Simmons Edeco announced recently that it has entered into a framework agreement with EDF Energy to maintain its gas storage facilities in Cheshire, England.
Simmons Edeco is providing a range of wellhead maintenance services, both routine and custom, to maximise facility operations. The programme involves installing and removing wellheads and Christmas trees, workover support, and making certain that vales are properly maintained and refurbished. In addition, Simmons Edeco will carry out annulus testing, and echometering and data analysis to assess liquid levels in the well.
To achieve this, Simmons Edeco is using a full complement of its state-of-the-art wellhead and valve maintenance equipment, and specialist treatment products. For example, the maintenance team cleans production and wellhead valves with custom-designed ‘flush and grease’ pumps using fully synthetic liquid valve flush. They are then protected for the long-term by applying fully synthetic valve lubricant.
“Unlike traditional clay lubricants that tend to harden in critical areas of the valve that cause it to seize up, our synthetic lubricant never hardens or washes away with production flow,” said Mark Hunt, operations manager at Simmons Edeco. “This means that valves function properly for a much longer period, saving time and money otherwise invested in expensive replacement valves.”
Although Simmons Edeco has worked on behalf of EDF Energy, this agreement represents the first time that the company will have provided an ongoing programme of maintenance support to the French utility company.
“By carrying out these specialist services, and customising a work programme for each individual EDF wellhead, we provide a high degree of technical support that will help them achieve top operational performance at this key facility,” said Hunt. “With our deep experience in wellhead and valve maintenance, and knowledge of the facilities, we are confident that it will operate effectively for many years to come,” added Hunt.
The one-year framework agreement with EDF Energy features an option to extend for an additional 12 months, as required. Already, Simmons Edeco has executed three re-completions and one wellhead maintenance campaign, which required a survey to be carried out with an echometer well analyser, utilising acoustic technology to determine the well’s liquid level depth.
Before entering into this agreement, Simmons Edeco conducted several successful ad hoc wellhead maintenance programmes at EDF Energy Gas Storage, and refurbished several Christmas trees.
Simmons Edeco staff is servicing EDF Energy Gas Storage from its recently expanded European headquarters in Great Yarmouth, England.
