by Gillian Fowler, Marketing & Communications Manager, Tendeka

As thousands of Scottish secondary pupils receive exam results today, we need to consider the messages we send out not only to the younger generation but also as we make our way through our working lives.   The ultimate goal or destination may be set whether for business or personal, but the path to get there isn’t fixed.  Yes, sometimes our route ends up longer than ideally sought, but as long as we keep focused, we will reach it!

Life lessons are invaluable.  We’ve all had these, the good, bad and indifferent.  I’m sure when we all look back on our decisions and work / life choices, we shake our heads at some, but smile at many others.  What we have all learnt is that life throws curveballs, and comes in all guises, but it’s how we get through these times that’s important. Keeping the focus, amending plans and being open-minded to change all help.  And don’t give up!  Are you a glass half full or half empty person?!

The oil & gas industry is back operating within very challenging times, with fluctuating prices, over supply, operations being postponed or cancelled, and thousands of people losing jobs being common News items.  We have already worked our way through the recent crisis of 2014-2018, where the industry once again reviewed and streamlined processes, costs were cut where possible, and where the need for further innovation to ensure wells could remain viable become ever apparent.  Then as the industry was slowly finding its feet once again, COVID hit, with general feeling being we won’t see a level of recovery for 18-24months.  Although the industry is once again facing great uncertainty, it is one that plays an invaluable part in supplying affordable energy across the globe, and as such, must not fail – but must find out how it can create value in this next chapter.   (McKinsey article, May 2020)

The oil & gas industry has always shown resilience and change, and this is no different.  Prior to COVID, we saw an interesting time of seeing a number of high-profile companies put their heads above the parapet on sustainability and carbon capture, with BP and Wood standing out as leaders in strategy, messaging and a change of culture.  So who will stand out now?  How are they demonstrating the path may have changed but there is still a strong future, one that offers exciting technological advancements and processes to safeguard industry?  Tendeka has certainly not stopped working during this pandemic to develop further impactful technologies that will deliver results to clients’ challenges, including our remedial sand control system Filtrex which is shortlisted for next week’s Offshore Achievement Awards.  Furthermore, we have quickly adapted to the COVID conditions to ensure we continue to meet our contractual obligations, whilst also being focused on the changing needs across the globe.

For the thousands of teenagers today, those results are most likely perceived as the green, amber or red light to their life / work / study plans.  But traffic lights are not fixed, and neither is our ability to adapt, to become resilient to what life throws at us.  We all have the capability to go on to do great things; things that matter to us, not necessarily money or career driven.  If nothing else, COVID has taught us how quickly our way of life can change, and appreciate what we have.

So to everyone today, I urge you to keep an open mind on the path that you walk … there’s many routes to your destination.  Keep your head up, believe and stay strong – you have so much to offer.

by Paul Lynch, Advanced Completions Director, Tendeka

A recent eye test and yet another, stronger, prescription for reading glasses got me thinking about other supplementations I will have to consider in the coming years to ensure that I can still work, play and live in the most beneficial way. I believe in a healthy diet and exercise, and although at times I don’t practise what I preach, I do realise that age comes to us all so more work will be required. The same is true for any piece of infrastructure that is expected to work over many years; buildings, plant, equipment etc. So, it’s hard not to draw correlations with my day job, oil & gas wells completions.

There are numerous supplements to be considered vitamins, minerals other such “wonder” drugs all of which will need to be balanced against my specific issues at the time. Take the issue of cholesterol, too much of one particular type (LDL) can lead to plaques building in the arteries which restrict and ultimately block flow of blood that can result in heart attacks. The increased use of statins to supplement a healthy lifestyle over the last three decades has contributed to a near halving of mortality rates in 50 years. In a similar way this approach is used for the oilfield version of cholesterol, scale and wax. Its common place to supplement with inhibitors in the production stream that prevent the formation of these “plaques” and keep the flow of liquids and gases at desirable rates.

It’s a pipe dream to imagine that the body we build in our youth will be the one that sees us through to old age, it needs maintenance. The longer it goes without, the rebuilding needs much more time, effort and funds. Gym membership, personal training coaches, dieticians, protein supplements are just some of the short cuts that can be achieved with investment to stop as much time reading research and preparing food as you have to spend exercising.

Wellbore interventions serve as a similar supplementation maintenance programme to keep the well performing at its best, things such as water shut off and re perforations are routinely used to prevent time consuming and costly workovers.

