SPE/IADC 104478

Backing Off a Free Drillstring: Planning and Execution on a World-Class ERD Well
Johan Eck-Olsen, SPE, Statoil ASA, and Brandon M. Foster, SPE, K&M Technology Group

Copyright 2007, SPE/IADC Drilling Conference. This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 22-24 February 2007.

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, as presented,
have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers or the International Association of Drilling Contractors and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not
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Abstract
Since the inception of horizontal and Extended Reach wells, In unique circumstances, it is desirable to disconnect from the
operators have faced the deviation-related complications that drillstring with the intention of reconnecting at a later time.
arise when dealing with stuck pipe and pipe recovery The most common instance in high angle wells is an untimely
operations. Drillstring washouts in particular create a drillstring washout prior to cleanup of a “dirty” hole. Unlike
problematic situation in an ER drilling operation, as it vertical wells, the drillstring does not necessarily need to be
necessary to spend extensive time circulating and rotating at stuck in a highly deviated well for the backoff technique to be
high rates to sufficiently clean a high angle wellbore to a level feasible. By applying detailed torque and drag analysis and
that allows a safe and trouble free trip1,2,3. When a washout “energy isolation” measures, fit-for-purpose procedures can be
occurs prior to the completion of the cleanup process (which developed to safely backoff a drillstring that is not stuck.
they almost always do), the operator is faced with a difficult
High Angle Fishing Challenges
choice: a.) continue to circulate until the hole is clean, running
To understand the logic behind why a backoff is more
the risk of enlarging the washout and potentially creating a
favorable than “conventional” disconnection methods, one
twist-off, or b.) attempt to pull out of a dirty hole, which may must first explore the difficulties that arise in high angle
(and often does) result in tight hole and/or stuck pipe. fishing operations. These difficulties can be separated into
two categories:
A case history is presented where a drillstring washout
occurred on a long extended reach well prior to the completion Separation
of the cleanup process. Attempts to trip the string proved The first step in separating stuck pipe is to identify where the
futile, and it became apparent that the string would probably pipe is stuck. In situations where circulation is possible,
become stuck during further attempts to pull out of the hole. pumping down diagnostic and severing charges is a common
A modified version of the traditional backoff technique was solution. In the unfortunate circumstance that circulation
safely used to separate the pipe below the washout without the cannot be established, wireline tractor technology is required
drillstring actually being stuck. The entire string was for conveyance4 in wells above ±70° inclination. For higher
subsequently recovered, saving >13MM NOK (2MM USD) in tangent angles (75°-80°), coil tubing intervention also requires
lost time and equipment. This is believed to be the first ever tractor technology due to helical buckling. Once the stuck
successful backoff of a free drillstring. point is determined, the same sophisticated conveyance
methods required for detection are also necessary for severing.
Introduction In these environments, the only separation technique that does
High angle and extended reach wells present many technical not require intervention is the “blind backoff”5. Unfortunately,
challenges, most of which require “unconventional” solutions the blind backoff technique is quite imprecise (accidental
as compared to vertical or low-angle wells6. Fishing backoff of a connection above the intended location), and
operations are no exception. Often, the most favorable option requires that the pipe be stuck (in vertical and high angle
for dealing with stuck pipe in vertical wells is to perform a wells).
backoff of the drillstring. The primary advantage of this time-
proven technique is that it allows the drillstring to be separated Re-Connection
from the stuck section and reconnected with full mechanical The more daunting problems encountered during high angle
integrity. However, in order for a backoff to be a viable fishing occur upon attempt at re-connection. Due to hole
option in a vertical well, the drillstring must be rotationally cleaning challenges in large-diameter hole, extensive high
stuck at some point in the well. speed rotation and circulation are a pre-requisite prior-to (and
2 J. ECK-OLSEN, B. FOSTER SPE/IADC 104478

sometimes during) trips at Gullfaks6 and other Statoil ERD offshore well drilled anywhere in the world (Figure 2). The
projects7,8. For this reason, in order to reliably retrieve a fish 4711m (15452 ft) long open hole section had been
from a high angle section that has not been thoroughly successfully drilled to planned TD of 8009m (26270 ft) MD. A
cleaned, the re-connection method must allow continuous “pregnant” tapered string of 6⅝” x 5⅞” drillpipe was in the
circulation and rotation. Various fishing devices may be used hole, in addition to a rotary steerable system, MWD/LWD,
for re-connection, each with inherent disadvantages: and a concentric under-reamer BHA. Oil base mud was used
to drill the entire section, at a weight of 1.59 sg (13.2 ppg).
Overshot Requires a rare left-hand-release grapple to The open hole comprised predominately Shetland claystone,
enable right-hand rotation with no permeable zones intersected in the interval (Figure 3).

