Dual Gradient Drilling

Basic Technology
Lesson 1
Introduction to DGD
Jerome J. Schubert

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 Introduction

 Current deepwater drilling problems

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 Introduction, con’t

 Brief history of DGD

– Phase I
– Phase II
– Phase III

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 Introduction, con’t

 Describe the DGD System

 How can DGD can solve the existing drilling
problems?
 Equipment overview

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 Current Deepwater Drilling
Problems
 Deeper water results in longer and heavier
drilling risers
 High pore pressures and low fracture gradients
leads to more casing strings

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 Land Well

2 strings of casing
after 20”

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 500’ Water Depth Riserless Drilling -A
Water Depth = 500 feet
0

5000

10000

2 strings of casing
15000

after 20”
Depth (TVD ss)

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000
8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0

Pressure Gradient (ppg)

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 0
1000’ Water Depth Riserless Drilling -A
Water Depth = 1000 feet

5000

10000

2 strings of casing
15000

after 20”
Depth (TVD ss)

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000
8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0

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Subsea Gradient (ppg) JIP
Mudlift Drilling DGD Template 8 of 64
 0
5000’ Water Depth Riserless Drilling -A
Water Depth = 5000 feet

5000
3 strings of casing
after 20”
10000

15000
Depth (TVD ss)

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000
8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0

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Subsea Gradient (ppg)
Mudlift Drilling JIP DGD Template 9 of 64
 10,000’ Water Depth Riserless Drilling -A
Water Depth = 10000 feet
0

4 strings of casing
5000

after 20”
10000

with no kick or trip margins

15000
Depth (TVD ss)

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000
8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0

Pressure Gradient (ppg)

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 0.5 ppg Standoff
0
6 strings of casing
5000

10000 30" 26" after 20”

Depth (TVD ss)

20" 16"
15000 13 3/8" 113/4"
9 5/8"
20000 7 5/8"

25000

30000 5 1/2" to TD

35000

40000
8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0
Pressure Gradient (ppg)
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 Current Deepwater Drilling Problems

 Too many shallow casing points

– May not reach TD
– No contingency casing available
 This leads to larger wellheads, even larger and
heavier risers, and finally to bigger and more
expensive rigs

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 Current Deepwater Drilling Problems

 Well Control is more difficult - because of the

pore pressure/fracture proximity, and long choke
lines with high friction pressure drops

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 Kick w/ 750 psi SIP

Mud HSP (13.1 ppg)

Mud HSP + 750
psi
Pore Pressure Formation has
fractured

Fracture Pressure

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 Current Deepwater Drilling Problems

 Very high riser loads (current and weight)

 Weight of the drilling riser increases with depth.

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 Current Deepwater Drilling Problems

 In 10,000’ of water
– 21-inch riser has an internal capacity of ~4000 bbls!
(~$1 million)
– Weight of the riser itself is ~ 2million lbs
– Weight of 16 ppg mud inside the riser ~ 2.7 million
lbs

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 Current Deepwater Drilling Problems

 Water depths beyond rig fleet

– New builds and major upgrades

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 Current Deepwater Drilling Problems

 Small wellbore at TD precludes large production

tubing - limiting production rates
 Began 2nd quarter of 2000

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 Drilling’s Major Benefits
of DGD
 Reduces drilling cost by $5-15 MM per well in young
depositional basins (4 casing strings)

 Provides contingency casing for SWF’s, sub-salt

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 Drilling’s Major Benefits
of DGD
 Allows room for high rate completions

 Expands capacity of existing rig fleet

 Mitigates effects of high currents

 Improves Well Control margin

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 Describe the
DGD System
 “DGD” Drilling, in the present context, refers to drilling where mud
returns DO NOT go through a conventional, large-diameter,
drilling riser.
 Instead the returns move from the seafloor to the surface
through one or more small - diameter pipe(s) separate from the
drillpipe.
 A Mudlift system is used in the Return Line
 A Dual Gradient mud system is achieved.

