P. A. Bern, SPE, BP Exploration; Dave Hosie, SPE, Weatherford; R.K. Bansal, SPE, Weatherford; Donald Stewart, Rotech Eng.; Bradley Lee, SPE, Weatherford Copyright 2003, IADC/SPE Underbalanced Technology Conference and Exhibition This paper was prepared for presentation at the IADC/SPE Underbalanced Technology Conference and Exhibition held in Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 2526 March 2003. This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the IADC, SPE, their officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written consent of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836 U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435.
Abstract Wellbore pressure management is a critical part of normal drilling practices, where static and dynamic fluid pressures are used to contain formation pressures and to assure wellbore stability. Excessive fluid pressure while circulating can create problems including reduced operating margins between fracture and pore pressures and, in the extreme, lost circulation. To address these problems, an Equivalent Circulation Density (ECD) Reduction Tool (RT) has been developed. The ECD RT is designed to counter the frictional pressure effects that exist while circulating. The tool is expected to have a broad range of drilling applications including the narrow pore/fracture pressure margin deepwater environment, wellbores prone to instability, pressure depleted reservoirs and extended reach wells. The tool has the potential to: Improve wellbore stability. Extend hole intervals and reduce casing requirements. Improve rate of penetration (ROP). Reduce lost circulation. Reduce differential sticking. Improve hole cleaning in extended-reach drilling (ERD) wells through the use of higher flow rates. This paper describes a new downhole tool for ECD reduction, which is run as an integral part of the drill string. A prototype tool has been built, to operate inside 10-3/4" to 133/8" casing strings, which has undergone testing in a flow loop and in two experimental wells. The design features of this prototype and the test results obtained so far are discussed in this paper.
Introduction This paper describes the development of a novel system for reducing the Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD) of drilling mud. The need for reducing ECD has become more apparent as the industry is faced with increasingly difficult drilling challenges. The initial focus in developing technologies for ECD reduction has been directed towards applications in deepwater, where the issue is to overcome the significant hydrostatic pressure in the riser when it is full of weighted mud1. However the concept affords potential benefits in a wide range of drilling applications. The work reported in this study covers the design and testing of a prototype ECD RT that can have application to many drilling conditions, both onshore and offshore. Benefits of ECD Reduction As the industry has strived to recover hydrocarbons in increasingly challenging areas, it has become apparent that one of the major challenges is to maintain downhole pressures within the narrow window between pore pressure and fracture gradient. In practice, the window may become even narrower if the minimum required downhole pressure is governed by wellbore stability issues, rather than just pore pressure2. Since the size of this operating window dictates the maximum ECD that the well can tolerate, there is clearly a need for reducing the magnitude of ECD. ECD is governed by the hydrostatic head of the mud column and the frictional pressure loss in the annulus and therefore it is influenced by many factors. Conventional well designs often exploit the controlling parameters to minimize ECD. Such optimization methods include: reducing frictional losses through the use of low fluid rheologies. use of casing strings with wider annular clearances. application of expandable tubulars to preserve hole size. use of drilling liners rather than full casing strings. controlled penetration rates to avoid overloading the annulus with cuttings. In addition, there are more radical methods that can be employed to reduce downhole pressures and hence ECD.
The industry has pioneered underbalanced drilling as a
successful method of exploiting both low pressure and depleted reservoirs. Benefits in penetration rate have also been realized by appropriate application of underbalanced drilling. However, drilling of depleted reservoirs quite often requires maintenance of downhole pressure within a narrow range between wellbore collapse pressure and pore pressure. Too much underbalanced pressure downhole tends to cause the well to collapse when making connection3. On the other hand, if the ECD is allowed to be too high, the well could be underbalanced when making connection and overbalanced when drilling. This could lead to several problems such as formation fracturing, lost circulation and differential sticking of drill pipe, this is especially true in ERD wells in depleted reservoirs4. Systems that reduce ECD by either substituting the mud hydrostatic for sea water or using pumping methods to overcome hydrostatic are now being developed by the industry5,6,7. The method used in floating drilling where mud is returned to the sea bed, referred to as riserless drilling, has enjoyed a great deal of success, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico deepwater plays. The more technically innovative methods that require pumping systems located on the seabed are beginning to show promise8. However such systems always require considerable capital expenditure and are best suited to large developments where the cost of installation can be offset against a large number of wells. The objective of this development work is to design an ECD reduction tool that is portable and can be applied to a wide range of well types, both onshore and offshore. It is intended to be a low cost alternative to dual mud gradient systems for deepwater drilling. In extended reach drilling, the ECD RT could permit the use of a heavier drilling fluid to improve wellbore stability without increasing the risk of fracturing the formation or causing mud loss. Successful application of the ECD RT could afford many benefits including extending the capability of currently available technologies such as ultra extended-reach drilling, as well as applying ECD reduction as a performance enhancement method for underbalanced drilling of depleted reservoirs. If the ECD RT can be made available on a routine basis in a low cost and portable format, the range of potential applications becomes numerous. Functional Specification The ECD RT consists of three sections. At the top is a turbine motor, which draws pressure energy from circulating fluid and converts it into mechanical power. In the middle is a multistage mixed flow pump, part axial and part centrifugal, which is driven by the turbine motor and pumps return fluid in the annulus. The lower section consists of bearings and seals. The turbine is matched to the pump duty, so no gearbox is required. A novel sealing mechanism is employed to seal between the drill string and the annulus at very high speeds and pressures. This seal has a back-up emergency seal, which is automatically activated at high-pressure differentials in a well control situation.
