High Speed Telemetry Drill Pipe Network Optimizes Drilling Dynamics And Wellbore Placement

Abstract

Abstract This paper discusses the successes and lessons learned during the first deployment of a High Speed Telemetry Drill Pipe Network with a Rotary Closed Loop System (RCLS) and Triple Combo suite in North America. The paper details the operational experience while drilling a lateral well with an emphasis on drilling optimization and LWD processing; given the ability to receive real-time, memory quality, data via a telemetry drill pipe network. Recent advances in Logging While Drilling technologies call for broader bandwidths and faster telemetry data rates for full utilization of data available downhole. In addition to the improvements in LWD technologies, there has been a remarkable development of downhole drilling dynamics and optimization tools. A telemetry drill pipe network that delivers real-time memory quality data at 57,000 bps transmission rates, provides a step change in capability for the industry - dramatically changing the decisions that can be made in real-time. The major lessons learned during the project were i. Real-time monitoring is a valuable tool for controlling and mitigating dynamic dysfunctions downhole resulting in immediate ROP improvements; ii. High volume of real-time memory data imposes new challenges on surface software systems; iii. High resolution bore hole images via telemetry drill pipe facilitate real-time on-site dip picking and analysis of downhole conditions; iv. Handling of telemetry drill pipe at surface plays a key role in improving the efficiency of overall drilling operation. With a telemetry drill pipe network, the present generation of drilling engineers can have high quality down-hole dynamics information and mechanical specific energy (MSE) data real-time while drilling. Likewise, the geologists and petrophysicists can have access to 8 sector gamma images and 16 sector density images, real-time via telemetry drill pipe. The success of the project has provided the industry with an impetus to pursue this technology as a ground-breaking path towards making real-time informed decisions while drilling. Introduction Increasing drilling and completions costs are pushing oil companies to look for innovative technologies that can offset economic forces associated with challenging environments. High Speed Telemetry Drill Pipe or Wired Pipe Telemetry is an emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionize exploration and development drilling by optimizing the overall drilling and completions process. A telemetry drill pipe network has successfully demonstrated data transmission rates of 2 megabits per second in testing facilities (Jellison et al. 2003) and 57,000 bits per second in several field trials (Manning et al. 2007). The data rates demonstrated by this technology are significantly higher than the standard Mud Pulse Telemetry (8 to 12 bits per second). Electromagnetic telemetry can deliver rates up to 100 bits per second but still is nowhere close to the bandwidth available with high speed telemetry drill pipe network. The first deployment in North America of the high speed telemetry drill pipe network was in conjunction with an RCLS and a triple combo logging suite of a leading MWD/LWD service provider. Previous deployments of this technology with RCLS / LWD / Triple Combo include the Troll Field, North Sea, where two extended lateral wells were drilled, and in off-shore Myanmar, where a commercial well was drilled for pressure management (Hernandez et al. 2007).