Offshore staff
BICESTER, UK – Well construction specialist DeltaTek Global has chosen the Hardide CVD (chemical vapour deposition) tungsten carbide-based coating for its new ArticuLock tool.
This is said to extend weather windows for subsea hardware deployments and to improve operational reliability by removing bending fatigue in subsea running tools and landing strings.
The Hardide-T CVD features in the ArtiucLock’s ball and socket pivot joint, which is subject to loads of up to 400 metric tons (441 tons), 5,000 psi (345 bar) pressure and 30,000 ft lbs of torque while operating in strong winds, waves, and currents.
In the UK offshore sector weather issues can cost operators up to £400 million/yr ($510 million), with up to 20% of drilling budgets allocated to waiting on weather.
ArticuLock should facilitate running of tools in conditions that would normally cause a suspension of drilling. The system is said to increase typical operable wave heights from up to 1 m to up to 4 m (3.3 ft to 13 ft).
Hardide and DeltaTek jointly developed a hard-wearing coating for the pivot joint body which is manufactured in AISI 4330V alloy steel, said to combine the required hardness, thickness and smooth surface finish through coating and polishing alone, rather than using grinding.
ArticuLock was successfully field-trialled on the drillshipStena IceMAX and is set to be used in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, and western Australia.
Hardide Coatings is also supporting DeltaTek on its SeaCure cementing tool that will be field tested west of Shetland early next year.
11/27/2018