Spear Limited ID, does not allow high pressure circulation, The crew were performing the planned cleanup process which
cannot rotate to the right called for extended circulation at maximum flowrate and
rotary speed for hole cleaning purposes, using 3300 lpm (870
Box/Taper Tap Does not allow high pressure circulation, gpm) and 160 rpm. Mid-way through a multiple bottoms-up
fish must be rotationally stuck to engage, cannot release cleanup process a sudden 20 bar (290 psi) drop in standpipe
pressure was noted by the driller. Circulation was stopped
Screw-In Requires a tool joint to be backed out without immediately. The surface equipment was isolated from the
damage to the box-end threads drillstring and pressure tested to verify there was not a leak in
the high pressure system, proving the problem was downhole.
Clearly, screwing back into a connection is the ideal re- Review of the MWD’s real-time data showed no change in the
connection method. Unfortunately, this option can only be turbine speed, suggesting the leak was somewhere in the BHA,
executed if the drillpipe is backed off. below the MWD. The rig team deiced to attempt to pull out on
elevators rather than continue circulating to clean the hole (to
Free-Pipe Backoff avoid enlarging the washout to the point of parting the string).
As discussed earlier, the traditional backoff technique requires
pipe be rotationally stuck in low angle wells. The necessity Within 3 stands of TD, tight hole of 20 ton (44 kips) above
for stuck pipe stems from the need to trap sufficient left-hand normal pickup weight was encountered. The string was
torque in the string such that when the string shot is fired, slacked off and pulled again, with the tight spot moving up-
adequate twist is applied at the connection to back out a hole 2-3 meters (7-10 ft) (confirming cuttings were the
number of threads such that the makeup torque is released. problem, as a result of an incomplete cleanup process).
Fishing experts typically recommend that several rounds of Rotation was required to move downwards, and the string was
torque be worked down to the stuck point for API tool joints. rotated back to TD.
This is generally executed by applying 2-3 rounds of left-hand
torque at the surface, followed by reciprocation of the string. To aid in further diagnosis of the problem, circulation was
This process is then repeated 1-2 times. slowly re-established, working the flowrate up to 3300 lpm
(870 gpm). By this time, a total pressure loss of 145 bar (2100
Obviously, if the string is free to rotate, the amount of psi) was noted, and was rapidly increasing as circulation
“trapped” torque is limited to the friction necessary to initiate continued. During this time, the MWD failed to communicate
rotation. A fortunate side-effect of high angle wells is that the with surface, presumably due to insufficient flow through the
drillpipe is essentially anchored to the lowside of the hole, tool. Hydraulics analysis suggested the washout was very
creating evenly distributed cumulative torque and twist in the shallow in the string, which contradicted the conclusion drawn
drillstring (Figure 1). By virtue of this phenomenon, a free by the MWD turbine data (which suggested the washout was
drillstring in a high angle well can be successfully backed off in the BHA). Failure of the turbine to speed data to accurately
if the following conditions are satisfied: reflect diversion of low above the tool is best explained by as a
time lag problem (ie, “old data” was being reviewed at
a) Sufficient torque/twist is trapped in the string
surface).
b) A string shot can be conveyed below the targeted joint
To confirm the increasing suspicion of a shallow washout, rice
c) The neutral point can be positioned close to the targeted and white paint were pumped down the string to calibrate lag
joint
time, which confirmed the washout was shallow, at ±1100 m
MD (±3600 ft). Revised hydraulics modeling predicted that
Determining accurate values for a) and c) is a complex the washout was ±3 cm2 diameter (Figure 4) and was allowing
problem that requires detailed analysis from a torque and drag
±50% of the total fluid to bypass the lower drillstring (Figure
program9,10.
5) at 3300 lpm (870 gpm).
Case Study At this time, Statoil’s drilling management and rig based
In late 2005, the drilling crew aboard Statoil’s Gullfaks A
teams (along with various internal experts) sat through a
platform in the central North Sea were focusing on the lengthy midnight video conference to evaluate the risk and
successful execution of a very challenging 12¼”x13½” hole
opportunity associated with various options available.
section on Statoil’s longest ERD well to date, and the longest
SPE/IADC 104478 Backing Off a Free Drillstring: Planning and Execution on a World-Class ERD Well 3

