sPETochnowgy____________________________
Today SERIES
Economics of Fishing
Introduction
Fishing usually is needed when least expect-
ed and brings a sudden halt to operations,
especially if the drill string becomes stuck.
Reaction planning begins at this time unless
the drilling project was planned properly
from the outset. That reaction planning is
not good and should not be done is not the
question. What is important is to establish
the facts. What caused the drillstring to be-
come stuck? What should be done to free
the drillstring? What will the cost be? This
paper addresses these questions. It also em-
phasizes the importance of routine, continu-
ous, but often unrewarded, effort by
operation personnel.
This paper presents one viewpoint for
evaluating alternatives to fishing, for retriev-
ing a fish compared with sidetracking, and
for using economics and risk factors in the
decision-making process. These alternatives
are compared in Fig. 1. The discussion in-
cludes factors that can prevent fishing, such
as drillstring inspection, and that can cause
fishing, such as poor mud programs and
differential-pressure sticking. An example
illustrates decision-making processes in-
volved in recovering or sidetracking the fish
when the drillstring is stuck by differential
pressure. Even though this is only one of
many causes for fishing, the process used
to evaluate the economics may be applied .
to many other operations. The goal is to pro-
vide a usable wellbore at the lowest ultimate
cost.
Planning Precludes Fishing
DriUstring. The most economical method
of fishing is to develop a drilling plan that
precludes factors and operations that may
result in fishing. The most important rule
in any drilling operation is to ensure that the
drillstring, especially the bottomhole assem-
bly (BHA), is designed for the specific drill-
ing conditions and inspected before a well
is begun. Additional inspections may be nec-
essary to preclude a fatigue failure or to en-
sure that the maximum anticipated loads can
be handled safely.
Another critical factor is inspection of all
threads on rental equipment and fishing and
Now retired.
Copyright 1993 Society of Petroleum Engineers
402
c.s. Adkins, * SPE, Mitchell Energy
directional tools planned for use. The com-
plete string, from the top of the kelly to the
bottom connection in the drillstring, should
be inspected.
Economics or risk evaluation for justify-
ing costs can be evaluated by comparing the
cost of fishing and the cost of inspections
and the operations required to preclude fish-
ing. The typical cost to inspect a drillstring
before spudding and two BHA's during
drilling of a 30-day 12,000-ft well is about
$15,000. The cost for fishing at about
10,000 ft to recover part of a BRA in a clean
hole is roughly $20,000 (including lost rig
time and fishing expense). Some operators
include tubular inspection in prespud costs.
The costs cited are for land operations in the
U.S., but the principle applies to offshore
or remote operations. Inspection is cheaper
than fishing.
Circulating Fluid. Another important factor
in preventing fishing is use of a good mud
system. A good mud system will circulate
cuttings to the surface (clean the hole); pro-
vide a thin, impermeable fIlter cake (pre-
vent differential sticking); and maintain
wellbore stability (control shales). These
three characteristics have various degrees of
importance, depending on the drilling en-
vironment. It is extremely important to con-
sider a mud system designed to address these
items in initial drilling economics. A mud
system with poor properties can make the
drillstring very susceptible to sticking. This
often can be avoided with nominal expen-
ditures to improve mud properties.
Operating Practices. Many operating prac-
tices developed to preclude fishing are
generally accepted and peculiar to a specific
geologic province. One such practice that
will minimize the chances of the BHA stick-
ing in a keyseat is to add a stabilizer or a
keyseat wiper (with an OD larger than drill-
pipe tool joints and drill collars) at the top
of drill collars to guide the BRA around the
keyseat. The expense of one stabilizer is
minimal compared with the cost to recover
a stuck drillstring. Other practices that may
prevent fishing include frequent wiper trips,
controlled rates of penetration (ROP's), and
the pumping of viscous sweeps before trips.
Types of Fishing Jobs
Parted Drillstring and/or Tools. Fishing
for a parted string can be extremely expen-
sive and may be a reason to consider side-
tracking the fish. A normal job would
consist of running jars on a properly sized
overshot/grapple, latching onto the fish, and
pulling (may jar loose first) the fish out of
the hole. However, the fish top can be
damaged, which will require the fish top to
be dressed with a milling tool, or the fish
top may be difficult to locate, which will
mean several trips before the fish is engaged.
