First Managed Pressure Cementing with 7" Liner Overcoming a Challenging ERD Well Offshore Madura

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galih Samudera ◽  
Hafidz Ali ◽  
Mohammad Zarir Bin Musa ◽  
Helmi Fauzi ◽  
Irwan Rubianto

Abstract ZX is a development well located in offshore Madura, Indonesia. ZX is classified as an Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) well with 2.40 ERD ratio. ZX well is in KX field which known to have several drilling hazards. The formation has multiple lost circulation zones below the 9 5/8" casing shoe that is prone to total and partial losses due to combination depleted formation in the upper side and the nature of karst or fractured carbonate formation in middle and lower part of the interval. In addition, the bottom part of the hole section has problematic wellbore instability. These hazards lead to the necessity to closely monitor and control the pressure profile throughout the operation to find balance between loss circulation and wellbore stability to ensure an efficient and safe operation. An automated MPD system is used to precisely control bottom hole pressure. MPD system was used to drill 8-1/2" section of ZX well smoothly to target depth and geological objective was achieved without NPT. MPC was performed successfully for 7" liner cementing. This was the first MPC operation in offshore Madura and the application mitigated the loss circulation and avoided the unnecessary remedial cementing job. The paper will share the success story of MPD application in drilling narrow window ERD well in offshore Madura, Indonesia. It aims to describe the application of MPD for this specific ERD case from planning phase to execution phase as well as the lesson learned.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexey Ruzhnikov

Abstract Fractured carbonate formations are prone to lost circulation, which affects the well construction process and has longtime effect on well integrity. Depending on the nature of losses (either induced or related to local dissolutions) the success rate is different when the induced losses can be cured with a high chance, and the one related to dissolutions may take a long time, and despite multiple attempts, the success rate is normally low. To have a better understanding of the complete losses across the fractured carbonates, a series of studies were initiated. First, to understand the strength of the loss zone, the fracture closing pressure was evaluated studying the fluid level in the annulus and back-calculating the effect of drilling fluid density. Second, the formation properties across the loss circulation zones were studied using microresistivity images, dip data, and imaging of fluid-saturated porous media. The results of the studies brought a lot of new information and explained some previous mysteries. The formation strength across the lost circulation zone was measured, and it was confirmed that it remains constant despite other changes of the well construction parameters. Additionally, it was confirmed that the carbonates are naturally highly fractured, having over 900 fractures along the wellbore. The loss circulation zone was characterized, and it was confirmed that the losses are not related to the fractures but rather to the karst, dissolution, and megafractures. The size and dip of the fractures were identified, and it was proven the possibility to treat them with conventional materials. However, the size of identified megafractures and karst zones exceeding the fractures by 10 times in true vertical depth, and in horizontal wells the difference is even higher due to measured depth. This new information helps to explain the previous unsuccessful attempts with the conventional lost circulation materials. The manuscript provides new information on the fractured carbonate formation characterization not available previously in the literature. It allows to align the subsurface and drilling visions regarding the nature of the losses and further develop the curing mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Nur Suriani Mamat

An important problem during drilling operation is wellbore instability; a complex problem caused by mechanical and chemical related factors. Even the best drilling practice could evade small instability problems that later may become irreparable. The risk of wellbore stability is mostly related to drilling, tripping and reaming activity with, including lost circulation, sloughing repair and loss of penetration. In this paper, the impact of historical and state of diagenesis and compaction on borehole instability has been studied, systematized, and used for general modelling. All the concepts are presented as symbolic concepts in a hierarchical order and linked in a chain of cause-effect relationships to wellbore failures. Through surveillance of drilling parameters, diagenesis and compaction were identified through formation hardness, well depth, shale type, and cuttings/cavings characteristic. From the analysis, kaolinite, which normally exists in intermediate diagenesis, is most likely to cause bit balling when hydrated. Smectite, which is water-sensitive clay, would cause chemical wellbore instability in water-based mud. Carbonates formation such as dolomite and limestone is more likely to result in lost circulation as compared to shale. Our work demonstrates how state of diagenesis and compaction could influence wellbore instability condition. This knowledge could be applied to understand the behavior of rock formation being drilled and would influence the prediction of probable failures as an end result. The method presented here integrates theoretical knowledge and real-time drilling data to envisage the most likely failure.


2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (2E) ◽  
pp. 38-58
Author(s):  
Abbas Dakhiel

Wellbore instability in the Zubair oil field is the main problem in drilling operations. This instability of the wellbore causes several problems including poor hole cleaning, tight hole, stuck pipe, lost circulation, bad cementing, and well kick or blowout that lead to an increase in the nonproductive time. This article aims to set up an appropriate drilling plan that mitigates these instability issues for further well drilling. Field data from six wells (logs, drilling and geological reports as well as offset well tests) were used to build a one-dimensional mechanical earth modeling for each well. The constructed model of selected wells was combined to construct the three-dimensional mechanical earth modeling, which can enable the distribution of all estimated geomechanical parameters along the field of interest. The results revealed that the strip slip and normal faults are the common fault regimes in Zubair oil field located in carbonate rocks and clastic rocks, respectively. The Mogi-Coulomb failure criterion is conservative in determining the minimum and maximum mud weight, and it agrees with the determination of real failure from the image/and caliper logs. The best direction to drill the deviated and horizontal wells was towards the minimum horizontal stress with 140o azimuth from the north. The recommended ranges of mud weight along the sections of 12.25" and 8.5" of the highly deviated and horizontal wells were (between 1.46 and 1.58 gm/cm3) without any expected wellbore instability problems. Based on the outcomes of 3D model, it is expected that the wellbore instability issues are most likely to occur in the domes of; Shauiba and Hamma and in formations; Tanuma, Khasib and Nahr-Umr. In contrast the less wellbore instability problems are expected to expose in Rafidya dome. The study presents an appropriate mud window that can be used to design to minimize the wellbore stability problems when new wells will be drilled in Zubair oil field.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianguo Zhang ◽  
Alan Rodgerson ◽  
Stephen Edwards

