July 18, 2013

Well Control Module Approved to be Installed on the First Rig

SafeKick announces that the equipment of the first Well Control Module, part of its SafeVision^™ Rig Package version, composed of an automated choke – IntelliChoke^™ - and a Coriolis flow meter, has been approved by a drilling contractor to be deployed on their first rig. The FAT was conducted at SafeKick’s office in Katy on the 8^th and 9^th of July.

The Intelli-Choke^™ and the flow meter will be installed downstream the rig’s choke manifold, providing the rig crew a unique way of controlling the pressures and monitoring the fluid returns every time the BOP is closed. The choke operator will be able to select from 3 different pressures – choke, standpipe or kill line – and define the pressure set point. The system will then automatically deliver the pressure selected.

The control system has been developed for the last 3 years and has now reached an outstanding stage: no overshoot is seen, there is no need for any manipulation from the operator, and it works on any type of well and rig. This allows the choke operator to concentrate on the well and whether there is any change needed, rather than on manually keeping the desired pressure where it should be. Safety margins can be reduced to virtually ZERO, compared to 100 psi commonly used today.

The Well Control Module is part of the patent recently awarded to SafeKick.