Drilling in tight leases is challenging for operators, who now can look to Baker Hughes' AutoTrak Curve Rotary Steerable System — a revolutionary tool that can drill vertical, curve and horizontal sections in one fast run to maximize available pay zones and reduce the number of trips.

The AutoTrak Curve rotary steerable system, which will be commercially launched to customers at the International Association of Drilling Contractors' Conference and Exhibition in San Diego this March, has resulted in new drilling records across most of the important unconventional basins in the United States. It was named the "Best Drilling Technology" in 2011 by World Oil.

"This is a rotary steerable system that drills what used to take two to three trips in one smooth run," said Art Soucy, Baker Hughes' President of Global Products and Services. "The AutoTrak Curve system drills more precisely and at a much tighter angle than any other similar service. The tight angle is particularly critical as it enables our customers to intersect a much larger area of the reservoir than was previously possible with rotary steerable systems, resulting in 750 plus feet of additional pay zone."

The AutoTrak Curve rotary steerable is a closed-loop drilling system that takes commands from the surface to place the wellbore in the desired direction and inclination. The programmable system has been through more than 10,000 hours of rigorous field testing in some of the toughest unconventional environments in North America.

Tags: Baker Hughes Incorporated