Competitive Wells
Drilling activity on the UKCS has been at low levels in recent years, with intervention needed to extend the life of the basin. The Competitive Well Delivery initiative aims to improve the competitiveness of wells activity in the UKCS by achieving a lower, sustainable cost of drilling, with low cost variance, and increased value – to unlock more barrel-adding opportunities.
In 2018 this initiative resulted in the publication of the Guidelines for the Right-Scoping of Wells. These guidelines aim to help well-operators develop the minimum required scope for their well designs, based on benchmarking, target setting, and a multi-disciplinary team approach. The Right Scoping guidelines may be applied to new well construction activity and also well interventions and well decommissioning activity.
Access the guidelines here.
Well Decommissioning
In recognition of the steady growth of UKCS decommissioning alongside exploration and production, OEUK has established a Well Decommissioning Operator Network to bring together industry specialists and other stakeholders, OEUK forums and regulators to discuss cross-industry issues.
Reservoir & Wells Optimisation
The Reservoir & Wells Optimisation (RWO) initiative focuses on maximising production from existing well stock. The initiative takes direction from the Oil and Gas Authority’s Asset Stewardship Task Force, but links to the Wells Forum. Work areas include:
Guidelines to Unlocking Investment for Barrel Adding Opportunities; aims to help operators embed a production optimisation culture in their organisations and to maximise production from their assets.
Restoring shut-in subsea wells; according to the OGA’s wells insight report around 600 wells are shut in with significant remaining reserves. The RWO is currently focusing on improving subsea wells surveillance and restoring shut in subsea wells.
Achieving Well Interventions Excellence: Data related to well interventions is collected annually through the Stewardship Survey, which OEUK analyses and shares with operator members directly and through workshops. This data-driven approach helps to identify collaboration opportunities, strengthen business cases and identify the opportunity gap.
Wells Conference
OEUK’s annual Wells Conference offers an ideal arena for delegates to learn, network and discuss the challenges of delivering drilling competitively to maximise economic recovery of oil and gas from the UKCS.