SLB has launched Retina at-bit imaging to enable early identification of formation characteristics.

Retina provides precise measurements at the point of first contact between the drill bit and the formation, helping operators evaluate formations and drill more efficiently.

“Retina provides an unparalleled early view of the formation and its characteristics downhole, enabling better-informed decisions from the start,” said Cecilia Prieto, SLB’s president of well construction. It can be used with any drilling fluid composition.

The technology has performed well in field tests. It identified conglomerates in a test in South America and provides high-resolution images of rock deformations called stylolites in the Middle East.