No Drilling Surprises Process And The Value Of The Real Time Update, A Case History In Camisea / Peru

Drilling wells in Camisea is technically and economically challenging. Wellbore instability, in this area, is responsible for costly stuck pipe incidents and in some cases multiple sidetracks. Stuck pipe is responsible for lost bottom hole assembly (BHA) and considerable non-productive time (NPT) spent freeing pipe, requiring additional wiper trips and hole cleaning. Minimizing nonproductive time associated with wellbore instability reduces the risk of major and catastrophic incidents and is required to complete the well on time and within budget. This article will describe the application of a process used to reduce risks and cost while drilling in Camisea, Peru. The mechanical earth model concept (MEM) will be presented. It will be shown that building a mechanical earth model and identifying the drilling risks during the well planning phase and revising it in real time is extremely valuable in delivering complex wells safely while minimizing unplanned well construction costs. Comparison of the MEM with actual events will be presented, and the importance of early detection and revising the model while drilling is stressed. Drilling in a difficult area requires geomechanics, drilling expertise, teamwork, good data management and excellent communications among the service companies and the client. This team effort in Camisea represented a considerable reduction in cost compared to an offset well.