Oil industry trade organisation the Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) has launched a joint industry project with Australia-based Clearview Well Services to progress camera technology that could deliver savings during offshore drilling operations.
The project has been launched with the support of two global oil and gas operator members.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
As part of the project, Clearview will build a prototype to live test its new multi-function camera CDFC that will carry out jet blasting during visual inspections is expected to save around £280,000 per 1,000m in rig time.
Compared to traditional methods, the technology claimed to require around 50% less rig time.
Clearview Well Services inventor and director Dale Parker said: "Currently during inspections, existing drill string mounted cameras flush the area with clean fluid, but carry out a separate time-consuming operation if the area requires cleaning.
"Our system includes a flushing function and also a high-pressure jet cleaning action for the internals of the blow-out preventer, wellhead, tree, hydraulic couplings and riser surfaces.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData"It will then repeat the flushing, so that in one operation the area can be viewed, cleaned and checked. It means that operators don’t have to carry out the work ‘blind’ or in two additional trips."
Helicopter can use the CDFC to carry out the operations in one trip of the drill string.
The camera and functions are operated with the help of fibre-optics from the surface.
ITF CEO Dr Patrick O’Brien said: "Despite the current downturn, there is still an appetite to find innovations that can deliver crucial efficiency savings and reduce bed spaces and the CDFC fits that brief perfectly."
Image: CDFC will save an estimated £280,000 per 1,000m in rig time. Photo: courtesy of suwatpo/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
