Episode 107 | Directional Drilling | Gyrodata
Drilling navigation is a complicated science. Think about it. The drill is traveling thousands of feet below ground, the drill is spinning and often tilting. Radar or sensors on the surface will not detect the head of the drill at those depths.
The two techniques for navigation are:
Houston-based Gyrodata has been the industry leader in GWD since its inception. They first successfully demonstrated commercial GWD in 1983.
Alan Bernard, Gyrodata's Senior Vice President, had been with the company since the early days. He says MWD had been the industry standard because it is able to withstand the rigors of drilling deep in the earth. However, the magnetometers can be affected by metals in the ground, other well casing, and even the earth's polarity as drilling reaches the poles.
Gyros have traditionally been far more accurate than MWD tools but are limited by their moving parts. The breakthrough, he says, was the development of solid-state gyro sensors, which the company calls "SPEAR."
“It’s groundbreaking," he says, "it’s going to completely transform in the future the way we drill wells.” He also adds the technology reduces carbon footprint in the form of fewer trips and crew changes.
Drilling accuracy can literally be life or death. Alan says operations where two wellbores intercept could lead to a deadly blowout. In many fracking operations, a series of wells are drilled parallel ("zipper fracks"). Wells not drilled precisely can lead to "Converging wells (too close)" or "Diverging wells (too far)."
In addition, Gyrodata can offer more data points the deeper into the well. Most readings are taken at "stand length," about 95 feet intervals. Gyrodata has been able to offer points less than a foot apart.
“After they’ve had a problem they’ll come to us and say, ‘This well looks straight. What’s wrong with it?’" says Alan, "and we’ll show it’s like a ski slalom! It’s not straight.”
In addition to oil and gas, Gyrodata also offers technological services for mining operations. In 2010, Gyrodata made global headlines when it assisted in the rescue of thirty-three Chilean miners. Alan says they used gyros to accurately drill the shaft, then used gyro precision to ensure they had intercepted the shaft accurately.
In recent years, the company has shifted its focus more directly on the GWD technologies.
“For us, it’s to focus all the incredible people around the world that we have working on that product line and grow it," he says, "and we have some amazing technology that will enable that.”
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