The fish may become stuck by the time it
is actually engaged with the fishing string.
Then, a procedure for removing the free
(unstuck) sections of the fish by "backing
off" becomes necessary. At this time, an ec-
onomic comparison between fishing or side-
tracking should be finalized. The decision
to continue fishing or to sidetrack should be
based on a comparison of the estimated cost
and associated risk of these alternatives.
Stuck Drillstring. Another type of fishing
involves a stuck drillstring. If differential
sticking is suspected, the first step usually
is to spot a special fluid around the drillstring
at the suspected stuck point to free the drill-
string. (A spotting fluid in the wellbore at
the stuck point will penetrate the filter cake
along the pipe and reduce the area subject
to differential pressure. The tension to move
the drillstring is decreased and the drillstring
often can be freed.) The cost to free a stuck
drill string with a spotting fluid is minimal
compared with backing off a free section and
then washing over to free additional sec-
tions. Therefore, the first step should be to
use a spotting fluid. If this procedure does
not free the stuck string, a free point with
or without a stuck-pipe log (similar to a
cement-bond log) is run to determine the up-
permost stuck point. Then, fishing opera-
tions to retrieve the stuck string may begin.
Again, the decision to fish or to sidetrack
should be based on a comparison of their
estimated costs.
Economics of Fishing
or Sidetracking
The decision to fish or to sidetrack often in-
volves feelings about the ability of opera-
May 1993 JPT
 It{)IVIDUAL RISK AVERAGE
JOB COST COST FOR
~ ~ TEN JOBS

~ 38 3BB
(l

~
"The most economical
~
,c 3<45 398 23B.eBB method of fishing is to
~,
develop a drilling plan
~~~T ~W
STUCK. SPOT
that precludes factors
2Zl....M!! 2ll.Zl!i and operations that
24B 3BB may result in fishing."
TAO 3% eBe ~
(1

SAVINGS PER JOB OVER 18 JOBS TO SIOETRACK !I1DIATELY ~

Fig. 1-Risk cost analysis: fishing for stuck tools vs. immediate sidetrack.

tions personnel to perfonn fishing operations
successfully. Instead, risk factors based on
past performance should be the most impor-
tant part of the decision to attempt a fishing
job compared with the cost to sidetrack to
eliminate the fishing job. Such factors as
hole and casing sizes, tool availability, avail-
ability of knowledgeable fishing operators,
the area of drilling activity, and hole con-
ditions will affect the potential success of
a fishing job. Despite the many parameters
affecting fishing, assessing the basic costs
and economics should follow the basic
guidelines for estimating cost: estimate costs
of the various alternatives, apply the best es-
timate of risk factors, and make the best de-
cision possible with due consideration for
all known variables.
Evaluate for Completion "As Is." The
drilling group should review the objectives
outlined in the drilling program and consult
the geologist and reservoir engineer respon-
sible for the well before deciding whether
fishing is necessary. In some situations,
reserves above the fish may be sufficient to
justify completing the well after the section
of hole containing the fish has been aban-
doned. Perhaps objectives below the fish top
may be recoverable with an offset well.
Cost To Fish. The economic calculations
are relatively easy; but the success ratio (risk
factor) for fishing is not easy to ascertain.
Past performance for similar jobs should be
reviewed to determine the success ratio.
The estimated fishing cost should include
the days anticipated at the average total daily
operating cost, plus fishing tools and oper-
ator, plus the cost of damage to the recov-
ered fish. The sum of these costs, including
consideration of the success ratio (risk fac-
tor), should be used in an economic com-
parison. If fishing is unsuccessful, then the
remaining fish will need to be sidetracked.
Cost To Sidetrack. The estimated cost to
sidetrack and redrill should include the rig
days anticipated to reach the original depth
times the average total daily operating cost,
plus cement and tools to randomly sidetrack
the well around the fish. Days to reach origi-
nal total depth (TD) will include estimates
of time for setting the cement plug, kicking
off, and redrilling to original depth. Side-
tracking is not risk-free but is about 90%
successful.
