CHAPTER-12 COILED TUBING DRILLING

Horizontal and highly deviated wellbore drilling has been catalyst for developing new and innovative drilling techniques and producers over the last 10 years. Coiled tubing drilling is one of these new techniques which has proven its viability after being employed to drill five slimhole horizontal wellbores. We will discuss drilling tools, drilling procedures, and surface equipment as it compares to conventional slimhole steerable drilling equipment and techniques.

Introduction

Serious attempts to directionally drill using coiled tubing began in 1991 following several successful vertical well drilling recompletions. Although feasibility studies andproject evaluation began in 1990, it was not until third quarter 1991 that the first serious attempt was made to drill not onlt directionally, but horizontally using coiled tubing. Oryx Energy Company, a Dallas, Texas based operating Company, took the initiative by working with a coiled tubing company, and three directional service companies to attempt to drill the first medium radius horizontal wellbore with coiled tubing employing a

combination of proven downhole tools, experimental downhole tools drillinh techniques. This project succesfully adopted a near conventional rotatable steerable drilling assembly to a non-rotatable drillstring via an orienting tools which would, on command, orient the steerable drilling assebmly relative to coiled tubing, thus obtaining wellbore inclination and azimuth contrability. This new drilling technique is one of the lasest innovations in drilling that has been commercialized in the 90s. Conventional slimhole horizontal wellbore drilling was applied in the Austin Chalk during mid 1987 by employing a workover rig to re-enter existing well having 5 inch production casing to drill 4 or 4 inch wellbores horizontally. The drilling BHA was designed to be totally slick and unstabilized to minimize drag, thus allowing the use of a slide drilling technique from kick-off point to the total depth. Since string rotation was not used or anticipated, a wireline steering tool, run conventionally using a side entry sub, could be used to survey the well path and monitor orientation of the drilling assembly. This technique proved successful, but horizontal departures were limited due to longitudinal frictional drag as the drilling assembly was pushed to drill. The BHA incorporated long lenghts of relatively heavy drill collar in the horizontal wellbore between the motor and the drillstring to minimize string buckling and avoid tool joints being pushed through a cuttings bed or uneven wellbore side walls. This section of collars extended from the drilling assembly in the

horizontal wellbore around the curved section and into the vertical wellbore. Well control during live drilling was a concern due to the wireline being run outside the drillstring. The wireline in this position would interfere with the well control equipment. Annular preventers ,when activated, often caused wire damage and when the blowout preventer ram closure was required the wire was cut and often prevented complete closure. Re-entry and new well slimhole drilling at this time was limited to wells cased with 5 inc hor larger casing.

Coiled Tubing Drilling in some circumstances is progressing as a more viable alternative to conventional drilling, as technology, larger coil and more powerful equipment is introduced.

With the growth in the Coiled Tubing Drilling industry, and as the market continues to exploit this technology the availability of competent professionals is ever growing.

Within this sphere the focus on coiled tubing drilling experience at all levels, from the planning engineers, operators representatives and onsite supervision is critical to a successful, safe and efficient operation. A recognized authority in Coiled Tubing techniques is contractor. Contractor can assist you where Coiled Tubing Drilling is to be examined as a potential solution to specific well engineering problems.

Through Tubing Re-Entry Deepening and Horizontal Kickouts New Shallow Slimhole Wells Underbalanced Drilling Avoidance of Formation Damage due to Overbalance Slim Hole Exploration Wells Safety & Environmental Issues Remote & Expensive Locations

With continued improvements, coiled tubing drilling is a powerful tool differing substantially from conventional drilling applications. This innovative technology is in many cases an area of expertise not readily available.

Supported by engineers and practical field experienced personnel our areas of expertise in Coiled Tubing Drilling include:

Slimhole Re-Entry CTD Studies & Economics CTD Planning & Programming HAZID Identification Through Tubing Drilling Underbalanced Drilling Evaluating Economic Viability

Open-hole drilling with coiled tubing is a relatively recent development in the oil and gas industry, offering many advantages over jointed pipe drilling and many improvements. This study addresses a specific need of this drilling technique for a downhole motor, needed because the coiled tubing cannot be rotated. Moineaux type positive displacement mud motors, typically used for coiled tubing drilling (CTD), are expensive for their short drilling life. The Phase I of this study conducted to determine the feasibility of using an electric drilling motor instead of a moineaux type mud motor accomplished the following: a review of historical and current electric drilling motor (EDM) technology; a conceptual design of an electric motor; a cost estimate for an electric drilling motor system; and a market analysis. The study concluded that an electric drilling motor system for CTD is feasible, and that such a system would have significant benefits over current motor technology.

HIGH PRESSURE CT

From its first high-pressure CT initiative developed for South Texas gas fields in 1993, Dowell has continually developed and refined equipment, procedures and techniques to greatly extend the pressure range for CT jobs. Using highly trained personnel and special equipment, CT operations are now possible at wellhead pressures to 10,000 psi. In addition, the experience and

knowledge derived from this development process have led to industry-accepted specifications and procedures that are crucial for operation in these potentially hazardous conditions.

