Remote Collaboration Reduces Risk in Casing-Exit Jobs Around the Globe

Abstract

Executing a quality casing exit is often viewed as a craft skill that relies on a technician's personal experience and talent. Opinions on the best way to mill a window may vary significantly from person to person. However, by measuring milling parameters and window quality indicators such as mill wear, the drag through a window after milling, and the total time and money required to mill a window, the optimal parameters can be statistically determined and reduced to a metric all understand: money. Opinions are sported or replaced with clear guidance, and gut feel is replaced by statistics. Moreover, taking these optimized parameters and providing the technician with foot by foot parameter guidance saves real money and provides a new level of control.

This paper reviews a new technology and service that significantly reduces real financial risk from casing exits by combining field-proven tools, certified technicians, service-specific real-time data streaming, and remote consultation during the service delivery into one package. By means of several brief case studies, the paper reviews how this new process has resulted in time savings on technically complex jobs in offshore markets.