Our newest service is one that enhances the longevity of a well before the client has to do a workover.

Narvin SALICK District Manager GYRODATA TRINIDAD

Enhanced well services in Trinidad and Tobago

April 30, 2024

Narvin Salick, district manager of Gyrodata Trinidad, talks to The Energy Year about how the company has been impacted by its acquisition by SLB and its newest service offering in Trinidad and Tobago. Gyrodata provides high-precision gyroscopic surveying and wireline services to global oil and gas operations.

How has the acquisition by SLB impacted Gyrodata Trinidad?
In February 2022, Gyrodata Global was acquired by SLB. It has brought a change in our company’s culture as we have transitioned to a much larger company size; but this also means there are a lot of opportunities for everyone on our team. As SLB is one of the largest global oilfield services companies, there are now new departments that our personnel can enter to diversify their skillset beyond working with gyro technologies. The merger has also improved our outreach to our clients and improved logistics support.

Have you started to offer any new services in the Trinidadian market?
Our newest service is one that enhances the longevity of a well before the client has to do a workover. This service is called a Micro-guide Survey Log. It is a very high-density survey log – not to be confused with wireline logging. It gives the operator a 3D-graphic map of exactly how the well is drilled. It helps them to decide on how to position their pumps or rod guides at certain points in a way that extends how long they can produce from a well before they have to change its equipment and parts.
This service is new in Trinidad, so we are giving it some time before we expect to receive feedback from operators about the benefits that they have experienced.

What Gyrodata technologies have you deployed most in the Trinidadian upstream?
We have worked with one of the major IOCs operating in Trinidad to perform re-entry and sidetracking in some of their wells using our newest technology, the Quest GWD [gyro-while-drilling]. We also deployed one of our gyro drilling technologies called the Javelin GWD to drill five wells for another producer in August 2023. It was the first time that the Javelin – which is part of our SPEAR technologies – was used in Trinidad.
The difference between the Quest and the Javelin is that the Javelin GWD does not go to an inclination as high as the Quest can. In this case, the producer does not need to go to such a high angle in their well that they would need to with the Quest so, we were able to offer them the Javelin GWD as a more affordable option without compromising on quality.

What are the applications of the GWD tools and when are they used?
GWD is used as a tool to prevent the collision of wells when drilling one close to another. The producer contracts us to help steer the drilling away from the other well until they are certain that it is at a safe distance. It is used at shallower depths in the well drilling process.
Gyro technology is best used when starting the well rather than during completion. If surveys are taken to TD [target depth] a smaller error ellipse can be calculated than using MWD. This means that there is a larger mathematical target zone at TD (a bit more room for error). These surveys could also be done while pulling out of the hole after TD, by sending a downlink to the tool and changing its survey acquisition mode.
Another application of GWD is for sidetracks, which means exiting from an existing well at a different angle in order to access untapped reserves or trying to avoid a fish. We are currently working on sidetrack projects with one of the major operators offshore.

What response have you received from operators since introducing the SPEAR tools?
In 2022, we introduced the SPEAR range to the local market and we are now observing an increase in the demand for this tool in their operations. We now have six in our inventory in order to meet the demand and secure the amount of work in both Trinidad and Guyana.
Our SPEAR tools can be used in gyro-while-drilling applications. We noticed that most of our clients in the offshore environment prefer to use the SPEAR tools over the Legacy tools once they have tried them. They have seen the benefits in terms of the efficiency in drilling and the improved accuracy of the results.