Well design and cost optimization study

Our well control and well engineering experts were assigned to advise on reducing drilling costs and identify suitable well control measures for the purposes of assuring safety integrity amid a cost-conscious environment in the Mediterranean Sea.

After a detailed analysis of the well design, it was identified that there could be significant challenges for regaining control of the well in the event of a blowout from the target reservoir.

The challenge

Due to the criticality and unique complexity of the project goal and requirements, the operator required a specialist consultancy to:

Identify opportunities to reduce drilling costs

Develop a well control contingency plan for the exploration well

Determine safe, suitable, and cost-effective well control measures for the well

The reservoir targets were expected to contain dry gas with a significant flow potential

Options Available

Reduce the flow potential and hence the kill requirements through reduction of the tubular sizes. This would however reduce production capacity and add significant costs to the project

Determine suitable contingency measures for well control and improve contingency plan and toolkit

Our suggestion

We performed a well control and blowout study which included:

Significant updates to the existing blowout contingency plan detailing the well control challenges of this well
Identification of suitable contingency measures
A bulletproof contingency toolkit for assuring efficient and effective well control of the “worst case” scenario blowout
Opportunities to reduce drilling costs
Identification of improved well design achieved by installing 9 5/8″ casing above the top of the shallowest gas sand at a safe depth of 5000 meters
Access rights to the RWIS (the world’s only single relief well injection spool)

The value we added

Well Control Assurance

A bulletproof contingency toolkit designed to assure efficient and effective well control of the “worst case” scenario blowout

Cost Reduction

By securing access rights to the RWIS, the operator did not need to run additional casing strings, saving over $12M

Drilling Target Achieved

Drilling targets were reached with the most desired bit size (8 ½”)

Emergency Response – On Demand

Access to the RWIS ensured the operator had sufficient well control measures, ready to call upon in the case of an emergency

Well Kill