Ream While Drilling Technology Solves Difficult South Texas Drilling Problem

Kelley, Scott; Swadi, Mohammad; Charles, Christopher J.

doi:10.2118/59240-ms

Cited by 12 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 12 publications

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“…[2][3][4][5][6] Historically, wells drilled with conventional bi-center technology have been identified to be at the lower end of the cost curve. This eliminates additional under-reamer runs with their potential tool failures (loss of under-reamer arms) and additional drilling time.…”

Section: Ream While Drilling Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Operational Efficiency on Eight-Well Sidetrack Program Saves $7.3 million vs Historical Offsets in MP 299/144 GOM

Chad¹,

Mason²,

John³

2001

Proceedings of SPE/IADC Drilling Conference

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThis paper will describe how the operator planned and drilled an eight-well sidetrack program, including one horizontal application, in Main Pass 299/144 field, Gulf of Mexico (GOM), in record time. This achievement was accomplished by improving operational efficiency (incident free) and reaching bottom hole objectives quickly, thus reducing openhole exposure and costly "flat" time. The authors will discuss changes in the BHA, including mud motors, AKO settings, steerable ream while drilling tools and roller cone bits in addition to synthetic mud systems, that allowed each sidetrack operation to successfully drill oversize (eccentric technology) hole and hit the directional targets in record time.The authors will discuss why different technologies were chosen and outline successful operations. A case study will be where a 7-5/8" steerable ream while drilling system with a 4-3/4" steel tooth pilot bit was able to build from 0° to 90° in one run, a record for the area.Finally, the authors will document, with historical offset data, how improving operational efficiency and new bit technology reduced costs by approximately US$7.3 million on the eightwell program. Analysis will include a mechanical risk index that takes into account a variety of well variables to objectively compare costs on wells drilled in GOM.

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Section: Ream While Drilling Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Operational Efficiency on Eight-Well Sidetrack Program Saves $7.3 million vs Historical Offsets in MP 299/144 GOM

Chad¹,

Mason²,

John³

2001

Proceedings of SPE/IADC Drilling Conference

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Achieving Shoe-to-Shoe Drilling Performance in Hole-Opening Application With Rotary-Steerable Systems

Heisig

Hood

Okewunmi

et al. 2007

SPE/IADC Drilling Conference

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Detailed analysis of downhole weight-on-bit, torque, bending moment and vibration signals measured between bit and hole opener have provided clear insight into the dynamic response of hole opening BHAs in interbedded formations. Based on transmitted real-time information from an advanced downhole multi-sensor data acquisition and processing system, application-specific drilling procedures and guidelines have been developed to avoid or to identify and overcome critical dynamic situations downhole. Applying the new procedures, several hole sections in the GOM were drilled for the first time in one run from casing shoe to casing shoe. Here previous attempts had resulted in failures of the drilling equipment or even in twist-offs. The paper starts with a list of observations made with the downhole multi-sensor tool placed between bit and hole opening device. Log examples with downhole and surface drilling data demonstrate the dynamic response of hole opening BHAs. For the first time, the paper presents downhole measurements showing the changes in weight on bit versus weight on reamer when drilling interbedded formations. Again, log examples are used to document the effect of the drilling procedures that were applied to successfully resolve critical downhole situations. The paper concludes with a summary of the lessons learned in planning and executing hole opening applications with shoe to shoe performance. Introduction Driven by a variety of technical and economic reasons, more and more drilling programs include hole enlargement operations while drilling. In deepwater applications, the ability to enlarge the hole below the last casing shoe allows for tighter tolerance intermediate casings to be run. Figure 1 shows a typically deepwater casing and drilling program, where the intermediate casing strings are instrumental to reach the reservoir with an economically viable production string size. In other applications, hole opening or underreaming techniques are applied to address ECD limitations or to deal with swelling shale or salt formations. Earlier, hole enlargement operations were carried out by first drilling a pilot hole through the interval of interest and then opening it up with a second pass. Today, several enlargement options while drilling are available to eliminate the second pass: Bicenter PDC bits, eccentric reaming-whiledrilling (RWD) or concentric reaming devices1–10. In particular references 3, 9 and 10 discuss at some length the benefits and limitations of the three options for various applications with respect to dynamic stability, reliability, steerability and hole quality. Over the past years, the concentric reaming devices have gained significant market share, in particular in rotary steerable (RSS) applications. Concentric reamers include expandable arms, ribs or blocks, which are mechanically or hydraulically activated, after passing e.g. the last casing shoe8,9. All examples except one presented in this paper feature concentric reaming devices. In general, drilling with a reaming device in the bottom hole assembly (BHA) with the associated lack of stabilization in the BHA in the enlarged borehole above the reamer significantly increases the risk of the drilling operation. In particular, dangerous backward whirl situations with high lateral vibrations can develop and result in failures of BHA components, and subsequently in costly trips or even more costly fishing operations. Several deepwater projects in the GOM suffered significant cost overruns as a result of vibration problems during hole enlargement operations while drilling. In some cases in the GOM and other areas, operators decided to go back to a second run for the hole enlargement operation.

