Expandable Tubulars for Ultradeepwater Drilling - Leading The Way.

SPE GCS Drilling Study Group 11th April 2001

Paul Goodfellow Shell Exploration & Production Co.

Expandable Tubulars for Ultradeepwater Drilling Ultradeepwater Challenges Technology Options/Selection Development and testing Open Hole Liner System Details Initial Applications and results Future Applications

Shell Deepwater - A Global Perspective

Ormen Lange Egypt WoS Malampaya Morocco Malaysia Gulf of Mexico (SEPCo) Bonga Trinidad/ Surinam Brazil Oman

Canada

Gabon Congo Angola

SEPCos Challenge
Ultradeepwater Gulf of Mexico How to design wells for low drilling margin conditions (large number of Casing strings)? How to deliver these wells in a cost effective way? Wells have failed to reach objective depth due to insufficient number of casing strings to accommodate the pore pressure profile. How to trial new technologies in this high cost environment.
Ultra-Deepwater GOM Pore Pressure and Fracture Pressure
EMW (PPG)
7,000 8,000 FPG 9,000 10,000 11,000 12,000 13,000 D e p t h 14,000 15,000 11-3/4" Expected PPG Casing 20" 18" 16" 16 SET 13-3/8" 26" 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

(ft, 16,000 TVD) 17,000 18,000 19,000 20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000

9-5/8"

EGT00163

TD

Technology Options (1997)

Technology Option A) Increased BOP/Riser/wellhead Size B) Dual Gradient Drilling Technology C) Expandable Tubular Technology D) Large Bore 18 3/4 Wellhead system Comment/Assessments A) Larger Rig; Larger equipment; riser dynamics B) Probably the best technical solution - high risk & long lead time C) Moderate technical risk (lab & small length testing only); High value if successful D) Low technical risk; ability to gain one string of casing vs. a typical well plan

Technology Selection Large bore wellhead system and 18 casing development (Low risk and fairly quick) Expandable tubular technology - this was viewed as an enabling technology with the potential to add significant value in the long-term but required a longer development time frame. The key question is. Where do you trial such technology..

Expandable Casing Size Selection

Constraints
Use traditional casing sizes in a typical well plan (including large bore wellhead system) Run a conventional API size casing after using an expandable casing string 7 1/2 hole at TD

Size selection
Previous Casing 16 84 #/ft 11 60 #/ft 9 5/8 53.5 #/ft Expanadable Tubular 13 3/8 XPD 9 5/8 XPD 7 5/8 XPD Next casing 13 3/8 9 5/8 7 hole

Expandable Technology Development

Questions/decisions at the Design Phase Expansion Process (top down vs. bottom up) Pipe Material (API grades vs. special alloys) Connection Development (expandable flush connection vs. welding) Mandrel Design/Lubrication Cementing Techniques, casing accessories (conventional cement and float equipment vs. new material) Rig friendly equipment and procedures

Expandable Tubular Fundamentals

Engineering Principle Cold Work steel downhole Deform material by increasing stress to the plastic deformation region without exceeding ultimate strength (failure)
EGT00147

Expandable Tubular Fundamentals

Bottom-up Expansion Expansion Mandrel housed in extrnal upset thin-walled launcher shoe After dart latches in shoe, pressure chamber is created Pipe is expanded radially via a combination of hydraulic and tensile forces.

Installation Sequence for Open Hole Liner

Drill Hole

Run Expandable Liner

Condition mud, cement liner

Latch plug

Expand Liner

Expand Hanger Jt

Exit Hanger Joint

Mill Out Shoe

13 3/8 x 16 system testing

Gasmer Test Well (1998)
Proof of concept for 13 3/8 casing expansion 128 of 13 3/8 J55 successfully expanded and sealed.
Workstring with Exp. Cone on Bottom

2 Onshore tests SEPCo South Texas

Raul Tijerina #1 (1999).~ 600 13 3/8 LSX 80 Successful test of tools, procedures, cement successful expansion and pressure test Thomas Rife #13 (2000). 2016 of 13 3/8 LSX 80 Successful expansion Pipe collapsed near bottom due to exit velocity of the pig!

