Schlumberger announced at the Offshore Europe 2011 Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition the release of the FORTRESS isolation valve. The FORTRESS valve is designed to simplify the transition from upper completion to production without the need for intervention. “The FORTRESS isolation valve was designed based on field-proven experience and extensive testing related to debris accumulation,” said Mike Garding, president, Schlumberger Completions. “The new valve serves as a bidirectional barrier valve that exceeds ISO 28781 standards to the point of providing a bubble-tight barrier. This barrier enables increased safety, especially in applications such as deepwater where high differential pressure is required.