Seadrill targets enhanced managed pressure drilling ops with new collaboration

Bermuda-headquartered offshore drilling contractor Seadrill has established a strategic collaboration with Texas-headquartered Oil States International with the aim of “transforming” offshore drilling efficiency and safety by bringing managed pressure drilling (MPD) into mainstream operations.

The non-exclusive collaborative relationship is aimed at increasing the safety and efficiency of offshore MPD operations, combining Oil States’ MPD Integrated Riser Joint (IRJ) system with Seadrill’s high-spec fleet of floating drilling vessels to enhance safety and efficiency while simplifying and standardizing MPD systems.

Samir Ali, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Seadrill, said: “We are enthusiastic about this strategic collaboration with Oil States. This technology places Seadrill at the forefront of safe, cost-effective deepwater MPD services, offering our customers an unrivaled simplicity of MPD drilling while providing the highest levels of drilling efficiency and safety.”

According to Oil States, its field-proven MPD IRJ improves the safe handling of gas influx while significantly reducing nonproductive time (NPT) typically encountered with deepwater MPD operations. The riser joint is more compact and enables the rig to remain over the well while testing the retrievable seals within the joint.

The IRJ is equipped with twin retrievable annular seals, a passive rotating control device (RCD) bearing assembly and a hard-faced bore that eliminates the need for a wear sleeve, the company said, concluding that collectively these advances reduce NPT and unnecessary trips while promoting longer bearing and seal life.

“We look forward to a long-term relationship with Seadrill as we supply them with multiple MPD IRJs for their fleet of high-performance vessels. While supporting Seadrill’s adoption and integration of our MPD system, we endeavor to optimize our equipment to allow for oil and gas reserves to be unlocked safely and efficiently to meet growing global energy demands,” said Oil States President and CEO, Cindy Taylor.

In terms of the most recent news coming from Seadrill, its semi-submersible rig West Phoenix in mid-August completed its drilling assignment for Vår Energi at a field life extension project in the North Sea off the coast of Norway, and returned to the yard in Hanøytangen, Bergen, for demobilization activities.