By KEN MILAM
EXPLORER Correspondent

Digital Field Will Be Real -- In Time

"SMART WELLS NOT EASY"

"HOW BIG CAN OIL FLOWS GET?"

'Smart Wells' Not Easy

So-called "smart wells" delivering digital data to the surface as well as petroleum, like many good ideas, are easier said than done.

The high temperatures and extreme pressures deep in the borehole, to put it mildly, make for a harsh environment for microprocessors and other devices.

Building devices that will survive in such conditions for 10-20 years is a major challenge, according to Vik Rao, Halliburton vice president of technology ventures.

In some cases, Rao said, sending a robot downhole to take measurements may be a viable alternative to permanent devices.

Halliburton has a robot in the final stages of field testing, designed to travel down miles of borehole, performing certain tasks at specified intervals and returning under its own power.

After research identified downhole robotics as a worthy endeavor, Halliburton invested in Irobot, a small company spun out of MIT that has emerged as a leader in its field.

In high-angle, high-reach wells, sensor-equipped robots might be better than deploying tubing for wireline, he said.

One of the biggest challenges for the wireless device is battery power, Rao added, so "any advances are welcome there."

Downhole robots "beg for sensors that are not power-hungry," he said,

Fortunately, measurement while drilling devices already have driven the industry in that direction.

"Robotics can piggyback on that," he said.

-- KEN MILAM