Case Study: Shell reduces drilling costs and eliminates lost circulation with SLB's automated MPD solution

Operator Extends Development of Mature Deepwater GOM Field and Reduces Drilling Cost

SLB helped Shell address a major challenge in the mature Auger deepwater Gulf of Mexico field, where narrow pressure margins, high equivalent circulating density, and lower-than-expected fracture gradient caused lost circulation, instability, and costly failed wells. Shell needed a way to drill depleted sections safely while reducing ECD and maintaining wellbore stability.

SLB implemented automated managed pressure drilling using the dynamic annular pressure control system with an HOLD rotating control device to hold constant bottomhole pressure during drilling, connections, and trips. The solution enabled Shell to drill six previously uneconomic wells with no lost circulation or borehole instability, keep dynamic BHP within +/- 0.2 ppg and steady-state BHP within +/- 25 psi, and cut overall drilling costs by more than 40% while avoiding sidetracks that had cost over USD 15 million.

Shell