Drillmec Drilling Conference, AHEAD & HoD, Astana, Kazakhstan, April 2015
In-line with its rapidly increasing regional presence and portfolio in the Caspian region, Drillmec SPA was proud to host the recent and very successful “Drillmec Drilling Technology Conference”, held in Astana on April 16th
The conference, organized and executed by Drillmec SPA, headed by Paolo Manzato, CFO and Diego Ferrandes, FSU sales area manager, was held at one of Astana´s finest venues, the 5 star Rixos hotel.
This was the perfect setting for the high level delegates that attended from Kazakhstan’s leading oil and gas operators and drilling contractors including KMG, KMG Drilling & Services and Kazburgas. Also in attendance, Drillmec were pleased to host representatives from the Ministry of Energy, including Deputy Minister Magzum Maratovich Mirzagaliyev and Stefano Ravagnan from the Italian Embassy.
The focus of the event was to discuss and highlight Drillmec´s future plans and commitment to regions oil sector, promote Drillmec´s latest drilling technologies and to specifically discuss Drillmec´s new AHEAD rig series and HoD system, Heart of Drilling: a Continuous Circulating System service, perfectly suited for Kazakhstan’s HTHP wells.
With the region´s leading drilling executives in attendance, it was already clear during the registration period, that a great day was to be had with good discussions and banter between old friends and new acquaintances already taking place over the welcome coffees. With the light breakfast and coffees finished, Paolo Manzato, VP sales opened up the days presentations and discussions with a welcome and short company introduction.
“I´d like to thank all our guest for attending Drillmec´s first technology conference in Astana and for their support and continued interest in Drillmec´s drilling products” Paolo stated.
Diego Ferrandes, FSU sales area manager
With the opening introductions over, Diego Ferrandes, FSU sales area manager was next to address the audience, announcing Drillmec´s plans for the long term support and development of the Kazakh market.
“We are developing innovative tools and approaches aimed at maximizing our ´local content´ strategy” Diego started, “Our commitment and continued investment into the Caspian region and specifically to Kazakhstan are clear” Diego continued, “we will open new manufacturing and service facilities in the region employing and training a local work force, and will ensure the latest and most advanced drilling technologies from Drillmec are locally produced to the highest international standards”.
Drillmec´s goals in Kazakhstan are long-term and they will work on their ´local content´ strategy, alongside their local partner within the Aksai Industrial Park, API.
Diego introduced Marco Castagnini, president of API who explained “The Aksai Industrial Park offers the finest facilities in the region, providing the highest level in manufacturing, with international quality control and certification standards” said Marco, before adding “we are certainly looking forward to working with our partners Drillmec in producing the very latest drilling technology available on the market”.
Drillmec´s has big regional developments plans. These will include top grade in-region manufacturing facilities and service centres available 24 hours a day. Drillmec will set up a comprehensive training problem to train and skill the local workforce to Drillmec´s international standards. Drillmec also plan to invest and work within the local community, and work closely with the local governments to develop the areas they are working in.
Another key point taken from Diego´s presentation was Drillmec´s firm focus on their regional after-sales support and service centres, to ensure Drillmec customers have 24h access to service teams with spare parts always readily and quickly available at all times. .
To explain this further, Diego was next to introduce regional service partners, Borkit Oiltec, with Sergey Yevsyukov, general manager, taking the stand.
“Since 2010, Borkit Oiltech has been offering a full range of high level services to the industry. We are dedicated to delivering products and services that fully meet quality, performance, safety and environmental requirements of the Industry. At the same time we operate our business for the benefit of our people, customers, partners and the country we are working in.” stated Sergey.
With the opening sessions coming to a close, Drillmec´s commitment and expansion plans for the market were expertly detailed and it was now time to focus on Drillmec´s advanced drilling technologies, with Angelo Calderoni, VP R&D Drillmec and Roberto Ricci, R&D Engineer Drillmec, presenting on the AHEAD series of rigs.
