Drilling for offshore oil: How do you turn process data into value?

With the Siemens Oil & Gas Innovations Conference 2016 coming up next week, a few topics that I’m looking forward to chatting with people about are the challenges of drilling for offshore oil and the instruments that can be used to turn process data into value.

One area that has presented challenges for years is how to accurately measure the flow of drilling mud. Drilling mud is pumped through the drill string to lubricate and cool the drill-bit as well as to remove borehole cuttings. Accurate operating pressure and flow rate information about the mud flow helps to maintain pressure at the base of the well and is a critical element in ensuring safety. If the pressure is too low, the well wall could collapse; if it’s too high there can be a loss of circulation due to the mud leaking out of fissures created by excessive pressure.

Maintaining well equilibrium by measuring the total flow of gas as it exits the well is another major challenge associated with drilling – one that’s vital for optimizing performance and meeting strict safety and environmental standards. When drilling at high pressures, gases can accumulate and lead to an unpredictable and dangerous blowout, otherwise known as a kick. Traditional Coriolis flow systems go blind at the first indication of gas in the flow stream, leading to potentially hazardous conditions.

So how can you address these challenges?

Siemens offers a revolutionary new concept in mud flow measurement: a patented DP flow measurement device developed by Bell Technologies and proprietary software incorporated into a field-mounted Siemens PLC. This robust package provides reliable and consistent flow measurement of all fluids going into and coming out of the well, regardless of gas content and basic sediment and water (BS&W). It performs well in all three critical measurement phases encountered by rig operators (mud pump suction side, high pressure outlet and return flow). The system offers a greatly reduced cost of ownership and is much more compact and easier to install than alternate forms of mud flow measurement. Both water- and oil-based mud can now be accommodated at pressure levels up to 15,000 PSI.

Still having trouble or unsure of the best solution for your setup?

To learn more, please contact me at martin.dingman@siemens.com, or speak with my colleagues and me at the Siemens Oil and Gas Innovations Conference 2016! This conference will be held at the Minute Made Stadium in Houston, Texas, March 30-31. Here, we will be discussing the latest challenges and process solutions in the oil and gas industry.