Top 25 innovative companies

The scope of the oil & gas industry is immense and innovation is required on all frontiers; from subsea surveillance, drilling and enhanced oil recovery techniques through to oil spill clean-up and workplace safety.

The top 25 has been compiled in no particular order. However a special mention goes to Oil Spill Response Ltd, who embodied the spirit of innovation and inventive thinking with their strategic approaches to oil spill clean ups.

Having recently completed a research and development project, the company has not only upgraded is Dornier aircraft but also launched a new state of the art triple engine Boeing 727 as its flagship dispersant deploying aircraft.

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APS
APS has recently completed a three year, multi-million dollar research and development project in conjunction with Malaysian oil & gas company Petronas.

The project was aimed at developing a full bore internal pipeline composite rehabilitation corrosion barrier for offshore oil & gas pipelines. Using the findings of this project, APS have been able to develop a range of services that can extend a pipelines life by 30 years as well as protecting the ecological environment by preventing seepage.

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AVEVA
With capex running into billions for a single offshore project, the ability to eliminate any form of wastage is a welcome competitive advantage.

Aveva has launched its E3D Insight, a Windows app that enables project decision makers to view and approve Aveva Everything3D designs, using a touch-enabled device, from anywhere in the world.

All of the business reasons that make Aveva E3D Insight worthwhile are equally applicable to the oil & gas industry.

Like all other Aveva verticals, the oil & gas industry is capital intensive; streamlining the design process saves time and therefore money. Optimising business processes will have operational consequences because the shorter the design phase, the faster we can get to the construction phase, thereby reaching first oil sooner.

The key problem Aveva E3D Insight overcomes is that the oil & gas industry is global, with significant traveling time which reduces in-office time; the tablet is a way of making sure you are ‘in-office’ where ever you are.

Aveva E3D Insight enables users on the move to visualise their concept more clearly as well as inspect, manipulate and measure the model to check for potentially critical issues such as clashes, poor accessibility or non-compliance with design standards.

This technology offers reduction of time wastage by 15%, so it is not surprising that leading oil & gas companies and EPCs are taking a keen interest.

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Cadmatic
Cadmatic have recently completed the design and launch of their Eshare technology, which provides a comprehensive 3D model of oil rigs or plants accessible via a single user interface.

“We have developed Eshare technology for plant design management in the oil & gas industry. The technology provides a 3D model, documents, engineering data and documentation, operational details, everything sits in one model. The user can access the whole plant in one model,” said Umesh Angadi, sales manager for the Middle East for Cadmatic.

Cadmatic have already deployed their Eshare technology with Saudi Aramco and are in the final stages of negotiations over a contract with Drydocks World. Cadmatic is a Finnish company with divisions specialising in oil & gas and marine technology.

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CODAR remote ocean sensors
Codar has developed its SeaSonde radar system, which is proving to be an invaluable piece of equipment in the monitoring of marine conditions surrounding offshore oil & gas plants.

The fully automated system collects data from a range of 200 km and provides extremely detailed and accurate two dimensional maps of the sea surface. The antenna design allows for 360 degree monitoring of the area surrounding the structure.

These maps include data on surface current and wave velocity, which is crucial in planning a coordinated and comprehensive response to an oil spill.

Being based on the coastline, the SeaSonde system leaves absolutely no footprint on the ocean itself, making it a low impact product as well as a crucial resource in delivering real time, two dimensional mapping data.

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Drydocks World
Drydocks World and Gusto MSC have designed the Dubai Expo 2020 NS mega jack-up CJ 80 rig, which will be the first of its kind to be built. The CJ 80 rig will be the largest jack-up rig ever built.

The rig will be equipped with state of the art drilling equipment and will be able to drill to a depth of 40,000 feet. It will also be equipped with four high pressure mud pumps, each with a power of 7,000 psi. The rig is designed to operate in harsh environments at a maximum water-depth of 175 metres.

“From inception the UAE government strategy, and Dubai in particular, is focused on putting our industry at the forefront of whatever we do, to be in the lead and globally number one. Today we have entered into the next stage of technology and design by building a green rig which will take the oil industry to a new level,” said His Excellency Khamis Juma Buamim, Chairman of Drydocks World & Maritime World.

The 5500 sqm rig is ecologically and economically progressive, using 30% less fuel than other rigs. The rig is tier three compliant and even generates fresh water using waste heat from engine cooling. The rig also produces reduced emission of CO2, offering a 25% reduction in emission compared to similar rigs.

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Honeywell UOP
Honeywell UOP has announced an innovative research initiative in partnership with Qatar Petroleum. The research and development project is aimed at encouraging more efficient production of LNG. The project will see the companies comparing innovative methods for removing contaminants from natural gas, such as sulphur and carbon dioxide.

