Page 68: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Sep/Oct 2014)

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EyebrowProduction

Well control for pre-salt production effciency

Baker Hughes has been developing completion technology and well control with Petrobras in deepwater ever since its frst intelligent completion system contract in the early 2000s.

Claudio Paschoa found out more.

Baker Hughes’ well stimulation vessel in Rio de Janeiro.

Blue Shark Photo by Jean Mathiel. aker Hughes entered the Brazilian completion system contract, for the deep- business, 2008-2013. In his current posi- market in 1973, when Hughes water Marlin feld, and Baker Hughes has tion, as vice president, business devel-

B

Tool Company acquired its rep- been developing completion technology opment–a role he assumed in October resentative bit manufacturing facility in and well control with Petrobras in deep- 2013–he oversees all Baker Hughes’ busi-

Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia. water ever since. ness with Petrobras on a global scale.

Since the very start, the company Mauricio Figueiredo is Baker Hughes’ “With the decrease in Petrobras’ drill- established itself as a major drill bit vice president of business development ing operations, as the national opera- supplier in the Brazilian oil industry, at its regional headquarters in Rio de tor increased focus on development of entering into other sectors, including Janeiro. Figueiredo has been with Baker pre-salt felds and reduced exploratory well control and completion in around Hughes for all of 35 years, starting as activity, business for us in Brazil began 1978. Today, Baker Hughes is one of a trainee in 1978, at about the same decreasing in 2013. This was also caused

Petrobras’ preferred partners in pre-salt time that Baker Hughes launched its by the decreased activity of private local development. Brazilian company, and worked his way companies and international oil com-

In early 2000s, Baker Oil Tools was up to the position of vice president for panies (impacted by lack of bid rounds awarded Petrobras’ frst-ever intelligent Brazil, where he managed Baker Hughes’ for fve consecutive years). We believe this is only temporary though and busi- ness should pick up again by 2016,”

Figueiredo says.

Intelligent well system

Decreasing costs and reducing risks through a partnership with Petrobras in tackling drilling challenges led Baker

Hughes to sign a cooperation agreement with the national operator in 2009, for well construction, reservoir analysis, and artifcial lifting research and development, based at Baker Hughes’ Rio de Janeiro technology center. Petrobras invested

US$16.4 million and Baker Hughes

Baker injected US$29 million in the project.

Hughes believes

The collaboration is focused exclu- that the industry is sively on developing technology to solve experiencing a migration from

Petrobras’ challenges. “We started with traditional hydraulic IWS to systems a major investment with our drilling and with electric valves and components for a evaluation business, and during the last higher level of functionality.

Photo from Baker Hughes. seven years, Baker Hughes has had more

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