MechLOK Drill Pipe Swivel™ - A Worldwide First

Interview with CEO, David Stephenson, Deep Casing Tools

Since 2008, Deep Casing Tools has been helping global oil and gas companies achieve exceptional results with its range of smart, simple and proven technologies that reduce time, cost and risk.

Working in an industry which has traditionally focused on high-end products to suit high value , expensive wells, Deep Casing Tools has stuck by its philosophy of ‘simple innovation’, centred around providing complete solutions. Chief Executive Officer, David Stephenson, discusses DCT’s latest technology - the MechLOK Drill Pipe Swivel™.

Can you tell us about the MechLOK Drill Pipe Swivel™ and how it works?

Initially conceived in 2015, our MechLOK technology has created the world’s first mechanically lockable Drill Pipe Swivel, designed for ERD well liner installations. This drill-string deployed swivel tool allows the drill pipe above the tool to be rotated independently of the string below it, usually a liner string. This important feature allows frictional drag and buckling to be reduced so that previously unavailable string weight can be used to push liners into ERD wells, hitting target depth, without relying on any hydraulic pressure.

What can this technology bring to the industry?

ERD wells are becoming longer and more extensive, making it harder than ever to reach target depth in a well that can have torque and drag issues. This tool can be run on any string, whilst still protecting assets below from these problems, without the need for any heavyweight collars or drill pipes. Without a doubt, what makes this innovative technology stand out, is that the tool can be locked and prevented from swivelling immediately by a simple, mechanical manipulation of the drill-string. Once locked, the tool can be rotated to the right or left in tension or compression, therefore mitigating the HSE risk involved in handling multiple roller bearing subs or alternative drag reducing tools.

In comparison to conventional technology available on the market, what can the tool do differently?

In trials, our MechLOK tool achieved results 50% quicker than conventional technology, proving operators can reach target depth more cost efficiently without compromising safety.

It is also important to note that due to minimal man power required, using MechLOK Drill Pipe Swivel ensures a huge reduction in risk in comparison to common solutions found in the market today.

Looking into the future, what are you working towards? Are there any new technologies in the pipeline?

With our new senior leadership team, combined with support from EV Private Equity, we are looking to diversity our product portfolio and seize new opportunities, such as the USA shale and fracking land market. Our SelfLOK Flotation Device™ technology, currently under development, is one example of this and designed to help float liners to target depth more cost-effectively.

It will offer users a reduced drag profile and enable long liner strings to be floated to target depth in unconventional ERD wells commonly found in the US land market.

We stand by our ideology of simple innovation, which has enabled us to continuously improve and adapt products to meet customer needs across all territories, conditions and well lifecycle stages of the upstream global oil and gas industry.