Sperry DI Vol4

D rilling I nnovations
V ol ume 2 , No. 2 , 2 0 1 4 A sp e rry D RILL ING Tec h nology Jour nal
In This Issue
Advancements in
Powered Rotary Steerable
Technologies Result in
Record-Breaking Runs
See pages 4-9
Optimized Platform
Placement to Cover All
Geological Targets in
Baronia Field
See pages 35-40
Executive Steering Committee
Eric Carre
Senior Vice President, Drilling and Evaluation
Ahmed Kenawi
Vice President, Sperry Drilling
A Message from Ahmed Kenawi Greg Powers

Vice President, Technology
Editorial Advisory Committee

Mac Upshall
Welcome to the fourth issue of Drilling Innovations Akshay Sagar
a technical journal that focuses on Halliburton Andreas Grossmann
solutions and technical successes. Derrick Lewis
Halliburton is uniquely positioned to solve increasingly
complex drilling challenges by utilizing the expertise
Managing Editor
Roselle Mohle
offered by Drilling Engineering Solutions (DES) an
integration between Sperry Drilling, Baroid and Drills
Circulation
Bits and Services. DES strengthens Halliburtons
Steven Thrift
ability to offer customers risk mitigation, optimized
well bore placement for increased reserve recovery, Design
and maximized drilling performance. Griffin Creative Company
An integrated performance drilling systems approach This magazine is published biannually
has helped our customers in challenging environments. In this issue, several papers illustrate by Halliburton Sperry Drilling.
how an integrated solutions-based approach been successful. For example, a through For comments and suggestions,
motor telemetry (TMT) powered rotary steerable system combined with early planning, risk please contact: Sperry@Halliburton.com.
assessment and global experience set new records, and exceeded benchmarks in difficult
formations. Another paper explains how careful planning and collaboration among subject
matter experts resulted in high production levels in two multilateral wells due to the effective
execution of the drilling and completion phases.
These examples, along with the rest of the papers in this issue, highlight the tangible
benefits of drilling optimization. By using cutting edge technology and collaborating with the
right technical experts, Sperry can provide customers with the solutions needed to drill safe,
faster and on target every time. Additionally, you can find more in-depth information about
Sperrys drilling expertise in the Drilling Engineer Solutions and Applications Handbook,
which I encourage you to ask your Halliburton contact about.
Sperry Drillings DrillDOC collars provide the
Please enjoy this issue of Drilling Innovations, and as always, feel free to contact me if you measurements necessary to fully understand
downhole drilling dynamics. They deliver real-time
have any questions.
measurement of torsion, weight, bending and
vibration measurements.
Directly measuring tension, torsion, bending and

vibration identifies the actual drilling parameters
Kind regards, that are being applied to the bottomhole assembly
(BHA) and the bit. These measurements, utilized by
our experts can give operators greater insight into the
wellbore to reduce uncertainty, minimize unplanned
events and optimize the drilling performance.
Ahmed Kenawi
Sperry Drilling Vice President
Copyright 2014 Halliburton

All rights reserved.
2
Contents
4
4
Advancements in Powered Rotary Steerable Technologies
Result in Record-Breaking Runs
Geo-Pilot GXT Rotary Steerable System Fit-For-Purpose Solution
9
9 Planning Managed Pressure Drilling With Two-Phase Fluid
in a Depleted Reservoir
Managed Pressure Drilling Bergermeer Gas Storage Project
17 Multilateral TAML Level 4 Junction Provides Maximum Flexibility

for Drilling and Intelligent Completions
Planning and Executing an Intelligent Multilateral Well
17
23 Challenges and Successes in Horizontal Drilling Shallow 3D
Unconventional Turbidite Reservoir, Mexico
E xploiting Vast Oil Resources in Mexicos Chicontepec Basin
31 Instrumented Motors Prove Crucial in Unconventional

Well Placement
Real-Time Geosteering with Gabi Motor
23
34 Optimized Platform Placement to Cover All Geological
Targets in Baronia Field
Enhanced Oil Recovery Project Malaysia
40 Overcoming Extreme Weather Conditions by Drilling with Mpd

Offshore in the Arctic
Alaska Field Improves Drilling Economics with MPD
31
45 Are You on the Right Track with Casing Milling? Innovative
Precision-Milled Windows Offer Improved Casing Exit Reliability
for Sidetracking and Multilateral Completions
MillRite System Premium Replacement for Conventional Milling
34
40
45 3
G EO - PI LO T G X T RO T A RY S T EER AB LE SYS T EM F IT -F OR- PURPOSE SOLU TI ON
Advancements in Powered Rotary drilling applications. Operators drilling extended-

reach wells do not want to cause excessive wear
Steerable Technologies Result in

on casing strings; additionally, operators want a
solution to mitigate stick-slip. TMT powered RSS
is bringing these and other important benefits to
Record-Breaking Runs the drilling process.
Hernando Jerez, SPE, and Jim Tilley, SPE, Halliburton Applications

Copyright 2014, Society of Petroleum Engineers TMT powered RSS has a broad range of
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference held in
applications, focused mainly on performance
Maracaibo, Venezuela, 2123 May 2014. drilling and mitigating certain drilling phenomena,
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract such as vibration. Because of the wired connection
submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject and the modular design, drilling optimization or
to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
formation evaluation sensors can be incorporated
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the
Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 in front of the wired motor, providing great
words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright. versatility to the BHA configuration.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
From a performance point of view, TMT powered

Abstract RSS increases ROP, decreases vibration, and
Drilling operators continually experience increasing pressure to achieve all objectives safely and at the decreases casing wear by delivering the torque
lowest cost. Powered rotary steerable systems (RSS), applied within the correct drilling environment, directly to the bit. The power section decouples
can improve rate of penetration (ROP), lower risks, and reduce non-productive time (NPT), which can the drilling string from the RSS, eliminating
decrease drilling costs. torsional vibration common in RSS applications.
This benefit increases reliability not only for the
Using through motor telemetry (TMT) technology, a wired motor with a hollow rotor and flex shaft,
RSS but also for all of the electronic sensors in
allows a connection between rotary steerable systems (RSS) and logging while drilling (LWD) downhole
the string including optimization and formation
tools. A conductor passes power and communication through the motor to operate and steer the RSS.
evaluation sensors. In addition, the drill bit lasts
The wired power section uses a uniform wall thickness stator design that reduces heat production and
longer and can deliver better ROPs.
retention. It also delivers higher rev/min and torque directly to the RSS and bit. Using the TMT powered
RSS not only has improved ROP, but has also mitigated stick-slip vibration and reduced NPT. The NPT
An important application for TMT powered RSS
improvements have been identified in areas, such as slip-stick vibration, drill string failures, drill string
is in instances when the drilling rig experiences
torque variations, casing wear, and rig equipment failures.
limit capacity related to top drive power to rotate
Early planning and risk assessment have also been key. Experience across the globe, both on and the drilling string or drillpipe torque limitations.
offshore, are presented to show the benefits of integrating advanced drilling technologies, such as TMT Using a TMT powered RSS can reduce stress on
powered RSS and real-time downhole measurements with effective planning, to reap tangible benefits the rig and reduces wear on topdrive and drill pipe.
from drilling optimization. Extended-reach drilling (ERD) and complex well
profiles are classic applications for TMT powered
With improved performance as a result of increased torque capacity and bit speed, and reduction of RSS by reducing surface torque and increasing
the stick-slip mechanism, this new motor-driven rotary steerable technology has delivered superior reach capabilities.
performance and improved ROP in challenging medium and hard formations. After more than 10,000
drilling hours and nearly half a million feet drilled, TMT powered RSS technology is setting new records A TMT powered RSS allows a variety
and exceeding benchmarks by bringing greater horsepower to the rock destruction process with longer of sensor combinations for multiple applications,
runs and higher ROPs. including geosteering, performance drilling,
and reduced stick-out in casing while drilling
Introduction drilling tools have greatly improved drilling applications.
Optimized drilling systems include not only efficiency and allowed much higher ROPs.
matched drilling tools, but also the integration Choosing the proper drilling system is critical Benefits
of technology, processes, and people across all to boosting the well construction process and More energy is directly applied to the bit,
stages of the drilling process1. This is important pushing the drilling limit. The proper BHA design improving cutting efficiency and ROP while
as the industry places emphasis on improvement and modeling is critical to drilling the well also overcoming stick-slip and torsional related
to drilling programs to reduce NPT, improve safety and contributes to the optimization of drilling dysfunctions.
and efficiency, and optimize production. efficiency. Decoupling of the bit from the drillstring reduces
transmission of vibrations to LWD and other
Fit-for-purpose bottomhole assemblies (BHAs) Delivering power downhole without increasing the BHA components, improving life.
together with a wide array of advanced downhole rotary speed of the drillstring is a demand in some Drill string rotary speed can be reduced
4
to minimize casing wear while bit speed configuration, the fewer the lobes, the higher Wired Motor RSS BHA Design
is optimized for the best drilling performance. degree of eccentric motion. When passing a The placement of a motor in an RSS assembly
When applied in the proper drilling environment, conductor from the top of the rotor to the top requires consideration of the impact on the MWD,
TMT powered RSS improves ROP and reduces of the motor housing, this eccentric and axial RSS, and BHA performance. The system described
NPT, leveraging to drill faster and with less risk, motion must be compensated for. The method here is modular in design, which allows flexibility
resulting in decreased costs. employed is to use a mechanical compensator in placement of the motor in the BHA. The motor
Improved ERD capabilities and exposure that compensates for movement in the can be placed between the RSS and MWD or
of the payzone, which can greatly reduce capital axial and radial directions while providing a within the modular MWD components.
expenditure. bidirectional continuous conductor for power and
The TMT powered RSS shows capability of communications transmission. The optimum placement of the power section is
significantly increasing ROP in conditions where normally directly on top of the RSS and below
rig topdrive does not provide adequate torque Rotation must also be compensated for because the MWD. This placement allows torque to be
and surface rev/min. the rotor is decoupled from the upper housing in delivered directly to the RSS, allows higher bit
the rotational sense. A slip ring is employed to speed without over-rotating the MWD, minimizes
TMT Motor Design allow for the differential rotation while, at the the amount of string below the power section, and
RSSs generally require communication with the same time, providing a conductor for stable power decouples vibration to the MWD and upper string.
measurement while drilling (MWD) system to transmission and for high frequency, high speed
transmit directional control information to the communications. The BHA can also be designed with drilling
surface and to transmit directional commands from optimization sensors or LWD sensors located
the surface to the RSS. Directional information The TMT motor design employs a titanium flex below the motor. Placement of the drilling
from the RSS is critical information for the shaft to transmit rotation from the power section optimization sensor below the motor and above
directional driller to help ensure the well path is to the driveshaft. The flex shaft design allows the RSS can be used to measure torque, weight
being drilled according to the directional plan. incorporation of a solid conductor through a bore on bit (WOB), and bending on bit, for example,
Communication between the RSS and MWD in the center. In addition, the titanium flex shaft directly above the RSS for drilling optimization.
is also required to send formation evaluation provides high torque capability to drive higher LWD sensors can be placed directly above the
information from sensors located in the RSS to the loading below the wired motor. RSS and below the motor to obtain measurements
surface. An example is the azimuthal gamma ray closer to the bit.
sensor located in the RSS. Wiring the RSS motor The TMT motor has flexibility to use virtually any
allows transmission of power and high speed conventional power section provided the torque The wired motor can also be configured with a
communications between the RSS and the MWD. and rev/min specification is within the tool limits bent housing for conventional motor applications,
The power section is designed for high torque low and application requirements. The preferred power allowing power and communication to the bottom
speed operation. Fig. 1 shows a schematic of the section type is uniform wall thickness. The uniform of the motor and placement of sensors directly on
main components of TMT. wall thickness power section provides higher top of the bit. Typical applications include ranging
torque output and a higher temperature rating. sensors for intersection wells and LWD sensors for
The main challenges in the wired motor design Higher torque capability will allow for smoother near bit formation evaluation. Fig. 2. shows some
include compensating for the eccentric motion rotation of the RSS and drill at a higher ROP. In BHA configurations depending on the application.
of the rotor in the power section, passing the addition, the uniform wall thickness expands with
transmission section and the bearing pack and temperature at a constant rate. Thinner rubber
compensating for different rotational speeds thickness that expands at a constant rate means
between the rotor and upper housing. that the rotor and stator can be fit precisely
for high temperature application. This allows
TMT Motor Design Features application of the TMT technology at temperatures
The rotor in a power section has an eccentric up to 175C.
and axial motion that is a function of the lobe
Figure 2. Modular BHA configuration using a

Figure 1. TMT main components. TMT powered RSS.
5
Geological proposal, however, identified a hard/

abrasive drilling environment, multilayered dipping,
and folded formations with dips in the range 40
to 70. The stratigraphy of this area corresponds
to the old Mesozoic and Paleozoic geological eras
starting with the Cretaceous period, subjacent by
Jurassic, Devonian, Silurian, and Cambric. On top
of the hardness and abrasiveness, the geological
cross-section shows important discontinuities with
highly faulty events.
The first well was drilled with a rotary BHA

including a straight mud motor. Low ROP was
experienced, and the hole inclination drifted
until reaching an equilibrium angle around 20.
The drilling continued with the hole deviation
Figure 3. TMT RSS application with vibration data above and below the motor.
moving in the 10 to 20 range of inclination.
The equilibrium angle is dependent on various
Case History 1 log) shows that, while some torsional resonance
factors, including formation dip angle, drillability
Offshore Deepwater UK vibration exists below the motor, it is not
anisotropy, and drilling parameters in use. The
TMT powered RSS technology was used for an transmitted to the LWD tool and drillstring above.
well was TD with 13 of inclination and a vertical
operator in a high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/
section of 270 m.
HT) development well in the UK Central North In this particular case, two downhole vibration
Sea. The challenge included maximizing ROP sensors were part of the drill string, the first
For the second well, a drilling motor was used with
through hard chalk / limestone formations in the between the RSS and the TMT motor and a second
both sliding and rotating drilling modes in both
12 1/4-in. section and then drilling the 8-in. hole one behind the TMT motor within the LWD. The
intervals (12 1/4- and 8 1/2-in. hole sizes), ROP was
section through the HP/HT reservoir using LWD, left graph in figure 3 is the data from the sensor
lower compared to the first well because of the
eliminating the need for wireline. below the TMT, it shows in the track #4 high
directional work to keep the well close to vertical.
average values of vibrations both in Y and X axis;
on the other hand, the right graph in the same The abrasiveness of the formation required
In the 12 1/4-in. section, the TMT RSS assembly
track (sensor above the TMT) shows minimum or performing several trips to drill each interval.
was used to drill from 5,276 to 13,938 ft (1,608
to 4,248 m) measured depth (MD). Average null average vibration values both X and Y axis.
This is the decoupling effect from the TMT motor, Another well used a push the bit vertical seeking
penetration rate was 78.6 ft/hr (24 m/hr), a
which reduces transmission of vibrations. tool powered with a motor above it; this approach
62% improvement over conventional rotary
managed to drill the well vertical and improve ROP.
steerable system performance in an offset
well. Total footage drilled was 8,662 ft (2,640 m) The vibration measured below the TMT
with zero NPT. motor was -5.0 g average x-y delta torsional
resonance. The vibration measured above
In the 8 1/2-in. section, The HP/HT TMT RSS BHA the TMT motor was -0.5 g average x-y delta
with HP/HT LWD quad combo delivered the torsional resonance, indicating a reduction
entire 2,323-ft (708-m) section in a single run, due to the decoupling effect.
intersecting all geological targets with zero NPT.
In what was the fourth longest section in the UK
Case History 2Continental Europe
Exploratory Campaign
for drilling hours on bottom since records began,
In this vertical drilling application, the
the LWD quad combo was downhole for 355 hr
TMT powered RSS delivered maximum
(14.8 days) with 296 circulating hr (12.3 days).
performance, outperforming the benchmark
Successful LWD performance eliminated the
well in the area with RSS or performance
need for wireline logging, and the well reached
motors. During a four-well exploratory
total depth (TD) at 16,232 ft (4,948 m) 25 days
campaign, different drilling systems were
ahead of plan.
used aiming to maximize ROP. The structural
setting in this continental Europe project
A major benefit of TMT technology is this case corresponds to ancient Paleozoic and
was decoupling the BHA to reduce vibration on the Mesozoic depositions. Because of limited
LWD and upper string. This reduces damage and drilling, not much information was known at
potential NPT while, at the same time, improving the beginning of the project. Figure 4. (left) drilling time curve for the four wells
ROP and drilling performance. Fig. 3. (a time based campaign; (right) inclination data for the four wells.
6
Still, some drilling inefficiencies were experienced, secondary reservoir by dropping angle to 84 and The lateral hole intervals had been traditionally
including vibration that reduces the life of the bit. steering inside that zone for approximately 900 ft. drilled with motors, achieving ROP of 50 to 70 ft/
With an average ROP of 36.4 ft/hr in the 6 1/8-in. hr. Lately, however, rotary steerable systems were
The last well incorporated a point the bit RSS lateral section, this run also established a field introduced to drill long lateral complex trajectories,
together with a wired power section to drill both record. Fig. 5. shows the trajectory created. which has resulted in increased ROP. The objective
the 12 1/4- and 8 1/2-in. intervals. The TMT powered of this well was to use a TMT powered RSS
RSS system not only managed to keep the well In the build section alone, a field record average to navigate in the best quality of rock while
close to 0 inclination but, because of the vertical ROP of 59.60 ft/hr saved the operator 2days, or matching/exceeding the established benchmark
cruise control mode in use, the drilling time was approximately USD 100,000, while in the ROP as a minimum.
optimized by drilling the well in automatic vertical 6 1/8-in. section. The geosteering assembly
mode, maximizing ROP. Fig. 4. (left) shows the achieved a field record average ROP of 36.4 ft/hr A TMT powered RSS assembly was used to
time drilling curve for the four exploratory wells. to save the operator another 3 1/2 days, or about drill the 8 1/2-in. lateral section of the well; total
The TMT powered RSS also shows value to keep USD 175,000. footage drilled with was 4,074ft MD in one run.
the well vertical. Fig. 4. (right) shows the deviation Table 1 shows relevant data of the powered RSS
survey for the four wells. Case History 4 Unconventional Play application and presents run data, comparing a
Drilling efficiency requires attention to a variety TMT powered RSS to a motor.
During the entire run, the TMT powered RSS of key indicators. Modeling BHAs together with
observed a strong build tendency caused by the advanced drilling technologies contributes to The TMT powered RSS drilled in total 4,074 ft
steeply dipping formation. The TMT powered RSS the stability of the drilling system, optimum along the shale formation while geosteering and
was operated with bit deflection over 60% and performance, and ultimately improvement to achieving good quality rock based on formation
mainly at 80 to 90% to keep the wellbore vertical. efficiency. The fourth case history was in an evaluation data in real-time. The effective ROP
unconventional play in which a TMT powered was more than fourfold compared with the ROP
Vibration mitigation measures were employed RSS was used to drill a long lateral section, experienced in offset wells. The improvement of
at the direction of real-time engineering performing better than the best well previously ROP by using the TMT powered RSS saved 24 hr
monitoring; however, low to medium vibration drilled using mud motors. of rig time. Fig. 6. shows thecomparison of TMT
severity was still present while drilling in the powered RSS and best offset mud motor run.
presence of interbedded formations; medium
to high vibration was also present when picking
up the bit off bottom.
Case History 3
Middle East Hard Formation
A mature field application in Kuwait required TMT
technology to improve ROP in a hard formation.
The well consisted of build and land sections in an Figure 5. Realtime Geological Model Interpretation
8 1/2-in. hole sizes, followed by a lateral section in
6 1/8-in. hole size. At the same time, a high degree
of steerability was required because of geologic
uncertainty. TMT technology, along with high build
rate RSS, was chosen for this application.
In the 8 1/2-in. section, high build rate was required

at landing because of formation tops coming in
high. The required trajectory was achieved with
record ROP in this field, 60 ft/hr average, including
connections and reaming times. A total of 2,500 ft
was drilled building angle from 4 to 88 inclination
in 32.5 drilling hours versus the 3.5 days planned
for the section.
In the 6 1/8-in. lateral section, the assembly

included a TMT powered RSS and LWD tools
including geosteering service to navigate through
the reservoir. The assembly successfully drilled
the reservoir for 1,500 ft, and then steered into the Figure 6. Footage and ROP Comparison
7
The matched uniform wall thickness power section powering Conclusions

a point the bit RSS improved steerability and reduced The TMT powered RSS with improved performance as a result of increased torque capacity
inefficiencies. Producing the power and speed as well as and bit speed and reduction of the stick-slip mechanism has delivered superior performance
torque closer to the bit results in better steerability and a and improved ROP in challenging medium and in hard formations.
better wellbore quality. This led to a record lateral in terms TMT wire technology is the most reliable way for a high speed and power communications
of ROP. between the RSS and the MWD, allowing for BHA design flexibility to accommodate
placement of downhole sensors ahead of the power section.
Drilling efficiency improved as vibration-related damage was A benefit of the TMT powered RSS is that it decouples the BHA, reducing vibration on the
reduced by minimizing stick-slip and by decoupling the LWD LWD and upper string. This reduces damage and potential NPT while, at the same time,
tools from damaging shocks and torsional vibration. Some improving ROP and drilling performance.
vibration was experienced with the TMT powered RSS, mainly In a vertical drilling application, the TMT powered RSS has delivered maximum
during circulation out of bottom. Fig. 7 shows a comparison of performance, outperforming the benchmark well in the area in comparison to RSS alone or
vibration experienced with both systems. performance motors.
The matched uniform wall thickness power section powering a point the bit RSS improves
The TMT powered RSS has been a drilling efficiency step- performance significantly in hard formations and HP/HT applications.
change2. The proper planning in the right application can
deliver great benefits for the well construction. Fig. 8 shows
2013 footage and drilling time using TMT technology.
Acknowledgements Authors
The authors thank the management of Hernando Jerez
Halliburton for their support of this project has 21 years of
experience working
and encouragement to publish this work. with Halliburton. He
Figure 7. Stick-slip vibration comparison (TMT powered RSS has served in multiple
vs. downhole motor). References positions including
field hand, operations, engineering and
Alvord, C., Noel, B., Galiunas, L. et al. 2007. RSS management. Hernando led Sperry Drilling
Application From Onshore Extended-Reach- operations in Venezuela and Mexico before
Development Wells Shows Higher Offshore moving to Houston where he is now the
Potential. Paper OTC 18975-MS presented at Drilling Tools product manager for Sperry.
the Offshore Technology Conference, Houston,
Jim Tilley is the
Texas, USA. 30 April3 May. http://dx.doi. global product
org/10.4043/18975-MS. manager for rotary
steerable systems
Zimmer, C., Pearson, J., Richter, D. et al. 2010.
based in Houston,
Drilling a Better Pair: New Technologies Texas. He received
in SAGD Directional Drilling. Paper SPE/ his BSc in petroleum engineering from
CSUG 137137 presented at the CSUG/SPE Texas A&M University. Jim has been
Canadian Unconventional Resources & with Sperry Drilling since 1984 starting
in field operations in the Gulf of Mexico
International Petroleum Conference, Calgary,
and progressing through technology and
Alberta, Canada, 1921 October. http://dx.doi. management positions. He has been involved
org/10.2118/137137-MS. with rotary steerable systems operations and
Figure 8. TMT Powered RSS cumulative footage and management since 2002. Jim is a long-term
drilling hours. active member of SPE.
8
M A N A G E D PRESSURE D RI LLING B ERG ERMEER GA S S T OR A G E PRO J ECT
Planning Managed Pressure Drilling With operation. This paper documents the key planning
considerations required to drill and complete
Two-Phase Fluid in a Depleted Reservoir

