TAMU - Pemex

Offshore Drilling

Lesson 16
Dual Gradient Drilling

1
Dual Gradient Drilling

 What is Dual Gradient Drilling?

 How does it work?
 Why do we need it?
 Pore pressures and fracture gradients.
 Mud weights and casing programs.
 What about connections and trips?
 What about kicks?

2
 Subsea Mudlift
Drilling or
“Riserless Drilling”
Drillstring

…sometimes called
Mud
“Dual Gradient Drilling” Return
or Line

“Dual Density Drilling

Pump
3
Subsea Mudlift Drilling Concept

 No conventional drilling riser

 A separate small-diameter mud
return line from seafloor to surface

 A “dual mud density” system

 Seawater gradient from surface to
seafloor
 Heavier drilling mud inside the wellbore

4
Subsea Mudlift Drilling Concept

 A seafloor mud pump on the return line

 Pressure inside wellbore at seafloor is

~ the same as the pressure in the
ocean at seafloor
 Theoretically the well is always dead

 Important in case of drive-off

5
6
 Rotating
BOP (RBOP)
with Pack-Off

Conventional
Annular BOP

Conventional
Ram BOPs

Seafloor detail of Subsea Mudlift 7

Subsea Mudlift drilling in three
phases

8
Effect of Increasing Water Depth

Weight of drilling riser increases

with depth:
 21-inch riser has an internal capacity
of ~ 400 bbls/ 1,000 ft
 At 10,000 ft, wt. of riser ~ 2 million lbs.
and wt. of 17.1 1b/gal mud inside
riser ~ 2.7 million lbs
9
Effect of Increasing Water Depth

 More storage space required on

drilling vessel - especially with
flotation elements on the riser
 A larger and more expensive drilling
vessel is required
 Few such vessels are available
(14 EA. 4th generation?) (1996)
10
What About
Subsea Mudlift Drilling?

 A 6” return line with ~36 bbls/1000 ft

can do the job
 Requires much less weight and volume
for storage!
 A smaller vessel can do the job.
 A smaller vessel can easier be upgraded
to do the job.
11
What is “Subsea Mudlift” Drilling?

 “Subsea Mudlift” Drilling, in the present context,

refers to drilling where mud returns DO
NOT go through a conventional, large-
diameter, drilling riser.
 Instead the returns move from the seafloor to the
surface through one or more
small - diameter pipe(s) separate from
the drillpipe.
 A Mudlift system is used in the Return Line

A TM 12
Equivalent Mud Density, ppg

Fig. 7.21 ADE

Fracture
Gradient Pore
pressure
0.5 ppg gradient and
fracture
0.5 ppg
gradient data
Pore for Jefferson
Pressure Parish, LA.
Gradient

13
14
 Casing
Setting
Depths
based on pore
pressure grad.,
fracture grad.
and mud wt.
5,000 ft water
0.5 ppg kick
tolerance
Mud Weight (Gradient), ppg 15
(?)

16
 Apparent Pressures in the Wellbore
0
RISERLESS
5,000 Seawater Density = 8.6 lb/gal
Vertical Depth, ft

10,000 CONVENTIONAL
Mud Weight = 13.2 lb/gal
CONVENTIONAL
15,000
SEAWATER 8.6 lb/gal
20,000 8.6 lb/gal
RISERLESS
25,000 Mud Weight = 15.5 lb/gal
RISERLESS
15.5 lb/gal
30,000
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000
35,000
8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00
Wellboremud
Equivalent Pressure,
density,psi
ppg
17
 Apparent Pressures in the Wellbore
0
RISERLESS
5,000 Seawater Density = 8.6 lb/gal
SEAWATER
Vertical Depth, ft

8.6 lb/gal
10,000 CONVENTIONAL
Mud Weight = 13.2 lb/gal
15,000

20,000
RISERLESS
25,000 Mud Weight = 15.5 lb/gal

30,000
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
35,000
8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00
Equivalent mud density, ppg
18
19
20
 Gas
GasLift?
Lift?
Glass
GlassBeads?
Beads?

How to Handle
Connections?
Rotating BOP Trips?

21
 Typical
Overburden
Pressure
grad.vs. Depth

Ref: “Fracture gradient

prediction for the new
generation,” by B.A.
Eaton and T.L. Eaton.
World Oil, October
1997.

