SLB Launches ExaCT Downhole CT Control System to Improve Intervention Efficiency
SLB (NYSE: SLB) has launched the ExaCT™ electrical downhole coiled tubing (CT) control system, a new intervention platform designed to provide real-time electrical control, communication and monitoring during coiled tubing operations. The technology represents a shift away from conventional pressure-dependent hydraulic actuation toward an electrically controlled approach that can provide operators with greater precision, visibility and flexibility throughout downhole interventions.
The ExaCT system combines electrical power, telemetry and downhole measurements to establish continuous communication between surface equipment and tools positioned in the well. This connectivity enables operators to communicate with, actuate and verify downhole tools throughout an intervention rather than relying solely on hydraulic pressure to perform individual operations.
By providing continuous control across the toolstring, the platform is designed to support a broad range of intervention activities and improve the way operators access reservoirs. Its capabilities are particularly relevant to complex well environments, including extended-reach and multilateral wells, where intervention operations can become increasingly challenging and time-consuming.
The technology is intended to help operators respond more quickly to changing downhole conditions while improving the precision of individual intervention steps. According to SLB, greater control over downhole operations can contribute to optimized reservoir access, improved production performance and increased recovery.
“Operators are asking intervention systems to do far more than simply actuate downhole tools,” said Frederik Majkut, president, Reservoir Performance, SLB. “Completion and production teams need continuous visibility, precise control and the flexibility to perform multiple services in a single run.”
Majkut added that the ExaCT system represents a fundamental change toward electrically controlled intervention. The company believes this approach can help operators improve execution certainty, reduce intervention time and maximize access to reservoir sections.
Electrical Control for Multiple Intervention Services
A central feature of the ExaCT platform is its ability to support several intervention services during a single deployment. These services include logging, stimulation, isolation and shifting operations.
Traditionally, operators may need to conduct multiple runs to complete different intervention tasks. Each additional run can increase operating time, equipment requirements and exposure to operational risks. By combining multiple capabilities within one electrically controlled intervention system, ExaCT is designed to reduce the number of trips required to complete complex well programs.
The platform also provides real-time monitoring of downhole conditions. Operators can use information generated during an intervention to understand what is happening in the well and adjust operations as conditions evolve. This ability to make decisions during the intervention can provide greater operational flexibility than approaches that depend on predetermined hydraulic sequences.
Continuous communication with the downhole toolstring also provides a foundation for more automated intervention workflows. As digital technologies become increasingly integrated into oil and gas operations, the ability to communicate with and control tools in real time can support more sophisticated intervention strategies.
For operators managing complex wells, this capability can be particularly important. Extended-reach wells and multilateral completions often require precise access to different sections of the reservoir. Electrically controlled tools can provide the communication and actuation capabilities needed to perform targeted operations while reducing reliance on conventional hydraulic mechanisms.
Demonstrated Time Savings
SLB said field deployments of the ExaCT system have already demonstrated measurable improvements compared with conventional hydraulic intervention methods.
In one six-lateral well intervention, the system reduced total intervention time by approximately 175 hours. The technology enabled operators to enter each lateral in about 12 minutes, compared with approximately six to eight hours using conventional hydraulic systems.
The operation also stimulated more than 21,000 feet of reservoir contact. At the same time, it reduced fluid consumption by more than 3,000 barrels.
The results highlight the potential benefits of combining electrical control with real-time communication during complex well interventions. Reducing the amount of time required to access individual laterals can help operators complete intervention programs more efficiently while potentially lowering associated operational costs.
The reduction in fluid consumption also demonstrates another potential benefit of electrically controlled intervention. Conventional hydraulic operations can require significant volumes of fluid to generate the pressure needed to actuate downhole equipment. Reducing that dependence can help lower fluid requirements and simplify certain intervention operations.
Improved Cleanout and Scale-Removal Operations
SLB has also reported improvements from ExaCT in cleanout and scale-removal applications.
According to the company, the system has reduced intervention time by up to 30% and fluid consumption by 20% during these operations. The platform has also demonstrated 81 hours of continuous downhole operation.
These results indicate that the technology is not limited to a single intervention application. Instead, SLB is positioning ExaCT as a broader platform capable of supporting multiple types of well intervention work.
Cleanout and scale removal are important activities for maintaining well performance because accumulated debris and scale can restrict flow and reduce production. Efficiently completing these operations can help restore access to the wellbore and reservoir while minimizing the time a well spends undergoing intervention.
The ability to operate continuously for extended periods can also be valuable in challenging wells where intervention programs require sustained downhole activity.
Toward More Efficient Reservoir Access
The launch of ExaCT comes as operators increasingly seek technologies that can improve intervention efficiency while reducing operational complexity. Mature fields, increasingly complex well designs and the need to maximize production from existing assets are driving demand for more precise intervention solutions.
Electrical control can offer several advantages in this environment. Instead of depending primarily on hydraulic pressure to trigger downhole actions, an electrically connected toolstring can receive commands, transmit information and provide feedback during the operation.
This creates a more interactive intervention process. Operators can monitor downhole conditions, make adjustments and verify tool actions in real time. Such capabilities can improve confidence in intervention execution and reduce uncertainty when working in complex well geometries.
For multilateral wells, where multiple reservoir branches may need to be accessed from a single wellbore, the ability to control downhole tools precisely can be especially valuable. The reported six-lateral deployment demonstrates how the technology can help accelerate access to multiple reservoir sections.
Supporting the Future of Intervention
SLB’s ExaCT system is designed to combine electrical power, telemetry, measurements and tool control into a single intervention platform. The approach could enable operators to perform more services during a single run while improving visibility into downhole conditions.
The reported field results—including a 175-hour reduction in intervention time, rapid lateral entry, reduced fluid consumption and improvements in cleanout and scale-removal operations—demonstrate the potential for the technology to improve intervention economics and operational performance.
As operators continue looking for ways to increase production and recovery from existing reservoirs, technologies that provide better control over downhole operations are becoming increasingly important. ExaCT provides SLB with an electrically controlled platform intended to address that requirement while supporting multiple intervention applications.
With its combination of real-time communication, electrical actuation and downhole measurements, the system is positioned to help operators move toward more connected, precise and potentially automated intervention programs. The technology’s ability to reduce intervention time, limit fluid consumption and support multiple services in a single run could make it an important tool for improving reservoir access and maximizing production from increasingly complex wells.
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