a highly depleted reservoir using two-phase
MPD techniques.
Martyn Parker, Jelle Wielenga, and Vladimir Bochkarev, TAQA; Isabel Poletzky, SPE,
Introduction
Mark Juskiw, and Saad Saeed, Halliburton
The Rotliegendes reservoir is Permian, and
Copyright 2014, SPE/IADC Managed Pressure Drilling and Underbalanced Operations Conference and Exhibition
consists of well-sorted, fine-grained Aeolian
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE/IADC Managed Pressure Drilling and Underbalanced Operations
sandstones. The average thickness of the reservoir
Conference and Exhibition held in Madrid, Spain, 8-9 April 2014.
is approximately 200 m. Porosity is generally high,
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE/IADC program committee following review of information contained in
an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers
ranging from 15 to 30%, and averaging 23%.
or the International Association of Drilling Contractors and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not Vertically, the best porosities occur in the middle
necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers or the International Association of Drilling Contractors, part of the reservoir, with generally lower porosity
its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent
of the Society of Petroleum Engineers or the International Association of Drilling Contractors is prohibited. Permission to
in the upper portion in the Weissliegendes facies.
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must Horizontal and vertical permeability is generally
contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE/IADC copyright. high, with 300 and 200 MD, respectively. A number
of thin low-porosity streaks occur throughout the
reservoir. The upper and side reservoir seals are
Abstract provided by Zechstein evaporites.
The Bergermeer Rotliegend sandstone reservoir has been depleted by production. This has substantially
reduced reservoir pore pressure and well deliverability. Pressure depletion has been accompanied by an The Weissliegend, the upper formation of the
expected decrease in minimum in-situ stress, resulting in a substantially sub-hydrostatic drilling fluid reservoir, is better cemented but is less permeable
density being required to enable drilling. As a result, Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) using two-phase than the Rotliegend, which attributes to greater
fluid has been chosen as the enabling technology for drilling and completing initial wells for the Gas rock strength. The formation permeability also
Storage Bergermeer Project. favors the horizontal plane over the vertical.
There are two sections of the reservoir that
MPD for the Bergermeer wells is defined as the use of two-phase flow of drilling fluid including slant, therefore the water cut level is below both
nitrogen injection via a tieback casing to maintain bottom hole pressure (BHP) below the anticipated formations in the 1st section but traverses up
reservoir minimum in-situ stress at a long hole depth. Application of MPD technology in the Gas Storage into the bottom formation Rotliegend in the
Bergermeer Project will allow drilling the planned boreholes without exceeding minimum in-situ stress, 2nd section. With these factors in mind, the
minimizing the risks of differential sticking and drilling fluid losses if natural fractures are present. 1st section wells are planned to be S-shaped and
Reservoir pressure in the Rotliegendes reservoir was originally 238 bar (3451 psi) at 2100 m (6890 ft) the wells in the 2nd section will be horizontal in
subsea. By mid-2009, gas reinjection was started to bring the reservoir up to an operating pressure of 133 the stronger Weissliegend.
bar for gas storage operations. By May 2013, the time of drilling the 1st of the new gas storage wells into
the Bergermeer reservoir, the formation pressure had been brought up to 81 bar in block 1 and 35 bar in The Bergermeer Rotliegend sandstone reservoir
the adjacent block 2. has been depleted by production. This has
substantially reduced reservoir pore pressure
Due to permitting restrictions, it was not possible to drill a test/pilot well before drilling the first gas and well deliverability. Independent studies into
injection/production wells to physically determine formation rock strength. Therefore a decision was
made to drill into the 81 bar reservoir with a target BHP of 117 to 127 bar; this equated to
an equivalent circulating density (ECD) of 0.57 to 0.63 SG. Two wells were drilled during
MayJune 2013, one S-shaped vertical well in block 1 and one horizontal well into block
2. This was achieved maintaining a constant BHP within the predetermined window using
MPD with gasified fluid; in reality it was possible to drill the wells with a very stable BHP
with a 0.6 SG ECD. Dynamic formation integrity tests (FIT) were performed to determine
the formation rock strength in a controlled manner using two-phase MPD techniques at
predetermined depths in the reservoir; results indicated that rock strength was adequate
for using conventional drilling techniques. Despite the successful implementation of MPD,
future wells will be drilled conventionally although MPD could deliver the wells should
the formations turned out to be weak, and it remains as an important contingency in case
formation strength turns out to be weak in future wells.
For the Gas Storage Bergermeer project, significant planning into the overall system design,
equipment selection, techniques, procedures and training lead to an operation where
precise control of the annular pressure profile was achieved and maintained throughout the Figure 1. Geographic Location (Source: Google Maps).
9
the field depletion indicated that there was a so that no nitrogen would be pumped down the determine flow combinations of drilling fluids (both
high potential for a decline in the minimum in- drill pipe string. This design also allowed the use SOBM and water-based mud (WBM)) and nitrogen
situ (fracture closure) stress in the Rotliegendes of a Pressure While Drilling (PWD) tool, which gas, in the various possible hole sizes, with a
reservoir, requiring sub-hydrostatic ECD aided in providing early detection of fluid losses. variety of drill strings, but all aimed at achieving a
fluids to be used to avoid drilling fluid losses maximum BHP of 127.6 bar (1850 psi).
to the formation. To achieve stable BHP conditions in a two-phase
MPD system, it was clear that the overall system Fluid levels were carefully managed during
Uncontrollable mud losses resulting from a mud would benefit significantly from uninterrupted tripping, since they were substantially below
with a density such that it cannot adapt to MPD injection of both nitrogen and drilling mud. Thus, a surface. Briefly, it was proposed to use a 97 to
techniques could result in consequences ranging continuous circulation system was used making it 131 bar (1400-1900 psi) BHP operational envelope,
from compromising sand face completions, to possible to maintain continuous mud pump rates as periodic unloading of the A annulus was
complete loss of an expensive wellbore. FITs were for the drilling operations from start of reservoir required on trips in the hole. This 97-131 bar
performed, to prove or disprove the possibility to TD. The continuous circulating system also BHP operational window was also the target for
of reservoir stress rebound, and plans for drilling allowed for trips while pumping back into the shoe sand face completion operations. Note initial
future wells can be made accordingly. with nitrogen injection. assumption was formation pressure of 81bar (1175
psi). It was conventional practice to include a 13.8
The location of the wells was in a semi-urban Defining the MPD Parameters bar (200 psi) trip margin. In order to drill and trip
setting between the towns of Bergen and Alkmaar Normally, MPD is thought of as a single- as recommended, the designed MPD operations
requiring extra precautions with regards noise phase system and many would argue that the cannot proceed past the point where reservoir
and light to accommodate the proximity to introduction of nitrogen, a compressible gas, pressure rises to 103.4 bar (1500 psi).
the local population and limit disruption to the to the system reduces the level of control. Past
environment (Fig. 1). operations similar to this have been termed as Performing FITs was recommended to determine
Low-Head Drilling operations. whether reservoir stresses were changing. With
Background significant improvement, determinations could
The MPD objectives were to drill into the depleted However for the Gas Storage Bergermeer project, be made as to when use of a single-phase SOBM
Bergermeer formations (2100 m to 2200 m TVD) significant planning into the overall system design, would be appropriate. If there is no rebound,
with a sub-hydrostatic ECD fluid and to maintain a equipment selection, techniques, procedures and planning should commence for consideration of
desired bottom-hole pressure (BHP) between 117 training lead to an operation where precise control stress cage or other drilling fluids, which contain
to 127 bar (the fracture reopening pressure). This of the annular pressure profile was achieved additives to seal porosity and fractures, which
required a two-phase mud system, nitrogen and and maintained through out the operation. may allow drilling and other operations at higher
oil-based mud system, which yielded an ECD of This paper details this planning process in the bottom hole pressures.
0.54 to 0.63 SG. following sections.
Basis for MPD Well Design Optimization
It is worth noting that an ultra-low density mud While MPD drilling the 8 1/2-in. reservoir sections MPD design for Bergermeer was based primarily
system using hollow glass spheres had been in Block 1, or the 6 1/8-in. reservoir laterals in Block on the requirement for a maximum of 127.6 bar
evaluated for this project, however field trials in 2, nitrogen was added primarily by tieback annulus (1850 psi) bottomhole circulating pressure and
nearby wells found that a 0.90 SG OBM system injection. Addition of nitrogen resulted in fluid adequate bottomhole hole cleaning to remove
could be reduced to a 0.78 SG density. However, density reduction such that BHP did not exceed drilled cuttings from the wellbore.
as a dynamic system, the achievable ECD was 0.90 reservoir minimum in-situ stress. Mud pump rate,
SG as proven by a field trial in similar nearby well. nitrogen injection and the geometry of the bottom Initial multiphase simulator runs aimed at simply
hole assembly (BHA), drill string and A annulus achieving the target maximum BHP of 127.6 bar
Regarding the drilling fluids selected for (drill string x liner-tieback annulus or the drill string (1850 psi). Once a combination of mud pump rate
drilling the reservoir sections, the drilling mud x production casing annulus), determined BHP and nitrogen injection arrived at a satisfactory
that appeared likely to offer the best overall and hole cleaning parameters.To determine BHP solution, annular liquid velocity was next
performance was synthetic oil-based mud (SOBM). whether it was possible to use a single-phase considered. Minimum acceptable annular liquid
It appeared to have the least impact on formation fluid, it was necessary to quantify the change in velocities of 45.7 m/min (150 ft/min) in vertical and
damage, and minimized the risk of foaming in a reservoir stress. This was most useful if there low-inclination holes, and 54.9 m/min (180 ft/min)
nitrified mud system. were natural fractures in the reservoirif no in high-angle and horizontal wellbores are used.
fractures existed, test pressures were not high
Formation evaluation was critical for the project, enough to initiate fracturing. Injecting additional nitrogen had a minor effect
and historically, two-phase flow has been on liquid velocity. Nitrogens main influence was
detrimental to conventional Measurement While Repressurization will bring the reservoir pressure in reducing the effective density of the drilling
Drilling (MWD). To maintain a viable MWD into the recommended BHP operational envelope fluid. With the low BHP, these wells could
system, a parasitic injection string was designed towards the end of the current drilling schedule. not accommodate higher liquid rates without
Multiphase simulation runs were made to exceeding the design pressure limit.
10
For a constant mud pump rate, annular BHP at of the injected nitrogen in the circulation fluid. To on BHP was minimal. While the simulator took
the bit initially decreased as nitrogen gas was account for this complexity, a computer simulator into account this initial start-up condition, the
introduced into the system. This hydrostatic must be used. For Bergermeer, two-phase actual drilling program included a staged pumping
pressure reduction was gradually offset by hydraulics modelling simulations were run using schedule to minimize slugging and pressure spikes
increasing fluid flow friction and decreasing liquid steady state software and the results were then at start up.
fraction in the fluid. This portion of the curve is verified using a transient two-phase hydraulics
referred to as being hydrostatically dominated, simulator. To validate results of the modelling, Dynamic Simulation of Different
and is prone to slug flow. data was collected from two-phase flow during a Drilling Events
familiarization period, and this data was analyzed The modeling performed with the transient
Computer modelling for Bergermeer indicated and used to calibrate the computer modelling. simulator for the 8 1/2-in. hole sections verifies the
slug flow was going to prevail in most situations, operating envelope of the modeling performed
with (typically) discrete flows of liquid with lower The steady state multiphase simulator predicts with the steady state software. Again the main
wellhead pressures, followed by discrete gas flow flow conditions for extended flows at the difference between the static modelling and the
and higher wellhead pressures. The MPD manifold nominated rates and the described geometric more comprehensive dynamic flow modeling is
had a programmable choke, which assisted in and fluid situations. It can predict changes that effects on flow parameters and pressures can
maintaining a stabilized wellhead pressure. which may occur in a wellbore if circulation be seen vs. time rather than just as a snap shot at
conditions are changed, but could not predict a given flow period as per the steady state. These
Liquid pumping rate was an important factor in the dynamic changes between one circulation results were interesting as the slug flow condition
the control and magnitude of the two-phase condition and another. can be reviewed in more detail. These results
BHP. Small changes in pump rate resulted in showed that after the initial two-phase MPD start
significant changes in BHP specifically for the A transient wellbore hydraulics simulator that up, the dynamic conditions stabilized in a short
6.125" hole section in the horizontal wells. It was has been extensively used for Underbalanced time, thus having the ability to maintain both
also found that the 8.5" sections had a greater Drilling (UBD) operations was used, since it is nitrogen and mud returns as separate discreet
tolerance to change of the mud flow rates. also a valuable tool when used for MPD operations flow regimes led to a very stable two-phase
The effect of a single phase flow on the BHP when gas injection is required. The physical system where the effects of slug flow conditions
clearly demonstrated the importance of using a and mathematical basis of the transient simulator could be minimized.
continuous circulation system. enables the user to investigate a wide variety
of problems (both static and dynamic) related to Transient wellbore hydraulics software was used
Other factors that were considered with respect UBD operations. to simulate the entire drilling process, especially
to the annular BHP of a circulating system using the main events that could result in a BHP being
tieback nitrogen injection were the drill string In summary, the two-phase hydraulics modelling outside the required operating window. Fig. 2
connections. Normal connections involve stopping simulations indicated that it would be possible shows some of the transient simulation results for
circulation, which interrupts the steady state to reduce the hydrostatic of the fluid system one of the two wells, where events such as start
flow of a two-phase system and cause significant by introducing nitrogen to achieve the desired of nitrogen injection, simulated connections with
pressure transients or pressure spikes. If operating window. There was an initial slug different times for pump offs to get the surface
conventional connections were made, nitrogen related to the start of gas injection in all the survey, and dynamic FIT can be observed.
and the liquid drilling fluid would phase-separate different hole sections for both wells but the effect
in the A annulus, and a period of circulation
would be required to re-stabilize flows and BHPs
prior to resuming drilling. To avoid this issue
and its associated non-productive time, use of
in-string continuous circulation subs were included
into the plan.
Use of continuous circulation subs maintained

circulation during connections, keeping BHP
constant. They also avoided pressure variations
associated with re-establishing two-phase
circulation. This also assisted in not worsening any
hole instability which could have developed.
Two-phase Hydraulics Flow Modeling

Two-phase circulation for MPD is complex with no
linear relationships, due to the compressive nature
Figure 2. Results from the Transient Simulator.
11
Concentric Nitrogen Injection The nitrogen injection requirements and a relatively low operating pressure to be controlled
The decision was made early in the planning phase availability were a critical factor in defining the by a proportionally small Cv operating window.
to use concentric nitrogen injection (injection two-phase MPD requirements. As a part of an
of nitrogen between the outer casing and a overall system, it was found from the hydraulics The specialized process engineering software
preinstalled drilling liner) in favor of drill string modelling that rates up to 4000 to 5000 scf/min identified that to control the ASBP with the
nitrogen injection. Drill string nitrogen injection would be required for concentric nitrogen injection. required MPD parameters then the throughput of
is considerably more efficient than injection the system had to be designed so as not to create
of nitrogen higher up the well via concentric Measurement Whilst Drilling (MWD) surface flowline restriction that would create a
casing and although this technique would BHA Configuration very high surface pressure, yet allow the required
have required less nitrogen there are simply As previously stated, the MWD section of the BHA ASBP to achieve the desired MPD BHP drilling
too many disadvantages for using drill string was not subjected to nitrogen flow either from window of 117 to 127 bar.
nitrogen injection. the inside or the outside of the tools as the MWD
tools were always below the nitrogen injection The process engineering software also identified
Due to the Bergermeer wells being designed as point whilst drilling. The main considerations that the surface flowlines upstream of the MPD
large bore with 9 5/8-in. completions for the high therefore for MWD/BHA selection essentially choke manifolds would have to be 8" flow lines,
flow rate gas wells with the need for injection centered on the following points: and that to use standard 3". MPD chokes, at least
and production capability, the Bergermeer wells MWD tool selection for reduced mud flow rates. 3". MPD chokes in parallel would be needed to
required the use of a drilling liner to achieve MWD tool selection/configuration for minimal drill 8-1/2" hole section with an ASBP of 4 bar (60
suitable hole cleaning velocities regardless of drilling pump rate changes for communication psi); above 7 bar (100 psi), 2 X 3". MPD chokes
nitrogen injection location. and downlinks. would be required.
MWD tool porting/restricted orifice to achieve
The disadvantages for drill string injection can be suitable standpipe pressure and minimize the The large ID flow lines also remained important
summarized as follows: effects of U-tubing drill pipe to drilling annulus. to the separation system to be able to run the
Injection of nitrogen via the drill string would MPD 1st stage separator at a minimum operating
have led to the requirement for specialized Suitably Applied Surface Back Pressure pressure of 2 bar (30 psi), required to ship drilling
MWD tools, EM-MWD (electromagnetic To have a suitable degree of control on the BHP, it mud the distance from the separation package to
measurement whilst drilling). was necessary to manipulate the annular pressure the rigs header box at an elevation of 4.5 m.
N itrogen injection via the drill string would profile (operating window) and this could only
have complicated the use of continuous be achieved with a suitably applied surface back With the contractual requirement for 100% system
circulating subs. pressure (ASBP). redundancy in the MPD chokes this meant that two
Nitrogen injection comingled down the drill full automated MPD choke systems were required.
string with drilling mud would have led to high All adjustable choking devices have a control
velocities in the drill string with the potential for range which is referred to as the Cv range (flow Description and Application of
localized erosion of drill string/BHA components. coefficient or flow capacity range). For the two- Equipment and Processes
Nitrogen injection would have required a change phase MPD planning on Bergermeer, the flow In principle, the theory is simple enough. The
out of the rotary drilling hose to a nitrogen capacity of the choking devices was a critical drilling hydrostatic is reduced by introducing
compatible one. issue that had to be reviewed using specialized nitrogen into the drilling annulus, the volume
process engineering software. Simply put, the of drilling mud removed by the nitrogen is then
The use of concentric nitrogen injection had the combined flow of comingled drilling mud and controlled by application of ASBP (choking the
following additional benefits: nitrogen returns had to be controlled by the MPD return flow from the drilling annulus), to precisely
Provided a suitable conduit to inject nitrogen on automated choke manifolds at very low pressures control the annular pressure profile. A full
a continuous uninterrupted basis. of 4 to 14 bar (60 to 200 psi): underbalanced separation system downstream
Allowed for the installation of a purpose-built Drilling mud rates required for suitable of the MPD choke manifolds was used to remove
nitrogen injection downhole choke assembly hole cleaning and the BHA 950 to 1000 lpm and safely vent the nitrogen from the drilling
to ensure that the nitrogen injection point was (250 to 260gpm) mud. The drilling mud with all nitrogen removed
always maintained at a suitable differential Nitrogen rates required 4000 to 5000scf/min from solution was then returned back to the rigs
pressure to prevent U-tubing from the drilling Drilling mud density of 0.9 SG header box for processing as normal i.e., over the
annulus to the concentric casing annulus during Two-phase hydraulics modelling indicated that shakers, centrifuges, and then back to the active
MPD operations. the desired ASBP range required would be 4 to mud pits. Fig. 3 shows a simplified MPD two-
Allowed for installation of a surface read 14bar (60 to 200psi). phase equipment overview, and Fig. 4 shows the
out real-time downhole pressure gauge to A typical 3" MPD drilling choke has a Cv max. rig location.
control BHP. range of 120
Ensured that the two fluid streams where Some of the main considerations during the up
separated thus allowing for use of the The above combination is the worst possible front planning and engineering were:
continuous circulation subs. situation: relatively high comingled flow rate with Since MPD drilling procedures deviate
12
significantly from conventional methods, it was required to perform
detailed equipment design reviews, Hazard Identification (HAZID), and
Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) to develop MPD procedures specific
to the MPD equipment being supplied and the MPD operating window
available for the Bergermeer project. These procedures required activities
in addition to conventional procedures to properly manage a dynamic two-
phase circulation system.
Development of MPD training courses to familiarize the operator, drilling
contractor, mud loggers, and MWD/DD personnel was performed in the
months leading up to the 1st MPD operation.
Additionally there was an equipment commissioning, familiarization,
and calibration process scheduled prior to entering the reservoir to
allow function testing of MPD equipment, including a surface control
and separation package, the Rotating Control Device (RCD), and
nitrogen generation unit, to establish baseline monitoring trends
and to train crews.
An auditable process (NORSOK Z-MC-007) was used to check the MPD
Figure 3. Two-phase MPD System Overview piping, electrical, and instrumentation of the RCD, RCD, separator,
nitrogen, and continuous circulation subs. Each item had an individual
Mechanical Completion Certificate (MCC) used to ensure the equipment
was rigged up, installed, and functioned correctly. All MPD equipment
was signed off as per the MCCs and included all relevant pressure tests.
The process return lines from the RCD to the MPD manifold were exposed
to flow of a mixed gas-liquid system containing drilled solids. To monitor
for erosion, it was recommended to use an Ultrasonic Thickness (UT)
meter to survey the flow lines periodically. A baseline UT survey was
conducted once the equipment was rigged in, and additional surveys were
performed periodically to monitor for changes in the system.
MPD Equipment
The MPD equipment rigged up for the wells included (see Fig. 5):
Cryogenic Nitrogen Pumping Package
RCD
Emergency Shut Down (ESD) valve skids for primary and
secondary flowlines
2 x MPD choke manifolds run in parallel
1st stage separator c/w pump and piping skid and spare pump
Figure 4. Rig Location.
2nd stage pressurized knockout vessel
Coriolis metering skid
Silenced safe vent
Data Acquisition System (DAS) for automated ASBP control
Surface Readout Downhole Gauge (DHG)
Other critical equipment was:

