Improving the Value of Real-Time Drilling Data to Aid Collaboration, Drilling Optimization, and Decision Making

Abstract

Abstract Evolution in the manner in which real-time data is provided by service companies in the drilling industry has led to real-time data being available via the Internet from most wells drilled worldwide. The platform for viewing this real-time data is usually through a variety of viewers embedded in Web server software. By using technologies to enable the clear presentation of this Web-based data in real time to the end user—including data visualization, model comparison, and rig time usage—it is possible to improve real-time collaboration and perform drilling optimization actions from both a location remote to the wellsite (e.g., the operator's office or even a service company office) and the wellsite itself. By looking at three case studies in two locations (the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico), it is possible to show how technologies that enable collaboration between onshore and offshore personnel and manage drilling risks not only improve operations monitoring and reporting but reduce drilling process time. The three case studies demonstrate aid which eliminated an intermediate liner string; improved real-time understanding of well conditions by managing hole cleaning and drilling risks, ensured that a casing string could be successfully landed on bottom; and enabled cause-and-effect analysis of drilling events in real time in addition to post event analysis for improved evaluation of the drilling process. In all these cases, the use of enabling technologies within one integrated application brings advantages to the drilling process through the clear presentation of real-time drilling data, which allows easier interpretation of real-time drilling measurements.