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Originally appeared in
Improving drilling results with a real-time performance
advisory system
The development of the
Performance Advisory
System has provided a
technology capable of
integrating a variety of data
sources to deliver sound
advice and encourage the
driller to take actions to
improve drilling performance.
B. DOW, R. HARMER and J. BELASKIE,
Schlumberger
Driller interacts with the Performance
Advisory System rig floor display (left)
with a close-up view of the drilling
recommendations patterned after game
applications.
World Oil
june 201 issue, pgs 39-51. Posted with permission.
special Focus: DRILLING TECHNOLOGY
Successful well construction improve-
ment requires a tool that delivers timely
advice to the driller, enabling perfor-
mance improvement without distracting
from other priorities. A new technology
is now available that allows data to be
turned into actions at the wellsite, im-
proving overall well construction perfor-
mance. The development team applied
a rich understanding of existing wellsite
workflows and incorporated technology,
workplace ergonomics, and key attributes
from gaming and telecommunications in-
dustries. The end result is an application
that brings together several performance
improvement analytical tools into one
console, turning data into clear directions
for the driller, and delivering immediate
performance improvement. Field data
from 10 wells throughout the world show
how the system has been used to reduce
well construction time by more than 20%.
DRILLING PLANNING &
EXECUTION
The planning phase of a well typically
involves a process, which identifies and
attempts to mitigate key risks. Analysis
of offset well data, modeling tools, and
knowledge of the specifications of the drill-
ing equipment allow the drilling engineer-
ing team to define a set of typical drilling
operational limits on a per-hole section
and per-formation basis. This package of
information is then passed to the rig site
team as part of the drilling program, to be
used within the execution phase.
During the execution phase, the rig
site team has information available from a
wide range of sources, including:
Surface and downhole measurements,
which may, for example, be used to
evaluate the efficiency of the drilling
process, to identify drilling dysfunc-
tions, and the risk to which the drilling
equipment is being exposed at any giv-
en point in time (Staveley et al. 2010).
Real-time models of the drilling pro-
cess, which enable modeled vs. ac-
tual comparisons with surface and/
or downhole measurements, allowing
early identification of deviations from
expected trends (Reiber et al. 1999).
Analytical tools developed over years
World Oil/june 201239
DRILLING TECHNOLOGY
Fig. 1. The real-time performance advisory system maximizes the value of drilling
operational boundaries through the clear presentation of contextual information to help
the rig site team improve drilling performance.
Combine Delivering
Real-time technology
Real-time information
drilling engineering
and optimization and answers
of research and development that con-
sume real-time information and are
able to generate drilling parameter rec-
ommendations.
This article focuses on the develop-
ment and field application of a real-time
performance advisory system designed
to maximize the value of drilling op-
erational boundaries, defined within the
planning phase and real-time information
(measurements and models). The system
does this through the clear presentation
of contextual information to help the rig
site team answer questions and make de-
cisions and, when appropriate, the provi-
sion of advice to the driller and direction-
al driller on the rig floor.
INTEGRATED DRILLING
IMPROVEMENT
Drilling optimization has arisen from
the demands of operators to improve well
construction efficiency and lower costs,
but how it is deployed around the world
is not consistent. For many operators,
drilling optimization has typically been
a consultancy service, which relies heav-
ily on the talent of particular individuals
involved in execution. Additionally, the
resources required, including software,
workflows, downhole hardware, etc., vary
considerably from project to project.
To achieve consistent, efficient well
construction, it is essential to leverage
the strengths of the drilling engineering
teamwhich analyzes offset and follows
engineering standards and guidelines to
develop the well planthe rig site team,
and those supporting the drilling process
in real time, potentially from Operations
Support Centers (OSC). The generation
of a Performance Drilling Plan (PDP) is a
valuable tool to assist this process. Figure
1 summarizes the role of the Drilling En-
gineering Center, rig site team and remote
OSC in the drilling optimization workflow.
The PDP is developed by the drilling
engineering team, including input from
geomechanics experts when appropri-
ate, in the planning phase and is designed
40june 2012/WorldOil.com
Wellsite team Resulting
Driller
Actions that improve
directional driller
company man performance
to provide the rig site and OSC-based
drilling team with a comprehensive un-
derstanding of drilling hazards, perfor-
mance boundaries and operational rec-
ommendations aimed at maximizing well
delivery. The PDP is a key input into the
performance advisory system described
within this paper, and includes:
Performance boundaries (definition of
a safe operating envelope)
Drilling operational limits (typi-
cally defined in terms of WOB,
RPM, torque and ROP/ECD) on
a per-bit run, per-performation ba-
sis. These limits consider surface
and downhole equipment limita-
tions, results from drilling engi-
neering models (torque and drag,
hydraulics, vibrations) and offset
well experience.
