edge cutting
SUMMER 2017 / Issue 11
ENGINEERED ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES NEWS FOR THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY FROM TWMA
News
TWMA Secures Projects with Maersk Oil UK Senior Appointment Strengthens TWMA’s Middle East Growth Plans Case Study
North Sea
WELCOME Welcome to the latest issue of Cutting Edge, where we bring you TWMA’s latest news from around the globe and exciting updates on our operations, solutions and people. We hope you enjoy reading this issue and look forward to keeping you informed in the coming year.
in this issue 3
FOREWORD
4-5
HSEQ
Monthly Safety Awards Safety Message TWMA Middle East’s 2016 Health, Safety and Environment Awards
6-7
CSR
TWMA Shows Continued Support for Motocross Rider Shaun Simpson Aberdeen F1 Stars of the Future Backed by TWMA Local Abu Dhabi School Benefits from TWMA Donations
8-9
INSIGHT
Fluid Recovery Through Processing Drill Cuttings
10
CASE STUDY
North Sea
11-13 NEWS TWMA Shortlisted for two Northern Star Business Awards 2017 Senior Appointment Strengthens TWMA’s Middle East Growth Plans TWMA Secures Projects with Maersk Oil UK Upgrading the TCC RotoMill ® in Egypt
GET INVOLVED Your Feedback We are always interested to hear your feedback, please send any comments or ideas for future issues to: sales@twma.co.uk 2
CUTTING EDGE : SUMMER FOREWORD
Welcome to the latest edition of Cutting Edge We’re already halfway through 2017 and it’s been a busy and exciting first half of the year for TWMA. It’s heartening to hear that many companies are now experiencing growing optimism as we move away from the difficult past few years, to now focus on rebuilding the confidence and capabilities of the sector. We recently celebrated a hugely successful decade in Egypt, and we’re currently in the process of upgrading our TCC RotoMill® unit in Alexandria, which will provide increased capacity and allow us to offer the best possible service for clients in the region. Closer to home, we’re delighted to have secured two new contracts with Maersk Oil UK in the Central North Sea. We’ve worked closely with Maersk for many years and these contract awards are testament to the strength of our long-standing relationship and the capabilities of our integrated solutions.
Schools Challenge. The school’s team is through to the UK National Finals and we hope our support can help take them all the way to the World Championship in Singapore. In Abu Dhabi, we donated outdoor benches and picnic tables to Amity International School, along with 100 Arabic language books. We were delighted to be able to help the children and staff at the school and support the local community. Despite the more positive outlook, this year will still be a challenging one. It’s important that we stay aware of all the positive activity taking place, and stay committed to innovation and efficiency to ensure the industry remains competitive.
As a company, we believe it’s extremely important to give something back to the communities we work in and the last few months have seen us undertake a number of CSR initiatives. Locally, we’re supporting Shaun Simpson for a third year, who got his Motocross Grand Prix campaign off to a great start with a win in Indonesia, and we also donated funds to Aberdeen Grammar School in support of its F1 in Ronnie Garrick Chief Executive Officer
“
As a company, we believe it’s extremely important to give something back to the communities we work in and the last few months have seen us undertake a number of CSR initiatives.
” 3
HSEQ
Monthly Safety Awards Congratulations to the winners of our most recent safety award winners. The award scheme was implemented to recognise and reward exceptional safety behaviour and we’re delighted that so many of our employees have demonstrated their commitment to TWMA’s strong safety culture. Based on submissions of the best safety observation cards, or suggestions that directly improve the safety of TWMA, employees are rewarded by the company throughout our global sites every month.
