Reducing drilling cost of geothermal wells by optimizing drilling operations: Cost effective study

A significant factor influencing the adoption of geothermal energy in Egypt and the other regions is the cost associated with drilling, which constitutes approximately 35 %–50 % of the overall costs and may be more in some other regions around the world. The actual drilling costs for these wells may exceed the initial estimated cost by around five million USD or more. Therefore, it is highly important to analyze the drilling operations in terms of costs and optimization. This study aims to investigate the drilling operations of one deepest oil well (well AG-119x) in the Abu Al-Gharadig Area, western desert of Egypt. To optimize drilling operations and, hence reduce the cost. By checking the drilling details, it was found that the most expensive drilling section is an 8 ½” hole. The most costly tools used in this well are power drive tools in the bottom hole assembly such as the downhole motor with rotary steerable drilling system (RSS) or turbodrill hydraulic downhole motor. This 8 ½ “hole section required 13 runs, i.e. 13 drilling bits. Moreover, it is found that the turbodrill hydraulic downhole motor is the most effective tool to drill this section which can save about 1,756,999 USD. The analysis of the drilled section and wells understudy is considered a road map and serves as a strategic guide for reducing the costs associated with drilling geothermal wells.