Under the background of optimizing project costs and decreasing carbon footprint, CNOOC launched a campaign strategically to explore new offshore records. This paper records how the pilot project of this campaign achieved remarkable success to dramatically decrease operation cycle time and reduce drilling waste discharge with the help of technological innovation and advanced project management. The innovation to improve drilling efficiency starts from well designing phase. Wellbore geometry is optimized and downsized to smaller hole size to improve drilling rate and reduce drilling waste. A series of innovative modifications are made on both the rig operating equipment and the work process to reduce the operation time. Novel technologies are utilized to reduce drilling cycle time including industry's first definitive dynamic survey-while-drilling service, realtime drilling intelligence service, pulse neutron generator (PNG) enabled multi-function logging while drilling (LWD) platform, and so on. Bit and motor are both optimized to increase drilling speed. To reduce the waste discharge during drilling and completion, a fully closed zero discharge system is employed. Flawless project management also played vital role in the project success. Totally 23 wells are drilled for this pioneer project. 269.80 days are saved compared with plan and drilling efficiency is improved by more than 58%. Wellbore geometry optimization saves 111.63 days drilling cycle time and reduces 3189 tons waste. 25.94 days are saved by utilizing advanced measurement while drilling (MWD) tool and LWD technologies. More than 14 days are saved by innovative modification on the rig equipment. At least 7 days are saved through optimizing the work process. With the fully closed zero discharge system, 2414 cubic meters drilling fluid is reused and 7040 tons cutting are processed. This project breaks several drilling records in CNOOC. The novelty of this paper is to provide experiences of utilizing most up-to-date technologies and innovative systematic approach to reduce the drilling cycle and carbon and waste discharge.

Oil and gas remote operations (RO) enabled by automation and digital solutions are reducing the number of people required to work in the wellsite; many subject matter experts can now complete their daily tasks from the safety of the office in town. We have been transitioning to these new ways of working for some time, and the progress has been greatly accelerated to help ensure business continuity for customers during COVID-19 restrictions, allowing high numbers of wellsite operatives the freedom to work from home. For the Oil & Gas companies that have experimented with more technology, the results have been incredible. Digital transformation has finally hit the industry and it’s taking off to meet sustainable goal of upstream companies, this transformation is one such measure by which these goals can be approached. Despite the global availability of technology to handle analytical task from a safe distance, substantial drilling activities have been carried out traditionally across globe. Such traditional drilling operations were carried out in Thailand where client and SLB work together in fast paced factory drilling environment where an oil well can drill and complete within 7 days for 2 strings (2-sections only) 2400-2600 m in onshore operation which requires experienced people to monitor and execute tasks. To support such operation from town i.e., remotely with systematic monitoring by skilled people, one requires to adapt digitization. This paper demonstrates the ability of SLB to adapt the digital environment by introducing "Remote Operation Center" setup enabling to help client achieve their sustainable goals within budget and provided an alternate solution to sustain operations in COVID-19 pandemic. Remote Operations is the ability to operate a system or a machine at a distance; one can handle multiple operations from a safe environment of office in town using technology. It unfolds analytical task & physical task; the former is handed over to Remote Operation Center and physical task is left at rig crew. The Remote Operation Center execute both Directional Drilling (DD) and Measurement & Logging While Drilling (MLWD) services at the well site, from town. Executing Directional Drilling Remote Operation was more challenging. RO moves industry towards future and pushes all other traditional players to work on sustainable goals while adapting to digital environment. On site presence of crew was reduced by 50% while maintaining same pace of operations with better data analysis.

Mubadala Petroleum conducts a fast-paced drilling program in the Gulf of Thailand, where rapid response resolutions are often required. This paper demonstrates the Remote Operation (RO) approach, which is an integrated approach comprised of people, software, network, and technology to transform operations, and moves analytical activities to safer office-based environments (Figure 1). The approach provides a high level of performance, leveraging global domain expertise, real-time collaboration, data visualization techniques, and intelligent planning within the restrictive context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Figure 1 Remote Operation relevant function RO is the ability to operate a system at a distance. This is an adopted innovation and technology in the oil and gas industry, which is a completely new way of working. The principal concept for introducing the RO approach was to reduce the Personnel on Board (POB) and the HSE exposure, which was particularly relevant during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The approach relied on leading-edge digital technology, as the RO was required to handle real-time directional drilling (DD), measurements, and logging while drilling (MLWD). During the implementation, the crew was trained in multi-skilling related to the DD/MLWD function, while working with the necessity of digital technology. Digital transformation is emerging as a driver of sweeping change in the world around us. Today, the Oil and Gas industry has redefined its boundaries through automation and digitalization. The potential benefits of going digital are clear, including increased productivity, safer operations, and significant cost savings. This exercise, it allowed us to reduce the POB on-site by 40% while maintaining both drilling efficiency and service quality. The drilling data can be monitored in real-time. The Remote Operation Center (ROC) has the capacity to execution and montor directional drilling, formation evaluation, programming, and dumping data from various tools. An experienced crew were assigned to the RO team ensuring competencies and familiarity with drilling operation in specific field characterization. This transformation supported our business continuity objectives by reducing the number of people traveling offshore during the COVID-19 pandemic while allowing us to achieve all our drilling performance objectives. In this new environment, following the turmoil of pandemics, this exercise indicates an opportunity to make fundamental improvements to the way business is conducted using the Remote Operations approach. RO takes a significant step towards the future for highly traditional industry. Preparing the industry toward the future may prove to be the most important outcome of the application of RO during the COVID-19 pandemic. The application of RO during the COVID pandemic has confirmed the possibility of more permanent improvements and increased resilience against future pandemics and other challenging events, as well as a new and more effective way of working during normal times.