Compression ignition engines are a big breakthrough—we got to try one | Ars Technica

This looks interesting...a gas engine that operates similar to a diesel engine. It has a lot of moving parts, (no pun intended), but based on the review in the article, it looks like Mazda has a handle on getting it right. The main takeaway appears to be a 20% improvement in efficiency with higher torque. Who doesn't want that?

Compression ignition engines are a big breakthrough—we got to try one | Ars Technica: "Despite rumors to the contrary, the internal combustion engine is far from dead. Recently we've seen several technological advances that will significantly boost the efficiency of gasoline-powered engines. One of these, first reported back in August 2017, is Mazda's breakthrough with compression ignition. On Tuesday, Mazda invited us to its R&D facility in California to learn more about this clever new Skyactiv-X engine, but more importantly we actually got to drive it on the road."

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News from a job we are involved in.

" Italian oil producer Eni this week began drilling a new well in U.S. waters off the north coast of Alaska, becoming the first company to do so since 2015, federal regulators said on Wednesday.

The oil and gas firm is working from an artificial island in the Beaufort Sea about three miles off Oliktok Point in the Arctic Ocean. The well is expected to run more than 6 miles (10 km) long."

“The Arctic is an important component of the Administration’s national energy strategy, and today’s news is great for America as the United States advances toward energy dominance,” said Interior's Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Joe Balash. “Interior is actively working with a number of Alaska Native partners, who rely on the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas for their subsistence way of life, to ensure a healthy environment for today and future generations.”

Read the full article here and here.

Supreme Court Appears Reluctant in "Oil States vs. Greene Energy"

This is an interesting case. It most likely will not prevail, but could possibly lead to changes in lots of matters handled via non-judicial review in government agencies.

Read the whole article on ArsTechnica: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/11/supreme-court-seems-reluctant-to-blow-up-a-key-weapon-against-patent-trolls/

Another Patent Awarded...

Today, I was doing research for an upcoming project that involved compiling a list of patents, either issued or filed for, that I am listed as an inventor on.

Through this process, I was able to determine that another patent has been issued here in the US. This brings the total up to 3 issued in the US. I think as of right now, at least one of those has also been issued in the EU and Canada.

That leaves about 6 still pending. At least for what has been filed so far.

The patent I m referring to today is:

Sweep Efficiency for Hole Cleaning | US Patent No. 9759645

Babelfish are Here!!!!!

Google has finally brought us the Babelfish! For $159 US?

We are the next step closer to a universal translator. I want this! I want to be nosy around people speaking foreign languages...I want to be able to communicate with most people I encounter on travels. I would have loved to have this back when I was traveling the world for work!

But the most intriguing feature of the Pixel Buds is the integrated Google Translate feature. Demoed on stage at Google's event today, this feature lets two Pixel Bud wearers chat in their native languages by translating conversations in real-time. In the demo, a native English speaker and a native Swedish speaker had a conversation with each other, both using their native languages. Google Translate in the Buds' translated the English phrases into Swedish, and the Swedish phrases into English, for each user. There was barely any lag time in between the speaker saying a phrase and the Buds' hearing those words and translating them into the appropriate language.

Read the full article, "Google Pixel Buds are wireless earbuds that translate conversations in real time" at  Ars Technica.

Weatherford - Intel IoT Collaboration

Here's a shout-out to a former colleague, Colin Tait, Currently director of IT at Weatherford. Colin is a sharp individual with a knack for developing solutions.

"Colin Tait, Director of Information Technology at Weatherford, stood alongside Jonathan Ballon, vice president in the Internet of Things Markets and Channels at Intel Corporation, during Ballon’s keynote on day one of the conference. The executives discussed how IoT-enabled oilfield devices can improve the efficiency and profitability of production operations, from surface equipment to the back office."

Read the whole press release on Weatherford's website.

Stephen Waguespack: Rebuild Trust with Technology

LABI President Stephen Waguespack wrote today that we should be using more technology to inform the public on what is being done, how money is being spent, etc. He also points out that a lot of people in the state are interested in the same thing, regardless of where you lay on the political spectrum.

