Elevated Activity Levels Driving Technology Development at Record Pace:Barnett Shale, North Texas (2007)

Elevated Activity Levels Driving Technology Development at Record Pace: Barnett Shale--North Texas Drew Jennings; Drew Jennings Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Floyd Carl Felderhoff; Floyd Carl Felderhoff Hughes Christensen Co. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Matthew Ray Isbell; Matthew Ray Isbell Hughes Christensen Co. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Mark Kramer; Mark Kramer Devon Energy Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Eddie Pierce; Eddie Pierce Devon Energy Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Geoffrey Kevin Roberts; Geoffrey Kevin Roberts Devon Energy Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Sandeep Janwadkar Sandeep Janwadkar Baker Hughes INTEQ Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Anaheim, California, U.S.A., November 2007. Paper Number: SPE-109636-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/109636-MS Published: November 11 2007 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Jennings, Drew, Felderhoff, Floyd Carl, Isbell, Matthew Ray, Kramer, Mark, Pierce, Eddie, Roberts, Geoffrey Kevin, and Sandeep Janwadkar. "Elevated Activity Levels Driving Technology Development at Record Pace: Barnett Shale--North Texas." Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Anaheim, California, U.S.A., November 2007. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/109636-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition Search Advanced Search AbstractIncreased demand for natural gas and the resulting long-term price stability has caused operators to apply new, high-end technology to accelerate development in the Barnett Shale field of north Texas. Expanding drilling schedules on shortening timelines have resulted in the systematic advancement of technology to keep pace with the increased pressure to cut drilling costs and reduce days to production.One operator and its service providers recognized the potential to replace established technology and drive down costs drilling horizontal boreholes. A team-based approach focused on discrete well intervals to identify issues, analyze problems, and explore solutions to improve overall performance. In the northern part of the field, the introduction of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits, modifications to the drillstring, and new operational practices in the vertical hole section, previously dominated by roller cone bits, reduced drilling time by 62% over the interval. To the south, a new approach to critical failure analysis was utilized to double the drilling performance through the lithologically challenging curve section with roller cone bits. The rate of penetration (ROP) and footage advancements achieved in both scenarios have changed the drilling landscape in north Texas and made intense drilling schedules significantly more manageable.In a six-month period, the 8 3/4-in. vertical section was drilled in just one PDC bit run on 23 out of 30 wells in the northern area, cutting interval costs by $150,000 and drilling time by 62%. To the south, new roller cone technology outperformed 90% of the previous runs, increasing ROP by 84% to 18.8 ft/hr from 10.2 ft/hr, saving the operator a total of $1.68 million over 15 wells. The paper will outline drilling performance improvements in terms of footage, ROP, and the operating parameters/systems required to achieve the dual performance step change.IntroductionProduction companies are responding to ever-increasing global demand for natural gas by accelerating field development. This translates into ever-expanding drilling schedules on perpetually shortened timelines. To keep pace with these demands, operators are pushing to quicken the pace of drilling technology development in the interest of saving dollars and days.One operator and its service provider recognized the potential to replace established technology and install a system of practices that facilitate the type of technology development that could result in continuous advancements and keep pace with the operator's needs. This aggressive new approach requires the development of a culture of trust between the operator and its service company, as well as the implementation of practices that allow the free flow of previously guarded information. Firm commitments would be required from the operator and the service company to provide the people, resources, and priority necessary for success.The results of the program proved successful by yielding systematic advancements in drilling technology and operational procedures that resulted in significant progress in the development of one of the operator's core assets. The success of this strategic relationship is best illustrated in the two case studies presented below. These achievements yielded a positive impact on both companies' bottom lines, helping create shareholder value with the backdrop of one of North America's largest shale-gas plays. Keywords: bit selection, cutter, interval performance, technology development, drilling operation, North Field, BHA, penetration rate, roller cone bit, spe 109636 Subjects: Drill Bits, Drilling Operations, Bit design This content is only available via PDF. 2007. 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