Well Drilling & Construction technologies have gained more widespread attention in the past 4-5 years.
The Wells Task Force’s Reservoir and Wells Optimisation group are focussed on DHSV interventions, to assist Operators with solutions for rigless wireline deployed DHSV’s enabling repair/replacement without a full workover.
Solutions for lower-cost wells and digital well planning continue to show increasing traction in the industry.
In this year’s Operators’ Technology Plans specific designs and technologies for CO2 storage are also emerging.
In this year’s Operators’ Plans specific designs and technologies for CO2 storage are also emerging.
Well Drilling & Construction technologies
- Operators’ technology focus spreads across all aspects of well planning and delivery.
- Advances in general well planning and drilling technologies are complemented by more specific technologies for special wells (e.g. extended-reach and multi-laterals) or drilled in thin reservoirs (e.g. using geo-steering)
- 11 Operators carry at least 5 Wells technologies in their current Technology Plans, and 10 more Operators report at least 1 technology
- This level of interest is commensurate with the number of Operators currently engaged in exploration and/or development drilling
80% of technologies reported have had at least one field deployment (Proven, TRL 9, or Early Commercialisation, TRL 8)
There is reliance on Vendors’ supply for the majority of technologies (65% of the total).
Operators are involved in the development and pilot stages of the remaining 35% technologies, mostly in partnership with Vendors.
Readiness definitions: Early Development (TRL 1-4), Late Development/Pilot (TRL 5-7), Early commercialisation (TRL 8), Proven (TRL 9)
Growth in digital well planning by using and adopting AI is reported by a larger range of operators this year. Specific design & planning technologies for CO2 storage wells are also on the increase. Some aspects of CO2 well design are more mature this year and DHSV design is now achieving TRL 8. Emerging technologies include well metallurgy advances and drilling collision software. New this year are wellbore master manager and directional survey software, subsurface illumination and open hole gravel packing with zonal isolation.
- Lower completion design - Open hole gravel packing combined with zonal isolation.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Wellbore Master Manager and Directional Survey (WMM & DS) on SDU
- Aligns well engineering and subsurface data to ensure we are always using the exact same definition of a well/wellbore & directional survey. WMM & DS provides a single master source of well/wellbore and directional survey.- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Subsurface illumination - enables 3D visualisation of the subsurface while drilling and delivers automated high-resolution models in real time. Feasibility confirmed for future use.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Geosteering - Use of technology during development to optimise well placement and completion.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Digital Well Planning - Digital well construction planning solution that will allow you to maximize the results from your teams by giving them access to all the data and science they need in a single, common system.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Well Activity Reporting Portal (WARP) - Digital Well Activity Reporting Portal - to improve drilling efficiencies and working practices
- TRL 9 Commercially available
| Technology Example: | |
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SLB DrillPlan Software DrillPlan well construction planning solution provides well planning teams access to data and science in a single, common system. It automates repetitive tasks and validation workflows. Technology example link |
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- Well planning using artificial intelligence - Work with external provider to develop AI well planning too. Fast turnaround alternative well path trajectory screening.
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
- DHSV Design for CO2 injection - Initial flow assurance results have indicated cryogenic injection conditions for the majority of the wells design life. Among the challenges associated with this is the impact of the cold temperatures on the ability of the DHSV (Down Hole Safety Valve) to successfully close and seal the well when required.
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
- Well Design for Carbon storage -Explore the latest CO2 well-design requirements and technology. Reinjection of CO2 in north sea depleted reservoirs presents challenges on well design such as material, low temps, flow assurance and re-entry into severely depleted reservoirs
- TRL 5-7 Late Development/Pilot
- Reduce/eliminate risk of drilling collision issues caused by high well density and positional uncertainties
- TRL 5-7 Late Development/Pilot
Technologies include digital solutions for drilling controls, technologies for high accuracy surveying while drilling, and drill bit modification and optimisation techniques. New this year is an advanced geosteering resistivity tool.
- Ultra-Deep Resistivity Service - Advanced geosteering resistivity tool to place wells more accurately in the reservoir.
- TRL 9 Proven Technologies
| Technology Example: | |||
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The EarthStar ultra-deep resistivity service is an innovative logging-while-drilling (LWD) technology that illuminates the reservoir by revealing reservoir formations and fluid boundaries up to 225 feet (68 meters) around the wellbore. It enables operators to position production boreholes accurately while mapping large volumes of the reservoir. |
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- Advanced geosteering resistivity tool to place wells more accurately in the reservoir.
- TRL 9 Proven Technologies
- Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) with slim hole design - slim hole design be stimulated by hydraulic fracturing.
