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pipe rotation on transport mechanisms. It was observed that (PAC) solutions were used. Also, pipe rotation and rheology
turbulent flow and drillpipe rotation increased the cutting were the important parameters in smaller cutting
transport rate. transportation.
Tormen et. al.[2] performed a comprehensive study of Gravignet and Sobey[7] developed one of the first cuttings
steady state cutting transportation in inclined wells by means transport mechanistic/two layered models for non-Newtonian
of a flow loop. The study was conducted with a 5 inch 40 feet drilling fluids in an eccentric annulus. This model was based
long transparent section. He investigated numerous angles of on previous models in slurry transportation. They compared
inclination, flow rates, drillpipe rotations and pipe hole their model with the experimental results of Okranjni and
eccentricities. He identified visually the occurrence of cutting Azar[3]. They assumed that the model consisted to two distinct
or sliding beds based on various parameters. It was reported layers, a cuttings bed of compacted solids near the bottom of
that the major factors that should be considered in directional the pipe and clear mud above it. The saltation mechanism was
wells are fluid velocity, hole inclination, and mud and not included in the transport of the cutting bed i.e. the bed was
rheological properties. assumed to slide up the annulus and it didn’t take into account
Okranjni and Azar[3] studied specifically the effects of field pipe rotation. Their model estimated bed thickness as a
measured mud rheological properties like apparent viscosity, function of mud flow rate, ROP, inclination and annular
plastic viscosity, yield value and gel strength in inclined wells. geometry by relating the interfacial sheer stress to fluid and
Since different muds could have the same rheological bed velocities. The model suggested a minimum flow rate to
property, a ratio of yield point (YP) to plastic viscosity (PV) avoid formation of a cuttings bed and suggest a wall frictional
was additionally used to distinguish the muds. The study was factor of 0.2
done on the same flow loop as Tormen et. al. (1986) using 15 Pilehvari et. al.[8] carried out a review of cutting transport
different types of mud systems including water. They noted in horizontal wellbores. The advancement in cutting
that in the turbulent regime, the transport capacity of mud was transportation research is summarized and suggestions are
found to be independent of its rheological properties. The made for much more work on turbulent flows of non-
transport is affected most by momentum forces which are Newtonian fluids, effects of drillpipe rotation, comprehensive
mainly a function of mud density. Also in horizontal wells, it solid-liquid flow model and the development of a hole
was deduced that the turbulence would be a positive factor in cleaning monitoring system that receives all the available
the cleaning of the annulus while the rotation of the drillpipe relevant data in real time for quick analysis and determining
didn’t actually contribute to the cleaning of the bed, but it the borehole status.
inhibited the formation of the bed. They lastly provided some Kamp and Rivero[9] developed a two-layered model for
field guidelines for directional well drilling. near horizontal wellbores. It consisted of a stationary or
Sifferman and Becker[4] performed experiments using an 8 moving bed below a layer of heterogeneous cutting
inch 60 foot long flow loop. They studied the effects of suspension. It assumed that there was no significant slip
annular velocity, mud density, mud rheology, mud type, velocity difference between the particles and the mud. It took
cutting size, rate of penetration (ROP), drillpipe rotary speed, into account cuttings settling and resuspension, but not the
drillpipe eccentricity, drillpipe diameter, and hole angles (450 vertical motion of the particles in the liquid. This simplified
to 900 from the vertical). The experiment was split into three the model by assuming the liquid and cuttings had the same
phases to be able to conduct a statistical analysis of the drilling density hence not taking into account pressure and
parameters and validate the existence of interactions between temperature affects. The model predicted thickness of the
them. uniform bed as a function of mud flow rate, cuttings diameter,
Zhou[5] experimentally studied the cutting transport of mud viscosity, pipe eccentricity and other properties of the
particles using aerated muds. He conducted the experiments at flow. The results of the model were compared to a previous
elevated temperature and pressure conditions to try and correlation based model. This model over predicted carrying
resemble the downhole conditions in wellbores. All the capacity at a given flow rate. The closure terms in the model
experiments were conducted in a horizontal annulus. He were based on experimental results. The author suggested
determined the cutting transport ability of aerated muds. He possible improvements to the model including solving
also developed a mechanistic model to determine the separate momentum equations for the solids and mud in the
gas/liquid injection rates for the effective cutting transport. suspension layer.
