Schlumberger Duchess Street iCenter high-tech meeting facility, with 3D images from Petrel software projected on large viewing screens used by E.ON for collaborative analysis, discussion, and decision making.
Base reservoir map showing revised well paths for Babbage field. Blue lines indicate revised well paths and red lines indicate CP4 wells. The scale bar measurements are in meters, while the structural color key is in feet (showing just the area of interest).
Cross-section showing proposed trajectory of Babbage field’s new SE well. The scale bar measurements are in meters; zones are represented by various colors; and well paths are indicated as follows:
Red = original geophysical well path based on initial interpretation. Black = revised well path optimized for the fracture process. Blue = final, best-possible well path resulting from iCenter multidisciplinary collaboration.
"The collaborative visualization environment enabled our Babbage Field Development Project team and partners to hold a very efficient well planning session. During the highly successful meeting, four of the proposed five wells were redesigned and placed optimally within this challenging reservoir."
Nicol Shepherd
Lead Drilling Engineer
Babbage Field
Development Project
E.ON Ruhrgas
"This integrated approach streamlines our well planning procedure. Historically, well planning required multiple iterations and it took a long time for everyone to agree. Having all decision makers together and utilizing Petrel software within an iCenter environment enabled us to make confident and quick decisions."
David Grieve
Geoscientist
Babbage Field
Development Project
E.ON Ruhrgas
Petrel software used in an SIS iCenter facility speeds decision making and increases confidence in Babbage gas field wells
Challenge
Place wells in tight gas reservoir with poor seismic data, improve reservoir permeability through fracture stimulation within highly porous eolian sandstones, and identify well locations within optimal stratigraphic horizons to promote fracture propagation. Unite a diverse team from several companies and disciplines for collaborative decision making.
Solution
Use Petrel software modeling within an iCenter secure networked collaborative visualization environment (CVE) to optimize the well planning and placement process.
Results
Planned and accurately placed four wells in 4 hours using a centralized, fully equipped CVE with all stakeholders present— eliminating iterations and efficiently reaching decisions; refined well paths based on real-time updates to Petrel models; reduced time and costs thanks to a streamlined well planning workflow; improved overall confidence in well placement.
Centralize well planning activities
E.ON Ruhrgas UK North Sea Ltd. and its partners Dana Petroleum and Centrica, plus a drilling services provider and reservoir stimulation consultants, came together to plan well placement during development of the Babbage gas field. Located in the Southern North Sea Leman Fairway in Permian Rotliegend sandstone, Babbage field is estimated to contain 400 billion ft3 of gas. E.ON had previously conducted two successful well planning sessions in which it used Schlumberger technology to focus primarily on a geohazard assessment of the field. However, both of these sessions were held outside London in locations that were not convenient for all project team members and which required huge time commitments from several days to several weeks.
This next project phase involved the exploitation of a very tight gas reservoir using hydraulic fracturing to improve reservoir permeability within the highly porous eolian sandstone, which would necessitate careful placement of subhorizontal well paths. Because the well planning called for close collaboration, integrated software, and high-quality visualization, the project meetings were moved to a centralized, fully equipped CVE facility that would be more convenient, improve the decision-making process, and require less time to achieve results.
Use Petrel software at the Duchess Street iCenter facility
Different modeling approaches
The Schlumberger Duchess Street iCenter facility in London was selected as the ideal meeting place for assembling all decision makers to discuss Babbage field well placement. The facility’s state-of-the-art infrastructure running integrated software systems enabled proposed well paths to be viewed collaboratively on large screens and be updated in real time directly into Petrel models. Two-dimensional interpretation was the input for independent rock-mechanics analysis, which became the driver for this meeting.
Independent analysis
Independent analysis showed that the best location for reservoir fracturing should target two specific stratigraphic intervals lying between zones with high principal stress. If these stress zones were to be punctured by the planned fracturing, the development strategy would be adversely affected. Geophysical analysis confirmed that it was critical to keep the fractures away from faults. This detailed analysis was used in collaborative discussions to propose new well paths for the field.
Well path redesign
The immersive iCenter environment enabled various well paths to be viewed, analyzed, and redesigned in real time against the 3D framework of the Petrel reservoir model, seismic survey data, and map and section views to position the wells within the targeted stratigraphic intervals. Using the Petrel shared earth model allowed geophysicists, geologists, petrophysicists, drillers, and fracture experts to make joint decisions in context and to efficiently redesign the paths of four proposed wells in only 4 hours.
Maximized well planning effectiveness
The advanced technological capabilities of the centrally located Duchess Street iCenter facility maximized effective well planning between E.ON asset team members, project partners, and contractors at the drilling site. Well paths were successfully refined to allow optimal placement and effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing under the tight reservoir conditions. Taking full advantage of the iCenter facility, the project team demonstrated how in-depth well analysis and planning could be accomplished in a matter of hours, in contrast with previous methods that lasted for several days or even weeks. This approach streamlined the well planning workflow, focused the attention of team members, and reduced costs as a direct result of the speed and accuracy of the collective team-based decisions.
Schlumberger Information Solutions
Schlumberger Information Solutions (SIS) is an operating unit of Schlumberger that provides software, information management, IT, and related services. SIS collaborates closely with oil and gas companies to solve today’s tough reservoir challenges with an open business approach and comprehensive solution deployment. Through our technologies and services, oil and gas companies empower their people to improve business performance by reducing exploration and development risk and optimizing operational efficiencies.
