(Second Stage)

Dept. of Oil and Gas Engineering

Assist. Prof. Hussein Aliwi

Introduction:
When some of drilling fluid properties are not in the suitable value (greater or Lower from
suitable value), drilling problem may occur, generally there is one Fluid property has the
main effect, and the other properties consider has secondary effect.
The accumulated experience in the drilling for any oil field gives an advantage to good
manage and programming the drilling fluid properties to prevent the drilling problems.
Also, Underground conditions and Bad practice play a big role in drilling problem
generation. Drilling problems can be very costly.
In this lecture, we will study only the following problem as example for the relation between
most common drilling problems and drilling fluid properties:
Stuck pipe:- which related with mainly with mud density, filtration, mud cake properties
and secondary with a percentage of oil.
Lost circulation (Mud Losses):- which related with mainly with mud density, and
secondary with viscosity & Gel Strength.
Kick & Blowout:- which related with mainly with mud density, and secondary with
viscosity.
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 1. Stuck pipe/pipe sticking

• Definition: During drilling operations, a pipe is considered stuck if

it cannot be freed and pulled out of the hole without damaging the
pipe and without exceeding the drilling rig’s maximum allowed hook
load.

• Types of pipe sticking:

a. Differential-pressure pipe sticking.
b. Mechanical pipe sticking (Key seating, Shale sloughing, Bad Cleaning).

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 a. Differential-pressure pipe sticking:

● Definition: occurs when a portion of the drillstring becomes embedded in a mudcake

that forms on the wall of a permeable formation during drilling.

● Wall sticking is caused by:

1. Relatively high mud density .
2. Permeable formation.
3. High filtration rate .
4. Low clearness between pipe & open hole.
5. Low lubrication .
6. High viscosity .
7. Motionless drill string.

racture <
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To free wall-stuck pipe:

Apply torque and tension to try to work the

pipe loose.

If possible, reduce the mud weight.

Determine the stuck point and spot (Patch)

a mixture of surfactant and oil.

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 Prevention of wall sticking

• To minimize the possibility of wall sticking:

– Reduce the differential pressure.
– Reduce the contact area: install stabilizers.
– Use an oil-emulsion mud.
– Use extreme-pressure lubricants.
– Use low mud weights.
– Use low solids content in the mud.
– Stop circulation only when necessary.
– Avoid long strings of large diameter drill collars.
– Keep the hole as straight as possible.
– Never stop drill collars adjacent to any permeable formation.
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b. Mechanical pipe sticking (Key seating, Shale
sloughing, Bad Cleaning):

A drillString can be stuck mechanically when:

Cuttings and sloughing formations pack off the annular space around the drill string
(especially during a pump shutdown period).
Drill through several layers of formation of different hardness Junk dropped from surface.
The drill string is run too fast until it hits a bridge, a tight spot or the hole bottom.

To free mechanical sticking:

To work the drill string either by rotating and pulling it or by activating a drilling jar.
If this method fails, an organic fluid must be spotted and the above procedure has
to be repeated.

7 The use of back-off operation is the final solution.

 Low Density, Wall bore instable High Filtration, Shale hydration Low Density, Wall bore instable

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 2. Lost Circulation

• One of the major problems in drilling operation.

• Occurred in almost every formation and at virtually all depths.
• Occurs when hydrostatic pressure of mud exceeds the breaking strength of the
formation.

• Definition: the uncontrolled flow of whole mud into a formation, sometimes

referred to as thief zone. Figure below shows partial and total lost-circulation zones.
Partial or complete loss of drilling fluid during drilling, circulating or running casing.

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 • Those types inherent in the formation:

– Porous, permeable, and unconsolidated formations.

– Cavernous or irregular formations.

– Natural fractures in formations (faults, joints and fissures).

• Those openings caused by poor drilling practices:

– Induced fractures caused by high mud weights or pressure surges.

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• Rapid running of pipe i.e. generating surge pressures (tripping in or out).
• Spudding the bit or core barrel on the bottom of the hole.
• Raising mud weight too quickly.
racture <
• Improper balanced column of mud (Phyd>Pf).
• Increasing pump pressure too quickly.
• Whipping pipe.
• High gel strength.
• Sloughing shales because high Filtration rate
(closed annular space).
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 There are three levels of mud losses:
1) Partial mud loss ( 5-20 m³/hr).
2) Severe mud loss (20-30 m³/hr).
3) Complete mud loss (No return).