HSEQ Advisor Thomas Løvik (left) presenting our Norwegian winners (from the left: Britt-Elin Hjøllo, Asle Øvstedal and Hjørdis Taule)
Safety Card Award Winners November 2016 Mongstad, Norway – Inge Häkon Sleire Alexandria, Egypt – Islam Ahmed Abu Dhabi – Steven John Divinagracia
February 2017 Mongstad, Norway – Inge Häkon Sleire Abu Dhabi – Tekachew Eshe Beyene Offshore UK – Craig Mackie
December 2016 Mongstad, Norway – Kenneth Carlsen Alexandria, Egypt – Mohamed Fathy Mahmoud Abu Dhabi – Algen Falcatan
March 2017 Mongstad – Daniel Haugen Alexandria – Mohamed Aly Abu Dhabi – Reynan Maubog (North Island) and Algen Fulcatan (South Island) RGV – Russel Wharry Prospector 5 – Craig Mackie Peterhead – C Denney Tullos – Amanda Massie
January 2017 Mongstad, Norway – Britt-Elin Hjøllo Abu Dhabi – Sintayehu Asefa Emru Abu Dhabi – Manauwar Shadab 4
CUTTING EDGE : SUMMER HSEQ
Safety message:
Completing Incident and NCR Investigations Recent figures show that around 150,000 people sustain injuries each year as a result of accidents in the workplace, and more than 30 million working days are lost in the UK alone. Accidents and ill health can be costly for businesses and therefore carrying out health and safety investigations are crucial for keeping employees safe. When incidents and Non Conformance Reports (NCRs) occur, it is vital that we investigate within a five day period, to identify why the existing risk control measures failed and what improvements or additional measures are required. An investigation can help you identify the root cause and implement robust corrective action as soon as possible. After establishing a suitable investigation team, the investigation should cover, but not be limited to: • • • • • •
Review of the incident scene or NCR non-compliance, taking photographs (if possible) Review of any equipment used during the task/process Witness statements from all personnel involved Review of any/all documentation applicable to the task/process Review of personnel training records Exploring all reasonable lines of enquiry
By responding in a swift and efficient manner and working as a team, we ensure the relevant issue is identified, rectified and thereby potentially preventing a serious incident/NCR from occurring. Effective investigations will continually improve our processes, behaviours and equipment, and play a fundamental part in continuing our commitment to safety.
TWMA Middle East’s 2016 Health, Safety and Environment Awards Following TWMA’s win at last year’s ADNOC HSE Awards, our Abu Dhabi team launched an HSE initiative using the prize money as an incentive. The team launched the TWMA Middle East’s Health, Safety and Environment Awards with the aim of driving HSEQ standards in the Abu Dhabi business unit. The scheme recognised the positive intervention, commitment and leadership towards HSE performance through optimum use of our Safety Observation Cards (SOCs). The purpose of our SOCs is to encourage all employees to take ownership of hazards that they see, and take action to create a safety culture that ensures we keep each other safe at work.
All employees submit at least one SOC per month, which are assessed and the best ones selected. There was fantastic participation from the whole team and choosing only three winners was a tough challenge. The winning entries were chosen because of quality, leadership and involvement of personnel in addressing and rectifying the issue, and therefore preventing an incident. A huge congratulations to Peter Antony Menaling who won first prize of 10,000 AED, and Mohammed Wahid and Stephen Thompson who were joint runners up and both won 5,000 AED. Safety is paramount at TWMA and we were delighted that 100% of employees took part in the initiative.
5
CSR
TWMA Shows Continued Support for Motocross Rider Shaun Simpson TWMA is delighted to be sponsoring Scottish motocross rider, Shaun Simpson, for a third year. Shaun recently celebrated his first Grand Prix win of 2017, after coming first in round two of the FIM Motocross World Championship at the new Pangkal Pinang circuit in Indonesia. Commenting on Shaun’s success, Technical Director Davie Garrick, said: “Shaun is a fantastic motocross rider and our continued sponsorship will allow him to compete in global competitions including the British and Motocross Grand Prix World Championships. “Many of our employees are fans of the sport and we’re proud to be backing Shaun for another season as a new addition to the Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP team. Our sponsorship last year allowed Shaun to compete in key races across the globe and we all wish him well for another successful season and his next race.” Shaun has won the British Motocross Championship three times since 2008 and was only two points away from a third consecutive national championship win last year. For more information on Shaun Simpson visit www.shaunsimpson.com
Aberdeen F1 Stars of the Future Backed by TWMA
TWMA has donated £300 to Aberdeen Grammar School, in support of the F1 in Schools Challenge. The school’s team, Legacy Racing, is taking part in the competition to design, construct and race the fastest ‘Formula One Car of the Future’, powered by compressed air cylinders. The Legacy Racing team has successfully progressed through the regional Scottish Final to represent Scotland in the UK National Finals being held at Silverstone, the home of British Racing, at the end of March. Winners of this event will then represent the UK in the World Finals later in the year in Singapore. We would love to see Legacy Racing make it to such a huge, highprofile event as the World Finals, and wish them the very best of luck in their battle to lift the F1 in Schools World Champions trophy!
