PE-201

DRILLING
ENGINEERING
ASSIGNMENT
Roll No. 008
Roll No.034
Roll No.036
Roll No.041
Roll No. 043

PART I
STRATIGRAPHIC COLUMN

PART 2
ROCKS WHICH CAN CAUSE SLOW
PENETRATION RATE: 1) Chert/Silicified Shale :
It is very hard rock having the hardness factor of 7 on Mohs
scale which causes slow penetration rate.
2) Gabbro :
They are intrusive igneous rock due to which they possess
extreme hardness and its hardness factor on Mohs scale is
also 7 can cause slow penetration rate problems.

ROCKS WHICH CAN CAUSE PIPE STICKING

PROBLEMS: 1) Clay
2) Shale and Fractured Shale
3) Limestone/Dolomite
.

ROCKS WHICH CAN CAUSE LOSS OF MUD

CIRCULATION: 1) Sandstone:-due to its high permeability and high
porosity property
2) Fractured Shale:-formation mud can penetrate
through the fractures
3) Limestone/Dolomite:-they have naturally occurring
fractures and high permeability

PART 3
QUESTION NO.1
HPHT WELLS:
We can identify high temperature and high pressure wells
by its limitation like
The pressure > 10,000 psi
The temperature > 300F or 150C
And given temperature satisfying the above condition
(temperature=170C) which describe that this well is
HPHT well

Here the pore pressure= 1.84 Sg, h=4300m

P.P. (in ppg) = (1.84*0.433)/0.052
P.P. (in ppg) = 15.32 ppg (which exceeds the required
15.3ppg)
P.P. (in psi/ft) =15.32*0.052
P.P (in psi/ft) = 0.8 psi/ft
I)

The total pressure is:

P (in bars) = *g *h
P (in bars) = 1.8*0.0981*4300
P (in bars) =776.16 bars or 77.616 MPa (which exceeds
the required 68.95 MPa)
P(in psi) =ppg* TVDm * 0.052 *3.281
P (in psi) = 11239 psi (which exceeds 10000 psi)

SPECIAL CASES IN HPHT WELLS

The drilling of HPHT wells pose special challenges compared to

standard wells:
Increased solids sensitivity that is related to high
temperatures
Small margins between pore and fracture pressures will
prevail in sections of the well
High risk of CO2 contamination from the formation
being drilled and/or from the degradation of organic
mud additives
HPHT wells are equally hard on mechanical tools and
devices used in down hole production testing.
HPHT environment has always a challenge for thermal
neutron porosity log measurement.
It help in identification of shale beds and saline water
saturation zones.
In HPHT wells several changes are faced in well
control due to different reasons such as gas solubility
and flashing in oil based mud.
Drilling of inclined and horizontal wells will make the
consequences of barite sag serious.
The frequency of well control incidents is higher than one per
HPHT well, and an increasing number of these take place
during completion.

QUESTION NO.2
JACKUP RIGS
Such rigs are generally designed for water depths of up to
350 ft water depth.
Since the water depth here is 225 meters hence jack up rigs
are used

QUESTION NO.3
In conventional rotary drilling operations, the setting depths
are determined principally by the mud weight and the fracture
gradient, which is sometimes called a well plan. Equivalent mud
weight (EMW) is pressure divided by true vertical. EMW equals
actual mud weight when the fluid column is uniform and static.
Pore and fracture gradient lines must be drawn on a well-depth
vs. EMW chart. These are the solid lines
Safety margins are introduced, and broken lines are drawn,
which establish the design ranges. The offset from the predicted
pore pressure and fracture gradient nominally accounts for kick
tolerance and the increased equivalent circulating density (ECD)
during drilling.
Generally a safety margin above the pore pressure of 0.5ppg
or 0.06 sgr is taken so as to provide 200 to500psi of excess
Bottom Hole Pressure.
Generally a kick margin is provided below the fracture
pressure. Here, well assume it to be 0.5ppg or 0.06spg
As seen in the figure, we go up from point C, which is the
maximum mud weight required, up to point D at 2850m. Here
Casing must be set in order to ensure safe drilling at section CD
because you can reach TD (4300m TVD) with highest equivalent
mud weight and you will not break the formation at shallow depth
(2850 TVD)
This design will start from the surface of the well down to the
bottom and the setting depths are designed within the safety
factor limits (dotted lines). We start by drawing the vertical line

from the facture gradient dashed line (point A) down to pore

pressure dashed line (point B). So the first casing should be set
from surface to 1500m TVD.
Next, draw the horizontal line from Point B to Point C located
in the fracture dashed line curve. Then draw the vertical line from
Point C to intersect the formation pressure dashed line curve at
Point D. This is the section casing string which should be set from
3250 mTVD
Applying the same concept to the next string, draw the
horizontal line from Point D to intersect the fracture gradient with
safety factor chart at Point E and draw the vertical line from Point
E to the depth at Point F. The casing string should be set from
4250m TVD.
Applying the same concept to the next string, draw the
horizontal line from Point F to intersect the fracture gradient with
safety factor chart at Point G and draw the vertical line from Point
G to the target depth at Point H. The last casing string should be
set from 4700mTVD.
Thus, the shoe of the conductor casing is to be set at 55m,
as is generally required.
The shoe of the second casing, surface casing is to be at
1250m
The shoe of the third one, the intermediate casing, is to be
at2850 m. This will protect from the fractured shale at 2700m.
The shoe of the fourth one is to be at 4300 m
The shoe of the liner should be at 4700m

