The world of oil and gas drilling is not for the faint of heart. Precision, knowledge, and the capacity to adapt to the unexpected are crucial in this field. Within this industry, I found myself at the helm of a challenging well planning project, one that would become a defining chapter in my career. This essay introduces you to the world of risky well planning with a specific emphasis on collision avoidance.
Nothing is more critical in the high-pressure world of oil and gas drilling than accuracy and safety. The key to navigating this complex environment is careful preparation. During this process, avoiding collisions in a field with close offset wells becomes a crucial issue. I will share a remarkable case study from my career as a well planner, a project that put me on a collision course and how I successfully navigated it.
Imagine a new well project that is in perilous proximity to offset wells, with a very large margin of error since the offset wells were surveyed with low-end technology tools. In this situation, well planners err on the side of caution and aim to increase the separation distance as much as possible with the wellbore trajectory they are planning. In the "start collision monitoring zone," the stakes are high, and the margin for error is almost nonexistent while drilling. What increased the complexity was the fact that my new well plan was adjacent to live production wells, surrounded by significant uncertainty, which meant the potential consequences of misjudgment were catastrophic.
At the heart of collision avoidance is the monitoring engineer while drilling. I wore this additional hat and was tasked with real-time tracking of surveys while drilling. This meant staying up late on the beach and discussing my findings with the offshore crew. My job was to project surveys to the bit, accounting for well curvature, and foreseeing the path ahead of the bit. This is where human expertise plays a defining role. My knowledge and experience came to the forefront in making immediate, high-stakes decisions.
The turning point in my tale came with the arrival of the third set of surveys. As I projected ahead, a chill ran down my spine. The well was perilously close to an offset well; a collision seemed imminent. With the clock ticking and the stakes soaring, I raised the red flag, and drilling operations came to a halt. My immediate actions would shape the outcome.
The initial strategy of the oil company that had contracted my company was to avoid re-surveying problematic offset wells, despite my recommendations. However, the gravity of the situation soon became apparent. Faced with a looming collision, the oil company had no option but to rapidly mobilize a gyro company for re-surveying. This decision came with added costs, including offshore crew standby rates and unplanned rig rates.
The outcome of my prudent actions was two-fold. First, I stopped the approaching collision to save lives and property. Second, my suggestion that offset wells be re-surveyed was supported. I was honored with a safety award, and the icing on the cake was a special commendation from my company’s Africa President and Vice President of Drilling.
This experience serves as an excellent metaphor for the high-stress environment of effective planning, highlighting the significance of knowledge-driven planning, experience-backed decision-making, and the fortitude to make unpopular decisions. In this complex industry, a good well planner in this field serves as the guardian of safety and success, navigating the fine line between catastrophe and triumph.
In conclusion, the oil and gas industry's realm of well planning is a high-stakes game where accuracy and safety are paramount. The "start collision monitoring zone" necessitates careful planning and expertise to project ahead using geological information and previous survey data to navigate the problematic zone safely. In the end, it's the ability to avert the worst-case scenarios that defines the true value of expertise in this field.
The writer is a former Well Planner and Drilling Applications Engineer, specializing in Drilling Optimization Engineering and complex well profiles. With a background in strategic management and joint venture relations, he has held positions as a General Manager for a local oil and gas company and as Chief Operating Officer for General Electric Oil and Gas Ghana Limited and Baker Hughes Energy Technology Ghana Limited. Now into Technology Consulting, he assists clients across various industries, including automotive, medical technology, energy, and utilities, in navigating complex technologies and emerging trends.
Photo Source: Well collision detection. Obelisk Petroleum Services. (2019, July 25). https://obeliskps.com/products-and-services/well-collision-detection/ .Accessed on (2023, October 11)
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