Case Study: Shell achieves USD 18 million drilling savings with SLB's integrated deepwater well solution

Engineering Center Optimizes Drilling to Save USD 18 Million in Deepwater GOM Well for Shell

Shell partnered with SLB to drill a challenging deepwater Gulf of Mexico HPHT exploration well in the Desoto Canyon area. The project required drilling each hole section shoe to shoe in one run, including a uniquely sized 10¼-in section, while optimizing rate of penetration and maintaining a clean wellbore in a high-pressure, high-temperature environment with limited offset data.

SLB used its integrated petrotechnical engineering center to handle prejob planning, BHA design, and execution, combining PowerDrive X6 RSS, MLWD services, Rhino integrated borehole enlargement systems, PDC drill bits, and drilling fluids with simulation tools such as i-DRILL and VIRTUAL HYDRAULICS. The well was drilled to 26,678 ft in a single run for each section with zero nonproductive time, finished 18 days ahead of plan, and saved Shell approximately USD 18 million.

Shell