This computational tool could calculate the pressure loss Cho et. al.[10] developed a three-segment hydraulic model
across the annulus under elevated pressure and temperature for cuttings transport in horizontal and deviated wells. The
conditions. The experiments also included trial runs using model considered the following layers: 1) a stationary bed of
water as the transportation fluid. cuttings in the low side of the borehole, 2) moving bed layer
Duan et. al.[6] concentrated on studying transport of smaller above the stationary bed and 3) a heterogeneous suspension
size cuttings ranging from 1.3 mm to 7 mm. The experiments layer at the top. They modeled three segments to deal with the
were conducted with an 8 inch 100 foot long field size flow well deviation: horizontal segment (60-90o deviation),
loop. Transport of smaller cuttings was studied with water and transient segment (30-60o deviation) and vertical segment (0-
polymeric fluids. From the experiments correlations were 30o deviation). For every segment they set up continuity
developed to predict annular cutting concentration and equations and momentum equations. They analyzed the
dimensional bed height. It was observed that smaller cuttings interface interaction using the correlations. They reported
were harder to transport in water as compared to larger ones, effects of annular velocity, fluid rheology, and angle of
however, easier to transport when polyacrylic co-polymer inclination on cuttings transport.
SPE 111208 3
cleaning efficiency was better for 8 mm particles. Increase in 13.1 % as the flow rate is increased from 260 gpm to 280 gpm.
pipe rotation speed improved the particle transport but this The cutting concentration is further reduced to 11.6 % as the
improvement was more significant for 3 mm particle sizes. flow rate is increased to 300 gpm. The cutting concentration
The runs conducted for a horizontal wellbore for the 75 for large particles (8mm) follow a similar trend with reduction
ft/hr penetration rate when the drill pipe was rotated at 0, 30 from 15.1 % to 10.3 % as the flow rate is increased from 260
and 60 rpm are given in Figures 5, 6 and 7 for 120, 150 and gpm to 280 gpm. The cutting concentration is further reduced
180 gpm circulation rates, respectively. As a result of increase to 8.9 % as the flow rate is increased to 300 gpm.
in cutting concentration with 75 ft/hr penetration rate, the
cleaning becomes more difficult and the difference between Conclusions
the behaviors of two particles diminishes. In this study, the effect of five parameters (cutting size,
Figures 8, 9 and 10 show the results for 120, 150 and 180 circulation rate, rate of penetration, hole inclination and drill
gpm circulation rates, respectively, when the drilling rate was pipe rotation) on hole cleaning were studied for horizontal (90
100 ft/hr under 0, 30 and 60 rpm pipe rotation speeds. At the degrees from vertical) and deviated wells (75 and 60 degrees
highest circulation rate (180 pgm) the efficiency of hole from vertical). The fluid flow and cutting transport were
cleaning was better for larger particles in all three penetration modeled using Computational Fluid Dynamics. Based on the
rates. results the following conclusions are presented:
Without drillpipe rotation, for 3 mm particle sizes at a 50 • The Eulerian Model in CFD program was used to
ft/hr ROP, the cuttings concentration drops from 12.9 % to simulate cuttings transportation in the annular section
10.5 % when the flow rate increases from 120 gpm to 150 of a well bore successfully.
gpm. The cutting concentration further drops to 9.6 % when • The hole cleaning was more efficient for larger
the flow rate is increased to 180 gpm. When the ROP is particles compared to smaller particles for the
increased to 75 ft/hr, the cutting concentration values observed circulation rates used in this study. We believe that
were 15.4 %, 12.2 % and 11.9 % for 120 gpm, 150 gpm and the drag forces for the larger particles were greater
180 gpm, respectively. At the 100 ft/hr ROP, when the than the gravitational forces and the opposite was
circulation rate was 120 gpm the cutting concentration was true for the smaller particles.
