DP

DRILLING PRACTICES

IADC Drilling Manual 12th Edition

IADC Drilling Manual • Copyright © 2015

 DRILLING PRACTICES DP-i

CHAPTER

DP
DRILLING PRACTICES

he IADC Drilling Manual is a series of reference guides assembled by volunteer drilling-industry professionals with
T expertise spanning a broad range of topics. These volunteers contributed their time, energy and knowledge in developing
the IADC Drilling Manual, 12th edition, to help facilitate safe and efficient drilling operations, training, and equipment mainte-
nance and repair.

The contents of this manual should not replace or take precedence over manufacturer, operator or individual drilling company
recommendations, policies or procedures. In jurisdictions where the contents of the IADC Drilling Manual may conflict with
regional, state or national statute or regulation, IADC strongly advises adhering to local rules.

While IADC believes the information presented is accurate as of the date of publication, each reader is responsible for his own
reliance, reasonable or otherwise, on the information presented. Readers should be aware that technology and practice advance
quickly, and the subject matter discussed herein may quickly become surpassed. If professional engineering expertise is re-
quired, the services of a competent individual or firm should be sought. Neither IADC nor the contributors to this chapter warrant
or guarantee that application of any theory, concept, method or action described in this book will lead to the result desired by
the reader.

Contributors
Fred Dupriest, Texas A&M University
Iain Hutchison, Merlin ERD Ltd.
Eric van Oort, University of Texas at Austin
Neil Armstrong, Merlin ERD Ltd.

Reviewers
David Chen, Hess Corporation
Gregory Devinish, Baker Hughes Inc.
John DeWardt, DEWARDT & Company
Blaine Dow, Schlumberger
Dennis Moore, Marathon Oil Corporation
Sam Pickett, Chesapeake Energy Corporation
Paul Scott, ConocoPhillips
Boyd Waechter
Aron Deen, Ulterra Drilling Technologies L.P.
John Willis, Occidental Oil & Gas Corporation
DP–ii DRILLING PRACTICES

This is a chapter of the IADC Drilling Manual, 12th edition.

Copyright © 2015 International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), Houston, Texas.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
without the prior written permission of the publisher.

International Association of Drilling Contractors

10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 760
Houston, Texas 77042
USA

ISBN: 978-0-9906220-9-3

Printed in the United States of America.

IADC Drilling Manual Copyright © 2015


CHAPTER DP
DRILLING PRACTICES
Drilling mechanics and performance........................DP-1
Bit mechanics............................................................ DP-1
Testing bit performance......................................... DP-3
Causes of drilling dysfunctions............................DP-5
Bit balling.........................................................DP-5
Bottomhole balling (BHB).......................... DP-7
Interfacial severity........................................ DP-7
Vibrations........................................................ DP-7
Connection practices................................................. DP-13
Applying and removing weight on bit..............DP-13
Applying WOB............................................DP-14
Removing WOB..........................................DP-14
Applying WOB to motor or turbine......DP-14
Surge and swab......................................................DP-14
Torque and drag data collection.......................DP-16
Reaming to condition hole......................................... DP-16
General reaming practices..................................DP-17
Reaming rotary speed..........................................DP-17
Ductile closure (swelling formations)..............DP-18
Vibrationally induced borehole patterns........DP-18
Undergauge filter cakes.......................................DP-20
Reaming high-strength filter cake���������DP-21
Instability and enlarged hole..............................DP-21
Pack-offs at low angle...............................DP-21
Pack-offs at high angle.............................DP-22
Hole-cleaning practices............................................ DP-24
Low-angle practices (0-40°)..............................DP-25
High-angle practices (40-65°)..........................DP-26
Equilibrium beds.........................................DP-26
Flow rate and rotation...............................DP-27
Hole cleaning with borehole breakout.DP-28
Surface verification of acceptable hole
cleaning.................................................. DP-29
Torque and drag monitoring.................. DP-29
IADC Drilling Manual
DRILLING PRACTICES Contents DP-iii
Contents
Shaker material monitoring.....................DP-32
Remedial hole cleaning practices..........DP-32
Avalanche regime practices
(40-65° inclination)........................................DP-33
Tripping practices....................................................... DP-34
Low-angle intervals (<40°).................................DP-35
Preparation and tripping�������������������������� DP-35
Tight hole or drag at low angle������������� DP-35
High- and intermediate-angle intervals
(>40°).................................................................DP-35
Tripping with partial bed removal ....... DP-36
Response to pack-offs...............................DP-37
Tripping with complete bed removal... DP-39
Wellbore stability management............................. DP-39
Instability and hole enlargement...................... DP-39
Shales............................................................DP-40
Sands.............................................................DP-40
Salt and tar................................................... DP-41
Hard formations.......................................... DP-41
Mud weight and downhole pressure
management..................................................... DP-41
Borehole surveillance and response............... DP-43
Fluid chemistry and stability............................. DP-45
Lost circulation ...........................................................DP-46
Types of lost circulation and responses......... DP-46
Seepage losses...........................................DP-46
Induced fracture losses...........................DP-46
Vugular formations and open
natural fractures................................... DP-49
Fracture or formation breathing........... DP-49
Lost circulation practices....................................DP-50
Drilling and tripping.................................. DP-50
Running casing........................................... DP-52
Cementing................................................... DP-52
Copyright © 2015