By Paul Lynch, Advanced Completions Director

It was only 3 weeks ago that the PulseEight EAV won the Best Well Integrity Technology category in the recent World Oil Awards. It was tremendous accolade that a publication as well respected as World Oil was able to recognise the benefits of the EAV to the industry amongst the other ground-breaking technologies within the category. However, as I reflect on the award, I am reminded of the increasing tally of voices detailing how the industry must innovate to prosper, and in some cases survive, over the coming years.

It will come as no surprise to industry veterans that the oilfield is notoriously difficult to introduce new technology, anecdotally it is accepted that 10 years plus is the industry average. This appears a very easy business case for innovators to shy away from projects, and for oil and gas companies to justify; especially when the cost of well completions can run into the millions of dollars. Nevertheless, the drum beat of the industry mantra continues to play; “innovate, innovate”.

So how should the industry best approach this age-old problem? Collaboration.

To take the example of the PulseEight EAV, a tool designed to recognise critical well events that require downhole shut-in in the absence of a functioning safety valve. Tendeka has been extremely fortunate with the development in gaining support from major and technology development funds such as via the UK’s Oil & Gas Technology Centre.  Such recognition of the industry benefits of this technology has resulted in getting the EAV into wells not only for field trials but also early deployments.

Let’s be frank though, new technology is not without its challenges, in fact this is the real reason for field trials. It is rare to get it 100% right first time out and Tendeka’s collaboration partners came to the project with this knowledge which allowed for any teething problems associated to the gap between testing and field trial to be addressed. This challenge is not unique to oil and gas technology development, look at the number of attempts Space X made to successfully re-land their launcher. However, without their perseverance and support of collaboration partners, satellite launches would still be cost prohibitive to many, meaning that communications, weather monitoring and in some cases defence would not be where it is today.

Unfortunately, the list of potential collaboration partners for the EAV were small, and this true of other systems across the industry, meaning that uptake of new technologies is still incredibly slow. One success story that endured this prolonged process, was directional drilling. The ability to orientate wellbores to gain maximum reservoir contact allowed for the targeting of discrete pockets of hydrocarbons which would otherwise go untapped. The absence of this technology would have contributed to a delay or even prevented the success of shale development. Meanwhile, it’s now hard to conceive any horizontal well which doesn’t incorporate some aspect of this technology. The benefits to the industry have been vast over the last 15-20 years.

The cost competitiveness of the industry has never been under such prolonged pressure, and without the continued innovation, further pressures faced due to the increased competitiveness of renewables, could force the industry into decline. If we are to ensure that the continued production of hydrocarbons through the energy transition can be as efficient as possible then this will only come from continued innovation and collaboration.

The PulseEight EAV is only one such example, the recognition of the benefits by the likes of World Oil and other pioneering individuals within innovative operators, is hoped to help shorten this new technology introduction. But consider if you will the speed of uptake that could be gained and the ultimate commercial benefits that could be harnessed with even a small increase in companies who could take the extra time and effort associated with trialling new technology.

So next time you hear that familiar drum beat of “innovate, innovate” think how much better it could be if it was followed with “collaborate”.

By Anna Petitt, UK Sales Manager 

Published in Energy Voice, November 2020

It’s fair to say 2020 has been an unprecedented year. Imagine how unlikely it would have seemed this time last year if someone had said wearing masks in a shop would now be essential, handshakes a distant memory and that we would need to brave the October chill outside Aberdeen’s Chester Hotel and Dutch Mill to enjoy a drink?  

Likewise, half a century ago when the Forties Field was first discovered, I doubt many people would have expected what was in store for the region and the technology that would need to be developed to safely and efficiently produce oil and gas.  

Fast forward to the present day and we read of more and more operators decommissioning. The jargon has also changed: companies no longer want their brand to be associated purely with oil and gas but rather view energy as a whole rather than in sectors. BP’s Bernard Looney has been a highly publicised example of this with his aim to pivot the oil company towards an integrated energy company through championing low carbon energies. Carbon reductions are hoped to be realised through improved operational efficiency with surplus invested in the energy transition, minimising produced water overboard and through Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS).  

Although the North Sea contains many ageing assets, we must be careful not to dismiss the basin as finished but ensure that ever last drop is harnessed through new technologies and enhanced oil recovery.  We have an incredible talent pool and the skills from specialists can be diversified into helping solve energy demand challenges that will inevitably arise as carbon capture becomes, dare I say it, the new normal. 

