Well Simulation and Real Time Operations Engineering Overview and Results for Onshore, Offshore and Subsea Drilling Operations
Authors: Santoro D. , Spelta A. , Ferrara P. , Bianchini L. P. , Bartucci G. , Zarra A. F. , Pregliasco M. , Fontana A. , Pinto Vieira L. , Lahou K. , Nabavi J. , Huseynov P. , Gocmen E. B. , Lye J. , Loh J. 
Published: September 2023

Well simulation and real time operations engineering technologies are becoming an important part of Well Construction design and Drilling Operations follow-up worldwide. Market availability of such tools, for planning, real time support and post job analysis, has evolved in the years and, with this paper, we are presenting a general overview of the features and some of the case history Company had with a specific system.

Basic idea of systems like well simulators and real time operation engineering software is to provide an immediate picture of the operations through data characterization in real-time, either through dynamic modelling and/or through data statistical analysis. Data collected on the field can provide real-time operation insights while feeding predictive analytics tools with the goal to improve safety and performance.

For such applications, selected wells are configured within the software, in a manual or automatic approach, thus either receiving data from external sources or automatically configured through integrated systems and prepare the software for the subsequent modelling. Dynamic models, embedded into the software, are calibrated to reach an overlap between simulated and measured drilling parameters. Outputs can be of different natures, typically time-based (in mud log and driller-cabin-like layouts fashion), depth-based (such as roadmaps for axial and torsional friction factors), gauge-based (with operating envelops being represented on gauges with different colors to support the operator in understanding if the drilling parameters are within the operating envelop or not), pillar plots, diagrams and so on. These outputs can also be used as input for advanced analyses for both planning and post job phases. The tools can also provide support for advisory on drilling parameters, suggesting potential improvements, and highlight specific KPIs reached during drilling operations, comparing the same with offset well data to evaluate well operations performance.

In Company, systematic application of such tools was initiated early 2021 with real time monitoring for North Sea and Africa offshore/subsea operations. Deployment along 2022 spread out across several other operated countries, for onshore, offshore and subsea drilling operations and, with the evolution of the digital drilling software market, the evaluation of new commercial tools was supported using this experience as one of the baselines. These technologies constitute a fundamental step towards drilling automation, as their dynamic approach allows the definition of operating envelopes inside which robotic tools can operate and generate alerts automatically if envelopes are overridden. Anomalous behavior of the drilling parameters can be recognized, controlled and adjusted.

Well simulation solutions that have been tested and deployed in our operations come from one of the tools that were evaluated in Company and demonstrate adaptability to a variety of existing platforms. The new upgrades, for data input and results visualization, are prone for user-friendly application, reducing the amount of training required for operative personnel to familiarize with the tools and apply them during drilling operations.