PET 305

Fundamentals of Petroleum Operations

Drilling Engineering
Class hours: 11:00 11:50 on Sun-Tue-Thu
Class Room: EB1-110

Fall 2017
Dr. Nai-Shyong Yeh
 Petroleum Operations
Sub-Surface & Well:
Exploration
Drilling & Completion Engineering
Reservoir Fundamentals
Production technology

Surface & Processing:

Surface operations facilities
Exporting terminals
Petroleum refining processes
Gas treatment and operations
Petrochemicals processes
 PET 305
Introduction of Drilling Engineering
 Drilling Engineering
Drilling is the process of making
a hole/path or a well in the
earth for some purposes
The purposes are, for example:
Oil and gas production
Water production
Collect earth samples
Disposal of liquid wastes
Disposal of green house gas; e.g.,
CO2
 PET305
Drilling for Oil & Gas
Three Well Classifications
Exploratory wells
Appraisal Wells
Development Wells

Main Objectives of Exploration and Appraisal Wells

Confirm the existence of any hydrocarbon presence
Determine the extent of the field in terms of geological information
Identify likely problems and problem zones
Obtain data for reservoir characterization
Identify different types of hydrocarbon present
Provide data that help in estimating the reserves
Obtain production versus pressure relationships
 PET305: Drilling Engineering
Types of Wells:
Vertical Wells Horizontal / Deviated Wells Multilateral Wells
 Steps for Oil/Gas Wells Drilling
Reservoir identification Data collection and analysis:
Geologic
Geo-physical
Geo-Chemical
Resource evaluation Reservoir engineering
Hydrocarbon (HC) in-place
Reserves estimate
Recovery factor prediction
Lease the land and/or obtain concession
Obtain permits for exploration (e.g., drilling)
Prepare/develop Drilling and Completion (D&C) program
Select drilling contractors based on the drilling
program/plan (bid process)
 Step to Drill Oil/Gas Wells (contd)
Drilling preparation:
Prepare equipment, manpower, .. etc, and modify D&C
program if necessary
Construct road, location/platform, .. etc for site access
Gather all personnel concerned for meeting prior to
commencing the drilling (Pre-Spud meeting)
Drill well
(Drilling program is constantly reviewed and modified if
needed)
Drilling result review and evaluation
Well completion, install surface facilities & production
 Rotary Drilling
Rotary Drilling is used for almost all drilling done today
Uses a sharp, rotating drilling bit to dig down through
the Earth's crust
Drilling bit is turned by rotating the entire drilling
string (consists of drill pipe & drill collars)
The spinning of the drilling bit allows for penetration of
even the hardest rock.
A drilling fluid (mud) are circulated from surface down
the drilling string and the bit, and up through the
annual space between the hole and the drill string
A rotary drilling rig with some of its major components
at surface provides an integrated function
Major Components of Drilling Facilities
Drilling rig
Drilling bit
Drilling mud
Drilling string / pipe

What are the primary functions of

each component?
 Drilling Rigs
All rigs have the same basic components
Land rigs: main design features are portability and
maximum operating depth
Marine (or offshore) rigs: main design features are
portability and maximum water depth (WD) of operation.
Offshore Drilling: Semi Submersible
This floating drilling unit has columns when flooded with seawater, cause
the structure submerge to a predetermined depth
Although it is moved by wave action, it sits low with a large part of its
structure under water combined with huge mooring anchors, make it a
very stable installation
This type of rig drills a hole in the seabed then it moves to the next
location
With advancing technology some semi submersibles can drill in water
depths over five thousand feet
 Offshore Drilling Drilling Ship
As the name suggests this is a ship shaped drilling vessel
Unlike the semi submersible and the Jackup, it does not
require tugboats to tow it to location
Although they are not as stable as semi submersibles they
also drill in very deep waters
 Offshore Drilling Jack Up
This is a mobile drilling rig,
different from the semi
submersible or drilling ship
Instead of floating over its drilling
location, the Jackup has long leg
structures, which it lowers to and
into the seabed raising the rig out
of the water
The obvious limitation with this
type of installation is the depth of
water it can operate in
The maximum being five hundred
feet
 Offshore Drilling - Platform
This immobile structure can be built from concrete or steel and
rests on the seabed
When oil or gas is located a platform may be constructed to drill
further wells at that site and also to produce the hydrocarbon.

Guyed tower platform Concrete Gravity Platform

Drilling Rigs
Rotary Drilling: Onshore or Offshore Rigs
Main Drilling Rig Equipment Systems
Hoisting
Rotating
Circulating
Controlling
Prime mover (Power)
Well monitoring
 Hoisting System
Function:
The hoisting equipment on a rotary rig consists of
the tools used to raise and lower whatever other
equipment may go into or come out of the well.

