Drilling & Evaluation

Reliable Technologies for Well Delivery and Reservoir Characterization

Deepwater drilling presents many challenges associated with difficult logistics, water depth, complex geology and the high operating cost. On deepwater projects, drillers must deal with long risers, shallow gas and water zones, reactive shales, salt layers, hydrostatic pressures near the fracture gradient, and the need for precise well placement in complex reservoirs. Similarly, formation evaluation is complicated by the need for high quality and comprehensive data, the often hostile downhole environment, and the difficulty in deploying wireline instruments in wells that extend beyond 30,000 ft below the rig.

Baker Hughes offers a full range of drilling and evaluation technologies that reliably deliver deepwater wells while providing the formation data needed to optimize well placement and evaluate production potential.

Deepwater Drilling Fluids Solutions

Our deepwater drilling fluid systems include constant-rheology and standard synthetic drilling fluids, high performance water-base mud systems, and drill-in fluids that prevent reservoir damage. Our fluid systems are designed to meet drilling objectives while complying with environmental regulations.

Our fluids laboratory capabilities – including high pressure/high temperature viscometers and other advanced analytical equipment – enable our experts to design drilling fluids systems to match the specific formations and downhole conditions in each well. Our experienced field service representatives use proprietary software to model well hydraulics and manage the fluid program to enhance drilling performance, maintain hole integrity and minimize fluid losses.

Baker Hughes also is a leader in riserless drilling, using its Dynamic Kill Drilling (DKD) System. The DKD service applies surface hardware, proven well control techniques, and uniformly weighted kill fluids to control shallow water flows and push surface casing as deep as 8,000 ft below the mud line.

“Baker Hughes offers technologies that reliably deliver deepwater wells while providing data for well placement and reservoir evaluation.”

Drilling Through Salt Layers

Salt layers located above deepwater reservoirs are difficult to drill because of their plastic nature and the potential of tar and rubble zones beneath them. Vibration, washouts and directional control problems also complicate drilling operations.

Baker Hughes has extensive experience at helping oil companies successfully drill through and exit salt layers. Our drilling fluid systems have been used to drill more than 300,000 ft of salt in deepwater formations, and our drilling systems have operated efficiently while drilling more than 150,000 ft of salt

Baker Hughes takes an integrated approach to drilling through and beneath salt layers. Bottomhole assemblies include advanced PDC drill bits, rotary steerable systems, logging while drilling components, a downhole drilling dynamics systems, and expandable reamer tools for hole enlargement. When applied along with the right drilling fluid system, the integrated BHA maintains a quality wellbore, controls vibration, and guides the well along the planned directional trajectory without sacrificing penetration rates. Logging-while-drilling sensors give early indication of exit from the salt and help minimize problems when entering the transition zone. Our liner drilling systems, with advanced PDC bit and liner hanger technology – enable casing to be run through tar and rubble zones without NPT.

Drilling within the Reservoir

Baker Hughes also delivers effective solutions for drilling within the reservoir. Integrated BHAs include LWD imaging and deep-reading resistivity sensors to provide measurements that enable precise well placement within the pay zone.

Drilling assemblies also can include expandable reamers to increase hole size for improved drilling hydraulics and cuttings removal. Careful fluid system management also helps avoid differential sticking and mud losses while also protecting the reservoir from drilling damage.

“Experts at our BEACON centers monitor real-time data from deepwater rigs to provide advice and speed decision making.”

Comprehensive Formation Evaluation

Baker Hughes also provides comprehensive formation evaluation services that include both logging-while-drilling and wireline measurements. Baker Hughes LWD formation pressure measurements promote drilling safety while helping to evaluate potential producing zones. LWD image logs reveal details of the geologic structure along the well bore.

Our wireline experts have developed deployment techniques that enable logging on as much as 40,000 ft of cable at high temperatures and pressures. Our advanced systems can obtain multiple uncontaminated samples of formation fluid and can apply magnetic resonance, acoustic and resistivity measurements to characterize the reservoir and evaluate its production potential. Our geoscience experts help clients evaluate formation data and understand its results.

Remote Operations Centers

Baker Hughes improves efficiency and quality of deepwater operations using our BEACON remote operations centers. Experts at BEACON centers can monitor activity and real-time data from the deepwater rig and provide advice to enable timely decision-making. This is particularly beneficial during reservoir navigation of horizontal wells and for troubleshooting problems on the rig. Our clients also can access their data over the Internet, and collaborate with their colleagues, using our WellLink data service