Author Archives: PVI

Behind the Scenes: What Professional Expertise Powers Pump-and-Pull Cementing Success?

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In the realm of oil and gas extraction, setting a cement plug to seal off fluid movement in wells is a critical task. Whether it is for well abandonment or providing a starting point for sidetrack drilling, achieving a reliable seal demands precision and expertise.

While the classic gravity-assisted balanced plug technique holds its own in vertical or moderately deviated wells, we're talking about a whole new ball game when it comes to horizontal or highly deviated holes. In those situations, it's time to pivot and explore alternative strategies. The industry successfully practiced the pump-and-pull method (Fig. 1). Unlike its gravity-dependent counterpart, pump-and-pull does not rely on gravity alone to spot the cement plug. Instead, the cementing crew pulls the pipe out of the hole while simultaneously pumping fluids into it. This approach offers superior control during plug placement, minimizing the risk of cement stringing out—an invaluable advantage in highly deviated or horizontal wells.

Fig. 1—Pump-and-Pull Method

Let's face it, executing pump-and-pull jobs comes with its fair share of challenges. Synchronizing pulling speed with pumping rate is paramount to minimize contamination, making meticulous flow rate design critical. During the design phase, predicting fluid tops and slurry contaminations, along with calculating pumping pressure and downhole equivalent circulating density (ECD), are essential—but manually crunching these numbers in the face of complex wellbore structures, survey data, and pump sequences proves inefficient.

Enter PlugPRO – Cement Plug Placement software, a successful computer model in cementing design. PlugPRO introduces an innovative "pump-and-pull" feature alongside its existing balanced plug and dual annulus methods (Fig. 2), empowering engineers to tackle complex plug jobs with confidence.

Fig. 2—Existing Balanced Plug and Dual Annulus Methods in PlugPRO

This feature offers three distinct options for pump-and-pull simulation, catering to various operational scenarios:

1. Sacrificial Cement: This method involves initially pumping a controlled amount of cement into the annulus before initiating the pump-and-pull operation (Fig. 3). The synchronization of pulling speed and pumping rate is crucial to effectively mitigate contamination risks in this method.

Fig. 3—First Pump-and-Pull Method: Sacrificial Cement

2. Pump and Pull after Cement Placement: Tailored for open holes, this method allows for the displacement of a significant portion of the cement slurry to the desired plug top, with the stinger positioned at the bottom depth of the cement (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4—Second Pump-and-Pull Method: Pump and Pull After Cement Placement

3. User-Defined Pump-and-Pull: Providing unmatched flexibility, this option empowers engineers to customize pump-and-pull sequences according to specific operational requirements (Fig. 5). By doing so, engineers can gain a comprehensive understanding of progress and identify any potential synchronization issues proactively.

Fig. 5—Third Pump-and-Pull Method: User-Defined Pump-and-Pull

PlugPRO now stands out as the go-to solution for enhancing pump-and-pull cementing operations. By precisely computing essential results such as fluid tops, pump pressure, ECD, temperature, and more, it empowers engineers with the tools they need to carry out their tasks with precision and confidence. With PlugPRO at their disposal, professionals can rely on the dependability and effectiveness of their cementing jobs, guaranteeing favorable results in the field.

Ready to take your plug jobs in cementing to the next level? Watch the video below to learn the Pump-and-Pull methods mentioned in this article and start mastering your technique.

For more information on the features of PlugPRO, visit our website:

www.pvisoftware.com/plugpro-cement-plug-placement.html

Explore PlugPRO firsthand - contact us at info@pvisoftware.com to schedule a complimentary demo.

Let’s elevate your cementing operations together!

Horizontal Drilling and TADPRO

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There is a good saying in oil drilling area: “Oil’s been found where it’s been found before.” This sentence has been proven to be so true again by the recent booming of oil drilling industry around USA.

A new drilling surge is happening around USA this year. Some people called it a “miracle”. Indeed it is a miracle due to the highly developing drilling technology. Horizontal drilling and fracking are two contributors to this miracle. Now in Houston, we saw that the energy companies, oilfield contractors and even landowners are rushing again into the profitable drilling industry.

Horizontal drilling is not a new thing. This drilling technique has been a hot topic for engineers and researchers for a while, but not been widely applied until 2003. Horizontal drilling is defined in Lynn Helm’s paper as "Horizontal Drilling": "Horizontal drilling is the process of drilling a well from the surface to a subsurface location just above the target oil or gas reservoir called the “kickoff point”, then deviating the wellbore from the vertical plane around a curve to intersect the reservoir at the “entry point” with a near-horizontal inclination and remaining within the reservoir until the desired bottom hole location is reached." Horizontal drilling has been going on for years in other states besides Texas around the country, including Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Alabama.

