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A HALLIBURTON SERVICE

STUCK PIPE
Cause, Solutions & Prevention

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A HALLIBURTON SERVICE

7908 N. Sam Houston Pkwy Floor-5 Houston, TX 77064 USA

(281) 931 8884 1 800 Blowout boots-coots.com

STUCK PIPE CAUSE, SOLUTIONS & PREVENTION

John W. Lee

The information contained herein is supplied without representation or warranty of any kind. Boots & Coots Inc, the author and publisher assume no liability, inferred, consequential or otherwise from the use or misuse of any material or recommendation contained herein. All rights of reproduction and adaptation of the text and illustrations herein, for all countries and languages, are reserved by Boots & Coots Inc. Author/ Illustrator, John W. Lee. Jan, 2009

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STUCK PIPE
An interruption in planned operations as excessive drag forces prevent pulling the drillstring out of the hole. The pipe is stuck in the hole.

Tight Hole
A momentary interruption in planned operations as high drag forces restrict drillstring movement above normal operating conditions. The pipe is not stuck in the hole as acceptable progress is still being made.

Stuck Pipe Statistics

Industry statistics gathered since 1989 show the relative cost of non-productive time. Stuck pipe is still the drilling industry's most costly unscheduled event.

Stuck Pipe Hole Problems Lost Circ. DS Failure Running Csg D/Hole Equip Cementing Weather Well Control Rig Repair Well Head
0 25 50

$MM

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S 0 0 0 0 S STICKING MECHANISMS & THEIR CAUSES

Although there are 20+ causes of stuck pipe, there are only 3 mechanisms capable of producing sufficient mechanical force to stick the drillstring.
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Mechanism - The mechanical force sticking the drillstring in the hole. Cause - The condition(s) responsible for the sticking mechanism. Pack-Off / Bridge Differential Wellbore Geometry
Settled Cuttings Differential Force Key Seat Micro Doglegs Geo-Pressured Shale Ledges Thick Filter Cake Hydro-Charged Shale Undergauge Hole Mobile Formation Reactive Shale Stiff Bottom Hole Assembly Stiff Casing Assembly Overburden Stress

Example
"Cause" Inadequate Hole Cleaning

"Mechanism" Hole Pack-Off

Tectonic Stress

Unconsolidated Formation

Fractured Formation

Plastic Formation

Cement Failure
Soft Cement

Junk in Hole

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The Mechanism of Hole Pack-Off /Bridge

Hole Pack-Off - Small pieces of formation, cement or junk settle around the drillstring preventing circulation with no string movement likely. Hole Bridge - Medium to large pieces of formation, cement or junk settle around the drillstring allowing restricted circulation with little to no string movement.

Hole Pack-Off
Moving or Static

Hole Bridge

String Motion Prior to Sticking?

Circulating Pressure After Sticking?

Impossible

Restricted

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The Mechanism of Differential Sticking

Hydrostatic overbalance pressure drives the static drillstring into the thick filter cake of a permeable zone.
Top View at Sand Depth
Fluid Loss Dynamic Filter Cake

Contact

Formation Pressure 5000 psi

6000 PSI
Static Filter Cake

4"

Low Pressure Filter Cake

String Motion Prior to Sticking?

Static
4"

1600 sq in x 1000 psi = 1,600,000 lbs Diff. Sticking Force

1,6

00,

Contact Area 400"

000

Sand

Lbs

Circulating Pressure After Sticking?

Unrestricted
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THE MECHANISM OF WELLBORE GEOMETRY

Sharp changes in hole angle/direction; an undergauge hole diameter; or an increase in assembly stiffness will not allow passage of the string.
Wellbore Change Decrease in effective or actual hole diameter will not allow passage of the string.
KEY SEAT
POOH

Assembly Stiffness Change Increase in assembly stiffness will not allow passage of the string.

String Motion Prior to Sticking?

Moving up or Down

Flexible Assembly POOH, Normal Overpull

PO OH

Top View

Stuck

!!
Top of BHA

Circulating Pressure After Sticking?

Unrestricted
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RIH

STIFF BOTTOM HOLE ASSEMBLY

STUC

K!!

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PACK-OFF
1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1

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BRIDGE DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY
1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0

STICKING MECHANISM /FIRST ACTION WORKSHEET

STEP 1: DETERMINE THE STICKING MECHANISM
DESCRIBE THE STRING MOTION JUST BEFORE STICKING OCCURRED.

Moving Up Circle the numbers in the row Back Reaming with the best description. Rotating Only Circle only 1 row of numbers. Moving Down Pipe Static or Slide Drilling Reaming Down or Rotary Drilling
DESCRIBE THE CHANGE IN CIRCULATING PRESSURE JUST AFTER STICKING OCCURRED.

