Redefining Technical Limit – Managed Pressure Directional Drilling Solution in Mexico Homol Field

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Lopez Mata ◽  
S.. Perez ◽  
H. H. Vizcarra ◽  
Alex Ngan ◽  
E. A. Garcia Gil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Communication Protocol ◽  
Wellbore Stability ◽  
Plastic Behavior ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
Wellbore Instability ◽  
Well Control ◽  
Drilling Performance ◽  
Innovative Solution ◽  
Drilling Technology ◽  
History Of

Abstract This paper will discuss the Managed Pressure Directional Drilling fit-for-purpose solution deployed to meet drilling challenges in Mexico's offshore Homol field. This innovative solution integrates a new state-of-the-art Rotary Steerable System (RSS) with Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) technology. Drilling hazards such as the ballooning effect due to drilling plastic formations, losses, wellbore instability, and stuck pipe were effectively mitigated, and improved drilling performance with reduced NPT was delivered compared to other directional drilling systems. The solution requires the integration of two highly technical disciplines, MPD and Directional Drilling. Hence, a Joint Operating & Reporting Procedure (JORP) and a defined communication protocol proved crucial for effective execution. The solution is based on a rigorous Drilling Engineering process, including detailed offset well analysis to deliver a comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation plan jointly with the Operator to tackle drilling hazards such as ballooning without compromising the directional drilling requirements. In addition, flow processes and procedures were developed for contingency events, including but not limited to losses, stuck pipe, wellbore instability, and well control. After successfully deploying the new RSS tool in Mexico offshore, the Operator came across a challenging directional well with a history of ballooning effect, losses, stuck pipe, and wellbore instability. Combining the RSS tool with MPD Constant Bottom Hole Pressure (CBHP) technique to mitigating the ballooning effect while maintaining constant surface back pressure (SBP), the well was drilled while minimizing the downhole pressure fluctuation to mitigate against wellbore instability until reaching the lower paleocene formation, taking care to maintain an equivalent circulating density (ECD) of 2.04g/cc while drilling, and 1.99g/cc during connections, in order to reduce the ballooning effect observed in offset wells. As a result of careful planning, the RSS and downhole-surface communication continued to work well, while the MPD CBHP variant successfully mitigated against ballooning and well control hazards. The paper will also discuss the effective communication protocol between directional drilling, MPD services, and rig contractors to ensure safe operational alignment. Rotary steerable systems (RSS) for directional drilling must drill in increasingly hostile environments and with different challenges inherent to formations; examples of this are formations with plastic behavior that cause ballooning effect. This phenomenon can confuse drilling crew cause its behavior is very similar to kicks from wells. Homol is an oilfield with marked ballooning characteristics, causing significant Non-Productive Time (NPT). Drilling challenges in the Homol field require the utilization of both Directional Drilling technology and MPD techniques to improve drilling performance and reduce NPT at the same time. However, the technologies need to be optimized for one another. Also, directional services had to ensure reliability and accurately position wells, while the MPD technology to discern ballooning from actual influx and managing wellbore stability. This article describes the teamwork carried out by the directional team and MPD to avoid/minimize the ballooning effect while drilling directional jobs, improving operational time. The paper also includes a planning and operational blueprint to reduce NPT related to, while increasing drilling performance in terms of rate of penetration (ROP) and wellbore quality to allow the liner to be run to section TD in the Lower Paleocene formation.

7-inch Casing While Drilling CWD With Retrievable Bottom Hole Assembly BHA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Askhat Radikovich Usmanov ◽  
Anton Mikhailovich Shishkin ◽  
Alexander Sergeevich Merzlyakov ◽  
Jalal Lalash Ogli Karimov ◽  
Anton Valeryevich Fedotov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Surface ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
Wellbore Instability ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Bottom Hole ◽  
Drilling Technology ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Well Trajectory ◽  
Bottom Hole Assembly ◽  
Casing Drilling

Abstract Casing drilling technology, as an alternative to conventional drilling, has been known for a long time. This method is mainly used for wells with geological complications, such as lost circulation or wellbore instability of various nature. By using drilling on a string for a section or part of it, the problem interval is immediately cased, eliminating the time spent on additional operations, such as pulling the bottom hole assembly (BHA), wiper trips and running the casing. Thus, this allows to reduce the time for well construction, reduces the risk of accidents and non-productive time associated with the complication zone. Casing drilling has become widely for drilling vertical surface conductors and technical casing with a drillable shoe, as well as for drilling with retrievable BHA in inclined sections for 324- and 245-mm casing. The aim of this work was to perform directional drilling on a 178mm production casing in an interval where the client had geological problems associated with running casing due to a zone of rock collapse. The uniqueness of the task lies in the fact that no one in the world has yet performed drilling on a casing with a building inclination and landing into a horizontal plane. It was necessary to follow the designed well trajectory, to build inclination from 67 to 85 degrees with the planned dogleg severity of 1 degree / 10m.

scholarly journals Wellbore instability management using geomechanical modeling and wellbore stability analysis for Zubair shale formation in Southern Iraq

