ONS 2022: New Expro technology to reduce almost 150 tons of CO2 emissions from rigs

Offshore staff

HOUSTON — Expro's new iTONG system is designed to help protect personnel and is estimated to save operators nearly 50 hours of rig time and $2 million annually, per installation.

The iTONG system is a single-push-button tubular makeup tool that allows the operator to control, execute, verify and validate every connection makeup via a tablet or their control chair. It ensures joints of casing and tubing can be made to a specific torque, or broken out in an automated sequence, with one push of a button.

With a reduction in the number of personnel required for tubing operations, a rig using iTONG can reduce annual emissions from rig time, travel and accommodation by an estimated 146 tons per year, which is the equivalent of removing 58 10-hour flights from Oslo to Houston over the course of a year.

The technology has undergone significant field trials on a high-efficiency jackup rig in the North Sea, taking part in 22 jobs, resulting in more than 1,600 connections being made. Further studies revealed the technology can save an estimated 50 hours of rig time per year, which would equate to nearly $2 million annually and 52 return helicopter flights for tubular running services crews.

In another example, iTONG is coupled with Expro’s iCAM torque-turn tubular connection makeup system, which uses artificial intelligence to make data-driven decisions, ultimately determining whether the makeup has been successful.

Jeremy Angelle, vice president of well construction, said, “iTONG offers seamless integration into existing automated rig operations and marks a key step toward fully autonomous tubular running."

Expro will be at booth 2200 at ONS 2022 in Stavanger this week to discuss the system.

Last month it was announced Expro had been commissioned by a consortium formed by Ed. Züblin AG and Huisman Geo B.V, drilling and geothermal energy specialists, to deliver an integrated well services program for a new geothermal power plant in the Upper Rhine valley in Germany.

That partnership came as part of the company’s long-term strategy to continue to invest in transforming its business portfolio and reducing its greenhouse-gas emissions as well as its stated aim of achieving net zero by 2050 with a 50% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030. Some 47% of Expro's R&D spend is directly allocated to carbon reduction projects.

08.29.2022