STUCK PIPE DO’S & DON’TS
FOCUS ENERGY LTD.
BRETT HOLTE
2/6/2020
2/7/2020
STUCK PIPE IDENTIFICATION
• CRITICAL TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM!
• WHY IS PIPE OR BHA STUCK?
• OPERATION AT TIME OF OCCURRENCE (DRILLING, TRIPPING, REAMING OR NPT)
• THE ANSWER WILL POINT TO THE SOLUTION OR IMMEDIATE NEXT STEP
FLOW-CHART
• WE WON’T SPEND TIME DISCUSSING THE METHOD IN WHICH WE BECAME STUCK. WHAT WE
WILL FOCUS ON IS PREVENTION.
• DRILLERS KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING PRIOR TO GETTING STUCK. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION
TO THE TRENDS. THE SHAKERS ARE YOUR FRIEND, THEY TALK TO YOU!!! PLAY CLOSE
ATTENTION!!!
• INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED AND SHARED WITH YOUR RELIEF – UP, DOWN
WEIGHTS, HOLE DRAG, FORMATION, PRESSURES.
• EVERY CONNECTION WRITE DOWN STRING WEIGHT – UP, DN, ROT. PUMPS ON, PUMPS OFF.
EVERY 100M OR FORMATION CHANGE PICK UP STRING WITHOUT PUMP AND RECORD WEIGHT,
SLACK OFF STRING AND RECORD WEIGHT. IF HOLE CONDITIONS ALLOW.
STUCK PIPE PREVENTION
• THE BEST METHOD IS PREVENTION AND AVOIDANCE….NOT TO BE
CONFUSED WITH IGNORANCE.
• UNDERSTAND STICKING MECHANISMS (DIFFERENTIAL OR
MECHANICAL STICKING)
• PLAN TO AVOID STICKING PROBLEMS, RECOGNIZE PROBLEMS REAL
TIME.
• TAKE PROPER ACTIONS WHILE DRILLING
• USE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US
• COMMUNICATION, WE ARE A TEAM AND WE ARE ONLY AS STRONG AS
THE SKILLS WE EXERT.
SOLIDS INDUCED PACK- OFF CAUSES &
•
PREVENTION
FORMATION MOVEMENT – FRACTURES AND FAULTS. THESE ARE OUT OF OUR
CONTROL AND THE ONLY PREVENTION IS GOOD DRILLING PRACTICES
• INADEQUATE HOLE CLEANING, MUD PROPERTIES, FLOW RATE, ANNULAR
VELOCITY, BIT HYDRAULICS
• UNCONSOLIDATED FORMATIONS, WEAK BONDING OR LOOSELY COMPACTED.
INSUFFICIENT HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE TO HOLD BACK FORMATION. SPOT
GEL/WEIGHTED PILL PRIOR TO POOH.
• CONTROL DRILL AS TO NOT OVERLOAD HOLE WITH FINES AND CUTTINGS, USE
HI-VIS TANDEM SWEEPS. MAINTAIN MUD VISCOSITY TO LIMIT USE OF SWEEPS AS
THEY CAN SHOCK THE HOLE.
• HOLE PROBLEMS HAPPEN ON OVER-SPENT WELLS, WHERE THE HOLE IS OPEN OR
DRILLED WITH LOW PENETRATION RATES. OPTIMIZE DRILLING AND
CONNECTION TIMES
MOBILE/PLASTIC/FAULTED/FRACTURED/O
VER-PRESSURED/REACTIVE FORMATION
• PROPER MUD WEIGHT TO PREVENT OVERBURDEN
• INCREASE MUD WEIGHT IF POSSIBLE
• USE UNDER SATURATED MUD, PUMP FRESH WATER SWEEPS. FRESH WATER SWEEPS
WITH ADDED SUN-SWEEP ARE AMAZING AT HOLE CLEANING BUT THEIR USE SHOULD
BE LIMITED
• CONTROL DRILL, REAM CONNECTIONS AND ANTICIPATE REAMING DURING POOH/RIH.
SINGLES CAN BE LAID DOWN WHILE PUMPING OUT OR ONCE IN CASING SHOE
• USE INHIBITED MUD, LIMIT EXPOSURE TIMES, OPEN HOLES BREAK DOWN AND
COLLAPSE IF LEFT WITHOUT CIRCULATION TOO LONG. 12 HOURS CAN MAKE OR
BREAK A WELL. NPT AND MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE NEED TO BE LIMITED AND
PLANNED TO BE CARRIED OUT AT PROPER TIMES
DIFFERENTIAL STICKING CAUSES
• HIGH DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURES DUE TO EXCESSIVE
MUD WEIGHT, DRAWN DOWN FORMATIONS.
