The company said although it would have been technically possible to log the well using wireline Pipe Conveyed Logging (PCL), the complexity, likely duration and high risk of failure of such an operation resulted in several service companies being reluctant to undertake the project.
"It was a straightforward operation for the Reeves Well Shuttle and data was successfully recovered to surface in 14.5 hours, even though the drill rig was able to pull only single stands of pipe rather than the more usual double or triple stands," said the company.
"The well was drilled vertically to a shallow kick-off point at 150m (490ft) and built up to 65 degrees deviation at a rate of 6 degrees per 30m by the 500m (1640ft) point. It was then drilled to a total depth of 1847m (6060ft) while holding at 65 degrees using a bit size of 200mm (7.87 inches).
Enerplus Senior Geologist Jeff Bracken commented: "The Enerplus Joarcam 2002 Drilling Programme included six highly deviated wells. It is imperative that we have open hole log data to ensure proper completion of the Viking formation. Reeves Compact Memory Logging (CML) supplied us with high quality open hole logging data. Without Reeves' CML system we would not have been able to get any open hole logs and I would recommend these tools for any tough open hole logging conditions."
Following the delivery of the first Well Shuttle system in late December 2001 for operations in Western Canada, there has been a significant market uptake for the service with wells being logged at the rate of two per week. Tools have been deployed successfully in 100% of the wells, and the system has demonstrated significant reductions in time and, as a result in costs for operators.
Well Shuttle deploys open hole logging tools into high angle/horizontal wells and wells with bad hole conditions without the use of wireline. The tools are 'garaged' inside drill pipe where they are protected while running into the well.
They are released into open hole as the Shuttle nears bottom, after which they remain anchored to the pipe and acquire data on the way out. As well as protecting the tools, the Shuttle is faster and safer than the Pipe Conveyed Logging alternative, and provides an efficient alternative to Logging While Drilling (LWD) in wells that can be drilled without real time formation evaluation.
John Boyes, Director for Corporate Development at Reeves Oilfield Services, said: "The EnerMark operation demonstrates the simplicity of the Shuttle solution. Even if wireline PCL had been attempted in this well it could have taken three times as long, with no guarantee of success. As far as Reeves is concerned, Well Shuttle replaces PCL".
