The Basics of Open Hole Fishing
Fishing Marketing Services
What Constitutes a Fishing Job?
Anytime there is an impediment to
continued drilling or production.
Examples:
• A stuck or parted drill string or
BHA.
• Loose junk that may impede
drilling, causing damage to all
coring equipment.
• Logging tools stuck or wireline
parted during logging operations.
• Or just a need to change the
direction of the wellbore.
Evaluate the Problem
• What is in the hole?
• Is the drilling string stuck?
• What is the BHA (Bottom Hole Assembly)
• Where is the top of the fish, if the string is parted?
Gather Information
• Get accurate fish description and dimensions.
• Have background information such as:
– Formation type at fish top.
– Mud type and weight throughout system.
– Casing sizes, weights and depths.
– Operation at time of trouble.
Communication
• Be clear and precise, use written communication
when possible.
• Insure that all concerned parties understand and
agree on the procedures to be used.
• Keep all concerned parties informed throughout
execution of procedures.
Possible reasons for stuck drilling
strings.
• Differential Sticking (Was there mud loss pryor to
being stuck? or a possible gas kick?)
• Mechanical Sticking:
– Possible Key seats in wellbore (Got stuck coming out
of the Hole?)
– Junk in the hole from damaged or lost equipment.
– Inadequate hole cleaning, such as rig downtime or
circulation problems.
– Under gauged hole (Got stuck following pulled under
gauged drilling bit.)
Differential Sticking
Indications:
• Drill stem cannot be rotated, raised, or lowered,
but circulating pressure is normal.
• Part of the drill string is across a permeable
formation. Check previous drilling records to
check for possible formation candidates.
• The mud contains large quantities of drilled solids.
Differential Sticking
High pressure
formation
Formation
Higher Mud Wt.
Drilling Low pressure
Fluid Than Formation Pressure
formation
Drill Pipe
High pressure
formation
Differential Sticking
C aa ss ii nn gg
Drill Pipe
• Drill pipe comes in contact
Permeable or
with a permeable
Porous formation exposed in the
Formation
well bore
Higher Pressure Formation
than mud has been weighted
to control
Differential Sticking
Solutions:
• Reduce the mud weight. 14.2# - .2# = 14#
• Spot oil.
• Free point and back off.
• Jar.
• Washover.
Measured
Depth 12,000'
True Vertical
Depth 10,000' .052 X 10,000' X .2 =
weight reduced in psi
Mechanical Sticking
• The pipe will not allow
torque to go down hole
• This condition normally
occurs when the pipe has
been dropped
Crooked Pipe
Mechanical Sticking
“Junk”
• Junk or foreign
object(s) can be
dropped or broken off
in the hole
“Junk” or Foreign Object
Mechanically Stuck Pipe
Types of mechanically stuck pipe:
• Inadequate hole cleaning
• Sloughing and swelling formations
• Key Seating
• Running into undergauge or tapered holes
• Foreign debris in the wellbore (junk)
Cemented Sticking
Tubing
• Cement sets up in the wrong
place due to mechanical or
operator error.
Casing
Cement
Blowout Sticking
• Formation and / or
pipe rubber are blown
up the hole, packing
off the pipe
Inadequate Hole Cleaning
Causes:
• Washed out areas of the High annular volume
hole
• Washouts around a casing
shoe
• A washout in the string
• Partial returns
Anytime the annular velocity
is reduced, the carrying
capacity of the mud is
reduced
Inadequate Hole Cleaning
Prevention:
• Maximize hole cleaning by :
– Good mud properties
– Short trips
– Proper hydraulic horsepower
Solutions:
• Free point and back-off
• Run jarring assembly
• Washover
Sloughing or Swelling Formations
Indications:
• Partial or complete loss of
circulation
• Cannot raise or lower string
• Cannot rotate string
Sloughing or Swelling Formations
Solutions: Prevention:
• Back-off and run • Proper filter cake
jarring assembly building properties in
• Washover mud
Key Seat Sticking
Key Seat
• Drill pipe wears a groove in
the side of the hole. The
Top View groove is too small to allow
drill collars to be pulled thru it
Cross
Section Main Bore
Hole
Keyseats
Indications: Main well
bore
•Drill string became stuck Top View
during upward travel.
