We were recently tasked with designing an accurate, repeatable way to test blow-out preventers (BOPs) for leaks in both land and offshore oil rigs. With our client Engenuity, Inc., we created automated software to quickly and easily test a BOP with an existing tricylinder tester.
In the last five years, regulations surrounding blowout preventer testing and maintenance have greatly increased. Finalization of the Well Control Rule in 2016 resulted in reforms that establish minimum baseline requirements for the design, manufacture, repair, and maintenance of blowout preventers, as well as require additional controls over the maintenance and repair of BOPs. These requirements are best satisfied with real-time monitoring capabilities that measure deep water, high-temperature/high-pressure drilling activities and increased reporting of BOP failure data to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Engenuity Inc. designs and manufactures technologically advanced hydrostatic testing equipment and software, and is primarily focused on improving the safety and economics of BOP testing, both onshore and offshore. The company has developed several patent-pending innovations specifically targeting the deficiencies associated with current hydrostatic testing. Their efforts help oil and gas companies drill safely and effectively while meeting the requirements of BSEE regulations.
The company had already developed a portable tricylinder tester that can be driven to land rigs or shipped onsite to rigs at sea. To simplify testing and add user-friendly value, the company wanted to automate the system so that users could simply select from a screen the test that matched their specific application setup, and then direct the test to complete and provide reports. This setup would ultimately make for a leading solution that saves time and money while making drilling easier and safer.
Engenuity sought to work with Erdos Miller because of our extensive work with oil and gas applications, specifically down-hole drilling technologies. With the new solution we created, operators don’t need prior experience in test or programming, and they get a live display of pressure loss while the test application is in process. If the system indicates a decrease in pressure (i.e. a leak) in the system, an operator can abort the test immediately and move forward to remedy the issue.
