At-the-Bit Mud Loss Control - Expanding, Optimizing and Piloting

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

The At-the-Bit Mud Loss Control® innovation is one of its kind in the oil and gas industry providing a new solution for treatment of drilling mud losses when penetrating lossy fomations. The new piggyback drilling tool is integrated as a part of the bottom hole assembly with release of a polymer based gel, the AtB Gel™. The gel will convert the circulating drilling mud into a downhole swellable pill. The solution will contribute to re-establish the well pressure barrier integrity and such reduce the risk of HSE hazards and contribute to improved drilling efficency. The technology is fully mecanically operated with the use of dropping steel balls. The chemical payload is pre-stored in carrier subs which can be activated on demand. The non-poisenous chemical payload will be displaced trough the annulus of the tool and drill bit into the wellbore and formation for sealing off formation fractures. The gel payload has been developed for use in high salinity water-based drilling mud systems. The hydrophilic polymer will absorb water from the drilling mud and formation. The technology can be applied not only for drilling purposes, but also for P&A (plug and abandonment) operations and water shut-off in oil and gas producing wells. The At-the-Bit Mud Loss Control® technology has been qualified through laboratory experiments and full scale field trials. Drilling pilots are ongoing in Oman as a stepstone towards a commerzialisation of the technology. In this, discussion with the service industry is ongoing for partnering into providing a worldwide drilling service.