High-Angle Hole
Cleaning
What Affects High Angle Hole Cleaning?
Formation
Mud Weight ROP
Rotation Cuttings
Velocity Profile Hole Cleaning Hole Angle
Eccentricity Inclined Length
Rheology Flow Regime
Annular Velocity
Planning, the Key to Hole Cleaning
• High Annular Velocities
- Adequate rig pumps
- Mud rheology to minimize pressure losses in drill pipe
• Optimize solids control equipment to minimize plastic viscosity
which raises pressure losses
• High Yield Points and low “n” values reduce system pressure
losses
- Maximize drill pipe OD
• Decreases drill string pressure losses and maximizes flow rates
• Reduced annular space increases velocity
- Use inhibitive muds to maintain gauge hole
Planning, the Key to Hole Cleaning
• Rotate the drill string – no slide drilling
- Steerable rotating heads
- Titanium drill pipe through short radius sections
• Rotate and circulate hole clean before tripping
- Two to four times “Bottoms Up Time”
• No Back Reaming
- Under cuts build sections
- Builds cuttings bed dunes
• Compare hydraulics “What should be” with PWD “What is” for
difference indicating bed buildup
Optimum
hole-cleaning 1
conditions for
one interval may 2
be inadequate 3 4
in another
“Boycott” settling accelerates bed
formation, especially in the build section
Clarified Fluid
Suspension Zone
Sag (Sediment) Bed
Slump
Annular Geometry
Horizontal Wells
High
AV
Low AV
Turbulence
Easy Annular Diameter
Laminar Flow
Likely
Small Large
No
Beds Fluid Choice
Fluid Choice
Critical More Beds
Not as Critical
Mud Weight
Deviated Wells
• Wellbore stability crucial
• Mud weight helps stabilize wellbore
• Collapse tendency increases with angle
Effect of Flow Rate on Pressure Losses, Impact Force & Hydraulic Horsepower
3000
2750
2500
Maximum Allowable Surface Pressure
Pressure Loss, Impact Force, & Hydraulic Horsepower
Bit Pressure Loss Drill String & Annular Losses
2250
2000
1750
Optimized for Hyd. Horsepower
1500
Optimized for Impact Force
1250
1000
750 Hydraulic Impact Force
500
250 Hydraulic Horsepower
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Flow rate, gpm
Measurement - Rotational Viscometer
Torsion Spring
Inner Cylinder
Bearing Shaft
Rotor
Bob
Cup
Interpretation of VG Readings
• Plastic Viscosity, centipoise
- PV, cp = Rdg600 - Rdg300
• Yield Point, lbs/100 ft2
- YP, lbs/100 ft2 = (Rdg300 - PV)
- YP, lbs/100 ft2 = 2(Rdg300) - Rdg600
• Initial Gel, lbs/100 ft2
- Static Rdg3 10 sec after stirring
• 10 minute Gel, lbs/100 ft2
- Static Rdg3 10 minutes after stirring
Viscosity
V2 - V1 Fluid Layer #2
V2, ft/sec
d, ft
Fluid Layer #1
V1, ft/sec
V2 , ft sec V1 ft
Shear Rate , sec 1 sec
d , ft
Shear Stress Force , lbs100 ft 2 to Maintain Shear Rate
Shear Stress , lbs100 ft 2
Vis cos ity or
Shear Rate , sec 1
Viscosity, cp
• Shear Rate = 1.703 X VG rpm
• Shear Stress = 1.0678 X VG rdg
• Metric conversion factor = 478.9
• Therefore:
10678
. VGrdg
, cp 478.9
1703
. VGrpm
or:
VG rdg
, cp = 300.28
VGrpm
Viscosity from VG Rdgs
(Illustration of Shear Thinning)
• Rdg600 = 50
- Viscosity = 300(50/600) = 25 cp
• Rdg300 = 30
- Viscosity = 300(30/300) = 30 cp
• Rdg100 = 13
- Viscosity = 300(13/100) = 39 cp
• Rdg3 = 5
- Viscosity = 300(5/3) = 500 cp
Skewed velocity
profiles are not
conducive to
cuttings transport
PWD Comparison:
Gulf of Mexico
ECDRT
RT
/ PWD
Match
No PWD R-T
Variance
Kick
The Rules
Inclination
• RT 1- Of the four hole-cleaning ranges, the intermediate
(30 ° to 60 °) typically is the most troublesome.
