New Center for Technology Innovation opens in Houston

Baker Hughes recently held an open house for its new Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) in Houston. The USD 42-million facility promises to be the launching pad for the next generation of technologies for challenging production environments.

"This facility demonstrates our company's commitment to developing new completion and production technology," said David H. Barr, Baker Hughes Group President for Completion and Production, at the facility's open house. "Innovations created and tested here will enable our customers to maximize recovery even in the most challenging environments."

Engineers from Baker Hughes divisions guided the open-house attendees through a series of tours highlighting Phase I of the facility, which was developed to focus on four main application areas: deepwater wells, extreme high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) applications, production optimization, and large diameter, or 'big bore', completions. Phase I includes several research laboratories that are dedicated to investigating the properties of metallurgies, elastomers, composites, electronics, and fluids for specific oilfield applications under challenging conditions.

The CTI also incorporates rapid prototype equipment to develop 3D plastic and powder deposition models for visualization and functional analysis. Depending on size and complexity, these 3D models can be fabricated in as little as 24 hours. For full-size prototypes of new downhole completion tools using the actual metallurgies of interest, the facility has a machine shop with the latest machining technology and practices, including multiaxis capability and EDM-cutting technology.

The facility also includes three different HP/HT test cells with different functionality. The first set -- four dynamic in-ground, high-bay test cells -- are rated to 40,000 psi (2,758 bar) gas at 700° F (371° C) and are designed to qualify tools for extreme operating environments. The cells consist of 70-ft (21.3-m) towers, intended for easy manipulation of 40-ft (12.2-m) joints of large outer-diameter casing into and out of the bay.

A second set consists of two 40-ft-long horizontal cells rated to 15,000 psi (1,034 bar) gas at 550° F (288° C) designed to accommodate above-ground testing. The third set includes two 20-ft-long static, above-ground test cells rated to 30,000 psi (2,068 bar) gas at 550° F (288° C). These are intended for long-term HP/HT exposure and reliability testing.

Baker Hughes envisions the CTI as enhancing collaboration with clients and university research programs, and opening up internship opportunities for university students in various technology disciplines. "In addition, the CTI can serve as a model for developing additional technology centers, particularly in the eastern hemisphere, as we strengthen the Baker Hughes infrastructure throughout the world," Barr said.

Phase II of the 14-acre campus is expected to open by the end of this year and will extend the research facility space to a total of 209,000 ft². The Phase II facilities will include research capabilities for sand control technologies, real-time global visualization rooms, and the headquarters of the production optimization business unit. The complete CTI will employ a dedicated staff of approximately 575 engineers, scientists, and laboratory technicians.

To learn more about the CTI, visit www.bakerhughes.com.

Ted Moon is the Technology Editor of JPT Online. He brings information on emerging technologies, R&D successes, new field applications, updates from SPE papers about recent innovations, and more. If you have a question or suggestion for future article topics, email Ted at teched@spe.org.