6
CUTTING EDGE : SUMMER CSR
Local Abu Dhabi School Benefits from TWMA Donations In the past few months, TWMA has undertaken a series of CSR initiatives in support of Amity International School in Abu Dhabi. Amity, a not-for-profit school in Abu Dhabi, recently built a brand new facility to allow the school to deliver the best possible education to pupils in the area. As a firm supporter of local charities and causes, TWMA donated outdoor benches and picnic tables to provide a comfortable shaded area for the children to eat lunch and socialise outdoors, as well as 100 Arabic language books. TWMA’s General Manager – Abu Dhabi, Robbie Pond, said: “We’ve been very fortunate to develop a successful business here in Abu Dhabi and we plan to be here for many years to come. It’s important for TWMA to be able to engage with the local community and give something back, and so being able to help the children and staff of Amity School has been fantastic. “Historically, the pupils had nowhere outside to eat their lunch and read books so we were keen to create a great social area for them. The school also had a shortage of Arabic language books in the new library so we purchased 100 titles that they had chosen to help them on their way. We visited Amity in February to hand over the books and benches so it was great to see for ourselves the difference our donations were making, and to receive a lovely thank you book made by the children.”
Barbara Lubaczewska, principal of Amity International, said: “On behalf of Amity, I would like to say a huge thank you to the whole team at TWMA for their kind donations. The benches in particular have made such a difference for the children at lunchtimes and we’ve named one of them ‘The Friendship Bench’. If any of the children feel lonely or would like a friend to talk to, they can sit on the bench and a friendship ambassador will sit with them.” TWMA also supported a recent beach clean-up initiative organised by Amity which involved 100 volunteers assisting with the removal of rubbish from a beach local to the school.
7
INSIGHT
Fluid Recovery Through Processing Drill Cuttings Due to a combination of continually developing legislative imperatives, enhanced ethical awareness and a growing trend for best practice, the global oil and gas industry is increasingly pursuing more sustainable and efficient methods of treating and reducing oil and gas waste streams.
In line with the industry accepted Waste Management Hierarchy, which outlines a three-tiered strategy around waste minimisation, treatment and disposal, TWMA developed the TCC RotoMill® system. Designed to treat drill cuttings generated from oil and gas drilling operations the TCC RotoMill is a safe, cost effective and highly efficient method for the processing of drill cuttings and associated materials at source. The TWMA system treats and recovers drill cuttings using a process of thermal desorption. This process separates drill cuttings into its three constituent parts - oil to be reused back in the drilling mud system, clean treated solids and water - for recycling, reuse, or safe dispersal to sea. Treating materials at source eliminates the requirement to transport drill cuttings off-site and back to shore for treatment and disposal, thereby significantly reducing logistics costs and the likelihood of environmental or safety incidents. Andy Murray, Senior Global Service Delivery Manager at TWMA responds to some of the frequently asked questions in terms of processing drill cuttings offshore. . Are all TCC units the same? Does increased liquid or water in the feed reduce All TCC systems share the principal high-level throughput? method, but the design, manufacturing and Yes - maximum throughput is achieved when the operation of TCC systems varies. liquid content in the feed material is low. The key is to manage the rig solids control package upstream In 2001, the designed, built and operated TWMA TCC of the process to enable volumes to be reduced at RotoMill was the first thermal desorption system to source - through the integration of an efficient solids be deployed offshore in the UK and has since been control system - recycled and reused, followed by involved in a series of other ‘world first’ deployments, recovery and treatment. including in Norway, Angola, Libya, Cameroon, USA and the UAE amongst others. Experience in the Is there a limitation of the formation types that can field has enabled the continual development of our be processed? thermal unit, including reducing the size and weight TWMA is yet to encounter a formation type that of the system whilst increasing its capability to cannot be processed. For example, drilled cement, handle higher throughputs. This system is capable of salt, clay, stone and coal have all been processed recovering valuable base oil for reuse whilst reducing through the TCC RotoMill. the residual oil on treated solids to a near inert product. When treated solids are dispersed overboard, will cuttings piles on the seabed be created? This system surpasses industry’s benchmark