Drilling wells offshore is a costly and complex operation. Conventional methods for tracking the drill bit during drilling suffer from uncertainties that increase with the length of the well. Imperfections in subsurface models further complicate navigation of the drill bit relative to the target rock formations and hazardous areas.

DrillWatch provides consistent meter-level precision throughout the length of the well and has the ability to sense geological bodies ahead, with no interference with drilling instrumentation and operations.

To do this, OCTIO deploys a standalone seismic sensor cable to the seabed. OCTIO’s Guardian software processes the sounds emitted by the bit in real-time to accurately position the bit itself and to generate an image of the geology ahead.

  • Meter-level precision in drill-bit location throughout the length of deep, horizontal wells
  • Location of the drill bit in units of seismic time
  • Look-ahead capability: reflectors more than 200 m ahead of the drill-bit can be localized
  • Monitoring of fractures caused by loss of drilling fluid, cement integrity, XLOT and injection test
  • Detect and accurately localize microseismic activity in the rock formations surrounding the well path, to ensure caprock integrity