Best Practices in Well Construction - The Journey to One Billion Barrels Oil Production in Bonga Field

Abstract

In the fiercely competitive realm of brownfield oil and gas projects, our well construction team embarked on a transformative journey marked by unparalleled achievements, as outlined in this paper. This abstract sheds light on the strategic fusion of cutting-edge technologies, innovative processes, and the skill and expertise of the well construction team, which drove the remarkable recovery of over one billion barrels of oil in the illustrious Bonga Field. Navigating the intricate challenges inherent in brownfield environments, our team pursued a dual path of technological innovation and operational process optimization. The tangible outcome was a comprehensive suite of groundbreaking drilling and completion advancements that accelerated project timelines, brought wells online sooner, and substantially reduced well capital and operational expenditure. The achievements are multifaceted, encompassing the adoption of pioneering drilling technologies for extended horizontal reach wells and real-time wellbore visualization using lookahead tools, particularly in geo-steering within thin-bedded sands. Advanced wellbore placement, trajectory control, and drill string optimization significantly elevated flow rates and rates of penetration (ROP), accompanied by improved cuttings cleanup. A strategic paradigm shift involved using offset well data for risk assessment and well planning, eliminating the need for redundant activities in every well based on available offset well data. Operations were streamlined by integrating various tasks into single runs, showcasing unprecedented efficiency gains. Crucially, our focus transcended hardware enhancements to embrace strategic procedural improvements, with proficient drilling supervisors wielding optimized Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) configurations to push operational boundaries and enhance ROP, ensuring wellbore integrity. The culmination of these achievements propelled the Bonga project well beyond its production target, recovering over one billion barrels of oil. This abstract immerses the reader in the strategic orchestration of technologies, procedural enhancements, and the exceptional prowess of our team, offering profound insights into the dynamic interplay between human expertise and cutting-edge solutions in the realm of well construction. It is a testament to the extraordinary accomplishments defining our journey to surpassing one billion barrels in the Bonga Field.