Gazprom’s Science and Technology Prize

Development and adoption of an industrial safety examination system and a set of diagnostic instruments for the prolongation of safe operation time of UGS gas wells of various purposes

The authors of the research work have developed an industrial safety expert examination system for Gazprom's UGS wells, which specifies the optimal scopes and sequence of gas dynamic studies, geophysical studies and diagnostic operations that provide for a reliable assessment of the technical condition of wells and calculation of their residual lifetime in order to extend their safe operation time.

In order to enhance the efficiency of said expert examination, the following equipment and technologies have been created and implemented: a novel set of diagnostic magnetic pulse equipment; a technology for sounding the near-wellbore area on the basis of modified nuclear methods; and a technology for monitoring the UGS impermeability by applying crosswell seismic tomography. The new logging apparatuses have no foreign equivalents, are suitable for operation in a gaseous medium, and make it possible to perform the assessment of the technical condition of wells through tubings without killing the well.

The adoption of the research results has made it possible to decrease the time required for the diagnostics of the technical condition of wells; reduce the expenses for the shutdown, killing and launch of wells; and mitigate the risks of an emergency event.

Supervisor of the work: S. Khan (Gazprom)

D. Pshenichny, S. Shilov, A. Zubarev (Gazprom UGS), A. Khripunov, V. Shamshin (Gazprom), S. Egurtsov, S. Vlasov (Energodiagnostika), V. Dubenko (SevKavNIPIgaz), V. Danilenko (Gitas Research and Production Firm)

Nominating company: Gazprom UGS.

Development and adoption of a set of process solutions, as well as regulations and procedures for the abandonment of Gazprom’s radiation-hazardous facilities and reduction of the risk of radioecological impact on people and the environment (by drawing on the example of the Vega facility located within the Astrakhanskoye gas and condensate field)

The authors of the research work have developed a technology for the disposal of liquid and solid waste and hazardous substances in deep geological formations ensuring reliable waste isolation thanks to the combination of natural and artificial barriers.

The isolation-and-abandonment activities have been performed for the first time ever during the abandonment of the Vega radiation-hazardous facility and have no precedent in the world.

As a result of the isolation-and-abandonment activities performed, the Vega facility has been brought into a condition that complies with the requirements of the laws, norms and regulations regarding the rational use and protection of subsoil, as well as those regarding radiation, industrial and environmental safety. 

Supervisor of the work: V. Khloptsov

D. Chudnovsky, E. Kosnov, P. Solelshchikov, S. Speshilov (Podzemgazprom), P. Tsybulsky (Gazprom VNIIGAZ), V. Klishin, N. Lobanov (VNIPIpromtekhnologii)

Nominating company: Podzemgazprom.

Developing, manufacturing and putting into full-scale operation a set of equipment for geophysical studies and works in gas, oil, and gas condensate wells with high wellhead pressures in difficult geological conditions

A set of equipment has been developed that makes it possible to perform geophysical studies and works in gas, oil, and gas condensate wells with excessive wellhead pressures. The set of equipment has a unified structure and is manufactured in series designed for working pressures ranging from 14 to 105 MPa.

New lubrication units that form part of the equipment set ensure better environmental and industrial safety of works due to the absence of formation fluid leakages into the atmosphere, including in the cases when formation fluid has an abnormally high content of aggressive components.

The adoption of the equipment set has eliminated the need to purchase expensive foreign equipment and ensured uninterrupted functioning of wells during geophysical studies.

Supervisor of the work: S. Vensko

A. Apanin, V. Khatkov, V. Markov, M. Mikin, V. Plotnikov, A. Smetanin, V. Zhimarinsky (Georesurs), A. Kalinkin, A. Kozintsev (Gazprom)

Nominating company: Georesurs.

Corrosion protection of the equipment at the Astrakhanskoye gas and condensate field with the use of nanostructured metal coatings applied by thermal spraying methods

A technology has been developed and the relevant procedure has been put into use for thermal spraying of nanostructured coatings deposited onto the equipment of the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant (GPP) to enhance the corrosion resistance of said equipment.

The technology is used in repairs of different types of process equipment and makes it possible to apply coatings without dismantling large machines.

The optimized process parameters provide for a long-term resistance of the coating to erosion-and-corrosion wear in the equipment operating conditions of the Astrakhan GPP at a temperature of more than 100 degrees Celsius and in the presence of alkali, acids and a combination of other aggressive factors.

Supervisor of the work: D. Ponomarenko

V. Bedin, V. Geraskin, A. Korenyakin, V. Nasteka, N. Nizamov, A. Veretennikov (Gazprom Dobycha Astrakhan), N. Petrov (Gazprom), L. Baldaev (TSZP), S. Grigoriev (Gazprom Tsentrremont)

Nominating company: Gazprom Dobycha Astrakhan.

Development and adoption of a modular process skid for ensuring the operational reliability of the equipment used for the treatment of natural gas extracted from the Achimov horizons

A process diagram and a unique modular process skid that contains separating, filtration and heat-exchanging equipment have been developed to ensure a high efficiency of treatment performed with regard to the hydrocarbon feedstock extracted from the Achimov formations of the Urengoyskoye field.

The use of the inlet separator of a new design has made it possible to use fewer items of process equipment and replace several pieces of equipment (slug catcher, inlet separator, methanol desorber, and gas filter separator) with a single unit that combines all required process functions.

The adoption of the results of the research work has made it possible to reduce capital costs for process equipment manufacturing and increase its operating reliability; decrease methanol consumption during gas treatment before its transmission; and avoid forced shutdowns of production trains that are required to perform steaming for removing paraffins from heat-exchanging equipment.