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Basic features of the ECD RT are:
Up to 450psi (30.6 bar) pressure boost in the annulus
at a flow rate of 550gpm (2,080liter/min). Actual pressure boost in the annulus is a function of circulation rate. A reduced fluid flow rate gives correspondingly lower pressure boost. Of course the tool works only when the drilling fluid is a liquid and not a gas or gasified liquid. Suitable for running in 10-3/4 through 13-3/8 casings, tools for other casing sizes will be developed in 2003. No need for a full trip to add or service the tool since it is designed to be located in the vertical section of the well. Includes two packer-type seals to seal the pump body inside the casing and ensure that all returning fluid passes through the pump. No fluid leakage from the drill string to the annulus throughout the length of the tool. Motor outside diameter 6-3/4" (172mm) and pump outside diameter 8.200 (208mm). Capable of handling drill cuttings carried by the fluid. A grinding mechanism, located just below the pump, helps break larger cuttings into smaller particles to avoid plugging. Tests have shown that 5/16" (8mm) and smaller cuttings will pass smoothly through the pump. Provides wireline accessibility below the tool after retrieving a flow diverter located in the turbine. Mechanical strength comparable to that of new 519.5 lb/ft S-135 drill pipe.
As is evident from the above, the ECD RT has several
features intended to make it affordable and usable in both offshore and land-based drilling operations. It is a much less expensive choice when compared to dual-gradient drilling systems in deep-water applications and it can be put into use with minimal disruption of conventional drilling and telemetry techniques. Unlike subsea pumps that are used in dualgradient drilling, which have to be pre-installed on the well site, it is a portable device that can be added to the drill string when needed simply by making a short trip. Prototype Testing A prototype ECD reduction tool was tested in a flow loop and in two experimental wells, one vertical and one horizontal. The main objectives of the flow loop tests were to determine the performance envelope of the ECD RT for a range of operating conditions, to study cuttings transport with fluid through the pump and to study surge and swab effects during tripping. The objectives of the tests in the experimental wells were to reconfirm some of the results obtained in the flow loop and to test the compatibility of the ECD RT with mud pulse telemetry used in MWD tools. This last test was necessary to ascertain that the ECD RT would not hinder directional drilling when located in the drill string. Wireline retrieval of the flow diverter was also tested in the horizontal well. Wear on internal components and the performance of the
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The surge pressure to be expected during the drill string
trip was measured in the flow loop by pumping water through the ECD RT pump from the lower end, while it was not turning. The fluid flow rate was increased steadily up to 275gpm and fluid pressures were measured at both the inlet and the outlet of the pump. This test was repeated after reversing the flow direction to measure swab pressure. Surge and swab pressures were also studied in the vertical well. Tests in a vertical well with TVD of 1019ft. were conducted in a 13-3/8 72 lb./ft casing string with the two lower most joints packed with cement concrete containing about 10% -inch gravel. The overall functionality of the ECD RT was tested by drilling the cement concrete column using a downhole motor and a 12" tri-cone bit. In order to measure the pressure boost in the annulus, pressure transducers were installed in the casing collars at 588ft and 460ft and hardwired to a data logger at the rig floor. The ECD RT operated in the 128ft vertical space between these two transducers, allowing real-time measurement of fluid pressure in the annulus below and above the tool. The pressure drop across the turbine was measured with memory gages placed in the drill string above and below the ECD RT. The time taken to trip one stand in or out and the corresponding fluid pressure recorded in the annulus below the ECD RT provided data for surge and swab pressures. The time taken to trip one stand was also calculated from the number of data points recorded at the known data sampling rate.
