Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Neodrill has issued some of the results of a report on its contribution to Repsol’s Kathryn well in the Norwegian North Sea.
Engineering consultancy Asplan Viak’s study compared the environmental impact of a well drilled using Neodrill’s CAN-ductor technology to that of a conventionally drilled well.
It analyzed all aspects of tophole activity, including drilling and supply vessels, energy, and casing materials, and the production, installation, removal, and maintenance operations associated with the CAN-ductor system.
Kathryn is about 140 km (87 mi) offshore in around 100 m (328 ft) water depth, and represented the first installation of the CAN technology in sandy seabed conditions, said to present tougher installation challenges than clay seabeds.
Neodrill adapted the installation process by adding a water injection system to the CAN to overcome tip friction of the structure’s internal components.
The report compared processes for the CAN and conventional drilling methods across eight environmental impact categories, including carbon dioxide emissions, finding that the CAN offered reduced rig time and decreased volume of materials required, such as cement and steel in well casings.
It also found that total rig time using the technology came down from seven days (for a conventionally drilled well) to four days, with cement savings from 241 cu m (8,511 cu ft) for the conventionally drilled well to 53 cu m (1,871 cu ft) using the CAN-ductor technology.
Harald Blikra, Repsol Norge’s well construction manager said: “The challenges on the Kathryn location was firm sand on the sea bottom from the first meter. Together with Neodrill we modified the system to ensure that we successfully could install the CAN system in sand formation for the first time.
“In addition, we achieved a reduced environmental impact on the operation as such and this was a bonus for the whole team.”
05/21/2020
