photo: Weatherford International plc

Weatherford International plc and Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd., a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, have announced the successful inaugural runs of the HeatWave™ Extreme (HEX) triple-combo logging-while-drilling (LWD) tool string.

The first run was completed on September 6, 2016, on a well in the Gulf of Thailand with a measured depth of more than 14,000 ft and a maximum circulating temperature of 198° C. The HEX triple-combo LWD string delivered a complete suite of measurements while drilling. The technology has since been run on nine more wells, with zero downhole nonproductive time recorded. Further deployments are planned.

The HEX triple-combo technology was jointly developed by Weatherford and Chevron Thailand as part of the second phase of the HEX project, which was first announced in November 2015. Following the successful deployment of the phase-one HEX service – and recognition at the 2015 SPE Thailand E&P Annual Awards Program – the team turned its focus to applying the high-temperature technology to the full suite of triple-combo LWD measurements.

“The results achieved with the HEX technology to date demonstrate the magnitude of progress that can be achieved through close collaboration between an operator and a service company,” says Etienne Roux, Vice President of Drilling Services at Weatherford. “In order to drive a step change in efficiency and maximise productivity in the most challenging environments, companies must work together and remain focused on engineering solutions.”

Tags: Chevron Corporation, Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production Ltd., Weatherford International plc