Minimum requirements The Dowell philosophy for high-pressure CT operations requires that all operations involving equipment rated above 3500 psi [240 bar] wellhead pressure must have equal or larger safety margins. CT services are offered in three categories: one standard category (I) and two categories for high pressure (II and III). Each category has minimum requirements for well control equipment, string properties and work envelope. Equipment rated to 15,000 psi [1020 bar] is used exclusively for Category III operations to maintain appropriate safety margins and to reduce risk associated with these elevated pressures.

Category Wellhead Pressure (psi)[bar] I II III 0-3,500 [240] 3,500-7,00 [240-480] 7,000-10,0000

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Although components for high-pressure operations are similar to those used on conventional CT jobs, specifications for the equipment, tubing and well control selected for high-pressure jobs receive extra attention. Specialized equipment required in high-pressure CT jobs includes a highcapacity snubbing injector head equipped with a dual-acting load cell that accurately measures compression and tension forces on the CT string. A large gooseneck minimizes the low-cycle fatigue that occurs when the CT string bends during high-pressure circulation.

INCREASE RECOVERY WITH CT

CTD coiled tubing drilling technology is opening the door to a host of costeffective new techniques for exploiting bypassed reserves and enhancing well productivity. You can count on our experienced people and fit-for-purpose technology for safe, efficient CTD operations that help you make the most of your reservoir.

Coiled Tubing Drilling Services (CTDS) is a separate service line within the Schlumberger Integrated Project Management (IPM) organization. As a

result, CTDS can give you fully integrated solutions with single-source accountability, plus full access to IPM engineering expertise.

We can draw upon resources and expertise throughout Schlumberger to give you a complete service package tailored to meet the specific needs of your project. In addition to the drilling itself, this package can include reservoir evaluation, well planning, logging, fluids engineering, cementing and a full range of completion services, including third-party services.

CTDS people have the combined coiled tubing and drilling engineering expertise to ensure that your project will be planned properly and carried out cost-effectively and safely. All CTD supervisors, operators and field engineers receive IADC- or IWCF-certified training in well control. Because effective operational planning is the key to successful execution, we help you select wells that are appropriate CTD candidates and design the job to achieve optimal results. Before starting the job, we thoroughly review your project, assess its technical and operational feasibility, develop the drilling program and mobilize the proper equipment. Then, while drilling is in progress, we keep a supervisor at your site full time to ensure proper execution of the job and compliance with all health, safety and environmental (HSE) requirements.

For longer string life and fewer problems with low-cycle fatigue and geometry changes such as ballooning or ovality growth, tubing material grades of 90,000 psi and above are recommended for high-pressure CT jobs. Stringent Dowell design criteria ensure a string will not collapse at 1500 psi [100 bar] over its upper rated limit while hanging in air and evacuated of all internal pressure. Typical properties for a 1 1/2-in. [44.5-mm] CT string are given in the table.

Material Grade 90,000 100,000 110,000 Burst (psi) Collapse (psi) Tensile (lbf) 17,300 20,100 15,900 18,640 59,300 65,800 20,800 19,300 71,100

Tubing performance decreases over time. Uncontrolled low-cycle fatigue can lead to unexpected tubing failures, and ovality growth can reduce the collapse rating by 30% or more. The Dowell CoilCAT* Data Acquisition System monitors and records both these mechanisms, and the industry benchmark CoilLIFE* fatigue model then translates the data into accurate percentage of expired life. Every Dowell high-pressure CT unit is equipped with a Universal Tubing Integrity Monitor that measures tubing diameter, at accuracy to 0.001 in. [0.0025 mm], and calculates ovality as the tubing is run in and out the well.

After each job, tubing records are evaluated to determine if strings can be reused. Dowell research, backed by a wealth of field experience, has established maximum limits for fatigue life, ovality, ballooning and necking.

High-pressure well intervention is not merely an issue of handling increased wellhead pressure. Most high-pressure reservoirs are deep and have high gas content, which potentially increases tubing and equipment exposure to high, abrasive velocities and rapidly changing conditions. Double or redundant barriers with large safety margins are essential when configuring well control equipment on high-pressure wells. Dowell minimum requirements for high-pressure CT blowout preventer (BOP) stack configurations are as follows:

Category II - All equipment must be rated to 10,000 psi working pressure. BOPs must have double functionality for pipe, shear and blind rams. Tandem strippers are required and connections must be flanged.

Category III - All equipment must be rated to 15,000 psi [1020 bar] working pressure. BOPs must have double functionality for pipe, shear and blind rams. Tandem strippers are required and connections must be flanged.

Planning and executing a high-pressure CT job requires a sound technical approach without shortcuts. All Dowell engineers worldwide are trained to establish technical feasibility using high-technology design and planning tools.

The CoilCADE* family of software-based design tools calculates tubing forces and expected pressures, and the CoilLIMIT* module of the CoilCAT Data Acquisition System determines safety margins and sets the work envelope.

A CoilLIMIT work envelope, which combines forces, pressures and tubing properties in one window, is one of the most critical components of a highpressure CT treatment. In the planning stage, the CoilLIMIT model is instrumental in determining the feasibility of proposed procedures, while importation of the CoilLIMIT inputs into the CoilCAT Data Acquisition System allows real-time monitoring of the tubing limits.