Supervisor of the work: S. Tolstov

A. Bukin, B. Paley, V. Tolstov (Central Design Bureau for Oil Processing Machinery (TsKBN) of Gazprom), R. Alaberdin, V. Saikin (Gazprom), O. Nikolaev (Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy), S. Vlasov, R. Lukovkin (Achimgaz)

Nominating company: Central Design Bureau for Oil Processing Machinery (TsKBN) of Gazprom.

Information support of the system for corporate control over the technical condition of the sulfurous gas production facilities of the Astrakhanskoye gas and condensate field

The authors of the research work have developed a designated database of regulatory-and-technical documents and an intelligent system for information storage and retrieval that makes it possible to obtain the required information for providing qualitative assessments of the operation, major repairs and technical diagnostics of gas facilities carried out by the controlled enterprises.

The software package, which uses new methods for the assessment of the technical condition of process facilities, ensures ranking of gas production facilities by the extent of risk associated with their further operation and provides information support of technology decision-making as regards life extension of equipment.

Supervisor of the work: F. Tukhbatullin

S. Kovalenko, V. Lim, V. Ponomarev, V. Shapiro, A. Vinokurtsev (Gazprom Gaznadzor), A. Filippov (Gazprom), D. Alexeev, A. Andreev, D. Plishkin (Gazprom Dobycha Astrakhan)

Nominating company: Gazprom Gaznadzor.

Development and adoption of a highly automated gas production system which is based on lightly manned technologies of natural gas production, treatment and transmission

An automated gas production system has been developed that uses skid-based well pad modules, providing the gas wells within a pad with remote and automated flow rate control, gas flow metering, and detection of solid particles and liquid droplets, with transmission of the required information to higher-level control systems.

The implementation of the automated gas production system at the Muravlenkovskoye gas-and-oil field has made it possible to exercise centralized control over geographically dispersed production facilities with a minimum participation of servicing personnel. With the new control algorithms, gas production and treatment modes have been optimized, and the possibility of automated performance of all standard operations of the production system – namely, startup, shutdown, work in the selected modes, etc. – has been provided.

Supervisor of the work: K. Stepovoy

S. Moroz, A. Zaitsev (Gazprom Dobycha Noyabrsk), D. Dikamov, V. Minlikaev, V. Stolyarov (Gazprom), N. Bobrikov, R. Garifullin, A. Krotov, Yu. Raushkin (Gazprom Avtomatizatsiya)

Nominating company: Gazprom Dobycha Noyabrsk.

Development and adoption of the MLTK-20 mobile laser technological complex for killing blowouts at gas and oil wells

A mobile laser technological complex for remote (at a distance of up to 70 meters) cutting of wellhead equipment, metal structures and other large component parts has been created; said items can then be dismantled and removed from the wellhead area of a blowing well with no need for the emergency response personnel to be personally present in the dangerous area.

The developed solution has no analogues; 90 per cent of its components are of Russian make.

The adoption of the MLTK-20 mobile laser technological complex has made it possible to considerably reduce the time required for performing emergency response works, ensure a high level of safety for emergency response personnel, and significantly reduce hydrocarbon losses and harmful emissions to the atmosphere in the event of gas and oil blowouts at Gazprom's fields.

Supervisor of the work: V. Solomakhin

B. Dovbnya, T. Povtareva, I. Safonov (Gazprom Gazobezopasnost), D. Belsky (Gazprom), S. Durmanov, A. Krasyukov, G. Smirnov (State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation TRINITY (Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Thermonuclear Research))

Nominating company: Gazprom Gazobezopasnost.

Development and adoption of highly prefabricated modular skid equipment with unified automation systems for gas metering stations

New unified solutions for commercial gas flow metering have been developed and adopted, which ensure the functioning of metering systems in an automated control mode with a faster response to deviations in the parameters of technological processes.

The metering equipment is intended for delivery to Gazprom's gas metering stations as complete modular skids. The adoption of said equipment has ensured unification, reliability and enhanced accuracy of measurements with regard to the flow rate and quality of gas, and has made it possible to reduce the cost of design development activities, construction & installation works and operation of gas metering stations.

Supervisor of the work: A. Verbilo

E. Bezborodkin, S. Boyko, V. Mikhalenko, Yu. Smirnov, S. Zamakhin (Gazprom Transgaz Moscow), P. Bakhmetiev (Gazprom), S. Gorbunov (Gazprom Avtomatizatsiya), G. Filippov, V. Karyuk (BINAR Association)

Nominating company: Gazprom Transgaz Moscow.

Comprehensive renovation of electrically driven compressor stations with the use of lightly manned technologies and cutting-edge technical solutions based on the principles of reliability and cost-effectiveness

Comprehensive technical solutions have been developed with regard to the renovation of electrically driven compressor stations, which makes it possible to ensure a higher operational reliability, safety, energy efficiency, and effectiveness of control over technological processes at such facilities.

The use of electrically driven gas compressor units that feature an active magnetic suspension system and frequency regulation has made it possible to increase the efficiency of said units, raise the effectiveness of the operative control over the gas-dynamic parameters of compressor stations, as well as increase the lifetime of process equipment and the level of its fire safety and eco-friendliness.

The use of the automated technological process control systems has made it possible to reduce the workload of operating personnel and enhance the accuracy of control over the operation of electrically driven gas compressor units.

Supervisor of the work: A. Titov

I. Alymov, A. Ivakov, A. Maslov, E. Osokin, B. Syarg (Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk), V. Baryshev, V. Markelov, A. Shagov (Gazprom), N. Shalai (Mashexport)

Nominating company: Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk.