Originally appeared in World Oil® APRIL 2014 issue, pg PG164. Posted with permission.

1. PF–164 APRIL 2014 / WorldOil.com
PORT FOURCHON
BakerHughesintroduces
next-generationstimulationvessel
As the growing fleet of oversized deepwater support vessels
grabs most of the ink of late, Baker Hughes has expanded its
Gulf of Mexico presence with the introduction of the 255-ft
new-generation StimFORCE stimulation vessel.
Built by Bordelon Marine of Houma, La., the modularized
StimFORCE features the shipbuilder’s distinctive Stingray 260
design, says Blake Warren, Gulf of Mexico district manager for
Baker Hughes’ pressure pumping stimulation vessels. The DP
Class 2 vessel received final ABS certification in early Febru-
ary, clearing the way for field assignments that include stimu-
lation; fracturing and acidizing; and sand control applications,
according to Baker Hughes.
The StimFORCE is equipped with five 15,000-psi triplex
pumps with two flexible-steel umbilical lines that allow up to 35
bbl/min. pumping rates. The vessel was designed with a pump-
ing capacity of 8,800 hp. “All of the high-pressure equipment is
locatedontheaftofthevessel,sothatduringajob,thecrewisnot
exposed to the high-pressure environment,” Warren said.
Owing to its modular design, the new vessel can be quickly
modified to meet specific job requirements, he said. “For in-
stance, when we are dealing with paraffin build-up in older
fields, we have a flex tank capability up to 1,200 bbl, mid-
ships, that can be used for solvent. If a job requires it, we can
remove the solvent tanks and add more acid tanks. In other
words, the flexibility of this vessel allows us to reconfigure to
meet the customer’s requirements.”
Warren said the StimFORCE is designed with capacity for
350,000 lb of sand above deck and another 400,000 lb below
deck. “Our larger deepwater (stimulation) vessels carry up to
three million pounds, but shelf jobs typically do not require
nearly as much sand as those in deep water,” he said.
According to Baker Hughes, the modularity of the Stim-
FORCE design, with its operationally flexible pumping pack-
age, allows for “customized, on-demand pumping stimulation
solutions” that, it says, reduce operator costs.
The StimFORCE is designed with a mix-on-the-fly fluid
system, quality control laboratory, and remote data acquisi-
tion services using the proprietary EZTreat treatment control
and JobMaster software packages, says Baker Hughes. The
in-house JobMaster software acquires, processes, records,
and displays pumping data in real time, ensuring critical real-
time pumping information throughout the operation, the
company says.
The Baker Hughes StimFORCE stimulation vessel features a
unique modularized design.
Originally appeared in World Oil
®
APRIL 2014 issue, pg PG164. Posted with permission.
Article copyright © 2014 by Gulf Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
Not to be distributed in electronic or printed form, or posted on a website, without express written permission of copyright holder.