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 4047-4062
Author(s):  
Raed H. Allawi ◽  
Mohammed S. Al-Jawad
Keyword(s):  
Shear Failure ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Failure Criteria ◽  
Wellbore Stability ◽  
Integrity Test ◽  
Direction Parallel ◽  
Wellbore Instability ◽  
Drilling Performance ◽  
Weight Window ◽  
Shale Formation

AbstractWellbore instability problems cause nonproductive time, especially during drilling operations in the shale formations. These problems include stuck pipe, caving, lost circulation, and the tight hole, requiring more time to treat and therefore additional costs. The extensive hole collapse problem is considered one of the main challenges experienced when drilling in the Zubair shale formation. In turn, it is caused by nonproductive time and increasing well drilling expenditure. In this study, geomechanical modeling was used to determine a suitable mud weight window to overpass these problems and improve drilling performance for well development. Three failure criteria, including Mohr–Coulomb, modified Lade, and Mogi–Coulomb, were used to predict a safe mud weight window. The geomechanical model was constructed using offset well log data, including formation micro-imager (FMI) logs, acoustic compressional wave, shear wave, gamma ray, bulk density, sonic porosity, and drilling events. The model was calibrated using image data interpretation, modular formation dynamics tester (MDT), leak-off test (LOT), and formation integrity test (FIT). Furthermore, a comparison between the predicted wellbore instability and the actual wellbore failure was performed to examine the model's accuracy. The results showed that the Mogi–Coulomb failure and modified Lade criterion were the most suitable for the Zubair formation. These criteria were given a good match with field observations. In contrast, the Mohr–Coulomb criterion was improper because it does not match shear failure from the caliper log. In addition, the obtained results showed that the inappropriate mud weight (10.6 ppg) was the main cause behind wellbore instability problems in this formation. The optimum mud weight window should apply in Zubair shale formation ranges from 11.5 to 14 ppg. Moreover, the inclination angle should be less than 25 degrees, and azimuth ranges from 115 to 120 degrees northwest-southeast (NE–SW) can be presented a less risk. The well azimuth of NE–SW direction, parallel to minimum horizontal stress (Shmin), will provide the best stability for drilling the Zubair shale formation. This study's findings can help understand the root causes of wellbore instability in the Zubair shale formation. Thus, the results of this research can be applied as expenditure effectiveness tools when designing for future neighboring directional wells to get high drilling performance by reducing the nonproductive time and well expenses.

scholarly journals Analytical Study of Early Kick Detection and Well Control Considerations for Casing while Drilling Technology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Azab
Keyword(s):  
Drill Pipe ◽  
Drill String ◽  
Wellbore Stability ◽  
Well Control ◽  
Lost Circulation ◽  
Drilling Technique ◽  
Drilling Technology ◽  
Drilling Operations ◽  
Fracture Gradient ◽  
Conventional Drilling

Abstract Recently, casing while drilling (CwD) technology has been employed to reduce drilling time and expenses. These intelligent drilling technique improved wellbore stability, fracture gradient, and formation damage while reducing exposure time but when a well control issue arises, the differences in wellbore geometries and related volumes compared to regular conventional drilling procedures necessitate a distinct strategy. In this paper, the essential well control parameters were provided for casing while drilling operations, presents simplified method that has been developed to evaluate the maximum kick tolerance (KT) for both conventional and casing while drilling techniques using a mathematical derivation, the narrow annular clearance, in contrast to drilling with a conventional drill string would impair kick detection and handling operations. Furthermore, the large disparity in kick tolerances should be carefully evaluated in order to avoid lost circulation/kick cycles as well as examine and evaluate technical approaches to early kick detection (EKD) studying how they relate to safety, efficiency, and reliability in a variety of common casing while drilling operations. According to preliminary findings, by utilizing casing while drilling technology and compared to identical well was drilled conventionally using drill pipe, the annulus pressure loss (APL) is average 3 times of the conventional drilling technique. Furthermore, kick tolerance is reduced by 50% and maximum allowable well shut-in time reduced by 65% necessitating early kick detection.

Scientific and technological aspects and prospects for application of cryogenic drilling technology

2020 ◽  
pp. 54-62
Author(s):  
A. B. Tulubaev ◽  
E. V. Panikarovskii
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Western Siberia ◽  
Wellbore Stability ◽  
Drilling Mud ◽  
Chemical Reagent ◽  
Production Chain ◽  
Foreign Experience ◽  
Permafrost Rocks ◽  
The North ◽  
Drilling Technology

In the article, we analyze types of drilling mud, which are used to drilling intervals of permafrost rocks; the importance of wellbore stability is noted. Wedescribethemain technologies, which have been being applied in the north of Western Siberia; these technologies are aimed at minimizing the loss wellbore stability due to violation of the temperature conditions in the well. We also analyze hydrocarbon systems, taking into account foreign experience, which is based on prospecting and exploratory drilling of ice deposits in Greenland and Antarctica. The article draws your attention to using synthetic fluids, monoesters and chladones. The difficulties of the existing technology and the disadvantages of the hydrocarbon systems are highlighted. We propose to apply a new cryogenic drilling technology, which consists in the use of synthetic fluorine-containing agents as flushing fluid at low temperatures. The text gives valuable information on composition of the proposed flushing fluid and the prospects of using the technology to prevent complications. Much attention is given to issue of manufacturing the main chemical reagent with the reduction of the generalized production chain of its production from the starting material, it is fluorspar.

