Transocean’s Robert Yost is one of the five jackup rigs working on the Mumbai High redevelopment off of the west coast of India.

Despite technically challenging wells; monsoon seasons on both Indian coasts; and the logistics of delivering equipment, supplies and people across vast geographical areas; Transocean India has made significant inroads toward the goal of safer work practices and more proficient operations.

“Our safety vision of an incident-free workplace with the support of our client is the single most important driver behind our integrated services business,” said Deepak Munganahalli, Transocean India division manager. “At the same time, we wanted to make a step change in reducing non-productive time for our client. Together, we are proving that integrated services improves project coordination and logistics and optimizes total project costs.”

Transocean is the only offshore drilling contractor providing integrated services in India.

Of the company’s current fleet of 13 mobile offshore drilling rigs in India, six units provide integrated services: the ultra-deepwater drillship, Discoverer Seven Seas, conducting exploration operations off India’s east coast, and five jackup rigs working on the Mumbai High redevelopment off the west coast.

On a day-rate basis, the company provides logistical support for the six rigs, including helicopter service, marine supply vessels and two onshore supply bases as well as the complete well program from design to execution.

Comprehensive services

“Overall, we deliver the complete well-construction package,” said Tony Flynn, senior drilling manager. “Highlights of our results in deepwater operations include pushing the 20-in. casing to greater depths in which the fracture gradient has been enhanced and outperforming with water-based mud instead of the synthetic oil-based mud that some operators use.”

According to Avinash Sadekar, senior drilling manager, Transocean’s integrated services business helps to minimize the “flat time” or non-productive time (NPT) in the drilling process.

“We have moved a long way in our jackup project,” Sadekar said. “NPT is well below 15%, and safety also has improved to less than 0.70 TRIR (total recordable incident rate) per 200,000 hours worked by the five jackup rigs.”

Integrated project management

Before wells are constructed, Transocean provides drilling engineers to plan the well design and drilling operations, working closely with the client and third-party service providers.

“It’s worked very well,” said Flynn. “We’ve also done high-pressure/high-temperature well design for future work. Every day we have a meeting with the client. We gather all the disciplines together — the cement manager, the mud manager, the wireline manager — everyone is involved. We have a 14-day look-ahead curve, and when we walk out of that meeting,we know exactly what will happen that day, and we have everyone in the loop.”

Logistics efficiencies

Transocean operates 11 high-specification marine supply vessels and coordinates all helicopter flights to the six offshore drilling rigs using two helicopters. This control ensures reliable movement of supplies and personnel, enhancing efficiency, reducing exposure to safety incidents and NPT, and ensuring on-time crew-change flights.

“In addition, the boats are high-specification vessels, able to work day and night, and most are brand new,” said Narender Jindal, drilling manager. “This capability is essential to keeping a steady flow of supplies between the shore bases and rigs.”

Transocean India’s fleet size also provides another logistical advantage as the company can move parts between rigs to reduce exposure
to significant downtime.

According to Ian Linden, performance operations manager for the five jackup rigs, Transocean provides innovative tools as well, such as Tesco’s new casing running system, which achieves technical advantages in this frontier region.

Onshore improvements also have led to time-savings. Transocean added fuel lines at its Goa base on India’s West Coast, which saves 24 hours every time a supply vessel stops in to refuel. Savings total 20 days each month just from the ability to refuel a vessel when it arrives at the base instead of having to wait for trucks for fuel deliveries.

Having a separate asset yard for drill pipe, local gear, lubes and other supplies and an integrated services yard for service company equipment and supplies also contributes to efficiency. By arranging all the required parts this way, yard personnel can ensure adequate inventory is on hand and that the right equipment gets to the right rig at the right time.

Transocean has also kept safety at the fore. As of Feb. 2008, the Goa yard had not had a lost-time incident in more than a year.

Looking ahead, Transocean is evaluating ways to further improve performance, with more effective well planning one of the goals. Knowing exactly where and when the rigs will be conducting operations as far into the future as possible will make scheduling services and supplying the rigs more efficient.

Upgrades are also being planned for the five jackups. Iron roughnecks will be installed to enable more efficient automated operations and to minimize exposure to injury by reducing pinch points.

“We will never stop seeking to improve safety, operational effectiveness and efficiency,” Munganahalli said. “They go hand in hand, and we believe integrated services is the model for improving performance in the future.”