Deepwater Drilling
The term "deepwater" has always been defined in terms of where offshore technology stood at a given moment. In the early 1960s, 500-foot water depths placed a practical limit on offshore drilling capabilities; by 2003, the water depth record had surpassed 10,000 feet. This Topic describes the equipment and technology that have made such advances possible. Starting with an overview of worldwide drilling activity, it looks at the characteristics of deepwater environments and the challenges they pose with respect to rig requirements and offshore project management. It goes on to discuss the systems, equipment and considerations involved in deepwater well planning, design and construction. It then examines some of the innovative solutions to deepwater drilling challenges, ranging from riserless drilling to dual activity operations. Finally, it presents several case studies to show how these solutions have been applied in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore eastern Canada and the North Sea.
