DEPARTMENTS • DRILLING & COMPLETION TECH DIGEST
Integrated cementing
solution saves 18 hours
on subsea well in US GOM
Using casing while drilling, Hunt Oil was able to reduce the number of runs
required on the Macoveiu 3900 well in Romania, leading to cost and time savings.
Hunt Oil and Odfjell Technologies set European depth
record for 20-in. casing while drilling in Romania
Odfjell Technology recently worked
with Hunt Oil to reach a European depth
record for 20-in. casing while drilling
(CWD) in its Macoveiu 3900 well, located
in Bazau, Romania.
CWD was selected as the solution to
mitigate possible surface hole hazards
like shallow gas, formations sensitive to
swabbing, tight hole and loss of circula-
tion, as well as to achieve time savings
for the surface section .
A cap was set on the maximum
achievable working flow rate due to
rig surface equipment limitations. This
flow rate ceiling was lower than what
was required for optimal operational
performance, so this scenario required
additional analysis of the drill bit per-
formance, wellbore hydraulics and hole
cleaning. The existing 20-in. casing by
24-in. bit design was analyzed, opti-
mized and validated for the expected
conditions. A CWD record-breaking depth of 798
m below rotary was recorded .
By implementing Odfjell Technology’s
CWD services, Hunt Oil reduced the num-
ber of runs required with significant
saving on time and cost thanks to the
elimination of conventional bottomhole
assembly handling and tripping times.
The operator was also able to achieve its
drilling objectives on this 24-in. section
by using Odfjell’s casing running tool ,
torque turn computers, manual handling
tools and hydraulic power tongs with
high-torque capacity and power packs.
There were also no recordable incidents
or accidents recorded during the opera-
tion. Expro recently completed a well cement
placement project for a large international
operator in the US Gulf of Mexico (GOM) .
Inner-string cementing was delivered for
a subsea well’s 22-in. surface casing in a
water depth of approximately 2,000 m in
the Mississippi Canyon area. That was
integrated with Expro's Cure technologies
to allow the operator to overcome ongo-
ing offset well challenges. These included
prolonged wait on cement (WOC) periods
when transitioning directly from the jet
string to the 22-in. surface casing, and
tasks associated with drilling out a 22-in.
shoetrack. The integrated cementing solution
helped save approximately 18 hours of
cement-related drill-out, clean-out and
WOC time compared with offset wells.
The Cure technologies also removed the
requirement for a shoetrack to be left
in the casing string, preventing cement
sheath-related challenges.
Transocean Norge semi
earns DNV notation for
greenhouse gas abatement
Late last year, the Transocean Norge
became the first semisubmersible to
receive DNV’s Abate (Power+) notation,
following upgrades designed to lower the
rig's greenhouse emissions during opera-
tion. The notation is designed to reflect
the best industry practices in greenhouse
gas abatement for offshore units and rep-
resents a comprehensive energy and emis-
sion management system aligned with
ISO 50001 standards. It emphasizes rigor-
ous monitoring of energy consumption
SLB, Nabors to scale adoption of drilling automation
SLB and
Nabors Industries
are embarking on a collaboration to enable
8 PRECISE or Nabors’ SmartROS rig oper-
ating system.
and the implementation of operational and
technical strategies to reduce emissions.
Transocean implemented several key
strategies to ensure the rig meets these
customers to integrate the companies'
“Our collaboration with Nabors will
standards : comprehensive monitoring
drilling automation applications and
provide E&P customers and drilling con-
of energy consumption, optimization of
rig operating systems . Customers will
tractors across the globe with greater
operational energy, use of closed bus ties
have access to a broader suite of drill-
access to high-performance drilling
to minimize the number of idle engines,
ing automation technologies and greater
capabilities, including Neuro autono-
and variable frequency drives in rotating
flexibility to utilize existing rig control
mous directional drilling,” said Jesus
machinery to optimally control the power
systems and equipment on either SLB’s
Lamas, President, Well Construction, SLB.
for large rotating machinery.
JAN UARY/FEB RUARY 2024 • D R I LLI N G CO N T R ACTO R