However, extended-reach directional wells are becoming more prevalent today, which means that tubulars are exposed to greater amounts of torque and drag (T&D). If this torque and drag is not evaluated properly, it’ll result in stuck pipe, pipe failures and costly fishing jobs, not even mention the effects of environment contamination.

TADPRO, a comprehensive torque and drag software developed by PVI helps remove many risks of drilling program, completion design and specific tool operation. Limits in the length of a horizontal based on specific friction factors can be determined. The ability to get needed weight to a liner-top packer can also be evaluated. With the ability to analyze forces downhole, rig equipment specifications for torque and hookload can be predicted.

With unparalleled user-friendliness and graphical outputs in the industry, TADPRO provides both versatility and accuracy in its calculations, while also integrating advanced features that make it extremely easy to use and interpret results.

Although horizontal drilling didn't draw as much attention as "fracking", it is a marvel that truly benefits the drillers, just as drilling software does.

Horizontal Drilling And Tadpro Pegasus Vertex

It’s All Greek to Me

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I received a beautiful cookbook at Christmas. I thumbed through it and looked at the pictures of the dishes that I could prepare from it. I was excited about cooking the recipes in the book.

Several days later when I sat down to find the perfect recipe for dinner, I noticed the book was written in Italian. I don’t know how I missed this key piece of information but I did.

I knew I could guess on how to prepare most of the recipes in the book because I have years of experience cooking Italian food. The ingredients were easy to figure out but some of the instructions were too complicated to just combine the ingredients in a set order. I had to have a higher level of understanding to make some of the pastries and desserts. I knew I could make something that was passable but it wouldn’t be eccellente because I couldn’t totally understand the instructions.

Pizzelle_Cookies

Pizzelle_Cookies

I don’t speak Italian. I don’t speak Greek either. Italian is like Greek to me. I can’t understand either one without someone else translating for me. They have to be between me and the Italian for me to understand or use anything that has instructions written in Italian.

I’ve tried on-line translation programs and they work fairly well, but I only get a general idea of what is being said. If I need to get the intricacies, I have to use a better translation system. I have to use an expert in Italian.

Capisce? That means, “do you understand what I mean?”

I’ve learned that trying to do things with the wrong tool takes longer, I make more mistakes and I usually miss something important that makes the difference between great and okay. When I use the right translation tool, it is easier and faster. When you have an expert helping you, they can give you insights into things that you didn’t even know you needed to know.

I know language translation software can only take me so far. It is not dynamic or flexible and there are always words that cannot be translated. And in cooking, precision counts if you want to avoid seeing your guests spit out their food in disgust at the dinner table.

Traditional mud drilling software has had similar faults. They are patched together from Excel spreadsheets and will give you results but it leaves you hungry for something better. If you want to figure out several different mud mixtures, you have to hand calculate each component then put them together in another application to do the comparison. It is tedious, takes a lot of time and often results in calculation errors.

PVI’s MUDPRO software works in perfect harmony so all your mud ingredients blend together to delight and amaze you. And when you finally taste what mud drilling software is supposed to be like, you’ll never settle for half-baked software again.

Golf is Not My Cup of Tee

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Golf is a game played with a series of thin sticks that are bent at one end. With those sticks, a player hits a tiny ball down a beautiful grassy area, dotted with trees and bodies of water. Those beautiful trees move and the sparkling water expands while your head is down so that your ball will be sure to hit one or the other.

When this happens, you muster up as much indignant rage as you can (without being thrown off the course) to get your ball back on the grass. If you’re lucky, the tiny ball will go flying around the tree or out of the water. And with even more luck, it will land on the nicely groomed grass around the tiny cup someone dug in the ground.

Unfortunately, this is very hard to do because someone thought it was a great idea to stick a flagpole in the tiny cup to block any chance of the tiny ball actually going into the cup. Occasionally, someone who is really, really lucky will get the tiny ball into the tiny hole on the first whack. They call this an ace or a hole-in-one. My golf game is more like a hole-in-the-head.

Most people think golf originated in Scotland but the earliest mention of a game similar to golf was in 8th century China. The game “Chuiwan” literally means, “striking a small ball.”

Golf is also called a sport of kings. It definitely is because only a king would play a game that requires someone (not the king) to carry his sack of sticks around on their back for four hours while the king rides around in a cart and drinks beer.

With that being said, I want to invite you to attend the First Annual Oil & Gas Charity Golf Tournament on Monday, April 22, 2013 benefiting the Houston Food Bank*.