Continuous circulation sub allowing for continuous circulation
on connections
Downhole PWD sensor to provide real time at the bit BHP readings
Downhole nitrogen casing injection valve
Environmental Considerations
During MPD operations, gases from the separation package were conducted
to a vertical vent stack equipped with noise silencer. A fit-for-purpose
silenced, safe nitrogen vent system was designed to specifically meet the
requirement for the Bergermeer MPD project.
Figure 5. MPD Equipment Set Up.
13
The exhaust stack was designed to accommodate reach TD safely; have no recordable accidents, nitrogen at a fixed point into the drilling annulus.
the exhaust flow from two distinct streams, a no incidents; no major spills;maintain the BHP This ability for continuous nitrogen injection was
pressure control valve and a pressure safety valve. within a certain window as per requirements; supported by the ability to continuously circulate
Two noise level requirements were specified, test the fracture gradient of the Weissliegend drilling mud down the string via subs incorporated
namely 70 dB(A) at 5 m and 50 dB(A) at 300 m and formation with a dynamic FIT to determine if into each stand of the drill string giving an
the exhaust stack was located at three positions the fracture gradient was high enough for future uninterrupted/separated circulating system for
within the site. It was found that a silencer was wells drilled with one less casing string; test the the two-phases (drilling mud and nitrogen) into
necessary in the exhaust stack to enable both the fracture gradient of the Rotliegend formation with the wellbore.
noise requirements to be met. It was found that a dynamic FIT to determine if the formation was
the noise requirement to meet a sound pressure suitable for single-phase drilling; successfully This design of uninterrupted/separated two-phase
level of 70 dB(A) at 5 m from the vent stack was install the completion assembly while remaining circulation provides the ability to maintain a
the governing condition. below fracture pressure and minimize NPT by constant BHP throughout the drilling process.
reducing drilling problems such as losses and stuck The downhole gauge (DHG) was installed
Well Control pipe events. directly above the injection point to provide
A consequence of two-phase circulation is a loss real-time measurements of the pressure in the
in well monitoring sensitivity. The presence of A concentric casing string well profile was drilling annulus.
compressible two-phase fluids requires trend designed for these wells to inject nitrogen at a
monitoring analyses to interpret well status and fixed point in the annulus in conjunction with a Two wells were drilled using the two-phase
identify well control events, as instantaneous continuous circulating system for liquid injection MPD techniques: BGM 24 and BGM 29, and the
surface parameter readings cannot be used to down the drill pipe, all to provide continuous corresponding results are summarized in the next
interpret well status. Thus, conventional kick circulation and maintain a constant BHP paragraphs.
detection methods are no longer valid. throughout the drilling process.
BGM-24
Fig. 6. details the MPD Operations Matrix A tapered 7-in. x 9 5/8-in. concentric casing string BGM-24 was drilled S-shaped with the portion
and the actions to be taken by the MPD was designed to facilitate higher velocities for below 1380 m MD continuing vertical. The
supervisor in communication with the driller hole cleaning and as conduit to allow injection of maximum vertical section from the surface position
who is the designated focal point for all was 166 m. BGM-24 was drilled vertically
communication. with MPD successfully from 2072 m MD to
TD at 2201 m MD for a total of 129 meters
In a well control situation, no drilling of open hole.
or injecting of mud and nitrogen will
immediately occur. If a well control Prior to MPD operations, a 9 5/8-in.
situation develops, then the rigs liner was hung and cemented in the
flowline and choke manifold, termed 13 3/8-in. casing with a top of liner (TOL)
the secondary flow path, tested to at 1640 m MD. The bottom of the liner
345 bar (5000 psi) should be used. was landed in the lower portion of
The secondary flow path has the rigs the Weissliegend shale just above the
annular preventer closed and well flow Rotliegend at 2069 m MD.
is routed via the rig choke manifold.
It was recommended to perform an Dynamic FITs were performed at 2090 m
FIT to determine the BHP the MD successfully testing the Weissliegend
well could competently hold for to 1.1 SG ECD for future casing string
well control purposes. requirements.
Results Dynamic FITs were also performed at 2127

Since the predicted fracture gradient m MD and 2201 m MD in the Rotliegend to
of the reservoir was relatively low, 0.87 SG and 1.1 SG respectively. The test
below 0.9SG (7.5 ppg), two-phase MPD that reached 0.87 SG has been determined
was selected to drill with a reduced to be inconclusive as the dynamic FIT was
BHP. FITs were used to determine if the being performed at a faster rate of closure
depleted reservoir could withstand a before letting pressures stabilize.
column of conventional drilling fluid.
The well pressures were controlled within
The main objectives of the two-phase 2 bar +/- of the BHP targets, either with
MPD were to: drill the wells and Figure 6. Bergermeer MPD Operations Matrix.
14
manual choke operations or automated choke at 3944 m MD for a total of 567 meters of open the FIT, the concentric casing was partly displaced
pressure settings. The average ECD achieved for hole. The maximum vertical section from surface with nitrogen where a small amount of gas was
drilling this section was 0.61 SG (5.08 ppg). position was 2411.5 m. channeled into the drilling annulus. A bottoms up
was circulated to the MPD system to remove the
At the end of drilling, the MW was down to 0.92 A 9 5/8-in. liner was hung and cemented in nitrogen and the hole was partly filled to prevent
SG and nitrogen injection rates of 4,000 scf/min the 13 3/8-in. casing with a TOL at 2171 m/MD further channeling.
were required to maintain BHP in the 117 to 1796m TVD. Within the 9-5/8 in. liner a second
127 bar target window with a mud pump rate 7 in. liner was landed at 2897 m MD/2091 The SOBM density peaked at 0.97 SG due to the
of 950 lpm. At this time it was found that 2 of m TVD. The bottom of the 7-in. liner was landed inability to maintain a 0.9SG OBM with the correct
the 3-in. power chokes had to be opened to 80% in the Weissliegend sandstone at 3376 m solids profile during the course of operations ; this
with a resulting well head pressure of 6-7 bar MD/2207 m TVD. resulted in an upper pressure limit of the MPD
(87 to 100 psi). window being extended to 160 bar. Due to the
This well differed from BGM-24 by using a dual- increase in mud weight, the original target BHP of
Figs. 7 and 8 show the stable MPD parameters string concentric casing consisting of 2153 m MD 117-127 bar was changed to 130-135 bar and MPD
for pressure and flow which were maintained of 9 5/8-in. casing and 744 m MD of 7 in. casing to operations were able to maintain the required BHP.
through out the reservoir drilling phase. At 13:45 stab into the Polished Bore Receptacle PBR at the With the CaCO3 profile required for the reservoir,
a dynamic FIT was successfully performed to a top of the 7-in. liner at 2897 m MD. This was done the mud weight could not be maintained at 0.9 SG
1.1 SG equivalent before returning back to MPD to get the nitrogen injection point deeper into the and steadily increased from the accumulation of
parameters. well which was necessary to sufficiently reduce fine particles. The mud weight built to 0.94 SG and
the BHP when circulating in two-phase drilling gradually rose to a 0.965 SG at TD.
BGM-29 operations. The nitrogen injection choke had been
BGM-29 was the second well drilled with MPD modified from lessons learnt on well BGM 24 by Fig. 9 shows that stable MPD parameters
and the first horizontal well of the gas storage having the internal sand screen and the check for pressure and flow were maintained from
project. Prior to MPD the well was kicked off near valves removed. approximately 2:00 to 12:00; the 6-in. section was
surface, built to a 68 angle and held f/ 2000 m TDd at about 20:00. Fig. 10 shows that a dynamic
MD t/3044 m MD between 63 and 68. The well Prior to MPD, the well was drilled out FIT was successfully performed and the well was
was kicked off a second time and built to 90 at conventionally 3m into the Weissliegend and a FIT subsequently bled off.
3377 m MD. BGM-29 was successfully drilled was conducted to 1.15 SG with 0.9 SG MW. After
horizontally with MPD from 3377 m MD to TD Conclusions
Two wells were
successfully drilled using
MPD techniques with two-
phase fluid. During drilling,
the BHP was maintained
within the requested limits
at all times. No major
instances of pressure
spiking, loss circulation, or
well kicks occurred.
Due to the strength of the

Figure 7. Pressure Data MPD Two-phase Operations 11-05-13. Figure 8. Flow Rate Data MPD Two-phase Operations 11-05-13.
final FIT, MPD was not
required for the completion
runs. MPD crews and
equipment remained on
standby until completion
of a conventional FIT was
successfully performed
using the screen
deployment fluid.
For further dynamic FIT

operations prior to the
start, the nitrogen rate
Figure 9. Pressure Data MPD Two-phase Operations 19-06-13. Figure 10. Pressure Data MPD Two-phase Operations 20-06-13. should be lowered to
15
increase the hydrostatic pressure and reduce the active surface mud volumes, and standpipe was gathered and transmitted by the MWD tool
ASBP on the RCD. pressures allow reasonable predictions of the two- in the BHA. Throughout the operation, data was
phase circulation system and well control events. compared with modelling predictions from the
Throughout the operation the minimum wellbore hydraulics simulators. In this
controllable ASBP was maintained to conserve Computer simulations had been performed to way, operational data could be used to assist
nitrogen use. investigate parameters for MPD operations. in model calibration. Data was also used to
A DAS was installed to monitor data throughout generate trend analyses, necessary to replace
Specific monitoring equipment can greatly assist the MPD operations. Information was also conventional kick monitoring procedures.
in trend monitoring. Trend monitoring of such collected by other means, downhole pressures,
variables as surface/down hole annular pressures, borehole diameter and directional information
Acknowledgements Nomenclature MPD = M anaged Pressure Drilling

The authors would like to thank TAQA ASBP = Applied Surface Back Pressure MW = M ud Weight
for their participation in this project and BHA = B ottom Hole Assembly MWD = M easurement Whilst Drilling
for allowing publication of this paper. BHP = Bottom Hole Pressure NPT = N on-Productive Time
They would also like to thank the drilling BOP = B low Out Preventer PBR = Polished Bore Receptacle
contractor and all other contractors and CCS = C ontinuous Circulation Sub PLC = P rogrammable Logic Controller
consultants involved for helping to make this PWD = P ressure While Drilling
Cv = Flow coefficient or flow
project a success. The authors would also RCC = R emote Choke Control Console
capacity range
like to thank Halliburton Energy Services, RCD = Rotating Control Device
DAS = Data Acquisition System
Inc. for their support during the project and
DHG = Down Hole Gauge SG = S pecific Gravity
for permission to publish this paper.
ECD = Equivalent Circulating Density SOBM = Synthetic Oil-based Mud
References ESD = Emergency Shut Down TVD = T otal Vertical Depth
Gas Storage Bergermeer MPD Basis of FIT = Formation Integrity Test TOL = Top of Liner
Design. Martyn Parker. 2011 HAZID = Hazard Identification UBD = Underbalanced Drilling
BGM-24 and BGM-29 Drilling Programs. UT = Ultrasonic Thickness
HAZOP = H azard and Operability
BGM-24 and BGM-29 End Of Well Reports.
MCC = M echanical Completion WBM = Water-based Mud
Certificate
Authors
Martyn Parker has 25 years Isabel Poletzky is the Mark Juskiw is a managed
of experience in the oil and gas underbalanced drilling global product pressure drilling project manager for
industry. Starting his career with champion for Halliburton Sperry Sperry Drilling working worldwide on
Schlumberger for 12 years working Drillings GeoBalance services. various types of MPD projects. Mark
with in DST and well test, he cross She earned BSc and MSc degrees graduated from the University of
trained in slick-line and coiled in petroleum engineering from the Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1982 with a BSc
tubing. In 2000 Martyn joined Precision Drilling as the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and the University degree in petroleum engineering.
underbalanced drilling (UBD) operations coordinator of Houston. Isabel has 15 years of industry experience
looking after the Shell Southern North Sea UBD campaign including drilling and production engineering, directional Saad Saeed is a global technical
through to 2005. In 2005 through to 2007 he was seconded and horizontal well planning and design, and 10 years advisor for underbalanced and
full time to Shell Netherlands as the overall UBD project of experience in underbalanced and managed pressure managed pressure drilling for
manager. In 2007 Martyn joined Halliburton GeoBalance drilling applications. She also spent two years working Halliburton. Saad graduated with
services and worked predominantly in Norway on several as a drillsite petroleum engineer on the Kuparuk field for a degree in petroleum engineering
managed pressure drilling projects and FEED studies before ConocoPhillips in Alaska. from the University of New South
leading the technical development of the DONG South Arne Wales in Sydney, Australia. He initially worked extensively
Isabels expertise includes reservoir characterization while
offshore North Sea UBD project. Martyn was involved in in Well Testing, Data Acquisition, Permanent Gauges and
drilling, modeling of multi-phase flow, and candidate
the startup and initial development MPO managed pressure Production Logging both domestically and internationally.
selection for underbalanced and managed pressure drilling
operations from 2009 thru to 2011. projects. Recent responsibilities have included proposals, Having a keen interest in computer science (artificial
In 2011 Martyn became a consultant and was employed by well planning, engineering and design, training, and intelligence) and its application to the energy industry,
TAQA Energy to lead two-phase MPD for the Bergermeer coordination of underbalanced and managed pressure Saad returned to university to get his masters degree
Gas Storage project onshore Netherlands. Since the end projects worldwide. Isabel has co-instructed several UBD in computer science. After graduating, Saad joined
of this project in June 2013 he has remained with TAQA and MPD courses and has also taught wellbore hydraulics Halliburtons underbalanced and managed pressure drilling
Energy as night drilling supervisor. modeling. She has written and presented several papers group GeoBalance services in Houston, TX. Since
and served on technical program committees for SPE and joining GeoBalance services (over 11 years ago) he has
IADC. Isabel is a member of SPE and IADC. been involved in all facets of the business from extensive
field engineering and operational support to supervision,
project management, technology development, business
development, and training.
16
PL A N N I N G A N D EX ECU T ING AN INT ELL IG ENT MUL TIL A T ER AL W ELL
Multilateral TAML Level 4 Junction laterals independently. The ICVs and LV ICV are
controlled hydraulically through four control lines
Provides Maximum Flexibility for Drilling

to surface, which were run in a flat-pack with one
electric line to control a downhole gauge package
for each lateral. Finally, the well was configured
and Intelligent Completions to allow the installation of a large electric

submersible pump (ESP) to be run inside the upper
Mohamed Samie, Ahmed Siham and Bruce Gavin/Halliburton 9 5 /8-in. production tubing.
Copyright 2012, Society of Petroleum Engineers This project required intensive planning and
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Kuwait International Petroleum Conference and Exhibition held in Kuwait coordination for more than a year in advance,
City, Kuwait, 1012 December 2012.
which made the project successful despite the
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract difficult drilling conditions and resulted in very
submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject
to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
little NPT for wellbore construction operations.
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the This paper will focus on the planning, execution
Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 and lessons learned from the project.
words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.
Planning
In the existing horizontal wells in the target
Abstract sand reservoir of the target field, premature
A multilateral (MLT) well with an advanced intelligent completion string was recently completed in the water breakthrough caused the water cut trend
Middle East. The well was designed as a stacked dual producer in the upper and lower reservoir, and to increase within months of production. This
was drilled using the latest geo-steering techniques to accurately place the wellbore in a highly faulted occurred because the reservoir has a very high
and geologically complex structure. Rotary-steerable drilling systems (RSS) were used in several of the permeability sands along with active faults
hole sections, along with advanced logging-while-drilling (LWD) tools including multi-pole acoustic, containing high viscous reservoir fluids.
azimuthal deep resistivity, and resistivity at bit. Encounters with unstable shale and faults made
the drilling difficult, but the decisions made in real-time to navigate the well resulted in a very high New technologies were required to overcome the
percentage of net pay in both laterals. issue, maximize reservoir contact and enhance a
more uniform oil production from a single location.
This well combined TAML Level 4 multilateral (MLT) technology with passive inflow control devices in the Introducing the smart TAML Level-4 MLT well
laterals and an advanced intelligent completion system in the mainbore. The TAML Level 4 multilateral design to this reservoir along with inflow control
junction was cemented to isolate unstable shale above the reservoir and to provide zonal isolation from device (ICD), inflow control valve (ICV), isolation
the lateral completions, which were compartmentalized into stages with proprietary swellable packers ball valve (LV ICV) and other downhole gauges
and inflow control devices (ICDs). The intelligent completion was run in the mainbore with two interval proved to be the optimum solution. It also aided
control valves (ICVs) and isolation ball valve (LV ICV) to manage the production from each of the two in managing the production and the reservoir
proactively to achieve maximum oil recovery.
Moreover, drilling several laterals from a single
wellbore with the ability to control production
from both laterals had a great economic advantage
because of the optimized cost effective field
management.
These reservoir improvements encouraged the

customer to implement this technology on Well
A and Well B of the target field and consider
it for further deployment in other fields. Using
the latest in geosteering techniques to accurately
place the wellbore in this highly faulted and
geologically complex structure was essential.
point-the-bit rotary-steerable drilling systems
(RSS) were used in several hole sections including
the 12 -in. build/tangent hole section, the 8 -in.
lower lateral L0, the 8 -in. build section, and
the 6 1/8-in. upper lateral L1, along with several
advanced logging-while-drilling (LWD) tools. The
Figure 1. Well B Pre- and post-well geology models. RSS enabled continuous rotation for more effective
17
wellbore cleaning as well as producing smoother An at-bit resistivity tool was used to provide early state of the art geo-steering azimuthal deep
hole section due to proprietary point-the-bit design detection of faults and assist in proactive decision resistivity (ADR) tool was utilized in drilling the
of the RSS systems selected for this project. The making while geo-steering the wellbore in the lower 8 -in. lateral section and upper
added value of advanced geo-steering techniques sweet-spot of the thin reservoir. The azimuthally 6 1/8-in. lateral section. The tool generates
& practices including pre- and post-well geology focused resistivity tool is a laterolog design average resistivity curves with multiple depths
models for Well B is shown in Fig. 1. that is primarily used to measure the wellbore of investigation (DOI), as well as azimuthally
ring resistivity in conductive mud; however, it binned resistivity images and geo-steering signal
The LWD data acquisition program used for was successfully applied here in oil-based mud curves and images with multiple frequencies and
the subject well was designed to cover a broad system to provide a qualitative at-bit resistivity multiple spacings, resulting in multiple DOI ranging
range of applications, from using basic gamma measurement. The anticipation of faults early from few inches up to 18 ft into the formation
and resistivity data to evaluate shale quality for enough was instrumental to allow for steering dependent on the true resistivity. The tool output
the placement of the multilateral junction, to decisions to be made at the correct moment integrated with the use of 3D well placement
interpreting the advanced quadro-pole bimodal by guiding the well path up or down without software provides early geo-steering warning and
acoustic tool data to provide a permeability curve overcorrection, thus minimizing the doglegs accurately calculates the distance and direction to
in near real-time for accurate placement of the and smoothing the lateral trajectory for easier adjacent bed boundaries.
passive ICDs in the lateral completion. installation of the sophisticated completion. A
Estimating the productivity of the laterals
presented a unique challenge in these wells
because the lateral completion was designed with
ICDs that must be adjusted before installation
by selecting the correct nozzle size for the
reservoir quality in each of the swellable-packer
compartments. This required an immediate
interpretation of the permeability in each lateral
within hours of its being drilled so that the ICDs
could be configured accordingly on the rigsite.
With the expected reservoir pressures, pressure

drop across the ICDs, and flow rate from the ESP,
the flow ports in both ICVs were custom designed
to suit the life of the well.
Execution
With the start of the execution phase, and the
start of drilling the 16-in. build hole section, the
customer held daily meetings in the customer
Figure 2. Pre-completion reservoir characterization. office where the drilling, geology, and geophysics
teams met with all service companies and
discussed the actual well updates as well
finalizing plans for upcoming phases.
After the 12 -in. build/tangent hole section

was drilled to casing point using dual gamma
ray (DGR)electro-magnetic wave resistivity
(EWR) azimuthal litho-density (ALD) in addition
to rotary steerable system with integrated at-bit
inclination/at-bit gamma, two proprietary latch
couplings were installed with the casing tubulars
as shown in Fig. 3.
Based on logs and surveys, the placement of the

primary latch coupling was planned carefully to
land just below the Wara formation; this ensured
the junction exit was in the shale to offer proper
Figure 3. Installation schematic for liner and latch couplings. isolation. The other latch coupling was placed
18
80 ft higher for contingency. The latch coupling Once the main bore was drilled and completed The 8 -in. build/landing hole section for the
is critical to the MLT systems. It is part of a successfully with ICDs and swellable packers, the upper lateral L1 was then drilled using Gamma-
proprietary advanced reservoir drainage services. upper lateral phase was initiated. A retrievable Resistivity-Azimuthal Density tools in addition to
The latch coupling serves a vital role in MLT bridge plug was set in the 9 5/8-in. casing just at-bit inclination/at-bit gamma integrated on the
applications by providing a consistent, repeatable above the lower completion to prevent any rotary steerable system.
platform for the depth and orientation of debris from milling the lateral from falling into
multilateral equipment. It also provides full-bore, the lower completion and affecting flow from Since one of the main requirements of the well
unrestricted casing access to the lower mainbore. the ICDs as shown in Fig. 4. To accomplish this, design was to isolate the shale section, the level-4
The latch coupling maintains casing pressure a window was milled in the casing by anchoring MLT was the solution. This was accomplished
integrity, which allows the well to be completed the milling equipment to the latch coupling, by running the 7-in. liner to cover the open hole
and produced in any manner, while the option previously installed and integrated with the up to the whipstock tip and then cementing
of drilling an additional lateral bore at
a later date is maintained. The latch
couplings can be installed above or
below existing lateral bores
to provide access to virtually any
productive interval of the reservoir.
The latch coupling orientation was

then obtained with measurement-
while-drilling (MWD) in order to offset
the milling equipment and whipstock
precisely to the planned upper lateral
exit at the workshop.
The lower 8 1/2-in. lateral hole

