Drilling & Completion Fluid Technology

Hole Cleaning

Inadequate Hole Cleaning

Increased Pipe Friction
Torque & Drag
Weight Transfer
Irregular ROP

Cutting Accumulation
Difficult directional control (inability to slide)
Increased pump pressures
Packing-Off

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Key Variables

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Annular Velocities

Control in the Field

3

Managing the Flow Rate

Maximum pump should always be used but.
Pump output limitations
Shale shaker capacity
ECD limitations
Hole washout?

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Effect of Flow Rate on Equivalent Circulating

Density

Equivalent Circulating Density

Friction
Pressure
Increasing
Cuttings
Concentration
Increasing

Dirty
Hole
Region

Clean
Hole
Region

Flow Rate
5

Key Variables
Annular Velocities

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Viscosity

Control in the Field

6

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Engineering Viscosity
Increased Viscosity
Limits to Pressure (ECD)
Solids control problems
Poor separation
Mud lost at shakers

Swab & Surge

Air entrapment
Poor wire line tool operation
7

What Type of Viscosity?

Just thickening the mud will help

Viscosity must be part of the well design
The viscosity must be designed
Shear thinning fluids are better
Select the right viscosifier

Sunday, February 17, 2008

What is Rheology?

The study of the deformation and flow of matter

Viscosity is a term used to define flow properties

Oil field use of Viscosity

Funnel Viscosity

Fann 35A Viscosity (mud report 6 speed)

Specialised Low Shear Viscometers

Do Not Mix or Compare

Viscosity

Complex
Funnel Viscosity

Function of time, volume & gravity

Fann Viscometer

Function of Shear Rate (6 Speeds)

Shear Stress (Bob deflection)

10

Sunday, February 17, 2008

What is Shear Stress?

SHEAR STRESS is the force needed to maintain
Movable Plate

movement of the top plate

Liquid

stressed liquid

Fixed plate

11

Viscometer

12

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Viscosity
Shear Stress is the force required to maintain
movement

Newton's, Dynes etc.

Shear Rate is the speed at which the stress is
applied

m/second, reciprocal seconds ( 1/sec or sec-1)

Viscosity is the ratio of these two values
Centipoise (cP) and 100 lb./100 ft2
13

Shear Rate

6 Speed Viscometer & Reciprocal seconds:

600 rpm = 1021 1/sec
300 rpm = 511 1/sec
200 rpm = 341 1/sec
100 rpm = 170 1/sec
6 rpm = 10 1/sec
3 rpm = 5 1/sec

14

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Fann Viscometer Values

Ideal Viscosity Profile

100,000
Fann 35A
SUSPENSION
10,000

ANNULUS

Viscosity cP

1,000

TUBULARS
100

10
BIT REGION

Brookfield LV

1
0.1

10

100

1,000

10,000

100,000

Shear Rate, sec-1

16

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Friction Pressure
Determined by fluid viscosity under flowing
conditions

Low viscosity at high shear rates reduces friction

pressure losses

Highly shear-thinning fluids provide optimum

hydraulics

17

Selection Criteria For Viscosifiers

Shear Stability
Thermal Stability
Minimal Formation Damage (if applicable)
Compatibility with other Additives
Effective Viscosity at Shear Rate of Interest

18

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Functionality vs. Fluid Viscosity

Fluid Performance Depends On:
Viscosity
Profile Shear Thinning Properties
Effective Viscosity at Shear Rate of
Interest
< 1.0 sec-1 to > 1022 sec-1
19

Biopolymers
VISCOUS

ELASTIC

Elastic Component Dominates

Shear Rate Dependent
Improved Suspension/Carrying Capacity

20

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Factors Affecting Networking

Polymer Concentration
Shear Rate
Temperature
Solids
Salinity

21

INITIAL POLYMER VISCOSITY IN FRESH WATER

10,000
PHPA
(2.0 lb./bbl)

Viscosity cP

BIOPOLY
1.5 lb./bbl

1,000

HEC
2.0 lb./bbl

100

10
0

0.1

10

100

1,000

Shear Rate, sec-1

22

Sunday, February 17, 2008

EFFECT OF SHEAR (120 minutes)

