Abstract
Horizontal drilling of extended wells in Vaca Muerta, Argentina, in hostile environments with high temperatures close to 150°C, densities of 14.5ppg and high vibrations such as torsional, represents a major challenge. These extreme conditions require specified technologies and operating practices to achieve high penetration rates without compromising well integrity. Tortuosity is crucial to ensure hole cleaning and efficient trips to surface, and these conditions demand the appropriate solutions. Real-time monitoring technologies and automated drilling systems helped to improve drilling accuracy and efficiency in these challenging environments.
The implementation of advanced Rotary Steerable System (RSS) with automation capabilities provided by a high-performance mud motor and risk evaluation and mitigation, where key point to successfully address drilling challenges to propose the suitable solutions in the service design. Furthermore, was essential to have a dedicated team monitoring operations in real time, capable of issuing alerts and taking action to reduce or eliminate risks. This proactive approach improved safety and efficiency, facilitating the collection of valuable technical information. Once analyzed, this contributed to the creation of a repository of lessons learned, vital for continuous improvement.
The development of lateral lengths in horizontal wells was a significant milestone to maximize asset value, with extensions reaching more than of 4000 meters, duplicating the reservoir contact compared with the initial 2000 meters at the early stages. Also, the implementation of an autonomous steering control feature (Cruise Control), designed to manage laterals and tangents, by automatic adjusting the well inclination and direction to align with the planned trajectory, reducing well tortuosity and improving rate of penetration helped to maximize the drilling efficiency in lateral sections.