section was then drilled in one run Figure 4. Drilling and completing the main lateral.
utilizing gamma ray- deep-reading
resistivity and geo-steering azimuthal density casing. A specialized milling machine that allows
compensated thermal neutron quad bi-modal the creation of a near-rectangular window at a Figure 5. Run milling machine and mill window.
acoustic tool in addition to the proprietary rotary precise depth and azimuth on a repeatable basis
steerable system with integrated at-bit inclination/ was used as illustrated in Fig. 5. This control of
at-bit gamma. These tools provided real-time the window geometry and position makes this type
density and gamma borehole images for accurate of window particularly useful for Level 2 and 4
dip picking, along with directionally sensitive wells, in which lateral re-entry and through-tubing
resistivity and geo-signal curves, on top of the re-entry are required. The windows are machined
regular formation evaluation real-time curves. with an elongated full-gauge aperture along their
Geo-steering specialists watched the real-time entire length and are exactly in line with the axis
responses from all tools and fed them into the pre- of the casing. The proprietary system eliminates
well model to update the earth model accordingly. problems associated with conventionally milled
The customers drilling and geology teams were windows in which window geometry is typically
actively monitoring the well data in real-time using elliptical and spiraled. Magnets are also included
a real-time operations (RTO) online connection in the bottomhole assembly (BHA) for well
which allowed a faster and more comprehensive cleaning and to capture any metal shavings that
decision making process. Several sub-seismic the mud was unable to lift to surface. This helps
faults were encountered and picked on the images ensure integrity of the screens in the mainbore.
in real-time along with fracture zones. These After the milling as illustrated in Fig. 6 was
faults were not readily visible on seismic images finished, the milling machine was then pulled out
prior to the start of the drilling operations, due of the hole. Another dedicated cleanout trip was
to the non-conclusive resolution of the seismic made with magnets and junk subs for better hole
images. However, these encountered faults did not condition and cleaning.
cause severe challenges in the well placement,
as the lower reservoir unit was thicker than the The retrievable whipstock was then run and
Figure 6. Mill-off whipstock.
calculated fault throw which prevented exiting the seated onto the latch coupling for further drilling
reservoir unit after passing the fault plane. operations in the upper lateral.
19
it. The pressure integrity of this junction is run in the lower 8 -in. lateral in addition to the overcome by utilizing different solutions
mostly dependent on the cement; therefore the azimuthal focused resistivity AFR tool which was proposed by the drilling team so that the
cementing company introduced specialized cement run in oil-based mud for acquiring at-bit resistivity lateral section reached the planned geological
which proved to be very efficient in isolation of measurements. These tools provided the same targets. The lessons learned were carried over
the junction zone. It is vital for the successful real-time formation evaluation curves utilized in to Well B where stuck pipe incidents were kept
completion of the multilateral well that the liner the lower lateral. The upper reservoir unit posed to a minimum.
lands exactly on the whipstock in order to be able various challenges to the drilling operations due
to retrieve the latter. On Well A, there were to the complex geology of the structure. Several After the upper 6 1/8-in. lateral was drilled to
serious problems getting the liner all the way sub-seismic faults were encountered which were total depth (TD) successfully, the ICD completion
to bottom because of the nature of the reactive not previously visible on the seismic image prior to was run in lateral as shown in Fig. 9, and the
shale. The shale was swelling and the liner was drilling the well. The nature of the upper reservoir whipstock with the cemented liner sitting on it
dragging with minimum circulation. This issue was unit being thinner than the calculated fault was then retrieved in one run using washover
addressed and a new high torque liner running tool throws, caused multiple exits from the target zone pipe as shown in Fig. 10. This provided the
was introduced on Well B in order to have more resulting in a couple of geological side-tracks after option of completing the well with no restriction
tolerance for rotation. After setting and cementing plugging back the zones beyond the fault planes. in the main bore.
the liner successfully and cleaning out cement Drilling in multiple units before and after fault
as illustrated in Fig. 7 & Fig. 8, normal drilling planes also imposed further challenges due to mud To prove the reliability of the Level-4 multilateral
operations in the upper lateral were continued. weight incompatibility with the non-producing junction, the client required access to the lateral
shaly intervals throughout the borehole, which to perform stimulation via coiled tubing. A
The upper 6 1/8-in. lateral hole section was then caused some tight hole and stuck pipe incidents workover whipstock was run in and latched into
drilled in one run utilizing the same suite of tools in Well A. These occurrences were properly the latch coupling without the need to orient it
Figure 7. Setting the 7 in. liner. Figure 8. Drilling out cement and the 6 1/8-in. lateral.
Figure 9. Installing the upper lateral completion. Figure 10. Whipstock washover and retrieval.
20
or the use of MWD tools to locate the window. captured, as all fractures seen were apparently were positioned such that the production flow
After successfully exiting through the window, the closed fractures (as seen on density image). rate through the upper and lower ICVs could be
workover whipstock was then pulled out again. estimated through calculation.
After analyzing the complete formation evaluation
The advanced LWD petrophysical data gathered data gathered by the LWD suite in both laterals, Above the uppermost feed-through production
while drilling the horizontal hole sections of the preliminary completion string design was packer, the production tubing was crossed over
the MLT well contained several important and agreed among geology, drilling, and completion from 4 1/2-in. to 9 5/8-in. The four-line hydraulic
informative indicators that helped engineer the specialists to arrive at the best reservoir profiling control lines, contained in one flatpack, and the
smart completions design. Permeability from and compartmentalization. The design was then single electric gauge line were held against the
Stoneley wave energy loss was made quantitative modeled using a simulated BHA that included outside of the 4 1/2-in. and 9 5/8-in. tubing using
by calibrating with core permeability data from collars and stabilizers gauged to match the final cross coupling protection clamps. All five lines
the same field (using the Stoneley-perm module swellable-packers, ICD screens and blank pipes were fed through and isolated at the tubing
in proprietary analysis software), in addition to sequences to ensure that the hole condition and hanger. The isolation ball valve and both ICVs were
using the sonic compressional and shear slowness DLS compatibility allowed the completion strings functioned to prove the integrity of the hydraulic
in cross plots with density and resistivity as well to be run successfully to bottom. system. The electric gauge line was tested to
as Compressional/Shear velocities VPVS ratios to confirm the pressure and temperature readings
indicate rock quality and deduce any secondary Installation of Intelligent Completion from all four gauge systems.
porosity from the difference in sonic porosity vs. The retrievable bridge plug was retrieved from the
density porosity. A borehole profile and inferred 9 5/8-in casing, and well clean-up operations were The ESP was run inside the 9 5/8-in.
hole caliper were provided using the azimuthal conducted in preparation for running the intelligent production tubing.
stand-off correction data from the ALD density completion. The intelligent completion consisted of
image. LWD recorded data was then processed the following assembly: Surface control lines connected to the well head
and analyzed using petrophysical software 2 retrievable feed-through production packers were run below ground level approx 100 m to the
packages to finalize the completion string design 2 dual sensor permanent downhole gauge area where the automated control panel and data
as illustrated in Fig. 2. systems (tubing and annulus) acquisition unit are to be located. The automated
2 single sensor permanent downhole gauge control panel is used to control the ICVs and ball
The significant input for QBAT here was using the systems (tubing) valve, through field communications system, from
Stoneley-derived permeability to identify zonal 2 multi-position interval control valves (ICV) the software in the field control room. Pressure
permeability profiles so that the ICD screens 1 isolation ball valve (LV ICV) and temperature data from the permanent
could be nozzled accordingly to achieve uniform 1 perforated sub downhole gauges will be viewed in the data
production from all zones across the lateral over 1 ratch latch / seal assembly acquisition unit and in the field control room. Final
the life span of the well. 5 control lines completion string is illustrated in Fig. 11.
a) 4 hydraulic
This was performed on both the 8 -in. lower b) 1 electric
lateral (L0) and the 6 1/8-in. upper lateral (L1). Both control line protector clamps
ALD and CTN were run in the lower lateral while
ALD only (no CTN) was run in the upper lateral. The ratch latch/seal assembly
was tied into the top of the
By direct comparison, it was found that Stoneley- lower completion in the mother
derived permeability values more closely followed bore. The retrievable feed-
the chemostratigraphic analysis for cleaner sand through production packers were
units, in which other permeability empirical positioned above and below the
calculations/indications were showing abnormal lateral to isolate the production
behavior. Having several cores cut previously in the from the mother bore and the
same reservoir/field helped ensure quantitative lateral. The perforated sub and
permeability figures that are calibrated to closed isolation ball valve allowed
core permeabilities at the applicable intervals produced fluids from the mother
throughout both laterals. bore to be controlled through
the lower ICV. Production from
Density porosity was the primary porosity the lateral was controlled
indicator. Sonic porosity was also provided (Wiley though the upper ICV.
Calculated) for redundancy and to verify any effect
of secondary porosity not seen by the sonic. In The permanent downhole
this case, no apparent secondary porosity was gauge systems in each zone Figure 11. Final completion string design.
21
Lessons Learned 6. Fluid loss device/solution required for upper The asset managers as well as the field
The below captured practices and lessons were lateral completions to avoid losses during development team indicated huge enhancement
developed during the process of drilling and washover and clean-out operations. Recommend in the production levels, and indicated that the
completing well A and were later carried over to a flapper-type of device to be incorporated into inclusion of smart completions and reservoir
ensure seamless well delivery in well B: proprietary hydraulic-set seal-bore retrievable compartmentalization techniques would help
1. Depending on the well profile, the back-up latch 7-in hanging packer assembly. stabilize the saturation levels within the
coupling to be placed two casing joints above/ economical values for an improved recovery curve
below the planned junction depth. Conclusion and less water cut/water coning effect over a
2. Well clean-up was critical to the success of the With careful planning, comprehensive technical longer well life span. This would eventually bring a
MLT and the completion. A very high percentage knowledge and collaboration among subject huge increase in the net present value of the asset
of milled casing was recovered (~150kgs) matter experts, and the effective execution of the and result in more efficient/economic reservoir
3. Drilling off the whipstock with 8 1/2-in. motor drilling and completions phases of both MLTs, the drainage.
BHA, adjust motor to minimum bend angle and final outcome proved to be a huge success for the
try to rotate to drill at least 30 ft. Avoid sliding client and everyone involved. It is worth mentioning that the two subject
if possible to minimize dogleg as whipstock wells and the promising results achieved have
provides ~ 8 deg localized DLS. Both wells have shown exceedingly high encouraged the customer to plan many of its
4. Running the 7-in. liner through the Wara shale production levels after the installation of smart upcoming horizontal wells to be completed using
sections can be problematic. This was solved on completions strings and confirmed after actual smart completion strings, as well as to expand
the next well using the high-torque liner running production verification testing (PVT) logs, MLT technology usage in all applicable fields.
tool to allow rotation and circulate the liner to ranging from 50% to 150% improvement in
bottom. each individual lateral over regular production
5. Latex cement provided excellent junction quality. in near-by horizontal wells.
Cement volume was good.
Authors
Mohamed Samie is the business Ahmed Siham was a Sperry Drilling multilateral Bruce Gavin is the senior product
development manager for Sperry technology field professional in Saudi Arabia from 2004 to manager for Flow Control Products,
Drilling in Northern Gulf, currently 2012. He is a graduate of Ain Shams University in Cairo Intelligent Completions, based in
focused on business acquisition with a BSc in mechanical engineering. Houston, Texas. He received his
and growth efforts for Sperrys DD, HND in mechanical engineering
LWD, MLT and SDL sub-product from Aberdeen Technical College.
services lines in Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan. Mohamed Bruce has been with Halliburton since 1993 starting in the
joined Halliburton in 2005 as an LWD field professional Technology group in Aberdeen, developing Intervention
in Saudi Arabia. He progressed through field ranks and and Completions equipment. Most recently, he was based
held several supervisory and operational roles in Saudi in Dubai as Region BD/Technology manager for Intelligent
Arabia, Libya and Kuwait. Mohamed earned his BSc in Completions, supporting MENA and Eurasia regions for
computer science with a minor in business administration Intelligent Completions and has recently relocated to
from the American University in Cairo. He is a published Houston. Bruce is a long-term member of SPE.
SPE author and a contributing member to the Society of
Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA).
22
E X PLO I T I N G V A S T OI L RESOURCES IN ME XI CO S CH ICO NT EPEC B A SIN
Challenges and Successes in Horizontal Based on this scenario, there is a massive plan
for increasing the recovery of unconventional
Drilling Shallow 3D Unconventional

hydrocarbons in the Chicontepec basin, which is
characterized for having one of the most complex
reservoirs in the world. The average production per
Turbidite Reservoir, Mexico well before applying unconventional techniques

was 28 BOPD, with an average cumulative
G. Gutierrez Murillo, PEMEX; G. Villanueva Zapata, and E. Medina, Halliburton; production of 30,000 bbl. Currently, production
J. Salguero Centeno, CBM E&P is up 2,000 BOPD, with cumulative production of
630,000 bbl.
Copyright 2014, Society of Petroleum Engineers
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference held in
Maracaibo, Venezuela, 2123 May 2014.
The Paleochanel of Chicontepec is apaleo-
phisiographic elongated unit with a NW-SE
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract
submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject orientation and extends to the subsoil, from Cerro
to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its Azul to Tecolutla cities in Veracruz State, Mexico.
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the
It has an approximate length of 123 km with a
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 SPE copyright. variable width of 25 km to the north and 12 km
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. to the south, with a surface of approximately
3100 km2 (Fig. 1). Geologically, it belongs to the
province of Tampico-Misantla and is part of the
Abstract Chicontepec basin.
Aggressive plans for exploiting vast oil resources within the Chicontepec basin (Mexico-Poza Rica) are
currently underway. One of the most complex deposits in the
world, this basin is qualified as an unconventional turbidite
reservoir, and one of its characteristics is the existence of
hydrocarbon resources in shallow regions. Horizontal wells
within this basin are extended three-dimensional (3D) wells
in parallel arrangement, suitable for termination techniques,
such as simultaneous multi-fracturing.
Commercially developing these resources requires the

construction of wells that present major challenges. These
challenges can be attributed to low depth, required dog
leg severities close to 8/30 m, 3D geometry necessary for
construction and horizontal navigation uphill boomerang
within the target unconsolidated sand formations (which
are thin and unstable with mechanical hydraulic limitations),
superficial limitation of space, the use of conventional
drilling equipment, and required exhausting analysis.
Figure 1. Chicontepec Paleochanel location.
The successful exploitation of these wells was achieved
with thorough planning simulation, detailed engineering analysis, and the selection of appropriate The lithological sequence ofthe target zone
tools for each operational stage. Monitoring key factors during drilling was essential to helping prevent includes several interbedded formations from the
problems with uncompacted sands and gas migration. top, with approximately 350 m of consolidated
conglomerates associated with light-gray
The use of advanced technology helped reduce deviation from the plan designed for the well and helped calcareous soft shales, which also contain
achieve a successful completion using a rotary steerable system (RSS), in some cases from the first freshwater aquifiers followed by shale layers
casing, to prevent collapse and initiate the construction of the kickoff point (KOP). that work as seals overlying oil-bearing
sandstones (Fig. 2).
The target sand for the well is the C-50 unit,

Introduction
this unit is located at a shallow depth. The
The operating company faces significant short and mid-term challenges within the Chicontepec basin,
vertical depth is approximately of 1091 m, which
such as efficient management of primary reservoirs, which are declining, and the substitution of this
was reached and crossed in previousvertical
declination with unconventional hydrocarbon to sustain production; this requires unconventional drilling
wells. Potential for exploitation exists despite
and completion techniques.
its low depth because of narrow thickness and
23
Figure 2. (Left) geologic column and 3D horizontal well path image in geological sequence.
inside the target at 1000 m, in a parallel position,

with 150 m of distance between them in the
horizontal section. The effective construction time
per well was 35 operating days with 1.69 days
of non-production time (NPT), which represented
4.8% of the days employed positioning one of
the first unconventional wells with the best
performance in the region. This success allowed
increasing the recovery factor and maximizing
production by reducing drilling of vertical wells in
the region, leading to an overall cost reduction to
the project.
Development
Problem Definition. There were several
challenges during planning of the first two 3D
unconventional horizontal wells, some of which
are listed below.
Figure 3. 3D horizontal path profile of both wells. Construction severities were demanding (8/30
m) in these unconsolidated shale formations
unconsolidated sands, although the previous sleeves and swellable packer arrangements, which affected by a high deviation degree.
information gathered suggested uncertainty and is key during multifrac completions. Achieving a successful run into a wellbore with
challenges related to drilling horizontal wells. 4 1/2-in. liner, packed with 15 sleeves and 25
A rigorous engineering procedure was planned, swellable packers, with an external diameter of
The wells were designed using 3D displacement prioritizing the completions, an accurate selection 6.45 in., in a hole of 6 3/4-in. crossing high dog
with parallel projection between them, meeting of suitable tools for each stage, and data gathering leg severities (DLSs).
zipper frac completion requirements (Fig. 3). before drilling. The project had to be completed on Running the production liner across unstable
During planning, doubts regarding the feasibility time and within budget. This was accomplished shale formations of the reservoir with constant
of drilling in such conditions arose related tothe successfully and the wells were drilled and gasification prone to fluid loss in a TVD.
target depth being low and generation of high completed. The A and B wells reached a vertical With respect to the path, it was necessary to
severities reaching 8/30 m in an unconsolidated depth of 1091 m true vertical depth (TVD) and 2407 keep the tangent with vertical drilling for the
formation with an unstable background and m measured depth (MD). The construction KOP proper adaptation of the artificial lift system
constant gasification. Another consideration was began at 435 m, with a lateral displacement of (pneumatic or hydraulic). This led to more
lowering the production liner successfully with 1400 m, maintaining an effective horizontal section severities.
24
Selection of a compatible fluid with the
formations, which were prone to damages
during drilling of the target zone.
Maintaining optimum stability of the walls in the
horizontal section.
The achievement of a horizontal section of 1000
m developed in a target sand with a thickness
of 12 mV, 150 m away from its parallel well,
which crossed through and navigated inside
the production target. Complications with
maintaining the uphill trend were expected
because this would impede the effective
transmission of drilling parameters, mainly on
the weight of the bit and in the severity of
high torques and poor cleaning of the hole,
among others. Figure 4. Planning flowchart.
The conventional core of the horizontal section
was recovered because it was vital information Planning the stage and the weight. It was also possible
for wells that were multifractured. During this phase, several changes were to define the preliminary arrangement of a
Another challenge was the little or practically made. Previous wells drilled and international completion with a liner with sleeves and swellable
no experience drilling 3D horizontal wells with experiences in similar conditions were taken packers. These results were based on information
targets displaced from their axis. into consideration for planning the construction from vertical wells including geophysical logs,
of the well. This scheme was structured diagnostic fracture injection tests (DFITs) and/
Such challenges generated significant uncertainty with simulations. The plan for the well was or leakoff tests (LOTs), background information
related to the technical feasibility of drilling. In this implemented into an integral drilling program, on shales hydration, breakout studies, core
scenario, the vertical wells that were drilled were which was approved and executed. The planning analysis, and production tests, etc. The same
verified and, with the experience gained, a plan process involved a traditional and standard flow analysis was modeled and adapted for the
was structured for horizontal wells as follows: chart, shown in Fig. 4. target zone.
The target zone is C-50 located inside the
Tertiary top of Chicontepec formation. There Hole Stability Analysis Parameters for this Phase
are high leakoff test values (2 gr/cc) close A geomechanical analysis of multiple hydraulic The target formation properties are a sand
to the overburden values in vertical wells fracturing and a hole stability study was performed body with quite argillaceous interbedded with
-+crossed through. Although this sandstone with (Fig. 5). This analysis was vital to defining an an average thickness of 40 mV; nevertheless,
argillaceous matrix exhibits natural softness, it optimum path with a trend favoring the fractures. the best quality of the rock extends to a limited
tends to close fractures very quickly, which was This included the selection of drilling fluid per thickness of 12 mV, 1.25 gr/cc pore pressure,
experienced during many leakoff tests in nearby
wells. The fractures gradient value is 1.99 gr/cc,
therefore events with total lost circulation are
almost non-existent.
Stuck events caused by differential pressure are
not present at this depth and unlikely to happen.
The gas delivery behavior in this zone is
constant because the reservoir has light oil
associated with gas; for this reason, the
probability for gasification and/or blowouts
during drilling is high, further maximizing the
horizontal section.
Stuck events for mechanical effects are possible
because of unconsolidated sands and a threat of
collapsing against the drilling string exists.
It was determined that the maximum stress for
this zone was oriented to the NE-SW 30. The
wells were oriented to the minimum stress with
a maximum of 90; this optimized the expected Figure 5. (Left) stress estimationshear fault Sh and safe operational window for mud weight; (right)
hydraulic fracturing completion. minimum mud weight to reach the hole stability in different directions of the well.
25
TVD of 1090 mV, with the presence of constant construction that ranged from 4/30 m conglomerate associated with basalt (300m) and
natural microfractures per zone, with to a 9 1/2-in. severity stage with a 50inclination for improving the penetration rate. The bottomhole
good oil saturation. at 1000 md and 947 mV. The increase of severity assembly (BHA) (Fig. 7) was made up for the first
The formation compressibility ranges from reached 8/30 m during the lateral displacement run with a tricone bit with chiseled inserts of
approximately 5,000 to 10,000 psi, with an in construction and a drilling at 6 3/4 in. on the aggressive cutoff, protecting the caliber because it
overburden gradient of 2 gr/cc; the difference stage where it should land at 90 in a TVD of 1090 was designed to cross through the conglomerate.
between the minimum and maximum horizontal m (1577 md) with 12 mV penetration inside the For the second run, a replacement was used
stress is 0.1 gr/cc and exhibits little influence on reservoir. The drilling progress continued with a with a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC)
hole stability. horizontal tangent, generating a horizontal section, bit of 14 1/2 in. with seven blades and cutters of
Inhibition of reactive shales studies showed that an uphill boomerang, above 1000 md, which 13 mm. According to the model, this BHA would
water-based fluid systems (based on polymers) reached a final depth of 2407 md. The azimuth of be constructed every 30 sliding m with a 9.4 of
avoided clay hydration and maintained the the well was projected at 150SE. It was based rotation; the tendency was to decrease at 1.2
pH within a range of 9.5 to 10.5, minimizing on a geomechanical model, the same designed to approximately 30 m each; nevertheless, it would
clay dispersion, and creating optimal polymer favor the multi-fracturing programmed for these vary according to the formation index.
development, which was encapsulated in a wells, in addition to safeguarding the anti-collision
concentration that ranged from 0.5 to 3.5 lts/m3 with wells close to the sludge. This section was drilled with water-based mud
potassium chloride (KCl). (KCL polymeric 3.5%) that ranged from 1.17 to 1.30
For the intermediate and production segments, The directional path planned versus the actual one gr/cc, with a minimum flow of 400 gal/min and
an oil-based mud was used to provide better has a phase displacement of 2.65 with a distance an optimum of 700 gal/min. The total flow area
ROPs and a reliable cleaning tool for the well from center to center (Fig. 6). This shows almost (TFA) of the bit with 0.92 in2 was 1.37 hydraulic
and for drilling solids suspension. With this, perfect navigation inside the target zone with power (HSI). The plan was to minimize washing
the content of solids was reduced from 2 to high-quality construction of a hole, eliminating the and channeling in the conglomerates; meanwhile,
4% in the system and allowed the creation of microtortuosity, almost to a null value, attributed the cleaning was improved with viscous sludge.
a crosslink system that gels at low speeds, to the rotatory systems. Toward the base zone and the settling point, a
disperses at high speeds, and can bear water lithological change was expected. Shales would
contamination. This fluid also offers maximum Superficial Stage 14 1/2 in. at 410 md change from a semihard to a hard state with high
lubrication, reducing the torque and drag, The plan for this stage was to cross the entire hydration; so a 10 3/4 in. J55, 40.5 lbm/ft casing
and providing exceptional protection against conglomerate, cover the aquifers, and isolate was placed. The casing was built up with 28
corrosion. Additionally, it is thermally energy the high level of vibration of the formation in the centralizers and a 100% standoff, which helped
efficient, stable, and resistant to bacteria. drilling column. The verticality control allowed an achieve excellent centralization in the hole. It
effective directional job during the second stage; was cemented with a slurry of 1.90 gr/cc with
Well Direction for the vertical control, a conventional motor of gas control because of the existence of input
Several engineering designs were created for the 8 in. with high torque, a rotor configuration/stator superficial gas in neighboring wells.
3D horizontal wells, meeting at least the three of 6/7 4 stages
drilling stages of the completion expected. A was used in slick
combination of hole diameters and well directions mode with an AKO
were analyzed, focusing mainly on the severity graduation of 1.5
required to reach the target and navigate in the equipped with
same uphill trend without generating tortuosities measurement while
and microtortuosities to help ensure introduction drilling (MWD)
of the liner. (inclination and
direction sensors).
From the beginning, it was required to generate The settling point
high severities with minimum weight because the was at 410m with
extended horizontal section was 1000m with a a 0 inclination and
limited thickness of 12 mV, in which the directional an azimuth of 171.
work would consume time and technical resources.
Based on this, the best drilling direction was The navigable
chosen with a hole combination and coat tubing drilling system
14 1/2- 10 3/4-in., 9 1/2- 7 5/8-in., and 6 3/4- 4 was chosen to
1/2-in., obtaining a successful result. This last stage control and avoid
was for the extended horizontal well. There was a collision incidents
requirement for landing the well at a TVD of 1090 with nearby wells
m; it implied the construction of a shallow KOP and to minimize
Figure 6. Well path: plan (mode) vs. real mode.
of 435m in the first stage of 14 1/2 in. This led to a the vibration in the
26
Intermediate Stage of 9 1/2 in. at 1000 md. The According to the model, this BHA construction was Production Stage 6 3/4 in. (2407 m). The plan for
plan for this stage was to reach 1000 md/947 mV of 1.5 at 2/30m; a rotation in the string ranged this final stage was to drill in two segments with
and gain integrity for the next stage. This section from 90 to 110 rev/min to avoid whirl vibration. two directional systems, the first one used the
allowed a construction KOP of 435 m and to SlickBore system with a high performance motor
continue drilling the well. The severities reached The plan for this section was to drill with an oil- of 4 3/4 in. and 1rev/gal graduated at 1.15 AKO. It
4.5/30m, an inclination of 50, and a trend of based inverse emulsion mud with 1.35 gr/cc, with was combined with a PDC bit with a gauge length
198, which crossed through the shale layer a minimum flow of 350 gal/min and an optimum of 6 3/4 in., 13-mm cutters, equipped with MWD
(Guayabal formation), which works as a seal flow of 470 gal/min. A TFA bit of 1.534 in2 with and LWD (gamma ray and resistivity in real-time).
for the reservoir. For the previous work, a 0.33 HSI was used. It was planned for improving The plan for this segment was to continue drilling
conventional motor with a stabilizing sleeve the cleaning of the hole, high penetration regimes, the hole with an inclination that ranged from 50 to
of 6 3/4 in. was used as well as a configuration of and better directional control with the severities 90, and a 150.30 direction in the azimuth with
6/7 a rotor/stator with a 1.5 AKO equipped with of this stage. The coat tubing configuration of 7 high severities that can reach 8/30 m.
MWD. The BHA navigable system (Fig. 8) had 5/8-in. P110, 29.71 bm/ft BCN had 46 centralizers
a 9 1/2-in. PDC bit with five blades with 16-mm with an 80% standoff, cemented with two types of The behavior of the model for the BHA (Fig. 7)
cutters with special characteristics as well as slurries: 1.60 gr/cc (700 m) and 1.90 gr/cc (300 m) ranges from 1.45 to 2.08/30 m, with a weight of
back reaming cutters. The reason for working with gas control at 50% and spacer of 1.50 gr/cc, 6 tons over the bit. This showed that, with 30%
with this equipment was the plastic formation, to obtain effective sweep and fluid control. of sliding work, the well would land effectively,
which can rapidly hydrate causing mechanical without affecting the penetration rate and the
sticking of the BHA and Drillstring. 70% left would continue with the rotation.
Another important factor during this stage was
the generation of a high quality hole without
microtortuosities for effective navigation in the
horizontal section. A general example of the
different behaviour of long gauge vs short gauge
bit helping to increase the hole quality on the
wells is shown in Fig. 9.
The drilling parameters for this string ranged

