Autonomous Steering Digital Platform and Push-The-Bit Rotary Steerable System Achieves Significantly Increased Hole Quality and Time Savings, a Case Study from the First Run in Offshore North-West-Java Indonesia

ABSTRACT The main challenge in offshore operations is the exponentially increasing cost of well delivery. One opportunity to reduce costs is improving drilling and steering capabilities with the versatility to overcome difficult and complex environmental conditions. The target field posed multiple operational challenges, necessitating adaptable solutions to address each issue effectively and promptly. To mitigate drilling risks and optimize steering, drilling, and tripping performance, the operator needed a customized bottomhole assembly (BHA) for the 8.5-inch reservoir section. A J-Type well profile with 70 degrees inclination was planned. Offset analysis identified; the potential of an increased reservoir section length from setting casing early in the 12.25in section; Geostopping for coring; soft formations with poor trajectory control; backreaming to condition the hole; stuck pipe risks; and narrow pressure windows. A 6.75in OD triple-combo BHA with an intelligent push-the-bit rotary steerable system (RSS) and at -bit gamma was designed with optimum operating parameters to reduce tortuosity, increase tripping and backreaming performance, improve steering capability, and provide Geostopping capabilities. An autonomous drilling platform autosteered the well path to ensure a smooth trajectory. Well delivery time, specifically in tripping time, was reduced 54% compared to previous wells utilizing other drilling systems, with 17.5 hours saved on the trip out. The Autonomous drilling platform successfully conducted 80% of the steering without any manual intervention, successfully steered the trajectory from 38 feet distance-to-plan to a 0.1 ft distance, with an average dogleg of 0.5°/100 feet, and stay within 0.4 ft. of distance-to-plan until reaching TD. Analysis of offset wells formation hardness, lithology lamination, loss, washout and tight hole hazard zones, reactive shales, and hard stringers enabled optimized hydraulics design to maintain steering control and RSS pad force capabilities when flow needed to be reduced. Combined with real-time drilling optimization services that managed hydraulics and provided drillstring integrity to increase operational efficiency. A proven reduction in well tortuosity was observed in the Density image created by the instantaneous tool-face control of the intelligent RSS and the autonomous drilling platform predicting the optimum commands to create a smooth wellbore. Borehole quality and hole cleaning were optimized using a push-the-bit RSS and autonomous drilling system, setting a new benchmark for open-hole BHA tripping. This case study highlights the successful integration of advanced technologies to overcome field challenges, achieving significant time and cost savings. The approach also presents opportunities for future applications, including a horizontal drilling campaign, where enhanced trajectory control and operational efficiency can further improve Well performance.