Options Considered HSE Considerations

Several options were put forward, each with varying levels of Executing the backoff technique on a conventional rig (rotary
risk. The primary objectives were to minimize health and table, kelly) exposes personnel to trapped energy in the backup
safety risks for all personnel, and to maximize the probability tong that is used to hold left-hand torque in the string. This
of recovering the BHA (>13MM NOK lost-in-hole value) and exposure is considered unaccepted in Statoil operations, due to
drill pipe. fatalities that have occurred with operators in other parts of the
world. Fortunately, Gullfaks A, like all Statoil rigs in Norway,
With regard to personnel safety, a worst-case scenario is equipped with a top drive system that allows tongs to be
involved the possibility of the drillstring being “sling-shot” out removed from the backup operation. Nevertheless, the drilling
of the hole during uncontrolled parting of the pipe under high contractor was engaged to ensure no personnel were exposed
tensile load. In the authors’ experience, this scenario runs the to trapped energy during the backoff sequence.
risk of massive damage to surface equipment through the
shearing of the drill line caused by shock loading when the By running the string shot through the gooseneck connection
drillstring lands on the elevators. at the top of the top drive (a design feature of the Maritime
Hydraulics DDM 650), no personnel would be exposed to
The disadvantages of the six (6) options considered were as trapped energy on the rig floor. Without this inherent feature
follows: of the top drive, a side-entry sub would be required to run the
string shot into the drillstring, exposing rig crews to the torque
1) Increase allowable overpull: High probability of stuck trapped in the string by the rotary table (locked into position
pipe, due to “dirty” conditions. This option would also after applying left hand torque with the top drive) during
result in the slingshot effect described above if the washed makeup of the side entry sub.
out joint was weaker than the applied tension.
Pre-Job Modeling
2) “Wash off” the string: Parting the drillstring through To confirm feasibility of the backoff on this particular well,
high exit velocity through the washout would also cause thorough torque and drag modeling was conducted to evaluate
the slingshot effect (although “jump” in the string would be the amount of torque and twist in the drillstring, as well as the
less severe due to lower tension rotating vs. pulling). Low feasibility of placing the neutral point close to the intended
annular velocity below the washout could induce barite backoff depth. To ensure the technique was viable, the
sag11 (Figure 6). requirement for “feasibility” was to ensure there were more
rounds stored at the point of backoff than the number of
3) Jet Cutter (explosive) Belled-out top-of-fish, requiring a rounds necessary to make up the VT57 connection with 7
dress-off run (which would be difficult to execute on a fish rounds necessary to achieve full makeup at 84 kNm (62 k ft-
that is free to rotate). lbs). In hindsight, this amount of torque was overkill
(explained later), and probably only needed to be ±4 rounds.
4) Chemical Cutter: Prohibitive procurement lead time.
Since real-time torque and drag analysis was being conducted
5) Mechanical Cutter: Risk of dropping pipe-inside-pipe during the drilling of the well, friction factors were very well
(risking junked hole). understood prior to the time of the incident. The most
important assumption in this evaluation was the average
6) Backoff: Initially thought to be impossible since the torque friction factor, which was observed to be 0.13-0.14
string was not stuck. under static conditions (Figure 7).

