Nflocals

It might not be something you’ve ever heard of, but in the gas and oil industries HPHT (that’s High Pressure, High Temperature) drilling is big business which, particularly since the tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico, has also become very high profile in both business, industrial and environmental sectors.

Renowned component manufacturers are constantly developing new technologies to try to ameliorate the dangers faced by crews drilling in unpredictable, high pressure and high temperature zones, as well as to minimise environmental risks. So who are these unsung technological heroes who are working away to try to safely access the fuel needed to keep industry and domestic wheels turning for this, and the next generation?

• Claxton Engineering: with bases in Great Yarmouth, Aberdeen and Dubai, Claxton engineering cut their teeth with over 25 years of experience of drilling in the North Sea. With engineering expertise that includes component development as well as project engineers and a renowned fast-track design-analyse-build engineering service to offer their clients, Claxton also offer a vast catalogue of rental tools. Latterly, their design expertise has led to the development of HPHT drilling riser systems, an award winning design set to simultaneously improve safety and to relieve some of the economic burden that comes when drilling companies have to drill in the unpredictable HPHT areas, rather than the more regularly used fields that are beginning to run dry.

 

• 2Hoff-shore: a sister company to Claxton Engineering but with a wider range of bases including London and Aberdeen in the UK as well as Kuala Lumpur, Huston and Rio de Janeiro, plus a newly opened regional base in Perth in 2010. 2Hoff-shore have worked alongside Claxton in the development of the new HPHT drilling riser systems and also offer their own areas of engineering expertise in relation to Conductor Engineering, Integrity Management and Structural Monitoring. Their engineering department is highly respected in the remit of engineering innovations, particularly in the areas of analysis, design and support.

 

• Sub-sea Riser Product (SRP): the third sister in the group, which specialises in the design, development and production of riser hardware in its range of offshore applications. Their riser product development focuses on improved performance, reduced cost, plus improved local content and, crucial in the world of business and development deadlines, improved delivery times. This aspect can have big implications for the gas and oil industry, as shorter supply schedules mean quicker access and, coupled with improved product reliability, possibly less prolonged environmental impact.

 

This is by no means an exhaustive list: many companies are contributing to innovations in this area in response to the call to arms to prevent more disasters such as in the Gulf of Mexico and to increase the safety, reliability and productivity of HPHT drilling.