The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) selected 15 new technologies for its 2017 Spotlight on New Technology Awards. The annual awards program recognizes innovative technologies and allows companies to showcase the latest advances in offshore exploration and production.
Awards recipients were chosen on the basis of the following criteria:
The technology must be less than 2 years old and offered to the marketplace less than 2 years before the award application date. If previously advertised at OTC, it must not have been displayed at more than one conference. The technology must be original and groundbreaking, and must not infringe on any known patents.
- The technology must be proven, either through full-scale application or successful prototype testing.
- The technology must be of broad interest and appeal for the industry.
- The technology must provide significant benefits beyond those of existing technologies.
OTC also awarded two Spotlight on New Technology Small Business Awards for companies with fewer than 300 employees.
AWARD RECIPIENTS (listed alphabetically by company)
Dril-QuipDXe Wellhead ConnectorDril-Quip’s DXe wellhead connector, suitable for high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) and severe cyclic-load environments, has a highly engineered locking profile and gasket design providing high structural capacity and high fatigue resistance, resulting in longer service life. The technology of this critical connection is validated beyond American Petroleum Institute (API)-16A-PR2/API-TR7 requirements with both structural and fatigue physical testing. 
| Dril-QuipBigBore-IIe Wellhead SystemThe BigBore-IIe is a fully qualified wellhead system consisting of a DXe connection profile, integral high-capacity hanger lockdown, superior system fatigue, and high-capacity running tools. The BigBore-IIe provides significant drilling cost savings by reducing the number of trips into the well, eliminating the need for drilling/production lockdown equipment, and allowing the reducing of casing strings. 
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HalliburtonEcoStarThe Halliburton EcoStar valve is the world’s first electric tubing-retrievable safety valve (e-TRSV). The EcoStar e-TRSV eliminates hydraulic fluid to enable a fully electric completion system without risk of exposing electronics to produced wellbore fluids while retaining the same fail-safe mechanism as current conventional safety valves. 
| HalliburtonHCS AdvantageOne Offshore Cementing SystemThe HCS AdvantageOne offshore cementing system addresses the complexities of deep water by providing versatility of use in all offshore environments. This intuitive system enables remote operations, featuring an integrated liquid-additive system for precise slurry blending and predictive maintenance capabilities with shore-based monitoring to help preempt equipment-related nonproductive time. 
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Samoco Oil ToolsOne-Trip Universal BOP Testing ToolIn collaboration with Shell Offshore Engineering, Samoco Oil Tools has engineered, manufactured, and tested OneTrip, a revolutionary blowout-preventer (BOP) testing tool. Samoco’s OneTrip can conduct required BOP tests in one trip, eliminating the need for multiple trips along the stack and reducing a rig’s idle time by a minimum of 50%. 
| SBM OffshoreStones FPSO Turret Mooring SystemStones FPSO’s innovative Turret Mooring System (TMS) incorporates a series of enabling technologies to become the deepest mooring system of any floating production unit, and the first disconnectable TMS to support steel risers. These new technologies will facilitate future developments in ultradeepwater and HP/HT reservoirs. 
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SchlumbergerManaged Pressure Drilling Integrated SolutionThe Schlumberger managed pressure drilling (MPD) integrated solution is the industry’s first complete, all-original-equipment-manufacturer, reservoir-to-flare-stack deepwater MPD system. When MPD design, engineering, manufacturing, system integration, well engineering, and on-site well delivery services are provided from one platform and from a single supplier, operators minimize rig footprint while maximizing drilling efficiency and versatility. 
| SchlumbergerOptiDrill Real-Time Drilling Intelligence ServiceThe OptiDrill real-time drilling intelligence service enables continuous real-time condition monitoring by integrating a comprehensive set of drilling dynamics and mechanical information. The service mitigates drilling risk and improves performance by providing actionable information to continuously identify hazardous drilling dynamics events and trends, and recommending safe operating parameters. 
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Stress Engineering ServicesReal-Time Fatigue Monitoring SystemA Real-Time Fatigue Monitoring System (RFMS) has been developed to provide fatigue damage of drilling riser and wellhead systems. The wellhead is the last pressure-containing barrier between the well and environment. Managing the loads ensures that system integrity is not compromised, and protects the environment from hydrocarbon discharge. 
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SulzerCompact Mass Transfer and Inline Separation Technology (cMIST)ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company’s new Compact Mass Transfer and Inline Separation Technology (cMIST) replaces conventional triethylene glycol towers and associated separator vessels to meet pipeline dewpoint specifications. cMIST achieves this goal with significant reductions in weight, footprint, and cost. cMIST for dehydration is licensed to Sulzer for onshore and offshore applications. 
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TechniBAMSEBAMSE (B-Annulus Monitoring System) is a pressure and temperature sensor for installation in the B-annulus of oil and gas wells. The BAMSE system uses no active electronics in the inaccessible B-annulus and is designed for life-of-well reliability. 
| TechnipFMCTechnipFMC 20K HPHT Subsea ChokeTechnipFMC’s HPHT subsea choke is designed to withstand life-of-field fatigue in HP/HT oil and gas production environments without the need for hydraulic fluids. It meets, or exceeds, API 17TR8 requirements. Its plug-and-cage design leverages proprietary HP/HT sealing technologies and TechnipFMC’s G2i electric actuator, providing increased controllability over traditional hydraulic-actuation technology. 
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WeatherfordAutoFrac RFID-Enabled Stimulation SystemThe AutoFrac system enables efficient stimulation in openhole sections of extended-reach offshore wells where traditional technologies have often failed to provide adequate reliability. The system enables remote operation of lower completion tools and provides several options for tool communication that do not rely on control lines or mechanical actuation. 
| WeST Drilling Products(a part of WeST Group)Continuous Drilling and Circulation UnitThe Continuous Drilling and Circulation Unit (CDU) is the heart of continuous motion rig (CMR) technology, featuring the world´s first continuous drilling operation, and the world’s first fully robotized circulation unit. The CDU reduces the overall time of drilling operations substantially (up to 50%) by eliminating downhole problems associated with differential sticking and pressure fluctuations, and reduces safety risk by removing all personnel from the rig floor during drilling operations. 
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Wild Well ControlDeepRange Plug-and-Abandonment ToolWild Well’s DeepRange intervention tool delivers a groundbreaking plug-and-abandonment solution in a riserless package. The robust remotely operated vehicle (ROV)-driven technology offers a minimally invasive solution that maintains wellbore integrity while providing a cost-effective yet high-quality option. 
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Small Business Award Winners
Fuglesangs SubseaOmnirise MiniBoosterThe Omnirise MiniBooster is the world’s first barrierfluid-less and sealless pump intended for permanent subsea applications to depths of 3000 m. The system includes a unique subsea electric variable speed drive, and was successfully qualified as part of National Oilwell Varco’s (NOV) Active Subsea Cooler system in partnership with Statoil, Shell, Chevron, Total, and General Electric. 
| WiSubTorden High Power Pinless Subsea ConnectorThe Torden High Power Pinless Subsea Connector is WiSub’s next-generation product developed in collaboration with NOV to increase connection reliability between a BOP and the lower marine riser package. This innovation further standardizes autonomous underwater vehicle and ROV connections, combining patented high-speed data transfer with highly compact resonant power transfer to improve mating tolerance and reliability. 
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