by Steven Fipke, Business Development Manager

Published in Oil & Gas Vision, July 2018

We at Tendeka pride ourselves in having an open mind to developing new technologies to help our clients overcome challenges, while increasing safety and drive efficiencies across the global oil and gas sector.

Such an approach, combined with collaboration and trust, has resulted in innovative, disruptive technologies being introduced to the marketplace, delivering results. Our latest technology, Cascade³, is another good example of this.

In 2014, we were approached by a major operator to develop an innovative technological solution to improve the performance of deepwater assets in the Gulf of Mexico.

The objective of this partnership was to increase the life expectancy of Miocene and Lower Tertiary water injection wells, several of which had suffered a severe loss of injectivity within only a few years of completion.

To address the challenge, we developed a new sand control technology, Cascade³.  This new well screen, flow control completion system utilises intrinsic check-valves to prevent any back-flow or cross-flow during shut-ins. Depending on well conditions, it also limits the damaging effects of water-hammer: rapid, high-amplitude pressure cycles that can occur during a sudden stoppage of flow.

The three-year R&D project culminated with a field trial in March 2018. A Permian salt water disposal well (SWD) was selected to test the system under the most adverse conditions: injection of untreated produced water. SWDs are common across West Texas and Oklahoma, disposing of up to 30,000 barrels of water per day (BWPD) per well.

The purpose of the field trial was to test the valves under the most challenging well conditions possible, and the disposal well gave us the opportunity qualify the system with the injection of untreated and unfiltered produced water.  As of July 2018, the SWD well has been put on full-time water disposal duty for several months.

Working together with industry partners is crucial to continue technological advancements and improve efficiencies for all.  Let’s work together to overcome perceived barriers.

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To read our latest Cascade³ study, please go to:  https://www.tendeka.com//wp-content/uploads/Cascade3-Permian-Case-Study.pdf