High-Performance-Low-Invasion Fluids Technology Enhances, Optimizes Drilling Efficiency in the Gulf of Suez - Egypt

High Performance Low-Invasion Fluids Technology Enhances, Optimizes Drilling Efficiency in the Gulf of Suez – Egypt Objectives / Scope: The main objective of this paper is to characterize the drilled shale formation in order to select and propose a "tailored" High Performance Low Invasion Fluids (HPLIF) system aided by Bridging Particles Optimization Tool (BPOT)(5),(6)(9)(11), capable of maximize hole stability in pressure depleted sands, allowing optimized well design through reactive and dispersible shale formations(7)(8) that eliminated one casing section, and to replace Oil Base Mud (OBM) and avoid its HSE issues related to use it, consequently, reduce formation damage, eliminate waste management cost, minimizing Non Productive Time (NPT) and finally enhances Drilling performance. Methods, Procedures, Process: This paper explain the reactivity information about Shale Samples recovered from different wells drilled in the-GOS-Egypt followed by extensive laboratory testing done(1) in order to characterize the main clay minerals presented in the samples using X-Ray Diffraction-(XRD) technology and their meso-and micro-structure by Scanning-Electron-Microscope-(SEM) and their reactivity to compare the inhibition efficiency of the proposed-(HPLIF)-System with Blank and Conventional Water-Base-Fluid-System. The reactivity of the cuttings was assessed by Dispersion, Swelling and Hardness tests. Field application experienced (HPLIF) System combined with Well-Bore Strengthening Materials (WSM) gives the required protection against induced losses and reducing the risk of differential sticking problems when mud overbalance is above 2500 psi(5), (6)(9)(11). Results, Observations, Conclusions: Compared with the use of conventional fluid systems, Field data demonstrated the successful application of (HPLIF) System combined with (WSM) and shows a great success during drilling through reactive clays, dispersive shale, naturally micro fractured(8), and depleted sand formations in many wells drilled in the GOS(2), (3), (4). Drilling operations reported no differential sticking, or wellbore instability issues even at highly mud overbalance or at highly deviated wells. The first challenged well R1-63 was drilled about 2391 ft, through 8.5" hole using 9.8-10.01 ppg using (HPLIF) system, penetrating through Thebes, Esna Shale, Sudr, Brown Lime Stone, Matulla, Nubia"A" Sand and Nubia "B" without any down-hole losses. Additionally, there was no sticking tendency experienced during drilling or while recording pressure points. The Non Productive Time NPT showed a reduction by about 19.2%. Finally, it ran and was cemented the "7" Liner in open hole successfully without problem. For the second challenged case well # 2, the Open hole was exposed to (HPLIF) water based mud system for a long period of time while rig repairing, rig switching, and during drilling operation. The well had 6" hole from 12,752 To/14,945 (2193.0ft) through Red bed, Thebes Esna, Sudr, Matulla and Nubia Sand formations with max inclination 68.6° and bottom hole temperature 325°F using 10.0-10.5 ppg (HPLIF) system, the 4.5"liner successfully was ran, cemented without any problems. The-HPLIF-System has also been shown to give excellent wellbore stability in brittle shales Fm where bedding planes or micro-fractures can become pressurized with mud, leading to wellbore instability. This innovation avoids induced lost circulation and differential sticking when the mud overbalance is expected to be greater than ±2500 psi. Additionally, the proposed solution enhances the drilling operation, reduces the waste management costs, eliminates a possible additional casing string, and finally minimizes the (NPT) which reflects on the overall cost of drilling these challenged wells.

