Pressure control equipment is the backbone of the Oil and Gas Industry. It is the first and last line of defense in pressure and flow control. Advancements in valves, chokes, blowout preventers (BOPs), relief valves, and other equipment have allowed our industry to become exponentially more efficient in the production of Oil and Gas. If pressure control equipment is the backbone of our industry, then the control and automation systems are the brain. Originally designed to eliminate human presence in hazardous areas, these systems have evolved with technology, expanding their capabilities.

As pressure control equipment has progressed, so have the control systems used to control and monitor its operation. Most of this equipment operates manually, requiring personnel to enter a high-pressure area, “red zone”, and expose themselves to potentially dangerous environments while actuating the equipment. Over time, injuries and accidents have led many operators to require this equipment to be remote-controlled using hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric actuation. This necessity led to the development of remote-control systems to monitor and control these actuators.

CORTEC Hydraulic Choke & Valve Command Center Control Panel in the Field

 

As recently as 30 years ago, most control systems were analog; they were generally hydraulic power units (HPUs) with minimum monitoring instrumentation. Industry standards, such as API 16C, API 16D, and others, exist that dictate the basic requirements for critical well control systems like choke and kill and BOP systems. These standards are regularly reviewed and constantly evolving, yet they only represent the minimum requirements for controlling and monitoring this equipment.

These minimum requirements are sufficient to perform pressure and flow control operations safely in most instances, but higher levels of functionality are available. Basic remote-controlled systems will open and close chokes and valves as the user directs, and will monitor pressures and positions to control the equipment as if it were being manually controlled. However, the advancements in electronic and hydraulic components have revolutionized the design of control systems. These technological developments have enabled the creation of systems that operate with higher efficiency, offer greater access to information, and empower operators to exercise better control over their equipment, significantly enhancing the overall performance and reliability of control systems across the industry.

CORTEC_CX-HB3.0 Hydra-Balance Dual Choke Setpoint System

 

Advanced control systems can host a myriad of sensors that display and record information based on user-specific set points, such as pressure, flow rate, and position, which has proven to be very efficient and eliminates human error. By continuously monitoring pressure levels and making rapid adjustments through automated valve and choke control, these systems prevent dangerous situations, helping optimize process performance while minimizing the need for manual intervention and alerting users to issues before they become catastrophic. The data collected by these advanced control systems can be aggregated and analyzed to develop better procedures for operations, resulting in improved efficiency. Nevertheless, control and automation systems are not “one size fits all”; they vary based on an operator’s specific needs. What is being controlled? What is the operation? What information is needed for control, such as temperature, pressure, position, fluid level, flow rate, etc.? What can we automate? What safeguards do we need to put in place? These are some of the questions we ask in the preliminary design stage of a control system.

In most cases, users are often unaware of the potential for automation and are frequently surprised by unique suggestions for automating operations they usually perform manually. Instead of settling for minimal control, CORTEC aims to create control systems that can optimize the performance of your pressure control equipment and enhance your overall operation. We provide a variety of options, including standard API 16C monogrammed drilling choke control systems, resettable relief valve controls, choke command centers, frac relief valve control, auto bleed-off and equalization systems, and automated sand dump control systems, to name a few.

CORTEC CX-EC3 MPD Choke Setpoint System

 

CORTEC offers turnkey automated solutions to complement our choke and valve products for drilling and completion operations. These solutions deliver systems with precise control in a simple, manageable package. Our experienced team has designed these control system configurations to accommodate a variety of end-user preferences. Whether you need a single setpoint system or conventional well control, CORTEC has the expertise and capability to deliver custom compact control consoles or larger command centers that meet your specific requirements and result in a substantial reduction in operating costs and increased efficiency.

To learn more about how CORTEC can help you maximize your operation with turnkey automated solutions, visit uscortec.com/products/automation or contact us directly at sales@uscortec.com .