IPT Well Solutions, an independent engineering consulting firm, partnered with SLB to optimize well planning for a 14-well development project in Wyoming.
Using the DrillPlan™ casing design module—part of the DrillPlan™ coherent well planning and engineering solutions—the team identified significant cost savings by eliminating the need for large rigs. The solution streamlined operations, reduced engineering hours, and enabled repeatable success across multiple basins.
Ultimately, IPT Well Solutions estimated that the deployment of DrillPlan solutions reduced project costs by approximately USD 6 million in total.
IPT Well Solutions, sought to efficiently plan a 14-well conventional development project in Wyoming, while prioritizing cost savings. The customer needed to test multiple casing design scenarios and validate rig requirements to ensure operational efficiency and safety.
Prior attempts to address these challenges relied on traditional planning methods, which were time-intensive and required significant engineering resourcing. These methods often led to overestimations of rig requirements, unnecessarily increasing project costs.
IPT Well Solutions turned to the DrillPlan casing design module in an attempt to streamline their processes, reduce costs, and improve planning accuracy.
Employing the DrillPlan casing design module enabled the team to efficiently test multiple casing design scenarios and validate rig requirements through advanced hook-load modeling. This analysis revealed that large 3,000-horsepower rigs were unnecessary for the project, and standard 1,500-horsepower rigs would meet operational demands.
With this optimized rig selection, IPT Well Solutions achieved an estimated cost savings of $30,000 per day across three rigs over six months—approximately USD 6 million in overall savings. Additionally, the use of DrillPlan solutions significantly reduced engineering hours and staff requirements, allowing the team to manage the project without the need for additional hires.
The solution exhibited consistent repeatability across multiple basins—including the Permian, DJ, Appalachia, and Eagle Ford—ensuring reliable outcomes irrespective of geographic location.
By establishing a basin-agnostic methodology, IPT Well Solutions was able to optimize engineering processes, drive higher profit margins, and decrease reliance on regional experts. This facilitated greater operational efficiency and improved profitability across their land operations.
