DI G ITALI ZATION OF DR I LLI N G
The ECO platform uses surface and downhole sensor measurements to calibrate the current state of a wellbore. These mea-
surements are then shown on a single interface, making it easier for rig personnel to stay within the corridors of the well plan.

generated by the software take into account drillstring param-
eters, friction coefficients, rheology and the density of the drilling
fluid. The drilling roadmap component organizes various param-
eters – ROP, WOB, estimated flow rates, section lengths, as well
as the mechanical and hydraulic load estimates from the drilling
section plan – for each planned interval. In the bit hydraulics
component, users can select the bit configuration that will maxi-
mize the bit impact force on the bottomhole.

Once analyses is performed through these modules, the soft-
ware builds a digital twin of the wellbore. By using surface and
downhole sensor measurements – on drillstring parameters; mud
density, rheology and temperature; drilling fluid; the well profile;
and friction factors – the twin is always calibrated to the current
state of the well. These parameters are visualized on a single
interface, helping the driller and other personnel ensure they stay
within the corridors established in the well plan.

The software also provides predictive trend deviation analysis,
integrated with hydromechanical analysis, to predict fluid gains
and losses, pipe-sticking mechanisms, cleanup problems and
washouts during well construction. Users are alerted to potential
issues so they can decide whether to take mitigating actions.

“ECO provides flexibility to configure the system per client
needs, to function either in supervisory or fully automated modes.

In both scenarios, actionable insights are delivered to decision
makers in a timely fashion,” said Khaydar Valiullin, Co-Founder
and CEO of WellsX.

He also described the platform as self-learning – effectively,
each well drilled becomes an additional data point. Users can
replay the drilled well data with parallel real-time calculation of
the mechanical and hydraulic loads, and they can analyze well
logs to clarify lithological information of the reservoir. When the
user plans future wells in the same field, or in different fields with
20 similar geologies, the system will leverage that previous data to
inform the design of new wells.

“The more we utilize the system, the more useful it becomes,” Dr
Valiullin said. “Even if you don’t have offset data, the digital twin
is running in the background so you’ll have examples of previous
exploration drilling to give you a better idea of what you’re doing.”
The technology has been in operation since 2019 for sev-
eral operators and drillers working in Eastern Europe, including
Hungary, Croatia and Serbia.

It has also been deployed in the Volga-Ural region of Russia by
an operator who sought to optimize well construction time for
onshore wells in mature brownfields. During drilling, the ECO
system’s predictive analytics tools alerted personnel to emerging
hazards related to wellbore integrity and open-hole quality, such
as stuck pipe, wash-outs and twist-offs. This capability enabled
continual updating and optimization of the drilling plan after
encountering potential hazards.

The operator saw a 16% reduction in average construction time
for directional wells drilled in the Volga-Ural region, as well as
a 20% reduction in sidetrack wells, according to Dr Valiullin. He
attributed a major part of the time savings to off-bottom activity,
as automated analyses of the drilling plan revealed that up to 30%
of the time spent conducting off-bottom activity in the drilling
plan was NPT.

While WellsX has had limited engagement in the North
American market so far, it now has plans to participat e in a geo-
thermal project in South Texas, Dr Valiullin added.

Last year, ECO was approved for deployment by a major nation-
al oil company in the Middle East after successful onshore and
offshore implementation. In June, WellsX also announced a joint
venture agreement to provide its technology for its clients in the
Middle East. DC
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 • DRILLING CONTRACTOR