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The average drilling activity for the operator is between 150 and 200 wells per year in the Gulf of San Jorge Basin (Muzzio, J (2017)). The majority of these wells are vertical and target oil and gas production, as well as injection wells for the development of the Cerro Dragón mature field. The first casing drilling tests were conducted in 2008. Initially, BHAs combining casing with recoverable components were used. Due to the geological characteristics of the field, such as dips, fault presence, and rock geomechanical properties, complete casing assemblies with premium connections and specific bottom hole assembly configurations were developed. The shoe track, as well as the designs of the drill bits and pup joints, have played a crucial role in achieving high penetration rates (ROP) and, more importantly, meeting directional drilling targets.
The objective of this paper is to present how the operator applied a methodology of continuous tool development, evaluating and mitigating risks, which aims to provide greater agility for design iteration, challenging the status quo through collaboration with our suppliers.
The casing drilling method used, for the most part the wells, falls under the classification of Casing Drilling Level 2 (M. Makri, (2016)), which involves drilling a well with a non-retrievable bottom hole assembly. Within the development of drill bit designs for this methodology, major suppliers primarily focused on the development of drill bits with drillable materials in the bit head and integral connections. As the methodology and associated technological improvements progressed, the need for connections that included internal check valves and ports for auxiliary cementing arose, and the use of drillable materials in the drill bit head was deemed unnecessary. Additionally, the operation and progress in results required the use of more than one type of connection, both in terms of diameters and thread types.
