Operator Maximizes Lateral Well Contact, Recovers Additional Reservoir

Overview

An operator needed to drill a lateral section in a very challenging geological structure. Sperry Drilling collaborated with the operator to engineer a drilling solution for precise directional control and accurate wellbore placement. The solution combined the ADR™ deep-reading azimuthal resistivity, StrataSteer^® 3D geosteering service and the iCruise^® intelligent rotary steerable system. 

At approximately 9,000 feet of lateral section the operator crossed a fault moving the well out of the target zone. Drilling had become extremely difficult using conventional motor assemblies. The iCruise RSS was deployed to re-enter and continue drilling the lateral section. The team was able to continue beyond the original planned depth as the formation had not pinched out as originally expected. The iCruise RSS steered accurately into the zone with a rate of penetration (ROP) of 69 ft/hr approximately 80% faster than the previous run. The total measured depth of the well reached 28,585 feet. 

The operator drilled a total of 15,589 feet of lateral, the longest lateral in the field to date, 98.9% in zone. The operator recovered approximately 3,000 feet of additional reservoir section that would otherwise be stranded, maximizing the asset value.