Tests with heavier fluids were not complete and so the full potential of the ECD RT has not yet been determined. y = 0.0015x2 - 0.218x + 6.03 R2 = 0.99 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0
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Fig. 1 Pressure boost obtained from the pump at different circulation rates of water.
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Pressure recovered in the pump (%) 25
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Pressure recovered (%)
For testing cuttings transport through the pump, the flow
loop was slightly modified so that the fluid passing through the pump was different from the fluid driving the turbine. Fluid passing through the pump carried plastic balls of 0.24" (6mm), 0.31" (8mm), 3/8 and diameters. The tests began with 0.24" balls and larger balls were progressively added into the flow stream. The quantity of plastic balls in the flow stream was approximately 1% by volume and this fluid was circulated through the pump for 45 minutes. This was equivalent to the 1ft3/min cuttings load that would be experienced when drilling an 8.5 hole at a ROP of 150 ft/h. The pump was dismantled after running this test to check if there were any points where plugging could occur. The effectiveness of the grinding mechanism on larger balls was also checked in this process.
Results Figure 1 shows the performance of the ECD RT in the flow loop with water, in terms of pressure boost obtained from the pump at different flow rates. Pressure boost results for water obtained in the vertical well and in the flow loop were almost identical. Three conclusions can be drawn from Fig. 1. The pressure boost was a quadratic function of fluid circulation rate, which means that the pump performed better when the actual circulation rate approached the design circulation rate. There was virtually no pressure boost at a flow rate below 200gpm, which is indicative of a lower limit for functioning of the ECD RT. At 530gpm, the maximum flow rate achieved in this test, the ECD RT achieved a pressure boost of 300psi. In the vertical well, the pressure boost obtained at 550gpm flow rate was 312psi, which was better than expected.
Pressure boost (psi)
A flow loop was specially designed for testing the
prototype ECD RT, the main unit being a test chamber made from a 9-5/8 47 lb./ft casing. Two triplex pumps were used in tandem to obtain a maximum flow rate of 550gpm into the turbine. After passing through the turbine, the same fluid exhausted into the test chamber and entered the ECD pump. A choke was located downstream of the ECD pump to create a backpressure that allowed measurement of the pressure boost generated. Pressure transducers were located at the inlet of the turbine and at the inlet and outlet of the pump. The fluid circulation rate during the tests was varied from 175 to 550gpm (660 to 2080 liter/min).
Mud pulse telemetry tests of the prototype ECD RT were
done in the horizontal well for both negative and positive pulse mud signals. In each case, the functioning of the MWD system was first proven without the ECD RT in the drill string and then the test was run after adding it to the drill string.
Pressure loss (psi)
seals was studied several times during the course of the above tests.
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Fig. 2 Fluid pressure loss in the turbine and percentage recovery
in the pump.
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The cuttings transport test done in the flow loop with
plastic balls indicated no problems, sizes up to 0.31" (8mm) diameter passed smoothly through the pump. Because of the closed loop configuration, the plastic balls went through the pump many times during the 45 minutes test, yet they were generally in very good shape. On stripping the ECD RT pump, none of the internal components were found to have damage. A total of eight 3/8 balls had lodged in three of the five stators, some balls had splits and some had one, two or three flat surfaces on them. Small fragments were also found in the pump, mainly in the inlet area of the crusher. Most of the balls were found near the inlet of the crusher suggesting that the balls probably did not go through the pump. Drilling of the cement concrete in the vertical well was done using 10-ppg mud having a plastic viscosity and yield point of 18 cP and 17 lbf/100ft2, respectively. Drilling of cement concrete proceeded smoothly for about 45 minutes. However, maximum ROP was limited to 17ft/hr because of insufficient weight on the bit (WOB). Return fluid loaded with cuttings passed smoothly through the ECD pump, coming out as coarse sand. Results from the surge pressure tests in the flow loop are summarized in Fig. 3. There was a considerable spread of data points on both sides of the regression curve, perhaps caused by the wide variation in cross sectional area to flow inside the pump. y = 0.243x - 13.1 R2 = 0.79
Surge pressure (psi)
80
60
Results from the surge and swab tests in the vertical well (Fig. 4) show that time taken to run one stand had varied from 40 to 90seconds, with equivalent trip speed varying between 60 and 120 ft/min. The fluid displacement rate during tripping was in the range of 55 to 110 ft3/min. Results show that the maximum surge was 42psi and maximum swab was 65psi. 60
50 40
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40 90s, Time to trip in one
90 20 Surge or Swab, Psi
The efficiency of the ECD RT in terms of the pressure
recovered in the pump as a percentage of the pressure lost in the turbine is shown in Fig. 2. Pressure loss in the turbine increased with increasing flow rate in a quadratic manner similar to the pressure boost from the pump. At a flow rate of 530gpm, the pressure loss in the turbine was 1365psi whereas the pressure boost from the pump was 300psi a system efficiency of about 22%. Fig. 3 shows that, at low flow rates, the system efficiency was very low, but stabilized between 18 and 22 per cent after reaching 300gpm flow rate.
