Pre-Planning for Drilling Performance Optimization   

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Introduction 

Effective pre-planning is the single most important factor influencing drilling performance. Most drilling inefficiencies and unplanned events can be traced back to gaps in early planning, misalignment between disciplines, or unrealistic assumptions carried into execution. 

Pre-planning should begin with the formation of a multidisciplinary team that includes geoscientists, drilling and completion engineers, well integrity and HSE specialists, drilling contractors, service providers, and key rig crew representatives. Early involvement of all stakeholders improves alignment, clarifies expectations, and strengthens ownership of the drilling plan. When planning is collaborative and disciplined, execution becomes more predictable, safer, and more efficient. 

1. Defining the “Ideal Well” 

• The concept of an “ideal well” provides a practical benchmark for performance optimization. Rather than relying on theoretical best times, the ideal well is defined by analyzing the fastest safe and repeatable execution times achieved in relevant offset wells. 

• The ideal well is constructed by benchmarking best-in-class performance for each major operational phase using a representative set of comparable wells. These phases typically include drilling each hole section, tripping, casing running, cementing, pressure testing, and critical verification activities. Only phase durations achieved without compromising safety, well integrity, or equipment reliability should be considered. 

• For repetitive activities such as connections, stand drilling, tripping practices, or casing running, analysis at a finer time resolution can highlight incremental efficiency opportunities. The objective is not to set aggressive targets in isolation, but to define what has already been proven achievable under similar conditions and use this as a realistic planning reference. 

2. Structured Planning Workshops 

• Early Integrated Planning Workshop 

  • A detailed planning workshop should be conducted three to four months before spudding. The primary objective is to review the complete well concept and identify potential obstacles to safe and efficient execution. 

  • Key outcomes typically include alignment on well objectives, confirmation of the proposed well design, identification of long-lead items, and early recognition of operational or logistical constraints. This workshop also supports realistic scheduling of rig readiness, equipment availability, and service delivery. 

• Pre-Spud “Drilling Well on Paper” Workshop 

  • A second workshop should be held approximately one month before spudding. This session focuses on simulating the well step-by-step, often referred to as “drilling well on paper (DWOP).” 

  • This exercise ensures that all activities are sequenced correctly, that interfaces between teams are clearly understood, and that responsibilities are well-defined. Performance objectives should be finalized and aligned with both business goals and safety expectations. Decision authorities, escalation paths, and communication protocols should be explicitly documented. 

  • Contingency plans should also be developed to address credible changes in scope, subsurface uncertainty, equipment availability, or environmental conditions. Where possible, historical lessons learned should be retrieved through structured organizational learning systems rather than relying solely on individual experience. 

3. Cost and AFE Integration 

• Effective pre-planning requires close alignment between technical well design and the Authorization for Expenditure (AFE). The drilling program and cost estimate should be developed in parallel so that technical decisions are grounded in financial reality. 

• Each major operation, such as drilling, tripping, casing, cementing, testing, and contingencies, should be clearly linked to its primary cost drivers, including rig time, services, materials, logistics, and third-party support. Cost assumptions must be transparent, documented, and traceable to offset well data and the planned execution strategy. 

• Risk-based contingencies are more effective than generic percentage add-ons. These contingencies should be tied to specific uncertainties such as narrow drilling margins, weather exposure, equipment reliability, or logistical complexity. During execution, a variance tracking process should be defined to compare actual performance against the plan, enabling early corrective actions and more accurate cost forecasting. 

4. Logistics and Site Readiness 

• Logistics planning is a critical element of pre-planning and should be addressed early, particularly for remote, offshore, or deepwater operations. The drilling plan should clearly define material requirements, long-lead equipment, spare parts, and consumables, along with delivery schedules aligned to the well sequence. 

• Site readiness planning should confirm that locations, access roads, conductor foundations, rig move requirements, and supporting infrastructure are complete before operations. Offshore, this includes equipment staging yard, marine logistics, vessel availability, deck space management, onshore cutting disposal plan, and weather-related constraints. 

• Accommodation, transportation, and crew change logistics must also be planned to ensure continuity of operations and compliance with work-rest and safety requirements. Clearly defined logistics responsibilities and communication channels reduce waiting time and prevent avoidable non-productive time. 

5. Data Integration and Digital Validation 

• Modern pre-planning increasingly relies on integrated digital workflows that combine subsurface, drilling, and operational data into a single planning environment. Data integration ensures that trajectory design, casing design, hydraulics, torque and drag, and well control assumptions are consistent and based on common input parameters. 

