Drilling Towards a Greener Future: Enhancing Efficiency and Reducing Carbon Footprint

Abstract The drilling phase of oil and gas operations is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, posing environmental challenges in an era of increasing focus on sustainability. This study aims to quantify and analyze the carbon emissions during the dry hole drilling phase, emphasizing the reduction in carbon footprint achieved via technical and non-technical initiatives within the TAL block of Pakistan. In this study, an in-depth analysis has been conducted on the two-decade history of drilling in TAL Block of Pakistan. The diesel consumption data of each well have been compiled and interpreted into the carbon equivalent emitted using the numerical-based model specifically designed for rig engines. The methodology involves segregating the emission contribution of each hole section and analyzing the reduction in carbon footprint achieved through optimized drilling practices and low-carbon initiatives over the past five years. Additionally, carbon emissions were measured on a per 100-meter drilled basis, offering a standardized metric facilitating comparisons between different wells. The findings show the emission distribution of greenhouse gasses (GHG) among various contributors, specifically rig gensets, camp engines, and vehicle transportation, during the dry hole drilling phase. The impact and importance of drilling efficiency and low-carbon strategies under implementation are studied. After comparing the actual carbon emitted to the simulated emissions based on planned timeline, significant reductions in CO2 emissions were observed on average with greater reductions in CO2 per well in last five years with these aforementioned initiatives as opposed to the wells done earlier. The reason could also be attributed to the uncertainties and challenges observed in some wells in complex lithology of TAL block. Furthermore, a comprehensive section-wise percentile analysis of carbon emissions per hundred meters (MT CO2/100m) has been conducted, establishing performance benchmarks for each section. The first ever thorough emission analysis of drilling phase in TAL block can contribute significantly towards the carbon footprint awareness in the drilling sector of Pakistan. Furthermore, it serves as a guide for establishing a baseline that correlates carbon emission with energy efficiency and drilling performance.