Qatargas and Rasgas have production levels of 77 million tonnes per annum, making Qatar the largest producer of LNG in the world.

UOP has increased its involvement with natural gas in recent years and will use the research project to refine techniques for the removal of acid gases from the natural gas source.

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Huawei
Last year Huawei won a large project for one of the oil and gas industries key players. Huawei were charged with deploying and implementing an integrated multimedia sub system to unify the oil & gas companies communication systems.

Huawei’s principal consultant, Abdelrahman Abdellatif, spoke of the projects importance.

“The system will cope with all kinds of multimedia traffic. It is a unified communication system. It is a scalable and flexible system and it will allow the customer to continue to reuse the existing technology they are using right now,” he said.

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Industrial Scientific
With sour gas exploration and excavation becoming a more and more prominent element in the Middle East’s energy mix, worker safety is of paramount importance.

Industrial Scientific’s Tango TX1 gas detection meter ensures the safety of employees working in close proximity to harmful gases.

The device detects carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, and nitrogen dioxide using the company’s DualSense technology, which uses two independent sensors to detect the presence of gas.

The TX1 removes the need for a bump test, making it significantly more user friendly than other gas meters. The product can also run for three years on one AA lithium battery.

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Kongsberg
Kongsberg’s new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the Munin, is set to revolutionise the way companies conduct subsea surveying.

The Munin was conceived of to provide the market with an AUV which was capable of delivering cutting edge surveillance technologies.

At only 3.5 metres in length and with a weight of under 300kg, the Munin is significantly smaller and more agile than other AUV’s.

The vessel’s navigation sensors are located in a rigid module and do not require recalibration between dives. Using Kongsberg Maritime pipe-tracking software, the Munin AUV tracks independently along a pipeline creating a detailed map.

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LUX Assure
LUX Assure has recently introduced its CoMic system to the Middle East through a project in the GCC with the Kuwait Oil Company.

The CoMic system provides near real time data on corrosion inhibitor dosage optimisation for oil & gas pipelines.

The system works by measuring corrosion inhibitor micelles in oilfield fluids.

By analysing these micelles, the system is able to measure the effectiveness of treatment chemicals known as corrosion inhibitors present in the pipeline.

The near real time data provided by the system allows users to be proactive in their approach to corrosion management.

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MacGregor
MacGregor has unveiled its three-axis motion compensated offshore crane, which has been widely touted as an innovative game changer.

This crane is a first-of-its-kind for the offshore industry. In a recent project MacGregor was approached by Siem Offshore to develop an innovative type of crane for its newbuild infield support vessel Siem Moxie 4.

The vessel will carry out installations, repairs, maintenance and general service duties.
One specific task for Siem Moxie will be to transfer containers of tools and equipment to the top of offshore facility foundations.

“MacGregor’s standard active heave-compensation technology supplied though a crane’s winch compensates for a vessel’s vertical movement, assuring accurate load handling.

However, when transferring equipment to the top of offshore facility foundations, which are about 20m above the water and are only 4sqm, even more precision is required,” said Baard Alsaker, MacGregor R&D director, Advanced Load Handling.

“Our engineers developed new technology that compensates for vessel movements in the horizontal plane [pitch and roll] as well as in the vertical plane.

Compensating for the horizontal motions ensures that the crane’s pedestal remains vertical in relation to the seabed, so that it will always be parallel to the offshore structure. Thanks to this three-axis compensation, the crane can perform extremely accurate load positioning operations,” he said.

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Maersk
Maersk’s Trigen technology is designed for enhanced oil recovery and utilises an oxy fuel rocket engine. In oxy fuel combustion fuel is mixed with pure oxygen and burned at 2000 degrees celsius and at a pressure of over 100 bar.

This process makes it possible to burn almost any fuel, even very low quality fuels that have a high proportion of non-combustible material such as CO2. The process converts all the carbon and all the hydrogen in the fuel gas into water and CO2. The low cost waste products, water and CO2 can then be used in order to make enhanced oil recovery commercially viable.

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NOV
National Oilwell Varco (NOV) Downhole has unveiled its FluidHammer performance drilling tool, as the newest addition to its suite of performance drilling tools.

The FluidHammer performance drilling tool is the first tool of its kind that combines the rotation and high torque of a premium rotor and stator with an axial percussion force, to create a performance drilling tool.

The drilling tool is proven to result in greater than 30% increase in the rate of penetration (ROP) by providing a high frequency axial percussive force. Secondarily the axial movement also helps improve weight transfer to the bit by reducing friction caused from interaction between the bottom hole assembly (BHA) and the formation.