22
 Conventional Riser Drilling
- Static Wellbore Pressures
FLOATER
SEA WATER
DRILLING RISER
HYDROSTATIC
CHOKE LINE MUD HYDROSTATIC
SEAFLOOR
BOP

DEPTH

PRESSURE
A T M
23
 Conventional Riser Drilling
- Wellbore Pressures
FLOATER

STATIC PRESSURE
CIRCULATING PRESSURE

SEAFLOOR
BOP
DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC ∆ PBI
PRESSURE
T
PRESSURE
A T M 24
 Subsea Mudlift Drilling System
FLOATER

~SEAWATER
HYDROSTATIC
SEAFLOOR PRESSURE
10,000’
BOP MUDLIFT

BASE CASE

Circulation Rate 650 gpm 30,000’

Drillpipe OD 6 5/8 in
Return Line ID 6 in
Hole Size 12 1/4 in

25
 Alternate SMD Configuration
- Wellbore Pressures
FLOATER
MUD MUD
RISER HYDROSTATIC HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE PRESSURE
CHOKE SMD Conventional
LINE
BOP
DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE

SMD PRESSURE
26
 Static Wellbore Pressures
MUD MUD
HYDROSTATIC HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE PRESSURE
Subsea Mudlift Conventional
SEAFLOOR

DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE

PRESSURE

27
Static Wellbore Pressures

In a 30,000 ft well in 10,000 ft of water,

the bottomhole pressure is 21,000 psig.

For conventional drilling, what is the

minimum mud weight that can control this
pressure?

For Subsea Mudlift drilling, what is the

minimum mud weight that can control this
pressure?
28
 Static Wellbore Pressures

P = 0.052 * MW * Depth
For conventional drilling,
Minimum mud weight
= 21,000/(0.052 * 30,000) = 13.5 lb/gal
Seafloor pressure = 0.052*8.6*10,000 = 4,472 psig
For Subsea Mudlift drilling,
Minimum mud weight
= (21,000 - 4,472)/0.052 * 20,000 = 15.9 lb/gal

29
 Wellbore Pressures
MUD
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE
Conventional
SEAFLOOR

FRACTURE
DEPTH PRESSURE

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE PORE PRESSURE

PRESSURE

30
 Wellbore Pressures
MUD MUD
HYDROSTATIC HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE PRESSURE
Subsea Mudlift Conventional
SEAFLOOR

FRACTURE
DEPTH PRESSURE

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE PORE PRESSURE

PRESSURE

31
Casing Requirements - Conventional

MUD
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE
Conventional
SEAFLOOR

DEPTH FRACTURE
PRESSURE

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE PORE PRESSURE

PRESSURE

32
Casing Requirements - Subsea Mudlift

MUD
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE
SEAFLOOR Subsea
Mudlift

FRACTURE
DEPTH
PRESSURE

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE
PORE PRESSURE

PRESSURE

33
 Pressure Considerations
MUD MUD
HYDROSTATIC HYDROSTATIC
Subsea Mudlift PRESSURE PRESSURE
Subsea Conventional
SEAFLOOR
Mudlift

FRACTURE
DEPTH PRESSURE

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE PORE PRESSURE

PRESSURE
34
 Wellbore Pressures - Conventional
FLOATER

STATIC PRESSURE
CIRCULATING PRESSURE

SEAFLOOR
BOP
DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE ∆ PBIT
PRESSURE
35
 Static Pressures
FLOATER
- Subsea Mudlift Drilling
ANNULUS AND
RETURN LINE

SEAFLOOR
BOP DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE

PRESSURE
36
Drillstring Circulating Pressures

CONVENTIONAL
Subsea Mudlift
SEAFLOOR

DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE ∆ PBIT
PRESSURE
37
Annulus Circulating Pressures

CONVENTIONAL (13.2 lb/gal)

Subsea Mudlift (15.5 lb/gal)

SEAFLOOR

∆ PPUMP
DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE

PRESSURE
38
Circulating Pressures
- Subsea Mudlift Drilling

DRILLSTRING PRESSURE
ANNULUS AND RETURN LINE
SEAFLOOR
∆ PPUMP

DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE ∆ PBIT
PRESSURE
39
 Transients
 Pressures in the Wellbore

 Transient Behavior when Stopping Pump

 (U-tubing or Free-fall)
 How fast does the Fluid Level in the
drillpipe drop?
 How far does the Fluid Level drop?

