GEOTHERMAL DRILLING PROBLEM:

LOSS CIRCULATION
Gilang Rifki
QUESTIONS
• Geothermal well cost?
• 1,500 – 3,000m
• 1,500 – 2,500 USD/m
• 2.25 – 7.5MUSD/well

• Geothermal project cost?

• Avg 6 – 7Mwe/well
• 9 Production wells + 1 Injection well
• 22.5 – 75.0 MUSD wellcost
• 56 – 214 MUSD project cost

• Cost of loss circulation

• 10 – 20% of wellcost
• 225KUSD/well – 1.5MUSD/well
REFERENCES
• The drilling of deep exploratory holes (typically 1.5 to 3 kilometers in
depth in Indonesia) depends upon favorable results from the earlier
stages. Cost per meter has increased enormously over the past three
years, but most recently (2009) has either been stationary or has declined
by up to 10% from its highs. Cost per meter is therefore expected to
range from US$ 1,500 to $2,500, inclusive of the cost of the drilling rig
movement between well pads, but exclusive of initial mobilization
charges.
• GeothermEx, Inc. (2010) An Assessment Of Geothermal Resource Risks In
Indonesia
• Drilling costs comprise some 35–40 percent of the total capital costs of a
geothermal project – most of which will be incurred in determining the
size, location, and power capacity of the geothermal resource.
• International Finance Corporation with input from GeothermEx, Inc. (2013)
Success of Geothermal Wells: A global study
• Lost circulation represents an average of 10% of total well costs in mature
geothermal areas and often accounts for more than 20% of the costs in
exploratory wells and developing fields.
• Carson CC and Lin YT (1982) The Impact of Common Problems in
Geothermal Drilling and Completion Geothermal Resources Council
Transactions Vol. 6
DEFINITION
“A condition which occurs when drilling fluid, flows into one or
more permeable formations instead of returning to surface”

• Drilling fluid’s main functions:

• Remove drilled cuttings from under the bit
• Carry out cuttings of the hole
• Suspend cuttings in the fluid when
circulation is stopped
• Release cuttings when processed by
surface equipment
• Allow cuttings to settle out at the surface
• Prevent the bore hole from collapsing or
caving in
• Protect producing formations from
damage which could impair production
• Clean, cool, and lubricate the drill bit
DEFINITION
“A condition which occurs when drilling fluid, flows into one or
more permeable formations instead of returning to surface”

• Tertiary Permeability : Induced by the dynamics of drilling

DEFINITION
“A condition which occurs when drilling fluid, flows into one or
more permeable formations instead of returning to surface”

• Locality:
• Non production zone
• Production zone

• Severity level:
• Seepage : < 50 bph
• Partial : 50 - 100 bph
• Severe : >100 bph
• Total : no return

• Quantity:
• Single zone
• Multiple zones
EFFECTS
• Mechanical pipe stuck
• Well Control Situation (Steam kick / gas kick / gas release)
• Poor hole cleaning
• Cost
• losing drilling fluid
• slowing down drilling progress
• on non-production zone: excessive cement volume during casing
cementing
• Production zone is usually a lost-circulation zone, so it is
sometimes difficult to cure a harmful lost circulation zone while
preserving its productive potential
• Difficulty when drilling through interlayer shale formation
• Complexity during cementing operation
• Primary Cementing
• Secondary Cementing
LOSS HANDLING METHOD

1. Continue drill with losses using mud or water/blind drill (a)

2. Drill with a lightweight drilling fluid - aerated
3. Mix the drilling fluid with fibrous material or particles (b)
4. Pause in the drilling and attempt to seal the loss zones with
some material that can be drilled out as the hole advances i.e.
Natural LCM or Cement Plug
DRILLING PRACTICES DURING LOSS
• Adequate, reliable and proper water supply system
• Proper mud tank and mixing hopper capacity, also solid control quality
• Sufficient mud chemicals, LCM, Natural LCM and cement chemicals
• Accurate preliminary geological prognoses refer to adjacent well
• Defining drilling strategy on casing setting depth
• Proper preparation on mud design, LCM pills and cement slurry
• Close monitoring on drilling parameters to identify loss zone(s) and its
severity
• Have an agreed procedure to handle loss circulation
• Immediate action, one loss zone at a time
• LCM Mixtures
• Obtain good hole cleaning during drilling
• Regular hivis sweep
• Proper air rate and foam ratio
• Off bottom connection under loss circulation conditions
• On the fly directional survey
• Control ROP if required
OPEN DISCUSSION

HANDLING LOSS WITH COMPLEXITY

• Multiple loss zones

• Drilling through interlayer shale formation
• Cementing operation with losses
• Primary Cementing
• Secondary Cementing
GEOTHERMAL DRILLING PROBLEM:
STUCK PIPE
Gilang Rifki
QUESTIONS
• Average geothermal drilling NPT?

• Loss Stuck Pipe NPT?

