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    Case studies
    CS037 Total Flow

    Challenge A high gas–oil ratio leads to unnecessarily high carbon emissions, lower oil production and increased carbon-per-barrel rates. Managing and processing excess gas requires substantial energy and capital expenditure for surface infrastructure and facilities. In this case, the aim was to identify zones for gas shut-off that would enable the operator to optimise surface infrastructure capacity, maximise oil production and minimise carbon footprint.   Well A-1 features a 7 in. x 4-1/2 in. cemented liner across several commingled oil and gas-bearing zones. Developing compartmentalised multi-stacked reservoirs using simplified well completions makes it challenging for diagnostics to determine production allocation, reveal flow assurance issues, understand reservoir connectivity, monitor individual well performance, and forecast total field production.   Gas production had already exceeded the limit of surface processing facilities for well operation with existing production rates, which meant the operator had to choke back production. In addition, the unwanted gas was taking up part of the operator’s pipeline quota and creating other transportation and flow assurance issues. The well contains at least five clastic reservoir zones, each with multiple layers, that are perforated across an interval of more than 1,500 ft. This level of complexity meant that conventional production logging tools were unable to adequately characterise flow or confidently distinguish the main gas-contributing layers. Total Flow example well sketch. Total Flow locates and quantifies wellbore and reservoir flow, and reveals the relationship between the two. Delivered by our True Flow system with Chorus and Cascade technology, Total Flow provides the clarity and insight needed to manage well system performance more effectively. Total Flow is commonly used to diagnose unexpected or undesirable well system behavior, but it can also be used proactively to ensure the well system is working properly. Solution The operator selected TGT’s Total Flow product, with Cascade, Chorus and Indigo as the main technology platforms chosen to perform the well system diagnostic survey. This would reveal which zones were contributing to the production of oil and gas, diagnose wellbore and reservoir flows, and help identify potential well integrity issues such as annulus sealing problems due to poor cement. The solution combines the sensitive, fast-response temperature sensor of the Indigo platform with high-definition acoustic sensing from Chorus that reveals active flow in the well system.   Comprehensive temperature and flow modelling with Cascade enabled TGT analysts to assess and allocate production distribution and provide accurate oil and gas flow profiles across the reservoir zones. The survey also identified active flow layers and recorded characteristic acoustic signals generated by liquid and gas flowing through reservoir media and the wellbore. Pre- and post-workover survey results illustrate the effectiveness of the gas zone isolation programme and resulting decrease of gas production, which enabled surface infrastructure to stay within its operating envelope. Result Total Flow diagnostics quantified the contribution of reservoir layers from five different zones and identified the main gas producing layers, providing a comprehensive flow profile. The operator was able to define active flow units and differentiate between flows through the reservoir matrix, the behind-casing channels and the wellbore completion components.   This enabled the operator to target and conduct an effective remediation plan. The workover involved a 200-ft-long 2-⅞- in. straddle installed to isolate the zone with the highest gas contribution. A post-workover Total Flow survey was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the isolation job. The straddle had isolated 83% of the gas production. This delivered a reduction of 7.9 MMscf per day at surface (equivalent to 2.8 Bscf per year).   Overall, the isolation job was considered highly successful. Identifying the main gas shut-off zones played a crucial role in optimising surface infrastructure, maximising oil production, and minimising carbon footprint for this well.

  • Decarbonise with diagnostics

    Decarbonise with diagnosticsDecarbonise with diagnostics Overview Decarbonise video Greenhouse gas emissions How can TGT help? Applications Go to section OverviewDecarbonise videoGreenhouse gas emissionsHow can TGT help?Applications Home Search Results Global warming, climate change, and hydrocarbons Today, global warming is an existential crisis facing our planet and all of its inhabitants. Climate science tells us that if global average temperatures rise more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the impact could become catastrophic and irreversible.   In the oil and gas industry, we are all aware of the very real impact the climate crisis is having on society and the planet. Whilst we provide energy for the world to prosper, the way most of this energy is produced as well as consumed, is ultimately leading to climate change.   Whilst we continue to develop clean energy solutions, the reality is that ~56% of the global energy mix continues to come from hydrocarbons, and it will take years, if not decades, before the balance shifts to cleaner sources. Global warming, climate change, with diagnostics Today, global warming is an existential crisis facing our planet and all of its inhabitants. Climate science tells us that if global average temperatures rise more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the impact could become catastrophic and irreversible.   In the oil and gas industry, we are all aware of the very real impact the climate crisis is having on society and the planet. Whilst we provide energy for the world to prosper, the way most of this energy is produced as well as consumed, is ultimately leading to climate change.   Whilst we continue to develop clean energy solutions, the reality is that ~56% of the global energy mix continues to come from hydrocarbons, and it will take years, if not decades, before the balance shifts to cleaner sources. Watch our video to find out moreGreenhouse gas emissions in GtCO2e Every barrel of oil or gas equivalent has a carbon overhead because of the energy consumed to produce it, the flaring of gas, and the leakage or venting of methane from well infrastructure. In 2019, upstream activities released ~2.9 GtCO2e, or ~6% of the total annual greenhouse gases produced by human activity.   As suppliers of energy to society, our industry has a vital role to play in taking action today to achieve a low-carbon future.   TGT is at the forefront of this with our diagnostics-led sustainability framework. With this, our role is to help oil and gas producers deliver energy through the transition, but with significantly lower environmental impact. Every barrel of oil or gas equivalent has a carbon overhead because of the energy consumed to produce it, the flaring of gas, and the leakage or venting of methane from well infrastructure. In 2019, upstream activities released ~2.9 GtCO2e, or ~6% of the total annual greenhouse gases produced by human activity.   As suppliers of energy to society, our industry has a vital role to play in taking action today to achieve a low-carbon future.   TGT is at the forefront of this with our diagnostics-led sustainability framework. With this, our role is to help oil and gas producers deliver energy through the transition, but with significantly lower environmental impact. How can TGT help you reduce your carbon footprint? TGT is a different kind of company. Our unique technology and fresher thinking take us beyond the traditional restrictions of the wellbore, seeing more, seeing further. We create powerful diagnostics that help you to keep wells safe, clean and productive.   Our diagnostics help operators and regulators achieve their NetZero targets by revealing inefficiencies in energy-intensive operations and locating sources of greenhouse gas. Equipped with the right information, our customers can take evasive action to improve energy efficiency, decarbonise operations and reduce environmental impact. We’re out of time. Not options.We’re out of time. Not options.Applications There are several areas where TGT can help you to reduce emissions and support your sustainability targets: Energy and resource efficiency Flaring Methane emissions Pollution Water management Carbon capture and storage Enabling cleaner energy