from 90 to 120 rev/min, minimizing the whirl
vibration. The weights on the bit were from 6 to 7
ton; rates above this limit would have generated
sinusoidal buckling with an optimum rate ranging
of 220 to 250 gal/min. The plan was to pull out
the SlickBore system at a depth of 1584 m to take
a (9-m) core sample with a conventional tool; this
was the first time this procedure was performed
Figure 7. BHA components for the 14 1/2-in. stage. in this region, taken from the horizontal section at
90 (Fig. 10).
Once landed for the second phase of this

stage, dragging and torque simulations showed
limitation on the weight of the bit, generating
sinusoidal buckling 7 ton over this limit.
Additionally, there was deficient directional
control because of low penetration rates and
high tortuosities. Responding to this situation,
the decision was made to use a continuous
rotatory system (Fig. 11) with a PDC, a 6 3/4-in.
gauge, 13-mm cutters, with a rotatory system
equipped with MWD, LWD (gamma rays and
resistivity), and a PWD sensor in the annular
pressure of the well. This cutting-edge
technology arrangement was used to perform
the navigation according to geologic and
Figure 8. BHA components for 9 1/2-in. stage. completion requirements. A horizontal navigation
27
added in case it was necessary to rotate the string

for successful positioning. A special hydraulic
hanger that allows rotation was ready. For this
reason, there was no need of mechanic wedges;
it was anchored along 70m and overlapped inside
the 7 5/8-in. casing. Once it was introduced, the
plan was to leave the inside and the liner annulus
with diesel to provide the swellable packers a
means to reach a maximum seal of (3, 500psi)
(Fig. 12). It was placed on the mouth brine of
1.02gr/cc, leaving it ready for a multistage
hydraulic fracturing process.
Lessons Learned During Stage

14 1/2 in. (410 m)
The conglomerate was less thick than expected.
Because this was a highly contrasting formation,
directional strings were necessary during
this stage to help ensure verticality and avoid
collision because of a high deviation tendency.
Reaming should be a regular practice during the
Figure 9. Better hole quality with the combination of high-performance motor with an extended
drilling of each station. Avoid backreaming as
bit caliber.
much as possible.
of 1000 m was achieved uphill in a boomerang,
with a high-quality hole, which nullified
tortuosities and microtortuosities without carrying
out sliding operations for directional control,
optimizing the penetration rate and reducing time
necessary to take partial surveys.
The plan for this stage was to drill with oil-

based mud of 1.38 gr/cc with maximum lubricity,
reducing torque and drag with an optimum rate of
220 gal/min, with a TFA of 1.387 in2, to minimize
washouts and maximize the effectiveness of the
cleaning with the help of sludges sent in a tandem;
the work in its entirety was monitored using a
PWD sensor, which also verified the effectiveness
of the cleaning.
Completion Stage. The plan was to finish the Figure 10. BHA components SlickBore system, loads distribution, and critical rotation simulation
horizontal section with a production liner of 4 in the column.
1/2-in. N-80, 13.5 lb/ft, a non-cemented HY513,
equipped with sleeves for the multifracturing
and for isolating swellable packers of 6.45 in.
with a hydraulic hanger of 4 1/2- 7-in. and 13
centralizers. A torque and drag analysis was
performed to lower the arrangement down
successfully. Because it was an unconsolidated
sand body and because of high severities that
appeared in the landing, problems were expected
the moment the arrangement was introduced
effectively in the horizontal section. For this
reason, a rimming shoe with a floating device was Figure 11. Components of the rotatory drill system (RSS).
28
Once the stage is finished, the mud weight boomerang at an uphill angle. The results The success of these wells originated from
should immediately be increased to 1.45 gr/ with the rotatory system were excellent, with a a detailed simulation planning and detailed
cc to help avoid a lack of stability in the high high level of performance behavior in extended engineering analysis combined with suitable
lithological contrast of this section. horizontal sections. For this reason, the rotatory tools selection for each stage of operating
It is possible to have a 10 3/4-in. casing with a systems must be used during this stage. procedures during drilling.
suitable centralization at this level. Cement This design provided enough weight for the The procedures allowed optimization of
excess should be corrected at 20% values to rotatory system, which might have been the time necessary for drilling this type of
obtain an acceptable return. extremely complex. well by 37%.
The wells were completed within the authorized
Lessons Learned During Stage Conclusions times specified by the authorization of
9 1/2 in. (1000 m) Parallel horizontal wells were designed expenditure (AFE), achieving record time
For this section, the motor graduation of 1.5 exclusively for the completion discussed. The in relation to productivity as well as reduction
AKO was very aggressive, generating an operating company was a global pioneer for to NPT.
unnecessary torque and severities above completion of this type of well.
what was necessary. The planning and execution of these operations
Reaming was not necessary with 1.35 gr/cc were carried out by a multidisciplinary team, This Information is property of PEMEX,
of oil-based mud, this stabilized the well and a new working methodology and drilling partial or total use are strictly prohibited
walls properly. and completion technique was created for wells without authorization.
At this level, the formation was consistent and in the area. This methodology turned out to be
did not show major changes or any disturbance more effective than planned in terms of reducing
in the path; the parameters were in optimal time and costs associated with unconventional Nomenclature
conditions at the end of this section. well operations.
AFE authorization for expenditure
This section provided advantages for optimizing Using cutting-edge technology allowed
drilling times. completion of wells with reduced deviation in AKO graduation bottomhole
Centralization was possible until reaching terms of design and enabled the success of the motor angle
70% standoff; adding more centralizers would completion that was expected.
BHA bottom hole assembly
generate dragging during the running. The string and bits designs were specific for
An excess of 25% in the slurry design was these wells and required for this purpose; also, DFIT diagnostic fracture
enough, ensuring its return to the surface. optimum results were achieved with injection test
high severities. DLS degree length severity
Lessons learned During Stage The oil-based, solids-free drilling fluid played every 30m
6 3/4 in. (2407 m) a crucial role by reducing torque and drag
Difficulties for this section were expected levels by 50% in comparison to an oil-based IADC international drilling
associated with sandy shale unconsolidated conventional mud. contractor
bodies and constant gasification with a high For the first time, a conventional core of the LOT leakoff test
degree of deviation and difficulty keeping the horizontal section was taken in the region.
LWD logging while drilling
MD measured depth
MWD measurement while drilling
NPT non-productive time
PWD pressure while drilling
ROP rate of penetration
RSS rotatory steerable system
TFA total flow area
TVD true vertical depth
Figure 12. Hanger liner, sleeve, and swellable packer.
29
Authors
Guillermo Gutierrez Murillo is Goldy Villanueva Zapata is from Eber Medina is Pinnacle technical
the project implementation leader of Bolivia and currently working as leader in Mexico and has been
the national program of productivity a drilling engineer for Halliburton involved in the completion of
in Ku-Maloob-Zaap asset of PEMEX Consulting and Project Management unconventional wells in the
in Cd. Del Carmen. He has been in with responsibilities in the Gulf of Chicontepec basin in Mexico. He
charge of high performance multi- Mexico designing and planning HP/ has six years of experience in the
disciplinary teams to increase well productivity and has HT ultra-deepwater wells. In Goldys previous position he oil industry mainly in the north region in Mexico. Eber
provided support and follow-up in strategic projects for was in charge of an unconventional drilling well campaign has participated in the design and execution of hydraulic
the Coordination of Design and for Technical Information for Chicontepec, Mexico, where successful performance fractures, matrix stimulations and conformance treatments
Production Management. He has also participated in the increased oil production to a record in this area. Prior to in the Chicontepec basin and the Poza Rica Altamira
creation of standards for well completions and evaluations Halliburton, Goldy was a drilling supervisor engineer for district and currently is in charge of the stimulation
for pressure tests. Guillermo has 21 years of experience Petrobras in Brazil and Bolivia. He has 14 years of drilling monitoring operations in Mexico with microseismic and
in the oil industry with a specialty in unconventional and completions experience, including director at YPF fiber optics. He is experienced in completion techniques
reservoir evaluation. His work as a project leader has Chaco Petroleum, drilling supervisor, head of exploration for multi-fracturing lateral wells. Eber holds a bachelor
had a high impact in production and best practices and drilling for YPF Bolivia. Goldy holds a BSc in petroleum degree in chemical engineering from ITCM. He is an active
documentation in international and national conferences. engineering from La Paz-Bolivia USMA University and member of the SPE.
Guillermo received a master degree in reservoir evaluation MS in finance from the CIFF University of Alcala Henares,
and management from Heriot Watt University and a Madrid Spain.
bachelor degree in petroleum engineering from UNAM. He
has written and presented more than 20 papers in national
and international forums and has participated in the
organization committee of several conferences. Guillermo
is an active member of the SPE, CIPM, AIPM and the
productivity experts network of PEMEX.
30
RE A L - T I ME G EOS T EER ING WIT H GABI MO TOR
Instrumented Motors Prove Crucial in more than one million feet in lateral sections
for smaller hole sizes. However, a lack of near-
Unconventional Well Placement

bit instrumented motors exists for larger than
4 3/4-in wells.
Anthony Wright and John Snyder, Halliburton The need for larger instrumented motors to
Copyright 2014, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition precisely geosteer in reservoirs prompted the
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2014 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition held in Fort Worth, Texas,
design of a 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination
USA, 46 March 2014. sensor (Figure 1). This near-bit instrumented
This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE program committee following review of information contained in downhole drilling system was developed to use
an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the International Association of not only in the lateral, but also in the curve and
Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not
vertical sections before reaching the pay zone.
necessarily reflect any position of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers,
its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent In addition, this system can assist reservoir
of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to characterization for the most common 6 1/4- to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must
9 7/8-in production well sizes. The larger-sized tool
contain conspicuous acknowledgment of IADC/SPE copyright.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. further enhances the suite of tools available to not
only help define the curve, but also for choosing
tops in the vertical section. This leads to a shorter
Abstract curve radius and assists with determining better
Near-bit, instrumented motors are a transformative technology used for unconventional well placement.
formations in which to kick off, rather than missing
Near-bit sensors are located closer to the bit compared to traditional measurement while drilling (MWD)
the target formation.
sensors, which are normally >20 ft behind the bit, thus allowing the opportunity for exiting thin bed
formations before a formation change can be observed on the logs. These tools are also instrumental
This paper describes the application of the
when choosing the formation tops for each new boundary drilled. The gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor
6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor system
system provides at-bit azimuthal gamma ray and inclination measurements for improved geosteering and
in different formations using geosteering
optimum well placement. This paper describes the geosteering capabilities of a newly released 6 3/4-in.
application. The 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination
sensor in different formations.
sensor system has been run in depleted shale and
In a single run, the gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor system successfully delivered a hole section of 4,952 sandstone formations on the continental shelf in
ft (2,248 to 7,200 ft) in 43.5 drilling hr, with an average rate of penetration (ROP) of 114 ft/hr in depleted GOM, on a lateral section with no concerns of
shale and sandstone formations on the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) continental shelf, eliminating additional fault zones in OKC, and the Woodford shale in
bottomhole assembly (BHA) changes; a 4,043-ft (7,442 to 11,485 ft) lateral in 23.5 drilling hr with an ROP the Mississippi Lime.
of 172 ft/hr in Oklahoma City (OKC), Oklahoma; and 4,781 ft (479 to 5,260 ft) in 37.75 drilling hr at an ROP
of 127 ft/hr in the Woodford shale of the Mississippi Lime, with zero non-productive time (NPT) or health, Tool Configuration and Measurements
safety, and environment (HSE) incidents. The 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor
system consists of two sections. An upper
The use of near-bit, instrumented motors allows remaining in the zone of unconventional plays longer. To electronics sub located above the power section of
date, a total of more than one million feet has been drilled using a smaller near-bit, 4 3/4-in. instrumented the mud motor contains the necessary electronics
motor, and running with larger-sized tools has proven successful. Instrumented motors previously to support the through motor short-hop telemetry.
had limited drilling application; however, with the geosteering requirements for unconventional well The upper electronics sub communicates with
placement, a greater range of applications for the measurements provided by the near-bit, instrumented the logging/measurement while drilling (L/MWD)
motors has been identified. tool, and provides sufficient memory to store
binned data from the lower electronics sensors.
Introduction This design also requires a mechanical connection
Precise geosteering requires high-quality tools with azimuthal sensitivity for optimal well placement. to the top of the rotor for signal propagation
Near-bit, instrumented motors provide near-bit gamma ray with azimuthal sensitivity, and inclination (Pitcher et al. 2009).
sensor information. This new generation of motors allows drilling to remain in the sweet spot once
the formation boundaries are defined. These tools are also instrumental for choosing the formation The lower electronics sub contains four sodium
tops as each new boundary is drilled. Additionally, the benefit created by the capability to azimuthally iodide-thallium [NaI(Tl)] scintillation detectors
log gamma ray sections while sliding eliminates the need to relog a section once it has been drilled mounted 90 radially around the circumference of
during a slide operation.
A smaller 4 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor was designed to fulfill the

need for near-bit, instrumented motors (Pitcher et al. 2009; Burinda et al. 2009).
The 4 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor was the industrys first real-time
Figure 1. 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor system.
imaging, azimuthal gamma and inclination tool at bit, and has successfully drilled
31
RE A L - T I ME G EOS T EER ING WIT H GABI MO TOR
the tool, as well as a triaxial inclinometer package The 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor it possible to detect formation changes sooner,
and associated electronics for data acquisition, is mounted below the power unit of specially thus eliminating drilling of non-productive footage.
processing, and short-hop telemetry. Memory configured motors to deliver real-time feedback Inclination readings from directly behind the bit
is also included for data storage. A driveshaft on directional trends and formation changes. contribute to flatter, longer horizontals and more
extension running through the center of the tool Locating the gamma sensors closer to the bit, and accurate well placement. By providing immediate
transfers torque from the power section to the drill viewing measurements in all four quadrants of feedback about unexpected trajectory changes
bit (Pitcher et al. 2009). the wellbore even while sliding the motor, makes due to faults, stringers, changes to dip angle, and
T R B L T T R B L T
Figure 2. Top, right, bottom, left, top (T R B L T) quadrant log image. Figure 3. Base approach log image.
T R B L T T R B L T
Figure 4. Top approach log image. Figure 5. Bottom tag log image.
T R B L T T R B L T
Figure 6. Top tag log image. Figure 7. Bottom scrape log image.
32
other formation related issues, the 6 3/4-in. gamma- Woodford Shale (Mississippi Lime). The 6 wellbore placement. The 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-
at-bit-inclination sensor system can ensure the 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor system inclination sensor system is a powerful tool for
trajectory is corrected immediately so that the well was used to find the top of a known formation to drilling long horizontal sections and remaining
remains on target. Figs. 2 through 7 show log accurately core a section in the Woodford shale in the pay zone for both conventional and
responses of the 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination of the Mississippi Lime for a vertical exploration unconventional reservoirs.
sensor system. well. The core was to provide valuable information
about this reservoir for use in surrounding wells.
Acknowledgements
Geosteering Applications
GOM Continental Shelf. A pilot hole in depleted In previous wells, the operator drilled passed the The authors acknowledge Jason Pitcher and
shale and sandstone formations on the GOM coring point and missed a crucial target zone. Jeremy Greenwood for their insight. The
continental shelf requiring a high-angle build and Therefore, the operator desired to drill within 10 ft authors additionally thank Jason LeClair for
hold (>60) section for a 9 7/8-in. well was drilled. of a certain formation and stop to core the section. providing log responses.
The job required a high-quality, smooth wellbore This information would be used to better plan
to improve running of liners and completion strings extended-reach wells for this particular reservoir. References
and avoidance of NPT associated with searching To maintain the proper data density to facilitate Burinda, C., Pitcher, J., and Lee, D. 2009.
for a good pay zone. In addition, it was critical to the identification of certain formation boundaries, Geosteering Techniques in Thin Coal Reservoirs.
ROP was slowed near known zones to accurately CSPG CSEG CWLS Convention. Calgary, Alberta,
avoid nearby wells on the pad while drilling.
Canada, 913 May.
select formation identifiers. Once the formations
A 4,952-ft (2,248 to 7,200 ft) hole section was had been accurately identified, ROP was increased Pitcher, J., Schafer, D., and Botterell, P. 2009. A
delivered in a single run, eliminating additional to improve overall drilling performance efficiency. New Azimuthal Gamma at Bit Imaging Tool for
BHA changes. The pilot well was drilled in 43.5 Geosteering Thin Reservoirs. Paper SPE 118328
presented at the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference
drilling hr with an average ROP of 114 ft/hr. The A 4,781-ft (479 to 5,260 ft) lateral was delivered
and Exhibition, The Netherlands, 1719 March.
6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor system in a single run in 37.75 drilling hr with an average
http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/118328-MS.
demonstrated an enhanced capability for landing ROP of 127 ft/hr. The 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-
the curve. inclination sensor system was instrumental to
finding the top of a zone without drilling too far
Inclination and azimuthal gamma readings from into the target formation and potentially exiting
directly behind the bit helped deliver a flatter, before it was visible on the logs. It was possible Authors
longer horizontal and reduced the reaction time to detect a formation top that had been previously Anthony Tony Wright began
his career with Halliburton in
for making critical geosteering decisions. A drilled through with other tools. This allowed for 2008 in the Sperry Drilling product
smooth lateral wellbore was precisely positioned drilling precisely to the designated total depth (TD) service line (PSL) as an L/MWD
in the pay zone, capturing more of the reservoir, desired by the operator. field engineer in Alaska. He later
transferred to Gulf of Mexico and
and overall drilling efficiency was improved by
worked offshore. He has work in the Sperry Technology
receiving immediate feedback on any changes in Summary and Conclusion group as a product engineer, in Operations Technology
gamma ray and inclination. Time was saved by The 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor as a technical advisor, and his most current role as a
not having to relog sections that were drilled system was successfully used to geosteer product champion for the Directional Drilling sub-PSL.
Tony honorably served in the United States Navy for six
while sliding. different wells in real-time in GOM, OKC, and the years aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) as a nuclear
Mississippi Lime, USA. In all of the applications, qualified engine room mechanic. He attended Purdue
Midcontinent USA (OKC). The 6 3/4-in. gamma- the 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor University for both his bachelor and master degrees in
mechanical engineering. He is currently working on his
at-bit-inclination sensor system was used on a system demonstrated zero NPT or HSE incidents. professional master of business administration (MBA) at
lateral in which there were no fault zone concerns. In addition, there was no need to relog sections Rice University, and will graduate in May 2015.
For this well, the operator did not require the real- while sliding.
John Snyder is a Sr. PSL manager
time information, but instead desired to evaluate
for Sperry Drillings West Coast
the recorded data after the job to determine future The 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor operations. John has more than
use of the 6 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor system delivers full wellbore coverage, even 30 years of industry experience in
system applications in laterals with known faults. in sliding mode, without the need to orient the operations, technical and strategic
business leadership roles. A
motor for up, down, left, and right readings by business and technology professional with experience
The services provided were the 6 3/4-in. gamma-at- providing four independent gamma ray readings in design, manufacturing and application of complex
bit-inclination sensor, L/MWD sensors, and drilling simultaneously in four quadrants around the systems, he is considered a leader in the development
of novel drilling technologies and processes. John holds
optimization. All services were used to monitor tool. Locating the sensors close to the bit makes a BSc in technology management from the University
the drilling performance from the remote operating it possible to detect adjacent bed boundaries of Houston; AS in manufacturing engineering; business
center (ROC) located in OKC. A 4,043-ft lateral was before exiting the pay zone, and avoid wasting management certificate from the University of Texas; and
time drilling non-productive footage. Inclination attended Halliburtons business leadership program at
delivered in a single run in 23.5 drilling hr with an
Texas A&M University. He has published and presented
average ROP of 172 ft/hr. readings from directly behind the bit contribute a number of technical papers and articles, has numerous
to flatter, longer horizontals and more accurate patents, and is a member of SPE.
33
E N H A N CE D O I L RECO V ERY PRO J EC T MA LA YSIA
Optimized Platform Placement to Cover All Introduction

