Emerging Technologies Introduce New Possibilities, Open New Applications For Underbalanced Drilling

摘要

Houston-With the potential to improve drilling costs, underbalanced drilling is the most significant advancement in drilling science since the advent of rotary tools. But given UBD's rapid expansion around the globe over the last decade or so, will the evolution and adoption of UBD technology slow? Hardly. The underbalanced market appears poised for continued impressive growth. With the application of UBD technology still emerging in some parts of the world and a number of key complimentary technological advances taking shape on the horizon, UBD's future looks brighter than ever. That growth will result partly from the development of new tools and system components designed to address the current limitations of underbalanced operations. For example, real-time data telemetry systems, bottom-hole pressure sensors and automated chokes are available, but real-time bottom-hole pressure/temperature acquisition and surface control capability has not yet been developed. The next logical technological progression in UBD is the development of an automated bottom-hole pressure-controlled choke.