API SC13 WINTER MEETING

January 22, 2009

San Antonio, TX

Chair: Keith MortonVice-Chair: Paul ScottSecretary: Judy Guy-Caffey

Meeting started at 8:00 A.M. Keiththanked all the attendees for coming to the meeting as well as the sponsors for Tuesday night’s Social.

Call to Order: Members Present or Represented – 23 (K. Morton, P. Scott, J. Guy-Caffey, A. Balestrini, W. Benton, D. Breeden, R. Caenn, D. Dino, D. Ekas, J. Estes, B. Estes, P. Javora, M. Mas,L. Mitchell, S. Polnaszek, L. Robinson, T. Shumate, A. Son, C. Stark, C. Steele, C. Stouffer, D. Weintritt and T. Wilkin)out of 37, constituting a quorum.

Review and Approve Previous Meeting Minutes/Action Items

Keith asked for comments on the June 2008 meeting minutes. No comments were made. Keithasked for a motion to approve the minutes. Jack Estesmade the motion and Del Son seconded. The attendees voted to accept the minutes as written.

Keithreviewed the list of action items from the June2008 meeting:

  • NWI – preamble for new specifications/procedures (All TGs, WGs): proposal brought forth by Leon Robinson; Cheryl discussed inclusion of preamble in her TG2 Publications presentation; Keith indicated we will move forward with the proposal.
  • Provide TG4 with results of the Particle Sizing of Barite/Calcium Carbonate by Laser Diffraction from TG1 (TG1): Keith has not gathered all of information yet, but once he does he will give it to David Breeden.
  • Letter ballot – sand content; Letter ballot – direct-indicating viscometer temperatures (TG3): These are in progress.
  • Hand over API TG4 materials to David Breeden (TG4):Hand over is complete.
  • Edit document to read bottom of meniscus (TG4/WG1): This has been done and is included in the letter ballot.
  • Provide drawing of how the meniscus should be read (TG4/WG1): Cheryl completed a line drawing.
  • Conduct water based mud retort round robin (TG4/WG1): A decision was made not to proceed with this testing.
  • Prepare guidelines for relationship of pore throat diameter and permeability specific to ceramic disks (TG4/WG2): This was discussed at the last WG meeting that Larry Mitchell held, but there is still not a consensus. Larry has scheduled another WG meeting on Thu., Jan. 29 at 1:30 PM at OFI.
  • Return remaining funds to API (TG4/WG2): Approximately $7000 was returned to API.
  • Ensure minutes from TG4 contains digital copy of report from PoroTechnology (TG4/WG2):Keith will talk to John Neasham at PoroTechnologyabout getting a final report.
  • Get agreement from Fann Instruments on new ceramic disk classification (TG4/WG2): There is a loose agreement but Fann is not going to publish anything just yet. This will be pursued at the WG meeting on Jan. 29.
  • Determine method to do d10 and d90 calculations (TG4/WG2): This will be addressed at the WG meeting on Jan. 29.
  • Review Newpark Lab’s abrasivity testing as alternative approach (TG4): David Breeden indicated this is on hold pending additional information from PDVSA.
  • Review methods to determine concentration of formates in the water phase (TG4): William Benton gave presentation earlier on testing of formate brines. Inclusion of these methods in RP 13B1 is being considered.
  • Letter ballot – shale shaker screen labeling (TG5): Cheryl Stark indicated this letter ballot is ready to be sent out.
  • Letter ballot – Finder’s method (TG5): Cheryl Stark indicated this letter ballot is ready to be sent out.
  • NWI – new WG on screen conformance verification (TG5): This is Leon Robinson’s NWI on education.
  • Add M-I’s request to determine minimum thiocyanate level in CRA testing to potential project list (TG6): This will be brought up to the CRA group to decide how to proceed.
  • Forward API CRA information to David Ekas, Brent Estes (TG6): Both Marathon and ExxonMobil as well as ARAMCO have joined the CRA project.
  • Letter ballot – 4.1 barite (TG8): This letter ballot has been prepared and is on the list to be sent out. Tim Wilkin raised the issue of monogramming 4.1 barite.
  • Distribute 13A packaging section to TG8 for review (TG8):Andrea Balestrini will prepare a draft. Andrea needs a copy of the most recent voted on and approved version of 13A.
  • Forward xanthan gum Brookfield measurement issues to Mac Seheult (TG8):Keith indicated that Mac said he would get it done.
  • Write document on starch specifications (TG8):Andrea Balestrini indicated Saleh Al-Ammari is supposed to be at the next meeting. He will be given a last chance to provide the documentation; otherwise the proposal will be dropped.
  • Contact Steve Polnaszek about turning over chair position to Ed Malachosky (Business Practices WG): Steve has reclaimed his position as chair. Ed will serve as vice-chair.
  • SC13chair will serve as convenor of ISO WG1 (SC13): This is a done deal.
  • Send Mario Zamora’s document management ideas to ECS (SC13):Keith sent it to Brad Bellinger, who has since resigned. Keith has now passed it on to Brad’s replacement, Shail Ghaey, to review. Cheryl Stark indicated it should also be sent to Rick Torgersen, ECS chair.