Additionally, options 1-5 would not allow robust structural A snapshot calculation of torque and twist at any point in the
integrity (ability to rotate and circulate) at the time of drillstring (Figure 8) confirmed that roughly 30 kNm (22 k ft-
reconnection, due to lack of worldwide availability of a left- lbs) and ±8 rounds of twist would be “felt” at the intended
hand release overshot for 5⅞” drillpipe. Additionally, options backoff depth when 38 kNm (28 k ft-lbs) and 15 rounds of
2-5 put the 14” surface casing at risk of damage, which was torque are applied at surface. In order to position the neutral
considered unacceptable, given the high cost to install the point as closely as possible to the intended backoff depth
casing to this point, and the importance of this string’s (error on the side of slight tension), surface tension would
integrity while drilling subsequent hole sections. need to be ±33 tonnes (73 kips). In practice, this meant that
the rotating string weight of 116 tonnes (255 kips) would need
Ultimately, option 6 was preferred, due to safety, mechanical to be slacked off to 73 tonnes (Figure 9) in order to apply the
integrity, and economics. However, the technique was appropriate tension at the backoff depth (33 tonnes string
untested, and would require development of “on the fly” tension + 40 tonnes block weight).
procedures that had never been attempted anywhere in the
world. Furthermore, the operations team was faced with The wireline company used to convey the string shot
several days of waiting on equipment, which generally works recommended 3-4 strands of 80 grain RDX Primacord for the
against typical oil field mentality. specific conditions of the well (a function of pipe diameter and
depth). Since this technique had never been attempted before
and high torque tool joints were being used, 5 strands of
4 J. ECK-OLSEN, B. FOSTER SPE/IADC 104478

Primacord were used, with the objective of a guaranteed “big Subsequent metallurgical analysis12 concluded that the
bang”. washout was caused by a crack formed by decarburization
during the manufacturing of the tube. In the authors’
Execution assessment, this event speaks to the quality of steel currently
Due to inclement weather and logistical lead time, the string being used in the industry, which is essentially recycled
was stationary (no circulation or reciprocation) for 65 hours material with heterogeneous properties.
while waiting on equipment. The drillstring was occasional
rotated for a few seconds every hour to verify the string was Upon laying down the damaged joints, open-ended drillpipe
still free. No degradation in hole condition was observed was run in and washed down with 500 lpm (130 gpm) while
during the 65 hour waiting period. rotating slowly. The string was reconnected on the first
attempt, and torqued up to 45 kNm (33 k ft-lbs) at surface
Upon rig up of the wireline unit, a production logging tool prior to rotating the entire assembly. Circulation and rotation
(PLT) was run to confirm the location of the washout, were staged up to 3100 lpm (820 gpm) and 120 rpm prior to
pinpointed at 1048 m (3437 ft) below the rotary table. After circulating bottoms up and lubricating out of the hole as
laying down the side entry sub and PLT assembly, the required. The entire BHA and drillstring was recovered safely
gooseneck on the top drive was disconnected so that the string and successfully, satisfying all the objectives of the backoff
shot assembly could be run through the string prior to applying operation. Attempts to run the 10 ¾” liner ensued thereafter,
left hand torque. After running the string shot 100m (328 ft) the events of which are summarized under a separate paper13.
below the rotary table, the drillstring was slowly torqued up
with 10 rounds to 39 kNm (29 k ft-lbs). The string was then
