Improved wellhead outlet introduced
Posted: 04 December 2006
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AnTech Limited, a leading UK design engineering and manufacturing company serving the upstream oil and gas industries, announced that is introducing the next generation of Wellhead Outlet. AnTech has upgraded the Wellhead Outlet to improve reliability and reduce delivery times.
The AnTech Wellhead Outlet is a device that is used to connect downhole cable to the surface telemetry system. It is typically used in permanent completions where pressure and temperature are being monitored. It can accept either one or two conductors and can accommodate most flanged connections. The Wellhead Outlet is ATEX-certified for use in Zone 1 and 2 Hazardous areas.
Following six years of producing and supplying the oil and gas industry with the Wellhead Outlet, it became apparent that improvements could be made. As the result of an internal review, the AnTech engineering group decided to revisit the system˙s Cablehead.
The Cablehead is a critical component because it terminates the downhole cable and seals against downhole pressure. ´There were two primary features that we wanted to improve,ˇ said Toni Miszewski, Managing Director of AnTech. ´First, we wanted to increase the reliability of the pressure bulkhead. We felt that if we were able to achieve this it would reduce the number of failures experienced during production testing. Secondly, we wanted to reduce the length of time it was taking to manufacture the Cablehead because some components were taking an unacceptable length of time to obtain,ˇ he added.
To ensure that these objectives would be achieved, AnTech engineers consulted closely with a key supplier to develop the new design. Drawing upon these discussions, AnTech engineers generated the design, produced a prototype, and embarked upon a rigorous testing programme. Once successfully tested, the new Cablehead was introduced into the Wellhead Outlet and production commenced.
The outcome of this concentrated product development programme has generated outstanding results. ´Manufacturing lead times have been dramatically reduced, and the improved Wellhead Outlet exhibits much better electrical performance. It goes without saying that we are extremely happy with this outcome which will go a long way to improving permanent completions,ˇ said Miszewski.
Maintaining Well Integrity
AnTech introduced its first two-line Wellhead Outlet to the industry in 2000. Since then, it has become a standard feature of many permanent completion equipment systems. The Wellhead Outlet continues to provide service providers significant improvements over competing systems. Of particular note is the fact that it provides a safe and efficient means of joining downhole electrical cable to cable on the surface or platform. The downhole cable terminates in a pressure bulkhead and then connects to the surface cable. This ensures that if, for any reason, the downhole cable is flooded, the integrity of the wellhead is maintained.
Improving Safety Around the World
During the past six years, the industry˙s drive to improve safety and performance downhole has seen sales of its Wellhead Outlet system rise steadily. With more than 160 units purchased by service companies, the Wellhead Outlet is one of the downhole specialist˙s top three best-selling systems. ´Several major service companies currently use our Wellhead Outlet, so it will come as no surprise that it has been used in every oil-producing region in the world, particularly in the North Sea,ˇ said Tabitha Cox, Wellhead Outlet Line Manager for AnTech. ´It is a testament to customer confidence in the Wellhead Outlet that every customer who has purchased one has gone on to place repeat orders for additional systems,ˇ she added. |
