Drilling Becomes Standardized While Completions Get Customized

Oilfield services look to 2019 with some firm trends in place. Rig operators are consolidating and standardizing their fleets with premium machines now that day rates are covering the cost of capital. Sand loads, pressures and lateral lengths are all still increasing, but the pace of acceleration is slowing. There is a renewed focus on quality, not just quantity. Even as drilling is standardized, each well is being customized or tuned. Service firms are sanguine about Big Data presenting the next important opportunity for gains in efficiency and productivity.