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    Case studies
    CS034 Multi Tube Integrity

    Challenge Setting surface plugs in offshore wells requires multistage cutting and pulling out of well casings. The milling process may last between a day and a week, depending on the well structure and the depth of the cutting window. The aim is to define the cutting interval so it contains the smallest volume of metal to be processed. The presence of collars, centralisers and welded fins can also substantially increase cutting time.   A multistage ultrasound survey is the conventional method for locating zones of minimal total wall thickness in the tubulars and determining the completion elements. This approach requires well preparations and logging after each stage of the retrieval process. The time spent on well preparation activities such as cleanout, pressure logging and interpretation is active rig time and a target for optimisation. Figure 1: Results from the TGT Pulse platform survey enabled the operator to adjust the depth of cutting/milling to avoid the risk of cutting the welded fins on the 20-in. casing. Solution Multi-tube scanning using TGT’s Pulse (electromagnetic) platform can identify and characterise completion elements in up to four concentric metal barriers. The electromagnetic response from the barriers is not affected by the presence of scale or fluids and does not require the tubing to be pulled out of the hole. As a result, the Pulse system enables rigless scanning of tubulars to prepare cut and pull out operations, thereby minimising the time required for these operations. The cutting windows can be determined precisely, enabling the selection of a location with no completion elements and where the total nominal thickness is minimal. The electromagnetic scanning survey can be perfomed riglessly or in a single run at the beginning of the plug and abandonment process. By enabling lighter or rigless interventions, TGT helps minimise carbon footprint. Figure 2: Casings retrieved during the plugging and abandonment operations at Cormorant field show precise milling of four tubulars and avoidance of elements such as welded fins on the 20-in. casing. Result In this case study, the Pulse survey was conducted on the rig timeline with real- time decisions being made from the results. This called for rapid interpretation, and the average delivery time for results was set at 3–4 hours after the tools rigged down. In each of the four logged wells, all the completion elements were located, described and the cutting window determined. In some cases, the window was adjusted by several feet from the initial plan (Figure 1). All cut and pull out operations went smoothly and using the Pulse system in this way saved more than 100 hours of rig time and resources. Rigs and surface equipment are powered by diesel engines or gas turbines that emit carbon dioxide when fuel is burned. A typical jack-up rig emits around 70t of carbon dioxide per day, and so a 100-hour reduction in rig time translates into substantial energy consumption and emissions savings.   The survey showed that the Pulse platform could detect fins, collars and other completion elements in the third or fourth concentric metal barrier with casing outer diameters of up to 20 in (Figure 2). This means it is possible to determine the exact position for well barrier cutting and enable effective pull out operations, even in situations where the detailed well barrier schematics are unavailable.

