The Benefits of Real-Time DownHole Pressure and Tension Data With Wired Composite Tubing
Abstract: Continuous composite coiled tubing with embedded electric conductors can provide uninterrupted flow of data from downhole tools. This capability makes monitoring borehole stability throughout the entire drilling process possible, even when conventional mudpulse telemetry tools are not operating and cannot provide information in real-time.An operator faces many borehole stability problems: stuck pipe, pack-off events, lost circulation, kicks, leakoff tests, and formation integrity tests, all of which can result… Show more
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Drilling fluid sweeps are commonly run in the field to help clean the borehole of cuttings that have not been removed with normal fluid circulation. Typically, these sweeps are used in vertical and deviated drilling operations. In high angle or extended reach wells, their use can be helpful in removing cuttings that have accumulated in sections where hole cleaning is not optimized. Sweep types usually fall into the following categories:High-viscosityHigh-densityLow-viscosityCombinations of any 2 of the aboveTandem (one type followed by another) Their effectiveness in the field is often quite spotty, often due to the application of a certain sweep type in the wrong drilling situation. Heretofore, there has been lacking a rigorous method of evaluating the effectiveness of sweeps at the rig site. Usually sweeps have been evaluated in the field based on observed or perceived quantities of cuttings coming over the shakers, a methodology that can be very subjective. In this paper, a rigorous method of evaluating drilling fluids sweep efficiency is proposed. Here, information from pressure-while-drilling (PWD) tools and measured drilling fluid and sweep fluid properties is used to determine a mathematical prediction of "cuttings out". In short, the method relies on the difference between "mass in" and "mass out". Examples from field applications are given to illustrate the usefulness of this methodology. With a more rigorous evaluation of drilling fluid sweep efficiency in hand, users can objectively determine the type and frequency of application of drilling fluid sweeps and rig time spent circulating out ineffective sweeps can be minimized. Introduction Drilling fluid sweeps are usually applied in wells to augment hole cleaning, especially in high-angle or extended-reach wells where efficient hole cleaning is more difficult to maintain than in vertical or near-vertical wells. In the deviated wells, the drilled cuttings can accumulate on the lower side of the hole at angles greater than 35–40° from vertical. If left unattended, this accumulation can become severe enough to lead to hole pack-offs, stuck pipe, and other unwanted incidents of non-productive time. Drilling fluid sweeps are formulated to achieve certain properties that provide additional lift to cuttings in vertical and near-vertical wellbores. In high-angle wells, drilling fluid sweeps can be used to scour the top layers of drilled cuttings accumulation and to displace lighter-density areas of the annulus where drilled cuttings accumulation is thought to occur. There is not much information pertaining to use of drilling fluid sweeps that is available in the literature, a sign that this particular area of investigation has not received much attention among drilling fluids researchers. In a recent paper1, the authors described various types of sweeps and provided field evidence to support improved cleaning with changes in downhole measurements of annular pressure (PWD). In addition, the authors made extensive use of computer modeling to gauge drilling fluid sweep performance. A common problem associated with this approach involves the inherent assumptions implicit in the modeling process. It would be much better to use actual drilling and drilling fluid parameters to gauge hole cleaning improvement with use of drilling fluid sweeps. The use of drilling fluid sweeps having a density higher than the drilling fluid system itself to improve cuttings transport is the subject of a U.S. Patent2. In this patent, small volumes of drilling fluid commonly weighted up with specially-sized barite particles were used in deviated wellbores, and the changes in ECD and hole cleaning efficiency were described. Again, any advantages using these sweeps in removing cuttings from the wellbore were only qualitatively described and / or modeled.