FORMATION HAS ABNORMAL PRESSURE AND MOVES
WITH PRESSURE EXERTION
• WELL BORE CONTACT, POOR BHA DESIGN
• POOR FILTER CAKE
• LITTLE OR NO PIPE MOTION, SITTING ONE SPOT TOO
LONG. NPT, POOR CONNECTION TIMES
DIFFERENTIAL STICKING PREVENTION
• MINIMIZE MUD WEIGHT, LOWER MUD WEIGHTS RESULT IN
BETTER ROP SO IT ACTUALLY BENEFITS THE DRILLER
• IMPROVE FILTER CAKE, MUD ENGINEER IN
COMMUNICATION WITH DRILLER
• CASING DESIGN, USE PROPER BHA FOR CASING SIZE
• MINIMIZE CONTACT AREA, IF ENTERING PROBLEMATIC
ZONES REMOVE STABILIZERS, USE SPIRAL DC’S, HWDP IF
BIT WEIGHT IS REQUIRED.
• BHA LENGTH APPROPRIATE FOR HOLE TO BE DRILLED
• ALWAYS KEEP PIPE MOVING WHILE CIRCULATING
MECHANICAL STICKING CAUSES
• DOG LEGS. WE DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE AS WELL IS VERTICAL
• KEY SEATING. VERY UNLIKELY UNLESS DIRECTIONAL WELL 0-30
• UNDER GAUGE HOLE, UNDER GAUGE BIT, REAMERS OR
STABILIZERS
• LEDGES DUE TO FORMATION MOVEMENT OR DRASTIC CHANGE
IN HOLE SIZE
• SHOE JOINT BACK OFF, GREEN CEMENT,
MECHANICAL STICKING PREVENTION
• MAKE FREQUENT WIPER TRIPS, REAM HOLE SECTIONS IF
REQUIRED. OFTEN A DEDICATED REAMER RUN IS PERFORMED
• ALWAYS GAUGE BITS, REAMERS AND STABILIZERS DURING POOH
AND BEFORE RIH. MUST BE REPORTED
• USE GAUGE PROTECTION. MATRIX BODY BITS WHEN NECESSARY
• RUN PACKED HOLE ASSEMBLIES, REAM PROBLEM ZONES ON TRIPS
AS TO KEEP WELLBORE IN GOOD CONDITION
• AGAIN, WORK CONNECTIONS 2-3 TIMES.
• DON’T OVER-DISPLACE CEMENT, DRILL OUT SHOE EQUIPMENT
CAREFULLY
• WASH DOWN TO T.O.C. OUR WAIT TIMES ARE MUCH LONGER THAN
REQUIRED SO GREEN CEMENT IS UNLIKELY BUT CAN HAPPEN DUE
INADEQUATE HOLE CLEANING
• THERE ARE ONLY 2 THINGS IN THE HOLE (MUD + STEEL) IT IS
PRETTY HARD FOR US TO F**K UP STEEL
• MUD PROPERTIES NEED TO BE KEPT IN BEST CONDITION FOR HOLE
SIZE
• PUMP RATES, ANNULAR VELOCITIES AND USING HIGH FLOW RATES
KEEP THE CUTTINGS MOVING.
• ERRATIC PUMP PRESSURES, DECREASE IN CUTTINGS AT SHAKERS
• HOLE CLEANING IS USUALLY PROBLEMATIC IN DIRECTIONAL
WELLS
• BEST HOLE CLEANING 0-30DEGREES AND 60-90DEGREES
• POOREST HOLE CLEANING 30-60 DEGREES
SOLVING THE PROBLEM
• WE HAVE DETERMINED OUR STUCK PIPE MECHANISM
• WHAT DO WE DO NOW? REFER TO STUCK PIPE FLOW CHART
• DO WE HAVE JARS IN THE HOLE? WHAT IS WEIGHT ABOVE AND BELOW JARS
• CAN WE CIRCULATE? DO WE HAVE ACCURATE PRESSURES, DO WE HAVE
RETURNS AT THE SHAKERS?
• CAN WE WORK PIPE? HOW MUCH WORKING HEIGHT IS THERE?
• WHAT DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE? FRESH WATER, ACID, SAPP??
SOLIDS INDUCED PACK OFF 1ST ACTION
• STOP PUMPS AND BLEED PRESSURE TO 500PSI.