0 1
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Fig. 4 Surge and swab pressure at different trip speeds in the
vertical well.
Tests of the prototype ECD RT are not complete at the
time of writing this paper, but results from additional tests will be made available in the near future. Summary and Conclusions High ECD is a significant problem in deep water drilling causing formation damage and mud loss. In extended-reach drilling wells, high frictional loss increases ECD forcing the use of lighter drilling fluids that can compromise wellbore stability. The ECD RT has the potential to alleviate these problems in both situations. Results for pressure boost in the annulus from tests with water in the flow loop and in a vertical well were almost identical. The ECD RT gave an average pressure boost of 312psi in the annulus when running with water at a flow rate of 550gpm, which exceeded the design criterion. With a heavier weight drilling fluid the pressure boost will be higher, however, tests with water-based drilling mud are incomplete at this point. The efficiency of the ECD RT was very low when the flow rate was less than 300gpm, but it improved to 1822% at higher flow rates. Cuttings transport tests with plastic balls in a flow loop showed that 0.31" (8mm) and smaller balls passed smoothly through the ECD RT. Some of the 3/8 (9.5mm) balls were found damaged by the crusher, which indicated that the crusher was working effectively and so it can be concluded that typical drill cuttings are unlikely to cause plugging.
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Fig. 3 Preliminary results from surge tests.
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A column of cement concrete containing 10% of
gravel was drilled using a 12" tri-cone drill bit. All returns flowed through the ECD RT pump without plugging the system, however the ROP in the test was only 17ft/hr due to insufficient weight on the bit.
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During the surge and swab pressure studies carried out in
the vertical well, the trip speed of a stand varied from 60 to 120 ft/minute, with corresponding fluid displacement in the range 55 110 ft3/minute. The maximum surge was found to be 42psi and the maximum swab 65psi. The ECD RT was tested in a horizontal well for compatibility with mud pulse telemetry typically used in MWD tools. Tests were conducted for both positive and negative pulse signals and in both cases the signal passed through the ECD RT without any attenuation. Retrieving a flow diverter located in the turbine motor using a wireline was not a problem. The pull required to shear a set of two pins in the flow diverter was 1650lbs, which was in line with design specifications. Acknowledgements The authors wish to acknowledge the support and encouragement of their respective companies. They also wish to thank the teams of skilled design technicians and manufacturers and the dedication of all the people involved in the laboratory/field testing.
References 1. Lopes, C.A. and Bourgoyne, A T.: Feasibility study of a dual mud system for deepwater drilling operations. OTC 84654 (1996). 2. McLean, M.R. and Addis, M.A.: Wellbore stability analysis: A review of current methods of analysis and their field application. SPE Paper 19941 (1990). 3. Boyun Guo: Balance between formation damage and wellbore damage: what is the controlling factor in UBD operations? SPE Paper 73735 (2002). 4. Bratton, T.R. et al.: How to diagnose drilling induced fractures in wells drilled with oil-based muds with real-time resistivity and pressure measurements. SPE Paper 67742 (2001). 5. Eggemeyer, J.C. et al.: Subsea Mudlift Drilling: Design and Implementation of a Dual mud Gradient Drilling System. SPE Paper 71359 (2001). 6. Smith, K.L. et al.: Dual-gradient drilling nearly ready for field test. World Oil (October 2000). 7. Johnson, M.B.: New mud supply process saves time and expense in riserless deepwater drilling. World Oil (September 2002). 8. Witt, D.E. et al.: Drilling technique gets its feet wet. E&P (March 2002).
