World Record Longest and Deepest 7" Turbine Reaming Liner: Application and Challenges

Abstract

One of world's longest cemented 7″ turbine reaming liners, 5.1 km long, was successfully deployed in the Manifa field located in Saudi Arabia. The 7″ liner was effectively aided in reaching the liner point (LP) below the 9⅝ casing using turbine reamer technology installed at the end of string and was then successfully cemented. The reaming operation was performed by activating the turbine reamer shoe by pumping drilling fluid when a borehole restriction was encountered while running in the hole (RIH). The turbine reamer is a high speed reaming tool and the main benefits of using this technology in such a long horizontal section is to ream and remove obstructions (debris, cuttings, ledges, excessive filter cake) and successfully deploy the liner to the target depth (TD). The process of utilizing the turbine reamer technology to deploy the 5.1 km liner to the TD was successfully executed in a horizontal producer well in the Manifa Increment Project, resulting in reduced risk of stuck casings and liners. This paper will present a case study of the turbine reaming operation, lessons learned and challenges encountered during the running and cementing the 16,758 ft (5.1 km) of a 7″ liner in the 8½″ hole section. It also provides focus on potential enhancements for future utilization of the technology.