New drilling technology for MENA

As oil prices continue to rise and the crisis in Libya remains sensitive, operating companies within the MENA region are looking to increase production to meet global demands through enhanced drilling and operational efficiency. To this effect, new drilling technologies and techniques are being explored within the region, including rotary steerable systems for vertical wells and look-ahead pore predicition.

High build rate rotary steerable system

Early March this year, Schlumberger announced the release of its PowerDrive Archer high build Rate Rotary Steerable System (RSS). The system delivers well profiles previously possible only with motors and with the ROP and wellbore quality of a fully rotating RSS.

The system can drill complex 3D trajectories and openhole sidetracks from any inclination. It can drill vertical and horizontal sections, in one run, with no flat time for trips to change the bottomhole assembly.

"The unique PowerDrive Archer system has repeatedly and consistently drilled high-build rates during field trials in many formations, some wells exceeding 17°/100ft," said Andy Hendricks, president, Schlumberger Drilling & Measurements. "This unique technology maximises reservoir exposure, reduces risk and increases potential hydrocarbon production."

Field tests have been run primarily in North America and the Middle East. One Marcellus Shale operator in North America saved more than US$1 million by eliminating 10 days drilling time per well, in addition to acquiring high-quality wellbores, which facilitated completions. In the Middle East, an operator maintained verticality longer, drilling the 12 1/4-inch section faster and pushing kickoff deeper with the higher build rate achieved in the 8 1/2-inch section.

"The PowerDrive Archer tool is a definite game-changing technology that will dramatically improve drilling efficiencies," said William "Bill" Lloyd, VP of operations, Cirque Resources, Denver. "It represents a new tool in the engineer's kit that not only provides immediate improvements to many challenges faced in the well construction environment, but will certainly provide impetus for future technology evolution."

The PowerDrive Archer unique hybrid steering system is a combination of both push- and point-the-bit technologies. This allows the tool to deliver high-build rates from any deviation and do so accurately from vertical.

The control unit comes from PowerDrive X6 RSS, which allows a wider operating envelope and provides greater reliability. All PowerDrive Archer external parts rotate, reducing the risk of mechanical or differential sticking and improving wellbore quality for easier well completion.

Gas production in Egypt

Dana Gas PJSC, the Middle East's first and largest regional private sector natural gas company, has announced that its annual production rate for 2010 from its Nile Delta Concessions in Egypt is an estimated 42,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), an increase of 20% on 2009, with production commencing from seven new fields.

Dana Gas h a s now embarked on a new phase of production growth, upgrading existing plants and building new capacity to bring these new fields online as quickly as possible. The planned new gas processing plant to the East of the Nile River will be designed to process 120 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfpd), a considerable increase compared to the original planned design of 50mmscfpd, which will contribute significant value as the South Abu El Naga and Salma North discoveries have high liquid content. This, along with an ongoing increase in capacityHighsnobiety Style