Standard surveying technologies, including measurement while drilling (MWD) and rotary steerable systems (RSS), with multiple drilling bit choices, were initially used to drill 8-⅜-in curve and lateral sections with limited and varied results. In efforts to improve upon these inconsistent results, which negatively impacted well delivery performance, a new rotary steerable system at bit (RSSAB) and continuous survey while drilling (CSWD) tool were introduced to drill a combined vertical, curve and lateral section in one run to deliver a smooth wellbore with higher build rates in the curve, and faster overall drilling performance. This paper presents the continuous improvement seen from the onset of the first application of RSSAB and CSWD tool, which continues to the present day. Using specific digital-modeling, the RSSAB integrated both the steering and cutting structure to achieve a more optimum well trajectory while at the same time delivering better drilling performance. RSSAB was engineered with (1) pistons close to the cutting structure, (2) automated trajectory control with continuous six-axis inclination and azimuthal measurements, and (3) azimuthal gamma ray measurements close to the cutting structure. This new RSSAB eliminated the previous practice of reducing drilling parameters to achieve required build rates and to counter the turning tendency in the curve and lateral sections. This improvement enabled drilling with higher rates of penetration in the curve section, plus achieving higher dog-leg severity (DLS) in the curve, and also drilling a longer lateral section in one run with less tortuosity. CSWD was introduced to decrease surveying time and improve well placement accuracy. Excessive time was required when using conventional survey techniques, where surveys were taken every 95 ft during connection, and associated weight-to-weight connection time varied from 10 to 15 minutes per stand. This time was needed to free any trapped torque prior to taking survey, recycle pumps, and wait for survey to be transmitted and quality checked on surface. With new CSWD capability, time was eliminated as this function provides accurate 6-axis surveys continuously while drilling, thereby eliminating all related survey activity steps from operation. The increase in number of surveys obtained while drilling also enhances well placement and TVD definition for each well drilled. Introduction of fit-for-purpose RSSAB technology for the first time internationally outside U.S. land, and CSWD technology for the first time worldwide, has taken drilling performance to a new level, provided improvement in drilling performance, accuracy in well placement and associated cost reduction. In a short period of time, the drilling performance improved dramatically, and the top five wells with the vertical, curve and lateral sections drilled in one run had the highest average ROP. In addition, this newly deployed RSSAB and CSWD BHA achieved: The field record for the longest lateral footage drilled in one day.Fastest time from spud-to-TD.Fastest time from spud to rig release.

A major requirement to make drilling a cost-effective exercise is to maximize the performance to cut well delivery days (and therefore well associated cost) to the minimum. The area of interest experienced challenging startup. However, quick learning curve, and therefore a clear well–on–well improvement, is achieved while pursuing the technical limits of the downhole drilling equipment. A recent well having a record-breaking performance will be covered. The optimization efforts are reproduced on all wells aiming to surpase the newly established performance records. Offset wells were thoroughly analyzed to identify all potential areas for improvement and a detailed performance improvement plan was then prepared for all sections. Starting from surface sections (16-in and 12-in sections), clear road maps are followed taking into considerations each formation characteristics and previous real-time data for optimum parameters. Then moving to the 8-½-in combined vertical/curve/lateral sections, the most aggressive improvement plan is applied. This was achieved by adjusting the drilling strategies, revising the drilling systems used, and modifying the bottom-hole assemblies to reach reducing the number of runs required to clean-out previous casing and drilling the combined vertical/curve/lateral sections to one. Engineered solutions and continuous pursuit of the technical limits of the performance/directional equipment/systems succeeded to speed up the learning curve of the drilling performance, and then resulted in a continuous improvement along the journey of the development of the area of interest. The 16-in and 12-in sections are having back-to-back performance records. The work is continued with the consistent spirt of "limit is still to come" to maintain the good results and ensure repeatability (if not improving) on a well-on-well basis. Moving to the 8-½-in section, the one-BHA (bottom-hole assembly) approach succeeded and proved to be a major contributor to reducing well delivery time; it is now the standard practice on almost all new wells drilled, combining cleanout out previous casing and drilling vertical/curve/lateral sections to well total depth. Connection and surveying procedures were revised on all sections, and optimized to the minimum. This allowed cutting the average weight-to-weight connection time from 14 minutes to 7 minutes. As a result, the well delivery days’ duration was cut to 16 days on average from 24 days in the previous year until delivering a country record well with spud-to-total depth in 12.8 days, and spud-to-rig release in 16 days. This country record-breaking well will be discussed in details.