total The TWMA TCC RotoMill system disperses solids petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) levels and typically predominantly in the range of 20 - 15 microns, sees levels in processed drill cuttings of under 0.1%. dispersal of solids is aligned to natural dispersal sea Continued development has allowed this knowledge currents and results in no cuttings piles formation on and experience to be harnessed and used to develop the seabed. Any oil entrained within the recovered an enhanced product with the smallest footprint, solids will represent less than 1% (typically less than largest throughput and lowest TPH on recovered 0.1%) by weight of the discharge. solids. TWMA commissioned a study to examine the impact The TCC RotoMill also weighs less than other offerings the dispersal of solids from the TCC RotoMill has on offshore in the current market. The modular design the environment. This research has shown that the allows for multiple configuration options that can be small discharge noted will disperse with the natural accommodated to suit any offshore rig or vessel. 8
CUTTING EDGE : SUMMER INSIGHT turbidity in the water column. It is then broken down through the biodegradation processes and therefore does not create an environmental impact or cuttings piles on the seabed. This discharge is in accordance with the North Sea OSPAR convention for discharges to sea, whilst at the same time is in compliance with most global incountry specific legislation. Is there thermal degradation of recovered oil? The system is controlled to a specific temperature known as the ‘set point’. As the process creates its own heat from friction, the temperature is determined by the rate the feed material enters the mill module. The system’s PLC controls the rate of material the feed pump delivers by a PID control loop maintaining accurate temperature control. The temperature ‘set point’ is selected to align within the limit range of the specific base oil present in the OBM. As the process temperature will not exceed these limits, there is no degradation of the recovered oil when recovered. Can the recovered base oil be reused to build new drilling mud? The recovered oil is suitable for reuse within the drilling fluid system and is unaffected by the process, due to the low temperature and minimal residence time within the process. Recovered base oil from this system has been used to make new base oil since 1998. Discharging recovered water Processed water recovered from a TCC RotoMill® Processed water recovered from theTCC RotoMill can be been used as drill water or discharged overboard. The recovered water is dispersed overboard at less than 30 ppm and is typically <20ppm, again this is well within environmental tolerances and regulatory requirements. Comparing emissions Offshore processing with this system reduces the overall emissions generated through material transfer and waste management by 44.8% for the equivalent volume of material to be treated.
In 2009 a study was conducted to compare the carbon footprint of offshore processing with the TCC RotoMill versus a traditional skip and ship system on an equal volume of drill cuttings. The key aim of the project was to establish the comparative carbon footprint for a portable system treating recovered fluids from drill cuttings on a standard offshore installation, versus that of a typical skip and ship to shore operation whereby drill cuttings are transported and treated at an onshore treatment facility. Overall results revealed the carbon footprint of a skip and ship operation to be almost twice that of a portable system treating drill cuttings at source on an offshore installation. Cost comparisons Offshore processing with the TCC RotoMill system has proven to be a more cost effective option than alternative methodologies for treating drill cuttings and recovery of the fluids. Removing the requirement for vessels, trucking and onshore handling elements to return the drill cuttings onshore for treatment is in itself a significant saving. There are further cost-savings associated with the reduction in the volumes of new base oil being shipped to the offshore installation to prepare for the next section, as well as the ever important ability to continue drilling operations during periods of bad weather when other forms of drill cuttings handling may not be possible. Taking these considerations into account the TCC RotoMill stands out as the optimum solution for meeting environmental, legislative and commercial parameters across drilling operations. In conclusion, handling and processing drill cuttings and associated materials at source has, in the past, come with perceived limitations on size, weight and throughput. Continual developments are opening up new possibilities, and allowing operators to honour both ambitious operational targets and environmental responsibilities. throughput. Continual developments are opening up new possibilities, and allowing operators to honour both ambitious operational targets and environmental responsibilities.
