Drilling
Report |
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Hot Mud:
Temperature control of fracture gradient. ChevronTexaco
authors explain a downhole phenomenon, wherein temperature
differences between the formation and the drilling mud increases
wellbore stresses that can aggravate lost circulation problems.
Analyzing the problem and testing with both heated and cooled mud
are overviewed. Potential remedies such as insulated risers in
cold deep water are suggested. |
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Infill drilling:
how to decide whether to use water- or oil-based mud. This
case study from ConocoPhillips Calgary-based Hycal Energy Research
Laboratories Ltd describes the process of how water- or oil-based
drilling fluids were chosen for development drilling in
Alpine/Colville River field on Alaska's North Slope. Based on
extensive lab work on core data together with field results, it
was determined that water imbibition during drilling was affecting
subsequent production. Much better well performance was obtained
by knowing when to use the appropriate fluid. |
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Drilling through
complex geological structures with highly dipping formations
benefits from advanced technology. Normally, in this
situation, just keeping the hole on track would be a challenge.
Chesapeake Energy and Baker Hughes detail how a new drilling
optimization service conducted a detailed analysis of drilling
performance, mud logs and wireline data from offset wells, to
achieve the highest possible ROP while maintaining a near-vertical
wellbore. The strategy included a sophisticated straight hole
drilling device, VertiTrak, with a new-style, reduced-exposure
Genesis PDC |
Reservoir
Characterization |
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Solving the
Y-fault, stair-step reservoir modeling problem in a complex Shell
Nigerian prospect. Reservoir modelling techniques have made
significant progress during the last 10 years. However, there are
still areas of complex geology for which building a coherent
reservoir representation for the flow simulator is technically
challenging. A large amount of these cases involve faulted stacked
pay sequences, where stacked branching "Y" faults and
mutually crossing "X" faults segment the main reservoir
sequences. Shell and Earth Decision Sciences' research teams
compare two methods of fault building for simulation purposes,
with results discussed in case study examples. |
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A new way to
estimate permeability on uncored wells, based on existing well
logs and core data. Core and well logs are still the best way
to estimate the extremely important permeability parameter. This
new method, while not simple, is straightforward, and involves
first the classification of the reservoir into discreet flow
units, followed by the mapping of existing permeability data from
well logs using neural networks. Authors from Repsol-YPF and the
University of Iowa discuss how to use the method, as well as how
it worked in a field in Argentina. |
Rig
Census |
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The ever-popular Reed-Hycalog
Rig Census makes its annual appearance with a couple of
enhancements this year. Traditionally, this exclusive report, full
of tables and figures, summarizes the firm's annual survey of US
drilling contractors' fleet status and key activity indicators.
This year, additional content will be included for Canadian land
rigs and some offshore international fleets. Industry
professionals find the census to be especially valuable when
forecasting day rates or future availability. |
Handling
Produced Water |
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Using a proactive
approach to lower the cost of produced water. This overview of
produced water from Halliburton authors tells of aggregate
US produced water costs. It further drives home the point that
early intervention and planning in the life of a well can greatly
reduce operating costs and extend its economic life. |
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Natco is one
of the first companies to apply floatation cell technology to the
handling of produced water. The authoring firm describes its
latest award-winning produced water treating technology and tells
how it's used in an article that describes how to optimize the
produced water process. |
Petroleum
Technology Digest |
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Our popular, recurring feature
results from World Oil's association with the Petroleum
Technology Transfer Council. October's article shows how
technology funded in part by the US Department of Energy is
helping operators increase production while lowering operating
costs by using a novel solution. |
Coming in October's Deepwater
Technology |
Now
in its eighth year a special supplement to World Oil. |
This annual World Oil feature is a
separate publication of technical material including "Panel
in Print" interviews with executives in major oil companies,
regulatory agencies and technology development groups. Up to four
additional technical articles detail status and applications of
new drilling and production developments. |
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Panel in Print Interviews |
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Johnnie Burton, US Minerals
Management Director, discusses what's behind industry's move
into deep water; progress on deep-gas drilling on the Shelf;
status of LNG marketing to monetize "stranded gas;" and
other current deepwater projects. |
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Sean Hanrahan, DeepStar's new
Director, updates activities of this ChevronTexaco organized,
operator and service company offshore-technology R&D group.
The JIP is now into its Phase VII study, backed by 48 supporting
members. Twenty two technical projects have been funded so far.
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Guilherme Estrella, Petrobras'
E&P Director, updates deepwater activity of this major
offshore producer, discussing new key field developments. Progress
on R&D involving three major technical programs, PROCAP 3000,
PRAVAP and PROPES, are overviewed. |
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Bob Frith, VP of E&P
Upstream, Shell Global Solutions, overviews this important
technology development company's organization and goals. Also
discussed are how it selects projects, where and how its
operations and R&D are handled, and examples of important
contributions to deepwater development. |
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Technical Articles |
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Cameron describes the
development of its important, all-electric, subsea production
system that substitutes DC electricity for hydraulics and
electro-hydraulics, including wet trials with BP in the UK North
Sea. |
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Transocean reviews important
elements of a drillship operating in deep water and how its
design has met the control-room challenges of dynamic positioned
operations, plus the added challenges/advantages of the example
rig's dual activity feature. |
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FMC updates the important
deepwater development, the High Integrity, Pressure Protection
System (HIPPS) as a cost-effective alternative in developing
High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) fields. Progress of field
testing in the North Sea is reviewed. |
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Cameron Highway pipeline
project. Gulf Terra Energy Partners discuss the major,
380-mile-long pipeline being constructed in the US Gulf of Mexico,
designed to deliver 650,000 barrels of oil per day from three
deepwater and three Shelf-area fields to the South Texas coast.
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Plus an independent
ReadershipPlus Ad Impressions survey. |
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