Trip schedules to mitigate risks as-
sociated with swab/surge, forma-
tion hazards and problem zones.
Risks identified from the analysis of off-
set wells and a summary of the mitiga-
tive actions that have been put in place
Includes a summary of tools avail-
able to identify the onset of the
risks and recommended actions to
mitigate them in real time.
Key performance indicators to help
the team benchmark their perfor-
mance in real time against the target
performance, e.g., connection times,
target number of bit runs per hole sec-
tion, on-bottom ROP.
Operational recommendations
For example: Short trip schedules,
shock and vibration mitigation
workflows
Tripping plans to mitigate the risk
of stuck pipe
Lithology map that will help identify
transition zones and preserve bit life
Depending on the complexity of the
well, the list can be much longer. Once the
PDP is built, it is maintained as a living
guide for the execution team through the
drilling of the well. Through close moni-
toring of the drilling progress, the execu-
tion team will be able to monitor success
and capture deviations from plan quickly
so mitigation strategies, either pre-deter-
mined or re-engineered, are executed as
soon as possible to prevent lost time.
Utilizing technology to pass key infor-
mation from the PDP and provide key an-
swers to the rig team, as and when required,
will result in improved execution of rec-
ommendations, provided the answers are
correct, timely and contextual. Once the
well is complete, a post-drill assessment of
the workflows and execution results rela-
tive to the plan must be performed, just as
in any post-well review. By comparing ac-
tual well performance with the prediction,
including KPIs, lessons learned and rec-
ommendations are captured for the next
well and the performance process contin-
ues. Performance improvement through
workflows similar to the PDP is the goal of
most drilling teams. Several operators and
many service providers may have some-
thing similar, either formal or informal.
The challenge is ensuring that the data
derived while preparing and then execut-
ing the workflow can be applied in a timely
manner. The performance advisory sys-
tem described here supports this process.
PERFORMANCE ADVISORY
SYSTEM
The Performance Advisory System
has three key aspects:
1. The ability to incorporate key infor-
mation from the PDP and help maxi-
mize the value of this information dur-
ing the execution phase.
2. The capability to receive outputs from
drilling process models and quick-
event-detection algorithms (Aldred
et al. 2008), pass advised drilling pa-
rameters to maximize ROP and avoid
NPT through early identification of
deviations from expected trends.
3. The ability to present visually appeal-
ing, contextually specific displays to
clearly convey appropriate informa-
tion and recommendations to the
driller on the rig floor.
The system is designed to allow rapid
modification of the real-time drilling
screens based on field feedback. Each of
the real-time screens is constructed from
a number of elements, making it possible
to completely reconfigure a screen and
re-deploy it to the field with a turnaround
time of less than one hour. As experience
is gained and the optimum screen con-
figurations are identified by field users,
DRILLING TECHNOLOGY
Fig. 2. A real-time screen of ROP
optimization evaluated during the testing
of the advisory system.
these screens are then incorporated as
additional standard screens within the rig
site acquisition system.
Maximizing the value of the planning
phase. It is common practice to identify
risks during the planning phase of a well,
potentially within systems that allow visu-
alization of risks in a geological context vs.
drilling information (Telford et al. 2004).
Modifications are made to the well design,
and technologies selected for use within
the well construction process, to mitigate
these risks. However, it is normal for risks
to remain, and there is clear value to these
risks being displayed at appropriate times
on the rig floor. The system allows the user
to select a subset of the risks defined for the
well that are appropriate to display during
the upcoming bit run. As drilling com-
mences, the risks are displayed as the bit
approaches the depth of concern.
A wide variety of limits (static, a func-
tion of measured depth or the real-time
output from a model) defined for a bit run
during the planning phase can be entered
into the system for use in the execution
phase. The limits are continuously convert-
ed, in real time, into the parameter space
that can be controlled by the driller or auto-
mation system. In the case of ROP optimi-
zation, for example, the limits are mapped
to WOB/RPM/flowrate space to create a
safe operating envelope, allowing the safe
maximization of ROP without exceeding
the capabilities of the drilling system.
User-defined functions and real-
time models. Robust, continuously cali-
brated real-time models allow at a glance
modeled vs. actual comparisons of key pa-
rameters, such as ECD, standpipe pressure,
surface torque and hook load. These pa-
42june 2012/WorldOil.com
rameters assist the drilling team in the early
identification of problems during drilling,
tripping, reaming and casing running op-
erations, especially for the detection of
slowly developing trends that are difficult
to discern from the rig floor instruments,
alone. The outputs from quick, event-de-
tection algorithms, such as a washout de-
tector, can be displayed as well.