No Change in Circulating Pressure Circulation is Possible But Restricted and Possibly Fluctuating Stalled Motor Pressure. Pressure Increases With Rotation Circulation is Impossible Add the columns of circled numbers. The column with the sum of "2" determines the sticking mechanism. Totals =

STEP 2: SELECT THE CORRECT FIRST-ACTION TO FREE THE STRING PACK-OFF / BRIDGE GEOMETRY DIFFERENTIAL
For hole angles <60O: 1. Bleed off all trapped pressure. (Top Drive) Work 80% of DP makeup torque down to the stuck depth. 2. Apply low pump pressure (+/-200 psi). Maintain circulation if possible. 3. Jar down with max jar-trip load. 4. Do not jar up!! Continue jarring down until the string is free and full circulation is established. For hole angles >60O: 1. Bleed off all trapped pressure. (Top Drive) Work 80% of DP makeup torque down to the stuck depth. 2. Jar down with max jar-trip load. 3. Do not jar up!! Work the pipe with light overpulls and max down jarring until several feet of string movement is established. 4. Slowly attempt to re-establish circulation.
. . . . . . .

Stuck while moving up: 1. Circulate at maximum rate for +/10 minutes (Kelly Drive) or while 1. (Top Drive) Work 80% of DP applying torque (Top Drive). make-up torque down to the stuck depth. 2. (Top Drive) Work 80% of DP make-up torque down to the stuck 2. Jar down with maximum jar-trip depth. load. Hold torque & set-down 3. Reduce pump spe (+/-1 bbl/min). weight until the jar trips or for +/-10 minutes. 4. Jar down with maximum jar-trip
. .

load. Hold torque & set-down weight Stuck while moving down: until the jar trips or for +/-10 min. Do not apply torque. Jar up with Maintain slow circulation and jar maximum jar-trip load. Hold the down +/- 20 times. overpull until the jar trips or for +/-5 5. If the string does not jar free, minutes. release string torque, maintain slow . If the string does not jar free: circulation and jar up +/-10 times with maximum jar-trip load. Maintain slow circulation (+/-1 bbl/min) and continue jarring until 6. If the string does not jar free, the string jars free or an alternative continue jarring procedure while decision is made. preparing a pipe releasing pill.
. . . .

STUCK WITH THE BIT ON OR NEAR BOTTOM

Do not jar up!! Apply low pump pressure (+/-200 psi). Apply/release torque & set-down weight in an attempt to establish circulation. Do not apply toque!! Jar up with maximum jar-trip load. Continue jarring up while preparing a pipe releasing pill.
Jar-Up
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Last Up Wt. BHA Wt. Below Jar Wt Indicator Load Last Up Wt. BHA Wt. Below Jar Jar Trip Load

Stuck while moving up: Maintain drilling torque and re-apply bit weight to re-establish rotation. Slowly backream off bottom.
Jar-Down
Bleed trapped pressure / slow down or stop the pump when jarring down.

STEP 3: COCK AND TRIP THE JAR

Cocking From Open Position Cocking From Closed Position
Bleed trapped pressure / slow down or stop the pumps to make the jar easier to cock.

________________

________________

Last Down Wt. BHA Wt. Below Jar

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________________

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Last Down Wt. BHA Wt. Below Jar Jar Trip Load

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________________

+ ________________

=________________ Wt Indicator =________________ Load

= ________________ Wt Indicator = ________________ Wt Indicator Load Load

The trip load of a hydraulic jar is selected by the operator

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STEP 1: DETERMINE THE STICKING MECHANISM

PACK-OFF BRIDGE DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY

DESCRIBE THE STRING MOTION JUST BEFORE STICKING OCCURRED.

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Moving Up Circle the numbers in the row Back Reaming with the best description. Rotating Only Circle only 1 row of numbers. Moving Down Pipe Static or Slide Drilling Reaming Down or Rotary Drilling
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

1 1 0 1 0 1

DESCRIBE THE CHANGE IN CIRCULATING PRESSURE JUST AFTER STICKING OCCURRED.

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No Change in Circulating Pressure Circulation is Possible But Restricted and Possibly Fluctuating Stalled Motor Pressure. Pressure Increases With Rotation Circulation is Impossible Add the columns of circled numbers. The column with the sum of "2" determines the sticking mechanism. Totals =

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S 0 0 0 0 S STICKING MECHANISM EXERCISE

1. The drillstring was found stuck when pulling off the slips after a survey. The string is totally immobilized and circulation is impossible, what is the sticking mechanism?

Pack-Off

Bridge

Differential

Geometry

2. During a trip out of the hole, the string became stuck on the slips while setting back stand #25. The string cannot be rotated or moved. The top of the BHA is in the middle of the kick-off and the bit is in the tangent section. Circulating pressure at drilling rate has not changed. What is the sticking mechanism?

Pack-Off

Bridge

Differential

Geometry

3. Erratic torque and string bouncing have increased over the last 2 stands drilled. Increasing off-bottom torque trend. When picking up for a connection the string became stuck 3 feet from bottom. The string is totally immobilized, circulation is unrestricted. What is the sticking mechanism?

Pack-Off

Bridge

Differential

Geometry

4. While pulling the BHA through a cement kick-off plug, overpull suddenly increase to 80,000 lbs. The string can be worked 10 - 20 feet with rotation possible at mid stroke (high erratic torque). Fluctuating, restricted circulating pressure. What is the sticking mechanism?

Pack-Off

Bridge

Differential

Geometry

5. While slowly rotating and reaming to bottom after a trip, the mud motor stalled out and the string became stuck. The string cannot be moved up or down. String rotation is free and standpipe pressure increases when the string is rotated. Circulation pressure indicates a stalled motor and torque increases with pump pressure. What is the sticking mechanism?

Pack-Off

Bridge
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Differential

Geometry