PVI_Golf_Tournament_Brochure

Playing golf should not only be fun, it should also get you out of a day’s work and benefit a great cause. Our cause is the Houston Food Bank. The Houston Food Bank serves the greater Houston area, including neighboring Montgomery, Brazoria and Galveston counties. They provide an estimated 50 million meals every year! And that number has grown in these tough economic times.

Don’t forget to bring several bags of canned food with you to check-in. If you’re lucky, you might be able to convince someone you’re the king and they’ll carry your clubs and canned food in from the parking lot for you.

We are also looking for sponsors, so if you are interested, please contact Jerry Murphy at 832-284-2955 or email him at jmurphy@pvicom.com  For more information or to register go to: www.pvicom.com/2013_PVI_Golf_Tournament/

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* About the Houston Food Bank

Since 1982, the Houston Food Bank has served 137,000 hungry people a week by distributing food to 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, homeless shelters, women’s shelters and other social service agencies in 18 counties in southeast Texas. That translates to 50 million meals a year! They distribute fresh produce, meat and non-perishables items, as well as, hot and pre-prepared meals for homebound seniors, veterans and children. They give out backpacks stocked with food for schoolchildren who come from food insecure families so these kids will have food over the weekends and during the summer months.

And all this happens with the help of 259,000 volunteers! Did you know the Houston Food Bank is a private non-profit? That means they receive no money from United Way or the government. That means it all has to come from people like you! You can even donate without playing golf.

Meat and milk are absolutely essential for good health and yet are the most under donated foods at food banks. Please consider bringing canned milk (not powdered) and meat, such as, tuna fish, salmon, sardines, chicken, ham, roast beef or sausage, but go easy on the Spam! Let’s make this golf event the meatiest donation the Houston Food Bank has ever seen!

A Little of Everything

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The Orange Show is one man’s vision of what a monument to the orange would look like. All of it is hand-built and adorned with what most people consider trash. It looks like a house and functions like a house but it is a piece of art, and a thought-provoking reminder of what one person can do when they set their mind to something.

The_Orange_Show

For one dollar, you can see…

Metal wheel rims from bicycles, wagons and old tractors are featured everywhere. They line the balconies and stairwells. They float in the air on the roof. They are multi-colored and of all different sizes. And don’t forget seats – rows of tractor seats – to sit in. And a wishing well so that you can get your wishes fulfilled too. Everywhere you look there are quirky signs, statutes and intricate tile work that includes colored glass and bottle caps.

The intricacies and details of the Orange Show reveal a lot about the character of the man who built it. A plaque inside tells the story of two frogs that fall into a butter churn. They can’t get out. One gives up and drowns. The other one kicks and kicks until the liquid around him turns into solid butter and he climbs out.

Twenty-five years of persistence by mailman, Jeff McKissack (1902-1980), to build the 3,000 square foot Orange Show is pretty amazing in itself. But when you consider he did all the intricate ironwork and tile work himself, you can see that sometimes there’s more to people (and things) than meets the eye.

Most of the Orange Show’s display is on the outside of the house. McKissack made ample use of the roof space and courtyard for most of his display. It is definitely an outside show. Anyone passing by will see it. It is impossible to miss. It was his bigger than life tribute to the humble orange.

It is also a testament to what one person can do when given enough time and no money to do it. Drilling software was like that for many years. Engineers who needed information simply had to find a way to get what they needed with no time or money to develop it. Today engineers have PVI’s MUDPRO software – a comprehensive mud reporting and data management system. It takes all the broken glass and used bottle caps of mud drilling and pours it into a database capable of handling daily well reporting data, engineering calculations, mud mixtures, operational functions, cost graphs, end-of-well recaps and more.

It literally is a little of everything all in one place.

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Visit The Orange Show at:
2401 Munger Street, Houston, Texas, USA
Phone: 713-926-6368
Directions: I-45 South, exit Telephone Road, bear to the far right, turn right on Munger Street (just before Telephone Road). The Orange Show is on the left.

Thirteen Days of Christmas

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As the year 2012 comes to an end, the song the Twelve Days of Christmas is playing on the radio for the last time until next holiday season. The song reminds us of memorable events that happened at our company this year. If only we were composers instead of programmers, you could listen to it instead of reading about it.

This year our software suite has grown to thirteen programs so the Twelve Days of Christmas have now become thirteen! So in honor of that we have added, “Thirteen programmers thinking” to the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Each of our products has it’s own unique character, much like the items in the Christmas song. Each software program can both stand alone in its unique abilities to solve user’s problems and yet they work better in harmony with each other.

CEMLab_Cement_Lab_Data_Management_System

 

The highlight of the year was the introduction of the beta version of CEMLab. CEMLab is an integrated, searchable database for cement lab data management that generates test data sheets and lab reports without having to export data to another application.