Download Full-text

Risk Due to Wellbore Instability

Risk Analysis for Prevention of Hazardous Situations in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering - Advances in Environmental Engineering and Green Technologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-4777-0.ch002 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 23-46

Author(s):

Nediljka Gaurina-Medjimurec ◽

Borivoje Pasic

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

Early Recognition ◽

Petroleum Industry ◽

Wellbore Stability ◽

Effective Solution ◽

Wellbore Instability ◽

Drilling Operation ◽

General Overview ◽

Well Design ◽

Exploration And Production

Exploration and production as one of the most important parts of the petroleum industry encounters different problems, usually resulting in nonproductive time and additional expenses. The most common and most expensive of them are related to wellbore instability and associated problems. Wellbore instability problems are usually related to drilling operation, but they can also appear during completion, workover, or the production stage of a certain well. The traditional solution for wellbore instability problems is composed from the early recognition of specific wellbore instability problems, the main cause identification and swift response. For more effective solution it is necessary to incorporate wellbore stability and risk assessment in the early phase of well design. This chapter gives one general overview of wellbore instability problems and their causes as well as an overview of actual approaches and methods in wellbore stability and risk assessment.

Download Full-text

Coupled Thermal-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical Modeling for Time-Dependent Anisotropic Wellbore Stability Analysis

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-9138 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jingyou Xue ◽

Kenji Furui

Keyword(s):

Stability Analysis ◽

Chemical Potential ◽

Bedding Plane ◽

Wellbore Stability ◽

Time Dependent ◽

Drilling Fluids ◽

Shale Formations ◽

Wellbore Instability ◽

Bedding Planes ◽

Stress Changes

Wellbore instability is one of the most serious drilling problems increasing well cost in well construction processes. It is widely known that many wellbore instability problems are reported in shale formations where water sensitive clay mineral exist. The problems become further complicated when the shale exhibits variation in strength properties along and across bedding planes. In this study, a coupled thermal-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) model was developed for time-dependent anisotropic wellbore stability analysis considering chemical interactions between swelling shale and drilling fluids, thermal effects, and poro-elastoplastic stress-strain behaviors.The THMC simulator developed in this work assumes that the shale formation behaves as an ion exchange membrane where swelling depends on chemical potential of drilling fluids invading from the wellbore to the pore spaces. The time-dependent chemical potential changes of water within the shale are evaluated using an analytical diffusion equation resulting in the evolution of swelling strain around the wellbore. On the other hand, the thermal and pressure diffusion equations are evaluated numerically by finite differences. The stress changes associated with thermal, hydro, and chemical effects are coupled to the 3D poroelastoplastic finite element model. The effects of bedding planes are also taken into account in the FEM model through the crack tensor method in which the normal and tangential stiffnesses of the bedding planes have stress dependency. The failure of the formation rock is judged based on the critical plastic strain limit.The numerical analysis results indicate that the rock strength anisotropy induced by the existence of bedding planes is the most important factor influencing the stability of the wellbore among various THMC process parameters investigated in this work. The numerical results also reveal that an established theory to orient the wellbore in the direction of the minimum principal stress is not always a favorable option when the effect of the anisotropy of in-situ stresses and the distribution angle of bedding planes cancel out each other. Depending on both the distribution angle of bedding plane and ratio of the vertical to the horizontal stress, the trend of minimum mud pressure showed a great variation as predicted by the yield and failure criterion implemented in the model. Furthermore, the analysis results reveal that the distribution and evolution of plastic strains caused by the THMC processes have the time dependency, which can be controlled by the temperature and salinity of the drilling fluids.The numerical wellbore stability analysis model considering shale swelling and bedding plane effects provides an effective tool for designing optimum well trajectories and determining safe mud weight windows for drilling complex shale formations. The time-dependent margins of safe mud weight window of drilling can be fine-tuned when the interaction among various parameters is fully considered as the THMC processes.

