Wood Signed an Exclusive Agreement for Shell Smart Choke Technology
Wood has signed an exclusive agreement with Shell Catalysts & Technologies (Shell) to provide, implement, and support their Smart Choke technology for oil and gas operators globally, helping producers optimise operations, extend asset life, and mitigate costly downtime. The Smart Choke is a low-cost, active slug suppression device for pipeline-riser systems.
Announced at the Australasian Oil & Gas Subsea (AOG) event in Perth, Australia, Shell has selected Wood as the exclusive partner to implement its Smart Choke technology to optimise upstream oil and gas production industry-wide.
Wood’s demonstrated understanding, proven execution methodology, and successful record of using Smart Choke has reduced payback periods from months to weeks.
Shaun Johnston, director of Intelligent Operations at Wood said: “We are very proud to have been selected by Shell as the exclusive licensor of this innovative technology. Wood is a world-leading flow assurance consultancy providing real-time asset performance and optimisation solutions, addressing the most complex, capital-intensive hydrocarbon gathering, production, transportation and processing projects for our clients. Working with our partners, we are implementing field-proven technology that will help our clients extend field life, reduce riser vibrations, improve operating integrity, and ultimately maximise hydrocarbon recovery.”
As hydrocarbon production assets mature, the accumulation and slugging of liquid can result in integrity and operational issues. These operational issues can lead to environmental impacts, high replacement costs, significant downtime, and potentially even more severe abandonment costs for assets nearing the end of their operating life.
The technology Shell has developed leverages proprietary algorithms to control a Smart Choke to minimize severe volumes of liquid. Smart Choke is demonstrated and reliable technology as one of very few systems to be field-proven.
Shell’s Central Upstream Engineering Manager Loek Vreenegoor adds: “Shell and Wood are applying specialised control algorithms that enable a Smart Choke to minimise issues and impacts associated with liquid management. It is one of very few systems that is field-proven by successful deployment on several Shell assets worldwide – notably extending the production
lifetime of Shell fields. In just one example, we had a field shut-in and off the books due to slugging, brought back to life through Smart Choke technology, and then produced for several more years – an investment earned back within a day.”
This exclusive agreement between Shell and Wood will facilitate wider implementation of field- demonstrated technology in suppressing riser induced slugging, the provision of real-time monitoring solutions, and solidifying partnerships to enable cost optimisation and successful delivery.