The Baronia field is located about 40 km offshore,
Geological Targets in Baronia Field

northwest (NW) of Lutong, Sarawak, Malaysia, in
block SK15 of the Baram Delta area (Fig. 1). It was
discovered in 1967 (Pratap et al. 2000) by Well
M. Anas Sofian, Christophe Leuranguer, and Noor Farhana Musiran, BN-1 and production commenced in May 1972
PETRONAS Carigali; Afiqah Fathiah Ahmad Saifuddin, Thomas Wong, and from two isolated appraisal/development wells,
Ilen Kardani, Halliburton BN-4 and BN-5. To date, 72 wells have been drilled
Copyright 2014, Offshore Technology Conference in this field. To gain more productivity, horizontal
This paper was prepared for presentation at the Offshore Technology Conference Asia held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2528 wells were introduced in the Baronia field some
March 2014. 22 years after its first production. During those
This paper was selected for presentation by an OTC program committee following review of information contained in an years, horizontal well drilling technology was just
abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference introduced within the operating company and
and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Offshore Technology
Conference, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the
the Baronia field was the first to be implemented
written consent of the Offshore Technology Conference is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an (Jadid and Mustapah 2007).
abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment
of OTC copyright.
Structurally, the Baronia field is characterized by
a simple, internally faulted, relatively flat, low
relief domal anticline structure elongated toward
Abstract the south-southwest (SSW) and the anticline is
Platform placement and sizing are critical steps for enabling subsequent operations, such as well resulted from a rollover associated with growth
construction, logistics, and facilities installation to be performed efficiently and safely. This paper
introduces the most economical, yet efficient, solution for an enhanced oil
recovery (EOR) project in which 25 wells were to be drilled in the Baronia
field, offshore Sarawak, Malaysia. Collaborative teamwork from drilling,
reservoir, facility, geology, and production groups was required to develop the
best solutions to minimize construction work, simplify well trajectories, and
use all available resources to help minimize the overall budget. In addition,
this paper evaluates the drillability of each well based on available drilling
technologies and rig capabilities in the market.
During the initial design stage, all 25 wells were planned to be drilled from
two new wellhead platforms (WHPs) to intercept all geological targets.
Major well collision problems were encountered against adjacent wells in
Figure 1. Location Map of Baronia field.
the congested Baronia field; however, after several iterations of surface
nudging and slots designation, all wells were drillable, with a total footage of
227,527.1 ft drilled.
The first iteration was performed by placing one new single WHP at an
optimized location and using spare slots and sidetracking from an existing
platform. This optimized design reduced/saved 39,868.61 ft compared to the
initial stage and eliminated the requirement for another new platform. The
second iteration was performed by shifting the new WHP 300 ft closer to
the production platform to enable bridge linking and help reduce construction
work on the pipelines. The total footage to be drilled from this location
was reduced again by 3,622.63 ft. Finally, the setup was further optimized
by equipping the new platform with splitter wells, which reduced the number
of conductor pipes required without decreasing the number of wells to
be drilled.
Overall, the platform placement and sizing optimizations saved USD millions
during the planning stage by eliminating one platform, decreasing drilling
footage, minimizing construction work, and helping reduce health, safety, and
environmental (HSE) risks.
Figure 2. Baronia field spider plot shows four drilling platform (BNDP-A,
BNDP-B, BNDP-I, and BNDP-J) and five jackets (BNJT-C, BNJT-D, BNJT-E,
BNJT-F1, and BNJT-H1).
34
faulting combined with Pliocene compressional were run against all wells with wellheads within compression and tension. Total value of the
folding. The main prospective sequences are 15km of the reference well or as per companys hook load during pulling out of hole needs to be
comprised of interbeded sandstones and shales policy. In this analysis, numbers of iterations calculated and compared against the rigs hoisting
with minor siltstones of Late Miocene (Jadid and were made to come up with optimum wellbore system.
Mustapah 2007). trajectory including shifting the targets after
thorough discussions with the subsurface team to Moreover, directional drilling hydraulics plays
There are four drilling platforms in the Baronia meet anti-collision criteria. All the EOR wells in an important role in determining the drillability
field; two 12-slot drilling platforms (BNDP-A and Baronia field were planned with clearance factor of a well for a successful hole cleaning. Failure
BNDP-B), two 15-slot drilling platforms (BNDP-I of more than 1.5 and anti-collision procedures in hole cleaning can cause excessive overpull on
and BNDP-J), and five 3-slot jackets (BNJT-C, were generated and must be adhered to by the trips, high rotary torque, stuck pipe, hole pack-off,
BNJT-D, BNJT-E, BNJT-F1, and BNJT-H1) (Fig. 2). directional drillers offshore. excessive equivalent circulating density (ECD),
The first field development started from the drilling cuttings accumulation, formation breakdown, slow
platform BNDP-A in 1974, and continued to 1979 Dogleg severity (DLS) is defined as the change rate of penetration, and difficulty running logs and
from a second drilling platform, BNDP-B. in the inclination, and/or azimuth of a borehole, casing. Therefore, it was important that the wells
usually expressed in degrees per 100 feet of were simulated to ensure they met the hydraulics
Drillability Criteria course length. In the metric system, it is usually requirements. It was desirable to avoid planning
The following criteria are given to ensure that each expressed in degrees per 30 meters or degrees wells with a tangent section within the critical
well is drillable from a given location and reach per 10 meters of course length. There are various hole inclination range, between 45 to 65. There
the geological targets as shown in Fig 11: factors in determining the dogleg severity but were instances that the critical range for hole
Drilling risks the best practice is to keep it as mild as possible. cleaning was unable to be avoided, the tangent
Anti-collision However, since the Baronia field is very congested, section was planned as short as possible instead.
Dogleg severity some of the wells have to be kept at certain The flow rates were also selected for good hole
Hydraulic dogleg severities to avoid collision with proximity cleaning for each hole sections for example 1000-
Torque and drag wells and this scenario is called anti-collision DLS. 1200 gallons per minute for 17-1/2 and 12-1/4 hole
Rig capability Excessive DLS will affect the other measurements sections. Execution of the hydraulics analysis took
Technology availability such as torque, drag, casing wear, buckling limit, into account the rigs capability in terms of the
Cost efficiency drillstring sideforces, cyclic fatigue, hole cleaning mud pump efficiency. It was ensured that the total
efficiency, casing running, and placement of stand pipe pressure was limited to the rigs liner
A number of significant drillability criteria were completion tools. pumps availability and the total pressure loss to
taken into account in the well design for a cost provide hydraulics energy to downhole tools were
efficient planning and to alleviate any drilling Besides that, the severity of the mechanical below the pop-off pressure.
risks. Study from the offset wells will give useful loads imposed on drill string elements namely
information regarding the drilling problems the torque and drag, tensile strength reduction All these criteria were optimized to come up with
which may have happened in the past so that due to bending stress in doglegs need to be the most feasible and cost efficient well designs,
the mitigation plans can be clearly defined. All considered. The drill string experiences both which supported by the available technology in the
anti-collision risks and mitigation plan should torque and drag since the drill pipe is in rotational market as well as the rigs capability.
be lay up in detail and communicate to all parties as well as performs
during the planning and execution phase. Correct linear motion. Drag is
geographic system, geodetic datum and map the increase in string
zone need to be established and agreed upon weight when pulling
in order to have an accurate coordinate system. out of the hole or the
All anti-collision policies were followed in the reduction in string
planning stage especially on meeting the criteria weight while tripping
of clearance factor of more than 1.5 and the in the hole while torque
sigma value was set to 2.445 as per the operating is the force required
companys requirement. The formula for calculating to turn the drill string.
the clearance factor ratio is: More severe doglegs
will cause higher torque
Distance between Centres and drag. Torque and
Distance between Centres - Distance between drag simulation was
Ellipsoids + Combined Casing & Hole Radii performed to ensure the
rigs drill pipes would
Actual survey and planned trajectories need to be not reach the buckling
updated in the database before commencing any limit and tensile strength
Figure 3. Spider plot shows 25 EOR wells planned from two WHPs, BNIT-A
close approach analysis. The anti-collision scans limit due to excessive
and BNIT-B.
35
depths to avoid collision. It is imperative to kick off the inner slot wells at the
shallowest depth first, and then progress to the deepest kickoff for the best
option of well dispersion of the outside platform (Fig. 5).
Additionally, full use of four spare conductor slots and two wells sidetracking
from the existing BNDP-J platform was achieved at this stage. Six wells
for targets located southwest of the field were replanned from BNDP-J to
replace the eliminated BNIT-B WHP (Fig. 6).
Summary and Findings. Because of more stringent constraints of

directional planning, this exercise triggered several iterations of optimization
cycles between drilling and reservoir engineering, in which well creaming
was performed thoroughly to eliminate the low economic value wells. In
addition, horizontal targets were realigned to simplify the well profile.
Five wells were dropped from the initial plan of 25 wells with a very
minimum impact on reserves, and hence improved the overall project
Figure 4. 3D view of 25 EOR wells planned from BNIT-A and BNIT-B. economic tremendously.
Initial Scenario: Two New WHPs. At the initial stage of the project, the
EOR wells were planned from two new wellhead platforms (WHPs), BNIT-A
and BNIT-B, to intercept all geological targets given (Fig. 3). A 3D view of the
25 EOR wells from BNIT-A and BNIT-B is shown in Fig. 4.
Initially, there were 25 wells planned to be drilled from WHPs BNIT-A and
BNIT-B, to consist of the following:
Oil producer: 11 wells.
Gas producer: 7 wells.
Water injector: 6 wells.
Gas injector: 1 well.
Although major collision problems were experienced within the proximity

wells of this congested Baronia field, after several surface nudging iterations,
effective slots designation, and proper planning, all the wells from these two
platforms were achievable and the total measured depth (MD) was 227,527.11 Figure 5. BNIT-A conductor plot shows surface separation by proper
ft. Further evaluation with respect to a drillability check (torque and drag, nudging at specific gyro azimuth for all the wells.
hydraulics, casing, and cementing design) confirmed the feasibility.
Optimized Scenario 1: One New WHP and Use of Four Spare Conductor
Slots from Existing Platform. The new single WHP, BNIT-A, was placed
in one optimized location, which was 2000 ft away. The optimization of the
location of BNIT-A was performed on one centralized platform based on
placement of horizontal drainage; the two outermost horizontal drainage
alignments emphasized two wells to be two-dimensional (2D), while the rest
of the horizontal wells were to be mid to quite severe three-dimensional (3D)
horizontal profiles. Based on a 2000-ft radius to obtain a maximum of 3/100 ft
dogleg for the horizontal wells, the optimized platform coordinates for BNIT-A
were selected.
The outer conductors well designation was performed effectively to kick off
below the shoes at 600 ft MD at 2.3/100 ft along specific gyro azimuth to
disperse the bottomhole location outside the platform to avoid collision.
Figure 6. BNDP-J conductor plot shows four wells are planned from
With respect to the inner conductors well designation, the planning was
four spare slots (marked in red) and two wells are sidetracking
performed by true vertical depth (TVD) separation kicking off at different TVD
from existing wells.
36
All of the wells again were proven to be achievable with a total MD of
187,658.50 ft. The optimized location and the use of the spare conductor slots
as well as the well creaming exercise saved the total footage by 39,868.61 ft;
this is a massive savings with respect to drilling (Fig. 7). The most significant
outcome from this, however, was the ability to reduce the number of new
WHPs to a single new WHP, hence a significant reduction to facilities costs.
This has potentially saved the overall project (Project CAPEX) approximately
USD 250 million at the conceptual stage.
Optimized Scenario 2: One New WHP at Bridge Linking Location

to Existing Platform BNDP-I. Further optimization work was undertaken
to achieve greater cost savings for the project. The idea was to place the
new platform at a site, which is 300 ft from the existing complex, BNDP-I,
to enable bridge linking (Fig. 8). No live wells were ensured underneath the
proposed location within a safe radius of 150 ft and the wells were set to kick
off deeper, alleviating collision risk.
Figure 7. Spider plot shows 14 wells are planned from an optimized location of At this stage, there were 20 wells planned to be drilled from platforms BNIT-A
BNIT-A, and six wells are planned from existing platform, BNDP-J. and BNDP-J, to consist of the following:
Oil producer: 5 wells.
Gas producer: 7 wells.
Water injector: 7 wells.
Gas injector: 1 well.
Summary and Findings. This bridging of the platform enabled the operating
company to share platform facilities, such as personnel living quarters, and
achieve significant cost reduction on pipelines, which greatly contributed
to lowering the budget of the overall project (Project CAPEX) as well as
future projects (Project OPEX) (Fig. 9). The total footage to be drilled from
this location was 184,035.90 ft. This, again, further shortened the total MD
by 3622.63 ft. Additionally, significant reduction to project costs of USD 63
million was achieved through this optimization process.
Optimized Scenario 3: Hybrid Platform Design with Splitter Wells at

Four Corners. A more optimized platform design was created to incorporate
a 36-in. dual splitter system, with 2 13 3 /8-in. surface casing, to be deployed
Figure 8. Plan view shows the shifting of the platform 2700 ft east-south (ES)
with no restriction with regard to the surface casing deviation and kickoff
for bridgelinking with BNDP-I.
depth (Fig. 10). The selection of wells for splitters was the first kickoff
below the conductor shoes for wells with higher dogleg and complexity. The
second kickoff was by 200 ft TVD separation. Surface dispersion of wells to
be collision-free was important. Therefore, nudging of all wells for the best
possible kickoff position was imperative.
Summary and Findings. With this hybrid platform design, less conductors
were necessary to be installed while retaining the number of wells. This
significantly reduced time and cost for conductor installation. Additionally, it
left less platform footprint, which enabled the use of a jackup rig instead of a
tender assisted rig; hence, a lighter platform could be designed. The platform
was then renamed BNDP-K.
Conclusion
The success achieved for this EOR project at the conceptual well planning
stage was largely contributed to a synergy of collaboration between all
Figure 9. Spider plot shows all 20 EOR wells planned in the Baronia field parties involved. Early engagement and technical input from specialized
from BNDP-J and BNIT-A.
37
service providers from conceptual planning was vital to put the project on
the correct path during the beginning stage.
The optimized outcome was also a clear example of effective

interdisciplinary teamwork between sections within the project team, such
as drilling, subsurface and surface facilities, for agreement on the best
tradeoffs between tapping the maximum hydrocarbon reserves and the
drillability of the options based on sound engineering considerations.
This work involved navigating through a considerable iterative process to
optimize well planning that eventually led to the best optimized case with a
bridge link to a single WHP option (Fig. 11).
Figure 10. Comparison of the previous platform and splitter wellhead In terms of economic savings associated with these solutions, the reduction
platform design. to the number of new WHPs from two platforms to one central platform
as well as enabling a bridge link option demonstrated huge savings to the
overall project (Project CAPEX); an estimated value of approximately USD
315 million was saved compared to the original base case scenario (Fig. 12).
In addition to all of the risk factors being reduced with all these solutions
in place, the net benefits to the operating company have been positive in
terms of financial (CAPEX and OPEX) as well as intangible risk reduction
benefits. The collaboration between different parties with a single common
objective for an economically efficient solution will be the way forward to
achieve such success in the future.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the management of Petroliam National Berhad
(PETRONAS), PETRONAS Carigali Sdn. Bhd. (PCSB), and Halliburton for
support and permission to publish this paper.
References
Figure 11. EOR project flow chart. Pratap, M., Ibrahim, Z.B., and Karim, M.G. 2000. Reservoir Simulation Study
of Baronia Field, Offshore Sarawak, Malaysia Indicates Higher Reserves
and OIIP. Paper SPE 64442 presented at the SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas
Conference and Exhibition, Brisbane, Australia, 1618 October. http://dx.doi.
org/10.2118/64442-MS.
Jadid, M. and Mustapah, M.F. 2007. A Performance Review of 14 Horizontal
Wells in Baronia Field After 12 Years of Production. Paper SPE 107630 presented
at the SPE Latin American & Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference,
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1518 April. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/107630-MS.
Nomenclature
EOR = Enhanced oil recovery
WHP = Wellhead platform
TVD = True vertical depth
TVDSS = True vertical depth subsea
CAPEX = Capital expenditure
Figure 12. Total reduction of Project CAPEX.
OPEX = Operational expenditure
ft = feet
in = inch
DF = Derrick floor
DLS = Dogleg Severity
38
Authors
Noor Farhana Musiran is a well design engineer where she was involved in a variety Ilen Kardani graduated in 1994
engineer for Baram Delta & North of challenging projects such as the congested Baronia as a petroleum engineer from
Sabah EOR Center (EORC), an brown field. This is her first SPE technical paper and she Bandung Institute of Technology
incorporated joint-venture between is looking forward to writing and contributing more to the (ITB), Indonesia. He has been in the
PETRONAS and Shell. She graduated industry in future. oil and gas industry for more than 19
from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS years, starting from field operations
(UTP) in 2011 as a holder of BSc (Hons) of petroleum Thomas Wong is a technical as a directional driller (DD). Ilen then moved on to
engineering major in reservoir studies. She has been in advisor for Halliburton Sperry positions of DD coordinator and operations manager, and
the industry for 2.5 years, focusing on the development Drilling in Malaysia. An experienced is now focusing on business development and competency
concept of EOR projects since then. This is her paper of oil rigger, Thomas joined Sperry- coordinator for Halliburton, Central Asia. One of his
many to come, Inn Syaa Allah. Sun International as a borehole philosophies is to add more value to people, so he likes to
survey engineer in 1981, evolving share his experiences by writing papers. Ilen is published
Afiqah Fathiah Ahmad Saifuddin simultaneously with the oil and gas industry in drilling in SPE, OTC, IADC and is becoming a guest lecturer/
is a drilling engineer for JX technology applications. He is an expert in gyroscopic and speaker for some campuses in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration magnetic surveying techniques, passionate in directional
(Deepwater Sabah) Limited. She well planning and platform site optimization, and
holds a first class honors BSc in possesses invaluable experience in measurement-while-
chemical engineering from the drilling and directional drilling onshore, offshore and in
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. She has been in the oil deep water. He quotes, Pour into our younger generation
and gas industry for three years. She started her career the priceless experience we had and constitute them with
with Halliburton Sperry Drilling services as a well the knowledge to excel.
39
AL A S K A F I EL D I MPRO VES D RI LL ING ECO NOM ICS WIT H MP D
Overcoming Extreme Weather Conditions section of the service and engineering company
that was assisting in delivery of the well were
by Drilling With MPD Offshore in the Arctic

