Several new well planning applications were released at the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference in Amsterdam.

Of course. Why am I not surprised? The ink was hardly dry on my nice roundup article about well-planning software in the February issue, and lo and behold, here comes a whole new crop of programs on parade in the exhibit hall in lovely Amsterdam. Well, loyal readers, just consider this column a sequel.

K&M Technology's ERDesigner

The extended-reach experts at K&M Technology Group introduced ERDesigner, a well-construction guidance system for complex well design. The new software provides a complete set of procedures and tools to implement extended-reach and deviated well designs efficiently and profitably, teaching users about the process along the way.

Windows-based ERDesigner takes users through a step-by-step process from feasibility to well design and implementation, culminating in a detailed drilling program complete with colorful reports generated automatically. I was personally amazed that after a 10-minute demo, we had generated a full preliminary well plan, even though we started from scratch.

ERDesigner also includes K&M's TAD (torque and drag) software, a well cost model, the ERD Difficulty Index, a probabilistic cost model and Drilling Design and Implementation for Extended Reach and Complex Wells, an industry textbook authored by K&M Technology engineers.

An offset well review process built into the second tier provides vital information from past wells that may apply to the engineering of the new well. The detailed well design module copies and plots geology and fracture gradients and creates a well path and casing hole program. The system calculates torque and drag values, critical buckling and drilling string and annular hydraulics. ERDesigner also will analyze rig type and power needs and calculate the rig's required capacity, then generate operational guidelines for successfully implementing the drilling program.

Knowledge Systems addresses wellbore stability

Drillworks/Geostress enables operators to identify wellbore stability issues prior to drilling and perform real-time wellbore stability analysis while drilling is under way. The drilling costs associated with wellbore instabilities can be decreased significantly if potential instabilities are anticipated. Geostress calculates the minimum mud weights required to maintain a stable wellbore given information about in-situ stress conditions (vertical and unequal horizontal stresses and pore pressures), the wellbore trajectory and relevant rock-strength data.

Drillworks/Geostress is fully integrated with Drillworks/Predict, Knowledge Systems' geopressure analysis software, making it possible to consider the complex interaction of pore pressure with wellbore stability. Wellbore trajectories can be taken from a Predict dataset or calculated by Predict in real time from WITS survey data.

Drillworks/Geostress includes a design/analysis mode and a drilling/monitoring mode. In the design/analysis mode, users can perform several detailed design calculations to investigate the sensitivity of calculated minimum mud weight requirements to wellbore inclination and azimuth or the impact of small changes in mud weights on wellbore stresses. In the drilling/monitoring mode, Geostress performs calculations to determine the minimum mud weight required to prevent wellbore shear failure on a foot-by-foot basis. Results are plotted in standard outputs of minimum mud weight versus depth, etc.
Using the powerful Drillworks/WITSLink software, measurement-while-drilling/logging-while-drilling data in the WITS format is used to compute pore pressure, wellbore stresses and collapse strength foot-by-foot during drilling. This provides a visible window of "safe" mud weights even for the most complex deviated well paths.

Landmark's next generation suite

The integrated DecisionSpace suite of well-planning software includes AssetPlanner, TracPlanner and PrecisionTarget to allow asset teams to plan entire field developments with optimal well paths using a central workflow process.

AssetPlanner automatically selects targets based on porosity distributions in the reservoir model. It calculates the number of platforms needed to optimize drainage of the entire field. TracPlanner shows well planners where they might encounter problems due to dogleg severity or other mechanical constraints. Dubious well paths shown in red can be modified using drag-and-drop functionality. A cost estimator does a quick and dirty budget for each well. Statoil has used PrecisionTarget to get a better understanding of the geophysical, geological and mechanical uncertainties using probability analysis. Using the DecisionSpace visualization environment, the suite integrates with OpenWorks and 3D DrillView so asset teams can generate precise field development plans in hours or days, rather than weeks or months.

A new geosteering Paradigm

Paradigm introduced its geosteering module for Geolog, its log management and petrophysics system. Geolog geosteering facilitates the profitable exploitation of thin hydrocarbon-bearing zones, thereby maximizing pay from horizontal wells. Full support for the emerging WITSML standard for real-time data management allows the Geolog geosteering module to be used at the rig site or the office for effective and timely decision-making.

Users can model logging-while-drilling (LWD) data so that the stratigraphic position of the well may be determined. This enables wells to be drilled in complex zones with minimal tortuosity and maximum pay.
The module also links Geolog with Paradigm's Sysdrill drilling engineering solution for the integration of well trajectory analysis and planning. This allows the geosteering module to model ahead of the bit, ensuring that steering decisions are fast and effective, thereby maximizing the value of the well.

Richard Pelling, Geolog product manager, explained, "Geosteering with LWD data has traditionally been a specialized, and proprietary rig site service. The addition of geosteering to Geolog provides a powerful interpretation capability that integrates the operator's G&G and drilling workflows."