- TRL 9 Proven Technologies
- High Departure HPHT Wells - High Departure to reach near field HPHT prospects
- TRL 9 Proven Technologies
- Directional Drilling Tools - High accuracy surveying to reduce error ellipses in ERD wells. Dual inclination and other survey tool combinations to reduce vertical and lateral error ellipses
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
| Technology Example: | |||
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High accuracy surveying to reduce error ellipses in ERD wells. Dual inclination and other survey tool combinations. |
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- Drill Bit Modification and Optimisation -Research and development with service companies to continue to drive reliability, durability and reduce trips
- TRL 5-7 Late Development/Pilot
Drilling Equipment sub-category continues to show high quality solutions for improving well access for interventions, managed pressure drilling technologies and low-cost platform workover rigs/modular drilling rig systems. New this year are completion insertion and removal under pressure equipment, improved geosteering software & real time fluid parameter monitoring.
- Completion Insertion & Removal under Pressure technology – enables running and retrieving long gun strings under wellhead pressure when the surface pressure control equipment, or lubricator, is shorter than the gun string
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Geosteered Horizontal Wells - Several well designs have been implemented to overcome a low permeability reservoir in tight gas fields. To optimise the length drilled in the reservoir this tool was used as part of a 24hr/day geosteering operation managed with a mix of in office and remote working.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Real time fluid parameter monitoring - from standard mud gas and cutting data
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- A number of low-cost platform retrofittable workover rigs are being adopted such as lightweight wireline systems, and modular drilling rig systems
- TRL 9 Commercially available
| Technology Example: | |
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The new 90’ LynxTM Wire Line Mast is setting a new industry standard. Introducing superior efficiency, increased working environment and without the need for external cranes once installed. Also features BOP access in compliance with Norsok S-002. Technology example link |
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- Accurate Measurement of casing setting depth in pressure transition zone above reservoir - Small drilling margin in pressure transition zone
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
| Technology Example: | |
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Collect casing and cement integrity measurements any time you run drill pipe in the well, Reduce cost and rig time required to obtain well integrity data, Eliminate the need for a dedicated logging run. Technology example link |
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- CICM (Casing Integrity & Cement Mapping) tool - Used to measure casing wear. Technology has not been run in the UK North Sea. Collect casing and cement integrity measurements any time you run drill pipe in the well, Reduce cost and rig time required to obtain well integrity data, Eliminate the need for a dedicated logging run
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
- ROV augmented reality for subsea wellhead, tubing hanger and tree installation alignment
- TRL 5-7 Late Development/Pilot
MWD, LWD & Geosteering – Operators are using deployable technologies such as digital software using machine learning and AI for looking ahead of the bit during geosteering and logging while drilling, and UHD software to combine with HFTO dampening tools. New this year are an ultra deep resistivity LWD tool & an intelligent wireline formation testing platform.
- Geosteering with Ultra Deep Resistivity LWD Tool – supports tracking of horizontal sections to enable accurate landing of wells and controlling their path through the reservoir.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Intelligent Wireline Formation Testing Platform - enables real time data interpretation in a collaborative environment. Deep transient testing capabilities eliminate flaring and reduce carbon emissions. Deployment on wireline with standard crew increases operational agility and reduces footprint compared with DST.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Geosteering in thin reservoir intervals using LWD resistivity imaging technology to look ahead of the bit through inversion.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- CoPilot3 - In combination with HFTO dampener tool, CoPilot3 used to control torque applied at bit thus ensuring HFTO dampener tool operates within limits, but also optimizes downhole WOB, which appeared to improve ROP on first application compared to a direct offset well.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
| Technology Example: | |
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The CoPilot™ ultra-high-definition (UHD) service measures downhole drilling dynamics in real-time and records ultra-high-definition data to memory during dysfunctional drilling events Technology example link |
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- Geosteering software that assists realtime geosteering decision during drilling by matching LWD log response against offset wells or models.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Realtime automatic lithology - Real time automated lithology and geological risk predictions for safer and more efficient drilling.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Acquiring high resolution borehole images in oil base mud environments. borehole image logging tool operates in oil base muds and provides high resolution image previously only achievable with conductive water base muds which are rarely used these days.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
A range of deployable technologies for Drilling, Casing & Cementing are reported including small margin drilling in pressure transition zones, digital benchmarking tools & real time well engineering. New this year are alternative path gravel packing, loss circulation material optimisation & drilling fluid optimisation.
