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Designing and drilling deep-water wells
Every oil and gas well must be designed and drilled to suit local conditions such as temperature, pressure and geology. All of Shell’s wells must meet rigorous design and construction standards.
While there is no uniform well design, Shell has strict standards for designing and drilling deep-water wells. They require wells to have at least two independent physical barriers safeguard against “blowouts” – a sudden uncontrolled upsurge in oil or gas. Barriers can include heavy fluids that exert downward pressure to contain the oil or gas, and mechanical barriers – such as cement plugs and rubber-and-metal seals. If for any reason well control is lost, mechanical barriers such as a “blowout preventer” is designed to seal off the well.
Before drilling can begin, the well design and drilling plan goes through several stages of review. For example, experts from Shell and its drilling contractor get together to drill the well “on paper”. They make sure that the well design, drilling plan and the agreed safety measures are adapted to the conditions. The process is also used to check that everyone is clear on roles and responsibilities on everyone who will work on the drilling rig.
During drilling, engineers monitor operations from centres on land. The engineers and the rig workers are trained to intervene if they notice any potential risks to safety. “If something happens during drilling that we weren’t expecting, we stop the job,” says Lewis Steven, Shell drilling supervisor on the West Navigator drill ship off the coast of Norway. “Work continues only when we are sure it is safe.”
Shell drilling safely in deep water - Lewis Steven
Lewis Steven, Shell Drilling Supervisor on the West Navigator drillship off the coast of Norway, explains how the rig crew works to ensure that some of the world's largest gas wells are drilled safely.
Once drilling is complete we run a series of tests to check that the well meets our high standards before we bring it on stream.