 

We also released four updated versions of our software this year:

  • TMPRO
  • MUDPRO
  • CTEMP
  • TADPRO

It wasn’t all work though. In March, PVI’s President, Gefei Liu, played his way to a 2nd place finish in both the tournament and mixed doubles at the Houston Oilman’s Tennis Tournament. We don’t know if his mixed doubles partners, including Bianca Posada – who had a strong tennis career at the University of Tulsa, were handicapped by Gefei’s play or not.

2012-HOTT
PVI attended oil industry conferences in Texas, California, and Calgary, Canada, and held a cementing software training course in Dubai in July – thank goodness for air conditioning!

2012_SPE_ATCE_PVI2012 Cementing Software Training from PVI

 

 

 

 

 

In August, a delegate from the University of Petroleum (China) came to our Houston offices to discuss partnering up on research and development.

2012_China_Delegate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In November, we wrapped the year with our annual company retreat at Artesian Lakes in nearby Cleveland, Texas. We use these retreats to refresh and renew our creative juices while enjoying a little nature. Everyone came back ready to take on new challenges and covered with mosquito bites.

2012_PVI_Retreat12012_PVI_Retreat32012_PVI_Retreat2

 

 

 

We anticipate the year ahead to be one of growth and change. We plan to continue to offer great products and to expand on the capabilities of our current products. We want to provide a more useful and user friendly website – one we hope you will visit often just to see what is happening here.

The first thing you may have noticed is that we have added a blog that we started in late 2012. We would love your feedback on what topics you would like us to delve into, what questions we can answer about our software products, and what type of support or training you need to make 2013 more amazing than 2012.

We are excited about what’s coming and we hope you will join us on our journey. Have a great New Year from all of us to all of you.

Even Rocks

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One of Aesop’s famous fables tells of a thirsty crow that couldn’t find any water. Near death, the crow eventually, luckily, comes upon a pitcher.  Unfortunately, the water level in this pitcher is low, so low that the crow’s beak can’t reach the water at its current level. Suddenly, a thought comes to him, and he begins to drop pebbles into the pitcher. With each pebble, the water level rises, closer and closer to the thirsty bird.  Eventually, the water level rises to the point that the crow can quench his thirst.

Aesop, like any writer worth his salt, gave us a fable with a couple of lessons. The one written at the end of the fable is: “little by little does the trick.” But, one could also learn from this fable that ingenuity can lead in significant rewards.  Other readers might take with them the moral that persistence can be the key to survival. Aesop may have also unwittingly given us one of the earliest stories about the importance of tools – even if that tool is something as basic as a rock. Certainly the right tool’s function can spell survival—metaphorical and literal—when the stakes are highest.

The days in which pebbles might qualify as tools feel distant in today’s ever-quickening world. Today, you can pull up just about any fact in the world on a device that fits in the average blue-jean pocket. You can email someone around the world, or arrange to rent a car in Paris while waiting in a fast-food drive-thru in Texas. But, even in an increasingly sophisticated technological climate, simplicity and function are still worthy goals for any tool. And, we at Pegasus Vertex feel that our new drilling software achieves those goals fully. With the help of our software, companies can save time and money, all while making many elements of their operation easier and more efficient.

Technology is a driving force in today’s world. Each new day brings faster computers, better products. And, Apple isn’t the only business expected to produce newer, faster, cleaner versions of their product at rates that themselves seem to quicken. Drilling operators and service companies face the similarly demanding expectations from stock-holders. Business growth isn’t just an ideal. It is necessary for survival. After all, the business that can do things most efficiently is often the one that lives to see tomorrow. With this reality in mind, our valuable drilling software leads to a much more efficient business, which enables growth. With this software, one can identify potential problems, avoid down time, optimize operation capacity, and enable future technological breakthroughs for multiple types of drilling operations.

The software isn’t as simple as a rock, but it is close when it comes to user-friendly design.  The interfaces, though advanced, are easy to use.  Users don’t have to have any special training before operating effectively.  It provides helpful 3D visuals for planning, clear summaries, and analysis that can by generated in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats, and many more services.

Recent studies have shown that Aesop may have based his story on real-world visuals.  Recent studies have shown that rooks – birds that most lay civilians would call a crow— are in fact “able to solve complex problems using tools and can easily master the same technique demonstrated in Aesop's fable” (Aesop’s Fable: The Crow). [1]Our solutions too are rooted in reality.  Nowadays, our computer modeling is getting advanced every day. But, the ease with which users can generate those models continues to be easy.  And the results are so clearly worthwhile even a rook could appreciate them!


[1] www.Phys.org, Aesop's fable 'the crow and the pitcher' more fact than fiction.  (2009).