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Supersize Hole Creates Drilling Opportunity

Mason

Wenande²,

Chen

2007

SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

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Traditional well designs for high angle and extended-reach wells often mandate long 12¼" hole sections through the overburden. Effective hole cleaning and wellbore instability management are key technical challenges commonly associated with delivery of this section. However, despite the use of rotary steerable systems, which help promote good hole cleaning and minimise open hole exposure times, problematical trips out of hole are commonplace. The symptoms of tight hole are often associated with significant cuttings bed accumulations, use of packed assemblies or creep arising from swelling formations. In an attempt to improve overall drilling performance, a supersize hole strategy has been implemented to intentionally drill an enlarged hole through the overburden. At face value, this tactic seems to have as many disadvantages as advantages. However, practical experience of simultaneously drilling and underreaming 12¼"×13½" hole sections over a number of wells has resulted in overall efficiency improvements. The primary benefits associated with drilling an enlarged hole are ease of tripping-out drilling assemblies and more straightforward casing runs. Other advantages relate to lower downhole pressures or equivalent circulation density (ECD), decreased swab and surge pressures, and less string contact area. Disadvantages relate to increased hole cleaning requirements, additional tool failures as a result of higher vibration and a decreased rate of penetration (ROP). The paper discuss es various aspects of drilling and underreaming and contrasts results between enlarged and conventional hole sizes. Results from drilling both 12¼" and 12¼"×13½" hole sections in the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) fields in the Caspian Sea are reported. ROP (Rate of Penetration) and a new metric TTSW (Time To Secure Wellbore) are used to provide meaningful comparisons. Introduction The Caspian Sea includes an area of world class hydrocarbon accumulations. Reserve estimates for the ACG development are in excess of 5.4 billion barrels. Anticipated production rates are expected to exceed one million barrels per day by 2010. Hundreds of wells will be drilled from various platforms and semi-submersibles to exploit reserves across the structure. Having a cost effective well design strategy for the various well types will enhance both drilling performance and ultimate recovery of reserves. A significant number of these wells will be highly deviated or extended-reach in nature. Experience to date has shown that drilling and casing running through the overburden at high angle is particularly challenging. This is primarily due to interdependent problems arising from wellbore instability, hole cleaning and casing running. The paper will first provide an overview of operations on the first extended-reach wells drilled from the Chirag Platform. The discussion will then be extended to show how improvements to the basic well and casing design have helped to overcome problems in these early wells. The paper will then focus on more recent developments where field trials have explored the impact of purposefully drilling an enlarged hole section through the overburden. A comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of drilling an underreamed hole section will be given. The main differences hinge on managing hole cleaning, downhole vibration and performance. Each of these topics is examined in more detail where results from various field operations are used to illustrate various points. Finally, the paper addresses the issue of selecting the right hole size for underreaming and discusses options for future well designs. Chirag Field History The Chirag platform is located 120 km East of Baku in a water depth of 120m. The 24 slot jacket was installed in 1993 and first oil achieved in 1997. The initial drilling programme comprised 15 wells which were in close proximity to the platform. Early drilling operations were considered relatively trouble free; however in higher step-out wells just beyond 4 km, higher levels of non-productive time (NPT) were experienced.

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Ream While Drilling Technology Solves Difficult South Texas Drilling Problem

Cited by 12 publications

References 12 publications

Operational Efficiency on Eight-Well Sidetrack Program Saves $7.3 million vs Historical Offsets in MP 299/144 GOM

Operational Efficiency on Eight-Well Sidetrack Program Saves $7.3 million vs Historical Offsets in MP 299/144 GOM

Achieving Shoe-to-Shoe Drilling Performance in Hole-Opening Application With Rotary-Steerable Systems

Supersize Hole Creates Drilling Opportunity

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