Keeping the internal environment under control
Oil well cementing is a very niched process, one which Halliburton have spent years perfecting. The only thing that was beyond Halliburton's control on their projects was the external environment and weather conditions.
Whenever the temperature fell below -15 degree Celsius, Halliburton's cementing activities got significantly slowed down. These mid-project interruptions created urgency for Halliburton to find a solution they could introduce for all of their future well-cementing projects.
Oil well cementing is a short-term process, each project lasting only two to three months at a time. Due to the short-term nature of their exercises, Halliburton wanted very mobile facilities to shelter their equipment and stabilize cementing processes, as well as to accommodate welding activities.
Aviatech hangars provide portable heated shelters that can be easily transported to various locations. The introduction of the mobile facilities concept would allow Halliburton to improve overall business efficiency, giving them the capability of oil well cementing year-round in multiple locations and climate variations.
Due to the underground pressures of oil rigging, it is vital to develop the right cement slurry mixture to meet the quality requirements. A slight fluctuation of the external environment can lead to the cement not bonding and supporting the casing which is unacceptable. Cementing is a time-sensitive field and operating year-round is fundamental to success for Halliburton. As a global player, Halliburton has projects across varying climates, and its customers expect them to execute jobs extremely fast.
The short-term nature involved with well cementing makes building a traditional structured facility at their sites non-efficient. Having to move a facility every quarter yearly, a permanent facility would be wasted resources and a financial burden on the Halliburton budget.
Halliburton utilizes state-of-the-art cementing equipment, which requires routine servicing and repairs. Halliburton expected the facilities were not only temporary but would be safe to undertake to weld inside.
Keywords: cementing, short-term, welding facility
Aviatech developed seven identical portable hangars, which were 20 meters wide and 34 meters long (680 m²). Halliburton received all their facilities in 40-feet sea containers, allowing for seamless delivery to the desired location on a truck.
Each hangar was fitted with a fire detection system to ensure the safety of Halliburton employees and equipment. As temperature conditions needed to remain stable throughout operations, the hangars were integrated with diesel-powered heating systems to maintain the regular temperature of the surrounding environment.
Each hangar came equipped with inside lighting and independent power systems to withstand any electrical failures that might occur.
Seven independent hangars significantly improved Halliburton’s operational efficiency, allowing them to work throughout the year in various locations without any halts. Deployment time of the hangars is in under 48 hours resulting in flawless mobilization on the site.
The resilient nature of the inflatable structures allowed their multipurpose use on site and gave Halliburton an opportunity to alternate facilities designation for servicing, cementing and welding. The heated temporary hangars quickly became a textbook solution for their cementers, making them independent from the surrounding environment and work without interruptions.
“External environmental factors have been an ongoing issue for our industry throughout the years. Sheltering our activities has changed the way we now conduct our business for the better. Thanks to a friendly team of Aviatech, we now can work year round and at any geographical location.”
Operating for over 100 years, Halliburton offers the world’s most comprehensive array of products, services and integrated solutions for oil and gas exploration, development and production. With 60,000 employees across 80 countries worldwide, Halliburton has grown to be the world’s largest provider of products and services to the energy industry.
The core value of Halliburton is helping its customers maximize value throughout the lifecycle of the reservoir – from locating hydrocarbons and managing geological data, to drilling and formation evaluation, well construction and completion, and optimizing production throughout the life of the asset.
Health, safety, environment and service quality are at the forefront of Halliburton’s daily operations.