Read and translate the article using the vocabulary below.

Remote operations and real time technology is moving people away from rigs at a time when companies are scrutinizing ways to become safer. Sometimes, however, the onslaught of information real time technology provides is just too much. Baker Hughes Inteq opened its Beacon Center in Houston in 2002 based on providing clients real-time information on their activities through a mixture of satellite, internet and phone links.

In real time, customers have access to their data, receive help with diagnostics, and receive support. ‘Most customers want a real-time feed,’ says Dave Hampton, product line manager for surface systems marketing at Baker Hughes Inteq, adding that it often becomes ‘I’m getting that feed now, but how am I going to use it? What value am I going to get from it?’

In answer to such questions, Hampton says, it makes sense to provide analysis to clients based on the huge volumes of data. ‘With that quantity of data, there are all types of advice we can give the client.’ Clients want to know if they are fraccing in the right place or where the optimal location is for drilling. ‘It’s all about being able to provide the customer with that information, instead of just giving them a squiggly line,’ Hampton says. ‘This is what they want. They want answers, not numbers.’

Nazaad Baksh, Beacon coordinator, says the ability to offer analysis is especially helpful because the industry has a high percentage of less-experienced people. By centralizing experts onshore and moving data around, he says, companies need fewer experts at rig sites. ‘I like the evolution of taking guys away from the wellsite,’ Hampton says, adding he expects this trend to continue – but only to a certain point. ‘It’s perfectly possible. We’ve been doing it for several years now in Norway.’

Baker Oil Tools uses the Houston Beacon center for Hess’ remote optimization of gravel packing and fracturing operations in West Africa and to provide realtime expert support, Hampton says, noting 30 successful jobs have been supported in realtime through the center. Inteq uses real-time technology to support its remote operations, which it used on a BP job in the UK North Sea in December 2006. BP asked Inteq to reduce onboard drilling personnel on the Andrew platform by 10%. Inteq redeployed its personnel onshore through the Advanced Collaborative Environment (ACE) within BP’s facility. Fiber optic cable and microwave provided a stable bandwidth and connection. Inteq’s RigLink service enabled real-time decision making based on FE images and SLS data. The ACE supported an optimized offshore crew configuration, and Beacon centers in UK and Norway supplied offline logs and reports.

According to Hampton, the Beacon centers tailor their offerings for the different operating regions. Norway, for instance, has a comprehensive communications network that allows much work to be done from shore, he says. In other areas, however, the infrastructure is not as rich. In those cases, Hampton says, crew relocation to shore is not yet practical.

The Beacon center recently completed its second wired pipe test using the WITSML protocol, Baksh says. The WITSML protocol is ‘becoming an industry standard,’ Hampton says. ‘BP has been at the forefront of testing WITSML and testing across different countries.’

There are many reasons for monitoring remotely, Hampton says. Instability in Nigeria has led to supporting Inteq internal operations in that country from the UK, he adds. Despite the move toward them, Hampton doesn’t see remote operations becoming universal. Hampton would love to see more drive in the Gulf of Mexico, especially with BP’s new fiber optic network there. ‘The biggest barrier is in people’s heads,’ Hampton says, adding that communications factor in. ‘It can be done. It’s just a case of being willing to do it.’

Beacon, Inteq’s hub for data acquisition, handles jobs from around the world. The center monitors everything via the internet, Baksh says, adding: ‘Most of the links are satellite links. Most of the communications are via regular phone lines.’ Inteq uses multiple satellite vendors and setups. Baksh says one focus is to push data back to the rig after a decision is made onshore. Inteq supports the internet-based Beacon facility in Houston with a secure server in Maryland and a new server in Ireland, which removes the data’s vulnerability to hurricanes. Started in 2002 and monitoring an average of 15 to 20 jobs, the center now can monitor over 40 jobs in real time with round-the-clock coverage.

Vocabulary

2. Make the article review. Use the following expressions:

From Russia with tough love

from: Offshore Engineer
by: Derek Brower

Monday, October 29, 2007

1. Translate into Russian the following word combinations:

Host governments; resource nationalism; inward investment; Russia’s environmental watchdog; to be faced with $30 billion in fines; production sharing agreements; slippage in the contracts; to strip of the development licence; to play hardball; to finalise finer points of the contract; to pursue international agenda; downstream assets.