Case Study: Statoil saves 10 rig days with SLB’s OptiDrill service

OptiDrill Service Eliminates 18-in Liner, Saves Statoil 10 Rig Days in Deepwater Exploration Well

SLB worked with Statoil to maximize drilling performance in a deepwater presalt exploration well offshore Angola. The challenge was to drill through a long salt section in the 18 1/8-in interval, eliminate a planned intermediate 18-in liner, and avoid the shock, vibration, and BHA damage expected in medium to hard salt and interbedded formations.

SLB implemented the OptiDrill real-time drilling intelligence service together with the PowerDrive X6 rotary steerable system, Rhino borehole enlargement system, and remote drilling analysis from Geoservices. This solution enabled Statoil to drill 3,100 m of salt in one run, maintain verticality, enlarge the hole to 21 in, achieve a record 30 m/h average ROP in Angolan salt, and save 10 rig days by avoiding the intermediate liner.

Statoil

Marcel Emile Ngueguim

Drilling Engineer