• RT 2- The upper and lower limits of each hole-cleaning
range should be considered only as guidelines, since all are
affected by factors which influence bed stability, including
cuttings characteristics, drilling fluid properties, and
borehole roughness.
Well Bore Geometry
• RT 3- Boycott settling can accelerate bed formation,
particularly in 40 ° - 50 ° intervals.
• RT 4- Hole-Cleaning parameters considered optimum for
one interval may be inadequate in another interval in the
same well.
• RT 5- Cuttings accumulate in intervals of decreased
annular velocity and can “avalanche” when circulation
stops if the inclination is less than about 50 to 60°.
Mud Type
• RT 6- The mud systems considered for highly deviated
wells should be modified versions of those proven
effective in vertical and near-vertical offsets in the area.
• RT 7- Drilling fluids with similar rheological properties
will provide comparable hole-cleaning, provided cuttings
characteristics remain constant.
• RT 8- An inhibitive mud helps hole-cleaning in reactive
formations.
Cuttings Beds
• RT 9- Cuttings beds are easy to deposit, difficult to
remove.
• RT 10- “Enhanced “ suspensions minimize the formation
of cuttings beds.
Velocity Profile
• RT 11- The skewed, laminar-flow velocity distribution,
caused by pipe eccentricity and highly non-Newtonian
fluids, is not conducive to cuttings transport.
• RT 12- A highly skewed velocity profile makes it essential
to minimize formation of a cuttings bed on the low side of
the hole.
• RT 13- Density stratification in weighted muds aggravates
the skewing of the velocity profile.
Velocity
• RT 14- An increase in annular velocity improves hole
cleaning, regardless of the flow regime.
• RT 15- At high angles, bed height is inversely proportional
to annular velocity.
• RT 16- The cuttings transport mechanism is largely a
function of annular velocity.
Flow Regime
• RT 17- Laminar flow is preferred if formations are
sensitive to erosion.
• RT 18- Turbulent flow is effective in high-angle, small-
diameter intervals in competent formations.
Rheology
• RT 19- Hole-cleaning capacity in laminar flow is
improved by elevated low shear-rate viscosity and gel
strengths.
• RT 20- It is easier to achieve desired rheological properties
in certain mud systems.
• RT 21- It is easier to maintain proper rheological
properties in a “clean” mud system.
Sweeps
• RT 22- Usually, low-velocity, viscous sweeps are
ineffective in high-angle intervals if the pipe is not rotated
or reciprocated.
• RT 23- Turbulent sweeps can help hole cleaning if the flow
rate is high and the volume of the sweep is adequate.
Pipe Rotation
• RT 24- Pipe rotation is more effective in viscous muds.
• RT 25- Pipe rotation (and reciprocation) can improve hole
cleaning.
Mud Weight
• RT 26- Mud weight increases the buoyant force on the
cuttings and helps hole cleaning.
• RT 27- Weight material can “sag” out of a mud and
combine with the cuttings bed in high-angle intervals.
• RT 28- Hole-cleaning and well bore instability are best
corrected by changing the mud weight.
Chevron Alba ERD
Lessons Learned
Posted to Internet, March 23, 2000
Geoff Holmes
Chevron Europe
http://www.dea-europe.com/meet/dea00/1Q00/chevron.pdf
Chevron Alba
• Alba Northern Platform designed with minimum
facilities and commissioned in 1992
• Alba Southern platform planned but cancelled in 1993
- Drilling technology expected to improve
- ERD’s would be possible
• 20,000 ft departure
• 6,500 ft TVD
• 83º tangent
Chevron, Alba A27
• A27 successfully drilled to 19,000 ft before any
problems occurred
- Lost 12¼” hole after drilling to TD during wiper trip prior to
running 95/8” X 10¾” casing
- Earlier, 12¼” experienced shallow “significant” wellbore
instability problems after drilling to 18,855’ trouble free
- Practice related problems could have damaged shallow
formations
• A27 drilled in top reservoir for 95/8” casing point
Chevron, Alba A28
• 133/8” casing set deeper to cover Upper Lark
• Significant wellbore instability in 12¼” hole
• Successfully “floated” production casing to TD
- Lost circulation while running and cementing casing
• 8½” Section drilled only 8ft
- Planned to use contingency 75/8” liner
• Unable to overcome severe shale stability problems in rat hole
below 95/8” shoe
Chevron Alba Field
(Lessons Learned)
• Hole Cleaning Practices
- Significantly longer circulation periods are required
• Expect minimum 2 - 3 X B/U and often >4 X B/U
• Often don’t see cuttings flush until after 2 X B/U
• Previous Alba Best Practice formula <2 X B/U
• Remember: Back reaming does not save time!