• In geothermal drilling, especially as we drill in Total Loss
Circulation condition, stuck pipe incidents accounted for >30%
of total non productive time (NPT)

• USD 100K – 600K/well

Exclude:
• Replacement cost of equipment lost (800KUSD – 2.5MUSD)
• Curative action to resume the operation (80-120KUSD/day)
• Redrill (1,500-2,500 USD/m)
DEFINITION
“A condition in which drill pipe, drill collars, casing, or
tubing has inadvertently become immovable in the hole”

Stuck pipe may occurs in the event of:

❑ Drilling (rotate/slide)
❑ Tripping in/out
❑ Making connection
❑ Run Casing
❑ Cementing
 DEFINITION - PRINCIPLES
“Stuck pipe is cumulative act effect”

STUCK
PIPE
INCIDENT

DESIGN & CONTRIBUTING HOLE RELATED HUMAN CAUSE EFFECTS

PLANNING FACTOR CAUSE
• Wellpad placement • BHA Component Failure • Hole Problems • Failure to Monitor Lost Time
• Rig selection • Equipment Failure • Cuttings buildup • Failure to Recognize Lost Productivity
• Drilling services • Inadequate Cleaning • Under-gauge hole • Failure to Respond Lost Equipment
selection Correctly
• Mud Properties • Sudden Pack-off Lost Hole Section
• Inaccurate geologigy • Failure to
• Inadequate Equipment • Unstable Lost Well
prognoses Communicate
Formations Equipment Damage
• Wrong Drilling Plan • Failure to Follow SOP
• Loss Circulation
• Severe Dogleg
DEFINITION - PRINCIPLES

• If The Pipe is Moving – It’s Not Stuck (up, down, or rotate)

• Stuck Pipe Events Can Be Prevented

• Communicate – Work As A TEAM

DEFINITION - MECHANISM
WELLBORE GEOMETRY
• Directional Trajectory

1 • Stiff Assembly
• Key Seat
• High Doglegs
• Ledges
• Mobile Formation
• Undergauge Hole

Key Seat

Dogleg & Ledges Undergauge Hole

Mobile Formation
DEFINITION - MECHANISM
DIFFERENTIAL STICKING
• Differential force

2
 DEFINITION - MECHANISM
HOLE PACK OFF / BRIDGE
• Settled Cuttings

3 • Shale Instability
• Unconsolidated Formation
• Fractured formation
• Cement Related
• Junk

Shale Instability

Fractured Formation
PREVENTIVE ACTIONS
• Operation Drilling Parameters trends shall be monitored and
analyzed on the rig site, to provide early detection of stuck pipe
and consequently preventing the pipe getting stuck.

WEIGHT • ROP(MPH)
INDICATOR • OVERPULL

ROTARY
SURFACE RPM
TORQUE

STAND PIPE
FLOW RATE
PRESSURE

CIRCULATION • RETURN
• MUD PROPS
• SOLIDS

• Others Indicators:
• Fill during trip in to bottom
• Bit & Stabilizer wear / undergauge
PREVENTION ACTIONS: DRILLING PRACTICES
• Moving the drillstring as much as possible
• If possible, keep rotate the drillstring on connections
• Always begin pipe motion in a downward direction
• Use grooved or spiral drill collars
• Use undergauge stabilizers when possible
• Consider placing the jar(s) in the heavy-weight pipe section
• Use survey methods that are of short duration
• When experience TLC, DO NOT pull the string up. Keep the pipe rotating,
increase RPM and work the pipe up and down slowly to ensure the pipe
is free, and continue drill.
• When reactive clay and/or sloughing formations are expected, drill with
inhibitive mud, maintain hydrostatic pressure, limit hole section exposure
time, and plan to case-off the zones as soon as possible.
• When drilling with water, pump regular hi-vis sweeps.
• Ream up and down as necessary, while “lifting away” the cuttings as far
from the BHA as possible, prior to making connection.
• ALWAYS make connection 1 joint off-bottom when drilling with TLC.
 WARNING SIGN INDENTIFICATION EXERCISE
• Drill 12-1/4” HS with Steerable
BHA@ 1,855mMD
• TLC@1,800mMD
• 51o Incl, 190o Azm
 If Stuck, What to Do?

Murphy’s Law: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong"

Understand the cause.

First response is very important.
Incorrect reaction could worsen the stuck pipe condition.
 DETERMINING STUCK PIPE MECHANISM

Pipe Motion Wellbore Differential Pack-Off / 1. Select the answer

Before Got Stuck Geometry Sticking Bridge
Moving Up 2 0 2 by circling all the
Rotating Up 2 0 0 numbers in the
Moving Down 2 0 1
Rotating Down 2 0 0 correct answer
Static 0 2 2 row.
Pipe Motion
After Got Stuck
Down Free 2 0 0 2. Add the circled
Down Restricted 2 0 1
Down Impossible 0 0 0
numbers for each
Pipe Rotation column.
After Got Stuck
Rotate Free 2 0 0
Rotate Restricted 2 0 2 3. The column with
Rotate Impossible 0 0 0 the highest number
Circulation
After Got Stuck indicates the
Circulation Free 2 2 0 sticking
Circulation Restricted 0 0 2
Circulation Impossible 0 0 2
mechanism.
Totals 6 0 6
WHO CAN PREVENT STUCK PIPE?

Drilling Supervisor, Geologist, Toolpusher, DD,

MWD, AD, Derrickman, Floorman, Mud Engineer,
Mudlogger, and other people shall support
The Driller who “makes hole”
The driller is the only person who can react to
stuck pipe indicators, but, many people on the rig
can see them and should communicate with him
when those indicators are seen.
OPEN DISCUSSION FOR CURATIVE ACTION
• PIPE FREEING OPERATION
• FISHING OPERATION
• SIDETRACK OPERATION
THANK YOU