole, the use a larger rig to drill the lateral. The latest Telemast rig now allows for both operations to be carried out with one large Schramm rig, Slack said.

Founded in 1900, the company made air compressors for a number of years – the company was the first to a portable engine driven air compressor, Slack noted. In the early 1950s, the company transitioned to manufacturing drilling rigs that used high pressure air instead of mud. 

"We are an industry leader in mining and mineral exploration applications with reverse circulation that uses high pressure air to blow the material out of the hole instead of traditional cones with mud drilling applications," Slack commented. "One of the advantages of our rigs is that the TXD uses air hammer for tophole drilling, which allows for a more efficient process than traditional rotary drilling with mud."

Energy, mineral and water exploration make up the three legs of Schramm's business. The company has also been involved in the geothermal drilling market, although that market is quiet at the moment, Slack noted.

Approximately 70 percent of the company's rigs are exported overseas to markets that include China – where the company has enjoyed tremendous success – Australia, Uzbekistan, Iceland and Cameroon. The roster of countries in which Schramm rigs operate literally runs A to Z, from Australia to Zambia, said Slack. At a recent service school, the company actually had students from the two countries.

Slack said the company is in discussions with a number of operators for the rigs to be utilized in other U.S. shale plays in addition to the Utica and Marcellus.

The company, which currently has 250 employees, has had offices at the same location in WestChester since 1917, and has employees who are the fourth generation of families who have worked for Schramm. Schramm manufactures up to 200 rigs per year; the price of each rig ranges from $750,000 to $7.65 million. The newest Telemast rig has as a price tag of $7.65 million.

Slack credits the company's culture of doing good for the company's families, community and the industry – a principle driver of Schramm's business – with the company's ability to design and manufacture innovative products.  This same culture was also behind the company's successful 2010 rescue of 33 miners trapped in in the San Jose Mine in Copiapo, Chile, after the mine collapsed in August of that year.

Nine Schramm rigs that were being used in mineral exploration nearby were used to drill holes to find the miners.  A T685 rig, which drilled probing holes 5.5 inches in diameter approximately 2,300 feet deep, found the miners Aug. 22, two days before they would have run out of food. The hole drilled by the rig allowed rescuers to supply the miners with food and supplies. A second T685 rig completed a 5.5 inch hole that would ultimately become the Plan B borehole through which the miners were rescued.

Three drilling plans – A, B and C – were pursued in the rescue attempt. The Chilean government had initially estimated that it would take up to four months to rescue the miners. However, the fast progress made in reaming out the Plan B borehole allowed the miners to be rescued Oct. 9, 2010, instead of sometime before Christmas.

Following the Chilean mine rescue, the company began offering a mine rescue rig package. Slack said the company recently sold such a package to a company in China for use in a mining accident there.

"They are making tremendous progress in improving safety," Slack commented.

In January, the company's quality management system received a number of American Petroleum Institute and ISO certifications. Three of the specifications – API-Q1, ISO-9001: 2008 and ISO/TS 29001 – certify that Schramm's rigs comply with internationally recognized quality management system requirements.

This certifications help Schramm ensure that its design, manufacturing and order fulfillment processes consistently satisfy its customers across all markets served. These certifications also are increasingly asked for by customers as safety, Slack commented.

"The API Q1 [certification] was a major event for us and very important for larger rigs," Slack noted. "Our customers are calling for that as safety becomes a major focus. The company also is getting into CE-marked rigs. The CE mark is a manufacturer's declaration that their product complies with European Union legislation, allowing the product's free movement within Europe. The company has sold a number of rigs to customers in eastern Europe," said Slack.

The company's rigs can be converted to burn natural gas, Slack said.

"We don't take the attitude that what you see is what you get. We have standard products but can also fit them out on a case-by-base to meet customer needs."

Karen Boman has more than 10 years of experience covering the upstream oil and gas sector. Email Karen at kboman@rigzone.com.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

View the original article here

Petrofac Training Services Unveils O&G eLearning Course

Fresh on the heels of its recent acquisition of eLearning specialist Oilennium, Petrofac Training Services (PTS) has announced the launch of "Introduction to Oil and Gas," a new eLearning course.

Developed by Oilennium, the course offers an engaging, interactive overview of the oil and gas industry that can be used to enhance a trainee's in-class training experience, and made available to thousands of employees around the world.

The Introduction to Oil and Gas course, which can be accessed any time online, offers a concise summary of how the industry works, from exploration and production upstream to processing and transmission downstream. This user-friendly course, which features full voiceover guidance and colourful 3D animations technology throughout, is completely interactive. When a module is successfully completed, a certificate is issued to reward the user's efforts, fuelling the learning process. Upon completing the 12-module course, the user will have a good understanding of how hydrocarbon fields are found and developed, industry terminology, and technical know-how.

Effective, Quality Training

At a time when unemployment is rising and major businesses are closing, the oil and gas industry continues to buck the trend. Not only is it thriving, the industry is actively recruiting and searching for ways to effectively train new employees, while simultaneously reducing training costs. According to Oilennium, this is where eLearning courses like "Introduction to Oil & Gas" come in.

"For years, operators and services companies have been struggling to offer standardised, quality training that complements the traditional classroom approach by reinforcing key points long after the trainee leaves the classroom," said Kevin Keable, managing director of Oilennium. "Not only is 'Introduction to Oil & Gas' cost-effective, it's the perfect starting point for employees new to the industry. It's an excellent method of training non-technical staff so that they can work more effectively with their engineering and technical counterparts. On the flip side, it's useful for technical staff. Even today a drilling engineer may have little understanding of how a process system operates and vice-versa. This course is ideal for anyone who needs to understand the industry as a whole," he added.

