Monthly Features

The Troll field is one of the largest gas producers discovered off Norway, but ensuring its long-term future required finding ways to drill wells in an increasingly fragile formation to develop its rich oil reserves.

Two years ago, as drillers approached the bottom of a deepwater well in the Lula field, they were stopped again and again by total drilling fluid losses.

Dual-gradient drilling has long been described as the drilling method of the future for challenging offshore wells. Now, indications show it could start being used with some regularity.

Many problems that result in BOP downtime could be prevented if only drilling contractors knew which parts of the subsea system to replace and when. BOP monitoring systems have been developed to increase reliability by enabling preventive maintenance.

When discussing dual-gradient drilling, there is an important distinction between controlling wells and well control.

Dual-gradient drilling covers a variety of methods for managing pressure within an offshore well while drilling. Dual refers to systems built to reduce or eliminate the pressure added by drilling fluid in the riser. The goal is to create distinct pressure gradients above and below the mudline.

Diamond-tipped cutters are the leading edge for technology development as companies seek an advantage that will allow customers to drill faster and longer before changing bits.

The variables defining drill-bit performance cover a lot of ground. There is a lot of attention given to cutters studding diamond drill bits, but just as important are what is in the rest of the drillstring and the decisions made by the driller.

Many industries are doing their fair share to address climate change and combat greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For the oil and gas industry, meeting global and domestic energy demands while addressing climate change presents numerous challenges but also opportunities.

For decades, the industry has worked to realize the potential of gathering seismic data in wells. But it is a hostile environment for standard equipment. An inventor has developed a fiber optic system that can handle the heat, but he needs backers to see if it can deliver in the ground.