Main Components:
The hoisting system is made up of the drawworks,
derrick, crown block, traveling block, hook and
wire rope

The most visible part of the hoisting equipment is

the derrick, the tall tower-like structure that
extends vertically from the well hole.
If a drill bit needs to be changed, either due to
tear or a change in the subsurface rock, the whole
string of pipe must be raised to the surface
The hoisting equipment is used to raise all of this
equipment to the surface so that the drill bit may
be replaced
 Rotating System
The rotating equipment consists
of components that actually serve
to rotate the drill string/bit
Rotating equipment from top to
bottom consists of swivel, a short
piece of pipe called the kelly,
rotary table/top drive, drill string
and bit
The drill bit is located at the
bottom end of the drillstring, and
is responsible for actually making
contact with the subsurface
layers, and drilling through them.
 Rotating System
Swivel: attached to the hoisting
equipment, carries the entire weight of
the drillstring, but allows it to rotate
freely
The swivel hangs from the drilling hook
and is not rotate, but allow everything
below it to rotate.
Kelly: transmits the rotation from the
rotary table to the drill string
Approximately 40 feet long, square or
hexagonal on the outside and hollow
throughout to provide a passage way for
the drilling fluid.
Rotary Table: transmits the rotation to
the drill string and suspends the pipe
weight during round trips
Gooseneck (aka hose, rotary hose,
kellyhose): flexible line used to connect
the standpipe to the swivel
 Circulating System
Main objectives of
circulating system:
Cooling and lubricating the
drill string and drilling bit
Controlling well pressure
Removing debris and
cuttings
Coating the walls of the
well with a mud cake
 Circulating System
The circulating system consists of drilling fluid,
which is circulated down through the well hole.
The most common liquid drilling fluid, known as
'mud', may contain clay, chemicals, weighting
materials, water and oil.
The circulating system consists of a starting point,
the mud pit, where the drilling fluid ingredients
are stored
Mixing takes place at the mud mixing hopper,
from which the fluid is forced through pumps up
to the swivel and down all the way through the
drill pipe, emerging through the drill bit itself.
From there, the drilling fluid circulates through
the bit, picking up debris and drill cuttings, to be
circulated back up the well, traveling between
the drill string and the walls of the well (also
called the 'annular space')
Once reaching the surface, the drilling fluid is
filtered to recover the reusable fluid.
 Circulating System
Mud Pumps, Mud Tanks and Return
Lines
Mud pump pumps drilling fluids
from the mud tanks up the
standpipe through the rotary
hose connected to the swivel via
the goose-neck
Fluid from the annulus returns
via the return line to the Shale
shaker, which removes the large
cuttings and the fluids pass
through the desanders, desilters
and degassers where other
smaller solids and gas bubbles
are stripped off before the mud
returns to the suction tank
 Controlling System
Blowout prevention system is used to shut-in the well in case of an
emergency condition
The Annular Preventers: these are made up of rubber elements that are
hydraulically squeezed around the drill-string in the hole during kicks
The Rams: These are made up of rubber-linen and steel elements, and are
used to shear any pipe in two, in case of final emergency to close the well
 Well Control
Drilling fluid provides the first line
of defense against blowouts
A hole full of mud that weighs the
right amount or proper density will
not blowout but sometimes the
unexpected occurs
The second line of defense against
blowout is Blowout Preventer
(BOP)
When closed, they form a
pressure-tight seal at the top of
the well and prevent the escape of
fluids
 Prime Movers (Power System)
The prime movers in a rotary drilling rig are those pieces of
equipment that provide the power to the entire rig
Most rig are powered electrically; diesel engines are used to
generate the electrical power to rotate and circulate systems
Some rotary rigs may use electricity directly from power lines.
Most rotary rigs these days require 1,000 to 3,000 horsepower,
while shallow drilling rigs may require as little as 500 horsepower.
 Monitoring System
The system monitor
Pressure
Liquid / gas
Temperature
Rate of drilling (ROD)

Control room for
continuously monitoring
the drilling activities
 Drilling String
The drillstring is made up of the drillpipe, drill
collars, and specialized subs through which the
drilling fluid and rotational power are
transmitted from the surface to the bit.
Drill pipe and drill collar come in sections, or
joints, about 30 feet long.
The most commonly used diameters of drill
pipe are 4, 4, and 5 inches OD.
The purpose of drill collars is to put extra
weight on he bit, so they are usually larger in
diameter than drill pipe and have thicker walls
Drill pipe and drill collars have threaded
connection on each end.
Specialized Subs: The word sub refers to any
short length of pipe, collar, casing, etc., with a
definite function
Made up of the drill pipes and bottom hole
assembly (BHA), which consists of: drill-collars,
crossover & shock subs, stabilizers, and
measurement while drilling (MWD)/logging
while drilling (LWD) tools
 Drilling Bit
Fixed Cutter:
Diamond bits drill hard formation (limestones) are expensive
and low rate of penetration (ROP)
ROP is a function of weight on bit, rotary speed and formation
strength
Diamond bits are forty to fifty times harder than traditional
steel bits
Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) bits drill soft
formations (sand stones, silt stones and shale)
Rolling Cone:
Tri-cone roller cutter uses three rotating cones with teeth to
drill
Usually have three cone-shaped steel devices that are free to
turn as the bit rotates
Several rows of teeth, or cutters, on each cone scrape, gouge,
or crush the formation as the teeth roll over it
Most roller cone bits are jet bits: drilling fluid exits from the
bit through nozzles between the cone, thus create high
velocity jets of mud. This will help lift cuttings away from the
bit
The bit size: range from 3 inches (9.5 cm) to 26 inches (66
cm) in diameters. The most commonly used sizes are 17,
12, 7 7/8, and 6 inches (44, 31, 20, and 16 cm)
 Drill Mud
Drilling fluid (mud) is circulated down
the drilling string, through the bit, and
up through the annual space between
the hole and the drill string

