American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2023 - 79

SpecialReport: Frac Tech Advancements
and therefore lay-flat hose is much easier
to deploy and much more cost-effective
than installing jointed pipe in the ground. "
Once ongoing field tests conclude,
Malone says the 12-inch diameter, sectional
hose will be added to TETRA's
water transfer offering alongside a double-jacketed
hose the company developed
six years ago, and other single-jacketed
hose composed mainly of polyethylene.
Earlier versions of lay-flat line moved
mostly freshwater. As the industry transitioned
to using treated produced water,
concerns about potential environmental
impacts grew, Malone recalls. In 2017,
TETRA developed a double-jacketed, UV
resistant lay-flat hose with a higher pressure
rating to accommodate frac volumes.
With the new hose, the aim is to simplify
maintenance and improve durability, Malone
reports. He adds that the company is
working on lengthening the sections, which
are reeled off specially designed trailers.
TETRA also is evolving its water
treatment technologies, which Malone
says use automation to achieve a desired
quality at a low cost. He mentions that
the company, universities and regulators
are working on ways to treat produced
water for reuse in agriculture and industry,
a capability that could be a game-changer
for areas where water or disposal capacity
are scarce, including the Permian Basin.
Safer Gate Valve
Oil States International Inc.'s active
seat gate valve improves sealing and requires
less maintenance and less personnel
intervention at frac sites, says regional
sales manager Patrick McKeever.
The valve is deployed to control input
into frac manifolds, including zipper manifolds,
as the primary operating valve
during hydraulic fracturing, he notes.
During the job, conventional gate valves
must be greased periodically to ensure
consistent performance.
To protect the grease, the active seat
gate valve uses a proprietary seat design
that exerts more force on the seat socket
and sealing surface, McKeever describes.
The extra force on the seal isolates the
grease cavity, which keeps the grease in
place and sand and other constituents
out. According to McKeever, this reduces
grease requirements by as much as 85%.
" When wellhead pressure increases,
so does the force on that seal, " he says.
" As we continue to see evidence of pressure
building during operations, we have
an even better seal. "
The field-proven tool works on any
frac job. Its ability to shrink grease requirements
can cut the amount of heavy
grease used during valve operations by
as much as hundreds of pounds a well,
depending on the frac site. This in turn
reduces the amount of surfactant needed
to clean out grease and limits disposal
requirements, McKeever reports.
Depending on the site configuration,
the active seat gate valve could eliminate
three hours of maintenance for every 25
valves on a typical multi-well pad, he
says, noting that less greasing means less
time working in the red zone.
In time, the technology could replace
standard gate valves throughout the industry,
McKeever envisions. Through Oil
States' proprietary machining process,
the company can install the new gate
valve technology into existing valve housings,
he explains.
" It's shaped like a standard frac valve, "
he says. " If you walked up to a conventional
gate valve and compared it to our
gate valve of any size, whether five inches,
seven inches or another one, externally it
wouldn't look any different. The dimensions
are the same, so we can take our
fleet of existing valves and, in time,
convert them over. "
Because the technology solves the
problem of sand migration, the valve can
be deployed regardless of sand mesh,
McKeever assures. He says this is extremely
beneficial given operators' increasing
reliance on micro-meshes.
Typical pressure ratings range from
10,000 psi to 15,000 psi. The valve is in
production, available and in use in unconventional
basins around the country,
with the company providing equipment
maintenance as needed. As of late May,
McKeever says, there have been no valve
failures in the field.
❒
Insurance contracts
are underwritten
and issued by one
or more of the
following: BITCO
General Insurance
Corporation and
BITCO National
Insurance Company
(domiciled in Iowa),
rated A+ (Superior)
by A.M. Best, A2
Stable by Moody's,
and A+ Strong by
Standard and Poor's.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU
Since 1917, BITCO has provided customized insurance
programs and services to support the backbone of the
American economy, and we've helped our customers
navigate the ups and downs of the energy sector.
We understand your business, value long-term relationships
and can provide you with the AM Best A+ rated 昀nancial
stability needed to protect what you've worked so hard to build.
We are committed to you and are here for the long run.
1-800-475-4477
BITCO.com
JUNE 2023 79
http://www.BITCO.com
American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2023