Download Full-text

Risk Due to Wellbore Instability

Transportation Systems and Engineering ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-8473-7.ch003 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 57-78

Author(s):

Nediljka Gaurina-Medjimurec ◽

Borivoje Pasic

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

Early Recognition ◽

Petroleum Industry ◽

Wellbore Stability ◽

Effective Solution ◽

Wellbore Instability ◽

Drilling Operation ◽

General Overview ◽

Well Design ◽

Exploration And Production

Download Full-text

Functional Coatings for Damage Detection in Aerospace Structures

Technology & Innovation ◽

10.21300/21.4.2021.10 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 95-103

Author(s):

Agathe Demay ◽

Johnathan Hernandez ◽

Perla Latorre ◽

Remelisa Esteves ◽

Seetha Raghavan

Keyword(s):

Damage Detection ◽

High Performance ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Alumina Nanoparticles ◽

Functional Coatings ◽

Aerospace Structures ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Damage Sensing ◽

Composite Substrate ◽

Open Hole

The future of aerospace structures is highly dependent on the advancement of reliable and high-performance materials, such as composite materials and metals. Innovation in high resolution non-invasive evaluation of these materials is needed for their qualification and monitoring for structural integrity. Aluminum oxide (or α-alumina) nanoparticles present photoluminescent properties that allow stress and damage sensing via photoluminescence piezospectroscopy. This work describes how these nanoparticles are added into a polymer matrix to create functional coatings that monitor the damage of the underlying composite or metallic substrates. Different volume fractions of α-alumina nanoparticles in the piezospectroscopic coatings were studied for determining the sensitivity of the coatings and successful damage detection was demonstrated for an open-hole tension composite substrate as well as 2024 aluminum tensile substrates with a subsurface notch.

Download Full-text

Risk-Controlled Wellbore Stability Criterion Based on Machine Learning Assisted Finite Element Model

10.2118/204101-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hussain AlBahrani ◽

Nobuo Morita

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Experimental Data ◽

Finite Element ◽

Finite Element Model ◽

Stability Criterion ◽

Element Model ◽

Rock Failure ◽

Wellbore Stability ◽

Wellbore Instability ◽

Conventional Methods

Abstract In many drilling scenarios that include deep wells and highly stressed environments, the mud weight required to completely prevent wellbore instability can be impractically high. In such cases, what is known as risk-controlled wellbore stability criterion is introduced. This criterion allows for a certain level of wellbore instability to take place. This means that the mud weight calculated using this criterion will only constrain wellbore instability to a certain manageable level, hence the name risk-controlled. Conventionally, the allowable level of wellbore instability in this type of models has always been based on the magnitude of the breakout angle. However, wellbore enlargements, as seen in calipers and image logs, can be highly irregular in terms of its distribution around the wellbore. This irregularity means that risk-controlling the wellbore instability through the breakout angle might not be always sufficient. Instead, the total volume of cavings is introduced as the risk control parameter for wellbore instability. Unlike the breakout angle, the total volume of cavings can be coupled with a suitable hydraulics model to determine the threshold of manageable instability. The expected total volume of cavings is determined using a machine learning (ML) assisted 3D elasto-plastic finite element model (FEM). The FEM works to model the interval of interest, which eventually provides a description of the stress distribution around the wellbore. The ML algorithm works to learn the patterns and limits of rock failure in a supervised training manner based on the wellbore enlargement seen in calipers and image logs from nearby offset wells. Combing the FEM output with the ML algorithm leads to an accurate prediction of shear failure zones. The model is able to predict both the radial and circumferential distribution of enlargements at any mud weight and stress regime, which leads to a determination of the expected total volume of cavings. The model implementation is first validated through experimental data. The experimental data is based on true-triaxial tests of bored core samples. Next, a full dataset from offset wells is used to populate and train the model. The trained model is then used to produce estimations of risk-controlled stability mud weights for different drilling scenarios. The model results are compared against those produced by conventional methods. Finally, both the FEM-ML model and the conventional methods results are compared against the drilling experience of the offset wells. This methodology provides a more comprehensive and new solution to risk controlling wellbore instability. It relies on a novel process which learns rock failure from calipers and image logs.