Cost Comparison. The data for cost com-
parisons in Table 1 assume that the TD is
15,000 ft, with the top of fish at 14,000 ft,
and that the fish is differentially stuck. The
ROP averaged 150 ftlD below 14,000 ft,
and the total daily operating cost was
$12,000/day (including all mud treating,
rentals, supervision, etc.).
Fishing Cost Calculations. The estimated
daily fishing cost is the sum of the daily
operating cost ($12,000) and fishing services
($3,000), or $15,000/day. The fishing serv-
ices include operator, tools, and backoff
wireline. The estimated rate of recovery is
150 ftlD, which includes washing over, trip-
ping, screwing into the fish, backing off free
pipe, and tripping to wash over additional

TABLE i-WELL CONDITIONS AND TABLE 2-RISK ANALYSIS TABLE 3-RISK ANALYSIS
THE ECONOMICS OF FISHING FOR FISHING FOR SIDETRACK

Drilling Data Routine Fishing (33 0/0 risk factor) Routine Sidetrack (90% risk factor)
TD,ft 15,000 7 days of rig operation at 12 days of rig operation at
ROP, ft 150 $12,000/day 84,000 $12,000/day 144,000
Daily operating cost, $/day 12,000 Fishing costs 21,000 Directional costs 29,000
Fishing Data Repair damage to fish 10,000 Purchase fish to be
Total cost 115,000 sidetracked 50,000
Top of fish, ft 14,000
Estimated recovery rate, ftlD 150 Risk cost 38,300 Total cost 223,000
Cost (wirellne truck, fishing Risk cost 200,700
Troublesome Fishing (67()/o risk factor)
tools, and operator), $/day 3,000
7 days of rig operation at Troublesome Sidetrack (10% risk factor)
Values of fish, $/ft 50
Repairs to recovered fish, $ 10,000 $12,000/day 84,000 24 days of rig operation at
Success ratio (risk factor), % 33 Fishing costs 21,000 $12,Ooo/day 288,000
Repair damage to fish 0 Directionaf costs 58,000
Sidetrack Data
Sidetrack cost (risk cost Purchase fish to
Time to set cement plug, days 3 from below) 240,300 be sidetracked 50,000
Cement plug cost (300 ft in
Total cost 345,300 Total cost 396,000
83/4-in. hole), $ 6,000
Time to kickoff, days Risk cost 230,200 Risk cost 39,600
2
Mud motor cost (one run), $ 5,000 Cost of Each Job Assuming Risks Cost of Each Job Assuming Risk
Directional tools and operator,
Estimated cost of each of 10 Estimated cost of each of 10
$Iday 2,000
jobs using risk factors jobs using risk factors
Time to drill around fish, days 7
outlined above, $ 268,500 outlined above, $ 240,300
Success ratio (risk factor), % 90

JPT May 1993 403

 fish. Fishing operations can be routine until
Author
cuttings and/or barite settle, or small pieces
c.s. Adkins reo of junk fall to plug the inside of the drill-
tired in May 1992 string. This plugging will hamper further
after more than 40 wireline work and necessitate less efficient
years in the indus- operations if fishing is to continue. This pos-
try. He held engi- sibility reduces the success ratio to about
neering and opera- 25% (certainly no greater than 50%). For
tions assignments
with Mitchell Ener- purposes of this paper, the success ratio is
gy, Moran Bros., assumed to be 33 %.
Goldrus Dr1lllng, Sidetracking Cost Calculations. The es-
and Shell 011 Co. timated cost to sidetrack assumes the same
An Inherent responsibility in his assign- daily operating cost ($12,000) plus the cost
ments was evaluating the economics of of directional operator and tools plus the cost
fishing operations. Adkins holds a as of fish left in the hole. The first step is to
degree In agriculture from Louisiana set a cement plug, dress it off, and then use
State U. and an MS degree In mechanl
directional tools to kick off. (Sometimes,
cal engineering from the U. of Houston.
kicking off can be done in a favorable direc-
tion to penetrate the objective formation in
an optimum structural position.) The esti-
mated time required to set the cement plug
and to start kickoff is 3 days, and directional
drilling past the top of the fish is estimated
to take 2 days. The chances of completing
a sidetrack within the original cost estimate
are usually as high as 90 %.
