Drilling
Developing the theory of mechanical specific energy from the perspective of instantaneous drilling power rather than the compressive strength of the formation leads to an improved understanding of drill-bit mechanical efficiency.
The oilfield service company will supply power plants capable of electrifying 180,000 US homes with geothermal energy.
This article is the fourth in a Q&A series from the SPE Research and Development Technical Section focusing on emerging energy technologies. In this piece, David Reid, the CTO and CMO for NOV, discusses the evolution and current state of automated drilling systems.
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There is no doubt that horizontal and complex-geometry wells have contributed significantly to the reliable supply of affordable energy, resulting in improvements to the quality of life of people around the globe. -
This paper presents experimental research in which a significant fracture-pressure increase was achieved in shale and the predominant wellbore strenghtening mechanism was identified.
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Despite hostile wellbore conditions, an operations team overcame challenges of drilling-fluid design and management to drill the first ultrahigh-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT), deep-gas well offshore Malay Peninsula.
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While there is talk about automation killing jobs, the reverse appears more likely as rigs have evolved to drill more difficult wells. Drilling automation will require more and better training programs to take full advantage of the technology.
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In an effort to optimize drilling operations and economics, an operator examined the effect of adding hollow glass spheres (HGSs) directly to the drilling fluid instead of performing underbalanced drilling.
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A biotechnology company from the San Francisco Bay Area is selling a futuristic solution to an old problem: lubricating drill bits grinding though rock.
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The big data approach will allow new types of data-driven models to bypass traditional bottlenecks. It is also expected to lead to different views of standard models, thus providing new and valuable insights in the process.
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A surface-based torque and tension sub (TTS) was used to perform measurements while drilling several extended-reach horizontal wells.
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The drilling-systems-automation roadmap (DSA-R) initiative is a cross-industry effort launched in June 2013 to help accelerate the adoption of advancements in drilling-systems automation (DSA) for both onshore and offshore wells.
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In June, Mexico’s national oil company Pemex announced its largest discoveries of oil and gas in 5 years. Located in the shallow-water basin of the Gulf of Mexico offshore Tabasco and Campeche, the four new fields are estimated to hold 350 million bbl of oil.