  • Energy and resource efficiency

    Energy and resource efficiencyEnergy and resource efficiency Overview Infrastructure performance Intervention efficiency Improve injection performance Reduce water production Go to section OverviewInfrastructure performanceIntervention efficiencyImprove injection performance Reduce water production Home Search Results Producing hydrocarbons requires energy. Turbines and diesel generators account for 70% of upstream CO2 emissions. Our diagnostics can help you become more energy efficient and reduce your carbon overhead.Improve infrastructure performance Building and operating hydrocarbon extraction infrastructure represents a huge investment in energy, capital, time, materials and people resources. Maximising the return on that resource must be achieved, while protecting people and the planet. If a well or reservoir is not producing to its full potential during its life then the resource that built or operates it is not being fully leveraged and some is being wasted. Equally, if maintenance and workover resources are being utilised, they should operate efficiently and contribute to overall asset performance with the goal of keeping wells safe, clean and productive.   All TGT diagnostic products are adept at revealing inefficiencies and guiding measures that enable existing infrastructure and resources to operate at maximum efficiency. For example, if a well is producing at high water cut, our Total Flow product will reveal the exact sources of water to enable targeted remediation. True Integrity products can be used proactively to identify casing weakness before the casing fails, helping to maintain asset performance and preventing more costly scenarios. Equally, because workover and rig resources are better targeted, time and energy is saved in getting the job done right first time. TOTAL FLOW CASE STUDYPRIMARY SEAL INTEGRITY CASE STUDY Drilling a single deepwater well can produce more than 20 ktCO2 Improve intervention efficiency Well delivery and intervention operations such as drilling, fracking, workovers, decommissioning [P&A] and diagnostic surveys require energy intensive surface equipment. Rigs, trucks, and pumps derive power from diesel engines or gas turbines that emit CO2 when the fuel is burned. A typical semi-submersible drilling rig emits roughly ~130 tCO2 per day and a Light Well Intervention vessel around 30 tCO2 per day. Improving efficiency and minimising the time to perform operations is a key factor in reducing energy consumption and emissions.   All TGT diagnostic products deliver insights that enable all types of operations to be carefully planned and precisely targeted so they can be executed efficiently with precision. Also, by enabling ‘lighter’ or ‘rigless’ interventions, our diagnostics can be deployed with minimal carbon footprint before heavier equipment is mobilised. Lastly, because through-barrier diagnostics provide a more complete picture, we provide maximum information in the minimum amount of time. Time savings translate to both cost and carbon savings and our aim is make every hour count. MULTI TUBE INTEGRITY CASE STUDY A typical Jack-up rig emits 70 tCO2 per day. Improve injection performance Most oil reservoirs will inevitably require additional pressure support to maintain production and improve oil recovery. Water injection is used widely for this purpose and many oilfields are injected with tens to hundreds of thousands of barrels per day. Pumping water is energy intensive and the resulting CO2 emissions can range from 1-2 kgCO2 per barrel. In fact, water injection is responsible for ~40% of total CO2 emissions for a typical oilfield.   Making matters worse, well completion and formation integrity issues can lead to water being diverted away from the target reservoir. This can result in abnormally high injection rates, reduced field production performance, and high water cut in producer wells. TGT’s True Flow products are being used globally by operators to ensure that all injected water is reaching the target and revealing where it is not. In many cases, these diagnostics lead to a significant reduction in water volumes and CO2 emissions, and increased field production. RESERVOIR FLOW CASE STUDYFIBRE FLOW CASE STUDY Pumping 10,000 barrels of water per day produces 5.4 ktCO2 annually Reduce water production High water cut is a persistent industry challenge responsible for unnecessarily high CO2 emissions and higher carbon per barrel. Excess water needs to be managed at surface, treated then reinjected or disposed of, and this requires energy. Also, excess water often means less oil, reduced recovery and longer production times, increasing emissions even further. And complicating the issue, produced water may be channeling from several elusive sources hidden behind the casing.   In many cases, excess water cut can be minimised or cured. If the operator can identify the true source of water downhole, measures can be taken to shut-off the water and restore oil production to lower carbon and economic levels. TGT’s True Flow products are used widely for this purpose. Unlike conventional diagnostics that can only detect water entering the wellbore, TGT’s through-barrier diagnostics can reveal the true source behind casing, enabling effective remediation, improved recovery rates and reduced carbon emissions. MULTI-SEAL INTEGRITY CASE STUDYTOTAL FLOW CASE STUDY High water-cut leads to higher CO2 per barrel and lower oil production rates.

  • Enabling cleaner energy

    Enabling cleaner energyEnabling cleaner energy Overview Secure gas storage Go to section OverviewSecure gas storage Home Search Results To reduce carbon emissions, society needs to switch from fossil fuel energy to alternatives. However, non-fossil sources only satisfy 17% of the world’s energy demands. As a transition fuel, gas offers a cleaner alternative to coal, provided it doesn’t leak from infrastructure.Secure gas storage To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, society needs to switch from fossil fuel energy to alternative forms. In 2020, only 17% of the world’s energy came from non-fossil sources, 31% came from oil, 25% from gas, and 27% from coal. At 56% of the energy mix, oil and gas are still essential. Whilst oil and coal use are in decline, gas use is trending up.   Gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel, but with the increase in use comes the risk of methane leaks in production and storage wells. Since methane is 85x more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2, the integrity of producing and storage wells is essential in enabling cleaner energy solutions. Used proactively, TGT’s True Integrity diagnostics can be used routinely to validate seals in gas producing and storage wells, and assure methane containment. Burning 1kg methane produces twice the energy and half the CO2 than 1kg coal