Nevertheless, I am acutely aware that the excesses of my youth will catch up to me some time. One example of this was brought to my attention through the tribulations of a close friend. He had led an active lifestyle playing numerous sports, taking part in long distance running in addition to being exposed to the ongoing physical training associated to nearly 10 years in the Navy. Unfortunately, this led to knee cartilage problems which meant that exercise had painful after-effects, consultations with various physicians left him with the following choices: do nothing and face the consequences of continued deterioration and ultimately require a knee replacement in years to come, or have a minor keyhole procedure that would allow him to return to pain free exercise with a good chance of delaying any knee replacement indefinitely. My friend elected for the latter, and as he explained to me “it was a no brainer” as he could be back walking within 24 hours running around again within 6 weeks.

Whilst I haven’t personally seen my consequences… yet … I do get to see these in some of the oil and gas wells that my clients have. Mature wells that have previously experienced damaging flow regimes can lead to integrity concerns in the upper completion. Problems such as corrosion and erosion can be difficult to mitigate for without a full workover. This is especially problematic the deeper these issues occur, any issues that could occur below safety valve depth can give integrity concerns if the safety valve has to be closed and relied upon to prevent flow of hydrocarbons to surface. The potential of preventing an alternative route to surface should be considered, and it would be good if there was an equivalent “keyhole” opportunity.

The PulseEight Electronic Ambient Valve (EAV) offers one such option. It’s an autonomous, intervention based, electromechanical tool that was originally designed to replace the use of velocity valves or storm chokes in wells with failed safety valves. However, the system is capable of supplementing existing functional safety valves by providing a deeper set independent downhole closure mechanism that can remove the concerns with tubing integrity issues above. The system works to recognise key wellbore safety events such as emergency shut downs or losses of surface containment and simply close in isolating flow.

So, the next time you are faced with integrity issues like the ones mentioned above, or indeed things such as leaky gas lift mandrels are proving problematic, it is worth considering the benefits that the PulseEight EAV can provide. It offers a fix now approach for very little time, effort and cost that can potentially delay or offset an equivalent “knee replacement”; expensive re-completions.

Visit www.tendeka.com/pulseeight  to find out more.

by Gillian Fowler, Marketing & Communications Manager, Tendeka

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on every part our lives, and those of our family & friends.  For many, we are the lucky ones who have not caught this virus, but in the UK alone, nearly 300k have, with over 45k deaths recorded since March 2020.  Globally, near 17million have now had COVID, with 650k deaths.   The national and international news is full of updates, stories, government stances and the changing restrictions imposed to try keep us all safe.  The only thing we do know is that COVID is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable, and we all need to take this seriously.

Everyone’s experience of this pandemic is different, but what we all share is change to what were our normal lives.  We are all having to learn to adapt to a very different way of living, protecting ourselves and loved ones from COVID-19, while also becoming acutely aware of the impact to our jobs, health, environment and ultimately our future.

Change is a hard one to measure, and there’s varying responses from welcoming change to resenting and resisting it.  However, as we emerge from the darker days of this pandemic, I am aware of those around me are talking about perceived positives, and also the hopes that some change will remain permanent, including less commute times due to widening flexi home-working schemes; shopping choices and habits; eating healthier and exercising more; being more environmentally focused, and looking at better ways to live and work.

I don’t recall a time when I have heard so much focus being on conscious choices, giving greater emphasis on our wellbeing, our work/life balance, and also how our decisions impact our planet.  Environmental concern is nothing new, but there is a distinct wave of change of attitudes, and I’m seeing this even more so in the younger generations.  There appears to be genuine care across all ages, with fewer dismissing this as a fad or something that is so big that we can’t help.  The ripple effect of environmental issues being drip-fed to the world is working!

We all have a part to play in sustainability and carbon capture. This topic is not going anywhere, and with regards to the oil & gas industry, there are giant leaps forward to make positive and measurable impact.  This green movement has become a clear priority for us all to continue to operate in the short and longer term.   But how can we relate these topics to all ages, whereby we all have a part to play in protecting our environment?

There are of course conferences, global conventions giving focus and attention to the subject.  For instance, the UK was this year due to host COP26, the 26^th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow. However, COVID-19 has meant this has now moved to 2021.  This will indeed bring great focus, media attention, global discussion and hopefully agreement on a united way forward. But how do we reach all ages?  How do we get such subjects understood from a young age, without over-complicating or sensualising?

Over the weekend, I had the delight in watching the film Dr Seuss’ The Lorax.  Yes, this is a film primarily aimed at children but without doubt, it is a great watch for all ages, and most definitely relevant to everyone.  The movie is uplifting, colourful, fun yet very clever in highlighting environmental issues, as well subliminal messaging on consequences, personal growth and fighting for what you believe.