Abstract Wellbore instability and lost circulation are two major sources of non-productive time (NPT) in drilling operations worldwide. Non-aqueous fluid (NAF) is often chosen to mitigate this and minimize the chemical effect on wellbore instability in reactive shales. However, it may inadvertently increase the risk of losses. A simple method to optimize internal phase salinity (IPS) of NAF is presented to improve wellbore stability and mitigate the increased possibility of losses. Field cases are used to demonstrate the effects of salinity on wellbore instability and losses, and the application of the proposed method. IPS is optimized by managing bidirectional water movement between the NAF and shale formation via semi-permeable membrane. Typically, higher shale dehydration is designed for shallow reactive shale formation with high water content. Whereas, low or no dehydration is desired for deep naturally fractured or faulted formation by balancing osmotic pressure with hydrostatic pressure difference between mud pressure and pore pressure. The simple approach to managing this is as follows: The water activity profile for the shale formation (aw,shale) is developed based on geomechanical and geothermal information The water activity of drilling fluid (aw,mud) is defined through considering IPS and thermal effects The IPS of NAF is manipulated to manage whether shale dehydration is a requirement or should be avoided If the main challenge is wellbore instability in a chemically reactive shale, then the IPS should be higher than the equivalent salinity of shale formation (or aw,shale > aw, mud) If the main challenge is losses into non-reactive, competent but naturally fractured or faulted shale, then IPS should be at near balance with the formation equivalent salinity (or aw, shale ≈ aw, mud) It is important that salt (e.g. calcium chloride – CaCl2) addition during drilling operations is done judiciously. The real time monitoring of salinity variations, CaCl2 addition, water evaporation, electric stability (ES), cuttings/cavings etc. will help determine if extra salt is required. The myth of the negative effects of IPS on wellbore instability and lost circulation is dispelled by analyzing the field data. The traditional Chinese philosophy: "following Nature is the only criteria to judge if something is right" can be applied in this instance of IPS optimization. A simple and intuitive method to manage IPS is proposed to improve drilling performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2743-2761
Author(s):  
Caetano P. S. Andrade ◽  
J. Luis Saavedra ◽  
Andrzej Tunkiel ◽  
Dan Sui

AbstractDirectional drilling is a common and essential procedure of major extended reach drilling operations. With the development of directional drilling technologies, the percentage of recoverable oil production has increased. However, its challenges, like real-time bit steering, directional drilling tools selection and control, are main barriers leading to low drilling efficiency and high nonproductive time. The fact inspires this study. Our work aims to contribute to the better understanding of directional drilling, more specifically regarding rotary steerable system (RSS) technology. For instance, finding the solutions of the technological challenges involved in RSSs, such as bit steering control, bit position calculation and bit speed estimation, is the main considerations of our study. Classical definitions from fundamental physics including Newton’s third law, beam bending analysis, bit force analysis, rate of penetration (ROP) modeling are employed to estimate bit position and then conduct RSS control to steer the bit accordingly. The results are illustrated in case study with the consideration of the 2D and 3D wellbore scenarios.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussain AlBahrani ◽  
Nobuo Morita

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.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Vladimirovna Norkina ◽  
Sergey Mihailovich Karpukhin ◽  
Konstantin Urjevich Ruban ◽  
Yuriy Anatoljevich Petrakov ◽  
Alexey Evgenjevich Sobolev

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.


SPE Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (04) ◽  
pp. 1178-1188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Mehrabian ◽  
Younane Abousleiman

Summary Wellbore tensile failure is a known consequence of drilling with excessive mud weight, which can cause costly events of lost circulation. Despite the successful use of lost-circulation materials (LCMs) in treating lost-circulation events of the drilling operations, extensions of wellbore-stability models to the case of a fractured and LCM-treated wellbore have not been published. This paper presents an extension of the conventional wellbore-stability analysis to such circumstances. The proposed wellbore geomechanics solution revisits the criteria for breakdown of a fractured wellbore to identify an extended margin for the equivalent circulation density (ECD) of drilling. An analytical approach is taken to solve for the related multiscale and nonlinear problem of the three-way mechanical interaction between the wellbore, fracture wings, and LCM aggregate. The criteria for unstable propagation of existing near-wellbore fractures, together with those for initiating secondary fractures from the wellbore, are obtained. Results suggest that, in many circumstances, the occurrence of both incidents can be prevented, if the LCM blend is properly engineered to recover certain depositional and mechanical properties at downhole conditions. Under such optimal design conditions, the maximum ECD to which the breakdown limit of a permeable formation could be enhanced is predicted.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yossi Hadad ◽  
Baruch Keren ◽  
Zohar Laslo

This paper presents multi-criteria methods for ranking project activities according to several ranking indexes. The methods are based on the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP), on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and on the use of common ranking indexes. This paper reviews ranking indexes of project activities for project management tasks. The ranking of project activities in one project is applicable for focusing the attention of the project manager on important activities. The selection of the appropriate ranking indexes should be done in accordance with managerial purposes: 1) Paying attention to activities throughout the execution phase and in the resources allocation process, in order meet pre-determined qualities, and to deliver the project on time and within budget, i.e., to accomplish the project within the "iron triangle" 2) Setting priorities in order to share the managerial care and control among the activities. The paper proposes to use multi-criteria ranking methods in order to rank the activities in a case where several ranking indexes are selected.


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