- Need higher RPM at all times
• Requires change in directional strategy to implement
• Must be able to rotate at >120 rpm off bottom at all times
• 80 - 100 rpm not good enough to clean hole
Chevron Alba Field
(Lessons Learned)
• Back reaming in high angle wells?
- A cuttings bed exists that can be tripped through
safely.
- However, when back reaming or pumping out:
• These once safe cuttings are cleared from the BHA and
piled up in a dangerously high dune above the BHA
• The cuttings dune usually moves very slowly
- Back reaming RPM is usually to slow for cleaning
- If pumping out, cuttings dune will not move at all
• When tight hole is encountered, BHA is enveloped in cuttings
- Breaking circulation and/or rotation poses immediate threat of
packing off.
Chevron Alba Field
(Key Recommendations)
• Well Design:
- Minimize risk of wellbore instability
• Isolate troublesome shales
• Changes to Cleaning, Drilling, and Tripping Practices
- 12¼” hole: strategies built around hole cleaning
- 8½” hole: strategies built around ECD management
• Waterbase mud in 8½” for gravel pack
Chevron Alba Field
(Strategies Drilling 16” Surface)
• Key Issues (in order of priority)
- Quality build section (for future T&D)
- Smooth tangent section
- Efficiency
• Minimum 2 BHA strategy
- First BHA planned for quality build section
- Second BHA planned for tangent
• Consider pilot hole for best quality surface hole
Chevron Alba Field
(Drilling Strategies 12¼” Intermediate)
• Key Issues (in order of priority)
- Hole cleaning
- Wellbore quality (tortuosity)
- Directional control
- Efficiency
• Drilling strategy must be designed entirely around hole
cleaning
- Want 100% rotary drilling
- Want >120 rpm on bottom and off bottom at all times
Chevron Alba Field
(Drilling Strategies 8½” Production)
• Key Issues (in order of priority)
- ECD’s
- Directional control
- Hole cleaning
- Efficiency
- Tapered drillstring to optimize drilling parameters
Chevron Alba Field
• ERD Drilling Strategies from Chevron Experience
- For each hole section, the primary issues must be
clearly understood, and then the directional drilling
strategy must be built specifically to manage these
issues (such as hole cleaning, T&D, ECDs)
- System approach, rather than off-the-shelf approach
Shell Statjord Field
Tern Alpha
Well TA-05
http://www.spe-http://www.uk.org/uk/articles/r
eviews/sperev2.html
Shell, Statjord Field, Tern Alpha, Well TA-05
• Drill 17½” hole to 6,080’ MD with water based mud.
- Maximum angle 45°
• Drill 13,000’ of 12¼” hole with low rheology oil based mud (YP of
12 to 18)
- Maximum angle 82 °
- Low Gravity Solids < 5.5% volume
• Drill 8½” hole to TD, 21,082’ MD with oil mud
- Drop angle
• Horizontal reach; 16,000’
Shell, Statjord Field, Tern Alpha, Well TA-05
• Hole Cleaning in 12¼” and 8½”Sections
- Low YP and LGS to promote turbulent flow
- High Annular Velocities
• Drill string: 6,000 ft of 6 5/8” DP, 10,500’ of 5½” DP,
and 8” bottom hole assembly
• 750 gpm at 4,200 psi
- Drill String Rotation: 120 rpm optimum
Shell, Statjord Field, Tern Alpha, Well TA-05
• Circulation periods at maximum rpm and flow rate to ensure
adequate hole cleaning
- Observe shaker 0.5 to 1.0 hour after every stand
- After orientation intervals, increased to twice time required
to get bottoms up
• High weight viscous pills effective in build sections, but not in
high angle intervals
• Drag charts to monitor for cuttings beds build-up
• Wiper trips: few required
• Back reaming: none
Hole Cleaning
Summary
• High-to-Intermediate Angles the worst (45-75° most
difficult)
• Increased annular velocity improves hole cleaning,
regardless of flow regime
• Elevated low-shear-rate viscosities and gel strengths
improve cleaning
• Drill pipe rotation is key to controlling cuttings beds
Taylor Green David Reynolds
[email protected] [email protected]
(281) 561-1443 (281) 561 - 1618
M-I L.L.C.
5950 North Course Drive
Houston, Texas 77072
