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Janyce Jaramillo, Shell Rocky Mountain Production and Exploration
Colby Smith, New Century Software
In this session we will explore GIS solutions for on-shore well planning in a high volume, fast paced environment of field development. We will discuss and illustrate how ArcGIS simplifies the complex processes and data involved in well planning effort.
The well planning cycle is often a collaborative team effort that requires accurate and strategic well placement based on a number of variables, including drainage patterns, anti-collision control, state and federal regulations, competitor locations, and a vast array of environmental stipulations. By incorporating ArcGIS into this workflow, we greatly reduce the well planning lifecycle while increasing accuracy and ultimately, profitability.
Custom GIS tools were built to improve efficiency by eliminating multi-step processes, by directly accessing the OpenWorks data store, by organizing data into a centralized spatial database (SDE), and by creating a user-friendly interface to improve decision-making through visualization. We created a flexible environment that allows the well planning team to visualize current drilling progress in association with established and planned wells and to adjust future plans as current operating conditions change.
Finally, we leveraged the Z component in the data to enable 3d visualization in ArcScene. By taking advantage of existing ArcGIS tools, and customizing those tools where appropriate, we have successfully streamlined the process for the well planning team. What used to take months to plan has now been reduced to days.