For those who have not watched the film, The Lorax is the keeper of the forest, protecting the environment for all generations now and to come.  The land is beautiful until the Once-ler arrives as a young inventor and soon becomes influenced by family and greed, cutting down trees despite the Lorax’s warnings, until the land becomes barren and unhabitable for the animals to stay.  A 12-year-old boy, Ted, finds the Once-ler many years later, wanting to grow a tree and to learn what happened before.  The Once-ler reveals to Ted of his selfish actions from years before, and how he ignored the efforts from the Lorax and the animals to stop while also trying to educate him; to show him why all must safeguard the land.

The Once-ler tells the story of the devastation from his thoughtless, selfish decisions where he chose greed and wealth without seeing the impact his decisions were making to not only the environment but those around him.  It was only after the damage was done did the realisation sink in, but reveals his hope that the damage can be reversed. The Lorax’s guardianship could not do this alone; it  would only be possible if people genuinely care a lot to fight to make things right.  And so the film continues (I don’t want to spoil it!).

What also struck me was The Lorax was first published in 1971 and turned into a film 2012, yet is unbelievably relevant to our challenges of today.  Our actions can be a positive or devastating on the communities around us, as well as the global climate.  We need to keep looking at the bigger picture, see the impact and make decisions that safeguards our planet.

Our changes may be a splash in an ocean, but as we know that can build to a ripple and then to a stronger, more powerful movement, where positive change can and will occur.

We all have a Lorax inside us – we are the guardians of this planet, and our actions must protect and preserve.

 “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It’s not.” Dr Seuss

The Lorax picture credit: Disney

Gillian Fowler, Marketing & Communications Manager at Tendeka 

Press release

Tendeka, an independent global completions service company, has joined the OSIsoft EcoSphere, a collection of more than 300 industrial leaders that provide products, applications, and services for the PI System.

The Aberdeen-headquartered company will provide downhole monitoring, analysis and modelling products to support customers in their digital transformation and integration strategies. These new data sources that Tendeka is enabling  will bolster the value of the existing real-time information that oil and gas customers are currently storing in their PI Systems.  The PI System enables customers to cleanse, analyse and visualise this data so they can discover actionable insights in real time.

“Today, oil and gas producers are being bombarded with an ever-increasing volume of digital data from fibre optic systems to IoT sensors and devices,” said Andy Nelson, senior software engineer with Tendeka (pictured). “More of this information is being processed in the field as edge-analytics comes into play. In the downhole environment this edge decision making is affording the producers the ability to start optimising their assets in a real-time manner.”

To help producers accomplish real-time optimisation and production efficiency, Tendeka provides a family of industry-leading hardware and software solutions that include inflow control; monitoring; production analysis and modelling; in addition to cutting-edge downhole wireless communication.

The partnership will enable OSIsoft’s PI System customers, which include thousands of industrial and oil and gas producers worldwide, to deploy sophisticated solutions across their downhole operational environments and take advantage of constantly evolving digital oilfield technologies.

“We realise the incredible benefits that collaboration with agile, like-minded companies can bring to our customers’ growth ambitions and to our own business development. Integration with third-party systems, IoT devices and platforms like the OSIsoft PI System is integral to overcome the operational challenges faced in today’s industry and accelerate our software offering to solve future issues. This successful integration solution will reinforce producers’ investment strategies,” added Annabel Green, chief technology officer with Tendeka.

“We are excited to be collaborating with Tendeka. Their innovative products and industry knowledge,  combined with the PI System’s ability to collect data in real-time from a variety of assets, will be a game changer for oil and gas companies worldwide,” said Patti Sullivan, Director Cloud, Channel & Community North America at OSIsoft. “This solution will enable users to gain better and new levels of production analysis, while also setting their businesses up for success with future digital transformation initiatives.”

Pictured:  Andy Nelson, Senior Software Engineer at Tendeka

By Gillian King, VP Europe, Africa, Russia & CIS

Published in Energy Voice, July 2020

The last article I wrote for Energy Voice was in October 2019 and my focus was on maximising economic recovery and embracing the energy transition to ensure the UK continental Shelf (UKCS) continues to be a sustainable and competitive basin for years to come.

How the world has changed in these last few months!

As we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis and realise the longer-term implications on oil price, there will be a shift in focus from production optimisation to safety and operational efficiency.  And now, more than ever, the opportunities that present themselves from a net-zero perspective must be grabbed with both hands.

The health and safety of our employees has always been of paramount importance and we have a strong safety culture within our organisation.  During these times of change, we need to ensure we keep the focus on this through constant innovation.