  • Decarbonise with diagnostics

    Decarbonise with diagnosticsDecarbonise with diagnostics Overview Decarbonise video Greenhouse gas emissions How can TGT help? Applications Go to section OverviewDecarbonise videoGreenhouse gas emissionsHow can TGT help?Applications Home Search Results Global warming, climate change, and hydrocarbons Today, global warming is an existential crisis facing our planet and all of its inhabitants. Climate science tells us that if global average temperatures rise more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the impact could become catastrophic and irreversible.   In the oil and gas industry, we are all aware of the very real impact the climate crisis is having on society and the planet. Whilst we provide energy for the world to prosper, the way most of this energy is produced as well as consumed, is ultimately leading to climate change.   Whilst we continue to develop clean energy solutions, the reality is that ~56% of the global energy mix continues to come from hydrocarbons, and it will take years, if not decades, before the balance shifts to cleaner sources. Global warming, climate change, with diagnostics Today, global warming is an existential crisis facing our planet and all of its inhabitants. Climate science tells us that if global average temperatures rise more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the impact could become catastrophic and irreversible.   In the oil and gas industry, we are all aware of the very real impact the climate crisis is having on society and the planet. Whilst we provide energy for the world to prosper, the way most of this energy is produced as well as consumed, is ultimately leading to climate change.   Whilst we continue to develop clean energy solutions, the reality is that ~56% of the global energy mix continues to come from hydrocarbons, and it will take years, if not decades, before the balance shifts to cleaner sources. Watch our video to find out moreGreenhouse gas emissions in GtCO2e Every barrel of oil or gas equivalent has a carbon overhead because of the energy consumed to produce it, the flaring of gas, and the leakage or venting of methane from well infrastructure. In 2019, upstream activities released ~2.9 GtCO2e, or ~6% of the total annual greenhouse gases produced by human activity.   As suppliers of energy to society, our industry has a vital role to play in taking action today to achieve a low-carbon future.   TGT is at the forefront of this with our diagnostics-led sustainability framework. With this, our role is to help oil and gas producers deliver energy through the transition, but with significantly lower environmental impact. Every barrel of oil or gas equivalent has a carbon overhead because of the energy consumed to produce it, the flaring of gas, and the leakage or venting of methane from well infrastructure. In 2019, upstream activities released ~2.9 GtCO2e, or ~6% of the total annual greenhouse gases produced by human activity.   As suppliers of energy to society, our industry has a vital role to play in taking action today to achieve a low-carbon future.   TGT is at the forefront of this with our diagnostics-led sustainability framework. With this, our role is to help oil and gas producers deliver energy through the transition, but with significantly lower environmental impact. How can TGT help you reduce your carbon footprint? TGT is a different kind of company. Our unique technology and fresher thinking take us beyond the traditional restrictions of the wellbore, seeing more, seeing further. We create powerful diagnostics that help you to keep wells safe, clean and productive.   Our diagnostics help operators and regulators achieve their NetZero targets by revealing inefficiencies in energy-intensive operations and locating sources of greenhouse gas. Equipped with the right information, our customers can take evasive action to improve energy efficiency, decarbonise operations and reduce environmental impact. We’re out of time. Not options.We’re out of time. Not options.Applications There are several areas where TGT can help you to reduce emissions and support your sustainability targets: Energy and resource efficiency Flaring Methane emissions Pollution Water management Carbon capture and storage Enabling cleaner energy

