NOV Wellbore Technologies
Global family
NOV is a leader in the design, manufacture and sale of equipment and components used in oil and gas drilling and production operations, and the provision of the oil and gas industry.
Its headquarters are located in Houston, Texas, and it has more than 60,000 employees operating as a global family in 69 countries at approximately 899 locations worldwide. Recently, in order to bring clarity to its strategic direction and to enhance its product and service offering to customers, the company restructured into three distinct business segments: NOV Rig Systems, NOV Wellbore Technologies and NOV Completion & Production Solutions.
Simon Garantini is European regional manager for the division now known as NOV Wellbore Technologies, and he explains how the restructure is going to benefit clients: “NOV Wellbore Technologies links all our business units that pertain to the wellbore, from fluid control systems and tubular inspection services, to downhole products and automation solutions. This makes it easier for our customers to do business with us,” he states. “NOV recognises that the key to developing commercially viable hydrocarbon production is economic field development and we are uniquely positioned within the energy industry to supply independent products and services across many facets of the well construction phase. Our products and services include drilling tools, fishing tools, drill bits, drilling motors, thru tubing, service equipment, borehole enlargement, coring, intervention and completion, power sections, and directional tools, and we understand the complete process and anticipate what our customers need to thrive. At every stage, our unique, integrated model delivers value. We have the proven technologies and global scale needed by our customers to be more efficient, productive and successful.”
One of the most important products developed by NOV is the Agitator™ System, which utilises the energy in the drilling fluid flow to impart a high frequency, gentle, axial oscillation in the string. “This tool is by far the leading friction reduction tool in the industry,” says Simon. “It has been around for more than ten years and amassed close to 50,000 runs globally so far. Its most important application is in oriented motor drilling, where the Agitator™ System reduces friction, improves weight transfer and tool face control, and extends the potential horizontal length of sections drilled dramatically.”
He continues: “The tool is also used very successfully to reduce stick-slip in rotary steerable applications, to extend the reach in coiled tubing work and to improve the recovery rates in tubular retrieval (casing pulling, fishing, sandscreen positioning and so on).”
Researching and developing highly innovative products such as this is an area where NOV invests considerable time and money. As a result of its dedication many of its products have seen major success in the oil and gas industry and have been embraced by blue chip clients. For example, its new generation of synthetic diamond Helios™ Inferno™ cutters have enjoyed very pleasing results on projects in the North Sea. “These products are high performance PDC cutters that are engineered for specific drilling applications that may require increased thermal resistance, increased abrasion resistance or increased toughness,” explains Simon. “Helios™ Inferno™ cutters are fitted into ReedHycalog™ drill bits to improve drilling performance in difficult geological formations. Each Helios™ Inferno™ cutter is certified with a unique Cutter Index rating to determine the characteristics necessary for challenging applications. This ensures the optimal cutter is selected for the application, which provides increased durability, increased penetration rate by staying sharper longer, and maintains drill bit stability and steerability due to better wear characteristics. The initial success in the North Sea came from a well in the West of Shetlands area when a 12-1/4” bit fitted with Helios™ Inferno™ cutters was used to drill a section that historically required multiple bits to complete. An even more challenging conglomerate formation in the Central North Sea has recently been successfully drilled in one run with Helios™ Inferno™ cutters, establishing a breakthrough performance for this technology. Key results such as these provide significant cost savings to operators by reducing trip time and overall drilling time.”
Furthermore, NOV Wellbore Technologies also recently released a new tool called the FluidHammer. “The main feature of this is a mechanism housed in the lower bearing section of certain NOV positive displacement drilling motors,” says Simon. “This does not alter the dimensions of the motor significantly, but through a cam and roller system that imparts a high frequency weight on bit variation it enhances the drill bit’s ability to fail the rock. The mechanism is actuated by WOB, so only functions when the bit is on bottom.
“This ‘hammering’ or WOB fluctuation improves ROP and the resultant smoother torque curve helps reduce weight transfer issues and aids in mitigating stick-slip. The tool functions well with both PDC and insert bits, and has shown to be very beneficial in a variety of applications where ROP is a performance limiting variable, like hard rock applications, interbedded formations and bedrock drilling.”
Simon identifies NOV’s combination of extraordinary products and diversity of services, alongside its independence as major strengths. “With our global footprint and experienced staff we are able to support the market’s needs in many challenging regions,” he adds. “We are continually introducing new products and business models to satisfy the various markets we serve. We can also leverage off our engineering capability and manufacturing capacity to provide leading industry technologies that are cost effective and tailored to the economics and unique challenges of drilling in many different environments.
The new organisational structure and also improved website at www.nov.com both signify progressives step towards shedding light on strategy and further customer alignment for NOV. “Through our broad capabilities and vision, NOV’s family of companies is now positioned and ready to serve the needs of this challenging, evolving industry,” agrees Simon. “NOV has the technical expertise, advanced equipment, and readily available support necessary for our customers’ success.
“Moving forward we will continue to provide our customers with solutions tailored for them and supported by engineering and operations back-up so that we are truly delivering solutions to our clients’ challenges. We will continue to introduce innovative technologies that address drilling needs globally and locally that are fit for purpose and meet the value objectives our clients have come to expect from our products. NOV will continue to be dedicated to its relentless pursuit of increasing customer value delivery while decreasing risk.”
NOV Wellbore Technologies
Services: Oil and gas equipment