"It hit me this week while fielding questions from radio listeners on The Jim Engster Show: as much time as we all spend these days talking about what divides us, the truth is we are not as far apart as most think.

A few callers asked about proposals for new revenue streams, mandates or regulations on businesses and non-profits, while others wanted to explore different options to fight poverty. The affordability and quality of health care were discussed, as was the specific structure of our tax code and its inability to provide stability for both private markets and public services.

While most of the callers came from a more liberal political perspective than I do, many of the topics were the right ones on which to focus.

For all the fussing and fighting in politics today, I think that all Republicans, Democrats and independents want good public schools, safe and growing communities and affordable health care when they need it. There should be no disagreement on that. No one is out there credibly advocating for a shrinking economy or less transparency in government."

Continue reading his article on the LABI website. 

DW MPD Retrofits: On the rise...

This is turning into a trend...surprised it hasn't been explored in detail before. My thoughts are that it was depending on waiting to ensure the risers could handle the extra pressure and service providers / manufacturers getting their equipment right for the application.

This is  the next step in overcoming challenges of difficult formations in deepwater and advancing drilling automation.

https://www.spe.org/en/jpt/jpt-article-detail/?art=2610&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkdRMk5HVXpaREl5WVdWbCIsInQiOiJpb2NxR2wrb09QVndiTUhka0MxUTFBZGtWcFFBamFZQnNSR3pVS21wbGhIXC91Q3NKQUJqUWM5NHB4M1VCR3JTdVB6ZzlJRmo5QUtaRytGb2VoRG9lVm0wdERLN0d3TEpVTWpTVytnbzVxbFJnREVMWTVZd2M4YjRXNE55RVZOQkIifQ%3D%3D

Halliburton-Baroid Selected for OTC 2016 Spotlight Award

Hey! Guess what?!? We got an award! This is for our automated Real Time Density and Rheology Unit. This is some of the stuff I have been working on for the last 5 years.

OTC picks 2016 Spotlight winners - OE Digital:

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), which takes place 2–5 May 2016 in Houston, announces that 13 technologies will receive the 2016 Spotlight on New Technology Award. The awards will be presented at 1600 hours, 2 May, in the NRG Center Rotunda Lobby.

The Spotlight on New Technology Awards—a program for OTC exhibitors—showcases the latest and most advanced hardware and software technologies that are leading the industry into the future.

Spotlight Winners for 2016:

• AFGlobal Corporation, producer of Riser Gas Handling (RGH) System
• Baker Hughes, producer of Integrity eXplorer Cement Evaluation Service
• FMC Technologies, producer of InLine ElectroCoalescer (IEC)
• GE Oil & Gas, producer of SeaPrime I Subsea MUX BOP Control System
• Halliburton, producer of BaraLogix Density and Rheology Unit (DRU)
• Lankhorst Ropes, producer of LankoDeep - Soft Rope Systems
• Oceaneering International, producer of Remote Piloting and Automated Control Technology
• OES Oilfield Services Group, producer of DOPP
• OneSubsea, producer of OneSubsea AquaWatcher Water Analysis Sensor
• OneSubsea, producer of OneSubsea HyFleX Subsea Tree System
• SkoFlo Industries, producer of Subsea Back Pressure Regulator Valve
• Teledyne Oil & Gas, producer of Electrical Optical Flying Lead (EOFL)

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What is ECD?: A Primer on What Affects Equivalent Circulating Density

I am cross-posting this between between my personal blog, Oilfield, Tech, and Stuff and the LinkedIn Pulse article system.

It appears to me that most people involved with drilling wells have a basic understanding of what Equivalent Circulating Density or ECD is. While having a basic understanding, most do not have a realize the different factors that affect ECD. So, I will detail below the main categories that effect ECD and provide a high-level explanation of how they achieve this.

I am also including a Three Letter Acronym (TLA) Dictionary for the terms used in this article due to sheer abundance of TLAs used in the Oilfield and so the casual reader can understand what they stand for.

