R&D/innovation

Fresh Tech Is Shaping the Wells of Tomorrow

New strides in computer vision, well controls indicators, and BOP alignment were showcased at the recent Offshore Technology Conference.

Saipem Santorini, the drillship used in the computer vision testing. Source: Saipem.
Saipem Santorini, the drillship used in Eni's computer vision testing.
Source: Saipem.

If you want to catch a wily mouse, you need to build a better mouse trap. If you want to tap into increasingly more difficult reservoirs in the search for oil and gas, you need to drill a better well.

When it comes to global hydrocarbon reserves, the low-hanging fruit was picked over years ago. What’s left and available for exploration is generally ultradeep, super-hot, overpressured, or some combination of that trio.

That’s why technological innovation has played—and continues to play—a crucial role in the industry’s efforts to access previously untappable resources and produce hydrocarbons once thought unproducible.

Computer vision, safety leading indicators, and rig automation are just a few of the advances in drilling operations making well construction safer and more efficient. From the drill bit to the shale shaker, technological impacts are bringing reliability up and costs down in deepwater operations.

Companies are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible by applying today’s technologies in innovative ways—even to the simplest equipment.

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