D
eepwater drilling is demanding, technically,
financially and in human terms. Drilling and
completions now account for around 50%
of deepwater field development costs. As oil and gas
production moves into deeper waters, the technical
challenges and risks increase. When drilling in water
depths of 5000 ft and beyond, it is not unusual to
have as many as nine casing strings running through
each other so the tolerances between casings, and
between the centraliser and casings, are incredibly fine.
Cliff Berry, Centek Group, UK, outlines the benefits of casing
centralisation in deepwater wells.
DEALING WITH
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