Decision Plan. The decision plan should
include all factors that may be involved i.n
the operation. For this reason, spotting fluids
are covered to show the general case for this
economics of fishing.
Once drillstring is stuck, the time required
to get a spotting fluid in place is critical. The
ability for spotting fluids to free stuck strings
decreases rapidly (exponentially) with time.
One major operator states that a fish stuck
for 96 hours cannot be freed with a spot-
ting fluid. Therefore, spotting fluids should
be pumped as quickly as possible, preferably
in less than 6 to 8 hours. While the spotting
fluid is working, the fishing job should be
planned and fishing tools and the wireline
unit taken to location. The wireline is used
to determine the free point (stuck point) and
to back off. If the decision is to sidetrack,
then cement and tools to sidetrack should be
taken to location.
The concept is to allow 24 to 36 hours for
the spotting fluid to free the stuck string.
Then the operator should locate the free
point, back off one or two joints above it,
and be ready to begin fishing operations or
to sidetrack. An economic analysis to fish
or to sidetrack should have been made be-
fore this time and updated as existing con-
ditions change. The assumption is that,
should fishing operations become difficult,
sidetracking can begin immediately.
Operations that usually cause fishing to
be stopped are (1) loss of wireline tools in-
side the fish, (2) plugging of the inside of
the stuck string with barite or debris from
fishing, or (3) loss of a rotary shoe and/or
washpipe on the outside of the fish. Note
that the usual procedure is to back off and
recover all free driJlstring and then compare
the cost of fishing (washing over) the stuck
404
portion of the drillstring against the cost to
sidetrack around the stuck drill string .
Economics-Fish or Sidetrack. The ec-
onomics involved in the decision analysis for
immediate sidetrack or fishing under the
conditions described in Table I are de-
scribed below.
1. Fish 7 days, and sidetrack ifunsuccess-
ful. Assumptions included in the first sce-
nario in Table 2 are 7 rig days, fishing costs,
and repairs to fish recovered with a 33 % risk
factor. Included in the second scenario is the
added cost to sidetrack after failure of fish-
ing operations with a 67% risk factor.
2. Immediate sidetrack. Assumptions in-
cluded in the first scenario in Table 3 are
12 days to reach original TD, all directional
costs, and a 90% risk factor. Included in the
second is a 100% increase in cost resulting
from trouble with a 10% risk factor.
3. The savings per job for sidetracking
immediately. These savings are calculated
by subtracting the cost of each job assuming
risk for immediate sidetrack from the similar
cost for fishing. This difference, $28,200,
indicates that about 10% savings can be ac-
crued by starting to sidetrack immediately
rather than beginning fishing operations.
This statement assumes that the success/
failure ratios are valid. These ratios should
be evaluated for each job on the basis of past
experience and the conditions causing the
fishing job. Sidetracking is considered to in-
volve less risk than fishing, except in very
deep wells, in formations not conducive to
sidetracking, or if the value of the fish is ex-
ceptionally high. In these cases, the risk fac-
tors should be revised accordingly. Again,
past records should provide an adequate ap-
praisal of the risk for evaluating the econom-
ics for the specific job.
Review
Steps taken to reduce the potential for a fish-
ing job and the effort spent planning and ex-
ecuting fishing operations often are met with
skepticism. People with little or no operat-
ing expertise question the wisdom of making
these plans. Those personnel who attempt
to explain this planning and at the same time
supervise one of the most troublesome prob-
lems in drilling (fishing) are the unsung
heroes of the oil field. This paper is dedi-
cated to them.
SI Metric Conversion Factors
ft x 3.048* E-Ol = m
in. x 2.54* E+OO = em
'Conversion factor is exact.
This paper is SPE 20320. Technology Today Series arti-
cles provide useful summary information on both classic and
emerging concepts in petroleum engineering. Purpose: To
provide the general reader with a basic understanding of
a significant concept, technique, or development within a
specific area of technology.
JPT
May 1993 JPT