• Digital planning tools allow engineers to validate designs through simulations, sensitivity analyses, and scenario comparisons before drilling begins. These tools help identify potential conflicts such as excessive equivalent circulating density, mechanical load exceedance, poor hole cleaning performance, or limited well control margins early in the planning phase. 

• Establishing a single source of truth for well data improves cross-discipline collaboration and supports smoother transitions from planning to real-time operations. 

6. Engineering and Well Integrity Validation 

• Engineering validation is a fundamental component of pre-planning and directly supports well integrity throughout the well lifecycle. The drilling plan should confirm that casing designs, load cases, and safety factors are appropriate for the expected pressures, temperatures, and mechanical loads and are consistent with applicable standards and company requirements. 

• Pore pressure and fracture gradient assumptions should be reviewed against offset well data, geological interpretations, and uncertainty ranges. Hydraulics modeling should verify that planned mud weights, flow rates, and rheological properties remain within safe operating windows, accounting for equivalent circulating density, surge and swab effects, and operational tolerances. 

• These checks reduce the likelihood of losses, kicks, instability, and last-minute design changes during execution. 

7. Management of Change (MOC) 

• A formal Management of Change process should be established during pre-planning to control how deviations from the approved plan are handled once operations begin. The process should clearly define what constitutes a change, who has authority to approve it, and how associated risks are assessed and communicated. 

• Changes may include modifications to casing design, mud systems, drilling practices, equipment selection, or operational procedures. Without a structured MOC process, incremental changes can accumulate, introducing unmanaged technical and organizational risk. 

• Defining MOC requirements upfront ensures that changes are deliberate, documented, and evaluated for their impact on safety, cost, schedule, and well integrity. 

8. Pre-Drill Well Control and Emergency Preparedness 

• Well control and emergency preparedness must be embedded into pre-planning rather than treated as standalone operational activities. The drilling plan should clearly define well-control methods, barrier philosophy, kick-detection criteria, and shut-in procedures for each hole section. 

• Emergency response plans should be reviewed and aligned with well-specific risks, rig configuration, and operating environment. This includes preparedness for shallow gas, loss of circulation, loss of well control, riser gas, environmental incidents, and evacuation scenarios. 

• Pre-drill reviews, drills, and equipment readiness verification help ensure that crews and support teams are prepared to respond effectively under pressure. Early integration of these elements strengthens operational discipline and reduces response time during critical situations. 

Closing Perspective 

Strong pre-planning does not eliminate uncertainty, but it significantly improves a team’s ability to manage it. By integrating technical rigor, operational realism, cost awareness, and disciplined change control, drilling teams can set the conditions for safe, efficient, and predictable execution. 

References and Further Reading 

1. Helgesen, J. T., Stene, F., and Tønnessen, R. 1999. Deepwater Cementing at the Gjallar Ridge Offshore Norway. Internal Report. 

2. Jacobsen, D. 1999. Atypical Planning Process Cuts Drilling Costs. Oil & Gas Journal. 

3. Jones, M. L., and Alworth, C. D. 1999. Well Planning, Evaluation Programs Improve Gulf Results. Oil & Gas Journal. 

4. Stene, F., and Aird, P. 1999. Teamwork, Extensive Preplanning Pay Off for Norwegian Sea Well. Offshore Magazine. 

5. Al Hammadi, M., Al Ameri, M., Al Marzouqi, A., et al. 2017. Invisible Lost Time Reduction and Drilling Risk Management Optimization in United Arab Emirates Onshore Field. Presented at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 13-16 November. SPE-188640-MS. https://doi.org/10.2118/188640-MS. 

6. AlEnezi, D., AlKandari, A., AlMansour, A., et al. 2024. Delivering Challenging Wells with Reduced NPT Using Real-Time Geomechanics: A Middle Eastern Perspective. Presented at the International Petroleum Technology Conference, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, 12-14 February. IPTC-23347-MS. https://doi.org/10.2523/IPTC-23347-MS. 

7. Gao, D., Sun, L., Lian, Z., et al. 2013. Enhancing Reamer Drilling Performance in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Wells. Drilling Contractor 35 (3): 329-335. https://doi.org/10.2118/123456-PA.  

Disclaimer: This guide synthesizes and paraphrases industry best practices from referenced sources for educational and field-reference purposes only. It does not reproduce copyrighted material verbatim and is not official company policy or engineering advice. All information belongs to the original authors and publishers who retain full rights. No claim of original authorship is made for referenced concepts, and the document is distributed in good faith for drilling professionals.