Study on the Drilling Formation Selection and Risk Analysis of the Directional Drilling

2012 ◽  
Vol 461 ◽  
pp. 652-655
Author(s):  
Ying Wu ◽  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Xiao Li
Keyword(s):  
Site Investigation ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
Selection Methods ◽  
Related Literature ◽  
Literature Research ◽  
Geological Conditions ◽  
Drilling Technology ◽  
Pipeline Crossing

Directional drilling technology is an important and very promising trenchless pipeline crossing technology. On the basis of the related literature research at home and abroad and our pipeline construction site investigation, focuses on several common soil properties are introduced, and then the formation adaptability of directional drilling is analyzed. The drilling selection methods are made when drilling in the specific geological conditions, and the possible risks of the construction process have been classified in the directional drilling.

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

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.

Drilling Automation – Benefits of the New Drilling Model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Heredia ◽  
Jan Egil Tengesdal ◽  
Rune Hobberstad ◽  
Julien Marck ◽  
Harald Kleivenes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conventional Method ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Work Force ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
Well Performance ◽  
Human Errors ◽  
Drilling Performance ◽  
Friction Factors ◽  
Remote Operations

Abstract A pilot program for automated directional drilling was implemented as a part of the roll out plan in Norway to drill three dimensional wells in an automated mode, where steering commands were carried out automatically by the automation platform. The rollout plan also targeted the use of remote operations to allow personnel to be relocated from the rig location into remote drilling centers. The goal of the program was to optimize the directional drilling performance by assessing the benefits of automation using the latest rotary steerable system technologies and machine learning smart algorithms to predict and manipulated the BHA performance, as well as the ability to predict the best drilling parameters for hole cleaning. The automation was implemented on three different rigs and the data was compared with the drilling performance from the last two years, with three dimensional wells drilled in the conventional method. The main benefits between drilling wells in the conventional method versus drilling wells with the new drilling automation model include the following. Reduce the overall cost per meter –  Improve the rate of penetration –  Improve running casings Consistence process adherence –  Reduce human errors –  Reduce POB without sacrificing lost of technical experience Optimize workforce resources –  Allows continuity of service (COVID-19 restrictions) Drilling automation can drill smoother wells by reducing the friction factors and tortuosity. This is translated in direct cost savings per meter and reduction in the overall well delivery time, with the advantage of performing the execution and monitoring of the well performance remotely. This new drilling model open the door of new opportunities, especially for the challenges where the work force resources, and drilling performance is a priority for the operations.

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

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.

Intelligent Rotary Steerable System, Coupled with an Instrumented Bit, Delivers Section Plan in Deepwater GOM Project

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Snyder ◽  
Graeme Salmon
Keyword(s):  
Intelligent Systems ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Polycrystalline Diamond ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Structure Design ◽  
Directional Drilling ◽  
Steering Control ◽  
Efficient System ◽  
Drilling Performance ◽  
Downhole Tool

Abstract The challenging offshore drilling environment has increased the need for cost-effective operations to deliver accurate well placement, high borehole quality, and shoe-to-shoe drilling performance. As well construction complexity continues to develop, the need for an improved systems approach to delivering integrated performance is critical. Complex bottom hole assemblies (BHA) used in deepwater operations will include additional sensors and capabilities than in the past. These BHAs consist of multiple cutting structures (bit/reamer), gamma, resistivity, density, porosity, sonic, formation pressure testing/sampling capabilities, as well as drilling dynamics systems and onboard diagnostic sensors. Rock cutting structure design primarily relied on data capture at the surface. An instrumented sensor package within the drill bit provides dynamic measurements allowing for better understanding of BHA performance, creating a more efficient system for all drilling conditions. The addition of intelligent systems that monitor and control these complex BHAs, makes it possible to implement autonomous steering of directional drilling assemblies in the offshore environment. In the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM), this case study documents the introduction of a new automated drilling service and Intelligent Rotary Steerable System (iRSS) with an instrumented bit. Utilizing these complex BHAs, the system can provide real-time (RT) steering decisions automatically given the downhole tool configuration, planned well path, and RT sensor information received. The 6-3/4-inch nominal diameter system, coupled with the instrumented bit, successfully completed the first 5,400-foot (1,650m) section while enlarging the 8-1/2-inch (216mm) borehole to 9-7/8 inches (250mm). The system delivered a high-quality wellbore with low tortuosity and minimal vibration, while keeping to the planned well path. The system achieved all performance objectives and captured dynamic drilling responses for use in an additional applications. This fast sampling iRSS maintains continuous and faster steering control at high rates of penetration (ROP) providing accurate well path directional control. The system-matched polycrystalline diamond (PDC) bit is engineered to deliver greater side cutting efficiency with enhanced cutting structure improving the iRSS performance. Included within the bit is an instrumentation package that tracks drilling dynamics at the bit. The bit dynamics data is then used to improve bit designs and optimize drilling parameters.

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