Abstract
A rapid acceptance of the rotary steerable drilling system by the drilling teams of the Niger Delta operators has been occasioned by the increasing difficulties associated with directional drilling in this region. Excluding new discoveries in the deep offshore region, operators have focussed largely on finding economic and competitive ways of exploiting the mature fields already developed beyond the reach of available technologies, and the rotary steerable system presents the opportunity for further development of these fields.
A major operator deployed the rotary steerable system for the first time in Nigeria early 2000. The result was a noticeable improvement in well delivery time, and significant drilling cost reduction for the project. Today, few years after inception, the system has gained wide acceptance and its application has resulted in numerous runs on several projects for these operators, with each reporting marked improvement in drilling performance and significant associated cost reduction. This paper details application of the tool in solving complex field directional drilling problems, ranging from penetration rates to drillability beyond the scope of the conventional mud motor in the Niger Delta.
Improvement modules to the tools facilitated by field experiences and the future of the technology are also discussed.
