Energy technology company, Baker Hughes, has entered a deal with Aramco to expand its integrated underbalanced coiled tubing drilling (UBCTD) operations across Saudi Arabia’s natural gas fields.
The multi-year agreement secures scope for current UBCTD fleet expansion from four to 10 units for re-entry and greenfield drilling projects across fields in the Kingdom. The integrated solutions will cover every aspect of the UBCTD operations, including coiled tubing drilling units, underbalanced drilling services, operational management, well construction, and geosciences to scale and accelerate their access to gas from new and established fields.
“This project is the result of nearly two decades of successful collaboration between Baker Hughes and Aramco, which have set the standard for UBCTD,” said Amerino Gatti, executive vice president of Oilfield Services & Equipment at Baker Hughes. “By combining advanced technologies with a holistic, integrated approach, we can support Aramco to more efficiently access bypassed and hard-to-reach hydrocarbons and produce the resources that help the Kingdom thrive. This expansion sets the stage for further innovation in UBCTD, which has the potential to shape how oil and gas are produced around the world.”
The integrated approach to UBCTD includes CoilTrak bottomhole assembly (BHA) system and enhanced reservoir analysis driven by GaffneyCline energy advisory. The combined effect of these technologies and insights result in smooth navigation of the subsurface environment during horizontal drilling and re-entry operations. These, backed by holistic project management services, will lead to enhanced production efficiency, speed and safety while mitigating reservoir damage when compared to traditional development methods.
Work under the expanded agreement is scheduled to commence in 2026.