tasked with finding another drilling method that
would improve drilling efficiency in both the
intermediate and producing phases where lost
R. Lovorn, D. Lewis, S. Allen, I. Poletzky, Halliburton Energy Services, USA circulation and narrow ECD windows were being
Copyright 2013 RAO/CIS Offshore. experienced.
This paper was prepared for presentation at the RAO/CIS Offshore 2013 (International Conference and Exhibition for
Oil and Gas Resources Development of the Russian Arctic and CIS Continental Shelf) held in St. Petersburg, Russia, Upon award of the contract, the operator wanted
10-13 September 2013.
to have all associated equipment on this
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. manmade island in the Arctic to meet a tight barge
shutdown timeline (Fig. 1). This was imperative
Abstract due to the weight of the equipment and the fact
Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) is gaining acceptance as a viable tool for optimizing
drilling and managing bottom hole pressure (BHP) in wells with narrow pressure
margins, unconventional resources, high pressure/high temperature, and harsh
environments. Consequently, an articulate MPD automated system for BHP control
during job execution will ensure successful MPD results in such challenging drilling
environments. Such a system must include the ability to do pre-job planning, have
dependable equipment, and perform with a high level of precision.
In this case, wells were initially drilled conventionally but were not successfully
completed due to drilling problems such as stuck pipe, lost circulation, and the
associated high mud costs which translated into a very costly operation. Initially, the
application of MPD in the intermediate holes and laterals started as a technique to
solve mainly lost circulation problems and differential sticking when traversing both
weak (with high collapse pressures) and highly tectonically stressed formations. The
main objective was to optimize drilling especially in narrow margins to minimize
drilling problems, reduce Non-Productive Time (NPT), and therefore drilling costs.
Figure 1. Resource basins in the Arctic Circle region (Source: U.S.
The automated MPD equipment includes a rotating control device (RCD), a choke
Geological Survey).
manifold, a back pressure pump (BPP), flow meters, associated surface piping, and the
automated control and data gathering system. that the barge was the only form of transportation
available to move the equipment to the island.
There was also a need to determine what
Background equipment was necessary to perform the
MPD has been defined by IADC as an adaptive drilling process used to precisely control the annular job in accordance with the guidelines of the
profile throughout the wellbore. The objectives are to ascertain the downhole pressure environment limits operator and the AOGCC (Alaska Oil and Gas
and to manage the annular pressure profile accordingly. Conservation Commission).
Introduction
MPD is considered an enabling technology because of the ability to provide accurate and precise The common reservoir structure for the region
downhole pressure control on demand. Nowadays, MPD systems provide the ability to operate in contains two different sand packages and is
tight operational envelopes, provide dynamic real-time well-event detection, and control capabilities highly susceptible to overpressure, under
while continuing with drilling operations. These abilities give operators access to assets that were pressure, and skin damage. The entire structure
previously considered undrillable by either physical or economic limitations. One of the main reasons for is tectonically stressed and contains several
the success of MPD is in the automation features which provide levels of dynamic functional unconformities throughout. This geological
control and precision that are difficult, if not impossible, for human operators to achieve and maintain. scenario has created a drilling environment that
MPDs inherent closed-loop setup, coupled with conventional methodology, naturally lends itself to is prone to losses, bore hole collapse, and NPT
automated applications. while drilling conventionally. In some formations,
there is only a 0.2 ppg drilling window between
Early in this project, a large amount of NPT and excess costs were experienced due to the well collapse pressures and fracture gradient. To cross
conditions. These conditions were affecting the service companys ability to deliver the proposed wells this boundary, a mud weight was designed, which
with conventional drilling methods. The drilling problems centered on the very narrow equivalent was statically underbalanced to the collapse
circulating density (ECD) window, which was approximately 0.7 ppg. On the low end of the ECD window, pressure, and automated chokes were used to
hole collapse could result, and on the high end, fluid loss would be a problem. This would negatively maintain a BHP just above the collapse and below
impact the economics of the project and delay the recovery of reserves. Thus, the personnel in the MPD the fracture pressure.
40
When drilling these wells conventionally, there installation. Even with all this protection, the lines discharge system for drilling and service rigs that
was typically a difference of 1 to 1.5 ppg between have to be blown down when no fluid is flowing in collects fluids for recirculation or proper disposal.
the static mud weight (MW) and the ECD. As the the lines, if not they will freeze, thus, all lines must
MW was increased for wellbore stability, the be fitted with blow-down points. During the rig visit, the equipment was in
additional increase in ECD resulted in fluid losses transport, and the winterized equipment was
when drilling through the narrowest pressure HAZID/HAZOP being built by a local vendor; the Anchorage team
windows. The objective was to maintain a The initiation of the first winterized MPD project was developing detailed procedures. As soon
constant BHP by using a lower MW, usually below brought forward very specific needs based as the procedures were developed and agreed
collapse pressure, and applying surface back on the harsh conditions encountered on this upon by both parties, they were integrated into
pressure (SBP) to navigate through the different manmade island. With the equipment being a comprehensive valve numbering diagram
pore/collapse pressures, thus eliminating the outside of the enclosed rig, spill containment was (VND). This ensured that all rig personnel would
pressure cycling experienced during connections. one of the highest priorities placed on design understand the work method and the fluid-flow
While drilling the intermediate section, there was and choice of equipment. Since this was to be process during each task. Once the procedures
a maximum SBP that could be imposed to avoid the first Arctic MPD project, a comprehensive, and valve numbering diagram were completed,
fracturing shallower weaker formations. both the drilling company and
the operator signed off on all
Equipment Winterization documentation. Any changes to
As this was the first MPD project the procedures required a risk
to be performed in the Arctic where assessment and a Management of
temperatures can drop as low as Change (MOC) form.
-70F, an engineered solution for
winterization of the equipment was After the preliminary engineering,
required and had to be developed. A drawings, and equipment selection
design consisting of 3 x 20-ft joined was completed, a meeting was
containers was developed with the scheduled for all parties involved
30,000 lb. choke manifold fitting in the with the project to conduct the
center container. This provided storage HAZID/HAZOP review. The purpose
and a workshop on opposing sides, of this exercise was to thoroughly
and an ample working area for choke investigate all operations and
Figure 2. Equipment in winterized containers.
maintenance. The RCD with its own ascertain the risk matrix was complete
winterized container had a door added and develop any additional procedures
and attached to the choke area, making the entire step-by-step work method hazard identification needed. From the risk matrix, a critical path
MPD system 20-ft long x 32-ft wide (Fig. 2). (HAZID) and hazardous operation (HAZOP) was timeline was constructed and items were assigned
conducted by a third party. This was to ensure to relevant companies with close-out dates.
Large items like the choke manifold had to be that all aspects of the project scope were covered The project would not go operational until all
placed in the containers so personnel could still with recommendations to safely and efficiently outstanding items were closed even though some
work on the equipment as required without being deliver a successful implementation of the MPD outstanding items had completion dates up to the
subject to the cold weather. The containers were services in these Arctic conditions. To ensure a day of commissioning the equipment.
installed with two zone-rated air heaters. These successful campaign, it was necessary to perform
units were set with a temperature differential simultaneous operations between equipment Once the MPD equipment arrived at the service
of only a few degrees, so if one failed, the other transportation and building of winterization company yard, a second temporary rig-up was
would automatically start up to maintain the containers so that project procedures were performed with the equipment installed in the
internal temperature. The walls and the bottom completed prior to the first well scheduled to begin winterized containers. Four days were dedicated
of the container were also insulated since a high drilling one month after the deadline for equipment to equipment testing and all aspects of the
percentage of the heat would be lost from the mobilization. MPD system testing were recorded. The testing
bottom of the container. The containers were ensured that the MPD system was ready for
placed on a large skid to facilitate moving around Once a design was agreed upon, a rig visit was Arctic operations.
the location. The Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) performed. The rig visit included a review of
for the RCD was installed on the same skid and equipment placement and a confirmation of tie-in Upon completion of the testing, the equipment
winterized in the same way. The BPP that fits points. Potential spill scenarios at all stages of was broken down and a third party was brought
under the rig floor sub was also the same design operations were considered with the goal of zero in to shrink wrap all items in preparation for
as the rest of the containers. As outside pipework spills. It was determined that blowout prevention the transport to Prudhoe Bay. The equipment
also required sufficient protection at all time, flow (BOP) spill-containment equipment would be left in time to meet the barge bound to the
lines were heat-traced, double-wrapped, and then purchased. A Katch Kan spill system was island as scheduled.
covered with a waterproof jacket to protect the sourced and added to the equipment list. This is a
41
Initial MPD Installation low-pressure piping for the RCD was installed was inserted to direct the flow to either the RCD
The compact layout of this manmade island drill beneath the floor and in the cellar. A suspended inlet or a bypass line. This allowed for flushing and
site and the specialized nature of the rig presented walkway was fabricated to facilitate access to pressure testing of the piping and choke manifold
several challenges as well as some advantages in the RCD from a mezzanine in the cellar. The Katch without pressurizing the RCD, BOP, or wellhead.
locating and installing the MPD system. Kan system was installed and flow hoses were Also housed in the cellar were the RCD outlet, HCR
run from the tray to an overflow container in the valve, and the low-pressure return mud flow meter.
The drilling equipment consists of a mobile drilling well bay. This container was instrumented for
rig and a fixed rig support complex (RSC). The fluid-level monitoring. The constraints on equipment placement resulted
rig is a fully enclosed, heated, and self-mobile in a final system piping configuration with several
unit that was specifically modified to cantilever As previously described, the choke manifold was hundred feet of two-, three-, and four-inch high-
the drill floor over closely spaced wellheads in housed in a set of four containers set on the pad pressure piping and over one hundred feet of
enclosed well bays, while occupying a minimum next to the sub-base unit on the drillers side, six-inch low-pressure flow line. Approximately
footprint. The rig consists of two modules that opposite the service module. Several options for two-thirds of the pipe work was enclosed since it
are mounted on walking-beam moving systems. attaching the containers to the sub-base (so that was inside heated structures and the remaining
The sub-base module carries the cantilevered they would move integrally with the rig) were third was external to the rig and RSC structures.
drill floor, draw works, and derrick with an examined. It was decided that these were not as These lines were liberally supplied with blow
enclosed suspended BOP cellar. This basic rig cost effective as simply disconnecting the choke down ports and electrical heat tracing. They were
structure is counter-balanced on the off-drill floor house unit for rig moves. Rig electrical power, air insulated with several layers of fiberglass bat
side of the walking beams by the rig powered supply, and communications wiring were run to insulation, which was enclosed in a high strength
diesel electric generators, air compressors, and this enclosure from the sub-base module. Both plastic wind sheath.
heating steam boilers. The three-level service high- and low-pressure flow lines connecting the
module carries the rig pumps, the mud pits and RCD, the choke, and the mud return flow line were The final subsystem to be installed was the
solids separation equipment, power distribution run through the BOP cellar. MPD computer-control system. The configuration
controls, and the pipe shed. The service module selected was to locate the RCD operators panel
mates to the sub-base on the off-driller side and In the early stages of the project, it became and the main human-machine-interface (HMI)
is connected by an enclosed walkway that houses evident that a new remotely controlled BPP could servers in the existing MWD/LWD enclosure
high- and low-pressure flow lines, power, air, and not be manufactured within the barge season time located at the rig floor level but external to the
communications connections. The RSC houses window. Various options for existing pumping drill floor.
a bulk mud-mixing plant, mud-storage tanks, a units were examined and discarded due to spacing
cuttings processing mill, and a cement mixing and and winterization problems. Use of the existing The design concept for the project was to have
pumping facility. The RSC is connected to the rig cement pump in the RSC was then investigated. fully automated control of the bottomhole
via an enclosed pipe rack, which runs the length To maintain the closed loop circulation required for pressure. The HMI interacts with the choke and
of the well bay buildings and carries mud, cement, accurate well flow monitoring, it was necessary the BPP. External system data is received from
drill-water, power, and communication connections to feed the cement unit from the rig pits. A review the measurement-while-drilling (MWD) log suite
to and from the rig. Depending on rig placement, of the existing piping in the rig pits, the pipe rack and the rig-pit volume sensor. Internal system
the distance of the cement pump to the ROC could flow lines and the RSC mud plant revealed that data is received from the choke transducer, choke
be 500 feet. the discharge from an existing, but little used, position monitor, flow-rate monitor, and other MPD
de-sander pump in the rig pits could be re-routed instrumentation sensors. The cement pump was
The MPD equipment is comprised of five through a mud return line to carry mud from the manually operated during connections.
functionally distinct sub-sets. These are the active system to the mixing plant manifold. From
RCD, the choke manifold, BPP, flow meters there, it was possible to rearrange the check Crew Training and Equipment
with associated piping, and the computerized valves to allow this flow to feed the cement pump Functional Check Out
control system. Consideration of the rig lay out suction. Hydraulic calculations were performed to Three levels of training were developed to prepare
and the need for freeze protection had significant assure the adequacy of this equipment. Although the rig personnel for operations and to ensure
impacts on both the sizing and location of the the equipment was deemed adequate, a remaining seamless conversion from conventional drilling
MPD equipment. concern was the need to man the cement pump. In to MPD operations: Interoffice training for office-
light of the time constraints and the trial nature of based engineers and management; classroom
For optimum functionality, the RCD is mounted the MPD project, it was decided to use this option. training on-rig with equipment walk around; and
directly to the rig BOP. Locating the BOP in the The MPD input circulation flow meter was located live training during acceptance test.
heated cellar immediately below the drill floor upstream of the cement pump suction due to the
solved the enclosure issue, but less than 5 feet of long distance between the two. This distance Initial preparation for MPD on-site began once
clearance between the spherical and the rotary also necessitated an upgrade of fiber optical the major components arrived on the barge. The
table mud box was left. As it was not feasible cabling for communications. The pump output was bulk of the assembly of the MPD choke skid, RCD
to lower the BOP or raise the mud box, a single- routed back to the rig cellar via the two-inch high- hydraulics unit, high- and low-pressure four-inch
element RCD was specified. Associated high- and pressure cement line. A tee and isolation valve flow piping, two-inch high pressure cement pump
42
piping from the RSC cementing
pump, and the MPD system were
accomplished in September, 2008.
The equipment was left on standby,
when well schedule changes forced
a delayed startup. During September
and October, the drilling crews and
other involved service company
personnel were given training in the
MPD procedures.
Rig-up of the MPD equipment for

use on the first well in the MPD
program was completed in a week.
The 16-in. rig-flow riser air boot was
removed and replaced with a 20-in.
assembly. The suspension tree and
tubing hanger were then removed
from the well. The RCD was
Table 1. Comparison of Conventional vs. MPD wells.
suspended below the floor, and the
BOP was put in place beneath it on
the wellhead riser. The flow lines, Katch Kan, RCD MPD mode. Minor operational issues were clearance, adequate structural capacity, and
walkway, split master bushings, and trip nipple encountered and these lessons were incorporated moving-system power to suspend the unit beneath
were installed. While the rig picked up five-inch in subsequent well procedures. the motor room cantilever. This location was not
drill pipe and began BOP testing, the MPD piping optimal in terms of pipe routing but provided
was completed, and the heat trace and insulation BPP Installation and Full simple access to the rig power.
operation continued. The RCD and flow lines inside System Integration
the rig were also pressure tested. Pressure testing Between November 2008 and February 2009, Analysis of the pit system revealed that an
of the choke was completed with no failures. MPD was successfully used on several existing 12-in. pit interconnection line could be
During this interval, the surface casing shoe was high-angle intermediate and horizontal tapped, and a charge pump could be installed in
drilled out, the well was displaced to sea-water production well sections. Based on continued the existing pump room with little disruption to
mud, and a formation leak-off test was performed. improvement in the performance of both MPD existing systems. For simplicity in rig inventory
The MPD chokes were then calibrated. The MPD equipment and personnel, and with consequent management, a 3 x 2 x 13-in. centrifugal pump,
trip nipple was pulled and replaced by the RCD. improvement in project drilling performance, identical to others located in the rig mud system,
Crew training and MPD acceptance testing was the operator committed to a more permanent was selected.
conducted concurrently. MPD began upon drilling integration of the MPD system into the rig.
out of the surface casing shoe. Efforts to minimize The tasks identified were replacement of the To accommodate the BPP location with minimized
delays impacted by MPD rig up were successful. cement pump with a permanent, automatically piping runs, the choke manifold was rotated 180
The bulk of the mechanical and electrical rig-up controlled BPP, installation of a dedicated pit inside its container. The entire 32- by 20-foot
was also completed without delays. There were suction and charge pump, and re-orientation of building was then rotated 90 and brought closer
delays setting and testing the RCD and associated the choke manifold and piping to accommodate to the sub base. This reduced the extent of the
equipment due to fine-tuning of the spill tray, the new pump. Again, timing was critical as the choke footprint beyond the sub from more than 40
walkway, and leaks in the RCD piping. A total of 17 winter ice-road season was advancing, and it ft to 24 ft.
critical path hours were consumed in these steps. was necessary to mobilize the equipment by
An additional 12 hours critical path time was used truck before mid-April. A constant speed pump External piping was completed with a combination
in hands-on crew training in MPD procedures. with a 200-horse power electric motor and of fixed and removable sections. It was found
Thus, the total time added to the rig-up on the associated controls and skid was fabricated in that the initial winterization with heat tracing
first well by the MPD rig-up was 29 hours. Several Texas and mobilized to location. Meanwhile, and soft insulation was adequate; thus, plans for
operational and equipment issues presented in the two 8x24-ft shipping containers were modified permanent hard insulation with metal sheathing
rig-up were addressed in subsequent rig-ups and in Anchorage. These containers were joined to were cancelled.
critical path time has been reduced to less than house the pump. The initial design concept was to
four hours per rig move. place the pump on carriers between the sub-base The final mobilization and installation of the BPP
walking beams. However, this plan was found to and full system integration was completed by
The intermediate hole and production intervals be impractical due to the height of the pump skid. late March 2009, nine months after the original
of the first well were successfully drilled in Fortunately, it was found that there was sufficient contract award.
43
Results and Conclusions

One of the initial challenges was to have the equipment winterized Acknowledgements
and ready for Arctic conditions, and then mobilized in a short period of The authors wish to thank the management of Halliburton Energy Services for
time due to the tight barge schedule shutdown. High importance was permission and the encouragement to publish this paper.
also given to spill containment since the equipment was outside of the
enclosed rig. Rigorous and extensive HAZID and HAZOP meetings were References
conducted to ensure a safe and successful implementation of MPD. Bernard, C.J., Lovorn, R., Lewis, D. et al. Managed Pressure Drilling Automation
Techniques for Horizontal Applications. 2013 AADE National Technical Conference
The results of using MPD in this project have seen a five-fold decrease and Exhibition held at the Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 26-27
February 2013.
in mud cost, and overall improvement in the rate of penetration. More
importantly, MPD has made the field economical. The following is a five- Finley, D., Ansah, J., Gil, I. et al. Comparisons of Reservoir Knowledge, Drilling
well comparison, two drilled conventionally and three drilled with MPD. Benefits and Economic Advantages for Underbalanced and Managed Pressure
Drilling. 2007 IADC/SPE Managed Pressure Drilling and Underbalanced Operations
Thirty more wells have been completed since the first MPD well was Conference and Exhibition held in Galveston, Texas, 28-29 March 2007.
drilled in this manmade island in the Alaskan Arctic and MPD is still in
operation to date. The successful implementation of automated MPD has Williams, M., Lewis, D. and Bernard, C.J. A Safe Approach to Drilling
Underbalanced Starts with Project Management. 2003 SPE/IADC Middle East
resulted in a substantial reduction of cost-per-foot drilled compared to
Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 20-22
conventional drilling, by reducing fluid losses, increasing ROP, minimizing
October 2003.
NPT, and efficiently navigating through the narrow pressure margins.
Authors
Randy Lovorn joined Halliburton Stan Allen is MPD coordinator Isabels expertise includes reservoir characterization while
in 1978 after graduating from the for GeoBalance managed drilling, modeling of multi-phase flow, and candidate
University of Mississippi with a pressure drilling operations for selection for underbalanced and managed pressure drilling
BA in chemistry. Randy began Sperry Drilling in Alaska. He has projects. Recent responsibilities have included proposals,
his career with Baroid Logging been involved in the SPE paper well planning, engineering and design, training, and
Systems, which today is Sperry Overcoming Extreme Weather coordination of underbalanced and managed pressure
Drilling, starting as a mud logger and then specializing Conditions, Drilling Offshore with Managed Pressure projects worldwide. Isabel has co-instructed several UBD
in drilling optimization. This experience allowed him to Drilling in Arctic Conditions. and MPD courses and has also taught wellbore hydraulics
work globally while in the field. From the field Randy then modeling. She has written and presented several papers
worked in the development of products such as Real Time Isabel Poletzky is the and served on technical program committees for SPE and
Operation Centers; InSite and InSite Anywhere services; underbalanced drilling global IADC. Isabel is a member of SPE and IADC.
and the Applied Drilling Technology service. Today Randy product champion for Halliburton
is the product champion for Sperry Drillings GeoBalance Sperry Drillings GeoBalance
service. services. She earned BSc and MSc
degrees in petroleum engineering
Derrick Lewis is the from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and the
strategic business manager for University of Houston. Isabel has 15 years of industry
GeoBalance managed pressure experience including drilling and production engineering,
and underbalanced drilling directional and horizontal well planning and design, and
operations for Sperry Drilling. 10 years of experience in underbalanced and managed
He has published and presented pressure drilling applications. She also spent two years
numerous papers, has several patent awards and has working as a drillsite petroleum engineer on the Kuparuk
co-chaired several IADC/SPE technical forums. field for ConocoPhillips in Alaska.
44
M I LLR I T E SYS T EM PREM I UM REPL A CEME NT F OR CO NVE NTI O NAL M ILL ING
Are You on the Right Track with Casing junction created can be defined by using the TAML
categories Levels 1 through 6. The traditional
Milling? Innovative Precision-Milled

method that was used to open a window in casing
has been accepted as an industry standard since
the practice began. Improvements in both the
Windows Offer Improved Casing design of mills and the whipstocks from which
they exit from have improved, but the basic
Exit Reliability for Sidetracking and procedure has changed little over the years.
Multilateral Completions The assembly commonly used to mill a casing

window consists of a window mill behind which a
string or watermelon mill is run. The second mill
Calvin Ponton, Justin Roberts, Steven Fipke and Andy Cuthbert, Halliburton, SPE preferably presents a cross-section that is curved
Copyright 2010, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition and rectangular, thereby producing a substantially
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2010 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference and Exhibition held in New Orleans, flat center segment and arcuately curved end
Louisiana, USA, 24 February 2010. sections. The assembly is stiff but necessary to
This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE program committee following review of information contained in ensure that some measure of control is exerted
an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the International Association of
on the assembly and to replicate the drilling BHA
Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not
necessarily reflect any position of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers, which will be subsequently run. The earliest
its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent method used a starter mill to initiate the cut in
of the International Association of Drilling Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
the casing which the window mill exploited in a
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 IADC/SPE copyright. subsequent run; after improvements in window
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. mill design, however, this technique is no longer
required and an additional starter mill run is
Abstract no longer needed. The operation of milling the
Multilateral wells offer many benefits over conventional wells, including reduced overall drilling costs, window can last from several hours to several
lower environmental effect, increased total recovery, greater access to production intervals, and days. The early designs suffered through either
subsequently improved well production rates. However, it can be difficult to achieve a good quality lack of sufficient cutting structure on the mill or
casing window through which an additional lateral branch can be successfully drilled and completed. a poorly engineered design, with the result that
As bottomhole assemblies (BHAs) become more advanced, involving longer and stiffer strings of tools, the whipstock was milled up rather than the
and as completion design becomes more intricate, more attention must be given to the way the casing steel of the casing that it was supposed to exit.
window is created because this is the foundation of multilateral well design. Track-guided milling The current round nose and radial ground
systems have emerged as effective and accurate methods by which to control casing window geometry, designs makes it virtually impossible to mill up
and this paper will focus on recent advances in track-guided, precision window milling technology and its the whipstock.
effect on multilateral well design.
The current designs incorporate a variety of
To avoid potential problems in running drilling assemblies or liner/completion strings, advanced milling cutting mediums, from thermally stable 3/8-in. to
technology should be used to create the casing window. During conventional milling, it is commonly -in. thick tungsten carbide inserts mounted to a
difficult to control the action of the mill as it cuts through the casing; poor control creates a casing brass matrix by brazing, to diamond impregnated
window that could, as a result of right hand rotation during milling, rolling-off to one side, leading to mills. Some mills incorporate a metal-ceramic
a skewed or shortened aperture. Uncontrolled and undefined window geometry introduces additional composition reinforced by alloy plates that
risks when re-entering a lateral wellbore, such as nonproductive time (NPT) and equipment damage. A enable high-speed milling and single or multiple
good quality casing window, with precisely controlled length and width, helps ensure that drilling and milling profiles, depending on the application.
completion equipment can exit the aperture without problems and facilitates repeatable re-entry access The geometric disposition of blades on which the
to both the mainbore and the laterals in future interventions. The quality of the casing window is just as cutting structure is mounted has an angular offset
critical in multilateral wells as in conventional sidetracking or whipstock operations. with respect to the tool longitudinal axis, usually in
the range of 1 to 10 with an abutment of cutters
Advances in modern casing milling technology are pioneering improved multilateral well arranged in the direction of rotation of the mill.
designs. Multilateral wellbore junctions can now be placed in deep, high-angle wells without Because the mill design necessarily relies on side-
compromising drilling or completion operations by using a track-guided milling system to create cutting forces, the concentration of the cutting
improved casing windows. structure is on the flanks or gauge of the mill.
Historical Background Because the primary function of the mill is to cut

