How to ensure accurate and reliable pipeline pig tracking

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 24, 2021 7:38:56 AM

The ultimate objective of every pig run is to complete the required task, and return the pipeline to its original operating condition in the shortest time possible. A stuck pig causes delays, resulting in higher project costs, so it is important to have a contingency plan should the pig become stuck.

In this blog, we will discuss using a case study example how the implementation of our pig tracking technology allowed a customer to effectively and accurately track/time the pig trains progression down the length of the pipeline, thus resulting in huge savings on vessel and equipment costs.

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Topics: pipeline inspection, pipeline integrity, pipe in pipe, subsea pipelines, pigging, stuck pig, pig tracking, gammatrac, pig run, pig tracking services

Using tracer technology to identify the source of fugitive emissions

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 23, 2021 10:54:54 AM

With government regulations constantly evolving and varying based on localities, being able to isolate sources of fugitive emissions and repair or replace faulty equipment allows customers to remain compliant and avoid costly fines. To aid in this endeavour, Tracerco injects a variety of liquid and gaseous tracers to detect the presence of leaks within equipment whilst remaining fully operational.

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Topics: leak tests, small leaks, online leak detection, chemical leak test, pressure safety valve, leaking psv, leaking pressure safety valve, leak study, fugitive emissions, PSV, leak detection

Optimise oil production using inflow, interwell and completion integrity tracers

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 22, 2021 4:01:23 PM

Mature oilfields are often characterised by increased water production. This results in costly water treatment and reduced oil processing capacity. Unwanted produced water may stem from well integrity failure, wellbore tortuosity, high waterflood injection rates, high permeability channelling, thief zones or injector / producer well spacing as well as water coning. Identifying the source of excessive water production and mitigating for its costly impact is critical during field development in reducing costs and maximising oil production.

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Topics: chemical tracers, reservoir, interwell, reservoir characterisation, fluid inflow, tracers, oil inflow, water inflow, inflow measurement, inflow, waterflood, injected water, water breakthrough, water production, wellbore, mature offshore field, waterflood injection

Interwell partitioning tracers to measure the effectiveness of a chemical EOR flood

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 17, 2021 12:57:25 PM

Tracer technology is proven to be critical to assess remaining oil saturation measurement in a reservoir following secondary recovery. It allows the measurement of remaining oil saturation between wells, rather than just surrounding a wellbore. This technique is normally used before and after an Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project to establish changes in crude oil saturation.

In this blog we will discuss using a case study example, how our range of specialist chemical tracers can allow operators to identify the amount of remaining oil saturation in a mature waterflood and determine the effectiveness of specific enhanced oil recovery techniques at reducing remaining oil to residual levels.

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Topics: chemical tracers, reservoir, interwell, reservoir characterisation, fluid inflow, tracers, oil inflow, water inflow, inflow measurement, inflow, waterflood, injected water, water breakthrough, water production, water tracer, chemical tracer technology, wellbore, mature offshore field, waterflood injection, residual oil saturation, remaining oil saturation

Pre-turnaround scans enable better critical path planning

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 1, 2021 7:49:02 AM

Pre-turnaround scans are very useful tools for facilities to utilise for planning turnaround projects. They can indicate some damage within a vessel, allowing for parts to be ordered and onsite ahead of time. They can also indicate an operational issue, which can be corrected without an entry into the vessel. If required they can indicate that the vessel is healthy and no work is needed on it at this time. 

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Topics: distillation column, Distillation Column Performance, Column Performance, packed column performance, packed column, distillation column maintenance, gamma scanning distillation columns, trayed columns, turnaround schedules, turnarounds, distillation column scan, distillation column scanning, turnaround planning, packed bed towers, trayed tower, manage turnaround costs, turnaround critical path project, pre-turnaround scans, baseline scan, column troubleshooting, pre-turnaround planning, critical path planning

Baseline scanning is critical to diagnose future column problems

Posted by Nicola Porter

Jan 18, 2021 8:49:22 AM

Baseline scans of a vessel are undertaken when it is known to be clean, operating normally, and in good mechanical condition. They are often used for comparison purposes on future troubleshooting scans. Any anomaly, or abnormal absorption observed on a baseline scan, that cannot be explained by a visible external interference or by something indicated in the column drawings, may be able to be eliminated as a potential problem area in future troubleshooting scans. 

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Topics: distillation column, Distillation Column Performance, Column Performance, distillation column maintenance, gamma scanning distillation columns, distillation column scan, distillation column scanning, baseline scan, column troubleshooting

Monitor parent-child well communication using chemical tracers

Posted by Tracerco

Jan 7, 2021 3:14:34 PM

Interactions between fractures in adjacent horizontal wells and development of methods for mitigating their costly negative effects has become the focus of much discussion within the industry. Operators are now acutely aware that one of the key challenges of infill development is avoiding interwell communication between Parent and newly drilled and fractured infill wells.

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Topics: chemical tracers, reservoir, reservoir characterisation, fracture diagnostics, well communication

Top tips for a successful safety stand-down

Posted by Tracerco

Dec 18, 2019 4:14:49 PM

At Tracerco, we recognise that our people are our business and represent the future of our business.

Safety is one of the core foundations we value the most. Tracerco and its employees partnered with businesses and charitable organisations in its local communities for its annual safety stand-down day in December 2019. During the event, we focussed on a range of safety issues, from the more common concerns such as slips, trips and falls, to protecting the environment and how personal wellness and mental well- being can have an impact on safety.

In this blog, we will highlight and discuss our top tips for hosting a successful safety stand-down in the workplace.

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Topics: safety, safety stand-down, education, health and safety, safety awareness, EHS culture, safety education, people, EHS, safety culture, mental wellbeing, workplace safety, work safe home safe, safety behaviour, EHS behaviour, employees

Counter fuel laundering and fuel adulteration using non launderable markers

Posted by Nicola Porter

Nov 20, 2019 1:02:48 PM

Fuel laundering, fuel adulteration and fuel smuggling combine to create a global problem for governments around the world. Not only does it deprive them of hundreds of millions of dollars of taxation revenues, it poses a burden to the environment and also to innocent motorists whose vehicles incur long-lasting damage. The cost in terms of policing, dismantling discovered plants, clean-up operations and the safe disposal of dumped toxic sludge — a by-product from such illegal operations — is also considerable.

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Topics: authentication, consumer protection, product quality, revenue protection, fiscal tax recovery, adulterated fuel, brand security, counterfeit detection, product protection, product authentication, fuel fraud, brand protection technology, brand authentication, brand protection, safeguard brand quality

How to fight fuel corruption with the implementation of a fuel marking programme

Posted by Tracerco

Nov 20, 2019 9:22:32 AM


In many parts of the world, corruption is common and a part of everyday life. Apart from the corrosive effect this has on quality of service and availability of appropriate justice, this also has a negative effect on commerce. Reputable companies and people are unable to compete, so the market is left to others who are willing to ignore laws put in place to prevent corruption. Where this occurs, the economy suffers due to lack of investment which eventually contributes to poverty, pollution and poor health for the majority of the people who do not profit from corrupt activities. This is the type of environment where fuel fraud can flourish. In this latest blog, Tracerco will discuss how the implementation of a fuel marking program can help in the fight against fuel corruption

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Topics: consumer protection, product quality, revenue protection, fiscal tax recovery, safeguard brand equity, adulterated fuel, brand security, counterfeit detection, authentication, product authentication, fuel fraud, brand protection technology, brand authentication, brand protection, counterfeiting, safeguard brand quality, brand, fuel marking, fuel marker, fuel marker technology, fuel adulteration, fuel smuggling, counterfeit fuel

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