ADVANCED DRILLING

MODULE-9
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DIRECTIONAL WELLS

By
GAURAV HAZARIKA
Assistant Professor
School of Petroleum Technology
Pandit Deendayal Energy University
 DRILLING PROBLEMS
Drilling problems are common but as the angle of inclination
increases, drilling problems become more severe.

• Control over borehole trajectory

• Intersections

• Dogleg Severity

• Pipe sticking

• Borehole instability
 CONTROL OVER BOREHOLE TRAJECTORY
• A directional well must intersect a target that might be several metres
away from the surface location.

• Factors that deflect the bit:

• Formation effects (e.g. Bed boundaries)

• Excessive WOB
• Incorrect choice of BHA.

• Any divergence from the planned course should be recognized and

corrective action should be taken.

• N.B.: Sensors are located 40-60 ft. behind the bit, the effect of changing
the well path may not be seen immediately in the survey results.
 INTERSECTIONS
• Drilling out beneath the conductor and kicking-off in the proximity of
other wells is a very difficult operation which must be carefully
controlled.

• Consequences of a collision beneath a large platform could be serious

and platform’s safety will be at risk.

• A good planning can mitigate the risk of an intersection.

 DOGLEG SEVERITY
• A dog-leg is an abrupt change in hole angle or direction that causes a
sharp bend in the wellpath.

• It can be detected by increased torque and drag on the drill string.

• May lead to other problems like:

• Drill pipe/casing wear

• Drill String Failure

• Tool joint failure

• Key Seating
 PIPE STICKING
• A pipe considered stuck if it can’t be freed and pulled out of the
hole without damaging the pipe and without exceeding the drilling
rig’s maximum allowed hook load.

• It increases increasing NPT.

• 2 Types
• Differential Sticking

• Mechanical Sticking
 DIFFERENTIAL PIPE STICKING
It occurs when a portion of the drill string becomes embedded in a
mud cake that forms on the wall of the permeable formation during
drilling

SYMPTOMS

• Circulation is possible

• Partial mud loss to the formation occurred prior to getting stuck.

• No movement possible
 DIFFERENTIAL PIPE STICKING
Mathematically

𝐃. 𝐅. = ∆𝐏 × 𝐀 × 𝐟
𝐃. 𝐅. = ∆𝐏 × 𝐡 × 𝐭 × 𝐟

Where,
D.F. = Differential force (kgs)
ΔP = Differential Pressure (kg/cm2)
h = thickness of permeable zone (cm)
t = thickness of mud cake (cm)
f = friction factor
 PREVENTION OF DIFFERENTIAL STICKING
• Mataining minimum safe mud weight

• Minimize effective contact area of drill collar against the well bore
by proper BHA.

• Mud properties within limit

• Use lubricants

• Use of drilling jar

• Do not let pipe remains stationary.

 REMEDIAL TECHNIQUES
• Hydrostatic pressure reduction (U-tube technique)

• Spotting organic soak solutions.

• Drill stem test (DST) technique.

• Washover and back off operations.

 MECHANICAL PIPE STICKING
Mechanical stuck up is due to

• Settling of Drill cuttings or loose formation

• A drill string is run too fast into a tight spot.

• Pulling into a keyseat.

INDICATIONS

• We can rotate, push the pipe down, but not pull up

• Circulation may not be possible.

MECHANICAL PIPE STICKING
 REMEDIAL TECHNIQUES
• Work the Pipe: Work the drill string either by rotating and pulling it
or by activating a drilling jar and applying impact force

• Spotting organic solution.

• Back off operation.

• Fishing operation/side tracking.

 KEYSEATING
• In a deviated hole containing soft formations, a drillpipe tool joint
can laterally cut an extra hole in the shape of a key-seat in addition
to the major hole created by the bit.

SYMPTOMS

• Drill String cannot be pulled up

• Increased drag.

• Increased noise at rotary table.

• Circulation is possible
 REMEDIAL TECHNIQUES
• Reaming with a key seat reamer.

• Blasting of explosive charges also destroy key seats.

• Downward impact may free it.

PREVENTIVE MEASURE
• Keyseat wiper
 BORE HOLE INSTABILITY
• Due to presence of shale in formation.

• Research has shown that the severity of shale problem is related

to the percentage content of montmorillonite (or active clay
content) and the age of the rock.

Shale problem is due to broadly two factors

• Mechanical Factors

• Chemical Factors
 ORIGIN OF SHALE PROBLEM
MECHANICAL FACTORS CHEMICAL FACTORS

• Overburden pressure • Adsorption of Water

• Pressured gas • Osmosis in Clays

• Tectonic stress

• High dips

• Erosion
 COMMON SHALE PROBLEMS
• Tight hole • Mechanical caving

• Washouts • Balling of bit

• Heaving shale

• Sloughing shale

• Dispersion of cuttings

• Hole fill up

• Stuck up

• Hole enlargement
 REMEDIES
• Use of Inhibitive mud systems

• Adopting preventive drilling techniques while drilling

• Drilling with low rotary RPM, low pump pressure and low drilling fluid
velocity.

• Slow movement of drill string during round trips and slow rate of
drilling.

• Use proper BHA to drill vertically through bedding dips if shale

formation.

• Use down-hole motors for drilling through shale formations as to avoid

drill pipe whips which are predominant in rotary drilling.
 REMEDIES
• Annular velocity of mud should be kept to low side during drilling brit
shales.

• Reciprocation of kelly with circulation should be avoided.

• Hold up should be cleared by reaming and not only by reciprocation.