Hole section
36
26

Casing size

Setting depth from

RKB

Mud weight

30

55m

18 5/8

1500m

Run BOP (Blow out preventer on riser)

17

13 3/8

3250m

12

9 5/8

4250m

7 liner

4700m

QUESTION NO.4
The mud weight at different intervals will be
Hole section

Casing size

Setting depth from

RKB

Mud weight

36

30

55m

1.25

26

18 5/8

1500m

1.6

Run BOP (Blow out preventer on riser)

17

13 3/8

3250m

1.6

12

9 5/8

4250m

1.9

7 liner

4700m

2.19

QUESTION NO.5
The following problems can occur:

1.

Shallow Gas

2.

Shale Instability

Mechanical Instability.
This may cause: Brittle/Sloughing Shale.These
shales slough into the hole after breaking into pieces.

Chemical Instability.
This causes Swelling Shale. The indications of swelling are:

3.

torque increases during drilling

requirement for repeated reaming of sections
difficulty in sliding the BHA when orienting
excessive drag when POOH
drag in connections
Increase in MBT of water based muds.

LOST CIRCULATION

Formations susceptible to lost circulation have the following

characteristics:

Under pressured or depleted

Cavernous and open fissured

Very coarse, permeable, and shallow, such as loose gravel

Naturally or intrinsically fractured

Easily fractured
Due to the presence of fractured shale sandstone, the
problems of lost circulation can take place.

Prevention
maintaining proper mud weight,
minimizing annular-friction pressure losses during
drilling and tripping in,
adequate hole cleaning,
avoiding restrictions in the annular space,
setting casing to protect upper weaker formations
within a transition zone,

4.

Large Boulders Falling into the Hole

Indications of boulders are:

erratic torque
erratic drag on connections
Tendency to stick when pulling out of hole.

5.

Fractured and faulted formation:

Symptoms of fractured and faulted formation include:

Increased torque, drag and rate of penetration;
A small amount of lost circulation.
The problem can be prevented by:
Reducing drill string vibration;
Sufficient hole cleaning to reduce hole pack off

6.

Pipe Sticking:

Here pipe sticking can occur because of:

REACTIVE FORMATIONS
FRACTURED FORMATIONS

QUESTION NO. 6
1.

Pipe Sticking:

DIFFERENTIAL STICKING
It is a problem that occurs when drilling a well with a greater well
bore pressure than formation pressure, as is usually the case. The
drill pipe is pressed against the wellbore wall so that part of its
circumference will see only reservoir pressure, while the rest will
continue to be pushed by wellbore pressure. As a result, the pipe
becomes stuck to the wall, and can require millions of pounds of
force to remove, which may prove impossible.

FACTORS CAUSING THE DIFFERENTIAL

STICKING
Permeable formation as sand stone, lime, carbonate, etc.
Overbalance typically mud weight in the well is more than
formation pressure. More overbalance in the wellbore, more
chance of getting differential sticking.

Filter cake Poor and thick filter cake increases chances of

sticking the drill string.

Pipe movement if the drill string is station for a period of

time, the filter cake will tend to develop around permeable zones
and the drill string. Therefore, potential of getting differentially
stuck is increased.

METHODS OF PREVENTION
Differential-pressure pipe sticking can be prevented or its
occurrence mitigated if some or all of the following precautions
are taken:
Maintaining lowest continuous fluid loss;
Keeping circulating mud free of drilled solids;
Keeping a very low differential pressure with allowance for
swab and surge;
Using a mud system that yields smooth mud cake (low
friction co-efficient);
Maintaining drill string rotation at all times;
Using grooved or spiral drill collars;
Minimizing length of drill collars and Bottom Hole Assembly
(BHA).

MECHANICAL PIPE STICKING

The mechanical pipe sticking is due to inadequate removal of
drilled cuttings from the annulus; borehole instabilities, such as
hole caving, sloughing, or collapse; plastic shale or salt sections
squeezing (creeping); and key seating.

