WELLSITE CONSULTING
ILI has an active and growing consultancy group that can provide wellsite geologists and geopressure consultants. Even wellsite petroleum engineers and Operations Geologists can be provided upon request as well. These personnel can also be office based as required.
Services have been provided in many locations worldwide, and as some of the senior managers of ILI have previously provided this service themselves, they can therefore easily understand exactly what the client’s needs are.
Many of our consultants have an in-depth mud logging background that provides a valuable base upon which to understand wellbore conditions and interpret logs. Other consultants have joined us from operators and this combination of experiences provides a pool of personnel with a wide variety of backgrounds.
Geopressure consultants provide a highly demanding wellsite pore pressure service that is normally in addition to the requirement of a wellsite geologist on location. This service has an excellent track record in saving clients huge costs and time when drilling in situations where pore pressure needs to be monitored constantly.
GEOPRESSURE PREDICTION CONSULTING (GPC) SERVICE
 Overview:
Mud logging Unit is the one location on the rig where drilling and lithological information are monitored on a continuous basis. The Geopressure Prediction service provides the link between the "mud logging" parameters, real-time LWD/MWD and/or wireline data (Figure 1).
Features:
• Works on Windows 2000/XP platforms.
• Industry standard models and methods.
• Multiple Well Plan scenarios possible.
• User defined program allows proprietary
methods to be used.
• Powerful graphical interface.
• Supports WITS levels 0, 1, 2 & 2B.
• Pentium Laptop PC with full network and remote data capability.
Geopressure-related and wellbore instability problems are now estimated to cost operators billions of US dollars a year and these problems have become more prominent as more companies drill in deep water. Costs and drilling problems can be reduced substantially by recognizing abnormally high pore pressures early. The accurate determination of fracture gradients defines the need for protective casing that must be placed on total annulus pressures during drilling.
At International Logging, a primary focus is to improve the understanding and methods of handling pore and fracture pressures enabling operators to meet drilling and geological targets, reduce costs and increase safety.
Our GeopressureConsulting Services (GPC) Services allows operators to obtain a realistic overview of the Geopressure situation confronting them in real time. This allows for timely decisions and actions to be made and implemented with regards to: optimizing mud weights, hole sizes, and casing seat setting depths in order to avoid costly problems. These problems, if not mitigated, will increase non-productive drilling time and could compromise future production.
Knowledge about pore pressures during the pre-drill stage and while drilling has been established by the industry as the most important factor in drilling a well efficiently and more safely in a challenging environment.
 Pre-Drill Analysis & Report
GPC Team members provide predrill pore pressure predictions based on analysis of seismic velocities and offset well data like wireline and mudlogging data. Multiple datasets from offset wells in similar geological settings are used.
The deliverables are Geopressure plots of the overburden, fracture and pore pressure gradient profiles. These plots will assist in identifying pressure ramps / regressions / transitions and assist, in developing and refining of a mud / casing program. A brief report is generated with observations, conclusions and recommendations based on the prognosed pore and fracture pressure profiles.
However, predrill estimates are, by their nature, uncertain. Limitations, among other things, include:
• Low resolution of seismic interval velocities
Dearth and questionable accuracy of data or depth
of events; and
•
Uncertainty in the seismic velocity to pressure transformation
Real-Time Geopressure Evaluation, Determination and Prediction
Geopressure work requires the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data to come up with a reasonable picture of the Geopressure environment in the subsurface.
The most critical part of any Geopressure work is when the well is being drilled. There is a lot of data around, but this data needs to be distilled into actionable information. Our main strength lies in having teams of very experienced Geopressure Prediction Consultants (GPC’s) that can quickly integrate, correctly analyze, and interpret the vast amount of both qualitative and quantitative data obtained during drilling. These interpretations are delivered to the decision makers in the right time frame.
Accurate Geopressure and fracture prediction ahead of the bit is made possible by continually refining a pre-drill prognosis.
Real-Time Wellsite Monitoring
 IL’s GPC service includes use of the Real-Time, Wellsite Version of the Pore Pressure Prediction Software and all necessary hardware – Laptop Computer, Color Printer, WITS Data line.
(Figure 3).
Real-Time inputs include data from any mud logging vendor (ROP, Dxc, Gas and Temperature) and any MWD/LWD vendor (Resistivity, Gamma Ray, Bulk Density, Sonic). Seismic and/or Sonic data sets are used at casing points to continually refine the model.
Service offers 24-hr Mud Weight consultation. 24-hr Pore and Fracture Pressure Analysis and “Prediction”. A daily Geopressure plot and report. Assistance with decisions including casing points and reducing / eliminating unscheduled events (kicks, loss circulation, stuck pipe).
Post-Well Geopressure Evaluation
Post-Well Geopressure Profiling with MDT / SFT / DST data (if available) can be a tremendous asset in generating accurate Geopressure curves (OBG, FG and PP) for the entire logged section of the well.
Benefits
While there is always a cost in utilizing IL’s GPC service as part and parcel of drilling operations, the cost is miniscule compared to the costs associated with Geopressure and wellbore instability problems and the impact they have on exploration and drilling activities. The savings garnered from the benefits of an understanding of Geopressures far outweigh the costs and this will be reflected in a healthy bottom line!
“Overcoming & Transforming subsurface uncertainty into winning formula"
International Logging’s GPC Services has proven effective in over 60 wells in diverse areas and environments within the last four years. Our success rate of over 90% is proof of the quality of our service.
With GPC® Services, International Logging can help drill your wells effectively with less trouble and less NPT, reduced costs and also improved safety, speed & performance of your drilling campaign. |
