For a five-well exploration program, a brand new 2000HP onshore drilling rig has been imported from China into the Islamic Republic of Iran. At the time the project started (late 2003), this had been the first international drilling contractor entering into Iran since a brief attempt in 1991. The wells have been designed to make full use of modern performance drilling, effectively introducing these concepts into an operating arena that has been characterized by almost complete isolation from developments in drilling technology for the last 25 years (since the Islamic revolution in 1979). The paper presents the initial concept of how to drill these wells, together with the introduction of heightened environmental awareness during drilling operations, as well as the experience in implementing these concepts on the first well being drilled to 15000 ft in the Zagros fold belt onshore western Iran.
展开▼