9
CASE STUDY
Successful Project Delivery Through Specialist Engineering house via the transfer system. Provide the client discharge sampling data on recovered materials to demonstrate meeting our commitment to quality. • Before project kick off, TWMA organised a risk review meeting where it was agreed that as a contingency measure, a skip station and further air transfer methods were to be installed on deck to support the 17 ½ section and expected large volumes of drill cuttings. The Solution Following a rig survey in October 2015, in Singapore, a comprehensive solution was outlined, comprising: • A TWMA designed and manufactured flexible solution which delivered the lightest and most compact electrically powered TCC RotoMill, and engineered specifically to fit the available footprint • A TWMA designed, developed and manufactured Air Transfer System to safely and efficiently transfer drill cuttings from rig preload tanks to the TCC RotoMill Development of the Air Transfer System The Air Transfer System was designed following a series of onshore trials that verified the solution would safely and effectively remove and transfer the drill cuttings from each of the rigs integrated preload tanks. The Air Transfer System was designed to not only remove drill cuttings from the preload tanks but also for use as a contingency system, to enable collection of drill cuttings at source and then transfer if necessary to the TCC RotoMill. Project Challenge An international operator was to undertake a continuous five year drilling campaign in the North Sea. The rig was already under construction, with a client owned drill cuttings and storage system designed and integrated into the rig when TWMA was tasked with delivering a complete drill cuttings management service. There were a number of core elements to be addressed in specifying the solution: • Install the TWMA EfficientC® system to contain and transport drill cuttings from the rig shakers via TWMA’s Air Transfer System to the rig owned preload tanks, then air transfer to the TWMA TCC RotoMill® for processing. • Monitor the flow of drill cuttings from the shaker
10
For the duration of the onshore trials, prior to installation offshore, the volume of drill cuttings transferred via the Air Transfer System was a total of 2,815MT. This validated the main objective of the trial which was to verify that the Air Transfer System could effectively transfer drill cuttings from the pre-load tanks to the TCC RotoMill. During the initial testing phase, the Air Transfer System successfully transferred drill cuttings across a horizontal distance of between 45m - 51m. The next phase then introduced vertical transfer in combination with horizontal transfer, with drill cuttings collected from a 10m deep storage container and which were then seamlessly transferred along horizontal distance of 100m. The vertical testing was conducted to simulate the safe and efficient transfer of drill cuttings from the maximum depths of the preload tanks on the rig.
CUTTING EDGE : SUMMER NEWS
Project Results Installation and commissioning of the system was carried out with no incident, and once in operational phase, this application was successfully operated offshore without incident. 1,154 MT of drill cuttings were successfully transferred via the Air Transfer System from the rig owned preload tanks and processed successfully offshore with the TWMA TCC RotoMill (950Kw) at an average throughput rate of 5.14 MT / hour, with the best recorded throughput of 6.51 MT / hour on 26 January 2017. The recovered components were as follows:
rig could also continue drilling due to drill cuttings being processed at source • Clean treated recovered solids were discharged overboard with an average TPH of 0.059% which is well below the North Sea allowable discharge of <1% • 101.39 M3 of clean recovered water from the process was discharged overboard with an average of 1.26 ppm which is well below the North Sea allowable discharge of <30ppm
• 185.66 M3 of base oil has been recovered so far whilst processing offshore for reuse in the drilling process. To date, this is equivalent to £636,504. The
Senior Appointment Strengthens TWMA’s Middle East Growth Plans TWMA is delighted to announce the appointment of Simon Tyldsley to the company as Director for the MENA region. Mr Tyldsley will have responsibility for supporting operational activity and business growth in the critical geographies of the Middle East and North Africa. He joins TWMA at a time of continued growth for the organisation and brings significant experience across all areas of drilling waste management and environmental solutions. Throughout his 23 year career, Mr Tyldsley has been closely engaged in operational activities and has held several international senior management positions within major oil and gas service providers including MiSwaco, Weatherford and QMAX Solutions. Commenting on Simon’s appointment, CEO Ronnie Garrick said: “Despite the challenging market conditions, TWMA has seen a period of continued growth over the last few years which is testament to our unyielding focus on the delivery of tailored solutions combined with the highest levels of service quality. Simon brings unrivalled experience and knowledge to the MENA region, and TWMA as a whole, and will enable us to further build on our current position, and provide support, as we focus on our strategic growth plans.”
