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Abstract
Field experience has shown that inefficient transport of small
cuttings is a main factor for excessive drag and torque during
extended reach drilling; however, very little is known about
the transport behavior of small cuttings. In this study,
extensive experiments with three sizes of cuttings (0.45 mm3.3 mm) were conducted in a field-scale flow loop (8 in.4.5
in., 100-ft long) to identify the main factors affecting small
cuttings transport. The effects of cuttings size, drill pipe
rotation, fluid rheology, flow rate and hole inclination were
investigated.
The results show significant differences in cuttings
transport based on cuttings size. Smaller cuttings result in a
higher cuttings concentration than larger cuttings in a
horizontal annulus when tested with water. However, a lower
concentration was achieved for smaller cuttings when 0.25
ppb Polyanionic Cellulose (PAC) solutions were used. Unlike
the transport of large cuttings, which is mainly dominated by
fluid flow rate, the key factors controlling small cuttings
transport were found to be pipe rotation and fluid rheology.
Improvement by pipe rotation in the transport efficiency of
small cuttings is up to twice as large as the improvement in
large cuttings transport. Compared with water, PAC solutions
significantly improve smaller cuttings transport, while the
transport of larger cuttings is only slightly enhanced.
Mathematical modeling was performed to develop
correlations for cuttings concentration and bed height in an
annulus for field applications. Predictions from a three-layer
model previously developed for larger cuttings were also
compared with experimental results. Differences (up to 80%)
indicate the need for improving the frequently used three-layer
model by including correlations specifically developed for
small cuttings to get a better design of extended reach drilling.
This study is also useful for horizontal or high-angle well
drilling and completion through sand reservoirs.
Introduction
Efficient cuttings transport is a major challenge when a long
extended reach well with a horizontal and highly inclined
section of more than 20 thousand feet has to be drilled.1-3
Cuttings can be ground to finer sand while being transported
out of the hole, especially when rotary drilling is used.
Drilling may not be able to proceed if cuttings transport
remains a problem in such a hole. Because of excessive drag
and torque caused by small cuttings settled at the lower side of
the horizontal or inclined section, it may not be possible to run
casing in place even if drilling to the target depth can be
achieved. Similar problems exist in horizontal and highly
inclined wells drilled through unconsolidated sand reservoirs.
Field practice and experimental observations4-8 show that
smaller cuttings are more difficult to transport under certain
conditions. Moreover, smaller particles tend to more easily
stick a drill pipe due to their cohesive effects.7,9 It is even
more difficult to release the pipe once it gets stuck by small
sand-sized cuttings.
An investigation into previous studies in the area of hole
cleaning and sand transport shows that very limited
information is available for small cuttings transport under
drilling conditions. Though different cuttings have been tested
by a few investigators,4,5,7,8,10-12 no study on small cuttings
transport in horizontal or high angle annuli involving drill pipe
rotation has been conducted. Previous conclusions about the
cuttings size effects on cuttings transport are quite diverse, and
even contradictory in some cases.4-7,10-12 Their experiments
upon which these conclusions are based were conducted under
incomparable conditions. It may not be correct, or at least not
safe, to state explicitly that smaller cuttings are harder or
easier to transport. The result may depend on various
combinations of drilling parameters. This study was
undertaken to understand why and under what conditions they
are harder or easier to transport.
Literature Review
By measuring total annular cuttings concentration, Parker4
observed that smaller cuttings are easier to transport in vertical
wells, but slightly harder to transport in highly inclined wells.
This is consistent with Larsens5 observations that at high hole
inclination angles smaller cuttings are harder to clean out.
These cuttings need a higher fluid velocity to keep continuous
forward movement. The smallest cuttings used were 2.3 mm
in diameter. Gavignet and Sobey6 also stated in their two-layer
model that smaller particles need a higher flow rate to
maintain bed motion. Ahmed7 found that cuttings beds of
SPE 104192
Mud Return
Cuttings
Inject.
Tank
Excess Line
Shale Shaker
Bypass Line
Mud Tank
Cuttings
Collect.
Tank
Cuttings
Bypass Valve
Holdup
Valve
Test Section
Three-way
Holdup
Valve
Auger
Mud In
Pump
Test Matrix
Two sizes of sand-sized cuttings with median diameters of
0.45 mm and 1.4 mm, respectively, were used in this study.