•Drill string can be jarred
down free, but cannot be Keyseat
moved up.
•Circulation is normal, but
cannot rotate while stuck in
keyseat.
Keyseat
Solutions: Prevention:
• Install keyseat wiper or • Install keyseat wiper or
string mill in string and string mill in string
work through keyseat above BHA
• Back-off and run • Utilize PDM to
jarring assembly eliminate string rotation
• Washover
Tapered or Undergauge Hole
Indications:
• BHA becoming stuck during
TIH
• Previous bit undergauge
Tapered Hole
Prevention:
• Ream hole properly prior to tripping.
• Proper grading of the old bit before running a new
one.
• Ream to bottom with new bits
Solutions:
• Jar (If drilling jar is in place).
• Free point and back off.
• Washover.
Under Gauged Hole
• Filter cake builds excessively.
• Circulation may be low.
• Water loss may be high.
• Long time between trips.
• Increased circulating pressure.
Under Gauged Hole
Prevention:
• Keep filter cake tough and thin.
• Make frequent short trips.
• Circulate hole before tripping.
• Back ream before connections
Solutions:
• Free point and back off.
• Jar.
• Washover.
Junk in Hole
Types of Junk
• Rig hand tools
• Bit cones
• Wiper plugs
• Float shoe debris
• Shot debris
Junk in Hole
• Prevention.
• Keep hole covered.
• Keep tools picked up.
• Solutions:
• Remove drill string if possible.
• Magnets or Jet Junk Basket in hard.
formation.
• Junk Baskets in soft formation.
• Backoff and jarring assembly
• Washover
Junk Retrieval Tools
Jarring Assembly
Jarring Assemblies
• Oil Jars provide means to apply an
Intensifier
upward impact on a stuck fish Jar
• Bumper jars provide free travel to Mass
assist in engaging the fish and allow Drill
Collars
downward blows to be transmitted to
the fish or the engaging device. Oil Jar
• Accelerator jars store energy above
Jar
the drill collars increasing the impact
efficiency of the oil jars.
Bumper Jar
Features and Benefits:
• Provides free travel
– for jarring down
– to provide “soft touch”
when screwing into a
fish
– assist in releasing
overshot both down
hole and at surface
• High tensile and
torsional yield
Oil Jar
Features and Benefits:
• Delivers high upward impact
• Degree of impact is controlled from
surface
• Open ID for wireline operations
• High tensile and torsional yield
Drill Collars
Drill collars provide the mass required to make the
impact of the jar effective.
The force from the upward movement of mass is
transmitted through the knocker in the oil jar
Accelerator or Intensifier Jars
Features and Benefits:
• Improves efficiency of Oil Jars
• Lessens impact on work string and
derrick
• Open ID for wireline operations
• High tensile and torsional yield
Wireline Services
Wireline and Manual Backoffs
Manual Stuck Drill String Stuck Drill String
Pipe Severing
• Blind backoff.
Wireline
• Freepoint and
backoff services
• Chemical and
jet cuts
• Pipe severing
Free Point and Back-off Tools
A collar locator detects molecular
changes in pipe. This makes it
possible to detect connections in
the string and correlate DPM to
WLM.
Free Point and Back-off Tools
A free point indicator measures
elongation or twisting caused by
overpull or torque applied to the
string
Backoff Risks
• Casing Shoe Depth
• Washouts
• Doglegs
Washover Services
Washing Over the Fish
A washover assembly is
used when jarring has
failed to free a fish.
The washover assembly
includes the following:
• Washover shoe
• Washpipe
• Top sub
Washpipe and Top Sub
The primary function of washpipe is to allow a
large section of fish to be swallowed.
The top sub acts as an X-over to the jarring
BHA.
