Decreasing Well Construction Costs for Mature Fields in the Recôncavo Basin

Abstract

The Recôncavo basin is located in northeast Brazil and has several mature fields that have been producing for more than 40 years. After more than three years without drilling activity, an integrated services model was implemented as a different working methodology for optimizing well construction. This work describes in detail the applied methodology and illustrates how it has positively impacted well construction times and thus costs. An integrated services model approach was applied. Instead of many technical representatives for each specialty, as performed in previous projects in the area, an integrated services coordinator was assigned as a single contact point for the operator to improve communication, document lessons learned, support logistics, follow up with project KPI, daily reporting, operational meetings, and field support on critical operations. Furthermore, technologies that had never been used in the area were applied, such as oil based mud (OBM), electromagnetic measurement while drilling (MWD), rigless cement evaluation, PDC bits and cased hole evaluation. These logging systems were chosen because of the high risk of losing openhole wireline tools as a result of fluid-loss issues in the production hole section, and it worked very well as an innovative option in which a synthetic profile was obtained from the cased hole wireline logging data. This profile was obtained and adjusted based on information from neighboring wells in the same field. Wells of the previous drilling campaign involved the use of traditional tools and relatively low nonproductive times, but at inefficient well construction rates. Because of the integration acquired using the integrated services approach, a more collaborative environment was created and project stakeholders collaborated to achieve project success and solve specific issues. As a result of the integrated service approach, and the application of new technologies in the area, instant improvement was observed compared to previous drilling campaigns. During project execution, drilling times were positively impacted and risk mitigated, reflecting a continuous improvement tendency and consistent learning curve. This paper illustrates how an integrated services approach and the introduction of proven technologies were successfully applied in the Recôncavo basin, which can be used by engineers as reference to help achieve similar or better results. It also demonstrates that, even in mature fields or in very well-known areas, there is room for improvement.