Sonatrach Hole Problems

INTRODUCTION TO HYDROCARBON EXPLOITATION
Development Phase
Introduction to Hydrocarbon Exploitation

Development Phase
Hole Problems
©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved
Abalt Solutions
NPT
“Any Event which causes drilling operations to

stop can be described as Non Productive Time
(NPT)”.
Drilling Technolo gy - Ho le Pro blems
Events such as Pipe sticking, lost circulation or

well kicks can lead to the hauling of operations
resulting in considerable NPT
Abalt Solutions
©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

Development Phase
Pipe Sticking
The sticking of drill pipe inside the borehole is one

of the main Hole problems associated with
Drilling Operations.
Drilling T echnology - H ole Prob le ms
Mechanisms:
 Differential Pipe Sticking
 Mechanical Pipe Sticking
Abalt Solutions
Differential Pipe Sticking
Causes
 Drill String comes in contact with filter cake

of a permeable zone subjected to a lower
pressure.
 The pressure differential across the filter

cake enables the drill string to be
embedded.
 Drill string further differentially stuck if side

load and over balance is higher on other
side.
 Pipe is differentially stuck if it cannot be

moved up, down or sideward.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Differential Sticking Force = (Mud Hydrostatic-Formation

Pressure) x effective area of contact x friction factor
Abalt Solutions
 Example:
Determine the magnitude of differential force across a permeable
zone of 50 ft in thickness using the following:
• Differential pressure-500 psi
• Area of contact-20% of drill pipe perimeter,
• filter cake =1/2 inch,

• friction factor=0.1
• Drill pipe OD =5”
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
 Solution
Perimeter of Drill Pipe= x OD =15.71 in
Differential force =(Hs-Pf) x h x 20% x 15.71
=500 x(50 ft x 12in) x 20% x
15.71
=942,600 lb
Abalt Solutions
Freeing Differential Pipe Sticking
Reduction of Hydrostatic Pressure

Spotting Pipe Release Agents
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Reduction of Hydrostatic Pressure
Reducing the Hydrostatic pressure will enable

the freeing of the pipe. The lowering of
hydrostatic pressure reduces the side loading
forces on the pipe and frees the pipe.
Considerations:
 Are there pressurised zones in the open hole.
 Will exposed zones kick if hydrostatic pressure
is reduced.
 Mechanical stability of formation
 Confidence level in pore pressure estimates
 Volumes of fluids required to carry out
operations.
Abalt Solutions
Reduction of Hydrostatic Pressure
 Methods
– Circulation & reducing mud weight
– Displacing choke
– U-Tube Method.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Circulation & Reducing Mud Weight
 Drilling mud circulated and weight gradually

reduced.
 Minimum mud weight to balance highest pore
point pressure determined
 Mud weight cut back in stages.
 Flow check & kick indicators monitored.
Disadvantages
1. Slow and time dependent method
2. Overload on surface pit handling capability.
3. Kick detection could be difficult
Abalt Solutions
Displacing Choke
 Mainly applicable in Floating Rigs offshore

 Hydrostatic pressure can be reduced by
displacement using choke line
 Well shut in using the annular preventer and
displaced choke line opened.
Disadvantages
1. Amount of reduction in hydrostatic head is
limited to water depth.
2. Applicable mainly for Offshore operations.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
U-Tube Method
 Hydrostatic pressure of mud reduced to level

equal to or slightly higher than formation
pressure of zone under consideration.
 Pipe freeing agent needs to spotted prior to
method.
 To free differential pipe sticking without loss in

well control
Abalt Solutions
Spotting Pipe Release Agents
 Blend of Surfactants + emulsifiers + diesel oil

+ water.
 Penetrate filter cake and reduce surface tension
between pipe and filter cake.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Mechanical Sticking
Pipe is completely stuck with little or no

circulation unlike differential sticking where
circulation takes place.
Causes-
Bridging or Hole Packing off
Formation and BHA (Wellbore Geometry)
Understanding the problem is the key to solution…….Cause

determines the Action required…..
Abalt Solutions
Causes of Mechanical Sticking
 Hole Pack off (bridging)

– Shale Instability
– Unconsolidated formations
– Settled cuttings due to inadequate hole cleaning
– Junk in well
– Cement blocks
– Fractured or faulted formations
 Formation & BHA

– Key Seating
– Under gauge hole
– Ledges & Micro doglegs
– Mobile formations
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Hole Pack Off-Settled Cuttings
 Cuttings settle as a result of inadequate hole cleaning .

 In horizontal and highly deviated wells ,good hole cleaning is
usually around the larger Drill collar OD,however cuttings can
settle on smaller OD Drill pipe higher up.
 Cutting beds develop on the lower side of boreholes with 30
degree or greater inclinations depending upon suspension and
flow rates of drilling mud.
 Settled Cuttings can also result in slow ROP,excessive overpull,

increased torque and formation break down due to increase
ECD.
 Hole cleaning can be controlled by :
– Mud rheology modifications
– Flow rate
– Hole angle
– Mud weight
– ROP
– Drill pipe rotation
– Hole diameter
Abalt Solutions
Hole Pack Off- Shale Instability
 Brittle Shale
– Caused by tangential stresses around the wellbore.
– Tends to break free and sloughing into hole.
 Swelling Shale
– Caused by hydrational processes or osmotic potential
between pore fluid of shale and drilling fluid salinity.

