To infinity and beyond!

At Tecpetrol Colombia, as part of a plan to extend lateral well branch lengths, the team has just completed the longest horizontal branch of a geosteered well ever drilled in the country, reaching a total of 3,000 feet, or some 914 meters. We spoke to Iván Griso and Jaime Aramiz, the leaders of the two teams involved in the project.

Every milestone reached is a challenge conquered. When you set an ambitious goal, you're sure to come up against obstacles that will test your capabilities. However, these challenges aren't just impediments, but opportunities to learn and innovate. Breaking through the barriers of what you already know isn't simply about setting a new record, but about pursuing a deeper purpose.

An excellent example is Tecpetrol's PeN-11h well in the Colombian Pendare Field, where a horizontal branch has just been drilled to 3,000 feet using geosteering, making it the longest well in the country's history. Geosteering is about applying intentional directional control to the drilling so that the wellbore remains in a limited section, thus maximizing production and minimizing water breakthrough. It's a technique that integrates drilling engineering parameters, modeling based on the physical properties of the formation, and real-time geological information using simulation tools in order to guide drilling more accurately and efficiently. Combined with teamwork and the transfer of know-how from Tecpetrol Argentina, geosteering and meticulous planning were crucial to this achievement, which not only set a new record, but also significantly raised productivity levels in the area.

Iván Griso, Drilling Principal, points out that, "the special thing about this well is that we were able to extrapolate the experience, tools and drilling applications we use at Argentina's Vaca Muerta operations to the Pendare Field in Colombia, as we wanted to drill long branches that improve productivity and make better use of the area."

"During the planning phase, we confirmed the technical feasibility of moving ahead with drilling by running simulations. This required specialized tools that had never been used in Colombia before, so we had to request the service companies to import them," explains Iván.

Jaime Amariz, Drilling Expert, refers to the team's learning curve, created thanks to the input and assistance provided by the Argentine drilling crew to the operation in Colombia. "Step by step, we pushed forward with branches of 1,800, 2,000, and 2,500 feet, until we finally hit 3,000-something that would have been unimaginable just a few years back."

Jaime also explains the challenges that this project entailed. "In addition to adopting technologies to achieve greater capacity levels than we had before, we also faced the challenge of lowering the pipe or casing after drilling the well, which we managed to pull off successfully. On the safety side, we held thorough preparations and meetings beforehand to ensure the team was ready. We're proud to say we succeeded-by using new technologies, we proved we can drill longer branches and boost production efficiency!."

"We are leaving a legacy in the area that can serve others as experience for future projects," says Iván. Meanwhile, Jaime points out that, "The work was carried out with meticulous attention to detail from an engineering standpoint, always aiming to minimize the inevitable risks. Our satisfaction at the end of the day was immense-the team rose to the occasion and delivered outstanding results!"