Drilling fluid sweeps are commonly run in the field to help clean the borehole of cuttings that have not been removed with normal fluid circulation. Typically, these sweeps are used in vertical and deviated drilling operations. In high angle or extended reach wells, their use can be helpful in removing cuttings that have accumulated in sections where hole cleaning is not optimized. Sweep types usually fall into the following categories:High-viscosityHigh-densityLow-viscosityCombinations of any 2 of the aboveTandem (one type followed by another) Their effectiveness in the field is often quite spotty, often due to the application of a certain sweep type in the wrong drilling situation. Heretofore, there has been lacking a rigorous method of evaluating the effectiveness of sweeps at the rig site. Usually sweeps have been evaluated in the field based on observed or perceived quantities of cuttings coming over the shakers, a methodology that can be very subjective. In this paper, a rigorous method of evaluating drilling fluids sweep efficiency is proposed. Here, information from pressure-while-drilling (PWD) tools and measured drilling fluid and sweep fluid properties is used to determine a mathematical prediction of "cuttings out". In short, the method relies on the difference between "mass in" and "mass out". Examples from field applications are given to illustrate the usefulness of this methodology. With a more rigorous evaluation of drilling fluid sweep efficiency in hand, users can objectively determine the type and frequency of application of drilling fluid sweeps and rig time spent circulating out ineffective sweeps can be minimized. Introduction Drilling fluid sweeps are usually applied in wells to augment hole cleaning, especially in high-angle or extended-reach wells where efficient hole cleaning is more difficult to maintain than in vertical or near-vertical wells. In the deviated wells, the drilled cuttings can accumulate on the lower side of the hole at angles greater than 35–40° from vertical. If left unattended, this accumulation can become severe enough to lead to hole pack-offs, stuck pipe, and other unwanted incidents of non-productive time. Drilling fluid sweeps are formulated to achieve certain properties that provide additional lift to cuttings in vertical and near-vertical wellbores. In high-angle wells, drilling fluid sweeps can be used to scour the top layers of drilled cuttings accumulation and to displace lighter-density areas of the annulus where drilled cuttings accumulation is thought to occur. There is not much information pertaining to use of drilling fluid sweeps that is available in the literature, a sign that this particular area of investigation has not received much attention among drilling fluids researchers. In a recent paper1, the authors described various types of sweeps and provided field evidence to support improved cleaning with changes in downhole measurements of annular pressure (PWD). In addition, the authors made extensive use of computer modeling to gauge drilling fluid sweep performance. A common problem associated with this approach involves the inherent assumptions implicit in the modeling process. It would be much better to use actual drilling and drilling fluid parameters to gauge hole cleaning improvement with use of drilling fluid sweeps. The use of drilling fluid sweeps having a density higher than the drilling fluid system itself to improve cuttings transport is the subject of a U.S. Patent2. In this patent, small volumes of drilling fluid commonly weighted up with specially-sized barite particles were used in deviated wellbores, and the changes in ECD and hole cleaning efficiency were described. Again, any advantages using these sweeps in removing cuttings from the wellbore were only qualitatively described and / or modeled.
In the past, serial drilling operations have been employed for the conventional well-architecture construction process. In this paper, new technological advancements from initial design planning to execution processes will be discussed. These advancements produce a "step-change" well architecture with a uniform well diameter and fullbore production delivery conduit called a monowell. From the well-construction processes to the "end" product, efficiency is driven in the technologies and processes described. Technical improvements in mechanical and chemical solutions can help achieve a well architecture with a uniform diameter in reduced serial operations. Technological advancements in the areas of composite technology and real-time downhole monitoring can enhance deployment efficiency compared to conventional methods. The efficiency processes yield a well architecture with more efficient reservoir penetration and oil-production delivery by:Reducing formation/reservoir evaluation time and well placement through better methodsIncreasing penetration rateReducing the volume of drill cuttings and the oil content contained on the cuttingsReducing fluid requirements (i.e. drilling fluids and cements)Reducing casing size and the number of casing strings requiredReducing overall rig timeReducing overall flat timeImproving well productivityReducing required horsepower and rig size The unique design and planning features of the monowell are discussed, including reservoir focus, geomechanics, and design requirements of drilling systems, formation evaluation equipment, fluid systems, and wellbore hardware. Multiple "uniform diameter" well-construction execution methods, including multiple deployment methods, are discussed. Together, the well-architecture change and execution-process changes result in a monowell with improved well construction design, execution, and production efficiencies. The monowell provides a significant industry step change in reducing cost per barrel of oil equivalent through improved efficiencies through a multitude of technologies. Factors to Consider during the Monowell Well-Construction Process A higher level of engineering and technological precision is needed to deliver the monowell compared to traditional well-construction processes. When a monowell is drilled, increased precision is required in the following areas: Upper BoreholeClear understanding of the formations to be drilled and being drilledBorehole stabilityDrilling hydraulicsEffective management of equivalent circulating density (ECD)Borehole qualityMethod of strengthening the borehole (borehole management)Well-life integrityReliability and run life of the bottomhole assembly (BHA) componentsLonger cementing and casing execution intervalsBorehole structural support Reservoir SectionCompletion, beginning with drilling of the reservoir barrierBorehole qualityBorehole stability across the reservoirReservoir evaluationReservoir productivityFormation damage minimization
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