Subsalt oil and gas plays, which are found in major offshore basins from the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and West Africa to Brazil and the North Sea, promise vast production potential but also present unique technical challenges. These include well depths in excess of 30,000 ft (9,144 m), well control problems attributed to rapidly changing pressure regimes, and vibrations while drilling through salt that threaten the structural integrity of the bottomhole assembly (BHA) and drill-string. Salt formations can be unpredictable and often contain inclusions that are not easily detected by seismic technology, which can lead to kicks and well control events.
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