By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 10 -- A new through-tubing rotary drilling and well technology makes possible the reuse of old subsea wells in a simpler and more inexpensive way, according to StatoilHydro.
The technology enables the drilling of sidetracks through existing tubing on subsea-completed wells.
StatoilHydro and FMC Technolgies Inc. have been developing the technology for 4-5 years and recently tested it in the Asgard field in the Norwegian Sea from the Stena Don semisubmersible drilling rig.
In the fall, the company plans to solicit bids for a drilling rig tailored for the technology. It expects the rig to become available in 2012-13.
StatoilHydro says advantages of the technology include the ability to recover more oil from mature fields, possible development of marginal fields, lower costs than conventional drilling operations, longer well life and revenue stream, and more efficient operations with less handling of heavy equipment.
Dreamstime | © Charles Montgomery.
Photo from SABIC Limburg BV.
