CASE STUDY

Rt Scanner Triaxial Induction Service Identifies

Drilling-Induced Fractures, Deepwater Gulf of Mexico
Vertical fracture detection processing with 24-h turn around speeds bypass
trajectory design to avoid the loss zone
CHALLENGE Extreme mud losses
Determine the cause and extent of extreme Unexpectedly extreme mud losses occurred while a difficult intermediate section of a deepwater
unexplained losses during drilling to avoid Gulf of Mexico well was being drilled. The operator wanted to understand the cause of the
their recurrence in drilling a bypass well losses and extent of their occurrence to effectively plan the trajectory for the bypass well.
trajectory.
Insight on fracturing from vertical fracturing detection processing
SOLUTION Rt Scanner triaxial induction service calculates vertical and horizontal resistivity (Rv and Rh,
Conduct innovative vertical fracture detection respectively) from direct measurements while simultaneously solving for formation dip at any
processing of data from Rt Scanner* triaxial well deviation. Measuring at multiple depths of investigation in three dimensions avoids the
induction service to indicate fractures and biases introduced in conventional resistivity logging by formation heterogeneity and inclined
determine dip. layers. Processing provides information on formation anisotropy, dip and cross-bedding, and
geometry. New vertical fracture detection processing calculates the vertical fracture indicator
RESULTS (VFI) and fracture orientation to support advanced structural interpretation.
In only 24 h, diagnosed orientation and Successful bypass of the loss zone
magnitude of the likely drilling-induced Data from Rt Scanner service across the estimated loss zone was processed to characterize
petal fracturing as much more extensive the fractures by VFI and dip. It took only 24 h for the vertical fracture detection processing
than originally thought for designing the and to make an in-house presentation by Schlumberger petrotechnical experts. With this
bypass well trajectory and successfully information, key decisions could be confidently taken for handling the losses and planning
avoiding the loss zone to not waste the the bypass trajectory.
USD 7.8 million cost of the bypass.
Analysis of the vertical fracture detection processing showed that the likely drilling-induced
petal fractures were more abundant and widespread across a zone that was much larger
than was originally thought. Understanding the generation and extent of the loss zone enabled
selecting a kickoff direction for the bypass well that successfully avoided recurrence
of the fracturing.

“With the help of the Rt Scanner fracture analysis, we were able to establish
the orientation and direction objective for our bypass well. Without this
analysis, we would have kicked off without accurately knowing if we would
be drilling into the same fracture system, creating large mud losses, as we
did previously.”
Operations Geologist

Formation Evaluation
CASE STUDY: Rapid fracture detection processing of Rt Scanner service, deepwater Gulf of Mexico

15-in Array 21-in Array 27-in Array 39-in Array 54-in Array 72-in Array 72-in Array Fracture
Orientation
VFI/Reference VFI VFI/Reference VFI VFI/Reference VFI VFI/Reference VFI VFI/Reference VFI VFI/Reference VFI Indicator

Array Induction 72-in Array

Gamma Ray Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI 2-ft Resistivity 0 deg 360
0 gAPI 150 0 ms/m 300 0 ms/m 300 0 ms/m 300 0 ms/m 300 0 ms/m 300 0 ms/m 300 Fracture
Identification 90 in 54-in Array
Borehole Mud Averaged Averaged Averaged Averaged Averaged Averaged 0.1 ohm.m 1,000
Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI Reference VFI 0 deg 360
Resistivity N N
Fracture 60 in
0.002 ohm.m 200 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 Intensity W E W E
Array Induction 39-in Array
VFI VFI VFI VFI VFI VFI Indicator 0.1 ohm.m 1,000 2-ft Resistivity 0 deg 360
Borehole S S
Diameter 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 30 in 20 in 27-in Array
Classification Classification
15 in 25
Averaged VFI Averaged VFI Averaged VFI Averaged VFI Averaged VFI Averaged VFI Averaged VFI 0.1 ohm.m 1,000 0.1 ohm.m 1,000 0 deg 360
High Quality High Quality
Sonde Deviation 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 0 mS/m 300 Low Quality Low Quality 20 in Rt Scanner Rv 22-in Array
Medium Quality Medium Quality
0 deg 10 Fracture Fracture Fracture Fracture Fracture Fracture Fracture 0.1 ohm.m 1,000 0.1 ohm.m 1,000 0 deg 360
Orientation Orientation Orientation Orientation Orientation Orientation Orientation
Hole Azimuth Indicator Indicator Indicator Indicator Indicator Indicator Indicator Apparent Dip True Dip 10 in Rt Scanner Rh 15-in Array
MD, ft 0 deg 360 0 deg 360 0 deg 360 0 deg 360 0 deg 360 0 deg 360 0 deg 360 0 deg 360 0 deg 90 0 deg 90 0.1 ohm.m 1,000 0.1 ohm.m 1,000 0 deg 360

XX,425

XX,450

The processed data from Rt Scanner triaxial induction service clearly show the extent of the fractured loss zone and the orientation of the fractures.

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