Industry

The joint venture will leverage innovations in AI, smart drilling design, completions engineering and production solutions to accelerate the UAE’s unconventional oil and gas well programme. (Image source: SLB)

SLB, ADNOC Drilling Company and Patterson-UTI are joining forces to create a new joint venture, Turnwell Industries LLC OPC, which will leverage innovations in AI, smart drilling design, completions engineering and production solutions to accelerate the UAE’s unconventional oil and gas programme

This follows the successful and efficient delivery of the first wells in the campaign.

SLB will provide integrated drilling, stimulation and completion services, as well as project management, digital capabilities and subsurface support as part of the venture. ADNOC Drilling, through its wholly owned subsidiary ADH RSC LTD, will hold a 55% majority equity stake, SLB a 30% equity stake and Patterson-UTI the remaining 15% equity stake.

Turnwell was established to be the unconventionals drilling arm of ADNOC Drilling and execute a US$1.7bn contract, awarded to ADNOC Drilling, to provide drilling and associated services to deliver 144 unconventional oil and gas wells. Following Turnwell’s efficient and successful start-up and operational delivery, ADNOC has accelerated the campaign’s completion timeline. The economic impact of the acceleration will benefit ADNOC Drilling’s 2025 earnings as well as its long-term growth through the potential acceleration of phase two with thousands of wells.

Deploying innovative technologies

"We are proud to join forces with ADNOC Drilling in this strategic partnership that demonstrates SLB’s leading position in the region deploying innovative digital, drilling and completion technologies in developing unconventional energy resources,” said Tarek Rizk, SLB’s president for the Middle East and North Africa region. “UAE’s unconventional energy assets hold a promising future, and we are very much looking forward to elevating their performance in a safe and sustainable way.”

“Today marks a defining moment for Turnwell and our key partners SLB, and Patterson-UTI. The acceleration of the well programme is a testament to the innovation, collaboration and pursuit of excellence that will define our joint venture,” said Abdulrahman Abdulla Al Seiari, chief executive officer, ADNOC Drilling. “Turnwell will not only unlock the immense potential of the UAE's world-class unconventional energy resources but will also set new benchmarks for the global energy industry. We are proud to lead the way in responsibly shaping the future of energy, both in the UAE and beyond."

To achieve this accelerated timeline, Turnwell has adopted batch drilling, which improves efficiency and reduces costs. The involvement of Gordon Technologies, a provider of Measurement While Drilling (MWD) technology and an Enersol company, is also set to enhance efficiency. MWD technology reduces drilling time, improves well-bore quality, and increases overall drilling efficiency.

Abu Dhabi holds an estimated 220bn barrels of unconventional oil and 460 TCF of unconventional gas in place.

The company will supply electrochlorination units for the North Field South project. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Italy’s Industrie De Nora, which specialies in sustainable electrochemical technologies and in the emerging green hydrogen industry, has been awarded a contract to supply electrochlorination units for Qatar’s North Field South (NFS) project

The contract to supply electrochlorination units for the onshore LNG facilities in Ras Laffan, was awarded by the T.EN CCC Joint Venture, led by Technip Energies (T.EN) in partnership with Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), for QatarEnergy LNG. This is a continuation of the first phase, North Field East (NFE) Project, which was awarded in June 2021 and is now under construction. Together with the North Field West project, these projects form the North Field LNG expansion programme, the world’s largest LNG expansion project, which will raise Qatar’s LNG production capacity from 77 to 142 mtpa in 2030.

This contract will include two CECHLO-MS 326 units producing a high-strength, 12.5% sodium hypochlorite solution on site. Spread across two mega LNG generator trains, the units produce 294 kg of sodium hypochlorite per hour, equivalent to seven tons per day – enough to support LNG production capacity of 16 MTPA per train.

The new system will supplement the units awarded for North Field East (NFE) project in 2021, which included units spread across four mega LNG trains with a capacity of 8 MTPA each. Once completed later this year, these units will produce 11 tons per day of chlorine equivalent used to control biofouling as well as disinfect the formation of service water and firewater, and brine management from the desalination plant to the sea.

The Fulkrum team in the new office. (Image source: Fulkrum)

Aberdeen-headquartered Fulkrum, a leader in inspection, expediting, auditing, and technical staffing services, has opened a new regional support centre in Abu Dhabi, anticipating strong growth in its business in the region

The decision to relocate to a larger office space follows a series of significant project wins, including major contracts in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, and the UAE, and the establishment of an office in Iraq. As a result of these successes, Abu Dhabi has become a critical hub for Fulkrum’s regional operations, and the team in Abu Dhabi has grown to 19 members, with an additional four staff members set to join in October. The new office will support Fulkrum's ongoing regional growth strategy and allow for further expansion over the next five years.

Muhammad Tayyab, regional manager at Fulkrum, said, "Our growth in the Middle East has been tremendous, with a projected 50% increase this year following a 27% rise in 2023. The opening of our new regional support centre in Abu Dhabi reflects our commitment to supporting this momentum. With the anticipation of a 200% growth in the Middle East over the next five years, this new office will enable us to expand our capabilities and better serve our clients across the region."

Seadrill will equip its fleet of floating drilling vessels with Oil States' MPD technologies. (Image source: Oil States)

Seadrill, a global leader in oil and gas offshore drilling, is to equip its high-spec fleet of floating drilling vessels with Oil States' managed pressure drilling (MPD) technologies, in a new collaboration aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency while simplifying and standardising MPD systems in offshore operations

Oil States’ field-proven MPD Integrated Riser Joint (IRJ) improves the safe handling of gas influx while significantly reducing nonproductive (NPT) time typically encountered with deepwater MPD operations, and is specifically designed to enhance MPD operational efficiency. This riser joint is more compact, allowing for safer and easier handling with greater functionality, which enables the rig to remain over the well while testing the retrievable seals within the joint. All features of the IRJ can be function and pressure tested while on deck. The IRJ is equipped with twin retrievable annular seals, a passive rotating control device (RCD) bearing assembly and hard-faced bore that eliminates the need for a wear sleeve. Together, these advances reduce NPT and unnecessary trips while promoting longer bearing and seal life. This contributes to seamless and streamlined MPD operations, supporting Seadrill’s MPD standardisation efforts while delivering safer, more efficient operations to their customers.

Oil States president and CEO, Cindy Taylor commented, “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 endeavour to optimise our equipment to allow for oil and gas reserves to be unlocked safely and efficiently to meet growing global energy demands.”

Samir Ali, executive vice president, chief commercial officer, Seadrill commented, “This technology places Seadrill at the forefront of safe, cost-effective deepwater MPD services, offering our customers an unrivalled simplicity of MPD drilling while providing the highest levels of drilling efficiency and safety.”