The axial percussive force enhances the ability of the drill bit to fail the rock, improving ROP and extending bit life, leading to increases in interval drilled. The FluidHammer performance drilling tool can be tailored for both Roller Cone and polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits. Furthermore, frequency and percussive force are configurable based on bit and application type for optimal performance in varying applications.

As of February 2014 the FluidHammer performance drilling tool has had over 104 runs worldwide drilling 67,446 ft with an ever expanding fleet of tools.

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Marine Cybernetics
A key challenge facing those in the offshore oil & gas industry is monitoring the safe and efficient operation of their floating structures and vessels.

Dynamic Capability is a capability analysis system that is built on Marine Cybernetics CyberSea simulation technology.

As the system takes into account the entire vessel, its surrounding environment and control
systems dynamics, the DynCap system removes many of the assumptions that are needed to run a standard Dcap system.

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Oil Spill Response Ltd
Oil Spill Response (OSRL) Ltd is an industry funded organisation that provides members with resources to prepare for and respond to oil spills efficiently and effectively on a global basis. The company specialises in high scale, tier three oil spill response solutions. Middle East regional manager Oil Spill Response Limited, Andrew Lee, explained that recent events have driven the need for technological innovation.

“Post Macondo there has been a need for the spill response industry to increase the ability to respond with equipment and personnel on a global scale,” he said.

In 2014 OSRL will deliver a world first in dispersant delivery aviation systems when they launch their new oil dispersant aircraft.

After an offshore oil spill, dispersants are sprayed on the affected area which help to break down the oil on a molecular level. Traditionally, dispersants were sprayed from Hercules aircraft, often seen as the workhorses of the aviation industry.

OSRL have completed a project to convert a triple engine Boeing 727 into a dispersant delivery aircraft.

The new aircraft has a total range of 4,120 kilometres, a top speed of 824 kilometres per hour and a massive 17,500 litre dispersant capacity. This represents a 20% increase in maximum speed and a 34% increase in dispersant capacity, meaning that oil spills can be contained and managed more quickly.

“It’s the first of its kind and was commissioned by us,” said Lee.

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Proserv
Proserv is a global production technology services company that delivers innovative solutions to the energy and oil & gas industries. Last year Proserv was approached by a client with a concept specification for an Inline Production Sampling Drum.

The companies engineering department worked closely with the client, taking the concept from white paper concept to a working system. Proserv were able to design a bespoke Inline Production Sampling Drum system with the flexibility to be used in anyonshore or offshore working environment.

“The Proserv Inline Sampling Drum is a light intervention system used to take periodic production samples of individual wells on board a multi-well satellite platform. It offers reduced setup time compared to conventional testing. It is an innovative solution with the ability to report real-time data to the client’s office or local control room,” George Hardman, new technology manager at Proserv told Oil & Gas Middle East.

“The system now enables the client to carry out periodic testing for approximately 20% of the cost of traditional testing methods,” he said.

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Scientific Drilling
Scientific Drilling (SDI) has recently launched its MagTrac Measurement While Drilling (MWD) system which has been designed to overcome the problems associated with the world’s most demanding drilling conditions, such as well shaft blockages at off shore sites.

The system uses magnetic sensors to identify and isolate the earth’s own magnetic interference signature along with other geometric data to analyse drilling trajectory while drilling, monitoring progress and reducing disruption.

With offices in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Scientific Drilling has a strong presence in the Middle East.

In a recent project, SDI’s MWD systems were used to bypass a blocked well. As it was not economically viable to re-drill the entire well, the company involved used the MWD technology to circumvent the obstruction.

An open-hole whipstock was used prior to sidetracking the well. SDI’s MWD technology was used to monitor the position of the blockage, guiding a secondary shaft around it and re-entering the original shaft below the blockage.

The company estimated that the technology saved the project a staggering $66 million. In 1969 Scientific Drilling (SDI) began its tradition of innovation by launching the world’s first oil & gas downhole electronic steering tool available to the industry on a commercial basis.

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Sekal
Sekal has unveiled its DrillScene Advanced Monitoring technology. This smart solution utilises real time torque and drag, hydraulic and thermodynamic modelling to detect and pre-empt obstacles that could slow down or halt drilling completely.

The technology is aimed at reducing non profitable time (NPT) during drilling operations.

During the drilling process, Sekal’s DrillScene Advanced Monitoring system calculates the expected values for the sensors on the rig. The system then cross references its own predictions with the real time results of the drilling.

Any disparity between the two sets of data can be a key indicator of deteriorating well conditions and provides operators with the opportunity to proactively manage the situation.

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Statoil
Norwegian oil & gas giant, Statoil, have recently unveiled their Morvin project, which is aimed at reducing the companies ecological footprint at a number of its offshore sites.