19.4 %, gradually dropping to 17.5 % and then to 16.0 % as • Increase in flow rate has a more pronounced cleaning
the flow rate is increased to 150 pgm and then to 180 gpm, effect for smaller particles compared to larger
respectively. particles for a horizontal wellbore.
When the particle size was 8 mm in the horizontal section, • Drillpipe rotation improved hole cleaning only
the cutting concentration in the annulus section dropped from marginally for all cutting sizes but the effect is more
8.8 % to 6.0 % as the flow rate increased from 120 gpm to 180 pronounced for smaller particles.
gpm at 50 ft/hr ROP and zero pipe rotation speed. At 75 ft/hr • Wellbore deviation has a major impact in particle
ROP, the cutting concentration is reduced from 14.8 % to 11.8 transport and hole cleaning becomes more difficult as
% and then to 10.6 % as the flow rate is increased from 120 the angle increases.
gpm to 150 gpm and then to 180 gpm. Similarly, for a drilling
rate of 100 ft/hr, the cutting concentration is reduced from References
17.5 % to 14.6 % as the flow rate is increased from 120 gpm 1. Zeidler, H.U.: “An Experimental Analysis of the Transport of
to 150 gpm. The cutting concentration is further reduced to Drilled Particles”, paper SPE 3064 presented at the SPE-AIME
11.9 % as the flow rate is increased to 180 gpm. The tendency 45th Annual Fall Meeting, Houston, Texas, 4-7 October 1970.
is that the increase in flow rate helps to reduce the cuttings 2. Tormen, P.H., Iyoho, A.W., and Azar, J.J.: “An Experimental
concentration in the annulus in horizontal wells for both Study of Cuttings Transport in Directional Wells”, SPE Drilling
particles sizes at all ROP values. Engineering (February 1986) 43.
Figure 11 compares the results for maximum cutting 3. Okranjni, S.S. and Azar, J.J.: “The Effects of Mud Rheology on
Annular Hole Cleaning in Directional Wells”, SPE Drilling
concentration for 3 mm and 8 mm particles in horizontal (90 Engineering (August 1986) 297.
degrees) and deviated (75 degrees) wellbores. The cleaning 4. Sifferman, T.R. and Becker, T.E.: “Hole Cleaning in Full-Scale
efficiency drops approximately by a factor of two when the Inclined Wellbores”, SPE Drilling Engineering, (June 1992)
hole angle changes from horizontal (90 degrees) to 75 degrees. 115.
Results for maximum cutting concentration are given in 5. Zhou, L.: “Cutting Transport with Aerated Mud in Horizontal
Figure 12 for 3 mm and 8 mm particles for a deviated well (75 Annulus Under Elevated Pressure and Temperature Conditions”,
degrees) under three different circulation rates and 50 ft/hr Ph D. Thesis, University of Tulsa, 2004.
penetration rate. For wellbores with 75 degree of deviation 6. Duan, M., Miska. S., Yu, M., Takach, N., and Ahmed, R.:
from vertical, cleaning was facilitated using flow rates ranging “Transport of Small Cuttings in Extended Reach Drilling”,
paper SPE 104192 presented at the 2006 International Oil & Gas
from 180 gpm to 220 gpm. Conference and Exhibition, Beijing, China, December 5-7.
Figure 13 compares the results for a deviated well (60 7. Gravignet, A.A., and Sobey, I.J.: “Model Aids Cuttings Transport
degrees) with 260, 280 and 300 gpm circulation rates when 3 Prediction”, paper SPE 15417 presented at the 1986 61st Annual
mm and 8 mm particle sizes were used. At a lower angle of Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, L.A.,
deviation (60 degrees), an even higher flow rate range (260 October 5-8.
gpm to 300 gpm) was required to help clean the cuttings in the 8. Pilehvari, A.A., Azar, J.J. and Shirazi, S.A.: “State-of-the-Art
annulus. For a drilling rate of 50 ft/hr, the cutting Cuttings Transport in Horizontal Wellbores”, SPE Drilling &
concentration for small particles is reduced from 17.0 % to Completion (September 1999) 14(3).
SPE 111208 5
12.0
Petroleum Engineering Conference, Caracas, Venezuela, April
0
9.