 Preview of Kick Detection and Well Control

40
U-Tubing in Subsea Mudlift Drilling

FLOATER

~SEAWATER
HYDROSTATIC
STATIC PRESSURE
FLUID
LEVEL
BOP MUDLIFT

41
 Static Pressures
- Subsea Mudlift Drilling
ANNULUS AND RETURN LINE
DRILLSTRING PRESSURE
SEAFLOOR

DEPTH

SEA WATER
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE

PRESSURE
42
 U-Tubing Rate vs. Time after Pump OFF
800
Mud Flow Rate, gpm

3-in ID
600 4.276-in ID
6-in ID

400

200

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Elapsed Time, min

43
 Fluid Level vs. Time after Pump OFF
5,000
Fluid Level in Drillpipe, ft

4,000

3,000

2,000
3-in ID
1,000 4.276-in ID
6-in ID
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Elapsed Time, min

44
Kick Detection & Well Control
- Review - Conventional -

 Kick Indication (what is a KICK?)

 Kick Detection (confirmation)
 Kick containment (stop flow into well)
 Circulate Kick out of hole
 Increase Mud Weight in hole (if necessary)
45
Circulate Kick out of hole

Keep the BHP constant throughout

46
Circulate Old Mud out of hole

Keep the BHP constant throughout

47
 Subsea Mudlift Drilling System
FLOATER

Surface Pump: Constant Rate ~SEAWATER

Mudlift: Const. Inlet Press. HYDROSTATIC
PRESSURE 10,000’

SEAFLOOR
BOP MUDLIFT

30,000’

KICK

48
 Kick Detection and Control
700
Kick Detected - - Slow down Seafloor Pump
Circulation Rate, gal/min

690

680
Kick begins SEAFLOOR PUMP
670
SURFACE PUMP
660

650

640
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Time, minutes

49
Kick Detection and Control

Influx has stopped and

pressures have stabilized

50
 Circulation Rate, gal/
700
Kick Detection and Control
KickDetected - - SlowdownSeafloor Pump
690

680
Kickbegins SEAFLOORPUMP
670
SURFACEPUMP
660

650

640
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50
Time, minutes

A TM 51
 Standpipe Pressure vs. Tim e
5 ,00 0
Start cir cu latin g k ick o u t o f h o le
C onv e ntional
4 ,00 0
Pressure, psi

3 ,00 0 K ill m u d e n te rs to p o f d rillp ip e

2 ,00 0 Kill mu d a t b it

1 ,00 0 SM D

0
0 200 400 6 00 800
Tim e, m inutes
52
 Surface Choke Pressure vs. Time
1,400
Top of kick at surface
1,200
Start circulating
1,000 kick out
Pressure, psi

800
Kill mud enters annulus
600 SICP
SIDPP

400 CONVENTIONAL

200
Kick out of return line
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Time, minutes

53
 Pit G ain vs. Tim e
70
60 SMD
Pit Volume Gain, bbls

50
40
30
20
Conv e ntional
10
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Tim e, m inutes

54
 Pressure at the Sea Floor vs. Time
8,000
Conventional
7,000
Kick at se afloor
6,000 Kill mud
Pressure, psi

at se afloor
5,000
Pressure at inlet to Mudlift System
4,000 SMD
Start circulating kick out
3,000
2,000 Kill mud e nte rs annulus

1,000
0
0 200 400 600 800
Time, minutes

A TM 55
Kick Detection Method Still Valid for RD?

Pit Gain Still valid

Flow Rate Increase (Returns) Much Better
Well Flows With Pump Off Not valid … U-tubing
Fluid Fill-up on Trips More complicated ...
Increased Hook Load Still Valid
Drop in Standpipe Pressure Better
Drop in BHP - MWD Still Valid
Drilling Break Still valid
Decreased Mud Weight (Gas Cut Mud) Still valid

56
 Well Control Summary
 Most Conventional kick detection methods
are still valid
 New differential flow rate method -
better - use with computer monitoring
 Lower standpipe pressure makes kick
detection easier and faster
 Conventional well control can be adapted
- with modifications
57
Well Control Summary cont’d

 Not necessary to shut well in …

 Seafloor pump controls the BHP

 Surface choke pressure generally

does not affect wellbore pressures

 Well control training will be essential

58
 General Summary
Dual Gradient Drilling is a method that offers
potential for lowering drilling costs in very deep
waters.
(fewer casing strings, smaller rigs,
less time on location)

The method utilizes one or more small-diameter

return lines from the seafloor to the surface.
The drillpipe is not inside a return line.
59
 Summary - cont’d
A “mudlift” system is used in the return line
thereby making a “dual-density” mud
system possible.
Wellhead pressure is maintained at
seawater hydrostatic, so well is “dead” at
all times
Well control does not appear to present
any serious difficulties, and is quite similar
to conventional drilling with a riser.
60