– Degree of clay hydration depends upon clay type and
cat ion exchange capacity of clay.
 Prevention
– Use inhibited mud or displace to OBM.
– Addition of various salts will reduce chemical
attraction between shale and water.
– Reduce exposure time.
– Good hole cleaning.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Hole Pack Off- Unconsolidated Formations
 Unconsolidated formations have low cohesive

strength and therefore collapse easily.
 Usually occur near the top hole where there is
loose sand, gravel and silts.
 Indicated by increasing pump pressure, torque
and drag.
 Remedy
– Use mud system with an impermeable filter cake
– Reduction of flow rate.
Abalt Solutions
Hole Pack Off- Fractured & Faulted formations
 Common problem in limestone and chalk.

 Caused when stresses holding are released.
 Drill string whipping can dislodge rock
fragments when drilling fractured zones.
 If Drill string is stuck and cannot be freed by

jarring, then inhibited HCL Pill may be spotted
around the stuck neck.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Hole Pack Off- Cement Blocks
 Stuck pipe caused by cement blocks falling

from rat hole beneath casing shoe or from
cement plugs.
 Cement not properly set in a cement plug
inside the casing or open hole can flash set
around drill pipe, causing pipe to be

permanently stuck.
 Remedies
– Minimize rat hole to maximum 5ft ensuring good
tail cement is placed around shoe.
– Recommended to start circulation 2 or 3 stands
above expected top of cement.
– WOB should be kept to absolute minimum.
Abalt Solutions
Hole Pack Off- Junk
 Pipe sticking can be as a result of Junk falling

from upper parts of the hole or surface during
drilling operations.
 Typical junks from surface include pipe
wrenches, spanners, broken materials, hard
hats etc.
 Junks can also fall from broken packer
elements, liner hanger slips and metal pieces
from milling operations.
 Remedies
– Hole covered on surface when no tools are run
down hole.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Formation and BHA (Well Geometry)-Key

Seating
 Caused by rotational drill string coming in contact with
soft formations. Erodes a narrow groove in the formation
equal to the diameter of drill pipe tool joint.
 Groove created is smaller in size than BHA components
below. When POH, the BHA may be pulled into narrow
sized key seat and getting stuck.
 Often seen in soft formations and in wells with doglegs.

 Doglegs and ledges provide points of contact between
tool joints and walls of hole.
 Key seats can be easily recognised by :
– Hole tight when tripping out.
– Circulation is free when pipe is stuck.
 Remedies
– Jarring downwards with minimum tension and slow
rotation.
Abalt Solutions
Formation and BHA (Well Geometry)-Mobile

Formations
 Halites(salt) & Claystone formations posses
plastic properties enabling them to deform
under applied stresses.
 Salt Wash Out-WBM dissolve salt sections

during drilling operations causing a large wash

out. Wash outs usually lead to poor cement
jobs and casing collapse. OBM is the best
drilling fluid to prevent wash outs.
 Salt Movement (Creep)-Salt behaves as a super
viscous fluid and depending upon temperature,
earth stresses and water content move around
the well bore causing stuck pipe and casing
collapse.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Other Hole Problems
 Other problems also arise which may not cause

the pipe to stick but are important, such as:
– Bit balling
– Tight Hole
– Hole Wash out and erosion
– Hole collapse and Hole Fracture
Abalt Solutions
Bit Balling
 Occurs while drilling reactive shales exhibiting

plastic properties and in poorly inhibited WBM
when shale particles adhere to the BHA.
 Can be recognised by reduced ROP as Bit
cutting face is covered with cake, blocked
shaker screens with clay and Overpull on trips.
 Remedies
– Using inhibited mud systems which prevent
dispersion of clay particles.
– Small percentages of glycol.
– Using OBM and increasing salinity.
Abalt Solutions

Development Phase
Tight Hole
 The upward pulling force (drag) is greater than

the buoyant weight of drill string.
 Increase in drag is a clear indication of a tight
hole.
 Tight holes are usually be observed in reactive
clays or salt.
 Remedies
 Symptoms
– Increased torque
– High pump pressures.
Abalt Solutions

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INTRODUCTION TO HYDROCARBON EXPLOITATION

Introduction to Hydrocarbon Exploitation

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

“Any Event which causes drilling operations to

Events such as Pipe sticking, lost circulation or

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

The sticking of drill pipe inside the borehole is one

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

Differential Pipe Sticking

 Drill String comes in contact with filter cake

 The pressure differential across the filter

 Drill string further differentially stuck if side

 Pipe is differentially stuck if it cannot be

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

Differential Pipe Sticking

Differential Sticking Force = (Mud Hydrostatic-Formation

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

Differential Pipe Sticking

• filter cake =1/2 inch,

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

Differential Pipe Sticking

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

Freeing Differential Pipe Sticking

Reduction of Hydrostatic Pressure

Spotting Pipe Release Agents

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

Reduction of Hydrostatic Pressure

Reducing the Hydrostatic pressure will enable

Reduction of Hydrostatic Pressure

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

Circulation & Reducing Mud Weight

 Drilling mud circulated and weight gradually

 Flow check & kick indicators monitored.

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

 Mainly applicable in Floating Rigs offshore

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

 Hydrostatic pressure of mud reduced to level

 To free differential pipe sticking without loss in

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

Spotting Pipe Release Agents

 Blend of Surfactants + emulsifiers + diesel oil

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

Pipe is completely stuck with little or no

Understanding the problem is the key to solution…….Cause

Causes of Mechanical Sticking

 Hole Pack off (bridging)

– Fractured or faulted formations

 Formation & BHA

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

©abalt solutions limited - 2005 September – October 2005

Hole Pack Off-Settled Cuttings

 Cuttings settle as a result of inadequate hole cleaning .

 Settled Cuttings can also result in slow ROP,excessive overpull,

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved

Hole Pack Off- Shale Instability

between pore fluid of shale and drilling fluid salinity.

©2005 Abalt Solutions Limited. All rights reserved