Wednesday, August 11, 2010
ATLANTA & HOUSTON – Safekick Americas LLC (“Safekick”) and Siemens Industry, Inc. (SII) today announced that they have entered into a Strategic Alliance Agreement for the supply of ultrasonic flow meters and other instrumentation to be used in an automated oil/gas well control system.
Under this strategic alliance, SII and Safekick will work together to develop an automated well control system that will automatically control the choke manifold of an oil/gas well by measuring the flow and pressure of the fluid on strategic points and for influx and loss detection.
The system will provide a step change in how a well control event is currently dealt with, significantly reducing the risks and time required to regain control of the well and resume normal operations. Other important features of the new system include automating critical well control operations and providing an innovative approach to rig crew training and expertise assessment.
Additionally, the new well control system will leverage Siemens Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) framework for easy installation, commissioning and maintenance. In addition to the Sitrans ultrasonic flow meters and instrumentation, the new system will include Siemens Simatic programmable controllers and HMI devices.
“After nearly a year of exchanging ideas and defining how best to move forward together, we are excited about working with Siemens on the development of the Safekick system,” said Dr. Helio Santos, President of Safekick. “The system is expected to provide the industry with a safer and more efficient method for dealing with well control events during drilling, completion, intervention or work over. It will allow a better understanding of the downhole events, which will enable a more accurate interpretation of the events, reducing uncertainties.”
“Automation is the key to improving productivity and ultimately a company’s competitive advantage,” said Malcolm Franks, Manager, Process Instrumentation and Analytics, Siemens Industry, Inc. “Through our partnership with Safekick, we are developing an automated system that will not only improve the productivity of our customers by making their operations more efficient, but also increase the safety of their systems.”
The new automated well control system will require minor upgrades to the current rig well control equipment. The initial system offering will be available in the beginning of 2011, after field testing has been completed.
About Safekick:
Headquartered in the UK with a subsidiary in Houston, USA, Safekick is developing automated systems for drilling and well control, with the main goal of reducing the risks and optimizing the operations, minimizing the costs and time to complete the wells. The system will allow the operations to resume as quickly and as safely as possible after a well control procedure has been initiated. With a unique team of professionals the systems are being developed to be used both on the rig – for real time operation and hands-on training – and office – for planning, assistance and follow up with the rig during operations, and lessons learned purposes. Safekick systems help the decision making process in real time when the situation starts to deviate from expected, preventing the problem from escalating. Using a selected number of data and variables and uniquely combining accurate sensors and equipment, the systems will provide the industry, for the first time, with a reliable visualization of the well condition below the rotary table, during all stages of the well control process to be used on all phases of drilling, completion, intervention and workover.
About Siemens:
A division of Siemens Industry, Inc. (SII), the Industry Automation (IA) Division is a global leader in the fields of automation systems, low-voltage switchgear and industrial software. IA’s portfolio ranges from standard products for the manufacturing and process industries to enterprise-wide automation solutions for automobile production facilities and chemical plants. As a leading software supplier, IA optimizes the entire value chain of manufacturers – from product design and development to production, sales, as well as a wide range of maintenance services. With nearly 43,000 employees worldwide, Industry Automation posted worldwide revenues of $9.6 billion in fiscal year 2009. www.usa.siemens.com/automation
Siemens Industry, Inc. (SII) is the U.S. affiliate of Siemens’ global Industry Sector business—the world’s leading supplier of production, transportation and building technology solutions. The company’s integrated hardware and software technologies enable comprehensive industry-specific solutions for industrial and infrastructure providers to increase their productivity, sustainability and profitability. The Industry Sector includes six divisions: Building Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility, Drive Technologies and OSRAM SYLVANIA. With nearly 222,000 Siemens Industry Sector employees worldwide, the Industry Sector posted a worldwide profit of $2.7 billion on revenues of $47.7 billion in fiscal 2009. www.usa.siemens.com/Industry
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