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    Go with the flow

    Go with the flow Article featured in Oilfield Technology's 2022 summer magazine (pages 42-45)   As the global energy mix transitions to low-carbon sources, there may be fewer opportunities for new oil and gas field developments. As a result, many operators will shift their focus towards recovering more from existing reservoirs, and this strategy includes improving the management and performance of their Horizontal wells.   Horizontal wells generally deliver much higher levels of productivity than their vertical counterparts, but this performance can often come at a cost. Understanding the interactions between a horizontal well and the reservoir can be extremely challenging. The combination of variable well angles, extended reservoir contacts, the presence of fluid mixtures and segregated flows, formation changes, fractures and intricate completions presents a formidable challenge for analysis using conventional production-logging tools (Figure 1).   Standard production-logging technology may, under some conditions, be able to map the multiphase flows encountered in a horizontal wellbore, but it cannot quantify flows for fluids exiting or entering the reservoir behind the completion. This means that wellbore production logs do not provide a complete picture of flow dynamics across the well system. Asset teams that base development, production or remediation plans on an incomplete partial flow diagnosis may be risking lower productivity, reduced asset performance, and higher carbon overhead.   A new beginning Reservoir and production engineers have been looking to overcome the drawbacks of conventional production surveys in horizontal wells for many years. Their key requirement has been a system that could deliver continuous flow profiles across different completion and reservoir scenarios, and would also be effective in reservoirs with fractured formations.   TGT Diagnostics has been working on addressing these needs for several years and, in February 2022, launched the Horizontal Flow diagnostics product with Cascade3 technology. Specifically designed for horizontal wells, this system offers more realistic flow modelling and accurate continuous flow profiles in a wide variety of completion and reservoir settings. The insights gained from this have the potential to help companies reduce operating costs and energy consumption while increasing ultimate recovery.   The new technology uses an advanced modelling simulation engine to predict the hydrodynamic and thermodynamic behaviour of fluids and their surroundings as they flow through the well-reservoir system. This translates temperature, pressure and other well-system data into continuous reservoir flow profiles. These profiles deliver a true picture of inflow and outflow, and this is the case even for challenging wells and those that feature natural or hydraulically induced fractures.   The ability to assess flow in fractured reservoirs is important because, although fractures can boost hydrocarbon production, they can also provide pathways for early water or gas breakthrough. The new diagnostics technology can evaluate the radial, spherical and linear/fracture flow patterns commonly encountered in horizontal well systems (Figure 2). This provides an accurate assessment of linear flow occurring in the fractures and makes it possible to determine the fracture contribution. This is particularly useful when combined with the Chorus acoustic sensing system that identifies fracture locations along the wellbore.   Applications and benefits Operating companies want to maximise hydrocarbon recovery in the safest, cleanest and most economical way possible. Having an accurate picture of fluid flow in the wellbore and the immediately surrounding reservoir rock gives asset teams greater confidence in their decisions and makes it easier to enhance production, maximise recovery and rectify well problems.   The new diagnostics system provides useful input in key areas such as reservoir, well and resource management, and can even help companies enhance their environmental performance and reduce the carbon footprint of production operations.   Insights for reservoir management Effective reservoir management is a key objective for oil and gas operating companies. The development of any hydrocarbon reservoir disturbs a natural balance of rocks and fluids that may have existed for millions of years. Understanding how a reservoir will behave as new wells are drilled and fluids are extracted or injected is a daunting task. Reservoir engineers deal with huge uncertainties in their quest to maximise hydrocarbon recovery, reduce operating costs and extend the economic life of the reservoir.   At the heart of the reservoir-management process is the dynamic reservoir model, which provides a basis for all field development and hydrocarbon recovery decisions, infrastructure investments and reserves estimations. The robustness and accuracy of the model is critical to successful reservoir management, and any inaccuracies may lead to poor decisions and substantial losses.   As more data is collected, the dynamic reservoir model is updated by the reservoir engineering team using a process known as history matching. Insights from this new diagnostic system can play a critical role in history-matching, thus helping to reduce the uncertainty envelope and improve the model. A continuous flow profile provides a clear and direct quantification of the flow performance of the reservoir as it feeds the well system. In contrast to standard wellbore production surveys, which can be hindered by completion or reservoir integrity issues, Horizontal Flow can deliver a true flow profile. The continuous nature and sensitivity to low flow rates help provide a more accurate measurement of effective pay length, a key metric for making production forecasts and reserves estimates.   The new system is also effective in the presence of fractures. Predicting and preventing water or gas breakthrough is one of the most important and challenging tasks faced by reservoir engineers. Having a deeper understanding of downhole flow dynamics can help provide an early warning of locations where water or unwanted gas may be reaching the well.   The new workflow can also be used to estimate or validate other key parameters such as reservoir pressure, permeability and skin factor. This independent verification can help reservoir engineers to resolve uncertainties, improve history matching and optimise the dynamic reservoir model. Figure 1. Horziontal Flow leverages Cascade3 and the True Flow system to deliver the truest picture of inflow and outflow downhole, even in the most challenging wells. Figure 2. Flow inside the wellbore of a horizontal well can be challenging to decipher, but flow in the surrounding reservoir is equally complex. New technologies can help resolve all three primary flow patterns that surround the well system - radial, spherical and linear flow in fractures - and combines thermodynamic and hydrodynamic science in an immersive 3D fine grid modelling architecture. The result is accurate reservoir flow profiles and unique insights that help asset teams keep performance on track. A diagnostic approach to well management Horizontal wells are designed to provide optimum contact with the reservoir and so tap hydrocarbon reserves with maximum efficiency. Production engineers in the wider asset team are responsible for the well system and ensuring that it performs to expectations, thereby maintaining production targets and maximising recovery.   Well performance depends under dynamic relationship between the well completion and the reservoir surrounding it. This, in turn, depends on the performance and behaviour of completion components and the reservoir itself. To achieve their technical and business aims, production engineers need full visibility of fluids and flow dynamics downhole from the reservoir sandface to the wellbore and at all points in between. The Horizontal Flow diagnostic system helps to deliver this visibility.   Measuring real production or injection performance in the presence of complex multicomponent completions is a major challenge for production engineers. Integrity issues and zonal isolation or component failures can lead to discrepancies between the profile of fluids entering or exiting the wellbore and the profile of fluids exiting or entering the reservoir. In these situations, standard production logs could give false or misleading results. The new diagnostics system overcomes this by providing a definitive flow profile regardless of completion, integrity or zonal isolation issues. Furthermore, by identifying these issues, it can help guide maintenance or workover interventions. Vicious fluids, fluid segregation and low flow rates can also be problematic for standard production-logging sensors, leading to a false picture of flow. Horizontal Flow incorporates temperature and acoustic measurements that respond to all types of meaningful flow, thereby helping to overcome this limitation.   The new approach can also be used to assess injection compliance and the performance of completion elements such as flow control devices and swell packers. The information gained from these analysis can be used to target repairs and guide potential improvements in completion designs.   Enabling effective resource management Operating companies want to maximise ultimate recovery while minimising operating costs, thereby reducing cost per barrel produced. Horizontal Flow diagnostics can help on both sides of this equation.   Developing a field with horizontal wells represents a significant investment in time, energy and capital. Diagnostics play a key role in tracking well and reservoir performance, and steering asset team decisions. Horizontal Flow diagnostics can reveal well system inefficiencies, guide asset teams to problem areas in the completion or the reservoir, and help them act with greater certainty to achieve a positive outcome.   Horizontal well interventions can be expensive and time-consuming, and often require specialised equipment, such as coiled tubing or tractors, for well access. Diagnostic deployments of the new system can provide a complete and accurate downhole assessment and information that reduces uncertainty and quickly establishes whether remedial work is required. When a workover is deemed necessary, the ability to plan and target it with a greater precision helps save time, reduce costs and deliver better outcomes.   Reducing your environmental impact Operating companies around the world are aiming to cut their carbon-per-barrel overhead. Developing and producing oil and gas consumes enormous amounts of energy from diesel engines or gas turbines, both of which produce significant volumes of carbon dioxide (CO2). Flaring of unwanted associated gas is another major source of emissions. Combined CO2 emissions from global upstream operations are estimated at about 1 Gt CO2 per year and methane emissions at around 1.9 Gt CO2 per year. New diagnostics technology can help operators identify inefficiencies in energy-intensive operations, reduce associated gas flaring and improve the efficiency of energy-intensive intervention operations.   Water injection accounts for approximately 40% of total CO2 emissions in a typical oilfield. Operators can now assess how much of the injected water is reaching its target and identify thief zones. These diagnostic surveys often lead to a reduction in pumped water volumes and emissions, and increased field production. Water production is another source of emissions, as produced water must be managed and treated at the surface. This process requires energy, and increased water production typically means less oil, thus reducing ultimate recovery and increasing carbon per barrel.   Gas flaring is estimated to release 310 MT CO2 per year, which is about 30% of all upstream CO2 emissions. Continuous flow profiles can be used to identify sources of unwanted gas downhole and guide remediation plans, thereby reducing the need to flare.   Workovers and diagnostic interventions in horizontal wells can also have a significant carbon overhead. New diagnostics technology can minimise this overhead on two fronts when compared with the conventional approach.   Firstly, it can easily identify the crossflows, fractures and integrity failures that often confuse conventional surveys. Having this information minimises the risk of incomplete or inaccurate assessments and improves the efficiency of decision-making. Secondly, when equipped with reliable information, the asset team can plan and target its workover programmes with precision. This means equipment and operations can be optimised and executed with higher efficiency and success rates, leading to better technical outcomes and lower emissions.   Conclusion Horizontal wells are powerful tools for hydrocarbon production and represent a significant resource investment for field operators. Production engineers, reservoir engineers and the wider asset team face complex challenges in their drive to ensure that each well system performs to expectations. A new approach to flow analysis in horizontal wells could help to solve key challenges in this area, making it easier for wells and reservoirs to reach their full potential.