In the final stage of my MSc in Oil and Gas (not Energy) Engineering at Robert Gordon University, I am looking to conduct a project into ways we can maintain CO₂ in liquid form in the completion in order to prevent premature cooling and damage to the completion components. I am hoping that the research and project will show that by using a variation of flow control devices, the pressure can be controlled for carbon dioxide to be stored safely in the reservoir. This is an exciting time in a relatively new unexplored sector. Further challenges will later occur, such as how pipe integrity can be ensured in the presence of such a corrosive gas.  

There are opportunities, as we are currently witnessing with Pale Blue Dot’s Acorn project, but we must have governmental input for a successful energy transition. When the £1 billion funding for Shell’s Goldeneye Peterhead carbon storage project was withdrawn in 2015, it undermined the commitment of the government in investing in CCUS. Operators naturally are first and foremost businesses, and policy makers need to incentivise companies to invest in such projects and companies need to see a short and long-term value return.  

At this difficult time, there should be encouragement and perhaps state subsidies to ensure that decommissioning projects are carried out in the UK to generate and sustain employment.  

Just as we have seen Aberdeen and the wider region grow and learn since the discovery of oil in the 1970s and more recently, we’ve seen how we can adjust to working from home, the industry must also be ready to embrace new ways of thinking and technologies as we move towards a lower carbon future.  

Anna Petitt, UK Sales Manager, Tendeka

Tendeka is delighted to announce that we are one of the sponsors of this year’s ARCHIE’S Christmas Tree Auction.  This initiative is supported by a number of local businesses who have agreed to sponsor and decorate a Christmas tree before they are put on display at Aberdeen’s Marischal Square Atrium for all to see.  The trees will then be auctioned with all funds going to The Archie Foundation.

The ARCHIE Foundation is a charity supporting local sick children when they are in hospital or require long-term medical treatment.

Tendeka’s CFO Alan Pearson said:  “Tendeka is delighted to support ARCHIE and all it does in the community on this project, and as one of our company-supported charities. We have a number of staff in the office who are already getting excited about Christmas so this can’t come early enough for them. It’s a great idea and hopefully will bring that Christmas spirit early in what has been a difficult year for all.”

To get involved, you can email Lynne Brooks at The ARCHIE Foundation at lynne.brooks@archie.org.  Please also read the ARCHIE Foundation’s press release below.

ARCHIE Foundation tree appeal. Pictured: Lynne Brooks, ARCHIE (left) & Charlotte Garvie, The Christmas Decorators

Below is The ARCHIE Foundation’s press release issued 15th Sept 2020 regarding the Christmas project:

The ARCHIE Foundation are excited and delighted to launch their Christmas Fundraising Tree Auction. Local businesses are asked to sponsor and decorate a Christmas Tree before they are put on display at Marischal Square Atrium for all of Aberdeen to see. These trees will then be auctioned to the highest bidders with all funds coming to The ARCHIE Foundation.  Limited tree sponsorships are still available, Lynne Brooks, Gifts & Donations Officer at ARCHIE said “This is a great opportunity to support The ARCHIE Foundation and all its work whilst bringing some Christmas cheer and sparkle to the centre of Aberdeen”.

 As for many, 2020 has been tough for The ARCHIE Foundation with many of its income streams impacted and requests for help increasing.  It supports Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH), the Neonatal Unit Aberdeen and Grampian Child Bereavement Network with specialist staff and equipment in RACH & Neo, parents accommodation while children are in hospital, emergency grants to families and support to bereaved children as you can imagine it has seen an increase in requests for help.  This will be a chance to fill some of those funding gaps.

 Businesses or individuals who would be interested in sponsoring a tree or bidding on the trees are asked to contact Lynne Brooks at The ARCHIE Foundation lynne.brooks@archie.org

 Supporters already onboard include Tendeka and The Christmas Decorators, Charlotte Garvie, Director said  “I’m delighted to be taking part in this appeal for the Archie Foundation and can’t wait to see all the trees on display in Marischal Square for such a good cause. The magic of Christmas is particularly aimed at children, and for them to be away from home in hospital at this time must be so hard. This is my way of helping to spread that little bit of festive cheer to make things a little easier and hopefully bring a smile to young patients and their families at this difficult time. “

By Annabel Green, CTO, Tendeka

Published in Energy Voice, September 2020

Over the last six months, the global pandemic brought very new challenges for both our home and work life along with whole new lexicon and unprecedented willingness to listen to our political leaders.

