Apache Energy Ltd has signed up to use AGR’s Riserless Mud Recovery (RMR®) system.
Apache will use the RMR® solution for the first time during batch drilling of six top holes on its Coniston Development, offshore Western Australia, pending receipt of all necessary Government and other approvals for the project, which are anticipated later this year.
The main reason for using RMR® on these wells is because of its ability to drill these deviated top holes through an unconsolidated sand formation with full mud return and therefore with less probability of hole collapse and stuck pipe situations.
Bernt Eikemo, Vice President of EDS-ORS Asia Pacific, a division of AGR said: “ We have been working with Apache for a long time to find suitable candidate wells for them to use our RMR® system. Our previous experiences with several operators in the Browse Basin and North West Shelf have shown that unconsolidated sand formations become much more benign when drilled with RMR® using a proper mud system.
“We look forward to delivering great results and forging a long-lasting relationship between our two companies.”
RMR® enables the use of weighted, engineered mud in the top-hole section. Mud and cuttings are returned to the rig with limited discharge to the sea. The top-hole section can be drilled more safely, quickly and with less impact on the environment.
RMR®, together with its sister technology the Cutting Transportation System (CTS®), has been deployed on more than 500 wells worldwide to date with clients including Woodside, Shell and Total.
Last month saw the union of Norwegian companies Ocean Riser Systems (ORS) and Enhanced Drilling Solutions (EDS), part of AGR, to form EDS-ORS.
[mappress] Press Release, September 25, 2012; Image: Apache