Welcome New Participants

Keith welcomed new participants – Shannon Sobkowiak with Baroid Drilling Fluids, Kim Burrowswith Baroid and Linsen Zhang with Intertek.

Upcoming Meetings

SC13 2009 meeting: Summer – June 22-26, Westminster, Colorado (Tue. start date)

SC13 2010 meeting: Winter – January 25-29, New Orleans

There was discussion regarding the possibility of holding the 2010 Winter meeting at an alternative location.

SC13 2010 meeting: Summer – June 28-July 2, Washington, DC

New Work Items or Published Manuscripts:

NWIs which need to be submitted:

  1. New WG for TG5 to educate industry about API screen designations (Leon Robinson)
  2. Couple of NWIs proposed for TG4 (David Breeden)

Manuscripts:

  1. Paper on new specifications for PAC and xanthan gum for the SPE meeting in March (Andrea Balestrini)
  2. Paper on 4.1 barite (Tim Wilkin)

Task Group Reports:

a. TG02 Publications(Cheryl Stark, Chair). Cheryl reported that TG2 met on 1/21. All TG2 members were present and two new members volunteered. TG2 works with the subcommittee and WG chairmen to make certain that their documents are editorially correct, formatted properly, and that drawings are included with them.

Five documents were approved within ISO in 2008. SC13 needs to adopt them back into the API literature:

  1. 13500 (13A)
  2. 10414-1 (13B-1)
  3. 10416 (13-I)
  4. 13503-2 (13M-2)
  5. 13503-5 (13M-5)

Other ballot items will be coming from several API projects that are wrapping up:

  • HPHT testing at 10,000 psi
  • Oil-based drilling fluid sand content testing
  • SAG testing of barite
  • Retort testing for oil-based drilling fluids
  • Shale shaker screen labeling
  • Screen testing by Finder’s method
  • Barite 4.10 specifications

Cheryl suggested complete revision of 13501 (13C) and 13503-3 (13J) be considered since their mandatory review periods are approaching. Other potential work items include ceramic filtration media and 13K.

Cheryl has recently retired from BP. She contacted API and they have agreed to pay her expenses to attend the meetings.

b. TG03Oil Mud Testing Procedures (Ron Bland, Chair). Peter Bern reported for Ron Bland. Thecharge for the group is to recommend needed changes and develop oil mud testing procedures. There are three active WGs.

WG1 Chemical Analysis of OBM (Tom Shumate, Chair). There hasn’t been a great deal of progress in the last six months, however Tom has committed to re-energizing the group.

WG2 HPHT Viscometer Procedures (Keith Morton, Chair). The group is charged with developing a recommended practice for direct-indicating HPHT viscometers. There have been a number of round robin studies. A draft procedure is planned to go to letter ballot in 2009.

WG3 Barite SAG (Peter Bern, Chair). The draft document is currently being worked on by Cheryl.

Miscellaneous discussion items included revisions to RP 13B2, viscometer testing temperatures for deepwater, sand content procedure and the Arcasolve issue.

Peter discussed the need for someone to take over as chair of TG3 in light of Ron Bland’s resignation.

c. TG04Testing of Drilling Fluids (David Breeden, Chair). The TG has voted to pull the PAC testing out of 13I, leaving it just in 13A. Cheryl indicated this change is only editorial.

There are currently two work groups – one on retort and one on ceramic disks. The retort group is ready for letter ballot. The ceramic disks group has only one minor bone of contention that should be worked out in the next week or two.

Two new work groups have been proposed, so NWIs need to be submitted. One is for drill solids simulation material for us in fluid testing. The second is cake compressibility. Both groups have volunteers for chair and five or six work group members.

Three potential new items for future work include PDVSA’s abrasivity testing method, formate testing and calcium carbonate/barite particle size determination.

David indicated he found the missing minutes from the Jan. 2008 TG4 meeting and will forward those to the secretary.

d. TG05Solids Control Equipment (Leon Robinson, Chair). A TG meeting was held on 1/21. The previous meeting on 12/3 had no quorum. The group has two types of membership – voting members and and non-voting members. To maintain parity, each operator is paired with a service company. Each company designates one person to be the voting member. Because the group frequently has no quorum, a policy has been approved to remove members from the voting group after failure to attend three consecutive meetings. They can be reinstated after attending two consecutive meetings.

There are two active work groups. One group is adding calculations to solids control equipment. A new work group was formed with the charge to inform the industry about API RP 13C (ISO 13501) with regard to screen designations.

