Poor drilling performance can lead to increased costs when enhanced drilling performance and extended reach are the main goals for oil operators. Service companies and operators can use the latest technology and several pre-well planning processes and methods to enhance drilling operations effectively and attain these goals. These processes include developing a thorough understanding and application of the geological structure and conducting a formal planning process that incorporates all aspects of drilling, well design, formation evaluation, bit selection and bottomhole assembly.

In this dynamic market where companies are trying to minimize the cost and attain the objective, basic planning and execution using the latest advanced technology are not enough to provide significant performance improvements.

Extensive job planning, including sensitivity analysis, is essential. During the execution phase, close monitoring of drilling parameters and continual testing against modeled data help identify hazards early.

Enabling quick and informed decisions to ensure safe and efficient drilling in a challenging environment will be one of the main factors to improve performance.

Using the right downhole optimization tool with highly experienced engineers enable the interaction with real-time parameters. That's the key factor to overcome extended-reach challenges such as

  • Steering in different environments

  • Vibrations

  • Transfer of usable energy

  • Hole cleaning and quality indications

Supporting downhole optimization with real-time geomechanics will influence the success rate to deliver the expected performance. The involvement of geomechanics in the planning stage and during execution enables faster and safer drilling and resolves many challenges in extend-reach wells such as

  • Wellbore stability

  • Hole quality

  • Hole cleaning

  • Pressure management

  • Torque and drag

  • Mud system and properties

This paper highlights the importance of utilizing a downhole optimization tool and real-time geomechanics by describing a case study from the Middle East.

This content is only available via PDF.
You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.