The technology applied by PetroTal in the sustainable development of Bretaña oil field in Block 95
Guillermo Flórez is the General Manager of PetroTal, operator of Bretaña Field of Block 95 since 2018, which is the largest crude oil producer in the country and has, to date, more than 22 million barrels extracted. In the following lines, he tells us what has been and is the contribution of technology in the good operating results of the oil company.
1. What advantages does horizontal drilling bring to the development of Bretaña Field?
Our operation is located in the buffer zone of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, an area of high biodiversity where horizontal drilling is the ideal solution for extracting crude oil over long distances, without impacting the surface.
Of the 21 producing wells we currently have, 17 are horizontal, and all have been drilled from a centralized operation, in a reduced but very efficient space, which required less clearing in the environment.
2. What technology do you use to drill the horizontal wells?
We use the latest geosteering tools that allow us to analyze in real time the conditions of the rocks we drill for greater accuracy and valuable insight into the Vivian geological formation.
In drilling our 20H well, we used new Geosphere HD technology, from leading innovator SLB, to more accurately “geosteer” the sands of the Vivian VS1 section.
These tests generated 320 barrels of oil per day, but their greater significance is the confirmation of our technical team's promising projections.
3. How do you keep your wells productive?
We are the pioneers in Peru in the use of AICD (Autonomous Inflow Control Device) valves, which control the early inrush of water and thus maximize oil production.
These valves weigh less than a cell phone but are very sensitive and efficient in restricting the entry of low viscosity fluids, such as water, and allowing heavy oil to pass through, boosting the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of the wells.
4. Have you contemplated the use of artificial intelligence?
Based on the sensor systems implemented in our wells, we are now looking to make a leap in their productivity with artificial intelligence.
We have developed Machine Learning studies for the early detection of fails in wells that have allowed us to build a fairly accurate model, which we want to implement in a platform with artificial intelligence to enhance its detection qualities. This will provide us with significant savings in intervention or repair costs.
5. Do you have another technological initiative underway?
We have been studying the alternative to develop rigless well operations, that is, without the need of a drilling rig. It is a novel solution that we are seeking to apply for the first time in the region because it offers great benefits and very competitive costs.
For the time being, we have taken an important step forward by having applied this technology in our injector wells with very significant savings compared to the use of conventional tools.