Case Study: Deepwater Operating Company eliminates the need for a deepwater expandable liner with SLB Grande-Seal particulates

Grande-Seal Particulates Eliminate Need to Run Deepwater Expandable Liner

SLB worked with Deepwater Operating Company, a deepwater operator facing seepage and partial mud losses in depleted sandstone formations while trying to strengthen the pay zone, seal fractures, and drill a development well to target depth. The company needed a way to manage losses during sampling and drilling without relying on a deepwater expandable liner.

SLB designed a tailored lost-circulation slurry using Grande-Seal granular particulates combined with traditional LCM, optimized with OPTI-STRESS wellbore stability software. The solution controlled mud losses, restored 100% returns after the first pill, and reduced severe losses from 160 to 50 bbl/h, allowing the well to reach TD, sample the reservoir as planned, and avoid running a 9⅝-in expandable liner while still installing the 7⅝-in production liner.