Amount loss
Type (% of the circulating Action / Remarks
rate)

Seepage loss Usually treated as a routine problem without

< 10%
interfering with any part of the operation.
Treated immediately but the current operation may
Slight loss 10 - 25% continue if geo-pressured zones are not present in the
well.
Hazardous 25 - 50% Stop all operations (excluding well control)
15 Severe > 50% until remedial action has resolved the problem.
 Effects of Lost Circulation
Loss of muds (high cost).
Loss of drilling time (consequent cost increases).
No information on the formation being drilled.
If the lost circulation zone is a potential pay zone, considerable productivity impairment may result.
The drop in annular mud level may cause a blowout.
Excessive caving of formation.

Treatment
Identify the source of mud loss.
To Combat Lost Circulation
Determine the appropriate treatment. Raised the bit into the cased part of the hole & wait.
Reduce mud weight.
16 Spot LCM of proper size.
 Prevention of LC.
The complete prevention of lost circulation is impossible because some formations, such as
inherently fractured, cavernous, or high-permeability zones, are not avoidable if the target zone is to
be reached.
Control downhole pressure:
– minimize hydrostatic pressure.
– maintain minimum annular velocity.
– avoid restriction in the annulus.
Setting the intermediate casing into the transition zone.
Raised weight of mud gradually when combating high pressure zones.
Start pumps only after rotating pipe.
Run & pull drill pipe in the hole slowly.
In areas of known LC. pretreat with LCM.
Break circulation slowly:
– Circulate at a slow rate and low pressure until good returns are obtained without loss of mud,
17 then increase the circulation rate.
 Prevention of LC. (cont.)
Selecting a mud system:
– Maintain a minimum mud viscosity and gel strength to prevent setting of the
weighing material.
– Mud system should be able to resist contamination.
– Maintain minimum mud density.
– Use filler materials (loss circulation materials) to prevent severe loss of mud to the formation
to restore circulation.
Use a simple drilling program and have a good drilling practice:
Drill the lost-circulation zone with a maximum-clearance drilling assembly.
Lower the drill pipe slowly.
Observation of well hole and precautionary steps:
Extra mud-storage capacity.
Make sure supply of mud-mixing and lost circulation material is ample.
Observe the mud level.
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 Remedial actions
• Reduction of mud weight.
• Correction of lost returns by “waiting periods”.
• Placement of soft plugs – LCM.
• Placement of mud containing a high concentration of bridging particles.
• Adoption of special drilling methods such as “blind drilling”, drilling under
pressure, drilling with air, or aerated mud.
• Drill ahead-cuttings circulating in the mud system can act as lost-circulation material.
• Pull the bit up at least 50ft from the bottom.
• Dry drill - minimize the effects of lost circulation or regaining circulation in minimal time.

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Lost Circulation Materials (LCM)

Fibrous material-sawdust, cotton

seed hulls, hay, leather and bark.
Lamellate (flat, flaky) material-
mica and cellophane.
Granular material-nut shell,
perlite and volcanic ash.
Combination of two or more of
the above materials.

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 3- Kick and blowout

• Kick: An entry of formation fluids (gas, oil or water) into

the wellbore during drilling.
>

• Blowout: Uncontrolled flow of formation fluids (gas, oil

or water) from the wellbore.

Kick and blowout can occur when hydrostatic

pressure of mud is lower than the formation
pressure.
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 Causes of Kick / Blowout
Drilling into high pressure zones (abnormal pressure).
Swabbing when coming out of the hole.
Improper hole fill-up on trips.
Lost circulation during drilling or cementing.

Detection of Kick / Blowout

• Rise in pit level.
• Hole fails to take right amount of fluid after trips.
• Gas cutting or decrease in mud weight.
• Increase in pump speed or decrease in pump pressure.
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 Prevention of Kick / Blowout
• Use high mud weight.
• Use right type of mud and keep in good condition.
• Check mud weight frequently.
• Check fluid level frequently.
• Add weight material evenly.
• Do not add excessive weight reducing materials such as oil or water.
• Trip slowly.
• Keep hole clean to prevent swabbing.

23 • Observe surface gas.

 Review all the following Calculations:

1. Wellbore Stability (Median Line Principle), Select the best Mud Density.

2. Pressure Losses Calculations, determine the Bottom hole pressure.

3. Hole Cleaning Calculations.

4. Volume & Capacity Calculations.

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