US Patent 6,745,851

Presentation by: John Dale,Regional Manager Asia, Ability Group AS

RMR™RISERLESS MUD RECOVERY SYSTEM

A Dual Gradient System

Ability Group

AGR DrillingServices

AGR IntegrityServices

AGR Project Services

AGR Petroleum Services

Ability Group - Organisation

Norw

ay

Ability Group - Head Office

Basis for RMR™ Technology• CTS technology (Cutting Transport

System) used since 1998 for over 350 well operation.

• The CTS is used to displace cuttings away from the subsea production templates to avoid building a cuttings pile and future cleanup problems.

The CTS System consists of:• Power Supply and Control Container• Deployment System• Subsea Suction Module and Mud

Pump

RMR™ - Main Objectives

• Enable use of Engineered Fluid Systems instead of “Pump-And-Dump”

• Eliminate Casing Strings• Improve Wellbore Stability• Mitigate Shallow Hazards• Reduce Discharge to Sea

Pump module

Power Supply, Winch and umbilical

Return lineSuction module

RMR™ is a Riserless Dual Gradient tophole package enabling recirculation and reuse of drilling fluid.

Drilling of surface holes with recovery of fluid and cuttings

RMR™ - Concept

RMR™ - Commercial Application

• BP Azeri Field in the Caspian Sea• Tophole have been drilled using heavy silicate mud• Azeri pre-drill (21 wells) successfully completed• RMR™ has used to recover mud from seabed to save

fluid costs• Two years Master Contract (+ one year option) signed

with BP / AIOC. The RMR™ now being used for all subsea wells on the Azeri Field

RMR™ - Azeri Field

Achievements• RMR™ has proven to be a success• Achieving 100% Mud Recovery• No ingress of seawater• Pumping mud weight up to 1.72 (14.35PPG)• Pumping gumbo (swelling clay)

RMR™ - Caspian Sea Pump Module

RMR™ - Power Supply and Control Container

RMR™ - Winch and Hose Handling Platform

Camera and Light

SMO Control Pod

Pressure TransmittersPressure Membrane

ROV Friendly Connection for Suction Hose

RMR™ - Suction Module (SMO)

RMR™ - Demo 2000 North Sea Field Trial

• RMR™ Technology qualified for 450m water depth• Fully sealed system – reduced discharge to sea• Low Pressure Rotating Control Head• Suspended Pump Module

Production Template

RMR™ - Subsea Hook-up

RMR™ - Twin Pump Module

• Pump Module suspended on 6 5/8” drill pipe

• Two pumps in series• Two 300kW subsea motors• Subsea Diverter• Quick Release to disconnect

suction hose

RMR™ - Umbilical Winch

RMR™ - Mud Return Line

Patented

RMR™ - Suction Module & Rotating Head

RMR™ - Demo 2000 Test Conclusions

• The RMR™ Technology was applied without limiting the drilling operation, casing running or cementing

• Neither the drilling nor the casing operations were hampered by the introduction of the RMR™

• Good hole cleaning lead to excellent hole conditions• The RMR™ system allows drilling with weighted mud at minimal

extra cost.• Using weighted mud will reduce risk in relation to

– Shallow gas– Shallow Water Flows– Weak Soils

RMR™ - Benefits

• Reduced fluid and cement volumes - saving cost• Enables use of engineered fluid systems• Predictable setting and cementing of casing at desired

depth• Extended casing depths to get past troubled zones,

saving casing strings

RMR™ - Additional Benefits

• Volume Control• No wash out seen on wells drilled with RMR™ and

inhibitive fluid• Improved wellbore stability• Mitigation of shallow hazards• Flow check of open hole sections• Obtain geological information from tophole section• Reduced discharge to sea, also discharge of red and

black chemicals from drill pipe “dope”