Halliburton has unveiled its latest innovation, the Obex EcoLock® compression-set packer, aimed at addressing the challenge of sustained casing pressure (SCP) in the oil and gas industry.
The company announced on July 2 that the Obex EcoLock packer is specifically designed to act as a cost-effective mechanical barrier that effectively mitigates low-pressure gas or fluid migration, ensuring enhanced isolation assurance. This cutting-edge technology builds upon the success of the Obex GasLock® packer, known for its gas-tight and V0-rated design, and now takes it a step further by providing V6-rated isolation capabilities.
Its key advantage is its versatility, as it can support multiple-stage cementing, offering optional integral cementing ports and an internal closing sleeve. This feature, the company explained, empowers operators to execute various wellbore cementing operations with ease and precision.
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“Our Obex EcoLock packer represents an excellent alternative to conventional packer technologies, providing a suite of API/ISO validated casing annular barriers,” Matt Lang, the vice president of Cementing at Halliburton stated. “With this advanced tool at our disposal, we can effectively safeguard well integrity by keeping pressure away from the surface and supporting reliable cemented barriers.”
Currently available for 7-in. and 9 5/8-in. casing designs, Halliburton has ambitious plans to expand the packer’s range to accommodate additional sizes in the near future. As demand for sustainable and efficient wellbore solutions continues to grow, the Obex EcoLock packer is expected to play a pivotal role in optimizing oil and gas operations worldwide.
With Halliburton as a prime contractor of ExxonMobil in Guyana, the country stands to benefit from newer technologies adopted by the company.
In a January 2022 analysis, Norway-based consultancy group Rystad Energy said that some of the wells being spudded in Guyana are at the ‘bleeding edge of technology’ and represent drill campaigns that have never been done before.
