D
rilling a profitable oil well requires finding the right
geologic conditions, picking the exact right spot
then selecting the right drilling technology to exploit
the play. When Edwin Drake took the train to Titusville,
Pennsylvania back in 1858, the first step was easy: oil was
naturally seeping out of the ground and it was shallow
enough that it was contaminating local water supply wells.
The second step was a mostly a matter of geologic intuition
and luck; he just happened to drill at the point where the
reservoir was closest to the surface. Technology selection
was also simple: just use the same steam powered drilling
equipment that was used for water wells. But, even so, he ran
through the US$ 2000 the Seneca Oil Company had allocated
and had to take a US$ 500 personal loan to keep the job
going before striking the deposit at a depth of just 70 ft
where it produced 25 bpd.
PHOEBE MCMELLON, GEOFACETS FROM ELSEVIER, USA, TAKES A
LOOK AT NEW SOFTWARE THAT IS ALLOWING GEOSCIENTISTS TO
ACCELERATE THEIR EXPLORATION WORKFLOW.
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