Case Study: Shell achieves 25-day, USD 1.3 million drilling savings with SLB integrated well placement and drilling solution

Integrated Solution Saves Shell USD 1.3 Million, or 25 Days, and Doubles Production in Changbei Well

Shell faced the challenge of drilling a horizontal well in the Changbei block of China’s Changqing field through a very hard, abrasive formation while staying within a tight gas reservoir only 1.5 m thick. SLB, working through Schlumberger and Smith Bits technologies, supported the project with tools including the PowerDrive X6 rotary steerable system, geoVISION imaging-while-drilling service, IDEAS drillbit design platform, and a Gemini GF65 drill bit.

SLB delivered an integrated drilling solution that improved trajectory control, reduced nondrilling time, and enabled precise well placement within the thin reservoir. The result was more than 25 days saved and USD 1.3 million reduced off AFE, plus a record single-run performance of 548 m in 105 drilling hours versus 210 m and 49 hours on average with mud motor BHAs, and the well ultimately produced at twice the target rate.

Shell

Suresh Kottapurath

Well Operations Team Lead