Expandables represent one of the most talked-about and hailed technologies in the drilling and completion arsenal, ever since their introduction by Shell late in the last century. Saudi Aramco adapted solid expandable liners to use as qualified production liners, but ran into connection failures in high-angle curves and long lengths. Weatherford came to the rescue with a new proprietary connection for both non-expanded and expanded stages, as well as a reliable apparatus to expand and test connected pipe.
In this exclusive video, Mike Killalea visits Weatherford’s expandable test facility in Huntsville, Texas, and interviews its experts. Check out the original footage of the expansion test facility and the other “gee whiz” equipment in use there.
December 21st, 2009 at 11:23 am
If Saudi Aramco ran into connection failures in high-angle curves and long lengths, how come the “gee whiz” testing equipment is neither curved, nor long?