Strainstall, one of the leading load measurement solution providers, has partnered with global oilfield services company Baker Hughes (BHGE), to develop a new wireless monitoring solution for upstream wellsite operations
The move aims to improve safety, reduce costs and drive efficiencies in all upstream operations across the globe.
Baker Hughes originally requested Strainstall to develop a wireless line tension monitoring solution, to provide both real-time and built-in data logging capabilities for line tension monitoring. The solution is expected to enhance BHGE’s wireline operations’ safety and reliability in modern wellsite installations.
Strainstall developed a modular, fully hazardous area certified wireless system which could integrate with any type of third party sensor for any application where operator safety is a major concern, without needing IECEx recertification.
Homero Castillo, product line manager for deployment and acquisition systems at BHGE, said, “We challenged Strainstall to develop a next generation wireline tension wireless monitoring system to improve safety, reduce rig up time and ultimately remove the cables required by the existing method.”
Strainstall has now launched its suite of Wellsite Monitoring Solutions (WMS) that address wellsite safety and efficiency issues, initially focusing on wireline, slickline and measurement-while-drilling (MWD) activities. The wireless technology supports wellsite operations by eliminating the use of cabled sensors and removing trip hazards. This aims to further reduce rig up time, associated cable costs and the risk of non-productive time (NPT).
WMS replaces existing cabled sensors with highly accurate, hazardous area certified (zone 1/class 1 division 2) wireless sensors that communicate directly with wellsite control, monitoring and data handling systems to provide real-time operational information, as well as storing the data for analysis for potential learning, improvement opportunities and incident investigations.
Simon Everett, managing director at Strainstall, added, “The challenge was to create a solution that was wireless, plug and play and offered data logging. WMS had to integrate in a mechanical sense, working with existing wireline sheaves in the field, but also in an electrical sense, feeding the data back to any system in use by the customer.”
WMS can be easily retrofitted and is compatible with existing wellsite equipment. A modular solution, WMS consists of a transponder, logging system interface and handset, which allows it to integrate with any existing or future sensor as required without needing recertification. This enables the safe, fast and cost efficient development of bespoke monitoring systems for other wellsite applications, so the future potential of this technology in the oil and gas industry is vast.
As well as improving site safety and driving efficiencies, Strainstall’s wireless monitoring solution aims to provide new opportunities to measure, control and improve wellsite processes by capturing and recording data for subsequent analysis, as well as providing greater visibility of wellsite operations to operators.