- Drilling management software – enables knowing the rig, crew and fleet performance with comprehensive visualisations, analytics and benchmarking to detect potential savings.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Drilling Fluid Optimisation – Oil based mud reservoir drilling fluid - high productivity from tight reservoirs & lower completion costs.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Loss Circulation Material - Optimisation minimises differential sticking issues and well control risks in depleted reservoirs. Development through understanding formation strength, geomechanics, drilling fluids and LCM properties
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Perf & Wash cement placement - Perf & Wash cement placement provides a lateral isolation across two separate isolation intervals
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- High temperature mud - High temperature mud in the operators reservoir.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Rheology mud - For a thinner and tougher filter cake, this system has a highly shear thinning rheology, no bit balling, improved ROP, significant shale encapsulation, and improved solids control efficiency
- TRL 9 Commercially available
| Technology Example: | |
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Pure-Bore® system has several advantages such as a highly shear thinning rheology, no bit balling, improved ROP, significant shale encapsulation, improved solids control efficiency through finer shaker screens hence reduced dilution volumes. |
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- Expandable Casing Patch - Identified risk of leak in existing 13 3/8" casing. As part of slot recovery programme, expandable casing patch was deployed to remediate. Patch was sized to allow subsequent drilling and casing cementing through the patch
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Real time well engineering, Ensuring optimal drilling is accomplished maximises the productivity of drilling activities.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Small Margin Drilling in Pressure Transition Zone - Accurate Measurement of casing setting depth in pressure transition zone above reservoir
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
- Alternative Path Gravel Packing - infill development wells drilled through reservoir sections which include interbedded shales can cause issues with installation of open hole gravel packs required for downhole sand control. This system allows the gravel pack to effectively bypass the shale sections, which would normally cause premature screen out of the pack, through use of ‘shunt tubes’.
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
This sub-category includes deployable technologies such as hydraulic fracturing to improve poor reservoir quality, and modular subsea injection systems using multiple fluid injection for either scale removal or hydraulic fracturing. A number of new technologies reported this year include fracture sleeves, a fracture modelling software tool & a miniature coil tubing hose for injecting nitrogen.
- Fracture Sleeves - provide the basis for continuous pumping stimulation operations that save time by eliminating the need to run individual plugs and perforating systems for each zone.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
| Technology Example: | |
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Fracture sleeves are the basis for continuous pumping stimulation operations that save time by eliminating the need to run individual plugs and perforating systems for each zone. |
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- Fracture Modelling - Modelling of frack using in-house software and expertise
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Application of Hydraulic fracturing - infill horizontal, hydraulically fractured well to develop poor reservoir quality areas.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Scale Squeeze with Degraded Intervention Barriers – MARS Scale squeeze deployed from DSV rather than LWIV
- TRL 9 Commercially available
| Technology Example: | |
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OneSubsea MARS - Providing low-cost, low-risk intervention - cost-effective wellhead processing. MARS system technology can be used for both vertical and horizontal production trees in surface and subsea applications. |
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- Miniature Coil Tubing Hose - deployed in a similar method to slickline which provides an alternative solution to kick off wells by injecting nitrogen.
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
Operators’ Technology Plans for 2024 show adoption of multi-function wireline tool-strings and intelligent completions. Increased activity is reported for carbon storage related technologies including DHSV, multiset well plugs and well designs for CO2 injection wells. New this year are controllable completions, open hole packers & a self-equalising tubing retrievable surface controlled sub-surface safety valve.
- Controllable Completion for Oil Producers - involves compartmentalising the open hole to allow future intervention to shut-in zones individually. The design includes a controllable inner string, consisting of swell packers set inside the screens in a blank pipe section and an opened sliding sleeve per zone for initial flow.
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Open-hole packers - New technology for gravel pack completions
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- ICV smart completion - Smart completion to control multizonal sand face inflow
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRSCSSSV with self-equalizing - Tubing retrievable surface controlled subsurface safety valve
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- Combined Wireline Toolstrings - "Single run toolstring to punch tubing and set straddle for use in retro-fit gas lift applications. Saving a toolstring run on LWIV operations. Bridge Plug with integrated Junk Catcher, again saving an additional wireline run."
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- TRL 9 Commercially available
- CO2 Injection Well Design - DHSV Design - Initial flow assurance results have indicated cryogenic injection conditions for the majority of the wells design life. Among the challenges associated with this is the impact of the cold temperatures on the ability of the DHSV (DownHole Safety Valve) to successfully close and seal the well when required.
- TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
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Multiset Well Plug - Multiset well plug with an electric setting tool will allow the plug to be set and unset repeatedly in a single run.
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TRL 8 Early Commercialisation
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| Technology Example: | |
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Multiset well plug - Interwell Retrievable HPHT Bridge Plug with an Electric Setting tool will allow the plug to be set and unset. |
 Retrievable HPHT Bridge Plug Electric Setting tool |
