UK: Expro’s HawkEye IV Marks Step Change in Downhole Camera Technology

 

Leading international oilfield services company Expro today announced a new state-of-the-art camera, HawkEye IV, has been added to the company’s downhole video portfolio.

The HawkEye IV communicates with the camera via a downlink, allowing more reliable and easy access to options with a simple command from the surface. The downlink enables the video operator to easily control the ViewMax lighthead so switching from down view to side view and stopping or starting a rotation are accomplished with the press of a button rather than by voltage adjustment from the surface.

“HawkEye IV is yet another step forward in terms of providing the most advanced downhole technology to our customers,” said Arthur White, Western U.S. Division Manager. “By making the operation of the tools more efficient and adding full-motion capture capability, Expro is closing the gap between our e-line and fibre-optic systems and providing more capabilities to our customers.”

With another prominent enhancement, the turbo mode option, companies can command the tool to increase its frame acquisition rate from 1 fps to as fast as 30 fps. The images are then stored in the camera and transmitted by batch to the surface.

The HawkEye IV camera can store 1,000 images. The higher acquisition rates are particularly well-suited for moving fluids, such as pinpointing fluid type and entry location or understanding flow regimes, to enhance understanding of production logs in horizontal wells. There is no limit to the number of turbo acquisitions during a survey.

The camera is being field tested in Broussard, LA.

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Source:  Exprogroup, December 21, 2010;