All those working in  oil and gas are very familiar with the cyclical nature of the sector and the impact of oil price crashes: budgets are cut, projects are shelved and cash is preserved.  At the peak of uncertainty, where we are now, we plan for the next upcycle and speculate about the long-term future of the industry.  All crashes are different, but this response stays the same.

The big difference here is that the challenge to our business since March has not primarily been about oil prices but about the health and wellbeing of our staff, and securing the supply chain to deliver on our commitments to our clients while learning to work effectively from our bedrooms and kitchens.  Although some projects were being delayed and cancelled, the contracts in place meant that Q2 was still a big revenue quarter for Tendeka.  We are enormously proud of the way that our staff have reacted and worked together during lockdown. Those who have worked throughout, assembling and testing equipment, and those at home balancing the demands there to keep the business operating effectively.

We had been tracking the spread of Covid-19 since the start of the year and the first impact on our business was the shut-down of our operations in China after the New Year celebrations in late January.   A Covid-19 taskforce was set-up shortly afterward comprising of the leadership team, HSE and HR to ensure an appropriate and consistent response to the rapidly developing situation and effective communication across the organisation.  Initially, managing increasing business restrictions and implementing hygiene measures, the taskforce has focused on safe working practices for our areas of operations, the mental health and wellbeing of our staff, and the safe re-opening of offices as local restriction allow.

It was a very strange feeling as we gathered up our things and left Vanguard House in Westhill on March 20.  We took docking stations, monitors, keyboards and even chairs to help us work comfortably from home but did not imagine that more than five months later we would still not have returned.   In recent weeks, we have been preparing for the partial re-opening of office which we hope can commence from 14th September.  Detailed procedures and equipment for safe working in the office have been implemented and we intend to start with very limited returns to ensure these are optimised.  We are prioritising those who cannot work effectively from home, either due to the type of work they do or restrictions in the home environment, but we are not anticipating a full return to the office this year.

From a business perspective, key challenges remain in developing our client base and effectively marketing our technology.  While travel will remain curtailed, the introduction of virtual industry events and the increased willingness of individuals to engage in online discussions and forums are providing some opportunity as we become more creative in our efforts. One real positive here is that our limited global footprint, compared to our large competitors, is no longer such a disadvantage.

The outlook remains very uncertain but as we become more effective at remote working and remote operations, we are learning valuable lessons that will help us to adapt to whatever the future brings.

Press release

Tendeka and TGT partner for ‘industry-first’ solution to combat sand control failures

Independent global completions service company Tendeka and diagnostic specialists TGT have agreed a partnership to mitigate the costly consequences of sand control failure in wells.

The remedial sand control collaboration known as ‘Find Fix Confirm’, will see TGT’s Sand Flow product used to accurately identify the locations of sand ingress within the wellbore. Then, Tendeka’s Filtrex  thru-tubing sand control system is precisely situated to quickly repair the damage. Crucially, the service can confirm the effectiveness of the solution with the redeployment of TGT’s diagnostic product.

In mature basins, sand issues can account for up to 10% of all shut-in wells either due to failure of the existing downhole sand control or onset of sand production due to pressure depletion and/or water production.

Launched in 2019, Tendeka’s Filtrex solution is a one-trip remedial system enabling sand-free production to be restored effectively and efficiently. It is fully compatible with thru-tubing operations, even through the tightest of restrictions. The first of its kind, Filtrex can perform sand clean out and chemical treatments during live well deployment.

TGT’s Sand Flow product precisely locates sand entry to the wellbore and provides a qualitative sand count, clearly identifying problem zones, even in turbulent flow conditions. Delivered by the ‘True Flow’ system with ‘Chorus’ acoustic technology, Sand Flow provides the clarity and insight needed to manage sand production more effectively. Although commonly used to diagnose a known sand production issue, it is also used proactively to ensure downhole sand control measures are working correctly.

Paul Lynch, Advanced Completions Director at Tendeka said: “The management and control of sand production is an inherent problem in the oil and gas industry. Often, the first indication of sand issues downhole will be as a result of detrimental effects that can occur at surface, such as fill in separators or erosional damage to pipe work, ultimately resulting in a shut-in well. Existing solutions have been extremely limited due to their high cost and/or poor performance.