What distinguishes a multilateral well from a simple sidetrack is the abilities to access both the mainbore through the steel of the casing, very little attention
and the lateral and to produce from both, either separately or by co-mingling. The different types of was paid to the cutting structure on the nose of
45
the mill. The nose was sufficient to begin the cut, no longer provides a restraining force to the mill control screens are used, then the potential for
but otherwise ineffective when the gauge began and the side forces are maximized, the trajectory damage to the surface of the screens is increased
to contact the steel. More modern PDC designs of the lateral borehole created in the surrounding proportionately to the drag induced transitioning
have evolved to drill enough openhole (rathole) formation invariably continues to spiral over the across the window surface, occasionally resulting
into the formation to allow for the length of some top of the casing if the window is created high in the inability to push the liner to TD, leading to
rotary steerable tools, in particular the push-the-bit side (typically between 0 to 35 left or right from major downtime. External components, such as
systems, to exit far enough into the surrounding the highest point in the well), or will roll off the centralizers (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), and external or
formation to function as intended. Whichever whipstock as a result of the force of gravity acting annular casing packers, often hang up, become
milling system is deployed, the aperture is always on the mill assembly as the exit approaches a fragmented, or sliced into pieces (Peterson et al.
drifted to ensure that the correct gauge of exit has toolface exit of 55, creating an undesirable 2007) when passing across the V-shaped window
been constructed; this leads, however, to a false drop in angle. area, which results in expensive fishing operations
impression that a long enough gauged section has and the accumulation of significant NPT.
been created. Geometrically, the shape of the conventionally
milled window is full gauge at the top, but narrows Window geometry, specifically the geometrical
Maintaining Window and toward the bottom as the mill departs the casing precision with which a window is created,
Hole Geometry and penetrates into the formation outside the becomes increasingly important (Fipke et al. 2003)
The side forces imparted to the window mill by the window. This results in a relatively short sweet and critical with regard to the ability to later
BHA, as it moves along the whipstock ramp from spot (Sw in Fig. 1) or full bore ID through the deploy and recover tools and systems through
the kickoff point, must remain within reasonable opening of the casing. The shape of the lowermost the opening. Lateral, openhole (TAML Level 2)
limits throughout the milling operation. If this area of the window, as a result of the narrowing at liner assemblies often incorporate polished
cannot be achieved by assembly design, then there the bottom, is inherently V-shaped and has been bore receptacles or tieback receptacles near
is a risk that the window mill will suffer early referred to as the wicked V or evil V for its the top to accommodate seal assemblies for
jump-off from the whipstock face at locations damaging effect on casing centralizers. junction isolation during hydraulic stimulation
along the whipstock ramp. operations. The ability to create a competent,
The combined detrimental effects of the shorter robust seal at this point in well operations is
In areas where a positive side force is applied, sweet spot result in excessive friction and buckling critical for several reasons:
the window mill is urged against the ramp of forces upon longer and stiffer assemblies as they Effect upon production profile
the whipstock and may preferentially mill the attempt to depart through the window. If sand Isolation of junction from fracture pressure
whipstock face rather than the casing. Conversely, Cement integrity of mainbore casing
negative side force will divert the mill away from
the ramp of the whipstock, causing the mill to Isolation tieback assemblies are typically deployed
exit the casing prematurely. This situation leads across the junction window and through a short
to a foreshortened full gauge window which can openhole interval before stinging into a polished
adversely affect subsequent drilling operations bore receptacle at the top of the lateral liner. The
when it becomes problematic to exit the casing
aperture with a stiff BHA. After exiting, the
drilling assembly is forced to maintain a high
trajectory angle immediately outside the window,
Full gauge
which rapidly reduces TVD. It also creates a
sweet spot (Sw)
high localized dogleg that is difficult to manage
because of increased drilling torque and drag that
creates higher concentrated stresses on tool string Figure 2. Centralizer debris.
components as they exit the casing into openhole.
Roll-off effect
Wireline and completion activity is similarly
some 20 to 30 to
affected, albeit to a lesser extent, as a result of
the right of the
the more limber nature of the assemblies.
intended path.
More specifically, before the gauge OD of the

window mill clears the casing, the cutting action
will tend to walk or move off the centerline of the
whipstock, creating a spiral shape in the direction
of the rotation of the mill. This uncontrolled
spiraling will create an aperture in the casing that
terminates 20 to 30 to the right of the intended Figure 3. Damaged centralizers.
path, as indicated in Fig. 1. Because the casing Figure 1. Roll-off effect. 2007 SPE
46
pathway of the seal stinger, when departing the sometimes leading to an additional milling run large volume of material; therefore, milling rates
mainbore casing, should ideally be unrestricted to enlarge the exit, can run into days. Even when should be kept to between 5 and 10 ft/hr while
and should it encounter a reduced window a drilling assembly is gently eased over the maintaining high flow rates and interspersing
opening, as in the case of a conventionally whipstock and past the casing window opening, high viscosity sweeps to aid cuttings removal. The
milled window with poorly defined geometry, the subsequent poor hole quality can lead to slow ability of the mud system to ensure removal and
there is every risk that serious damage to the drilling for some time. thereby clean the hole effectively also depends on
seals may occur as they are dragged across the shape and size of the cuttings. Cutters typically
the narrowing aperture. If the isolation tie-back The completion technology now applied and produce 5-in3 of steel for every cubic inch of steel
assembly leaks due to damage to the seals deployed across multilateral junctions steadily milled. Consequently, the hole cleaning program
then the lateral wellbore cannot be fracture increases in complexity, composition, and cost must be robust enough to ensure effective cuttings
stimulated as required. each year as new techniques and subsequent removal. Furthermore, the surface system must be
solutions evolve. Longer liner sections, including able to effectively separate these cuttings from the
If the formation is easier to mill than the steel of premium screens, packers, stimulation sleeves, drilling fluid so that they do not congest equipment
the casing, which is typically the case, the lead and swellable and inflatable isolation tools, or become recycled into the well.
mill will tend to take the line of least resistance, in addition to post-completion lateral re-entry
at which point it is subject to the nature of requirements, require reliable and repeatable If the milling operation occurs too quickly, the
the formation it is milling; strong formation access to the lateral. steel tends to be milled away in an orange peel
tendency or preferred bedding structure will fashion, creating long strings of swarf. These
affect the direction that the mill takes. It becomes Some whipstock anchoring tools have been tend to coalesce to form nests of steel that are
increasingly more difficult to retain the lead and known to either set prematurely or to move after extremely difficult to remove from the well and can
string mill against the whipstock ramp and guide they have been set. In worst case scenarios, the create huge problems as the operation proceeds.
them as intended; because an operator has no whipstock cannot be recovered and the mainbore If the debris from the milling procedure is not
control other than RPM or weight applied to the is lost, or the whipstock is recovered and the properly cleared from the well, enough steel may
mill, the direction the assembly takes becomes packer itself must be milled out. If the anchoring remain in the vicinity of the window and in the
more difficult to control the further in to the system fails, the whipstock may slip downhole lateral to affect the quality of surveys while drilling
formation it progresses. during the milling procedure and the original
depth reference is lost or, just as seriously, the
With the lengthening of directional drilling BHA whipstock may turn within the casing as a result
designs to include sophisticated logging-while- of the interference with the mill as it rotates. In
drilling equipment (LWD), they invariably become this scenario, more steel may be milled away from
stiffer and include components with a variety of the casing than designed and other issues then
standoffs, all of which tend to hang up across come in to play.
poorly milled apertures. The associated downtime,
In Fig. 4, the CAST images illustrate that the
whipstock has become unanchored and the mill
has been allowed to rotate, resulting in almost Figure 5. Track-guided milling tool with milled
360 of milled casing. casing aperture.
Debris Management
Advances in mill design have enabled operators
to mill windows much faster; a 7- or 8-hour
operation was not an uncommon average milling
time, excluding the creation of the rathole. Today,
those milling times have been reduced by half,
yet this comes with a price even if a strict debris
management regimen is followed.
The speed at which the milling operation can

proceed depends on the effective removal of the
metal cuttings produced. Speeds of up to 40 ft/hr
can be obtained, but it is impossible to ensure that
cuttings are effectively removed from the wellbore.
With a 9 5/8-in. casing weight of 47 lb/ft., 450 lb of
Figure 4. CAST image of unanchored milling metal is produced for the average window length.
operation. Enough time must be given to circulating out this Figure 6. Track-guided mill with mill guide.
47
ahead for some time. This magnetic interference also has a unique feature by which the cuttings
attributable to metal debris in the well could mean are directed by internal barriers and caught in
that drilling is blind to the actual trajectory of the an integral debris basket. The tool can also be
well, and at best could result in a prolonged period fitted with magnets to remove finer steel filings
of circulation to clean the well. In the worst case, when the tool is recovered from the well, which
it could lead to an undesirable well course and eliminates the need for additional cleanup trips.
lengthy remedial action.
Track-Guided Milling Experience
Innovative Precision- Recently, track-guided milling systems were
Milled Casing Exits implemented in Saudi Arabia as a preferred
To contend with the inherent flaws associated practice, particularly in the installation of TAML
with conventional milling, the industry required the Level 4 junctions. This implementation is primarily
advent of a precision milling tool. The MillRite Figure 7. Steel cuttings from track-guided because of the requirement of the laterals to
system was just such a product (Fig. 5) and, at its milling system. be completed with ICD screens and swellable
inception, was readily adopted as the premium packers, and the mainbore to include intelligent
replacement for conventional milling for TAML that is unlikely to tear away external liner/screen completion functionality. The following section
Level 2, 3, and 4 multilateral junction construction. components or damage the screens. To achieve describes the operational steps performed for one
this, the mill design differs radically from the particular well.
The first issue to be addressed, that of the method traditional shape and includes the attributes of
used to create the window opening, was solved a flat-bottomed mill and of a section mill. The The first step in operation was to install the
by ensuring that the milling head is attached to a durable cutting structure incorporates integral 9 5/8-in. latch coupling as an integral part of the
track (Fig. 6) that precludes the jump-off effect. By circulation paths to effectively remove milled casing string. The latch coupling was set at a
securing the mill to a rigid guide that is secured debris and cool the mill. predetermined depth to place the subsequently
in the well at a set depth and orientation, the mill milled window at the center of the casing joint
must follow the line of the rails as it proceeds The length of milling machine produces a window directly above.
along the track. Therefore, it cuts a geometrically that is significantly longer than those achieved
precise aperture, defined by the length and width with conventional whipstocks. The elongated After the casing was set, a dual purpose landing
of the track and the depth of cut of the mill. The window enables a far smoother exit by stiff tool, combined with MWD equipment in the tool
control of milling parameters is far more refined, variable OD drilling BHAs, lateral screens, or string, was run to depth to jet the latch coupling
although the cutting speed is still limited by the completion tools. The resultant dogleg is much free of debris and latch into it to obtain a toolface
ability of the drilling fluid to transport cuttings out lower than conventionally milled windows and reading. This toolface reading was used to
of the well. Nevertheless, the milling parameters in one plane, as opposed to a spiral which, by its calculate the alignment offset on the milling tools
can be far more easily read and adjusted for nature, will always be 3D. for the window to be milled at the planned exit
optimum milling efficiency. angle. In accordance with the drilling program, this
The anchoring method, by means of a unique exit angle was to be 25 right of highside.
By the same means, the mill cannot spiral latch coupling that is integral to the casing string,
along the course of the milling length; instead, ensures that no inadvertent rotation of the milling The track-guided milling tool was then aligned
the aspect of the cut is maintained precisely assembly occurs within the casing after it has to 25 right of highside on the rig floor and run
parallel to the axis of the casing, resulting in a been locked in place. The latch coupling, which and set into the latch coupling to begin milling
rectangular aperture of equal width. The sweet has an impressive track record with more than 730 operations. The total milling time was 3 hours
spot is sustained along the complete 17 ft length installations worldwide, ensures repeatable depth and the final result was a 7.2-in. wide cut for
of the guide, eliminating the foreshortening effect and orientation of the multilateral assemblies approximately 15 ft in length. The removal
produced by conventional milling. Because the mill within the casing and provides the means for of milling cuttings is essential for the proper
is locked to the track, it cannot roll off, regardless subsequent lateral re-entry accuracy. functionality of the mill and future operations
of the toolface angle of the cut, which eliminates through and around the junction. At every 5 ft,
the roll-off issue. Milled Steel a 20-bbl high viscosity sweep was pumped, and
The cutting structure of the track-guided mill is tandem 50 bbl high viscosity sweeps were pumped
The contact of the track-guided mill with the radically different than that of conventional mills as a final clean before pulling out of hole. To
steel casing differs from a conventional mill; which rely on the individual inserts to remain save rig operating time, the running, setting, and
instead of being oblique to the casing at the same intact to make progress. The cutting action of the retrieving of this track-guided milling tool was
angle as the whipstock, the mill meets the steel track-guided mill produces very thin and narrow designed as part of the assembly. Thus, when
horizontally and cuts square ends to the aperture. slivers of steel (Fig. 7) which are inherently easy to milling is complete, and the mill assembly engages
This design eliminates the evil V effect and remove from the well with the flow of the drilling back into the tripping position, the assembly is
renders a completion-friendly aperture geometry fluid and a regime of viscous sweeps. The tool pulled out of hole.
48
The second step in creating the window was the above and below the junction. Summarizing the (ROI) has been realized in a matter of months,
whipstock run. This assembly was fastened with a primary requirements, the window had to be milled rather than years. Even with thousands of feet
shear bolt to a lead and watermelon mill tandem in the 9 5/8-in. casing that has previously been of reservoir exposure, the natural permeability is
assembly and run in the well as one assembly. run and cemented in place. This window required still insufficient for economical production without
After the whipstock was set in the latch coupling, a precise geometry to enable a 7-in. liner and production stimulation treatment.
the string was reciprocated to fatigue and shear the swellpacker combined with ICD completion
the bolt, freeing the mill assembly. This milling string to pass. Finally, the completed TAML Level The primary concern about treating a multilateral
assembly has three functions: to open the window 4 junction must enable full gauge tools to pass well is the effect of high pressure on the formation
to full gauge, to dress the rough edges created through to the lower mainbore. at the junction. If the fracture gradient is exceeded
by the track-guided milling assembly, and to drill and the formation breaks down, then fluid would
a rathole into the formation that is adequate for The solution was provided by a re-entry system be pumped into the vicinity of the junction, rather
the subsequent direction drilling BHA to pass. The that included the track-guided precision milling than the reservoir. Without protection from the
window was opened to 8 in. and the rathole system. Based on the standard system for new acid and pressure, the formation matrix could be
was drilled 10 ft into the formation in just over 2.5 wells, the re-entry system indexed on a packer dissolved, causing further damage to the integrity
hours. A 10-bbl high viscosity sweep was pumped and latch coupling assembly. After the packer of the wellbore. A temporary Level 5 completion
every 5 ft of milling and concluded with a 50-bbl was set, the milling began and the subsequent was designed to isolate the junction from the
high viscosity sweep while final reaming. operations to complete the TAML Level 4 junction stimulation fluids. The junction isolation tool
were conducted. The junction was completed (JIT) was designed to be installed on a
The 8 -in. lateral section was subsequently in accordance with the program, enabling full hydraulically set, retrievable packer with a very
drilled with a rotary steerable and quad combo. gauge tools to pass without obstruction. Since the high differential pressure rating of 10,000 psi.
There was no resistance passing in or out of the packer and latch coupling assembly remained as a The track-guided milling system was used to mill
window throughout the drilling phase. The lateral permanent fixture in the well, the upper lateral can the casing exit window because it creates a long,
was landed and a 7-in. liner run and cemented be accessed later by pulling the upper completion straight window.
up to the junction. The 6 1/8-in. section was then and running a workover whipstock.
drilled to TD and ICD; swell packers were run A latch coupling, which serves as an anchoring
into the openhole and set by a liner hanger in the Completions point for the milling and drilling whipstocks, was
7-in. liner. In recent Level 4 junctions in Saudi Arabia, installed as a part of the mainbore 7-in., 26-lb,
completion strings consisting of swellable P-110 casing string. It was positioned in the casing
The final mainbore completion consisted of one packers or external casing packers combined string at approximately 11,800 ft, in vertical hole,
9 5/8-in. feed-through packer set below the junction with ICD screens have been installed in a variety just below the depth at which the casing window
with an interval control valve (ICV) hung below in of configurations in both mainbore and upper was to be milled. The latch coupling was designed
the tailpipe for mainbore flow control. Above the lateral sections; typically, these sections are to have the same ID as the API drift of the casing
lower feed-through packer is the ICV to control approximately 3,000 ft long. string to avoid creating a restriction. In older wells,
the lateral flow. The upper 9 5/8-in. feed-through this latch coupling device can be installed on a
packer is set above the junction and, from that In addition to the cumbersome length of the permanent anchor packer to latch the multilateral
point, production tubing with control lines continue completion string, the junction is often placed in drilling tools on depth and orientation.
up to surface. a near horizontal section, which increases the
difficulty of exiting the window smoothly and This well was the worlds first selective, high-
Re-entry for Existing Wells landing on depth. Only a precision cut window pressure stimulation of a multilateral well using a
A typical scenario regarding the need for track- with notable length is acceptable in these junction isolation system. It was finally completed
guided milling systems is in an existing well. conditions. To date, 100% success has been with 2-3/8-in. tubing landed just above the
Conventionally milled windows are more suited to achieved when running the completion string junction on a 7-in. production packer. The well
openhole laterals that do not need to be accessed through a geometrically controlled window. is currently producing commingled gas and gas-
in the future. It is primarily when these laterals condensate from two different horizontal legs
must be accessed or completed to a higher Case Study that drain the northwest and southeast quadrants
complexity that a straight and extended window is Special Application: Multilateral For of the acreage, respectively. Production rates
required (Lowson et al. 1999). Shale/Tight Gas are satisfactory for the reservoir quality in the
The Devonian of west Texas has been producing area, and the combined dual-lateral production is
In a recent case in Saudi Arabia, the operator since the first discovery wells were drilled in the approximately twice that of conventional wells in
requested that an offshore single lateral well be 1950s. Since 1995, there has been considerable the region.
worked over to be a dual lateral, using a TAML success in drilling long horizontal wells though
Level 4 (cemented) junction. In addition, the the reservoir, which has increased production in Conclusion
mainbore was to be completed with an intelligent comparison to the vertical wells that were initially Despite advances made in mill and whipstock
completion, using full gauge feed-through packers drilled into this zone. The return on investment technology, the method by which window
49
apertures are constructed in multilateral wells

is inherently prone to poor geometric outline. References
Problems exiting such windows have been Peterson, E.M., Greener, M.R., Davis, E.R., Multilateral, Intelligent Completions and
encountered on a plethora of occasions and have and Craig, D.T. 2007. How Much is Left of Your Expandables, Galveston, Texas, USA,
led to significant NPT, as well as irreparable Centralizer After Exiting a Casing Window in 11-13 February.
damage to lateral completion and re-entry an Extended Reach Horizontal Multilateral?
Modeling, Yard Tests and Field Results from Lowson, B. 1997. Advanced Window Milling
components. The geometrically well defined
Alaskas West Sak Development. Paper SPE Technology for Multi-Lateral Applications.
casing window produced by a track-guided
105766 presented at the SPE/IADC Drilling Paper presented at 6th One-Day Conference
system will mitigate most, if not all, issues on Horizontal Well Technology Organized by
Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
encountered when using a conventional milling the Canadian Section SPE and the Petroleum
20-22 February.
system. The ease and accuracy of the window Society of CIM, HWSIG held in Calgary, Alberta,
construction and the repeatability provided by Fipke, S. 2003. Isolation of a Multilateral Canada, 12 November.
means of the latch coupling are unique in the Junction for High-Pressure Stimulation - A West
industry, which is constantly striving for this Texas Case Study. Paper presented at the High-
type of high quality solution. Tech Wells Conference and Exhibition
Authors
Calvin Ponton has a diverse Steven Fipke is the international Andy Cuthbert graduated from
and extensive background in the business development manager for the University of London with a
oilfield service industry. A 34-year Tendeka in Houston. He has a BSc BSc (Hons) geology in 1981, and
Halliburton employee, he is a global in petroleum engineering from the went on to complete an MPhil
technical advisor for Multilateral University of Alberta in Edmonton, in geology before joining the oil
Technology in Sperry Drilling. Canada and for more than 12 industry in 1984. He has 30 years
years Steven was part of the Halliburton organization of oilfield experience; 10 years with Schlumberger as a
Calvins technical background ranges from completions, specializing in Multilateral Technology (Drilling and directional driller, and then moving to Halliburton where
project management, business development and technical Completions). Steven has been assigned to various roles he has been involved in projects of ever increasing
support of project executions for multilateral technology. in technology, operations and business development for complexity concerning the introduction and coordination
Halliburton in Canada, Venezuela, Houston, and Dubai, has of new technology.
Calvin attended Texas A&I University and the University authored a variety of industry publications, and holds a
of Texas. He has co-authored and published numerous number of patents on downhole technology. Andy was team lead for the Multilateral Technology group
technical papers and articles. in Norway followed by project management and later as
regional manager for Directional Drilling and Multilateral
Justin Roberts is the Artificial Technology in Southeast Asia operations. He subsequently
Lift manager at Rotating Right Inc. took on the role of Multilateral global product champion
in Calgary, Canada. He has a BSc in Houston and was to return to Consulting and Project
in mechanical engineering from Management as senior project manager in Iraq before
the University of Alberta and is a joining Boots & Coots, where he is primarily involved in
registered professional engineer risk management, well control technology and planning of
in Canada. From 2003 to 2013 Justin worked in the contingency well measures.
Multilateral Technology group for Halliburton. He started
as a design engineer in Nisku, Canada and moved into
operations and management roles based in the Middle
East and Asia Pacific regions.
50
51
www.halliburton.com/DrillingInnovations
H011395 11/2014
2014 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved.

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D rilling I nnovations

V ol ume 2 , No. 2 , 2 0 1 4 A sp e rry D RILL ING Tec h nology Jour nal

A Message from Ahmed Kenawi Greg Powers

Editorial Advisory Committee

Directly measuring tension, torsion, bending and

Copyright 2014 Halliburton

17 Multilateral TAML Level 4 Junction Provides Maximum Flexibility

31 Instrumented Motors Prove Crucial in Unconventional

40 Overcoming Extreme Weather Conditions by Drilling with Mpd

Advancements in Powered Rotary drilling applications. Operators drilling extended-

Steerable Technologies Result in

Record-Breaking Runs the drilling process.

Hernando Jerez, SPE, and Jim Tilley, SPE, Halliburton Applications

From a performance point of view, TMT powered

Figure 2. Modular BHA configuration using a

Geological proposal, however, identified a hard/

The first well was drilled with a rotary BHA

In the 8 1/2-in. section, high build rate was required

In the 6 1/8-in. lateral section, the assembly

The matched uniform wall thickness power section powering Conclusions

Two-Phase Fluid in a Depleted Reservoir

Use of continuous circulation subs maintained

Two-phase Hydraulics Flow Modeling

Other critical equipment was:

Results Dynamic FITs were also performed at 2127

Due to the strength of the

For further dynamic FIT

Acknowledgements Nomenclature MPD = M  anaged Pressure Drilling

Provides Maximum Flexibility for Drilling

and Intelligent Completions to allow the installation of a large electric

These reservoir improvements encouraged the

With the expected reservoir pressures, pressure

After the 12 -in. build/tangent hole section

Based on logs and surveys, the placement of the

The latch coupling orientation was

The lower 8 1/2-in. lateral hole

Drilling Shallow 3D Unconventional

Turbidite Reservoir, Mexico well before applying unconventional techniques

Commercially developing these resources requires the

The target sand for the well is the C-50 unit,

inside the target at 1000 m, in a parallel position,

The drilling parameters for this string ranged

Once landed for the second phase of this

added in case it was necessary to rotate the string

Lessons Learned During Stage

The plan for this stage was to drill with oil-

Figure 12. Hanger liner, sleeve, and swellable packer.

Unconventional Well Placement

A smaller 4 3/4-in. gamma-at-bit-inclination sensor was designed to fulfill the

Optimized Platform Placement to Cover All Introduction

Geological Targets in Baronia Field

Summary and Findings. Because of more stringent constraints of

Although major collision problems were experienced within the proximity

Optimized Scenario 2: One New WHP at Bridge Linking Location

Optimized Scenario 3: Hybrid Platform Design with Splitter Wells at

The optimized outcome was also a clear example of effective

by Drilling With MPD Offshore in the Arctic

Rig-up of the MPD equipment for

Results and Conclusions

Milling? Innovative Precision-Milled

17 Multilateral TAML Level 4 Junction Provides Maximum Flexibility

31 Instrumented Motors Prove Crucial in Unconventional

40 Overcoming Extreme Weather Conditions by Drilling with Mpd

Acknowledgements Nomenclature MPD = M anaged Pressure Drilling