Area Development
A state of the art oilfield testing facility for companies who are innovating new drilling, completion, and production petro physical technologies, Catoosa Test Facility completed a $2.5 million dollar expansion at its facility in Pawnee County, Oklahoma.

The expansion will double borehole testing capacity for oilfield manufacturers in the research and development phase of new product development. Located between Stillwater and Tulsa, Oklahoma, the company offers two drilling rigs capable of moving between multiple horizontal and vertical test wells offering both cased and open hole design. The company’s engineering department oversees drilling operations, coiled tubing operations, an onsite mud laboratory, fabrication shops, and a confidential customer data room where clients monitor testing.

The expansion will also enable CTF to add a second drilling rig which will allow 18 additional test wells. The new triple rig has a Tesco 500 Top Drive, two 1300 HP triplex mud pumps, and the first MudCube solids control system in the U.S., a new technology by CUBILITY, utilizing high air flow and vacuum to replace traditional shakers.

Dale Arnold, CTF Facilities Manager, added, “Technology focused companies who are developing new tools and instruments prefer real world test conditions instead of simulations in a laboratory. The new rig allows us to create new jobs and expand our testing capacity with a variety of cased boreholes up to 20” wide and 2000’ deep, in our low risk, cost effective, and confidential environment.”

Both of CTF’s research rigs use a pivoting rail system to move between test wells drilled to different stratigraphic formations and casing sizes, which provide clients with a variety of operating conditions. Both oil and water based mud is available. Examples of testing include rotary-steerable tools, test loops, solids control, wire lines, bits, fishing tools, MWD’s and almost any downhole device.

CTF was formed by Amoco 30 years ago. Private investors purchased the company in 2011 and made testing services available to major oilfield companies including NOV, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Weatherford, GE, Enventure, Chevron and Shell.