TLA Dictionary:

TLA	Full Name	Category	Sub-Category 1	Sub-Category 2	Sub-Category 3	Sub-Category 4
ECD	Equivalent Circulating Density	Drilling	Fluids	Cementing	Tubulars	Geomechanics
ESD	Equivalent Static Density	Drilling	Fluids	Cementing	Tubulars	Geomechanics
IEF	Invert Emulsion Fluid	Drilling	Fluids	Geomechanics	Cementing
PV	Plastic Viscosity	Drilling	Fluids	Cementing
YP	Yield Point	Drilling	Fluids	Cementing
TVD	True Vertical Depth	Drilling	Fluids	Cementing	Tubulars	Geomechanics

The main categories that influence ECD are: 

• Flow Geometry
• Fluid Resistance to Flow
• Pressure of Flow
• Fluid Density
• Fluid Temperature 
• Acquired Solids

Flow Geometry - Bore hole geometry introduces pressure loss based on drag on the fluid as it passes through the various components of the fluid flow path (Standpipe, Drillstring Components, Open Hole, Casing, etc.) and hydrostatic pressure based on the True Vertical Depth (TVD)  of the point in question.

Fluid Resistance to Flow -  Resistance to flow is related to the rheology of the fluid. While the Plastic Viscosity (or PV) and Yield Point (or YP) play a part in the rheology, they are only a general measurement and are more accurate for quantifying a Newtonian fluid​, such as water, than a non-Newtonian fluid such as Invert Emulsion Fluids or IEF. On the other hand, the Herschel-Bulkley n, k, and Tau Zero calculations better represent an IEF for rheological purposes.

Pressure of Flow - The pressure at which a fluid is being forced to flow (pump pressure) has a big impact on ECD. The higher the pump pressure, the higher the ECD in most cases.

Fluid Density - Fluid density, by definition, is a main component of ECD and ESD.

Fluid Temperature - Fluid Temperature affects ECD due to thermal expansion in IEF. When the fluid heats up, the base fluid, usually some form of biological, natural, or synthetic oil, expands, thus resulting in more volume of base fluid per given amount of weighting material, resulting in a lower density overall for the fluid. BUT, when taken into account with the TVD portion of the geometry aspect, hydrostatic pressure also compresses the same base fluid, so both parameters need to be taken into account when calculating ECD.

Acquired Solids - Acquired solids are the final component discussed today. From a drilling perspective, this is drilled cuttings and or formation cavings that have been liberated from the formation and  carried in the fluid column.

I hope this helps to promote understanding of what factors influence ECD. Please  respond in the comments to let me know if this information is helpful. 

EDITED: The factors covered above are the basic influences and assume a vertical hole and does not address Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) or the effect of drillstring rotation (RPM). MPD involves applying back pressure to the wellbore via the choke to maintain hydrostatic pressure on the wellbore. RPM has a minimal effect compared to the main factors detailed above. Drillstring Eccentricity (the drillstring's displacement from the center of the wellbore towards the wall of the wellbore, mostly seen in deviated/horizontal hole.)

Halliburton's ICE Core℠ Fluid Analysis Service:

Halliburton's ICE Core℠ Fluid Analysis Service:

http://youtu.be/e6d1ABX_KnE

GeoBalance® Managed Pressure Drilling from Halliburton:

GeoBalance® Managed Pressure Drilling from Halliburton:

http://youtu.be/QnEEF6_XIPQ

Halliburton's TDReam™ Tool:

This Halliburton's is some cool technology!

TDReam™ Tool:

http://youtu.be/5vuaSJj5KlQ

Rotary Steerable Primer

Geo-Pilot® Rotary Steerable System from Halliburton.

http://youtu.be/uVrw3InxPyc

Republic Wireless Moto X Bundle Giveaway

I've posted about Republic a couple of times before, here, here, & here.

Starting soon, they will be offering the Moto X as their flagship phone with some great tiers available on their service. Since they operate as an MVNO, they utilize the Sprint network for their service. The kicker is they can offer these VERY CHEAP plans because the phones are set up do do most of the communications via WiFi and only use a cellular connection when no WiFi network is available.

Anyway, they are doing a giveaway for a "Moto X Prize Pack with 12 months of 3G cell service and tons of accessories!" You can enter at the link below. 


