Modular Well Pad System Reducing Drilling Costs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional well pad drilling methods require multiple rig movements and extensive infrastructure, leading to high costs, longer completion times, and a larger environmental footprint due to the need for multiple well pads and extensive spacing between well pairs.
Innovation Solution
A compact well pad system with a modular design that allows for multiple well pairs to be drilled from a single pad using a linear array of interconnected wellhead connection modules, reducing the distance between well pairs and enabling a more efficient layout, such as forming acute-angled triangles, to minimize subsurface wellbore collisions and reduce the number of required well pads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional drilling method is used with single well per pad, then drilling cost and completion time are high, but well spacing and infrastructure requirements are minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple well pads into a single integrated well pad system, combining multiple well pairs (injection and production wells) that would traditionally require separate pads. This consolidation reduces the number of infrastructure sets needed while maintaining drilling productivity through coordinated operations across multiple wells from one pad location.
Solution Approach 2:
The well pad system is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple well pairs simultaneously. The infrastructure is configured to support both injection and production wells, as well as future infill wells, from a single pad. This universal design allows the same pad to serve multiple drilling operations without requiring separate specialized infrastructure for each well type.
2Quantity of substance
If well spacing is reduced to increase well density, then number of wells per pad increases, but risk of subsurface wellbore collision increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action through comprehensive pre-drilling planning and modeling. Before drilling commences, the system performs detailed subsurface characterization and well path planning to predict and avoid potential wellbore collisions. This proactive approach enables reduced well spacing while maintaining safety by identifying and eliminating collision risks in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms during drilling operations, using monitoring data to track wellbore positions and adjust drilling parameters as needed. This feedback loop enables dynamic adaptation to subsurface conditions, ensuring that reduced well spacing does not compromise the reliability of wellbore separation and collision avoidance.
3Productivity
If multiple well pads are used to accommodate multiple well pairs, then drilling operations can proceed in parallel, but capital costs and environmental footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple separate well pads into a single consolidated pad, combining multiple well pairs (injection and production wells) that would traditionally require separate pads. This consolidation reduces the total land footprint and infrastructure requirements while maintaining drilling productivity through coordinated operations across multiple wells from one pad location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a horizontal distribution of multiple well pads to a vertical integration of multiple well pairs within a single pad. By utilizing three-dimensional subspace for wellbore routing and positioning, the patent accommodates multiple well pairs in close proximity without increasing the surface area footprint, thereby reducing environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional well pad layout is used with piping module between injection and production wells, then infrastructure connections are simplified, but well spacing cannot be reduced below 20m x 10m
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by routing infrastructure and wellbore paths in three-dimensional space rather than being constrained to traditional two-dimensional surface layouts. This allows the piping and utility corridors to be positioned above or below well locations, enabling reduced well spacing while maintaining infrastructure connection simplicity through vertical integration of utilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the well pad infrastructure into modular components, with injection and production wells that can be independently connected to centralized piping and utility modules. This segmentation allows flexible configuration of well positions at reduced spacing while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized, pre-fabricated infrastructure modules that can be assembled in various configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A well pad having a plurality of wells is described. The well pad has two parallel rows or linear arrays of well pairs, mirrored to each other in both a W-E direction and a S-N direction orthogonal to the W-E direction. Each row of well pairs comprises an inner row of injection wells and an outer row of production wells. A plurality of wellhead connection modules and a piping module are deployed between the two rows of well pairs. Each wellhead connection module is connected to one, two three or four well pairs. The piping module connects the wellhead connection modules to a central processing facility.