DRILLING IN THE
DIGITAL AGE
T
he path towards the fully automated unmanned rig – a picture
that has been painted time and time again in the energy
industry. This ideal is touted as the inevitability of the future
by the innovators and praised as an opportunity to reduce accidents
by theHSEmilieu. However, it ismet with apprehension fromthose all
too familiar with the beasts that laywithin the stratifications of the rock
formations. This vision of the hands-off, fully automated rig causes a
dichotomy of thought between industry experts and a clear roadmap to
accomplish this has yet to be determined.
Skimming research available today, anyonewill find there exists a
wide sandbox between zero automation and fully automated operations.
It iswithin this creative spacewhere proactive, forward-thinking
companies can trial new technologies to further advance rig efficiencies.
The industry downturn has encouraged this asmany companies demand
streamlined operationswithmaximumresults, andminimal downtime.
It is unrealistic to think human interactionwill be vacant fromrig
operations in the near future. The industry, combinedwith currentmarket
conditions, simply does not accommodate revolutionary overhauls, such
as the unmanned rig, overnight. However, the benefits of such operations
are obvious. Energy service providers like Tesco Corporation, work to
achieve this ideal one technological development at a time.
Wells are getting longer as drilling companies press to procure
maximumrewards fromeach job, and everyone involved in the drilling
process is nowundermore stress than ever to performthese complicated
processes as accurately and efficiently as possible. Hence, out of the
sandbox has arisen the idea of advanced drilling and equipment
monitoring, arming drillerswith rig environment andwellbore information
vital to the operational success of thewell.
Recently, through software called AutomatedRig Controls™ (ARC™),
this has beenmade available by Tesco Corporation. Through research
and discussionwith operators, it became clear thatmajor feature
opportunitieswere beingmissed by existing equipmentmonitoring
software, and a series of toolswith the purpose of filling these voidswas
developed. The software doesmore than simplify the driller’s job; ARC
software integrates into both existing rig equipment aswell as newbuilds
to significantly enhance and optimise the drilling process for any drilling
application. The benefits of this software includemitigation of drill string
stick-slip anomalies, increased rate of penetration (ROP), extended drill
bit life, enhanced features to aide in directional drilling, increasedweight
on bit (WOB) in long-reach horizontals and predictive and preventative
maintenance programmes.
Equipmentmonitoringmodelling
Just as a vehiclemust be regularlymaintained to keep it operating
optimally and avoid breakdowns, the same reasoning applies to
equipment on drilling rigs. Mechanical parts by their nature require
maintenance in order to performto expected specifications, especially
those built formovement and the expectation that theywill be exposed
to constant wear and stress. Followingmanufacturer recommended
guidelines is a step in the right direction towards getting themost out of
equipment however, the importance of routine checks can sometimes
be forgottenwhen day rates are in the tens or hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
ARCFit™, one element of the software suite, is designed to provide
real time information on the performance and condition of equipment,
removes the burden of tracking equipment conditionsmanually.
Its features fall into three categories: assetmanagement, maintenance
tracking and predictive healthmonitoring.
DOUG GREENING & RYAN GRAHAM,
TESCO CORPORATION, REVIEW
A NEW SUITE OF SOFTWARE
DESIGNED TO SIGNIFICANTLY
ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY OF
DRILLING PROGRAMMES.
COVER STORY
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