TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 1.972.952.9435. AbstractMany wells drilled today have complex well paths or are drilled through depleted or problem formations. In these wells, the liner may have to be reamed or drilled in, either to pass through the previously drilled hole or to make a new hole in the problematic formation. In many cases, the liner cannot be run to bottom as planned because unexpected problems are encountered. This situation can cost millions of dollars due to the required remedial work and deferral of production. This paper will discuss a rotary liner drilling application utilizing an expandable liner hanger in the Gulf of Mexico. The primary objectives of the trial were to develop a better understanding of the status of current technologies and how these apply to the challenges of this type of application. ProposalSignificant volumes of oil and gas remain undeveloped within producing fields as secondary objectives that require cost effective re-development. In recent times, it has become economically and technically feasible to access and produce these reserves through sidetracks of the original wells. These sidetracks may be completed as producing wells or water/gas injectors.Conventional methods require drilling through the reservoir, often inducing losses in the depleted interval, pulling out of the hole at a controlled rate, and then run the liner while experiencing losses. Furthermore, conventional liner running methods do not have the capability to rotate the liner while running in the hole, increasing the risk of being differentially stuck across a depleted sand. The ability to drill the liner in a rotary mode across the depleted sand can minimize the risk of losses associated with conventional practices while eliminating the need for a mud motor, which in turn allows the liner to be drilled at low flow rates with low associated equivalent circulating densities (ECD) 1,2 . Furthermore, it minimizes the amount of time that the formation is exposed, further reducing the risks of borehole collapse or trouble while running the liner to bottom. The expandable liner hanger allows hanging the liner and setting the element in one step, eliminating a potential cement squeeze job or an additional trip for a liner top packer.

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