Data for 3.3 mm cuttings are from Qureshis project16, which
was followed by this study. These data were obtained on the
same flow loop under the same test conditions. Flow rate
ranged from 200 to 400 gpm, pipe rotary speed from 0 to 80
RPM, and hole inclination from 70 to 90 degrees from
vertical. Water and 0.25 lbm/bbl Polyanionic Cellulose (PAC)
solutions (k = 0.0254 Pa.sn and n = 0.72) were used as drilling
fluids. Cuttings injection rate was maintained at approximately
30 ft/hr in terms of Rate Of Penetration (ROP).
Definitions of Experimental Variables
The above test matrix was designed to study the effects of
cuttings size, drill pipe rotation, fluid rheology, flow rate and
hole inclination on cuttings concentration, Cv, and equilibrium
bed height, H, in an annulus. Cv is defined as the true volume
of cuttings in the annular test section at steady state flow
conditions divided by the total volume of the annulus. A
steady state is reached when the mass rate of cuttings removed
out of the annulus equals the mass rate of cuttings injected to
the annulus, which means that there is no further cuttings
accumulation in the test section. H is defined as the average
SPE 104192
No pipe rotation
160
differential pressure
80
140
70
injection rate
120
60
100
50
collection rate
80
40
60
30
40
20
20
10
0
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Tim e (second)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
0
4500
180
SPE 104192
SPE 104192
Cv
d
dp
D
Fr
g
H
k
n
ppb
Rdp
V sl
(6)
and
Ta
(5)
The correlations of bed height for water and PAC solutions are
given by,
H
= 0.82 (1.24 0.44 Fr ) (1 + 1.782 10 4 Ta ) 0.326 Rdp 0.006 ,
D
References
H
= 5.1 (0.31 0.13Fr ) (1 + 4.513 103Ta ) 0.329 Rdp 0.089 ,
D
(7)
respectively.
A sample calculation of Cv is given in Appendix C.
Conclusions and Recommendations
1. In terms of cuttings concentration, smaller cuttings are
more difficult to transport than larger cuttings in a
horizontal annulus when tested with water. However,
smaller cuttings are easier to transport when 0.25 lbm/bbl
PAC solutions were used.
2. Pipe rotation and fluid rheology are key factors affecting
small cuttings transport. Improvement by pipe rotation in
the transport efficiency of small cuttings is up to twice as
large as the improvement in large cuttings transport.
Compared with water, PAC solutions significantly
improve smaller cuttings transport, while the transport of
larger cuttings is only slightly enhanced.
3. Hole angle has only minor effects on cuttings
concentration and bed height within the range of 70 to 90
degrees from vertical.
4. The three-layer model previously developed for larger
cuttings over predicts cuttings bed area up to 100% for
smaller cuttings. Correlations developed in this study
predict cuttings concentration and bed height for small
cuttings with errors mostly within 10% of the
experimental results.
5. Drill pipe rotation combined with polymeric drilling
fluids is highly recommended to efficiently transport
small cuttings during extended reach or horizontal
drilling.
Acknowledgements
Authors wish to thank all member companies of the Tulsa
University Drilling Research Projects (TUDRP) for their
financial and technical support throughout this study.
Nomenclature
b, b1-b4
= equation constants in Eq. 1
c, c1-c5
= equation constants in Eq. 5
1.
SPE 104192
40
12. Martins, A.L, Sa, C.H.M., Lourenco, A.M.F., and Campos, W.:
Optimizing Cuttings Circulation In Horizontal Well Drilling,
paper SPE 35341 presented at the 1996 International Petroleum
Conference and Exhibition of Mexico, Villahermosa, Mexico, 57 March.
13. Sifferman, T.R. and Becker T.E.: Hole Cleaning in Full-Scale
Inclined Wellbores, paper SPE 20422 presented at the 1990
SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New
Orleans, Louisiana, 23-26 September.
14. Doan, Q., Ali, S.M.F., Oguztoreli, M., and George, A.E.: Sand
Transport in a Horizontal Well: A Numerical Study, paper SPE
37568 presented at the 1997 International Thermal Operations
and Heavy Oil Symposium, Bakersfield, California, 10-12
February.
