The modern practice of geosteering involves interpreting real-time data from the drill bit to make steering adjustments on the fly, a difficult task despite the array of tools available to drillers. Using resistivity tests and gamma rays, geosteering experts define the top and bottom of the oil reserve, then turn to tools like chromalogs and 3-D seismic tools that can be analyzed to make sense of the underground topography. While this can be a simple process in geologically simple areas, complicated structures, faults, and dips can make the job far less simple. But through techniques such as reading gamma ray signatures and relying on the expertise of geophysicists, even complex oil deposits have been extracted.
When horizontal drilling was first deployed in the Austin Chalk, oil industry professionals discovered that steering a drill bit underground armed with only surface maps was extremely difficult. As the practice has become more widespread, a technological solution known as geosteering was invented to make the process easier. Using everything from underground structures to the color of the rock, experts were able to bring the drill bit to the oil successfully.
The modern practice of geosteering involves interpreting real-time data from the drill bit to make steering adjustments on the fly, a difficult task despite the array of tools available to drillers. Using resistivity tests and gamma rays, geosteering experts define the top and bottom of the oil reserve, then turn to tools like chromalogs and 3-D seismic tools that can be analyzed to make sense of the underground topography. While this can be a simple process in geologically simple areas, complicated structures, faults, and dips can make the job far less simple. But through techniques such as reading gamma ray signatures and relying on the expertise of geophysicists, even complex oil deposits have been extracted.
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When most people think of drilling for oil, they imagine the drill simply heading straight down to the reserve. However, since the 1920s, oil companies have been using directional drilling to get from the well to the oil. Often used as a technique to drill in many directions from a single bore, minimize the environmental impact, and eliminate the need to build additional wells, the technique has resulted in considerable advancements since it was first used. Today, directional drilling takes advantage of technologies like remote sensors and global positioning satellites to reach far beyond the original bore.
The most basic technique for creating a non-vertical well involves pointing the drill in the right direction. Newer techniques allow for turning the drill bit in the well, using steerable mud motors and bent bits. However, the biggest breakthrough can be found in so-called "horizontal drilling" in which an initial well is drilled down to the level of the oil and then turned to be completely horizontal. A technique that can increase production by 20 times over conventional drilling, the latest horizontal drill efforts can reach depths of close to a mile before turning and continuing 7 miles under the surface. While some may consider solar energy to be a technological competitor to conventional fuels like oil and gas, oil companies have begun investigating ways to integrate solar power into their extraction methods. Several companies, including eSolar, BrightSource Energy, and Ausra, which generally focus their efforts on solar power production, have begun working with industry giants to find ways to bring solar energy and oil together. One promising new development has grown from the partnership between Chevron and BrightSource: a 29-megawatt solar steam plant. Click here
Featuring 7,000 mirrors over 100 acres, the new plant will deliver high-pressure steam into the oil wells at Coalinga, California, bringing the petroleum to a higher temperature and moving it more quickly through the well, thus increasing production. Given that many oil fields in California also have thick and heavy oil, this method promises to increase production and burnish the oil company's green credentials. However, this method remains expensive. Some experts have found that the solar-powered extraction technique will only be competitive in environments in which natural gas prices rise above $8.50 per million British thermal units, making it prohibitive in bust times, but quite lucrative during boom periods. |
Sentry Energy ProductionAs the U.S. government and its residents attempt to become less dependent on foreign oil and gas, oil and natural gas exploration and development firm Sentry Energy Production LLC seeks out reserves in the most efficient manner. Archives
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