AMOCO CUTS DEEP, HARD-ROCK DRILLING COSTS

Drilling below 10,000 feet inthe Appalachian basin presents operators with some of the worst operating problems in the world. Drilling is slow, operating costs are high and if the right drilling fluid is not used, stuck drill pipe may result. One of the area'S most experienced operators has found that accurate location of casing setting points plus the use of proper drilling fluids to control troublesome formations can substantially reduce drilling costs. This article discusses equipment and techniques Amoco uses to drill deep Appalachian basin wells.