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P-talk Newsletter Back to Menu PDF (407 KB) 2003 11 26 HM |
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Technical Areas Drilling Acoustic Telemetry Technology Earns Eco-efficient and GHG Technology PTAC Launches Technology for Emission Reduction and Eco-efficiency (TEREE) Steering Committee Environment, Health and Safety PTAC Hosts Inaugural Ecological Issues Forum and Workshop Heavy Oil Petrobank Files for World’s First THAITM Field Pilot Instrumentation / Measurement Reservoir Recovery Telecommunications Wireless City Showcase Hotspot – Wireless Internet Access in Calgary PTAC News New Members What’s New? P-talk’s First Electronic-only Issue |
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Fall 2003 - Issue 26 Drilling A downhole-to-surface telemetry technology jointly developed by Calgary-based Extreme Engineering and Albuquerque-based Sandia National Laboratories, received a 2003 R&D 100 Award this October in Chicago. The winning technology is the Extreme Acoustic Telemetry (XAcT), a revolutionary new telemetry device for the oil and gas industry. Referred to as the most prestigious honor in applied research, the R&D 100 Awards, sponsored by R&D Magazine, recognize the 100 most technologically significant products of the year. For over 60 years the oil and gas industry has been on a quest for improved communication from the drill bit to the driller. The Extreme Acoustic Telemetry may represent the single most significant advancement in wireless telemetry for the drilling industry since the introduction of Measurement While Drilling (MWD) in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Not only is the XAcT technology applicable for the drilling industry, it has broad applications for the production and completion sectors. Acoustic telemetry uses the drill string or production tubing as the data transmission medium and sound waves as the data carrier. The XAcT is a wireless real-time communication system that can provide navigation, logging, control and data acquisition during the drilling, completion and production life cycle of an oil and gas well bore. Among the advantages when compared to existing technologies: a 10-fold improvement in data rates, transmission is independent of drilling fluid, transmission is not effected by formation impedance and the wireless real-time telemetry device has no moving parts. The father of acoustic telemetry, Dr. Doug Drumheller of Sandia National Laboratories, says Extreme jumped into this development with both feet and contributed to the design of the mechanical hardware, electronics, software, the intellectual property and the field testing. Derek Logan, President of Extreme Engineering, says the goal is to find niche applications for the XAcT in the oil and gas industry to prove that acoustic telemetry is the next evolutionary step in downhole communications. Extreme Engineering is a Calgary-based engineering firm focused on the innovation and commercialization of technology for the oil and gas industry. The XAcT is one of numerous technologies developed by Extreme and offered to the oil and gas industry for custom adaptations and applications. For more information, please contact – Derek Logan Environmental The first annual PTAC Ecological Issues Forum and Workshop presented recent research and technology development on environmental issues associated with the upstream oil and gas industry on October 19th. Participants heard from industry and government on strategic directions and public policy development surrounding these issues. The forum was attended by 68 registrants who observed 18 presentations and participated in several Q&A discussions as well as breakout group sessions. To view the presentations, visit the PTAC web site at www.ptac.org/forums1.html. Delegates participated in workshop breakout groups addressing the following issues:
Recommendations from these groups will be considered by PTAC’s Ecological Research Planning Committee (ERPC) in assessing priorities for future environmental research. To review the complete report, visit the PTAC web site at www.ptac.org/env/dl/envf0302rep.doc. This forum’s success is due in no small part to the valuable speakers and subject matter experts who were willing to share their time, energy and expertise to share solutions to oilpatch challenges. A summary of evaluation and feedback by participants is available to view on the PTAC web site link at www.ptac.org/env/dl/envf0302f.pdf. For more information, please contact – Tannis Such
Eco-efficient and GHG Technologies PTAC launched the TEREE project in 2003 to facilitate technologies that will reduce the industry’s impact on the environment, while improving profitability and eco-efficiency. The objectives for this project will be to facilitate the following:
A background presentation for this project can be found on PTAC’s web site at www.ptac.org/about/dl/mandate03.pdf. The TEREE Steering Committee mandate is to provide strategic direction to PTAC on the purpose, objectives, priorities and overall operation of the TEREE project. In addition, Steering Committee members, representatives from industry, government regulators and other organizations will identify areas of need for technologies and best practices in reducing emissions and improving eco-efficiency. Under the guidance of the Steering Committee, and as funding permits,
PTAC will facilitate the search for new or improved technologies and best
practices and will foster their development through pilot testing if
required. PTAC, with direction from the TEREE Steering Committee, will also
organize demonstration projects, working groups, Requests for Technology (RFTs),
technology or innovation case studies, workshops, forums, conferences, and
technology information sessions as required For additional information on the TEREE Steering Committee, please contact – Kerri Markle