The project uses innovative sub-sea sound sensors which report back to rig operators at the companies deep water oil rigs.

Peripheral noise created by drilling can be harmful to marine wildlife, particularly pods of whales who use echo location to navigate. Statoil’s use of these new sensors means that rig operators are aware of approaching whales and can temporarily suspend drilling until the whales have left the area, dramatically reducing the companies impact on marine wildlife.

“We have different monitoring devices, both cameras and sensors so that we can monitor our environmental imapct in real time,” said a company spokesman.

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SKF
SKF has introduced its new Wireless Machine Condition Sensor (WMCS) which enables monitoring of plant machinery that was previously inaccessible to monitoring technology.
The device is ideal for monitoring machinery that is housed in difficult to access and even hazardous environments.

The device combines machine condition algorithms with wireless mesh network technology, making it ideal for monitoring rotating machinery.

The device provides data on three key areas of the machinery; temperature, rolling element bearing condition and overall machine condition. The device then coordinates that data and communicates it back to a control centre, using SKF’s own Wireless Sensor Device Management software.

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Trelleborg
Trelleborg has recently won a major contract with Norwegian firm Statoil to supply Aker solutions to the companies Asgard Subsea Compression Project.

The project will use 600 metres of Trlleborg’s Vikotherm II insulation material, which has been enhanced recently to give improved levels of elasticity and flexibility.

The accumulation of hydrate plugs and wax build up is a real threat during subsea operations and requires the use of high tech thermal insulation to combat it.

The project has been hailed as a major break through in the race to establish a complete sub sea production site.

Trelleborg have been an industry leader in innonovation for almost 30 years.

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Trican Well Services
Fracking is one of the most divisive issues in the oil & gas industry today and much work is needed before the practice is accepted by the public as a safe and ecologically sound process.

Trican Well Services make it into our top 25 innovative companies based on their efforts to make fracking a greener and more sustainable process.

Trican’s TriFrac-MLT system eliminates the cost and ecological impact of sourcing fresh water for fracking purposes by allowing flowback water or water produced at the well site to be used in the fracking process. This is due to the fact that the system is very tolerant of brine fluids.

The system can operate with water containing dissolved solids at levels greater than 300,000 parts per million. It is also compatible with water which has a boron level exceeding 500 parts per million.

The system can operate with fluids at temperatures as low as 7°C and therefore significantly reduces the costs associated with heating water at the frack site.

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VMonitor
VMonitor has recently been involved in a project in Kuwait which required the monitoring and automation of more than 450 oil & gas wells.

Kuwait’s Integrated Digital Field operates through three projects – Sabriyah, GC1 and Jurassic. The aim was to have a total integration of people with technology and processes through collaboration.

VMonitor designed, engineered, supplied, installed and commissioned a complete monitoring system for more than 450 wells for the Well Surveillance Group in the North and West of Kuwait.

This included a complete SCADA network that included more than a dozen servers and engineering stations located in multiple locations. All wells are now available for monitoring from both field control rooms and the KOC Offices.

Well types include ESP, natural flowing, manifold, injector, and gas lift. VMonitor installed surface instruments in 300 wellheads to monitor: flowline pressure, tubing head pressure, casing head pressure, gas detector LEL, H2S detector. The company also installed 300 control panels that included remote terminal units and wireless communication units.

Over the last few months, VMonitor, a Rockwell Automation company, has been involved with projects not only in UAE but also in other GCC countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman to provide the first successful wireless remote operations, digital supervisions and gas lift optimisation.

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WFS
A recent study has indicated that the total cost of corrosion to the oil & gas industry could be as high as $1.4 billion per year.

WFS has launched its innovative wireless CP monitoring technology, the Seatooth CP. This handy piece of technology measures anode current ouput wirelessly. The measurements are then used to assess the weight of the anode material consumed in providing the cathodic protection.

Seatooth CP offers continuously accurate data streams and consistent reference points, even when operating in extremely deepwater locations.

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Woodward
Woodward’s efforts to increase the efficiency of Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) refinement have earned the company a place in our top 25.

As part of the refining process propane refrigeration compressors (PRCs) are used to cool down the steam of natural gas before it undergoes the separation process. The quality and efficiency of the PRC is directly proportionate to the NGL production yield.

Woodward’s unique solution for PRC optimisation provides a smaller safety margin and a lower gas recycling rate. This is achieved by blending boost response with the company’s own rate proportional integral derivative (PID) algorithm, which in turn lowers the quenching refrigerant flow rate.

This technology was recently deployed at a project in the Middle East. Woodward were charged with finding a solution for improving the efficiency of 17 compressor trains used in NGL processing at a Middle East refinery. To achieve this, Woodward fully automated the co-ordinated modulation of nine control valves using their PRC optimisation technology.