Calidus Focuses on First Downhole Camera with 'Live' Images

14 February 2013

Wide angle, full HD video downhole camera inspection tool

Downhole tools specialist, Calidus Engineering is focusing on the development of new CaliCAM downhole camera tools designed to give engineers unprecedented access to wide angle, full HD video images of the well bore hole. For the first time, engineers will be able to see 'live' images of the well, enabling visual confirmation of inspection points.

Until now, obtaining downhole images has been a laborious task of finding and repeatedly passing inspection points to take still images of the well wall in sections by rotating a mirror or prism placed in front of the camera, to give a complete picture. The CaliCAM uses a wide angle lens to give a more thorough inspection; the entire inside of the well is recorded, rather than just one part of it. All images are recorded in a single run, in full HD video rather than still images, significantly reducing downhole inspection times.

Designed to withstand temperatures up to 125oC, the CaliCAM downhole camera comprises a colour high definition (full HD) sensor housed in a heat resistant Dewar flask. The 2.25” (5.7 cm) diameter tool includes a 4 arm roller centraliser and runs in surface readout mode on standard wireline monocable. Video is transmitted to the surface at 5fps over E-line. Higher resolution video is recorded on to a PC compatible, 32GB SD card, providing at least 5 hours recording, for later download via Ethernet.

"The CaliCAM will revolutionise downhole inspections,” says Brian Green, managing director, Calidus Engineering. "The combination of 'wide-angle lens, high quality video recording and 'live' images mean we can obtain better quality images in far less time, and with a simpler, more robust, inspection procedure.”