H&P Uses Automated Technology to Increase ROP, Lower Cycle Time, and Speed Up Drilling by 22%

Challenge

An operator in the Eaglebine formation needed to mobilize a stacked rig to H&P’s South Texas district without compromising on their desired performance outcome. The aim was to increase time to target while also preserving the life of the drill bit. The well had a three casing string profile with an intermediate bit size of 7 7/8-in., a lateral bit size of 9 7/8-in., and an average total depth (TD) of 16,800 feet.

Solution

H&P recommended a suite of automated drilling solutions designed to establish drilling consistency across the crew and increase overall efficiency.

Working together, FlexDrill® software uses Autodriller control system’s set point automation to increase rig efficiency, reducing overall mechanical specific energy (MSE) and downhole dysfunctions like whirl and stick slip. Additionally, FlexDrill technology would help fulfill another desired customer performance outcome since it preserves bottom hole assemblies (BHAs), reducing the flat time attributed to tripping out and in the hole to change out bits and tools.

In order to test the effectiveness of this proposed solution and accurately capture the value it creates, the customer decided to batch drill three wells using H&P technology and compare the performance to one well without H&P technology.

Outcome

Early-on, drilling consistency was established and time savings were quickly identified across the wells, with a 22% (0.6-day) average on-bottom rotating drilling time improvement. The customer saw a ROP increase of 5% in the intermediate section and 26% improvement in the lateral – all contributing to a 12% lower cycle time and an average cost savings $42,000 at a $70,000 spread rate.

ROP Increase

5% intermediate section ROP improvement
26% lateral section ROP improvement

Faster Drilling

22% (0.6-day) average on-bottom rotating drilling time improvement

Lower Cycle Time

12% spud to TD improvement due to reduction from 13.5 days to 11.9 days

Cost Savings

$42,000 average savings at a $70,000 spread rate

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