Each year a panel of industry reviewers evaluates nominations submitted to Hart’s for innovative leading edge technologies. It’s worth a look to see if even just one technology fits your problem or opportunity.

Exploration Technology: Western Geco DSC Dynamic Spread Control (www.
westerngeco.com/content/services/
marine/dsc.asp)—improved repeatability of in-sea equipment positioning.

Formation Evaluation: Halliburton’s Insite Azimuthal Deep Resistivity Sensor (www.halliburton.com/ps/default.aspx?pageid=1550&navid=159&prodid=PRN:
:JCA6LDKG4)—new level of control in guidance of horizontal wells.

Drill Bits: Hughes Christensen’s EZCaseTM (www.baker
hughesdirect.com/cgi/hcc/
resources/ExternalFileHandler.jsp?bookmarkable=Yes&path=private/
HCC/public/diamond/ezcase.html&
channelId=-4210859)—allows operator to combine the drilling and casing or liner running operations into one event.

Drilling Fluids: Halliburton’s diesel-based INTEGRADE® (www.halli
burton.com/ps/default.aspx?page
id=1114&prodid=PRN::J4GYPH15)
—first and only clay-free, lignite-free diesel-based fluid.

Drilling Tools: At Balance’s Dynamic Annular Pressure ControlTM System (www.atbalance.com/TE_dapc_system.
html)—first automated system approved for managed-pressure drilling on deepwater GOM platform, and later first MMS approval for static underbalanced drilling in deep water.

Completions: BJ Services’ CompleteTM MST (multizone, single-trip) system—facilitates single-trip gravel- or frac-packed completions across multiple zones.

Stimulation: BJ Services’ DuralinkTM Spoolable Connector—reliably splices two coiled tubing strings flush on the outside diameter.

Production Technology: DES Operations Ltd.’s MARSTMR (Multiple Application Re-Injection System) (www.des-operations.com/
marsdatasheet.pdf)—works like a USB port for the subsea well, serving as a universal interface for all trees.

Controlling Field Costs Through Operating Efficiencies

Product prices are strong and drilling opportunities abound, yet costs are also increasing. Operators continue to wrest performance improvements from their drilling and operations to keep the margin strong. This article outlines the approach some operators use to improve efficiencies and the dramatic results that are possible.

Devon is very active in the Barnett Shale. In the article, Devon cites the average cost to drill a horizontal well as $2.5-3.5 million. Rising costs are being offset by improved efficiency. For example, according to Devon, the average horizontal well took 33.4 days from spud to rig release in 2004. In 2007, this time was reduced to an average of 16.7 days/well.

Apache has realized similar efficiencies in drilling in their Stiles Ranch field through aggressively using PDC bits and through using rigs with top drives. According to Apache, in mid-2006, it took 50 days to drill 16,000-ft vertical wells in Stiles Ranch. By early 2008 this time had been reduced to 40 days and further improvements to just 37-38 days were anticipated within a couple of months. The use of top drives eliminates some steps in pipe handling, reduces nonproductive time, and enables a rig to multitask by being able to rotate and circulate while tripping and running casing.

Ziff Energy Group recently completed its sixth Permian Basin operating cost benchmarking study. Comparing operating costs for a 12-month period from mid-2006 to mid-2007 with earlier results in 2004, operating costs were up significantly—34% for oil and 45% for gas. Significantly though, some operators were able to beat the average by a large margin—in the range of 40% less than the average for both leading oil well and gas well operators.

Mostar Directional Technologies, Inc.’s (Mostar) patent-pending dual telemetry measurement-while-drilling (MWD) technology allows one to switch between electromagnetic MWD and mud pulse technology without tripping out of the hole. Electromagnetic MWD was developed because one can get up to four times faster surveys and one doesn’t need to wait long between connections, but it doesn’t work everywhere. In high resistivity formations, EM signals have a hard time reaching the surface.

With Mostar’s new tool, switching between EM and mud pulse can be completed in less than eight minutes. A cited example reveals the potential. In this well, resistivity was excellent for EM up to a depth of 1,900 meters, but then there was a 200-meter thick zone where resistivity was quite high and mud pulse was needed. The operators drilled with EM to 1,900 meters, switched to mud pulse for 200 meters, then switched back to EM technology. Savings were estimated at $110,000.