Hydraulic Model for Cuttings Transport in Horizontal and
8
8
8.
8.0 8.
Deviated Wells”, paper SPE 63269 presented at the 2000 SPE
9
7.
Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, Texas, 6.0
October 1-4.
4.0
11. Doan, Q.T., Oguztoreli, M., Masuda, Y., Yonezawa, T.,
Kobayashi A., Naganawa, S., and Kamp, A.: “Modeling of 2.0
Transient Cuttings Transport in Underbalanced Drilling (UBD”,
SPE Journal (June 2003) 160. 0.0
.5
10
27. 10.0
9
9.
15. Yusuf, A.A.: “The Study of Down-hole Hydro-Cyclone
8.0
Efficiency in Oil Wells Using Computational Fluid Dynamics”,
M.S Thesis, West Virginia University, 2006.
4
5
7.
6.
6.0
2
16. Fluent 6.2. Fluent Inc., Lebanon, NH.
6.
8
5.
4.0
2.0
0.04
0.0
0
30
60
Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm
0.03 Measured Predicted
Pressure Drop, psi/ft
01
01
0.
01
0.
0.
0.01 14.0
3 mm 8 mm
12.0
0.00
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
80 10.0
6
9.
120
Flow Rates, gpm
7
8.
8.0
5
6.
4.0
5.
2.0
0.0
0
30
60
Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm
16.0 20.0
.4 .4
15 19
3 mm 8 mm
.8
3 mm 8 mm
14
18.0 .2
18
.4
14.0
.0
17
.4
14
17
.1 .1
17
.0
13 16.0
17
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
.3
12
14.0
10.0
12.0
8.0 10.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
4.0
4.0
2.0
2.0
0.0 0.0
0 0
30 30
60 60
Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm
Figure 5. Effect of cutting size and drill pipe rotation on cutting Figure 8. Effect of cutting size and drill pipe rotation on cutting
transport (Penetration rate = 75 ft/hr, Circulation Rate = 120 gpm). transport (Penetration rate = 100 ft/hr, Circulation Rate = 120
gpm).
16.0
3 mm 8 mm 20.0
14.0 3 mm 8 mm
18.0 .5
.2 17
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
12.0 12
.8
16.0
11
.5 .8
11 15
11
.7
14
.7 14.0 .9
10.0
10 14
.1
14
.2
10
.3
12.0
13
8.0
10.0
6.0
8.0
4.0
6.0
2.0 4.0
2.0
0.0
0 0.0
30
60 0
Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm 30
60
Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm
Figure 6. Effect of cutting size and drill pipe rotation on cutting
transport (Penetration rate = 75 ft/hr, Circulation Rate = 150 gpm). Figure 9. Effect of cutting size and drill pipe rotation on cutting
transport (Penetration rate = 100 ft/hr, Circulation Rate = 150
gpm).
16.0
3 mm 8 mm
14.0 20.0
3 mm 8 mm
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
12.0 .9 18.0
11
.0
.6
16.0 16
10
.3
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
10.0 10
8
9.
5
14.0 .2
9.
14
9.
8.0 .4
13
.0
12.0
12
.5
11
6.0
.5
11
10.0
4.0 8.0
6.0
2.0
4.0
0.0
2.0
0
30
60 0.0
Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm
0
30
Figure 7. Effect of cutting size and drill pipe rotation on cutting Pipe Rotation Speed, rpm
60
20.0
3 mm 8 mm
.6
18.0 18
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
16.0
.7
14.0
14
12.0
6
10.0 9.
8.0 0
6.0
6.
4.0
2.0
0.0
90
75
Hole Angle, degrees
20.0
.6 3 mm 8 mm
18.0 18
16.0
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
.6
15
.7
14
14.0
.9
13
12.0
.7
11
10.0
.3
10
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
180
200
Circulation Rate, gpm 220
20.0
3 mm 8 mm
18.0
.0
17
16.0
Maximum Cutting Concetration, %
.1
15
14.0
.1
13
12.0
.6
10.0 11
.3
10
8.0
9
8.
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
260
280
Circulation Rate, gpm 300