Simon Tyldsley
Of his appointment, Simon Tyldsley said: “Joining TWMA was an easy decision to make and an opportunity that excited me from the outset. Having now experienced life at TWMA, I am pleased to say that my expectations have been exceeded and I’m very much looking forward to the possibilities that lie ahead within the MENA region.” 11
NEWS
TWMA Secures Projects with Maersk Oil UK
TWMA has been awarded two new projects with Maersk Oil UK in the Central North Sea. With both projects already underway, the first onboard the Ocean Valiant will run until March 2018, whilst the second project on the Maersk Gallant jackup rig is due to be completed in July 2017. We are providing an EfficientC® skip and ship solution for both projects, which includes TWMA’s newly developed Air Transfer System. The Air Transfer System has been designed as a primary method for safely transporting drill cuttings from the shakers to various discharge points on board. The Air Transfer System then discharges the drill cuttings into skips, which are then transferred onshore for treatment, reuse or disposal of the drill cuttings.
12
Our relationship with Maersk Oil UK spans more than a decade, which is testament to our ability to consistently deliver tailored solutions and the highest levels of service quality, and we are delighted to be supporting these projects. As a company immersed in innovation, we’re proud to continually invest in research and development which is marked by the introduction of our Air Transfer System. This new technology supports our EfficientC solutions, allowing us to offer the most effective and efficient drill cuttings management, and we are pleased to be able to utilise this solution on the Ocean Valiant.
CUTTING EDGE : SUMMER NEWS
Upgrading the TCC RotoMill® in Egypt
In February, we exhibited at EGYPS 2017 in Cairo for the first time. The exhibition was a great success and a fantastic opportunity for us to meet with new and existing clients. After recently celebrating our successful decade in Egypt, the country remains a key focus for us and we are currently in the process of upgrading our TCC RotoMill® unit in Alexandria. We’re committed to continually enhancing our service capabilities and have invested £380,000 in this upgrade which will more than double the throughput
of the unit. Firstly, we’re replacing the electric engine with a diesel drive engine for increased efficiency and secondly, we’re increasing the unit’s throughput from 1MT per hour to 2.5 MT per hour. It’s crucial that we can provide the best possible service to our customers in all regions, and the increased capacity and improved capabilities of this unit will ensure we can offer the most efficient and effective solutions.
TWMA Shortlisted for two Northern Star Business Awards 2017 TWMA is delighted to have been shortlisted for two Northern Star Business Awards this year.
externally. Importantly, this has resulted in TWMA’s recordable injury rate reducing year on year.
The first shortlisting comes in the Commitment to Innovative Use of Research & Development category in recognition of our ongoing investment in research and development.
Ronnie Garrick, CEO at TWMA, said: “The core elements of TWMA’s success are our proactive approach to innovation, our commitment to health and safety and most of all, our continued commitment to our people who ensure we deliver the highest level of service across all elements of our business. We are absolutely delighted to be shortlisted in categories which acknowledge our efforts in these areas.
In the last 12 months, a number of international projects have showcased how TWMA innovates to address its clients’ most challenging issues. This includes developing effective offshore solutions for drill cuttings processing, slops processing and waste handling, and providing an integrated service approach to deliver operational and cost efficiencies, whilst reducing risks. The second shortlisting comes in the Excellence in Health & Safety category. Ensuring employee and client safety is an integral part of TWMA’s business, and since its inception in 2000, the company has introduced numerous initiatives and training schemes to support this culture both internally and
“The last 12 months have seen TWMA continue to expand operations on an international level, however as a company which is deeply rooted in the northeast of Scotland, we are very proud to be recognised as one of the region’s success stories. “Our team is looking forward to the awards ceremony later this year, and continued global growth in the future.” 13
UK: Head office
Tel: +44 1224 222520
Norway: Sandnes Tel: +47 516 30835
www.twma.co.uk sales@twma.co.uk Engineering solutions to eliminate waste 14
Copyright © 2017 TWMA Ltd
Egypt: Cairo
Tel: +202 2358 7084
UAE: Abu Dhabi
Tel: +971 (0)2 495 7029
USA: Houston
Tel: +1 832 300 4200
This newsletter is printed on 100% recycled paper