Only 4 years ago, Premium introduced their very first fully electric, set-point pressure-control MPD choke. They set out with a goal of having 200/100 total RCD/MPD US based rigs by January and have far exceeded expectations.
As of January 27, 2025, Premium reported 201 concurrently active RCD/MPD rigs, and 111 MPD rigs. “I do not know of any RCD or MPD product or technology that has achieved such a high level of customer acceptance in such a short period of time”, stated Cam Hewell, President and CEO of Premium. “Our unbelievable 42% growth over the past 12 months alone (in the face of a shrinking rig count!) is a tribute to the great team we have here and the industry-disrupting technology that we have developed.”
Premium’s MPD systems are cloud-enabled and are monitored 24/7/365 from their technology center in Houston. The Remote Real-time Operations Center can identify whether a choke needs periodic maintenance or if the rig is not utilizing the system efficiently. If needed, Premium is able to dispatch a technician immediately to the rig, before anyone at the rig even knows there is an issue.
Hewell added, “And we’re not done innovating and disrupting. We have some incredible new products and services coming in 2025. We have just installed our first all-electric well-control choke, which runs off of the same touchscreen control panel that controls our MPD system. Weekly virtual/remote (or in-person) test validations of the well-control system….check, we’ve got that.”
Premium is celebrating many new product advancements in the coming year. Their first offshore 5k psi RCD will begin testing in Q1 2025. The newly introduced Patriot RCD elements are regularly drilling 100,000 ft. before having to be changed. The AirForce quick-opening (and closing) remotely operated bleeder valve, which was introduced in December, allows rigs to remotely actuate the standpipe 2” bleed off valve, thus reducing connection time and keeping personnel out of harm’s way.
Premium also released a new version of the TruFlow™ Real-Time MPD Hydraulics software that adds support for fluid tracking and rollovers (single and multiple densities/rheology), allowing dynamic calculations of choke back-pressure in real time as new fluid circulates through the drill string and annulus. In the next 2-3 months, they will release a field version for EDR integration (via WITS) and choke (SBP setpoint) automation, as well as transient drilling hydraulics considerations (including temperature effects, u-tubing, et cetera).
Premium is dedicated to providing advanced solutions for unconventional drilling. Contact us today to discover a new digital oilfield!
#JoinTheRebellion
