WorldWide Drilling Resource

Drilling Rigs Switch to Natural Gas Engines Adapted from a Press Release by Waukesha-Pearce Industries Diesel prices continue rise while nat- ural gas prices are on the decline, which is leading many to consider natural gas options. Antero Resources and Patterson- UTI Drilling were looking for a practical solution to reduce fuel costs, a major expense when operating drilling rigs, and they discovered an innovative solution. The Waukesha VHP L7044GSI, offered by GE’s Waukesha gas engines and Waukesha-Pearce Industries (WPI), is a rich-burn engine which is 100% natural- gas-fired. This will reduce fuel costs while helping companies meet stringent state and federal emissions standards. Four companies recently completed the first installation of three L7044GSIs with a well completion in Harrison County, West Virginia. There are also plans to replace diesel engines powering drilling rigs in several additional locations. “The low cost nature of switching to natural gas-fired rigs versus the conven- tional diesel-fired rigs and the intense focus on reduced emissions make the Series Four 7044 a terrific choice. When considering investment in new equipment or improvements to existing equipment, reduced emissions and cost-saving solu- tions have been identified by Antero as a major area of opportunity,” said Kevin Kilstrom, vice president of Production for Antero Resources. GE and WPI worked with Antero to identify a solution and they believe this engine, with its fuel gas tol- erance and no load bank requirements, will be THE solution. Fred Stow, director of sales for WPI explained some of the other benefits. “The L7044GSI can be easily exchanged with existing rig power generation drivers, almost to the point that they’re plug and play, as we’ve seen in this project...and it offers great cost advantages of natural gas versus diesel and dual-fuel, with natural gas available at less than half the price of diesel. Plus, you can reduce diesel transportation costs and potential liability because the engine can run on a much greater variation of readily available fuel sources, using everything from dry field gas to pipeline gas, including LNG and propane.” The L7044GSI gas engines also fea- ture a reduced maintenance schedule, making it even more appealing to drill operators. Compared to spark-ignited lean-burn engines, rich-burn engines operate at lower cylinder pressures, pro- viding longer operational times between oil changes, top-end overhauls, and com- plete overhauls. “This should extend the service life of the engine to provide a higher rate of return on investment for the operational horsepower needs,” said Brian White, president of GE’s Waukesha gas engines. Stow believes this is a game chang- er for the drilling industry. “We firmly be- lieve the natural gas solution will give drilling contractors a reason to consider the L7044GSI for a number of reasons... This is an engine that has the power to change an industry,” reiterated Stow. 39 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JULY 2013