*****Disclosure: By utilizing this link, it gives me more chances to win a prize pack.*****


http://bit.ly/1gfUZNB

OFTAS Podcast (Or Roni Giving Game TIps for Wipeout on X-Box)

I have been thinking about starting a podcast...mainly about the same stuff or similar things I post about here. I have been waiting for the time and the motivation to do it.
Well, I finally got it. My youngest daughter was playing around with my wife's iPod Touch and decided that she was going to pretend that she was a host on the X-Box game from ABC "Wipeout". So she recorded an intro and then started giving game tips. It was too cute coming from a 5 year old, so I had to post it somewhere.

I found a free podcasting host called Podbean. They have free and paid solutions, so I signed up for a free account. It was really easy to do from my PC, but I had trouble when I initially attempted to create the account from my Android tablet. Unsure what the issue was.

They host *.mp3 files, so I found a free *.m4a converter and turned it into an *.mp3. Uploading was easy on the Podbean platform. Now the OFTAS Blog has a podcast also. I embedded a player here to the right that will play the latest episode.

Click to DOWNLOAD an *mp3 file of Roni's first podcast.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Record-setting 2012 Warmth!!!

I found this interesting. We have been having record-setting high temps...leading some to say "See, I told you so! Global warming is real!"  Funny thing is, I have never denied that it appears that the world is getting warmer. I just don't believe that we humans are affecting it that much. Either side of the debate can use this to support their case, so I make no claims either way.


Record-setting 2012 warmth largely confined to North America, western Europe | Ars Technica:
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RFID Tracking in the Oilfield

RFID tracking has lots of uses in lots of places these days. A Norwegian firm is bringing a drillpipe tracking solution to market for commercial use in the oilfield. The technology was developed as part of a Joint Industry Project with ENI, Statoil, and ConocoPhillips.

For those of you who aren't sure what this means or what this is about, here are some key terms and ideas:


Drillpipe - this is the term used for the pipe that drilling rigs use to drill wellbores. multiple "joints" of drillpipe are connected together by threaded ends to create the drillstring. This conveys the bottom hole assembly (BHA) down the wellbore to drill the rock.
 

Drillstring fatigue - Since drillstring lengths can be upwards of 40,000 feet long, the combined weight of all of the drill pipe and the BHA can be many thousands of pounds. Running the drillstring in and out of the wellbore stretches the metal in the drillpipe and weakens it, causing drillstring fatigue.

Drillpipe is normally rented or owned by drilling contrators such as Transocean, Ensco, Stena, or Maersk. Manual tracking of this drillpipe activity gives an idea of how many times and how much stress lots of drillpipe may have been under, but is not always accurate.

With RFID tracking, companies will be able to implement "Cradle to Grave" tracking of individual joints of drillpipe, thus enabling better predictability of drillstring fatigue, since they will know exactly how many times each joint of drillpipe has been run and exactly how much strain it has been under.

You can read the original article from Rigzone at the link below.

RIGZONE - Statoil, Trac ID Deal Marks Breakthrough for RFID in Upstream Industry:

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Extra Knowledge

Most land wells in "Shale Plays" are drilled to depths of 8,000 - 12,000 feet.

Wells drilled on land, inland waters, or the outer continental shelf can be upwards of 20,000 feet deep.

Wells drilled in the deepwater arena regularly are 20,000 - 30,000 feet deep, with some approaching 40,000 feet and some upcoming wells are planned for 50,000 feet. That's almost 10 miles!

The Real Zombie Apocalypse?

Could this be the real Zombie Apocalypse?

Flesh-eating bacteria: New South Carolina mom in 'critical' fight - latimes.com:

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How to Wipe Yourself Off the Grid

Interesting tips on how to get "off the grid". This concept has recently been mentioned in an episode of "Person of Interest" and also pointed out on the No Agenda Show - Ep. 396. It would take a lot of discipline and I don't know if I could do it myself...unless there were extreme circumstances. This can be considered a survival skill.

How to Wipe Yourself Off the Grid | PCMag.com:

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