Buoyancy Force on a Plain or Perforated Portion of a Pipe

Summary Torque and drag models have been used for several decades to calculate tension and torque profiles along drillstrings, casing strings, and liner strings. Buoyancy forces contribute to the loads acting on the pipe and affect its interaction with the borehole wall. Torque and drag calculations account for these localized effects, as well as the material internal forces, torques, and moments on each side of the contact. When the analysis is applied to a discrete length of pipe, the cross sections at each end do not contribute to the buoyancy forces because they are not in contact with the fluid, except where there is a change in diameter or at the end of the string of pipe. We argue that it is important to check that the models used for solid pipe torque and drag calculations remain valid for sand screens, in particular, the extent to which the buoyancy forces acting on a perforated tube might differ from those on a solid pipe. Because the buoyancy force is the result of the pressure gradient acting on the surface of the pipe, the presence of holes may also influence the buoyancy force. We propose that there are theoretical differences between local buoyancy forces acting on plain or perforated tubes. This paper describes how to calculate the local buoyancy force on a portion of a drillstem by the application of Gauss’ theorem and accounting for the necessary corrections arising from the cross sections not being exposed to the fluid. We built an experimental setup to verify that the tension inside a pipe subject to buoyancy behaves in accordance with the derived mathematical analysis. With complex well construction operations, for instance during extended-reach drilling or when drilling very shallow wells with high buildup rates, the slightest error in torques and drag calculations may end up jeopardizing the chances of success of the drilling operation. It is therefore important to check that the basis of design calculations remain valid in those contexts and that, for instance, sand screens or slotted liners may be run in hole safely after a successful drilling operation.