CAUSES OF STICKING
Mechanical causes for stuck pipe include:
Keyseating
Packoff from poor hole-cleaning
Shale swelling
Wellbore collapse
Plastic-flowing formation (i.e., salt)
Bridging

METHODS OF PREVENTION
Freeing mechanically stuck pipe can be undertaken in a number
of ways, depending on what caused the sticking.
if cuttings accumulation or hole sloughing is the suspected cause,
then rotating and reciprocating the drillstring and increasing flow
rate without exceeding the maximum allowed equivalent
circulating density (ECD) is a possible remedy for freeing the pipe.
If hole narrowing as a result of plastic shale is the cause, then an
increase in mud weight may free the pipe.
If hole narrowing as a result of salt is the cause, then circulating
fresh water can free the pipe.
If the pipe is stuck in a key-seat area, the most likely successful
solution is backing off below the key seat and going back into the
hole with an opener to drill out the key section.
This will lead to a fishing operation to retrieve the fish. The
decision on how long to continue attempting to free stuck pipe vs.
back off, plug back, and then sidetrack is an economic issue that
generally is addressed by the operating company.

QUESTION NO. 7
The choice of an appropriate bit will depend on formation
hardness & abrasiveness
Soft/Medium soft formation
Shale, clay, limestone, sands.
Medium hard/hard formation
Hard limestone, sandstone, dolomite

Hard and abrasive formations

Granites, basalts, quartzite and Chert

ROLLER CONE BIT

ADVANTAGES
2. Steel tooth
3. Top hole, Soft formations
4. Tungsten carbide inserts
5. Medium to very hard formations
6. Formations where PDC does not work
7. Drill out shoe (cement)
8. Rate of penetrationMedium, Slow
9. Steerability Good

DISADVANTAGES

Cones can be lost

The cutters will be worn down
Bearings is a weak point
Gauge wear

 Bit balling (bit packed with formation)

PDC BITS
ADVANTAGES
PDC cutters are self sharpening
PDC cutters deteriorate quickly at temperatures above
700 C.
Proper cooling by mud/hydraulics is very important.
PDC bits usually drills twice as fast in shale compared to
roller cone
Steerable and rotary applications (motor & RSS)
High ROP (opposed to roller cones)
More robust (fewer trips compared to roller cone)

DISADVANTAGES

Not applicable in very hard & abrasive formations

Expensive
Torsional vibration
Lateral vibration is Quite common
Can lead to severe damage to bit and drill string

Hybrid Bits
ADVANTAGES

 Handles changes from soft to hard rock

Less vibrations
Increased ROP potential
Chert drilling

Natural Diamond Bits

ADVANTAGES
Applicable for hard formations

DISADVANTAGES:
Not applicable for Chert and pyrite because they can break
it into pieces
and may destroy the diamonds
Not applicable for very hard broken formations (may break
the diamonds)

For Hole depths

250-1500m: PDC Bit

1500-3250: PDC Bit
3250-4300: Hybrid Bit
4300-4750: Hybrid Bit

QUESTION NO. 8
Advantages
Often more compatible with the reservoir

 Less risk for fracturing the well at the last casing shoe in
case of a kick (HPHT)
Reduce problem with swelling clay, thinner mud filter cake
which means reduced risk for getting stuck
More Lubrication

Disadvantages
HSE, environment, more expensive
Can be difficult to detects kicks in HPHT wells (the gas
influx will hide in the mud) -> Special HPHT procedures are
introduced in drilling to reduce the problem.

QUESTION NO 9
Kicks occur as a result of when formation pressure being
greater than hydrostatic pressure, which causes fluids to flow
from the formation into the wellbore. Reasons for this imbalance
explain the key causes of kicks:

Insufficient mud weight

Improper hole fill-up on trips
Swabbing
Gas cut mud
Lost circulation

Insufficient mud weight

Insufficient mud weight is the predominant cause of kicks.
when the formation pressure exceeds the wellbore pressure, fluids

begin to flow from the formation into the wellbore and the kick
occurs.

Improper hole fill-up on trips

As the drill pipe is pulled out of the hole, the mud level falls
because the pipe steel no longer displaces the mud, therefore
hole must be periodically filled up with mud to avoid reducing the
hydrostatic pressure and preventing kick problem.

Swabbing
Pulling the drill string from the borehole creates swab
pressures. Swab pressures are negative, and reduce the effective
hydrostatic pressure throughout the hole and below the bit.
Variables controlling swab pressures are:

Pipe pulling speed

Mud properties

Hole configuration

The effect of balled equipment

Gas Cut mud

Gas-contaminated mud will occasionally cause a kick,
although this is rare. But in this occasion there is gas at shallow
depths. As the gas is circulated to the surface, it expands and
may reduce the overall hydrostatic pressure sufficient enough to
allow a kick to occur.

Lost circulation
Occasionally, kicks are caused by lost circulation. A
decreased hydrostatic pressure occurs from a shorter mud
column. When a kick occurs from lost circulation, the problem
may become severe.