“Our Find Fix Confirm sand remediation service addresses both issues to offer a more effective, intervention-based solution. We believe this is the first time a specialized, integrated tool can fully understand and fix sand production issues, to ultimately maintain asset integrity and extend the product life of the asset. We are already seeing significant interest from operators around the world.”

Ken Feather, Chief Marketing Officer at TGT commented: “Proper diagnosis is the critical first step to any kind of well remediation planning and execution. But determining the precise location and extent of sand ingress downhole has challenged the industry for decades, as previous attempts were unable to reliably distinguish between sand and fluid flow.

“Our Sand Flow diagnostics are powered by Chorus technology which captures and decodes the acoustic signature generated by sand particles entering the wellbore to reveal sand ingress locations and sand count. Equipped with that information, Filtrex can be targeted to repair the breach, then Chorus can be deployed again to confirm that the breach is fixed. Overall, Find Fix Confirm enables better use of resources and more reliable sand control outcomes.”

The ‘Find’ element of the solution will see TGT’s Chorus acoustic sensing platform deployed in hole on wireline to pinpoint sand entry locations utilizing time-domain analysis. By flowing from the reservoir whilst the tool is in the well, the acoustic signature of any sand within the production stream can be characterized such that the sand entry points, particle size and volume can be identified.

The ‘Fix’ aspect will see Filtrex deployed via coiled tubing into the well and positioned across the target area. By dropping a ball from surface, a simple two stage application of pressure firstly sets the anchor, and secondly releases the compression sleeve. Upon removal of the sleeve the matrix polymer expands to contact the wellbore and the deployment string can be retrieved from the well. Filling the annular gap with the open cell matrix polymer prevents further ingress of formation solids into the wellbore whilst still allowing passage of liquids or gases.

Lastly, is the ‘Confirm’ stage. Here, the Chorus tool is deployed again but this time passed through the internal diameter of the Filtrex system to confirm that no sand is entering at that depth.

A special win for the team!

By Eilidh McKay, Technical Services Manager, Tendeka

Although the Offshore Achievement Awards were held virtually this year, it certainly didn’t stop the nerves, (well for me anyway!).  However, we made the most of the occasion, out came the fancy frocks, wine was pre-chilled in the fridge and we had a company-wide invite for everyone to join us on a team’s call to get the good news.  Unlike other years, the virtual nature of the awards made it possible for us to celebrate with the whole company around the globe (and offshore) which did make a nice change.  Thankfully, the Emerging Technology award was first up, and to say the night started off great is an understatement… although hearing my acceptance speech did seem a bit surreal!  At least I didn’t need to negotiate the stairs to the stage to accept!

It was with immense pride that I wrote the submission, although it can sometimes feel a bit strange to “big your company up”, for Filtrex this wasn’t the case.  The project from the very beginning was a team effort and it was fantastic to be a small part of it.  Once we had the initial concept, Engineering, Technical and Marketing all got involved as part of a SCRUM group.  It was within the early brainstorming sessions that the tool grew arms and legs, which gave us the challenge of proving it.  Fast forward 2 years and we have just won a prestigious industry award for the tool, drafted our first SPE paper, have a new sand lab, all with the same team that has been involved with it from the outset.

There are a number of things I learned during this process;

1. There is no such thing as a stupid idea or question
2. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting ruined for building the first prototype!
3. Learn from everyone around you, although you may not of came up with an idea, you can develop, add to it and make a difference
4. Team structure is key, to have the stability and support of the same team makes the cogs move that bit faster
5. Give credit where credit is due
6. Ensure you enjoy it and make sure there are many laughs along the way (definitely helps with team building – this was particularly noted during the naming sessions)

This award is something we are so extremely proud of. In such a strange time for us all, it is so rewarding for our work to be recognised.  Thank you to everyone in Tendeka who worked on this, who gave their time, expertise and passion for this project.   Although, rest assured, we are not done yet; this is the beginning and I look forward to seeing what else we can deliver – hopefully in time for next year’s awards!

Congratulations to all other winners on the night, especially to the joint winner of Emerging technology award – Deep Casing Tools.  It really was such a great night, one which I will remember for a long time to come.

To find out more about Filtrex, visit www.tendeka.com/filtrex or contact Eilidh by email: eilidh.mckay@tendeka.com 

To watch the virtual awards ceremony, visit: https://youtu.be/n2tsM3JpoY0