Case Study: Wintershall Dea AG drills a 13,330-ft shale well with a 3,281-ft lateral in 70 days with SLB’s KLA-SHIELD system

Wintershall Drills 13,330-ft Well with 3,281-ft Lateral in 70 Days Using KLA-SHIELD System

Wintershall Dea AG worked with SLB to drill a challenging 13,330-ft well with a 3,281-ft lateral in the geomechanically complex Vaca Muerta shale in Argentina’s Neuquén Basin. The main challenge was maintaining shale inhibition, wellbore stability, and a high rate of penetration while managing a very narrow mud-weight window, ECD constraints, torque and drag, and potential gas or oil influx.

SLB used the KLA-SHIELD enhanced-polymer water-base drilling fluid system, supplemented with STARGLIDE lubricant, DRILZONE additive, and shale inhibition technologies, to support efficient drilling and hole cleaning. The well was drilled to TD in 70 days with no caving, swelling, or tight-hole issues, average ROP reached 22 ft/h in the 6⅛-in section, casing was run in 33.75 hours, and the system proved an effective alternative to oil-base mud even with up to 8% oil contamination.

Wintershall Dea AG

Hans Rehbock

Drilling & Completions Manager