METAL MUNCHER®
Rotary Shoe
• The METAL MUNCHER
aggressive cutting insert
• Inserts backed up by
SUPERLOY
• Longer milling life
• Wide variety of types
• Available in all washpipe sizes
Washover Shoe
Tooth Type “A” and “B”
• Manufactured from heat-treated
Type A
Type A Rotary Shoe alloy steel
• Wide variety of types
• Easily modified to suit purpose
• Dressing with SUPERLOY
FS FS Type B
Type B
• Available in all washpipe
connections
Washover Shoe
Tooth Type “E” and “F”
• Manufactured from heat-treated
alloy steel
FS Type E
• Wide variety of types
• Easily modified to suit purpose
• Dressing with SUPERLOY
FS Type F
• Available in all washpipe
connections
Washover Shoes
Type “J” and “K”
Type J
Type K
Washover Shoes
Washover shoes are designed to
perform the following functions:
• Mill clearance between the fish
Type G and the formation
• Mill away junk from around a
fish
• Mill away a keyseat
• Mill off stabilizer blades
Type H
Recovering the Drill String
• Engaging the fish
• Jarring
• Washing over
• Milling
The Preferred Method of Engaging a
Fish
When ever possible, the string should be
screwed back together
Features and Benefits:
• Maximum allowable circulation
• Maximum torque may be applied
• Cannot accidentally release
• Maximum strength for jarring
• No Internal Restrictions
Desired Features of Engaging Devises
• Releasable
• Full and positive circulation
• Full bore for wireline application
• High tensile and torsional strength
• Can transmit high tensile and torsional loads on
fish
Engaging Devices
Bowen Series Bowen Itco
70 Short Releasing Tri-State Type
Bowen Series
Catch Spear “D” Spear
150 Overshot
Overshot
Overshot
Advantages:
• Full Circulation.
• Releasable.
• Full Opening for Wireline.
• Wide range of accessories.
• Transmit Torque in Tension
• Availability.
G
• Large Selection of Sizes.
Accessories for the Bowen Series 150
Overshot
Bowen Series 70 Short Catch Overshot
Features and Benefits
• Will engage short fish neck
• Releasable
• Will transmit torque while in tension
• Allows use of wireline
• Large selection of sizes
Bowen Itco Releasing Spear
Features and Benefits
• Engages fish internally
• Releasable
• Will transmit torque while in tension
• Larger sizes allow use of wireline
• Large selection of sizes
• Accessories allow circulation
Tri-State Type “D” Spear
Features and Benefits
• Engages fish internally
• Can be set for right-hand or left-
hand release
• Will transmit torque while in tension
(vertical wicker slips available)
• Larger sizes allow use of wireline
• Large selection of sizes
• Accessories allow circulation
• Slips do not contact wall during TIH
Taper and Box Taps
Pros:
• Wide catch range
• Box Tap has a small ratio of
OD to Catch size
Cons:
• Unreleasable
• Limits further fishing options
Junk Milling
Wireline Fishing
Radio Active Source Logging Tools
Due to the radio active
source, these tools must be
recovered from a well
bore.
Wireline Stripping
Features and Benefits:
• Wireline stays attached to logging tool until it has
been engaged by overshot
• Wireline tension keeps tool from laying under
ledge
• Wireline guides overshot over fish
• Has 95% one trip success rate
Wireline Stripping Box
Fishing Wireline
Fishing Wireline in Openhole
• Never attempt to push
wire down
• Never run stop sub
• Do not rotate excessively
• Jars should be run several
stands above spear
• Do not pass wire by more
then 50’ to 100’
Whipstock, Sidetrack, or Plugback?
• Unfortunately, we do not always get the problem solved in
the first or second attempt. Some fishing jobs are very
difficult. Patience is needed on these types of operations.
Complex fishing jobs are like a puzzle, they must be
solved 1 step at a time.
• There comes a time in all fishing jobs, when the chance of
success has to be weighed against the cost. If the best
choice is not working, what are the alternatives? Is the hole
valuable enough to keep fishing?
• Usually the Drilling Superintendent knows the cost
limitations of the job, and will be the person to make this
decision.
