GOM operator reduces deepwater drilling days and overall drilling cost

Overview

In the challenging Gulf of Mexico (GOM) region, operators are continuously trying to reduce the overall cost of drilling campaigns. The largest cost savings potential is from a reduction in drilling days, while avoiding the high cost of deepwater drillships and semi subs. 

Due to its proven track record for improving performance and maximizing asset value for customers, Halliburton Sperry Drilling GOM was tasked with outperforming every other well in the field. Sperry Drilling harnessed Halliburton’s cross-disciplinary expertise by engaging the Drilling Engineering Solutions (DES) group. Together, they devised a plan to not only improve drilling time per hole section, but to also enhance the overall well design. 

In a collaborative analysis, DES identified that several hole sections could be eliminated. One of these hole section reductions was accomplished with an innovative, three-underreamer bottom hole assembly (BHA) solution, extending the run length 62 percent farther than any well in the field. This solution saved operating days, and saved the cost of an additional casing string and other equipment associated with an additional hole section.

Through innovations in BHA design and drilling parameter roadmaps, Sperry Drilling was able to help the operator improve the rate of penetration (ROP) over the other three wells drilled in the field. Compared to the first well drilled in this field, which spanned 101 days at an ROP of 40.3 days/10,000 ft, Sperry Drilling GOM delivered this well in just 72 days, at a well deliver rate of 30.7 days/10,000 ft — an improvement of 24 percent well delivery time.