A company based in the South West has developed a new instrument that will enable energy firms to monitor their gas and oil wells more accurately and economically.
IDSI UK obtained an Innovation Voucher from Plymouth University, which enabled it to create additional electronic equipment enhancing its invention, and it is now to begin manufacturing the instrument.
The firm’s new instrument has a dozen sensors that measure different aspects of an oil well, including the flow-rate, temperature, density, and pressure. The Innovation Voucher received by IDSI UK enabled the company to use the expertise of Plymouth University’s electronics department, with which it produced a device capable of analysing the measurements from the first instrument and transmitting the data for up to six miles.
After field tests in Aberdeen proved successful, IDSI UK confirmed that its new system could reliably collect, transmit, and analyse information.
As the company grows and manufacturing begins, it is hoped that the invention will lead to the creation of around 200 jobs. Ten orders have already been received and there is interest from companies in America. In the US, legislation was recently introduced requiring oil companies to carry out regular tests for oil well leaks, with the aim of protecting the environment.
Big companies such as Exxon Mobil, which is known for its premium lubricants such as Mobil Vactra 4, could benefit from IDSI UK’s new product, as it can operate in wells with pressures as great as 15,000 PSI, temperatures as high as 175 degrees Celsius, and depths of up to six miles.