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    Decarbonise with diagnostics

    Article featured in Harts E&P Magazine   Today global warming is an existential crisis facing our planet and all of its inhabitants. According to the latest IPCC report, average global temperatures have increased by +1 C above pre-industrial levels, and while this may not seem like a lot, this rise is already impacting weather systems and society. At +1.5 C, climate feedback loops may lead to permanent runaway climate change. Climate science tells us that if global average temperatures rise more than +1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, the impact could become catastrophic and irreversible.   In the energy industry, we are all aware of the very real impact the climate crisis is having on society and the planet. However, here is the conundrum: Our world needs more energy so that individuals, communities and countries may attain or sustain socio-economic progress. In most situations, this energy comes at a cost, as the way energy is produced as well as consumed is ultimately leading to climate change. While we continue to develop clean energy solutions, the reality is that ~55% of the global energy mix continues to come from hydrocarbons, and it will take years, if not decades, before the balance shifts to cleaner sources. As suppliers of oil and gas, our industry has a vital role to play in taking action today to ensure a low carbon future. Reducing ‘carbon per barrel’ Every barrel of oil or gas equivalent has a carbon overhead because of the energy consumed to produce it, the flaring of gas, and the leakage or venting of methane from well infrastructure. In 2019 upstream activities released ~2.9 GtCO2e, or ~6% of the total annual greenhouse gases produced by human activity. Total hydrocarbon production in that year was ~60 Bboe, resulting in a ‘carbon per barrel’ overhead of ~48 kgCO2e per barrel equivalent. Clearly, this overhead needs to be cut drastically if we are to avoid the dystopian scenario of runaway climate change.   What can operators do to reduce emissions? One answer lies in understanding the true dynamic behavior of well systems with through-barrier diagnostics. Diagnostics that reach beyond the traditional confines of the wellbore and see more can help operators reduce energy use and resulting emissions in a wide range of scenarios. Data source Rystad Energy, EmissionsCube Energy from turbines and diesel engines accounts for more than 70% of the CO2 emissions from upstream operations. Through-barrier diagnostics can help operators identify energy inefficiencies in a number of ways. For example, one of the largest demands on upstream energy comes from powering water injection pumps to maintain reservoir pressure. Well and formation integrity issues can divert water from the target, increasing the amount of water needed and wasting resources. Through-barrier diagnostics can reveal diverted water behind casing, aiding remediation and ultimately reducing injection rates and associated emissions.   Gas flaring accounts for roughly ~30% of upstream oil related CO2 emissions. If the associated gas that is produced alongside oil cannot be utilized, it is burned. The reasons could be technical, regulatory or economic, and even though the industry is working to reduce flaring, it remains a global issue. Through-barrier diagnostics can’t provide an alternative to flaring, but it can help track sources of unwanted gas to aid remediation, enabling operators to limit unwanted gas production and flaring.   At 1.9 GtCO2e per year, methane is the largest contributor to upstream carbon emissions. Methane is a potent and insidious contributor to the greenhouse effect, partly because methane has ~30x the warming effect of CO2, and fugitive leaks from active and abandoned wells can go unnoticed for years. However, a major source of methane is intentional venting. Gas leaks inside the well system can build up in between casings, and this may be vented if the pressure exceeds safe levels. Through-barrier diagnostics can locate the source of gas within the well system, informing remediation decisions and ultimately helping to reduce methane venting. The answer for operators is simple Equipped with the right information, evasive action can be taken to improve energy efficiency, decarbonise operations and reduce emissions. Diagnostics that reveal the full extent of flow and integrity dynamics throughout the well system, from the wellbore to its outer reaches, are essential to achieving this goal. An analysis of the entire well system with through-barrier diagnostics can help oil and gas producers deliver energy through the transition, but with significantly lower environmental impact. "As suppliers of oil and gas energy to society, our industry has a vital role to play in helping it achieve a low carbon future" Ken Feather, Chief Marketing Officer