ON POLYMER VISCOSITY; FRESH WATER; 75F

10,000

Biopolymer
1.5 lb./bbl

Viscosity cP

Viscosity, cP

PHPA
2.0 lb./bbl
1,000

-1

HEC
2.0 lb./bbl

100

10

0.1

1
Shear Rate, sec

10

100

1,000

-1

23

Key Variables
Annular Velocities

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Viscosity
Rate of
Penetration

Control in the Field

24

Sunday, February 17, 2008

ROP Control
Very last item that anyone wants to adjusted to
prevent a hole cleaning problem

But must be on the list of

options
25

Key Variables
Annular Velocities

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Viscosity
Rate of
Penetration

Hole Cleaning
Pills

Control in the Field

26

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Pills
Three basic types:
High Density
High Viscosity
Low Viscosity/High Viscosity

Each has a specific job

Make your selection with a specific objective in mind
Plan ahead

27

High Density Pills

If density high enough, will always carry cuttings
Will not collect settled cuttings
Should be used if the mud overall viscosity cant be
increased

Can be used to see if the mud viscosity should be

increased

Returns from pill must be evaluated

Can be too effective

28

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Viscous Pills
Used to collect cutting that are in suspension, but are
too big for conventional transit

Will not collect settled cuttings

Should be used if the muds overall viscosity cant be
increased

Can be used to see if the mud viscosity should be

increased

Returns from pill must be evaluated

29

Low Viscosity Pills

To be used in turbulent flow
Will collect settled cuttings
Must be supported by viscous pill
No value in vertical or near vertical wells

30

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Key Variables
Annular Velocities

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Viscosity
Rate of
Penetration

Drillpipe
Rotation
Hole Cleaning
Pills

Control in the Field

31

Pipe Rotation in Deviated Wells

No Rotation - No cuttings transport
Minimum of 80 rpm to be of value
If sliding for direction work this must include some
pipe rotation

Work with the Directional Drill contractor

32

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Key Variables
Annular Velocities

Hole Size and

Hole Angle

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Viscosity
Rate of
Penetration

Drillpipe
Rotation
Hole Cleaning
Pills

Control in the Field

33

Hole Angle & Hole Size

Well plan will determine angle and desired size
Planning must include hole cleaning
Wellbore stability important to keep hole size under
control

Circulation time for bottoms up will increase as the

angle and hole diameter increase

Recalculate bottoms up time before every trip

34

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Cuttings Transport in Deviated Wells

Lift

Drag

Hole
Angle

Fri

ctio

nF

orc

Gravity
35

PWD Tool

Communication
Port

Electronics
Section

Transducer
Section

Annular Pressure
Port

36

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Key Variables
Annular Velocities

Hole Size and

Hole Angle

Viscosity

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Mud Weight
Rate of
Penetration

Drillpipe
Rotation
Hole Cleaning
Pills

Control in the Field

37

Mud Weight
No hole cleaning problems with a 20 ppg mud
The bigger the differential between the fluid density
and the cuttings the bigger the problem

Not recommended to increase the density to clean

the hole

38

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Summary
Key Variables
Annular Velocities

Hole Size and

Hole Angle

Drillpipe
Eccentricity

Viscosity

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Mud Weight
Rate of
Penetration

Cuttings Density

Drillpipe
Rotation
Hole Cleaning
Pills

Cuttings Size
Control in the Field
39

Drill Pipe Eccentricity

No control, but important to the way cuttings are
moved up the wellbore

40

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Cuttings Size & Density

No control
Changes in cutting size at the shakers important indicator of
hole cleaning capacity

All hole cleaning calculations need this data

41

Summary
Drillpipe
Eccentricity

Annular Velocities

Hole Size and

Hole Angle

Viscosity

Influence on Hole Cleaning

Mud Weight
Rate of
Penetration

Cuttings Density

Drillpipe
Rotation
Hole Cleaning
Pills

Cuttings Size
Control in the Field
42

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Conclusion

Good hole cleaning takes team work

Well planning must include hole cleaning
Viscosity must be engineered
Directional drilling with hole cleaning
Have a strategy for viscous pills
Keep asking the question.

"Are we cleaning the

hole"?
43

Sunday, February 17, 2008