AHEAD is a new generation of fully automated hydraulic rigs and are a result of Drillmec´s many years of field experience with their Hydraulic Hoist (HH) series rigs, used successfully across the world in the most challenging environments. HH Series rigs, are recognized everywhere as the industries safety and drilling performance benchmark.
“AHEAD is the most advanced, high technology rig in the market, designed to meet the highest HSE standards” started Angelo Calderoni, “this rig guarantees optimum drilling performance and is designed to save the operator time and money” continued Angelo
AHEAD are technically advanced rigs, fully automated and driven by well data gathered in real time. It has a small footprint designed for fast rig up/down operations, with the systems geared to both onshore and offshore applications. Furthermore, the system is designed to work in the most extreme environments, fully operational in temperatures as low as -40.
Amongst the many features of the rig, developed by the Drillmec R&D team is the new hydraulic telescopic mast equipped with a double hydraulic piston in tandem. This technical innovation gives AHEAD the capability of handling 90 ft. stands comprised of two API Range 3 (or three API Range 2), drill pipes – It must be stated that the AHEAD rigs are the first onshore hydraulic rigs on the market with this capability.
This solution, along with a vertical pipe racking that surrounds the rig floor, an automated pipe handler, hydraulic power tong and an a unique hydraulic top drive with horizontal displacement capability, allows the operator to perform most of the routine drilling operations from the driller’s cabin with an almost unmanned rig floor.
“The new rigs have been designed from the ground up to increase drilling efficiency and safety while reducing NPT, moving time and costs. Only 21 loads are necessary to move the rig package from one site location to the next and no oversize vehicles or special permission are required. Furthermore, the rigs, complete with their vertical drill pipe rack, can be equipped with a walking system, thus further helping reduce NPT and additional costs for the drilling contractor” concluded Roberto Ricci
Angelo & Roberto´s presentation was very well received and they both had many inquisitive questions to answers during that sessions Q&A.
The last presentation of the day from Drillmec, once again presented by Angelo Calderoni and Roberto Ricci, but this time focused on Drillmec´s new Heart of Drilling System (HOD), a ´Continuous Circulating System´ perfectly suited for the regions HP/HT and extended reach wells.
“HoD combines continuous circulation, high resolution flow rate monitoring and anti-friction device, designed to obtain highest HSE standard and enhanced drilling performance” Roberto opened.
So what the key benefits of the HoD system?
The HoD Continuous Circulation System is designed to maintain circulation of drilling in the wellbore even while adding or removing drill pipe stands. Managing downhole pressure and drilling through very narrow pore/fracture pressure windows are possible thanks to the continuous dialogue with the bottom hole and the constant presence of a double barrier in the well: the mud circulation and the BOPs. At the same time, the continuous cuttings transport and the better mud properties optimization ensure a significant improvement in ROP and NPT, with very short connection time.
Everything is designed to be easily integrated with other rig equipment and to allow personnel to move away from the rig floor and mange operation remotely, ensuring the operators safety.
This allows the operator to reach targets in all challenging operation conditions, in particularly in HP/HT wells, extended reach wells (ERD) and in Deepwater, with a drastic reduction of time and project costs, speeding up early field production.
“Drillmec offers the most advanced drilling products available on the market. Our products maximize drilling efficiency, enjoy the highest safety standards on the market and most importantly they save the operator both time and money” Stefano said to conclude and finish off the day’s final presentation.
The event was wrapped up with a huge round of applause, with all attendees enjoying cocktail drinks and the chance to discuss the day´s proceedings.
It was a great day to be had by all, the visiting delegations were treated to some great discussions and in-sight as to the latest drilling products on the market from Drillmec.
In a financially turbulent period with low oil prices that is seeing many companies scaling back their international expansion plans, Drillmec SpA made a clear statement of investment in terms of their current and future commitments to the Kazakh and regional oil and gas market.
Speaking after the show and to wrap the days events Diego Ferrandes commented “Our customer around the globe use Drillmec products because they are not only receiving the very latest drilling technology on the market, but because our products have been proven to increased rig safety, reduce rig-up and down times and most importantly, maximize drilling efficiency. All this resulting in faster operations, smoother operations and huge cost savings”.Drillmec
