With the Basic Well Planning module geologic, geophysical, reservoir and well data can be integrated with drilling and platform planning in a true, 3D environment. Being able to plan a well in direct interaction with the geologic model allows users functionality normally not seen in drilling applications. For example, users can create markers and features where horizons intersect a planned well and extract synthetic logs from geologic data along the well path. When geosteering, users gain the ability to rapidly update reservoir models using real time data from the field.
By creating and editing targets, platforms and wells in real time, multi-disciplinary teams can work through many planning scenarios, consider all critical factors and generate high-level plans that can be readily updated to accommodate changing conditions. This combination of data integration, interactive editing and collaborative workflow can greatly reduce cycle times during planning and improve the overall economics of development. In working drilling environments, we have seen reductions in cycle times from several months to less than a week.
Well and Platform Design
During platform planning, one of the major challenges is the proper placement of the slot position on the platform while optimizing the well path design. The Basic Well Planning module uses techniques to optimize conductor angles and nudge angles and nudge TVD to allow maximum spacing between well paths of adjacent slots. Drilling Planner assigns targets to drilling slots automatically by performing a geometrical analysis of the target locations to determine the best slot-to-target configuration. The solution that Drilling Planner proposes reduces the risk of intersecting other well paths from platform by performing an iterative process that includes:
- Minimizing the distance between the slot and target
- Reducing or eliminating well path crossover between the slot and target
- Minimizing the difference between the azimuths in the top hold section and below the kickoff
- Target location can be picked interactively in 3D on any data in the project such as the overburden description, reservoir or seismic volume.
- Enter the platform location, well path optimization parameters such as maximum dog-leg severity, kickoff depth.
- Well paths are automatically generated to one or more targets using minimum curvature and engineering criteria such as nudge and kickoff depths and rates, and dogleg severity. Wells inside a platform are automatically allocated to the optimal platform slot.
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