• HOLD PRESSURE AND INCREASE ROTARY TO HALF OF DRILL PIPE MAKE UP
TORQUE
• DO NOT APPLY OVER PULL OR SLACK OFF
• TRY PUMPING IF PRESSURE BLEEDS OFF
• BEGIN WORKING PIPE UP AND DOWN
• START BY PULLING 10T UP AND SLACKING 10T DOWN. YOU NEED TO KNOW
STRING WEIGHT WITH LOWER PRESSURES SO IT IS GOOD TO TAKE WEIGHTS
WHEN MUD PROPERTIES CHANGE, FORMATION CHANGE OR WHEN IN DOUBT
• IF NOT EFFECTIVE INCREASE PULL TO 15T AND SLACK TO 15T
• AFTER SUPERVISOR IS INFORMED WE CAN PULL TO 20T AND SLACK TO 20T OR NO
MORE THAN 80% OF BHA WEIGHT
• LAST RESORT WILL BE TO FIRE JARS
SOLIDS INDUCED PACK OFF 2ND ACTION
• JAR UNTIL JAR QUITS FIRING OR COMPANY
DECIDES TO GO ANOTHER ROUTE
• BACK OFF AND WASH OVER
• CEMENT AND SIDETRACK
DIFFERENTIAL STICKING 1ST ACTION
• CIRCULATE AT MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE RATE
• SET COMPRESSION AND APPLY TORQUE TO 50% OF MAKE
UP TORQUE
• PULL TENSION AND APPLY TORQUE TO 50% OF MAKE UP
TORQUE
DIFFERENTIAL STICKING 2ND ACTION
• ATTACK FILTER CAKE
• SPOT THINNING FLUID
• RULES OF THUMB IT MUST BE SPOTTED WITHIN 4 HRS OF BEING
STUCK, LET SOAK A MINIMUM OF 20HRS AND MAXIMUM OF 40 HRS.
IF STUCK FOR MORE THAN 16HRS DO NOT SPOT
• SPOT THINNING FLUID AT HIGHEST ALLOWABLE PUMP RATE
• WORK PIPE UP/DOWN AND APPLY TORQUE WHILE SOAKING
• REDUCE HYDROSTATIC BY CUTTING MUD WEIGHT
• POSSIBLY GAS KICK THE PIPE FREE
• LASTLY BACK OFF AND WASH OVER
MECHANICAL STICKING 1ST & 2ND ACTION
• MAINTAIN CIRCULATION
• JAR IN DIRECTION OF LAST PIPE MOVEMENT
• IF POOH WHEN STUCK – JAR UP
• IF RIH WHEN STUCK – JAR DOWN
• IF ON BOTTOM – JAR UP
• IF REAMING AND BIT IS STUCK – JAR DOWN
• BACK OFF AND WASH OVER
FRESH WATER/OIL PILLS
• FRESH WATER/BASE OIL PILLS SHOULD BE SPOTTED AND LET SOAK
IN STUCK ZONE
• CAN APPLY OVERPULL WHILE SOAKING
• IF NO IMPROVEMENT WITHIN 2HRS
• REPEAT THIS ACTION UNTIL ALTERNATE DECISION IS MADE
• KEEP IN MIND THEY CAN REDUCE HYDRO-STATIC AND WELL CAN
FLOW
DRILLING JARS
• WHY DO WE NEED THEM?
• DOWNHOLE TOOLS AND BHA ARE COSTLY, JARS ACT AS AN
INSURANCE
• ALLOW US TO JAR IMMEDIATELY AFTER BECOMING STUCK
• MINIMIZE LOADS ON SURFACE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• JARRING ALLOWS US TO TRY SOMETHING WHILE TOOLS AND
JARRING PROBLEMS
• IN MY EXPERIENCE PEOPLE THINK JARS DON’T WORK, THE TRUTH BEING IS
THEY DON’T KNOW HOW THEY WORK OR UNDERSTAND THEM
• INCORRECT WEIGHT, OVER PULL APPLIED
• EX. JAR UP LATCH IS 50T, JAR DOWN LATCH IS 45T AND STRING WEIGHT IS 100T.
WE NEED TO KNOW THE WEIGHT BELOW THE JAR AND THEN WE KNOW HOW
MUCH WEIGHT IS REQUIRED TO COCK AND FIRE JAR. IF OUR WEIGHT BELOW
JAR IS 15T AND WE WANT TO JAR UP. CALCULATION IS SIMPLE UP LATCH +
WEIGHT BELOW JAR + STRING WEIGHT = FORCE REQUIRED TO COCK JAR. 50T +
15T + 100T = 165T. THE CALCULATION IS SAME FOR JARRING DOWN
• STUCK ABOVE THE JAR
• TOO MANY CIRCULATING HRS, SEALS FAILED, MECHANISM FAILED
• JAR IS NOT FELT AT SURFACE, TRAPPED TORQUE AT JAR
• PUMP OPEN FORCE IS TOO HIGH
• PATIENCE AND KNOW HOW OR LACK THERE OF
• IMPORTANT TO TEST JARS AND PLACE THEM CORRECTLY
• QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION POINTS
• EXPERIENCES WITH STUCK PIPE
• WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE BEST ACTIONS?
• ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS I AM AVAILABLE 24HRS/365DAYS
• I WOULD RATHER BE WOKEN UP TO HELP YOU THAN STAND BEHIND YOU
DURING FISHING OPERATIONS
