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AbstractThis paper discusses a segment of drilling engineering -drilling analysis --that is assumed to be practiced routinely, but in many cases is not given the necessary attention, time, and resources required.Routinely acquired drilling, geologic, mud-log, and logging data, are shown to be amenable to organization into a knowledge-based structure that permits:• Use of statistical analysis to develop challenging but achievable technical limits, or best composite time (BCT), for similar wells -location, depth, hole size. • Statistics-based best composite cost (BCC), the dollars equivalent of BCT. Both the BCC and BCT represent practical, challenging but achievable benchmarks that are continuously upgraded, providing significant steps in the process of drilling costs reduction. • Specialized learning-curve analysis, trouble-time analysis, flat-time analysis, time vs. depth analysis, cost vs. depth analysis, rig and crew performance evaluation, bit-onbottom and tripping analysis, time distribution plots, etc. • Convenient drilling data cross-correlation with wireline logs, geology and mud-log data, to further delineate drilling problem zones and improve drilling • operational performance.• A historical understanding of well construction that can contribute to continuing drilling improvement, and a method to provide feedback and collaboration with company drilling personnel, rig contractors, and service companies. This paper reviews existing variations, key elements, and typical field applications of drilling analysis, and puts forth the case that drilling analysis should become an integral part of drilling engineering, the same way well-test analysis is an integral part of reservoir engineering. The need for a university curriculum and training on this key discipline is stressed, along with the necessity for management to champion the use of drilling analysis as an on-going process to improve organizational drilling performance.
