This paper deals with new drilling technologies and is focused on their ability to reduce capital expenditure per barrel produced. During the last decade, they have greatly contributed both to improve production and reserves but also to decrease operational costs. TOTAL has been involved in these unconventional technologies all over the world and has used them for numerous original applications

  • ERD to reach offshore reserves from onshore facilities (Argentina),

  • ERD to test a marginal panel from existing offshore facilities (North Sea),

  • Multilaterals to explore and delineate a blind zone (Libya), to improve production and to increase reserves (Libya, North Sea) or to revitalise a mature field (Middle East).

Unconventional drilling technologies play a key role today where conventional technologies are not fully efficient to keep development profitable. With time, smart drilling which appeared at the end of the 80’s has progressively become a must for any field development.

Keywords:
argentina, north sea, unconventional drilling technology, lateral, reservoir, platform, society of petroleum engineers, erd, architecture, productivity
Subjects:
Drilling Operations, Pressure Management, Reservoir Characterization, Formation Evaluation & Management, Directional drilling
Copyright 1999, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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