BRAVA Energia has completed the country’s first two oil well drilling projects using casing drilling during the production phase. The technique is unprecedented in Brazil and was applied in the Alto do Rodrigues field, within the Potiguar Basin (RN). As a result, the company saw a 50% reduction in drilling time and a 20% decrease in drilling costs, compared to a conventional well.
In conventional oil well drilling, the casing is installed after the phase of drilling the rock with a drill bit and using drill pipes. In casing drilling, both phases occur simultaneously, which improves the operational efficiency by reducing the time the open hole is exposed, with the associated risks.
BRAVA’s Onshore Operations director, Jorge Boeri, stated that, “The implementation of casing drilling at one of our onshore assets is an important milestone that enables us not only to significantly reduce our operating costs and time, but also to reinforce our commitment to innovation in the onshore well construction segment. This is yet another example of how we utilize technology and our team’s expertise to enhance our operational efficiency, with the focus on results and value generation”.
In the Alto do Rodrigues field, two vertical wells were drilled to depths of around 380 meters. In total, the project involved three years of research, with BRAVA’s drilling engineering teams and Tenaris’ Technical Sales department working together from the early stages.
Franklin Romero, general manager of Well Construction at BRAVA Energia, stated that, “We thank BRAVA Energia’s onshore drilling engineering team and Tenaris’ technical team for their important contributions, showing commitment and excellent results”.
Tenaris’ managing director in Brazil, Renato Catallini, also highlighted the partnership between the companies. He stated that, “We are applying our technical expertise to increase operational reliability in a market where cost optimization is crucial. We thank BRAVA Energia’s team for the opportunity to collaborate on this project. We value their commitment to seeking innovative solutions for onshore operations and the trust they have placed in Tenaris to support their strategy”.
The project required long-term efforts, including the analysis of international case studies, technical visits to the rig and adjustments for technological customization. Advanced simulations were also carried out, to ensure the feasibility of the application. The casings used standard connections that had been previously tested in projects in Argentina. However, the pipes were supplied in lengths that were adjusted to the rig’s specifications.
With the positive results obtained from these first two wells, BRAVA Energia will also apply the technique in upcoming campaigns in the Estreito and Alto do Rodrigues fields.