• Efforts should be made to keep the shale exposure time with mud to a
minimum.

• If circulating pressure due to caving in shale formations increases, it

should immediately be reduced, otherwise it will plug the hole. By slow
circulation and reciprocation caving zone should be cleared.
 DRILLING PROBLEMS IN HORIZONTAL WELLS
• Exerting WOB and running in tools

• Controlling the well path

• Hole cleaning
• Eccentric tool joints

• Reverse circulation subs

• Top drive systems

• Mud properties and solids equipment

• Logging Problems
DRILLING MUD SYSTEMS FOR HORIZONTAL WELL
• Polymer-Based Systems

• Oil- Based Systems

• Synthetic-Based Systems

• Glycol System

• Formate System

• Sized Calcium Carbonate System

• Mixed-Metal Hydroxide
SPECIAL MUD REQUIREMENTS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
• Environmental Issues

• Optimization of Fluid Properties

• Barite Sag

• Wellbore Stability/Inhibition

• Hole Cleaning Capability

• Mud Lubricity - Torque and Drag Reduction

• Filtration Control/Differential Sticking

• Solids Control Management

• Formation Damage Aspects

 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
• Where feasible, an oil-base invert is the preferred fluid for horizontal wells.

• When environmental limitations prevent the use of mineral oil-base mud

(OBM), consider using a synthetic oil-base invert.

• Where environmental, or logistical, limitations completely negate the use of

any form of oil-base formulation, the most suitable water-base mud must be
chosen.

• When clay inhibition is required, potassium-based, non-dispersed, polymer

muds containing glycol or silicates.

• When inhibition is not required, low solids polymer formulations or Mixed

Metal Hydroxides can be used with a lubricant
 OPTIMIZATION OF FLUID PROPERTIES
• RHEOLOGY
• Plastic Viscosity: Should be minimum.

• Gels: Excessive gel strengths must also be avoided.

• INHIBITION: Optimum level should be determined in laboratory.

• LUBRICITY: Should be sufficient for workable coefficients of friction but

not less to produce excessive torque and drag.

• RESERVOIR COMPATIBILITY: Should not cause formation damage

 BARITE SAG
• Barite settlement (sag) is a key issue for high angle wells (75° or more).

• Can never be totally eliminated but managed.

• This can be achieved by a combination of mud design and good

operational practices.

• Sag is reduced by higher annular velocities

• Drillpipe rotation significantly reduces sag

• Mud rheology at low shear plays a key role in controlling sag

 WELLBORE STABILITY/INHIBITION
• Borehole instability due to overpressured or water-sensitive
formations must be minimized when drilling a horizontal
well.

• Mud/rock interaction must be minimized by careful

screening of mud type and properties.

• A wellbore stability study will address optimum mud weight

selection and highlight any possibility of instability.
 HOLE CLEANING CAPABILITY
• Typically, most problems associated with hole cleaning occur in the 30° -
60° section where gravity effects can cause cuttings beds to slump down
the hole.

• Generally, higher flow rate is better if it can be economically achieved.

Typical flow rates to aim for in horizontal wells are:
Hole Size Typical Flow Rates
17½″ Aim for 1100 gpm. Some rigs achieve 1250 -1400 gpm.
12¼″ Typically 950 - 1150 gpm. If not available, ensure that tripping
procedures are in place for probable dirty hole.

8½″ Aim for 500 gpm.

MUD LUBRICITY - TORQUE AND DRAG REDUCTION
• Frictional forces may limit the possible extent of step-out.

• Reduction of coefficient of friction of the mud is necessary to allow the well to be

successfully drilled.

• Water-base muds exhibit a higher coefficient of friction than oil muds.

• The friction coefficients of water-base muds can be improved by the addition of

lubricants.

• Some of the synthetic (pseudo) oil-base fluids exhibit lubricity superior to

conventional mineral oil-base muds.

• Some lubricants are available for use in OBM. However, their use is restricted, as
a correctly formulated oil mud will normally exhibit sufficient lubricity for most
wells.
 FILTRATION CONTROL/DIFFERENTIAL STICKING
• Maintain good filtrate control when drilling in an overbalanced situation
through porous formations, particularly when these formations are a
potential reservoir.

• Low filtrate helps minimize potential formation damage and reduces the
possibility of differential sticking.

• Oil-base muds (including pseudo-oil muds) generally exhibit lower fluid

loss than water-base fluids and consequently lower sticking tendencies.

• Additives are available for both oil- and water-base fluids that will reduce
differential sticking tendency. These include filtrate reducers, lubricants,
and bridging agents.
 SOLIDS CONTROL MANAGEMENT
• The problem of ineffective removal of the drilled solids is increased by down
hole attrition of the solids, by saltation, and mechanical regrinding between
the drill pipe and the wall of the hole.

• This reduce the solids to sizes too small to be removed by conventional

shale shaker screens.

• In practice, even with the use of the best available solids control equipment,
ultrafine solids inevitably build up in muds used on horizontal well wells.

• Solid build up makes it necessary to change out mud systems (or part of the
system) with the solids-laden mud being returned for treatment (i.e. dilution).
 FORMATION DAMAGE ASPECTS
• Minimizing formation damage is critical to the success of an horizontal
well.

• The reservoir is often drilled at high angle in such wells results in longer
sections of reservoir being exposed for greater amounts of time.

• Mud solids can enter porous rock if the fluid possesses high spurt loss
before an adequate filter cake is built up.

• This can usually be minimized by the addition of a small concentration of

correctly sized bridging material.