Na Kika project tests progressive limits of subsea valve technology
HOUSTON - Schlumberger Oilfield Services announced today that three surface-controlled subsurface safety valves (SCSSV) have been successfully set below 10,000 ft in Mississippi Canyon Block 522 in the Gulf of Mexico. The Schlumberger TRC-DH valves have been set at record depths in three wells in the Fourier Field, one of five Na Kika development fields.
The recent valve setting depths represent another Schlumberger record, this time occurring three times in succession. In the Shell/BP Na Kika Project, Fourier Field wells F-2, F-3 and F-4 have TRC-DH safety valves set at 10,057.42 ft, 10,046.95 ft and 10,060.40 ft, respectively. Schlumberger also set the previous depth records at 9882 ft at Camden Hills and 8394 ft at Shell's Mensa subsea development.
The Fourier wells are in water depths of approximately 7000 ft. Fourier Field well F-3 was the first in the world to have a SCSSV installed deeper than 10,000 ft, followed closely by two more installations exceeding this depth.
"The record-setting development in these waters is one of the most substantial steps forward in the application of deepwater technology," said Shell Project Engineer for Na Kika completions, Craig Stair. "Application of subsea technology on the Na Kika development wells has continually pushed the limits of drilling and completion methods. Operation of the valves during installation proved trouble free."
The Na Kika development, owned by Shell and BP, is located 140 miles southeast of New Orleans, where 10 subsea wells from five dispersed satellite fields are being connected to a centrally located, permanently moored floating development and production system for recovery of more than 300 million barrels of estimated oil equivalent.
"With two separate and complete operating piston systems connected by individual control lines, TRC-DH valves have complete operating redundancy for extended valve life - critical for deep applications where intervention costs can be prohibitive," said Gil Hilsman, core completions business development manager, Schlumberger Oilfield Services. "The valve is now found in 75% of all wells in 1000 ft of water or more and was also used in the first deepset, ultrahigh-pressure (15,000-psi) subsea installation."
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About Schlumberger
Schlumberger Oilfield Services, the largest oilfield services company in the world, is the leading supplier of technology services and solutions to the international petroleum industry. With operations in more than 100 countries, Schlumberger Oilfield Services is one of two business segments of Schlumberger Limited, a global technology services company spanning the oil and gas, telecommunications, utilities, finance and public sector markets. In 2002, Schlumberger revenue was $13.5 billion. For more information online, visit www.slb.com.
For more information, please visit TRC-DH Safety Valves.
For further information, contact:
Susan Ganz
Media Relations Manager
Schlumberger Oilfield Services
Tel: +1 281 285 8245
sganz1@slb.com
© Press Release 2006
