APPLICATIONS A micro-engineered flow divider-based bearing lubrication solution developed by gear metering specialist Slack & Parr has been adopted by well intervention operators in the oil and gas market. The technology was first developed to enhance operating efficiency and extend lifetime in a wide range of machinery applications by delivering precise and continuous flows of oil to the bearings in order to reduce friction and maintain long-term performance. The solution has now been tailored for the well intervention market where it is being used to optimise technology performance over years of continuous operation in deep and difficult subsurface and subsea conditions. The geared device is adapted to the exact requirements of each application but can be engineered with multiple outlets (4- and 6-outlet designs have already been deployed in natural gas applications in the USA) and built with an extremely small footprint, measuring as little as 2.5” diameter. Well intervention systems are designed to increase production and recovery of oil and natural gas from existing wells. The technology is deployed deep within the well, typically at a depth of one or two miles, where it is used to force oil and gas up through the well to the surface. The strategy enables operators to extract additional resources from existing well reserves rather than drilling new ones and serves as a more cost effective and environmentally sustainable option, particularly for mature assets that show signs of decline. Slack & Parr’s lubrication device has been designed within an extremely small footprint to fit within the restricted housing of the down-hole intervention equipment, which is inherently narrow due to the size of the original drilling equipment. These are exceptionally small dimensions for a flow divider, but the company has extensive experience engineering small-footprint, low-capacity metering technologies with small gears that deliver low flow rates, including a range of high-precision pumps which are used to meter spin finish emulsions for yarns in the international manmade fibre industry. Each component has been engineered to high tolerances and small geometries to achieve extremely precise flows of oil. By adjusting the exact diameter and thickness of individual gears and their corresponding gear plates, Slack & Parr is able to deliver precise volumes of flow at different pressures to each moving component and so achieve optimal levels of lubrication throughout the system. The company says that Incorporating its lubrication system allows service companies and operators to extend the lifetime performance of their subsurface technologies by protecting moving parts that are most susceptible to wear and tear. To increase durability and withstand the corrosive nature of gases and chemicals and the harsh environmental conditions, Slack & Parr has engineered its solution from hardened steel and Inconel – an extremely durable material typically used in the aerospace industry. Ceramic options are also available for the most extreme environments. Neil Anderton, Industrial Director at Slack & Parr, commented: “This technology is relevant in any machine application where high precision bearing lubrication is a critical part of operation and lifetime. In the oil and gas market, it offers operators a high level of control and the potential to fine tune their subsurface technologies in terms of efficiency, productivity and durability. “We’re able to offer truly bespoke solutions to meet the exact requirements of each application based on engineering principles and technologies that have been tried and tested over many decades to deliver the precision, reliability and endurance that they and their customers need.” For further information please visit: www.slackandparr.com 32 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS November/December 2025 www.hpmag.co.uk H&P looks at a high-precision bearing lubrication solution that enhances performance of well intervention systems in the oil and gas sector. Precision lubrication technology boosts well intervention system performance
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