Liner-Hanger Joint With Elastomeric Coating

Post-Expansion 13-3/8 16-in. Expandable OHL (1,930 ft)

16-in. Casing (455 FT) Pre-Expansion 13-3/8 16-in. Expandable OHL (2,016 ft)

Launcher Subassembly

17-1/2-in. Hole

EGT00164

TD = 2,300 ft

Additional Testing
McAllen Ranch 106
6 x 7 5/8 Up to 6000 psi differential pressure conditions 785 pre-expanded length pipe stuck after running to bottom expanded 482, lost pressure pipe failure due to stuck - stuck conditions Learning's/Actions Additional Testing of stuck-stuck mechanism Re-design pig/stabilization Lead to real world understanding of load conditions not anticipated by theory (loads due to differential sticking and collapse load at pop out).

Initial Offshore Applications

Chevron WC 17 (7 5/8 x 9 5/8)
985 pre-expanded length Successful run & expansion to case of pressured formation prior to reducing mud weight Squeeze of casing shoe required

Vastar MC (7 5/8 x 9 7/8)

2095 pre-expanded length expanded 1193 & lost pressure. Mechanically expanded 33 - parted liner Failure due to connection design

Subsequent 6 OH applications by Enventure have all been for SEPCo (3 offshore and 3 on land)

AC 557 Well - 2000

Two Expandable Liners in the base well plan, others available for contingencies if required.

(1) 13 3/8 x 16
1186 (pre-expansion) liner Initial dart did not bump 2nd dart bumped (2nd dart covered rupture disk - could not expand) Release inner string & RIH with jars. Jar on pipe while WO coil tubing equipment to drill out top dart. Rupture disk sheared. Expanded casing & tested Drill shoetrack w/mill & squeezed casing shoe

(2) 9 5/8 x 11 3/4

1521 (pre-expansion) liner plug bumped early drilled out shoe track w/mill. Low LOT. Squeezed shoe No major problems

There is no mystery with Expandables .

Gasmere test (1998)

First SET run on AC557

Conclusions from AC 557

Utilization of expandable tubulars allowed the well to be drilled through the primary objectives. Success of these applications provides confidence that expandable tubular technology can be applied on wider scale for ultrdeepwater applications Expandable Technology evolved from a concept to field utilization in 3 yrs. Lab Tests and initial Test Well Program were key in understanding the technology and enhancing the system design - learn from the failures in a low cost environment. Successful Application on Ultradeepwater Well (2 expandable casings in one well). Now a standard feature in the engineers tool box. 13 3/8 & 9 5/8 SET sizes have value for Ultradeepwater applications with current 18 3/4 BOP systems

Where is SEPCo going with Expandable Technology...

Standard Clad / Re-Entry Slender MonoDiameter

Current

Future

An enabling technology for ultradeepwater wells. We have already started to slenderize our wells. Nested expandables leading to the monodiameter well and the use of compact rigs for deepwater/deep wells is not that far in the future.

Where is SEPCo going with Expandable Technology...

Conventional Casing Design
Requires: 5th Generation Semi or Drill Ship Special Manufactured Wellhead

Casing Design with Nested Expandables

Requires: Enhanced 2nd Generation Semi Station Keeping

Casing Design of True Monobore

21 in Riser 30 in Structure Pipe

18-3/4 in BOP

16 in Riser 30 in Structure Pipe

13-5/8 in BOP

12 in Riser
30 in Structure Pipe

10 in BOP

20 in

13-3/8 in

9-5/8 in

16 in

Expanded Solution #1

13.375 in

9-5/8 in

11.750 in

Expanded Solution #2
9-5/8 in

This technology when linked with other technologies such as dual gradient drilling and advanced synthetic preset mooring systems can radically change the cost structure for ultradeep water exploration and development.

9.6250 in

Expanded Solution #3

9-5/8 in

TD

TD

TD

EGT00189

7.625 or 7.0 in

AC 557 Well Benefits

Conventional Casing Plan Casing Plan with New Technology 22 18 16 13 3/8 SET 13 3/8 11 3/4 9 5/8 SET 8 5/8 7 7/8 Hole at TD

Utilization of expandable tubulars allowed well to be drilled through the primary objectives New technology allowed three additional strings of casing to be installed vs. a conventional well plan

20 16 13 3/8 11 3/4 9 5/8 7 5/8 6 3/4 Hole @ TD Objectives not reached