Russia’s first digital well-construction project involving the development of hard-to-recover Polar Circle reserves has been developed by Messoyakhaneftegaz specialists in partnership with Schlumberger — this expert team having used a specialist platform to simulate the full drilling cycle, cutting well-design lead-times by half.

Using this new software in design-modelling drilling operations at the Vostochno-Messoyakhskoye field has helped company specialists automate calculations and optimise well planning as far as possible. Pilot-project outcomes have demonstrated that digital solutions cut the time involved in designing high-tech wells by 50%, and help in selecting the optimum technological solutions for developing reserves in the Yamal region.

“This successful pilot brings the era of digital drilling and the full automation of key production processes ever closer. Messoyakha is now using the full capabilities of digital twins, remote-control technologies, mathematical modelling algorithms and machine learning, proactively. New well-design software products will expand our skills and competencies in terms of the safe and viable development of Yamal’s hard-to-recover reserves.”

Alexei Kan Director General, Messoyakhaneftegaz

“This project, implemented in partnership with Messoyakhaneftegaz, marks an important stage in our digital collaboration — and in the practical implementation of Industry 4.0 principles. Now is the right time to implement cutting-edge digital drilling technologies. It’s not just about higher quality or shorter planning times, but also about cutting well-construction costs and optimising working processes, at the design stage.”

Rustam Biktimirov Vice President for Digital Technologies and Integration, Schlumberger Russia and Central Asia