Overview


Challenges
  • Drill a slimhole curve and lateral
  • Extend drilling performance
  • Maximize reservoir contact using geosteering
  • Deliver excellent wellbore quality
Results
  • Drilled slimhole curve and lateral at 190.8 ft/hr (58.2 m/hr)
  • Achieved slimhole best-in-class 4,212 ft (1284 m) drilled in 24 hrs
  • Maximized reservoir contact
  • Delivered superior wellbore quality with 0.83°/100 ft (30 m) average DLS in the lateral




Case study details

A customer tasked Baker Hughes to drill a challenging 6¾-in. curve and lateral section in the Marcellus shale in Tyler County, West Virginia. The curve section was planned with 8°/100 ft (30 m) buildup rate (BUR) and a lateral section length of more than 8,000 ft (2438 m). The Marcellus shale is typically drilled in an 8½-in. hole size and for this slimhole application it was critical to deliver first-rate drilling performance, maximize reservoir contact, and deliver excellent wellbore quality.

Baker Hughes proposed the Lucida™ advanced rotary steerable service for this challenging application and engaged a multidisciplinary team to configure the bottomhole assembly (BHA) and provide drilling parameter optimization.

The Lucida advanced rotary steerable service has a robust integrated BHA with a fully customized drill bit and multi-chip module electronics to deliver exceptional drilling performance. The Dynamus™ XG-DD505 extended-life drill bit was specifically designed for this application with advanced drill bit directional control features, premium cutters, and a proprietary connection to handle the rigors of the challenging lateral section in the Upper Marcellus shale formation.

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