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 Single vs. Dual Gradient Concept

 Single Gradient Wells Pressure, psi

– Wellbore contains a Seawater HSP
single density fluid D
e Seafloor @
– Single pressure gradient 10,000’
p
 Dual Gradient Well t 12.4 ppg mud
– Wellbore feels seawater h 13.5 ppg mud
gradient to the seafloor, f
and mud gradient to t
bottom
23,880 psi
@ 37,500’

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 Dual Gradient Achieved by:

 Placing SRD on top of the BOP stack and

diverting the mud flow from the annulus to the
MLP
 The MLP then pumps mud back to the rig via the
return lines
 Suction pressure to the MLP is maintained at
Seawater HSP + ~20 to 50 psi

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 Single vs. Dual-
Gradient Mud Systems
Conventional Dual Gradient

Heavier Mud w/
Seawater Above
Single
Mudline
Mud
Weight

Same Bottom
Hole
Pressure

From the perspective of the well, there is no mud

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above the mudline in a dual-gradient system!
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Figure 3
 How can DGD can solve the
existing drilling problems?
 By placing the MLP on the seafloor we can
reduce the pressure exerted on the shallow
weak formations and still maintain the required
pressure at the bottom of the hole to control
formation pressure
 Riser margin is back - emergency disconnect
and drive-off will not result in an automatic kick.

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 Pore and Fracture Gradients
0
Dua l De ns ity:
5000 Pore Gra die nt
Fra cture Gra die nt
10000

15000
Depth (TVD ss)

20000

25000
Conventional:
Pore Gradient
30000
Fracture Gradient

35000

40000
8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0
Pressure Gradient (ppg)

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 Graphical Casing Seat Selection - Dual
0
Density
0.5 ppg trip a nd kick ma rgin
1.0 ppg trip a nd kick ma rgin
5000
16"
10000
13 3/8"
Depth (TVD ss)

15000
20"
20000 11 3/4"

25000

30000

35000

40000
8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0
Pressure Gradient (ppg)
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 Dynamic Casing Seat Selection
Pressure, psi

D
e
p
t
1.0 ppg kick Frac. Press.
h
0 bbl influx volume

ft. Pore Press.

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 Dynamic Casing Seat Selection

1.0 ppg kick Frac. Press.

50 bbl influx volume

Pore Press.

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 Kick Tolerance is Back
Conventional DGD

20” @ 12,500’ 0.5 ppg

20” @ 12,500’
16” @ 13,000’
standoff
13 3/8” @ 14,000’ no influx 16” @ 14,000’

1.0 ppg kick,

50 bbl influx
11 3/4” @ 15,000’ 13 3/8” @ 17,000’
9 5/8” @ 17,500’
7 5/8” @20,000’
11 3/4” @ 22,800’
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DGD Template 30 of 64
 Equipment overview

 Marine Riser
 SRD - SubSea Rotating Diverter
 DSV - Drillstring Valve
 MLP - MudLift Pump
 Return Lines
 Manifolding
 Dual Trip Tanks

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 SubSea MudLift Configuration
Seawater Pumps Mud Return and Pump
(Existing Mud Pumps)

Return Line
Drillpipe
Seawater Power Line,
Control Umbilicals Seawater Filled Marine Riser

Rotating Diverter

Wellhead and BOP Seawater-Driven

MudLift Pump

BHA
Drill String Valve

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 Marine Riser

 Essentially a conventional riser filled with

seawater

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 Wellbore Components
Riser
Adapter

Subsea Rotating
Diverter (SRD)

Return Outlets
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 Drill String Valve (DSV)

Flow Nozzle

Closing Spring

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 While
Mud
Displacing
Seawater
Enters
Seawater
Seawater the
the
Driven
Pumped
Mud
Discharged
Diaphragm
Back
MudLiftfrom
to the
Pump to
the
Pumps
Rig
Sea

Mud Inlet

Mud Outlet
 Diaphragm Pump

Stroke Indicator Stroke Indicator

Magnet Assembly Sensor (Fixed)

Hydraulic Fluid
Stroke Indicator In/Out
Tube (Moving)

Connection to
Diaphragm
Diaphragm

Mud In/Out
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 Seawater Driven MudLift System
14’ x 17’ x 11’h
175,000 lbs
plus
Seawater Conduit

ROV-Style
Mud
Cables

C K

H
Seawater
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 Return Lines
Manifolding
Seawater Trip Tank
Mud Trip Tank

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 The End

Jerome J. Schubert
Introduction to DGD

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