The accessibility offered by eLearning addresses another common challenge faced by training managers in the oil and gas industry: how to train technical staff working on rotation or offshore. Traditional classroom training demands that they be physically present. Because eLearning courses can be accessed from any device with internet access, this is no longer the case, saving thousands in employee expenses.

Engaging 3D Animation

Already, "Introduction to Oil & Gas" has been purchased by oil and gas companies of all sizes, individuals and many others. Why is it so popular? Oilennium began developing these courses, just as 3D animation technology improved dramatically. This made it possible to offer much more visual content, making them more attractive and compelling. The result: improved knowledge transfer and better knowledge retention. If Oilennium were to use only 2D animations, the courses could become slow and expensive to develop. However, by using its unique blend of techniques, Oilennium has kept costs down and quality up.

Charlie Mattocks, who recently landed a highly sought after apprenticeship in the UK with a major oil and gas operator following completion of the course, feels that taking it helped boost his prospects, especially during the interview. "I found the course easy to follow and liked being able to work at my own pace. The 'Rigs and Installations,' 'Drilling' and 'Offshore' modules were especially useful," said Mattocks.

"During my interview, I produced the certificates to show I had completed the course, in addition to my A levels and GCSEs. I believe they demonstrated my commitment, initiative, and willingness to learn, which helped me stand out from the other candidates," he added.

To mark the launch of 'Introduction to Oil & Gas,' PTS is offering the course at a reduced rate, either as a standalone or bundled with its best-selling training courses "Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training" (BOSIET), Universal BOSIET and "Minimum Industry Safety Training" (MIST). These courses provide safety and emergency training for the oil and gas industry, and are essential for those about to begin working offshore or are pursuing a career in this specialist environment.

Petrofac Training Services (PTS) is a division of the Petrofac Group, the international oil and gas facilities service provider. Founded in 1983, PTS is a leading provider of onshore and offshore safety, survival and emergency response training. It is based in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Oilennium is a division of Petrofac Training Services. Oilennium provides a broad range of learning programmes to numerous corporate clients, including Weatherford International, Perenco, EnerMech, Halliburton, AMEC SES, ECITB, Hydratight, Noble Drilling, Pacific Drilling, Marathon, Dolphin Geophysical, Seajacks and Tervita.

Copyright 2013 Oil & Gas News - Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group. All Rights Reserved.

(This article was originally published on March 25.)

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Schlumberger Unveils Slimhole High Build Rate RSS

Schlumberger announced the release of the slimhole PowerDrive Archer high build rate rotary steerable system (RSS). The new RSS delivers build rates of up to 18-degree/100 feet, with full directional control and dogleg assurance for complex 3D well profiles and multilateral well designs.

"The slimhole PowerDrive Archer RSS can drill well profiles previously only possible with motors, in one run, with the ROP and wellbore quality of a fully rotating RSS," said Steve Kaufmann, president of Drilling & Measurements at Schlumberger. "Expanding the capabilities of our high build rate RSS services, this slimhole edition has drilled 130,000 feet in carbonate, sand and unconventional reservoirs as part of our integrated drilling systems offering, including advanced Smith PDC drillbit technology."

Built on the reliability of the PowerDrive X6 system, the slimhole PowerDrive Archer RSS, using a combination of push- and point-the-bit technologies, introduces a step change in drilling performance in geosteering and openhole sidetrack applications as proven in more than 130 field test runs in North America, the Middle East, West Africa, Europe and Asia.

In the Permian Basin, Cimarex Energy needed to drill a 6 1/8-in horizontal section within a 7-foot thick true vertical depth zone in the Bone Spring shale formation. The well design included high dogleg severity with a 10-degree/100-foot curve. The slimhole high build rate RSS was selected to eliminate additional trips downhole, and the challenging curve and lateral were drilled in one run, saving 26 hours of drilling time.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

View the original article here

Schlumberger Unveils Slimhole High Build Rate RSS

Schlumberger announced the release of the slimhole PowerDrive Archer high build rate rotary steerable system (RSS). The new RSS delivers build rates of up to 18-degree/100 feet, with full directional control and dogleg assurance for complex 3D well profiles and multilateral well designs.

"The slimhole PowerDrive Archer RSS can drill well profiles previously only possible with motors, in one run, with the ROP and wellbore quality of a fully rotating RSS," said Steve Kaufmann, president of Drilling & Measurements at Schlumberger. "Expanding the capabilities of our high build rate RSS services, this slimhole edition has drilled 130,000 feet in carbonate, sand and unconventional reservoirs as part of our integrated drilling systems offering, including advanced Smith PDC drillbit technology."

Built on the reliability of the PowerDrive X6 system, the slimhole PowerDrive Archer RSS, using a combination of push- and point-the-bit technologies, introduces a step change in drilling performance in geosteering and openhole sidetrack applications as proven in more than 130 field test runs in North America, the Middle East, West Africa, Europe and Asia.

In the Permian Basin, Cimarex Energy needed to drill a 6 1/8-in horizontal section within a 7-foot thick true vertical depth zone in the Bone Spring shale formation. The well design included high dogleg severity with a 10-degree/100-foot curve. The slimhole high build rate RSS was selected to eliminate additional trips downhole, and the challenging curve and lateral were drilled in one run, saving 26 hours of drilling time.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

View the original article here