September Conference In September, PTAC responded to an industry need for information on current and upcoming technologies, success stories, challenges, regulations, benchmarking, and energy audits to improve GHG and water emission reduction. As a result, PTAC facilitated the Green Toolbox Conference on September 29th and 30th. Wishart Robson, General Manager - Canada, Nexen Inc., addressed challenges the industry faces in reducing GHG emissions on the first day. Attendees also heard presentations on regulations, audits and benchmarking, energy and emission measurement and quantification. Speakers on the second day delivered case studies, best practices and upcoming and existing technology presentations. Attendees participated in a facilitated round table discussion on the barriers and needs for future oil and gas performance improvement through technology development and implementation with panel presenters Allan Amey of Climate Change Central, Orest Kotelko of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Rudy Sundermann of EnCana Corporation and Sylvie Boustie of the Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development. A detailed report on this round table discussion as well as the conference itself is available on the PTAC web site at www.ptac.org/techeetf.html. For more information, please contact – Kerri Markle Heavy
Oil Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. has filed an application with the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and Alberta Environment to conduct a $30 million field pilot of the THAI™ (Toe-to-Heel-Air-Injection) in situ heavy oil recovery technology through its wholly-owned subsidiary Orion Oil Canada Ltd. (Orion). The Whitesands project will be located on Orion’s 42 sections of oil sands leases near Conklin, Alberta. The pilot delineation drilling and site preparation could begin early in 2004 with start up commencing later in the year. Early PTAC information sessions stimulated interest in the THAI™ process. THAI™ is a radical new combustion process for the in situ recovery of oil sands, and combines a vertical air injection well with a horizontal production well. During this process, a combustion front is created where part of the oil in the reservoir is combusted. This generates heat, which reduces the viscosity of oil sand bitumen enabling it to flow, by gravity drainage, to horizontal production wells. The combustion front sweeps the oil from the toe to the heel of the horizontal producing well efficiently recovering an estimated 80% of oil in place while upgrading the crude oil in situ. The process has been extensively tested in laboratory physical models and its potential at a field scale confirmed through numerical simulations. The pilot will have three vertical/horizontal well pairs plus several temperature and pressure observation wells. The major advantages of the THAI™ process include: minimal use of natural gas and fresh water, lower greenhouse gas emissions and production of partially upgraded crude oil with lower capital and operating costs. The process also has the potential to operate in thinner and deeper reservoirs than steam-based processes. Orion owns the intellectual property rights for the patented process; Norwest Corporation provided the design team for the project and AXYS Environmental Consulting Ltd. the environmental aspects. For further information and to view Orion’s experimental pilot project application, please visit Petrobank’s web site at www.petrobank.com or contact – Chris J. Bloomer Telecommunications Wireless City Showcases Wireless Internet Access in Calgary Use your wireless-enabled laptop, tablet or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) in Calgary and connect to the growing number of Hotspots in the city.
What is a Hotspot?
What equipment do you need?
Where are the Hotspots in Calgary?
The Calgary Wireless City Showcase Hotspot The Showcase Hotspot offers four Access Zones in downtown Calgary –
Wireless City For more information about Wireless City log on to www.wirelesscity.ca or contact –
Richard Belzil PTAC News New Members177 PTAC Members PTAC now has 177 members. We welcome the following new members: Service and Supply Companies
Producer
Learning Institution
Individuals
R&D Provider
What’s New? This is the first issue of P-talk to be published in solely electronic format. Tell us what you think of using this format for alternate issues throughout the year. Our plan is to alternate electronic only issues with issues using both electronic and print format. Email your feedback to Arlene Merling, P-talk editor at amerling@ptac.org. Upcoming PTAC Event Information can now be accessed when you dial PTAC’s main phone line. When you dial 218-7700, enter the three-digit extension of the person you would like to reach or push the # key for the directory to search by last name. To access a listing of upcoming events, press 1 or press 0 to reach reception or to leave a general voice mail. Please visit PTAC’s web site at www.ptac.org for information on PTAC events, projects, members, publications and much more.
On the Move PTAC moved to new offices in Chevron Plaza on August 15th, 2003. The new address is provided below. Phone and fax numbers remain unchanged. PTAC Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada Facilitating Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Collaborative Research and Development (R&D) in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry PTAC is a not-for-profit association governed by a volunteer board of directors made up of representatives from producers, service and supply companies, research and educational institutions, inventors and government. P-talk is published quarterly – both electronically and in hard copy – and is available through PTAC. If you would prefer not to receive the hard copy, please contact Lorie Frei of PTAC. Material may be reprinted without permission but credit would be appreciated. Contact UsFor further information, please contact PTAC PTAC
Suite
700, Chevron Plaza, info@ptac.org fax: (403) 920-0054
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