Download Full-text

Interdisciplinary Approach for Wellbore Stability During Slimhole Drilling at Volga-Urals Basin Oilfield

10.2118/206562-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Vladimirovna Norkina ◽

Sergey Mihailovich Karpukhin ◽

Konstantin Urjevich Ruban ◽

Yuriy Anatoljevich Petrakov ◽

Alexey Evgenjevich Sobolev

Keyword(s):

Drilling Fluid ◽

Interdisciplinary Approach ◽

Wellbore Stability ◽

Vertical Wells ◽

Wellbore Instability ◽

Water Based ◽

Chemical Studies ◽

Fluid Rheology ◽

Selection Of

Abstract The design features and the need to use a water-based solution make the task of ensuring trouble-free drilling of vertical wells non-trivial. This work is an example of an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of the mechanisms of instability of the wellbore. Instability can be caused by a complex of reasons, in this case, standard geomechanical calculations are not enough to solve the problem. Engineering calculations and laboratory chemical studies are integrated into the process of geomechanical modeling. The recommendations developed in all three areas are interdependent and inseparable from each other. To achieve good results, it is necessary to comply with a set of measures at the same time. The key tasks of the project were: determination of drilling density, tripping the pipe conditions, parameters of the drilling fluid rheology, selection of a system for the best inhibition of clay swelling.

Download Full-text

Impact of High Resolution 3D Geomechanics on Well Optimization in the Southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt

10.2118/206271-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mohamed Elkhawaga ◽

Wael A. Elghaney ◽

Rajarajan Naidu ◽

Assef Hussen ◽

Ramy Rafaat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Pore Pressure ◽

Cost Optimization ◽

Oil Field ◽

Wellbore Stability ◽

Gulf Of Suez ◽

Geomechanical Model ◽

3D Geomechanical Model ◽

The Cost ◽

The Impact

Abstract Optimizing the number of casing strings has a direct impact on cost of drilling a well. The objective of the case study presented in this paper is the demonstration of reducing cost through integration of data. This paper shows the impact of high-resolution 3D geomechanical modeling on well cost optimization for the GS327 Oil field. The field is located in the Sothern Gulf of Suez basin and has been developed by 20 wells The conventional casing design in the field included three sections. In this mature field, especially with the challenge of reducing production cost, it is imperative to look for opportunites to optimize cost in drilling new wells to sustain ptoduction. 3D geomechanics is crucial for such cases in order to optimize the cost per barrel at the same time help to drill new wells safely. An old wellbore stability study did not support the decision-maker to merge any hole sections. However, there was not geomechanics-related problems recorded during the drilling the drilling of different mud weights. In this study, a 3D geomechanical model was developed and the new mud weight calculations positively affected the casing design for two new wells. The cost optimization will be useful for any future wells to be drilled in this area. This study documents how a 3D geomechanical model helped in the successful delivery of objectives (guided by an understanding of pore pressure and rock properties) through revision of mud weight window calculations that helped in optimizing the casing design and eliminate the need for an intermediate casing. This study reveals that the new calculated pore pressure in the GS327 field is predominantly hydrostatic with a minor decline in the reservoir pressure. In addition, rock strength of the shale is moderately high and nearly homogeneous, which helped in achieving a new casing design for the last two drilled wells in the field.

Download Full-text

Stranger Things 2: Unconventional Deployment Method of High Performance Lightweight Cement Enables Success in Complex Wells

10.2118/206191-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Joe Shine ◽

Urooj Qasmi ◽

Ilesanmi Gbemiga

Keyword(s):

Quality Assurance ◽

Potential Flow ◽

High Performance ◽

Wellbore Stability ◽

Technical Solution ◽

Viable Option ◽

Isolation Requirements

Abstract There are advantages to using high performance lightweight cement when encountering low bottomhole pressures. The most notable are maintaining wellbore stability during cement placement and the isolation of potential flow zones to achieve the wellbore construction objectives. Several complex wells sought these advantages for similar situations. A review of the deployment process for using high performance lightweight cement conventionally, including the quality assurance measures, initially deemed it as not a viable option. As the complex wells needed a technical solution, an unconventional deployment method for high performance lightweight cement enabled its use while simplifying and improving quality assurance; allowing achievement of the isolation requirements.

Download Full-text