slacked off to 33 tonnes (73 kips) surface string tension, which Conclusions
resulted in slight drop-off in torque. Torque was “bumped up” Fishing operations in high angle wells require fit-for-purpose
back to 39 kNm (29 k ft-lbs), which required 2 additional techniques and equipment. “Vertical Hole” techniques and
rounds. mentality do not necessarily apply in high angle wells, which
is demonstrated by the fact that a technique like “free-pipe
After loading the string with torque, the PS21 air slips were set backoff” was safely executed on a very long ERD well.
and the rotary table was locked to isolate any “backlash” from
possibly damaging the top drive. The string shot was then run The keys to successful execution of the “free-pipe backoff”
in 300 m (984 ft) below the washout to 1345 m (4411 ft). technique are as follows:
Upon firing the string shot, a jolt was felt at the rig floor, and
1.) A thorough understanding of torque and drag in the
it was noted that the rotary table spun ±¼ of a turn to the left.
string, particularly the amount of torque and twist.
Upon pulling the wireline out and rigging down sheaves, etc.,
An estimated 4-5 rounds of torque must be applied at
it was noted that the pickup weight had decreased 160 tonnes
the targeted connection
(355 kips), confirming the string was free (no spin-out
required at surface). 2.) Ability to covey a string shot to the intended backoff
depth
It was also noted that the first joint below the rotary table had
broken loose, and was connected by only two threads. This is 3.) Ability to isolate trapped energy from personnel
working on and around the rig floor
best explained as the result of a torque shockwave that
traveled up the string when the connection was backed out at 4.) A patient working culture
1345 m (4411 ft). If the rotary table and top drive were free to
spin to the left, the breakout of this connection probably would For this particular well, the authors surmise that a backoff
not have occurred. Furthermore, it is believed the amount of could have been conducted as deep as ±3700 m (±12000 ft),
torque applied at the backed off connection was considerably which is the depth at which ≥4 rounds of twist would be “felt”
more than necessary, given the backlash observed at surface, at the point of backoff (Figure 8). Note, in this well, wireline
and the fact that no spin-out was necessary to disconnect from tractor technology would have been necessary to convey a
the box-end. The authors estimate roughly half the torque string shot to this depth.
actually applied in this case would have actually been
sufficient to break the connection loose. Contingency equipment for ERD and complex wells that use
“non-standard” size drillpipe (such as 5 ⅞” and 6 ⅝”) should
Results be sourced and/or built prior to commencement of drilling.
Upon recovering the upper 1345 m (4411 ft) of the drillstring For this well, a special-size left hand release overshot would
(backoff occurred at the intended joint), a 2 cm x 3 cm hole have greatly expanded the options available at the time of the
was discovered 18 cm below the box-end tool joint taper incident. Furthermore, a wireline unit should have been on
(Figure 10). In retrospect, it is very fortunate that the string board as a contingency for such problems.
was not attempted to be pulled out under higher overpull
limits, as the back-calculated tensile strength of the tube at the For ERD wells, a hydraulic disconnect tool (similar to those
location of the washout was 276 tonnes (607 kips), only used in coil tubing operations) would be ideal for separating
slightly higher than the tension being applied during the the BHA from the upper drillstring. If such a device would
original attempt at pulling out. have been available for A-32C, the BHA could have been
SPE/IADC 104478 Backing Off a Free Drillstring: Planning and Execution on a World-Class ERD Well 5