The system was designed to perform
simple user-defined functions, which can
be powerful for identifying deviations
from expected trends; for example, via the
computation of an overpull during tripping
operations or a SWOB-DWOB to identify
weight transfer issues while sliding or rota-
ry drilling. Threshold levels can be defined
for surface and downhole measurements,
allowing risks to be clearly displayed on the
rig floor via a traffic light system.
Real-time display technology. Rig
floor screens for the Performance Advisory
System incorporated input from ergonom-
ics expertise, and considered approaches
used by the video game and mobile phone
applications. A range of screens was devel-
oped, grouped into the following areas;
ROP optimization
Borehole integrity monitoring
Shock and vibration mitigation
Stuck pipe avoidance
Feedback was obtained from field us-
ers on the clarity and visual appeal of the
screens, with the ability to rapidly cus-
tomize them to suit local environments.
The system is able to provide inform or
advise level services, depending upon
inputs available. The use of a clear traf-
fic light system for shock and vibration
mitigation, and the display of operational
boundaries, providing a GPS for the
driller, as shown in Fig. 2, received posi-
tive feedback from rig site teams.
To achieve the best possible drilling
performance results with the system, a
key requirement was the ability to com-
bine large quantities of real-time data,
with information from models (pre-drill
and real-time) and the PDP (e.g., risks),
to generate answers and drive recommen-
dations at the rig floor. Delivery of the end
results of these processed data needed to
be clear and concise, so the actions could
be followed quickly and effectively.
The driller and directional driller on
the rig floor are the primary users of the
system, so if recommendations are passed,
they must be in terms of actions that can
be made with the rig controls to improve
performance or prevent incidents. The
control console on a drilling rig has never
been simple to manage, and as rigs become
more capable with technology evolution,
the dog house control console continues
to grow in complexity. To have an effective
impact on performance without distract-
ing the driller from a wide range of drilling
consoles meant the system displays need to
be clear and easy to follow.
The development team capitalized on
a unique opportunity to develop and in-
troduce a control system display that was
new to oilfield display consoles. Through
collaboration with another project group
developing an iPAD game for use to show-
case new directional drilling technology,
the team worked closely with a software
development group specialized in gaming
and mobile device apps. The goal was to
develop a new control console concept
that could:
Be understood instinctively and quickly
Merge multiple recommendations
into a single, simple output
Be visually compelling to capture user
attention
The main control screen is shown
on page 39. The rosebud on the left is
used to control the toolface for a rotary
steerable system (RSS) or a motor. The
unique feature here is a merged display
that is independent of the steering BHA
type. Historically, a motor steering rose-
bud is underutilized real estate in front of
the driller, because steering commonly
happens sporadically across the overall
drilling time. The rosebud on the right fo-
cuses on ROP optimization. Rather than
directing the driller to maintain a target
WOB and RPM number, the representa-
tion is relative to previous set points, and
the goal then becomes maintaining a lock
on the bullseye. This way, constant pur-
suit of optimum WOB and RPM occurs,
much like a continuous drill-off test.
Furthermore, the impact of shock and
vibration (S&V) will cause the ball to fall
out of target parameters and the driller will
then be directed to re-adjust parameters
to remove the S&V effect and return to
optimum drilling parameters. Effectively,
RPM, WOB and S&V management are
all merged into a single advisor to allow
the driller to maximize ROP. Behind the
scenes, the limits that guide each variable
are managed by the processing algorithms.
CASE STUDIES
The Performance Advisory System was
used on several wells, including the three
DRILLING TECHNOLOGY

wells presented as case histories here. Fig. 3. Communication of the severity of the downhole shock and vibration environment
ROP optimization in Russia with
drilling parameter recommendations.
The system was used to convey drilling
parameter recommendations to the rig
floor (a GPS for the driller) within a
field with good offset well information.
The drilling parameter recommendations
were generated by an ROP optimization
application (Dunlop et al. 2011) contain-
ing a Detournay model (Detournay et al.
2002) of the cutting action of a PDC bit
and change point technology to continu-
ally fit the model to real-time drilling data.