During non-productive time (NPT) such as stuck pipe incidents, reducing the operational time and associated cost of the trouble mitigation should always be the goal. Therefore, the engineering team searched for new and innovative ways to reduce the NPT when stuck pipe incidents happen, and successfully utilized an existing technology in a new way not yet performed on a global basis. In seldom incidents drilling or tripping through unstable zones (especially when drilling through sticky shales and loose sandstone zones charged with downhole faults/fractures) with complete loss of circulation, severe tight spots, stalling tendencies, hard backreaming, etc. might be experienced. In the worst case, the pipe might get stuck and cannot be freed. The engineering team investigated several options to allow drilling and casing off the trouble zones in such incidents, while reducing the NPT in the same time. Sidetracking through open-hole and/or cased-hole whipstock, then utilizing level-2 casing-while-drilling technology to drill and case-off the instable zones was the best cost effectient option. Successful deployment of level-2 16-in × 13-⅜-in casing-while-drilling (CwD) technology through an 18-⅝-in cased-hole sidetrack whipstock and level-2 22-in × 18-⅝-in CwD technology through open-hole sidetrack led to drilling and casing off severe unstable sections in two separate wells in different areas of interest. The level-2 13-⅜-in CwD utilization to drill and case-off trouble zones through cased-hole sidetrack was the global first. The level-2 18-⅝-in CwD utilization to drill and case-off trouble zones through open-hole sidetrack was the country first. Both led to significantly reducing the non-productive time (NPT) resulted from the stuck pipe incidents in a cost effective manner. Extensive engineering simulations, technical limits, and risks assessment were set to insure flawless execution. During the job execution, the drilling performances were constantly monitored. The engineering simulations are updated using the actual parameters to ensure accurate measurements of the accumulated fatigue while being rotated to preserve the casing due to exposure to high dogleg severity (DLS) in the sidetracked wellbore. Furthermore, the hydraulics are optimized real-time to ensure hole cleaning without further increase in the equivalent circulating density. Even with no prior global experience of the utilization of this technology through such operation, the pursuit of the technical limit was to reduce the NPT as much as possible. The technical paper will highlight the planning steps, challenges, detailed engineering simulation, risks mitigations and engineered solutions, and the successful results of the deployment of level-2 CwD runs through sidetracked wellbores.

Shale reservoirs retain significant natural gas reserves, which are more challenging to recover than in conventional reservoirs. Production from these unconventional resources became economically feasible as a result of advances in both horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies. Stimulation technologies continue to improve through the combining of advanced logging, geomechanics, microseismic and frac fluids. This has led to further optimization of hydraulic fracture treatments and higher recovered unconventional reserves.Petrophysical and geomechanical models are built using advanced well logging, special core analysis (SCAL), and rock mechanical properties. Within the petrophysical evaluation, special care must be taken when transferring the dynamic values of Poisson's ratio and Young modulus, obtained from acoustic data, to static values, to reduce the uncertainty of stress and fracture width estimations. Additionally, one of the key parameters in improving hydrocarbon production is choosing a suitable fluid type and associated chemicals to be used in reducing damage to the formation. Geomechanically, utilizing "Drilling-Induced Tensile Fractures" (DITFs) analysis is crucial to estimate fracture half-length, number of fracture stages, closure pressure of the frac and designing the appropriate pump rates.This paper presents a case study from a Saudi Arabian shale formation. The described workflow is designed to help optimize both reservoir characterization and design of hydraulic stimulation treatments.It will be shown that engineered completions are more effective and yield higher ultimate recoveries than

The present study aimed to identify the obstacles that hinder the use of augmented reality with students with communication disorders in the elementary stage from the perspective of their teachers in Medina. Accordingly, a questionnaire consisting of (47) items has been constructed that measures the most important obstacles that hinder the use of augmented reality in the therapeutic sessions for students with communication disorders. The two researchers builded descriptive survey instrument, the questionnaire applied to a simple random sample consisting of (133) teachers of communication disorders (male & female), to identify the main obstacles from their perspective according to a number of variables: (academic qualification, years of experience, gender). The outcomes indicated that the most influential obstacles are as follows: Obstacles related to male and female teachers came in the first place, followed by technical and material obstacles in second place, followed by obstacles for female students, while obstacles related to administration came in the last order, and the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences at a significant level of (α ≤0.05) between responses study sample individuals towards assessing the obstacles to using augmented reality with students with communication disorders at the elementary level according to the educational qualification variable (bachelor, postgraduate), years of experience variable (1-5, 6-10, 11 and more), and the gender variable (male-female).