15. Walker, S. and Li, J.: The Effect of Particle Size, Fluid
Rheology and Pipe Eccentricity on Cuttings Transport, paper
SPE 60755 presented at the 2000 SPE/ICoTA Coiled Tubing
Roundtable, Huston, Texas, 5-6 April.
16. Qureshi, M.A.: Experimental Study on Effective Hole Cleaning
Using a Mechanical Cleaning Device, MS Thesis, U. of Tulsa,
Tulsa, Oklahoma (2004).
17. Ozbayoglu, M.E.: Cuttings Transport with Foam in Horizontal
and Highly-Inclined Wellbores, PhD Dissertation, U. of Tulsa,
Tulsa, Oklahoma (2002).
30
20
0.45 mm
10
1.4 mm
3.3 mm
0
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
40
1.4 mm, 70 deg
20
10
0
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Appendix A
Figures for Results and Discussion
40
40
30
20
0.45 mm
10
1.4 mm
20
10
3.3 mm
0
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
0
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
SPE 104192
40
40
30
1.4 mm, 200 gpm
1.4 mm, 300 gpm
20
10
30
20
0 RPM, w ater
10
0 RPM, PAC
40 RPM, w ater
40 RPM, PAC
0
0
40
80
120
0
150
160
200
350
400
450
40
40
300
30
Water, 200 gpm
Water, 300 gpm
20
0
0
40
80
120
30
20
Water
10
0
150
160
PAC
200
250
300
350
30
Water, 200 gpm
Water, 300 gpm
Water, 400 gpm
PAC, 200 gpm
10
0
0
40
80
120
450
40
20
400
250
160
Water, 0 rpm
Water, 40 rpm
Water, 80 rpm
PAC, 0 rpm
0.8
PAC, 40 rpm
PAC, 80 rpm
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
SPE 104192
40
Water, 0 rpm
Water, 40 rpm
Water, 80 rpm
PAC, 0 rpm
0.8
PAC, 40 rpm
PAC, 80 rpm
30
Predicted, %
0.6
0.4
20
10
0.2
0
150
0
200
250
300
350
400
450
10
20
30
40
Experimental, %
Fig. A-14
Predicted Cuttings Volumetric Concentration vs.
Experimental Data for Water.
40
0.8
Predicted, %
Abed / Aannu
30
0.6
Water, predicted
0.4
Water, measured
10
PAC, predicted
0.2
20
PAC, measured
0
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
10
Abed / Aannu
Vsl
0.8
Fr =
0.6
Rdp =
Water, predicted
Ta =
Water, measured
PAC, predicted
PAC, measured
0
150
40
Appendix B
Definitions of the Dimensionless Groups
The four dimensionless groups are defined as,
0.2
30
Experimental, %
0.4
20
200
250
300
350
400
450
g (D d )
dp
Dd
(B-1)
(B-2)
f ( d ) 2 n ( D d ) n
4k
(B-3)
SPE 104192
Appendix C
Given the following parameters, calculate Cv:
Hole inclination: 75 degrees
Hole diameter: D = 8 in.
Drill pipe ID: d = 4.5 in.
Drilling fluid density: f = 9 lbm/gal
Fluid behavior index: n = 0.8
Fluid consistency index: k = 0.1 lbf.sn/100ft2
Flow rate: Q = 350 gpm
Drill Pipe Rotational Speed : = 70 RPM
Cuttings median size: dp = 0.12 mm
Solution:
The given conditions are most close to the conditions for
Eq. 4, hence Eq. 4 will be used for Cv calculation.
(1) Convert the given units to SI units:
D = 0.2032 m
d
= 0.1143 m
f = 1078 kg/m3
k
= 0.048 Pa.sn
Q = 0.022 m3/s
dp = 0.00012 m
= 7.33 s-1
(2) Calculate superficial liquid velocity, Vsl:
V sl =
(D 2 d 2 )
0 . 022
2
0 . 1143 2 )
4
( 0 . 2032
(C-1)
= 0.99 (m / s )
(3) Calculate the dimensionless groups needed in Eq. 4 for
cuttings concentration:
Fr =
V sl
g (D d )
0 .99
9 .8 ( 0 .2032 0 .1143 )
= 1 . 06
=
Ta =
(C-2)
f ( d ) 2 n ( D d ) n
4k
75
180
= 1.31
(C-4)
(C-5)