Tom Shumate asked if TG members need to be physically present or whether teleconferences could be held. Mark Crabbe suggested that people be allowed to send a substitute.

e.TG06Testing of Heavy Brines (Paul Javora, Chair). TG6 met yesterday and reviewedthe charges for the task group and the individual work groups. The corrosion WG has prepared a draft document as an annex to RP13J which hasbeen peer-reviewed and is ready to be put into ISO format. The buffer capacity WG is conducting its last round robin study. Necessary adjustments to the procedure will be written and a final document should be ready by June 2009. The PCT WG is also conducting its last round robin study. The draft document will be revised as necessary pending the results of the last round robin and sent to Cheryl to be put into the ISO format. The WG on future projects for TG6 has generated a list of potential projects which will be distributed for feedback by the end of February in preparation for a WG meeting.

f. TG08Material Specifications (Andrea Balestrini, Chair). TG8’s work is published in API 13A (ISO 13500). TG8 met on 2/21 with a quorum.

TG8 has four WGs. WG1 on PAC specifications and WG2 on xanthan gum specifications have completed their tasks. Their work has been summarized in a paper that will be presented in Amsterdam at the next SPE meeting. WG3 on barite 4.1 specifications expects their document to go out for ballot in the next month or so. WG4 on barite chemical analysis (13K) is pending and will hopefully be done by the next meeting.

A potential new business item on saponite was presented by Bill Meiss. Andrea circulated the data to the TG members and would appreciate their comments. Mac Seheult has agreed to complete revisions to the xanthan gum procedure. Saleh Al-Ammari was given until the June 2009 meeting to respond regarding proposed starch specification revisions.

  1. SC13 Business Practices (Steve Polnaszek, Chair). The group lost two members – Harry Dearing and Jim Berger, but added a new member – David Ekas. The group’s charge is to review, improve, validate and document SC13 business practices. Ed Malachosky will serve as vice-chair.

Old Business: One item is the proposal by Maria Zamora for document retention. Brad Bellinger was going to review the proposal, but has since left API. Keith discussed the issue with Brad’s replacement, Shail Ghaey, who will take a look at it. Cheryl mentioned Rick Torgersen as another person to review the proposal.

Jack Estes brought up an issue related to field testing (13B-1, 13B-2) versus laboratory testing (13I) of drilling fluids. Cheryl indicated that API has been very diligent about keeping the two separate.

Shannon Stocks brought up the issue of logistics if SC13 were to break away from SC10 and SC5 to change the venue for the next Winter meeting currently slated for New Orleans. Shail Ghaey will let the meeting coordinators know that New Orleans is not a desired location, but she cannot guarantee that they will be able to change the location for this meeting.

New Business: The current meeting format is repetitive. Keith had a discussion yesterday with Shail Ghaey on this issue and they are proposing a different format for the Summer meeting so that things are not repeated three times. Ideas that are being considered:

  • Hold longer WG meetings (2 to 3 hours) that would run concurrently
  • Reduce time frame of the meetings to two days
  • Combine WG meetings inside of TG meetings

Steve Polnaszek brought up the issue of the current practice of moving up individual meeting times when previous meetings conclude early. People planning to come only to particular meetings show up at the originally scheduled time only to find that the meeting has already started.

Cheryl suggested one way to control WG meetings is to have closed meetings (only WG members present). Shail Ghaey stated that API does not allow closed meetings, but visitors’ contributions can be regulated.

Cheryl suggested that all TGs and WGs send a list of their members to Judy and Keith. Judy indicated this information would be useful for scheduling purposes if we do go to concurrent WG meetings. David Ekas inquired about making the lists available. Shail Ghaey indicated people can sign in to My Committees and send rosters to her. Judy and Keith will put together a list of TG and WG members.

Peter Bern suggested the creation of a project plan for SC13 that would include timelines for various TGs and WGs.

Paul Javora asked about the SC13 social. Keith indicated it is not an API-sponsored event. Judy will take on the responsibility of securing the next service company sponsor.

Action Items:

Action items generated during the course of the meeting were discussed:

  • Few remaining action items from June 2008
  • 13 letter ballot items
  • TG4: Provide David Breeden with results of the Particle Sizing of Barite/Calcium Carbonate by Laser Diffraction from TG1 (Keith Morton)
  • TG8:
  • Material packaging needs to be resolved
  • Potential starch adulteration of xanthan gum
  • Write document on starch specifications (Saleh Al-Ammari)
  • Mario Zamora’s document management ideas request
  • Get vote on Barite 4.1 in before writing industry paper
  • Develop a TG/WG roster
  • Review Peter Bern’s suggestions to determine how to improve things

Adjournment: Keith asked for a motion to adjourn which was passed unaminously.

Attachments: a. WG and TG reports

b. Meeting Agenda

c. Action Items

Respectfully Submitted:

Judy Guy-Caffey

SC 13 Secretary

March 10, 2009

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