Contours of ROP computed, based on the
bit model, are combined with user input
constraints (engineered limits), allowing
real-time identification of the optimum pa-
rameters (surface WOB and surface RPM)
to maximize ROP within the specified
safe operating envelope. Use of the appli-
cation, without modification to the drilling Fig. 4. Chart highlighting the clear correlation between cumulative hours with severe
technology/drive system, resulted in a 27% downhole vibration levels (> 6 GRMS) and 17-in. section runs with drillstring failures
(red), downhole tool failures (orange) and runs where no drillstring integrity related
increase in on-bottom ROP vs. the field av- problems were experienced (blue).
erage and improvement in the time-depth
curve across which the system was used vs. 5
5.0
Hours with lateral vibrations > 6 GRMS

the closest offset well. 4

Mitigating S&V for a North Sea well.
A vertical 26-in. hole section was drilled
through a chert-contaminated chalk for-
mation, which generated varying levels
of vibrations throughout the bit run. The
traffic light color-coded screen made it
easier for the Driller to monitor the vibra-
tion severity and promptly act to mitigate
the damaging drilling dysfunction. The
recommendations displayed on the rig
floor allowed the driller to take action and
mitigate accordingly, Fig. 3.
S&V mitigation for a deepwater
Brazil well. A number of drillsting fail-
ures had occurred, due to large bending
moments and high rates of fatigue in-
duced by the backwards whirl when drill-
ing challenging vertical 17-in. sections
in a deepwater field. Figure 4 highlights
a clear correlation between cumulative
hours with severe downhole vibration
levels (> 6 GRMS) and runs with drill-
string failures (red), runs with downhole
tool failures (orange) and runs where
no drillstring integrity-related problems
were experienced (blue).
In conjunction with modifications to
the BHA design and drilling procedures,
clear real-time screens were tested to
help the team to understand downhole
conditions. A significant reduction in the
number of drillstring failures occurred
during the drilling of subsequent 17-
44june 2012/WorldOil.com
3
2
1 0.9
0.4
0.0
0
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Section 10 Section 11 Section 12 Section 13
in. hole sections. Rig floor screens helped
the driller and directional driller clearly
understand the rapidly changing state be-
tween moderate stick-slip to a fully devel-
oped backwards whirl system.
CONCLUSIONS
Optimizing the drilling process re-
quires integration of vast quantities of
data from various sources. Development
of the Performance Advisory System has
provided a technology capable of inte-
grating several of these data sources to
deliver sound advice and compel users to
take actions to improve drilling. The tech-
nology platform for the system allowed
initial field testing of the various success
factors and helped the development team
to rapidly evolve the system, further im-
proving the impact at the wellsite.
RICHARD HARMER is the drilling performance
product champion for Schlumberger Drilling &
Measurements. His role focuses on marketing
2.3 2.3
1.3
0.4
0.1 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.1
and leading the development of products
related to drilling mechanics and dynamics
and ROP Optimization. Prior to this role,
Harmer provided worldwide InTouch support
for drilling. He has 11 years of experience
with Schlumberger, starting as an MWD and
LWD engineer in Alaska before spending
over five years as a rig site-based drilling
optimization engineer on a wide array of
projects. Mr. Harmer received a MS degree in
mechanical engineering from the University of
Loughborough.
LITERATURE CITED
1. Telford, C., M. Burns and N. Whitley, 3D visualization:
A common language for the drilling and subsurface
communities, SPE paper 90659, SPE Annual Technical
Conference, Houston, Texas, Sept. 26-29, 2004.
2. Steveley, C. and P. Thow, Increasing drilling efficiencies
through improved collaboration and analysis of real-
time and historical drilling data, SPE paper 128722,
SPE Intelligent Energy Conference and Exhibition,
Utrecht, The Netherlands, March 23-25, 2010.
3. Reiber, F., B. Vosa and S. Eide, On-line torque and
drag: A real-time drilling performance optimization
tool, SPE paper 52836, SPE/IADC Drilling Confer-
ence, Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 9-11, 1999.
4. Clayton, R., E. Detournay, M. Fear, O. Matthews, B.
Miller and T. Richard, Influence of bit-rock interaction
on stick-slip vibrations of PDC bits, SPE paper 77616,
SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Texas, Sept. 29-Oct 2.,
2002.
 DRILLING TECHNOLOGY

5. Aldred, W., R. Hutton, C. Luppens and G. Ritchie,

Development and testing of a rig-based quick event
detection system to mitigate drilling risks, SPE paper
111757, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Orlando,
Florida, U.S.A., March 4-6, 2008.
6. Dunlop, J., R. Isangulov, W. Aldread, H. Sanchez, J.
Flores, J. Alcaron, J. Belaskie and C. Luppens, In-
creased rate of penetration through automation,SPE
paper 13989, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Amster-
dam, The Netherlands, March 1-3, 2011.

Article copyright 2012 by Gulf Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
World Oil/june 201247
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