Major direct function of drilling fluid:

To remove debris and keep hole
free of cuttings
To exert sufficient hydrostatic
pressure on the formation
To prevent walls from caving
To cool & lubricate the drill string
To reduce friction between the
hole and the drill string
To help suspend the weight of the
drill string and casing
To deliver hydraulic energy to the
formation under the bit
 Drilling Fluid - Mud
One critical function of drilling fluid:
When formation pressure is more than hydrostatic
pressure, a kick occurs. An uncontrollable kick may
cause a catastrophic blowout - perhaps the worst
disaster during drilling operation.
The consequences of blowout are:
Loss of life.
Loss of drilling equipment (including the rig).
Loss of the well.
Loss of oil and gas reserves.
Damage to the environment
 Drilling Fluids
Continuous measurement of the following mud
properties are required
Mud density
Fluid loss
Solids content
pH: measure of the degree of acidity of solutions
Note: The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, 7 is neutral, values below 7
are acidic and above 7 are basic
There are three main types of drilling mud
Water base mud
Oil base mud
Synthetic
 Drilling Procedure
Drilling, Casing & Cementing:
First, surface pipe is set. A shallow hole
is drilled often several hundred feet
deep
A string of surface casing is inserted
into the hole and cemented in place.
The surface casing is 10 to 20 inches in
diameter, which allow the drill string
and bit to pass through it for deeper
drilling.
After surface casing has been set,
deeper drilling begins. A smaller bit is
run inside the surface casing and
continue drilling to the desired depth.
The same process is repeated for
intermediate and production casing.
 Casing & Cementing
Five Main Casing Strings Conductor Casing
or Stove Pipe
Surface Casing
Intermediate Casing
Production Casing or Production Liner
Main Reasons for Setting Casing
Prevent Unstable Formations From Caving In
Protect Weak Formations From Mud Weights
That May Cause These Zones To Break Down
Isolate Abnormal Pressure Zones and Seal Off
Any Lost Circulation Zones
Complete and Produce the Well Efficiently
Provide Structural Support for BOPs and
Wellheads
Protect Fresh Water Sands From Possible
Contamination By Drilling Fluid
Prevent Cross Flow Between Different
Formations
Primary cementing objectives are to isolate
the formation and the casing, and to
prevent any communication between
different reservoirs
 Directional Drilling
It is often difficult to place a
drilling rig directly over the
spot where a well should be
drilled.
This is particularly true
offshore, where a number of
wells must be drilled from the
same location.
Directional drilling is the
process of drilling a curved
well, in order to reach a target
that is not directly beneath
the drill site
 Drilling Problems
Commonly Occurring Drilling Problems : Abnormal
Pressure, which results in what is commonly known
as a kick or blowout
Stuck pipe
Lost circulation
Borehole instabilities
Mobile formation
Undergauge hole
Kicks and blowout
 Lost Circulation
Commonly Occurring Drilling Problems :
Lost circulation which primarily occurs while drilling in
unconsolidated or permeable formations, naturally
fractured and vugular formation, as well as induced
fractures and mechanical problems
 Kick and Blowout
Kick: An entry of formation fluids (gas, oil or water)
into the wellbore during drilling
Blowout: Uncontrolled flow of formation fluids (gas,
oil or water) from the wellbore
Kick and blowout can occur when hydrostatic
pressure of mud is lower than the formation pressure
Cause of Kick/Blowout
Drilling into high pressure zones (abnormal pressure)
Swabbing when coming out of the hole
Improper hole fill-up on trips
Lost circulation during drilling or cementing
 Pre-Drilling Well Planning
Major Areas Requiring Well Planning
Sizing and trajectory of the hole
Knowledge of formation/fracture pressure
Design of the optimum mud weight, type and
properties
Casing setting depths, casing design and cement
programs
Selecting drilling rig and rig equipment
Contingency planning against unknown
eventualities
 Drilling Team
Operating company drilling representatives
Drilling contractor
Drilling service company
Drilling supply company
 Drilling Engineer
Pre-drilling well planning
Drilling program
Drilling contracts / contractors
Drilling cost estimate
Logging program
Drilling mud program
Drilling supply
Collaborate with geologist, well loggings, other
engineering professionals
Drilling activities
Post-drilling evaluation
PET305: Fundamentals of Petroleum
Operations