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    The future is exponential, the future is digital

    “The better we get at getting better, the faster we will get better.”                                                                                                    Douglas Engelbart Article featured in Harts E&P Magazine   Over the past 60 years, a couple of trends and specific events contributed to drastically changing the way we live and work today. The reasons why we even entertain a conversation about digital transformation takes its roots from these few trends and events.   The future is exponential In the 1980’s we had the first laptops. In the 1990’s the Internet was becoming global and gaining in popularity. In the 2000’s high speed internet is introduced and humanity is moving data at the speed of light for the first time ever (we think). Literally. In the 2010’s cloud computing, ‘Infrastructure as a Service’ (IaaS), and ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) were becoming a standard, and storage virtually limitless.   Memory storage has become extremely cheap and storage devices are getting increasingly smaller in size and bigger in capacity. Computing power available on an average laptop is increasingly getting bigger. And quantum computing is just around the corner.   The increasing speed at which these consecutive transformations have taken place have forced our culture to adapt. Everything is needed now, sometimes yesterday, because tomorrow is going to be too late. The foreign exchange and stock exchange markets, leaders of the world economies, are fully relying on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for trading. And this is what is driving business transformations and change in organisations. Adapting to market change, and increasingly predicting change in order to know how to proactively adapt. The future is digital The future of oil and gas producers and service companies will depend on how fast they adapt to the constantly evolving energy landscape. Recent years have demonstrated how difficult it is for non-digitalised companies to cope with the ever-changing market conditions, and how increasingly difficult it has become for the oil and gas industry to recover from each successive economic crisis.   Our industry is far behind in digitalisation. Only 5% of data generates value, 3% of equipment is connected, 1% of data supports decision making. Clearly, the industry has a long way to go in leveraging this new digital reality.   This is why it is now vital for us as an industry to embrace digitalisation as a positive disruption to traditional data processing workflows, understand the opportunity and potential behind AI and its many applications, and ensure we are transforming our industry to become smarter, leaner, and most importantly, sustainable.   Doing so will take a lot of adapting, and adopting new digitally enabled ways of working. Oil and gas companies will need to revamp their data ecosystem, data architecture and create data platforms fit for AI processing. They will equally need to develop internal talent to ensure their resilience and long term sustainable transformation. It will also require program management discipline, change management culture, both short and long term projects, and a very good understanding by the decision makers of the risks of ignoring the digital disruption. Furthermore, decision makers need to action these steps fast because the world is changing around us faster than ever.   This decade is the decade of ever more change. We are going through the COVID-19 pandemic imposed changes. The acceleration in adopting digital tools to accommodate remote ways of working is phenomenal and only illustrates the point that organisations that are digital, fit and lean will make it through the crisis and emerge even stronger. The future is exponential. The future is digital Our vision at TGT is to pioneer and lead the advancement of Predictive Diagnostics in the energy sector, positively impacting long term sustainability and ESG initiatives. TGT is developing multiple AI-enabled products that will fulfil the growing sector demand for predictive analytics and diagnostics, leading the industry to a digital future. “Societies are driven by technology, but defined by humanity.”                                                                                                                       Gert Leonhard

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    Oilfield Technology – The only way to P&A

