Methods for continuously improving drilling and completions operations

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for identifying opportunities for improvement in drilling and completions operations. At least one processor receives historical well data related to drilling and completions activities received from well monitoring sensors. The activities can include tripping, running casing, running bottom hole assembly, running riser, drilling connection operations, running screens, and running tubing. From the historical data, relative percentages of time spent on the activities are determined. Based on the relative time spent on each of the activities, a first priority activity is selected for improvement. A performance target for the first priority activity representing a value that can be calculated using well data received from the well monitoring sensors is determined. Real-time data is received from the well monitoring sensors. A current performance value using the real-time data is calculated and reviewed periodically to identify opportunities for improvement. Changes are implemented in an activity to improve the current performance value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for identifying opportunities for improvement in drilling and completions operations comprising:
 a. receiving by at least one processor historical data comprising well data related to two or more drilling and completions activities received from a plurality of well monitoring sensors;   b. processing, using the at least one processor, the historical data to determine relative percentage of time spent on the drilling and completions activities;   c. selecting a first priority activity of the drilling and completions activities for improvement based on the relative time spent on each of the drilling and completions activities;   d. determining a performance target for the first priority activity wherein the performance target represents a value that can be calculated using well data received from the plurality of well monitoring sensors;   e. receiving by the at least one processor real-time data from the plurality of well monitoring sensors;   f. calculating, using the at least one processor, a current performance value using the real-time data to compare to the performance target;   g. reviewing the current performance value on a predetermined frequency to identify opportunities for improvement in the first priority activity and/or to modify the performance target; and   h. implementing a change in at least one of the drilling and completions activities to improve the current performance value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling and completions activities are selected from the group consisting of tripping operations, running casing, running bottom hole assembly, running riser, drilling connection operations, running screens, running tubing and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of well monitoring sensors include sensors for measuring hole depth, bit depth, revolutions per minute, weight on bit, flow in, hook load, torque, block height and/or pump pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is selected from slip to slip connection time during tripping operations, average pipe moving speed during tripping operations, and/or gross time per stand during tripping operations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is selected from slip to slip connection time during casing operations, average pipe moving speed during casing operations, and/or gross time per stand during casing operations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is selected from slip to slip connection time during bottom hole assembly operations and/or gross time per stand during bottom hole assembly operations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is selected from time to run riser, time to pull riser, average riser moving speed during riser operations, and/or gross time per stand during riser operations. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is selected from slip to slip connection time during a weight to weight connection in drilling operations, gross time per stand during drilling operations, wellbore treatment time during a weight to weight connection in drilling operations, drilled distance, distance per stand drilled in rotary mode, and/or distance per stand drilled in sliding mode. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is selected from slip to slip connection time during screen running operations, average pipe moving speed during screen running operations, and/or gross time per stand during screen running operations. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is selected from slip to slip connection time during tubing running operations, average pipe moving speed during tubing running operations, and/or gross time per stand during tubing running operations. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling and completions activity determined to have the highest relative percentage of time spent is selected as the first priority activity. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first priority activity selected is measured in time; and the performance target for the first priority activity is determined as the 10 th  percentile for the first priority activity based on the historical data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first priority activity is a speed; and the performance target for the first priority activity is determined as the 90 th  percentile for the first priority activity based on the historical data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target for the first priority activity is determined as best performance for the first priority activity based on the historical data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a baseline value for the first priority activity is determined as the 50 th  percentile for the first priority activity based on the historical data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising generating a daily report comprising the current performance value, the baseline value and the performance target. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising communicating the daily report with drilling and completions personnel selected from the group consisting of business managers, operation superintendents, drilling engineers, drilling site managers, field drilling engineers, rig managers and operators. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising generating a plot comprising current performance values, the baseline value and the performance target on a predefined frequency between one month and six months. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising communicating the plot with drilling and completions personnel selected from the group consisting of business managers, operation superintendents, drilling engineers, drilling site managers, field drilling engineers, rig managers and operators. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the historical data comprises data related to tripping activities for at least 1000 connections. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the historical data comprises data related to drilling activities for at least one complete well. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance target is determined for a plurality of wells and further comprising:
 separately calculating the current performance value for each of the plurality of wells;   comparing the current performance value of the plurality of wells on a predetermined frequency; and   identifying opportunities for improvement in the first priority activity and/or modifying the performance target for any of the plurality of wells.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the that the performance target has been achieved;   selecting a second priority activity of the drilling and completions activities for improvement;   determining a second performance target for the second priority activity wherein the second performance target represents a second value that can be calculated using well data received from the plurality of well monitoring sensors;   receiving by the at least one processor real-time data from the plurality of well monitoring sensors;   calculating, using the at least one processor, a second current performance value using the real-time data to compare to the second performance target; and   reviewing the second current performance value on a predetermined frequency to identify opportunities for improvement in the second priority activity and/or to modify the second performance target.