Research Progress and the Prospect of Intelligent Drilling and Completion Technologies

Intelligent drilling and completion technologies are the integration of drilling and completion engineering with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, cloud computing, and other advanced technologies. They can achieve fine characterization, optimal decision-making, and closed-loop control of oil and gas drilling and completion and are expected to significantly improve drilling and completion efficiency, reservoir drilling rate, and oil and gas recovery efficiency. Therefore, they are the research frontier and hot spot in the oil and gas field. In this paper, the application scenario system of AI in oil and gas drilling and completion was constructed from the engineering practice. Then, the development level of intelligent drilling and completion technologies was divided according to the integration degree of drilling and completion engineering with AI. Furthermore, the research status of intelligent drilling and completion theories and technologies both in China and abroad was discussed, with a medium- and long-term development plan being proposed according to the development trend of AI and drilling and completion engineering. Finally, the problems and key directions of intelligent drilling and completion technologies were summarized. The paper serves as a reference for accelerating the basic theoretical research and application of intelligent drilling and completion technologies in China.