Towards an Uncertainty-Based Design of Foundations for Onshore Oil and Gas Environmentally Friendly Drilling (EFD) Systems

The petroleum industry endeavors to minimize the environmental impact during oil and gas drilling operations. For instance, by reducing the footprint during drilling operations using a reusable modular platform and a small mobile rig, in 2003 and 2004 Anadarko and Maurer Technology Inc. demonstrated a new foundation concept in the Arctic. Their objective was to drill in an ecologically sensitive area without disturbing the ground surface. Use of an elevated platform in environmentally sensitive areas requires the use of piles to support the elevated deck instead of gravel pads used in a conventional drilling system. The aim of this paper is to introduce an environmentally friendly foundation method for onshore drilling systems, and to conduct a parametric study of different foundations to improve the understanding of these types of foundation designs, by introducing uncertainty quantification for various rig weights and soil conditions (e.g., desert environments and wetland applications). This paper introduces a case study on pile capacity calculations depending on various soil types and pile types, and sets the basis for a full reliability analysis on this type of foundation.