Prior to lockdown, we held a two-day ‘safety stand down’ at our manufacturing facility which involved walk-arounds, interviews, equipment and process reviews, HSE quizzes and a hazard hunt. The concepts of complacency, risk perception and hazard awareness were some of the topics covered and real opportunities for workforce engagement and continual improvement resulted.

As we look ahead to a return to ‘normal’ working conditions, there are many lessons to be learned around work-life balance and the use of online platforms for effective communication, lessening the need for constant and excessive travel.  Much is being done to ensure the safety of our employees as we prepare to head back to our offices, workshops and rig sites.

In terms of efficiency, once again the industry will need to get smarter.  Over the last few years, we’ve became lean, with operational costs within the basin already halved. There was not much fat to be trimmed off the supply chain when the oil price went negative for the first time ever, in April this year. This is where digitalisation, automation and machine learning will really start to play a role and we’ve already seen a shift towards this.

There are also significant gains to be made by looking at our operations and supply chains to make them more efficient and to reduce our wastage.  The move to a more circular economy has massive potential to make us more competitive whilst reducing our carbon emissions and contributing to our net-zero goals. This is a golden opportunity for the UKCS to lead the way. With OGUK’s Roadmap 2035, the OGA’s strategy refresh around decarbonisation and the £62m Energy Transition Fund recently announced by the Scottish government, we are quickly becoming the energy industry that we can be proud to work in.

Press release

Tendeka’s VP for Europe, Russia, CIS & Africa, Gillian King, has joined the Board of The Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC).

Gillian has worked in the oil and gas industry for almost 20 years and is passionate about new technology. Throughout her time at Tendeka, she has played a key role in the commercialisation of swellable packers and wireless intelligent completion technology and was previously involved in bringing expandable sand screens to market. These technologies have provided significant benefits to the industry in terms of production optimisation, reduced HSE exposure and operational efficiency.

In her new position, Gillian will work with CEO Colette Cohen and new Chair, Martin Gilbert to shape the overall strategic direction and long-term success of the OGTC. She will also work on the Audit Committee, making sure there are resources, controls, and governance in place to deliver on the centre’s goals.

“It’s a huge honour for me to join the OGTC board and to be given the opportunity to contribute to such an integral part of the energy transition,” Gillian said. “Technology has a key role to play in achieving our net-zero goals and I hope I can use my experience to support new developers in getting their ideas to the market.”

Colette Cohen, CEO of the OGTC added: “I am delighted to welcome Gillian to the Board of the OGTC, her background in the development and deployment of new technology will be a hugely valuable addition to the Boards skills base. And as a champion of both technology and diversity, Gillian will also work with the Board to ensure that the OGTC is a showcase for our core values of inclusion, inquisitiveness, independence, inspiration and innovation.”

A biochemistry graduate from Aberdeen University, Gillian also has a Masters in Oil and Gas (Offshore) Engineering from Robert Gordon University. She is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, is on the ICoTA (International Coiled Tubing Association) committee and is an active STEM Ambassador. She graduated from the Future Industry Leaders Program (FILP) in 2018.

Press release

Tendeka awarded five-year contract extension with Oman operator 

 Independent global completions service company Tendeka has been awarded a five-year contract extension to supply a major operator with zonal isolation technologies for all fields in Oman. 

 The multi-million-dollar contract extends a long-term partnership between the two companies, which was first established in 2002.  

 Tendeka’s SwellRight swellable packers help reduce well construction costs, extend well life, and improve well integrity.  

 Osama Abazeed, Tendeka’s Area Manager for the GCC said: “The operator is one of our longest partnerships and we are extremely proud that, following this extension, we will have worked together for more than 20 years. 

 “This contract demonstrates our expertise in the zonal isolation market for the Middle East and showcases the quality of the technology and the service we provide. These sustainable solutions are recognised around the world to help reduce costs and extend the life of wells. 

 “This award coincides with the special achievement of installing our 10,000th swellable packer in Oman in February, demonstrating the importance of the Omani market for our technologies.” 

 Tendeka’s swellable packers provide long-term stability and reliability required to isolate producing zones. The retrievable option has been designed to isolate the wellbore while enabling the easy removal of the entire assembly from the wellbore without any milling operations. 

 The company also offers SwellRight Ultra Packer, a cost-effective solution for high pressure applications, providing the highest-pressure rating on the swellable market. 

 Enabling operators to utilise smaller pup joints, the Ultra Packers can effectively reduce the amount of rubber element required for high pressure applications, for use in horizontal and vertical wells.

Osama Abazeed, Tendeka Area Manager for GCC