Technology

The M4 Inflow Control System will be showcased at ADIPEC 2024. (Image source: TAQA)

TAQA, an international company offering leading well solutions for the energy industry, has revealed the next-generation inflow control system

The M4 Inflow Control System dictates the flow of undesired fluid (such as water and gas) and avoids any binary (open/close) effect that can result in instability or even stop production. Enabling operators to optimise their reservoir performance while sustainability managing fluid production, the new system excels in controlling water in ultra-light and light applications and enhances gas production control, providing stability and flexibility in diverse reservoir conditions.

Supercharging reservoir performance

“With the largest portfolio of inflow control systems more than 20 years of inflow control devices expertise, the M4 Inflow Control System represents the pinnacle of our innovation so far,” remarked Mojtaba Moradi, subsurface engineering manager of TAQA. “This new generation offers water control by gradually reducing inflow as water production increases, avoiding premature well shut in.
“Its main benefit is precision control based on reservoir production. The device allows operators to maximise output without risking shutting wells in, so they can manage production continuously and efficiently, which translates into obvious financial benefits.”

According to TAQA, the M4 Inflow Control System technology incorporates an advanced pilot control system that is super sensitive to density, making it suitable for a wide range of oil types, including ultra-light, light, medium, and heavy oils. It also features advanced multi-phase control, allowing the device to perform independently of its orientation in the wellbore.

TAQA also offers a ‘plug and play’ integration with its full portfolio of inflow systems and has been built to optimise performance in all types of wells in all reservoir types. Additional operational features such as last-minute capacity change, and the ability to circulate to the bottom have also been incorporated into the design.

Although not limited to any oil viscosity, so far, the system has demonstrated excellent performance with oil viscosities as low as 0.5cP tested together with water to define the operating and control points at various water cuts. A full qualification matrix of debris, erosion and cycle testing has also been completed.

FROG offers predictive intelligence and customisable alerts. (Image source: Micron Eagle Hydraulics)

The first product developed under its Fluid Fitness Technology (FFT) programme, Micron Eagle Hydraulics has launched an advanced digital transformation solution called fluid-fitness remote online guardian (FROG) that provides live remote monitoring for critical industrial fluids

FROG offers predictive intelligence and customisable alerts to monitor industrial liquids such as hydraulic fluids, lubricants and certain fuels in real-time. With contamination detection, it helps prevent costly downtime, improve operational efficiency and support sustainability. This ensures proactive asset management, extending the lifespan of equipment, transforming maintenance practices and driving enhanced performance.

Mark Burnett, business development director at Micron, said, “FROG is a genuine industry game-changer and has already been adopted by a major operator that immediately realised its benefits.

“FROG acts as a radar for fluid fitness, communicating early-warning data to support the process of identifying potential equipment failures, while helping to optimise performance and asset integrity.”

The solution comes with a sleek and intuitive interface, allowing users to define precise set points for various elements such as contamination levels, temperature, relative humidity and pressure. Its cloud-based dashboard provides real-time data accessible to maintenance teams and management, whether offshore or onshore, via desktop or mobile device. It’s a preventative approach – one with visibility of system fluid health and notification of issues.

Combined with the appropriate fluid conditioning unit, FROG forms a patented solution that has already secured contracts in the UK, Middle East and Africa. 

Advanced analytics tools allow the identification of trends to facilitate proactive maintenance without disrupting existing workflows. In offshore oil and gas, monitoring lubricating and functional system fluids is crucial for safety and operational efficiency. It ensures the reliability of critical equipment in harsh environments.

Contrary to traditional fluid monitoring that relies on an elongated process, FROG communicates 'live' insights into the condition of systems fluids, reducing the potential for error. FROG helps reduce the need for frequent handling and disposal of fluids, contributing to a lower environmental impact by minimising waste and hazardous disposal requirements.

FROG's data has the scope to reduce environmental impact by minimising fluid waste through precise monitoring and proactive maintenance.

The K-BOS system will increase the capability of drilling units. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Drilling contractor Northern Ocean Ltd has entered into a letter of intent (LOI) with well control technology company, Kinetic Pressure Control for the outfitting of NOL’s sixth generation semi-submersibles, the Deepsea Mira and the Deepsea Bollsta with the Kinetic Blowout Stopper (K-BOS)

The K-BOS system will ensure the elimination of unshearable and unsealable situations, and secure the well in less than a second. 

Arne Jacobsen, CEO of NOL, said, “This is a strategic step for NOL to further enhance the capability of our fleet. The option to offer the K-BOS system to our clients will increase the capability and attractiveness of our drilling units to our discerning clients operating in ultra-deepwater and harsh environments. We look forward to working with Kinetic’s excellent team to integrate the K-BOS equipment with the existing well control equipment on both our units.”

Steven Angstmann, CEO of Kinetic, said, “Northern Ocean’s commitment to develop K-BOS solutions for the Deepsea Mira and Deepsea Bollsta highlights the value that this technology brings to our clients. We believe the operators of these units will benefit from K-BOS’s ability to secure the well in all circumstances. K-BOS allows these class leading rigs to set a new standard for lowering the risk of a major spill to as low as reasonably practicable. We look forward to working with the great team at NOL on these projects.”

The collaboration will become a game changer for both partners. (Image source: Rockwell)

Rockwell Automation has signed an agreement with Taurob (Dietsmann Group) to provide a holistic robotic solution that would enable industrial organisations to move towards autonomous operations in their facilities

Taurob designs and manufactures ground robots for inspection, maintenance and data collection to optimise and enhance efficiency on a variety of industrial sites.

Kalypso, Rockwell’s digital services business, and Taurob will work together to provide clients with an end-to-end robotic automation solution that will herald the next phase in industrial automation and transformation. This partnership will amplify Rockwell's position as a leader in robot automation and digital twin solutions and Taurob’s position as a leader in ground robots for industrial inspection.

“In working towards the goal of autonomous operations, many industrial companies have considered the design of facilities, connectivity, digital solutions, and artificial intelligence, but manual inspection of facilities is still commonplace,” said Matt Graves, Kalypso digital principal, process industries. “As a next phase in industrial automation, companies are now looking at how to automate fleets of inspection robots using digital twin and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies. This partnership will be a huge step in helping our clients meet their efficiency, net zero, and safety goals."

Taurob's robots can perform missions under harsh environmental conditions to gather video, audio and sensor data, detect gas leaks and manipulate valves while adhering to the strictest industry safety standards and supporting customers’ net-zero initiatives.
Autonomous operations have long been an aspiration across industrial process sectors such as oil and gas, mining, and chemicals due to the hazardous working environments. In fact, Taurob’s robots are ATEX certified, a strict and compulsory certification that allows them to work especially in the oil and gas industry. They also offer high resistance to hot environments and up to four hours of mission runtime, among other advantages.

Kalypso and Taurob will provide a holistic solution from the physical robot and sensors, through to the robot supervision software, for mission data analysis using AI/ML and systems integration. This will allow organizations to move towards autonomous operations with the business value of a solution for inspection and maintenance that increases personnel safety, reduces OPEX and improves production throughput.

“Our partnership with Rockwell will become a game changer with respect to scaling our unique ATEX-certified robots around the world,” said Taurob’s co-founder and managing director, Matthias Biegl. “Our respective expertise complements one another to offer an integrated solution, in addition to which we will be able to streamline sales and marketing efforts to optimize and enhance efficiency for our clients on a variety of industrial sites.”