    Integrity and corrosion assessment for successful slot recovery and plugging & abandonment (P&A) applications Article featured in Oilfield Technology   For all plug and abandonment applications, either permanent or for slot recovery, the sealing performance of well system components needs to be assured, and remain intact.    Well systems are complex and need to work perfectly to perform safely, cleanly, and productively. Understanding the condition and sealing performance of well system barriers can be challenging once the well has been brought onstream and access to these elements and components is restricted.     Current mainstream technologies only provide partial answers, leading to an incomplete assessment. However, through-barrier diagnostics look at the well system in a far more holistic and uncompromising way. These technologies have the capability of seeing through multiple barriers to provide a more complete picture of the condition of the metal tubulars and the flow around them to see if the seals are holding, prior to plug and abandonment.     In the case of permanent abandonment, natural barriers that prevent the movement or migration of downhole fluids, must be restored. And the performance of the well system barriers  must remain intact indefinitely.     In the case of slot recovery, the well components must be in good enough condition to be used again for the upcoming production cycle.   A comprehensive integrity assessment is required for either scenario.  Optimising P&A operations Planning and executing a flawless plug and abandonment requires prior knowledge of the integrity of the well barriers, and the precise position of all downhole completion elements. Operators armed with this information can determine the location of the permanent plugs and the best depths for the casing cuts for an optimised retrieval procedure.     During the productive life of a well it may experience several operator changes, perhaps after concessions expire or following divestment decisions. This can often lead to historical data being lost which, when it comes to well decommissioning, can increase the potential for making decisions without knowing all the facts about the well system, particularly the position of the casing collars, fins, centralisers or other components that impede successful decommissioning.     Using a simple multifinger caliper or an ultrasound survey, the location of the first-barrier casing collars can be determined, but the locations of the collars in the subsequent casing strings remain unknown. This approach contains an element of risk and may result in a cut planned directly in line with a thick section of metal, like a casing collar, or fin. Cutting across a collar or a fin, would mean an increase in the rig and intervention time of several hours, or potentially days.    TGT’s Multi Tube Integrity product uses the Pulse electromagnetic sensing platform to provide accurate barrier-by barrier assessment of up to four concentric tubulars (up to 20” diameter) in one single through-tubing deployment. Pulse can also pinpoint to within 1ft the location of completion elements.    The ‘electromagnetic signature’ of each tube or metal completion component, contains information about its wall thickness. The Pulse platform harnesses this information and through 3D modeling, can decipher metal loss as well as metal gain, in multiple casing strings throughout the entire well system.     Pulse can identify the location of known completion elements, but also identify new ones, not expected including welded fins on the outer casing string, often inaccessible to other evaluation technologies.     If Multi Tube Integrity is used prior to the P&A planning, the diagnostic results would remove the uncertainty allowing operators to confirm the optimum cutting window location in all casings, thus minimising the intervention time and reducing rig time and costs.  Integrity & corrosion assessment for slot recovery Slot recovery offers operators a way of capitalising on existing assets, by providing a new means of extending a well’s productive life.     It is a robust solution which utilises the existing surface and downhole infrastructure, to create a “new” offshoot well, which would reduce the costs associated with drilling. However, before this can become a reality, the inspection of downhole completion elements such as surface casing and its cemented annulus are a must.     Limitations in current technologies have meant that barrier verification is performed while the rig is in place, and once the tubulars (production and intermediate casings) have been retrieved.     Key input parameters, such as the cement condition and the integrity of the casing are obtained at the last stage of the planning. The late arrival of this critical information results in a complex well intervention plan, with several contingent scenarios based on a range of potential outcomes from the downhole integrity assessment.     The industry is calling for a new solution. One which can determine the condition and sealing performance of the cement and the metal barriers, prior to planning the slot recovery.  Pulse data showing wall thickness, collars and completion elements in 5 ½ in., 9 5/8 in., 13 3/8 in. and 20 in. tubulars. A powerful diagnostic combination TGT’s Multi Tube Integrity product used together with the Multi Seal Integrity product is the answer. This powerful combination utilises TGT’s Pulse electromagnetic platform, the Chorus acoustic platform and the Indigo multisense platform, and it can be deployed in one through-tubing deployment.   Pulse is used to evaluate the metal thickness of multiple tubulars, including the surface casing. It also has the unique capability of being able to confirm the position of critical completion components, including collars, centralisers, and casing shoes.   Chorus is used to assess the hydraulic seal integrity of the cement barrier to determine where the cement is sealing and where it is not. Fluid flow in the well system creates a rich spectrum of acoustic energy that penetrates the surroundings. This acoustic wave is encoded with information that Chorus can convert into acoustic spectra that can locate leaks and flowpaths throughout the well system, from the wellbore to the outer annuli.   The Pulse, Chorus and Indigo platforms are part of TGT’s True Integrity System which provides a clear diagnosis of integrity dynamics throughout the well system. The key to success It is critical that before slot recovery can be executed, there is an understanding of the collective integrity of the tubes, seals and barriers of the mother well. Only in doing this can there be a guarantee of the secure passage for pressurised fluids.   The key to success for any P&A or slot recovery operation is knowing all the facts about the integrity of the well system prior to planning and execution. This delivers the potential to reduce costs, minimise schedule overruns, and ensures the integrity of the final outcome.