disconnected and the drillpipe immediately retrieved, 11 Dye, W., et al: “Field-Proven Technology to Manage Dynamic
providing a significant time and cost savings. The industry Barite Sag”, paper SPE 98167, presented at the SPE Annual
has failed to embrace such devices, despite the fact several Technical Conference, Miami, 21-23 Feb 2006.
prototypes have been built and tested by various suppliers. The 12 Berge, H.E., et al “Examination of S-135 drill pipe with VT57
connection”, technical report, 8 December 2005.
authors strongly encourage the industry to push for accelerated 13 Eck-Olsen, J., et al “Floatation of 10 ¾” liner – A Method Used
development of such a device. to Reach Beyond 10 km”, SPE/IADC 105839, presented at the
SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, Feb 22-24 2007.

Nomenclature
ERD: Extended Reach Drilling
NOK: Norwegian Kroner
TD: Total depth
MD: Measured Depth
BHA: Bottom Hole Assembly
HSE: Health, Safety, and Environment

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the SeaDrill rig crew and all
the service providers involved on the Gullfaks project. Their
pro-active approach and “can-do” attitude were fundamental to
the success of this operation. Thanks are also extended to the
Statoil internal network of specialist that supported the
weekend effort on short notice.

References
1 Mims, M., et al: Drilling Design and Implementation for ERD
and Complex Wells, third edition, K&M Technology Group
(2003) page 98-99.
2 Naegeal, M. et al: “Extended Reach Drilling at the Utmost Part
of the Earth”, paper SPE 48944, presented at the 1998 SPE
annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, 27-
30 Sept. 1998.
3 Payne, M, et al: “Critical Technologies for Success in Extended
Reach”, paper IADC/SPE 28293, presented at the SPE Annual
Technical Conference, New Orleans, 25-28 Sept1994
4 Shaw, M.N., et al: “Innovative Approaches to Drilling High-
Angle Wells in Bass Strait”, paper IADC/SPE 17233, presented
at the IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Dallas, 28 Feb – 2 Mar,
1988.
5 Stragiotti, S., et al: “New Applications for 2 ⅛” Well Tractor
inside 5” Drill Pipe”, paper SPE 71373, presented at the SPE
Annual Technical Conference, New Orleans, 30 Sept – 3 Oct
2001.
6 Eck-Olsen, J. et al: “Designer Directional Drilling to Increase
Total Recovery and Production Rates”, paper SPE/IADC 27461,
presented at the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Dallas, 15-18
Feb, 1994.
7 Alfsen, T., et al: “Pushing the Limits for Extended Reach
Drilling: New World Record From Platform Statfjord C, Well
C2”, paper IADC/SPE 26350, presented at the SPE Annual
Technical Conference, Houston, 15-18 Feb1993.
8 Hjelle, A., et al: “World-Record ERD Well Drilled From a
Floating Installation in the North Sea”, paper IADC/SPE 98945,
presented at the IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Dallas, 2006.
9 Johancsik, C.A. et al: “Torque and Drag in Directional Wells –
Prediction and Measurement”, paper IADC/SPE 11380,
presented at the IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, New Orleans,
20-23 Feb, 1983.
10 Haduch, G.A, et al: “Solution of Common Stuck Pipe Problems
Through Adaptation of Torque/Drag Calculations”, paper
IADC/SPE 27490, presented at the IADC/SPE Drilling
Conference, Dallas, 15-18 Feb1984.
6 J. ECK-OLSEN, B. FOSTER SPE/IADC 104478

Appendix: Figures

Figure 1: Snapshot of torque and twist throughout the drillstring in an 8000m vertical well vs. an 8000m (26240 ft) ERD well. The free pipe
backoff technique works in ERD wells because the drillstring is “anchored” to the low-side (due to gravity), which produces much higher
torque and twist than a vertical well.

ERD Well

Vertical Well

Figure 2: TVD vs. Reach for A-32C compared to other Statoil and industry ERD wells around the world.
SPE/IADC 104478 Backing Off a Free Drillstring: Planning and Execution on a World-Class ERD Well 7

Figure 3: Schematic of the wellbore at the time of incident. Since the lengthy cleanup process prior to pulling out of the hole was interrupted,
a long, thick cuttings bed was still in place, preventing the large OD BHA from being pulled out conventionally .

Washout @ 1045m MD (47o inclination)

±2300m 5 7/8” 23.4# VAM VT57 drillpipe

±5500m 6 5/8” 27.7# VAM EIS drillpipe

Residual cuttings bed (due to incomplete cleanup)

2
Figure 4: Hydraulics calculation showing surface pressure before and after washout. Washout size was estimated to be ±3 cm at the time of
verifying washout when 145 bar (2100 psi) pressure drop was noted at 3300 lpm (870 gpm).
8 J. ECK-OLSEN, B. FOSTER SPE/IADC 104478

Figure 5: Ratio of total flow bypassed through the washout vs. varying flowrate. Roughly 50% of the total flow was diverted through the
washout at high flowrate.

Bypassed Flow Ratio

100

90

80
Flow Trhough Washout (%)

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Flowrate (lpm)

Figure 6: Annular velocity across the drillstring. Note low AV’s below the washout at 1045m MD. Barite sag is an elevated threat for annular
velocity <0.50 m/sec (100 ft/min).

Washout diverting flow @ 1045m

SPE/IADC 104478 Backing Off a Free Drillstring: Planning and Execution on a World-Class ERD Well 9

Figure 7: Static and dynamic torque observed during drilling.

Figure 8: Snapshot view of torque and twist in the drillstring, calculated at the observed ±0.14 average static torque friction factor.

39 kNm / 15 rounds observed

at surface for 0.14 FF

Washout @ 1045m
Backoff @ 1345m

4 rounds minimum to
initiate backoff (estimate)
10 J. ECK-OLSEN, B. FOSTER SPE/IADC 104478

Figure 9: Snapshot of tension in the string relative to the critical buckling loads. The objective of manipulating surface tension is to place the
neutral point close to the location of the washout (error on the side of slight tension).

Slackoff Tension

Rotating Tension

2
Figure 10: 2cm x 3cm (6 cm) hole was discovered 18cm below the box-end taper.