Offset Well Review
Geothermal drilling means different things to different people. Regardless of whether you are drilling Granite for steam or Coal seams for warm water, understanding the challenges which have gone before is the foundation for planning a well which will meet the subsurface objectives whilst accounting for risk. Merlin are experts at unpacking the real lessons from the noise to deliver this foundational information in a way which promotes reliability in well design and execution in later stages.
Feasibility Study
As engineers, we often have limits imposed on us. It could be down to the drilling location, the equipment we have available or the economics (and hence allowable budget) of the project we are working on. We need to know how the mechanical design of our geothermal well will impact on those constraints to make a value judgement on what to do next. A detailed feasibility study sets out what the well needs to look like in order to remain within the boundaries of your project. Merlin can help you understand where the critical elements are to ensure that your solution remains within limits at all times.
Problem Review
Operational problems are tough going. Large bore, high angle wellbores, small, shallow wellbores with precise directional control requirements, limited resources to achieve the well objectives – all situations which can stress teams and create opportunities for failures to creep in. Merlin has been involved in problem reviews since the inception of our business. We know it take sensitivity and a focus on facts to get to the bottom of what went wrong and what’s gone on in a way which brings the best out of the team. Our focus is on supporting the team to integrate the lessons learned from the problem event into the next activity.
Detailed Well Design
We are drilling engineers. Regardless of the downhole conditions, we can help you create well designs which meet the subsurface objectives, regardless of the fluid being produced. Optimized well designs come from a detailed understanding the subsurface environment and the constraints likely to be imposed by the available solutions. Our drilling engineers can help you define hole sizes, wellhead types, casing points, drilling fluids, drilling tools and so on – all of the individual elements which come together when the rig is on location to create the final end result. Merlin’s engineering focus is on designing out risk where we can and mitigating through procedure were necessary.
More Geothermal Services
Training
Better trained people make better decisions. It is really that simple. If the plan is pushing the team out of their comfort zone, time in the classroom learning about the fundamentals and talking through critical success factors will improve reliability of well delivery.
Operations
Execution is make-or-break time. Effort and energy expended during planning needs to be harnessed and directed to assure operational success. Merlin can support your field operations with people that have real expertise and experience, and have the know-how and energy to drive success within your team.
Software
We developed TDH to leverage our industry-leading process knowledge honed on the worlds most complex wells. What was available commercially didn’t cut it for us, in the way we need to use data when on location or in the office.
 
