Deep impact

As drilling gets more challenging, better technology needs to be applied. Helios Santos of Impact Solutions shared his thoughts with O&G on how the industry needs to adapt its approach to drilling.

O&G. As drilling for oil goes deeper, how is technology developing to give better drilling management and performance?
HS. Technology is moving towards automation of the entire drilling process, more accuracy of the sensors, and closed systems, which gives an unparallel degree of detection capabilities. This last point will be the one bringing a step change in how drilling will be conducted, combining improved safety, accuracy and overall control of the drilling process. The addition of a choke on the return line allows the pressure inside the wellbore to be very quickly and easily manipulated, changing drilling from a reactive process to an active process. Drillers can control the pressure inside the wellbore, rather than react when drilling the well conventionally. New products for drilling fluids are also making a huge difference, permitting the safe mud weight window to be widened. The combination of these new technologies allows wells to be drilled with less problems and reach horizons not possible with conventional techniques.

O&G. With the development of the ‘digital oilfield’ there is talk of automation and remote management of drilling activities. Is this happening in reality?
HS. Absolutely. Twenty years ago a computer in the drilling environment was not feasible or welcome. Today the reality is different. Drilling processes are controlled by computers, surface and downhole sensors acquiring and processing data at speeds not imagined sometime ago, and only if you have a computer collecting and processing all this info you will be able to benefit from all this improvement. With all this together, sending data onshore and having experts onshore helping the guys at the rig is paramount. It is very easy to have a satellite dish installed on any rig and have data transmitted to a remote location. 24/7 support centers are more and more common. Companies are asking for this feature when they contract services, and they want to make sure there will be remote support from experts to the guys on the rig. With the added complexity of the system and sophistication of the processes, remote management of drilling activities is a must, and already in place.

O&G. Every oil company is keen to optimize the output of its wells – what innovative techniques have been developed to help extract more from existing reservoirs?
HS. Most of the time what is needed is just to drill in such a way as to avoid damage of the reservoir. Typically, the drilling process causes irreversible damage to what nature gve us, and the original permeability of the reservoirs cannot always be recovered. There are several fields that have been considered not economically feasible simply because the damage produced while drilling was so big that during the tests the well could not produce. In other cases, the drilling process did not allow identification of reserves, due to the severe invasion of the drilling fluid into the reservoir. New drilling fluid additives available today change this situation completely. Invasion is kept to a minimum and not only the permeability of the reservoir is kept almost the original one, but, most importantly, the reserves can be properly identified and hydrocarbon horizons are not missed anymore. The quality of the wellbore improves significantly as well, allowing completion to be effective, maximizing production. We are seeing this improvement everyday.

O&G. With many potential drill sites located in environmentally sensitive areas, can new technology help assuage the fears of regulators and the public?
HS. New technology must help assuage the fears of regulators and the public. The oil industry image is already very bad in terms of environment, and any new development must make sure we improve drilling safety, reducing the risks of problems to the environment. Going back to the first question, one of the technologies that will change the way wells will be drilled is the adoption of closed loop systems. Wells drilled like this have a much reduced risk of blow-out, oil and gas leaks, and can be drilled under much better control. Problems are detected much sooner than when drilling conventionally and the automation incorporated brings another level of safety, not relying on the man operating the rigs to take the necessary action before the problem escalates. In the very near future, wells drilled in environmentally sensitive areas will only be allowed if they use advanced drilling techniques to reduce the risks of spills, kicks and blow-outs.

O&G. How do your solutions give oil companies an advantage in the drilling space?
HS. One of the solutions, the closed loop drilling system, allows the well to be drilled with as low a mud weight as possible, and to detect and control kicks and losses automatically. Not only can the well be drilled faster due to the reduced mud weight, problems such as stuck pipe, mud losses, and severe filtrate invasion is significantly reduced. Safety, on the other hand, is improved several times. Estimates from wells drilled in the Gulf of Mexico suggest that more than 30 percent of the non-productive time can be eliminated when using a closed loop system. The other solution available is a drilling fluid additive, capable of increasing the leak-off pressure, widening the safe mud weight window of the well. It reduces mud losses and fluid invasion, increasing the productivity of the wells. The solutions available help the companies not only reduce the risks and time lost while drilling, but also increase the chance of finding the reserves and effectively producing the hydrocarbons found.

O&G. What future developments in drilling technology do you expect to see come on stream in the next five to ten years?
HS. More effective and reliable downhole tools and sensors – we very often have to trip out of the hole to fix problems in down hole sensors and tools, and this is a big source of non-productive time. Development of new down hole sensors, capable of identifying hydrocarbon, for example, would be very helpful.

Helio Santos PhD is President of Impact Solutions. He joined Petrobras in 1983, having worked as company man and at the Research Center since 1986. In 2001 he joined Impact Solutions as Vice-President of Technology and in 2004 he became President. He is also director of Secure Drilling, the JV formed with Expro Group.