YOUNG TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE

Reelwell Drilling Method Makes

Use of Dual-Conduit Drillstring
The Reelwell drilling method (RDM) is
a drilling solution using a unique flow
arrangement. RDM employs drillpipe
where an inner string is installed to
form a dual-conduit drillstring. This
allows the fluid and cutting from the
bottom of the well to return to the surface through the in ide of the drillstring. RDM enables improved hole
cleaning, reduced pos ibility for washouts, and improved downhole pre sure
control. RDM has unique features for
managed-pressure drilling (MPD) and
extended-reach drilling (ERD). A special feature ofRDM is that it allows MPD
and underbalanced operation (UBO)
to be performed with a heavy fluid in
the well annulus by means of the Reelwell multigradient system. Thi implies
that MPD and UBO can be performed
with two well barriers and, thus, improved afety.
RDM started it development in
2004 and ha been through several fullscale tests. In 2009, the system was used
for the fir t time for directional drilling
with MPD in a land well in Norway. In
2010, RDM was used for the first time
in a live shale gas well in Canada. These
operations have validated RDM and its
feature and are important teps proving
its potential.

Arrangements and
Rig Description
Fig. 1 presents a schematic of the system. The system is based on a dual-channel drillstring, where one flow path is
used to convey the drilling fluid into the
well down to the bit and the other channel is used for the return fluid from the
bottom of the well. This arrangement
implies a modification of the drilling
fluid flow arrangement.

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The following special tools and

arrangements are used.
Dual Drillstring (DDS). The DDS can be
manufactured in various sizes; the current size used consists of 65/s-in. drillpipe adapted with 3.5-in. inner pipe that
has been fitted with stab-in innerstring
connectors. The DDS is handled on the
rig floor as conventional drill pipe.
Topdrive Adapter (TDA). A dual-conduit
wive! connects the rig's topdrive unit to
the dual drill tring and enables rotation
of the drill tring by the top drive. The
TDA is connected to the sutface flow control unit through an additional eparate
stand pipe and mud hose.
Flow Control Unit (FCU). The FCU is
a control valve arrangement equipped
with pressure and flow sensors and permits accurate control of the in/out flow
in the RDM sy tern. The control unit
connects to all the flow paths of the system, as shown in Fig. 1.
Dual-Float Valve (DFV). The DFV is a
device located at the bottom of the DDS.
The DFV includes a flow cross-over from
the well annulus into the return channel of the DDS. The DFV incorporates
valves that i alate the drill tring from
the well during connections. In the failsafe default po ition, the DFV clo es
both channel of the DDS. A conventional BHA is made up below the DFV.
Piston. The piston is an optional tool
inserted into the drillstring that can prevent loss of the fluid from the well annulus and provide a downhole hydraulic
force to the drillstring. The piston is
designed to slide inside casing. It allows

drillpipe rotation and can isolate the well

annulus outside the dual drillstring. The
pi ton is arranged to allow bypass flow
upward in the well annulus but allow
the pressurization of the well annulus
between the sliding piston and the rotary control device (RCD) to generate additional weight on bit when required.

Drilling Rig Adaptations

The following rig adaptations are
required for RDM operations:
t A second stand pipe and corresponding hose must be added for
the return flow from the TDA.
t The TDA must be fitted with an
antirotation device connected to
the topdrive.
t The FCU mu t be positioned at a
suitable place and connected for
remote operation from a console
in the driller's cabin.
t An RCD must be installed on the
top of the blowout preventer to
ensure that backpre ure can
be maintained in the well while
rotating the drillpipe.
The RDM can be used in combination with a conventional bottomhole
as embly (BHA) attached below the DFV.
The BHA should be adapted for reduced
flow when u ing the RDM. This includes
the downhole motor, MWD mud pulser,
and drill-bit nozzles.

Installation and Operation

After implementing the rig adaptation ,
pressure testing is required before start.
All personnel involved in the operation
need up-front training on the special procedure and drilling practices, with special attention to well-control procedures
and contingency scenarios. The dual
drillpipe are handled in the same man-

JPT AUGUST 2012

Topdrive

fi? ....._.......

Topdrive adapter (TDA)

Dual drillstring (DDS)

Mud supply

fi?

Mud return

Rotary control device (RCD)

Blowout preventer (BOP)

Piston --@-
Dual-float valve 'i?-

Fig. 1-Schematic of the equipment arrangement for the ROM.

ner as conventional drillpipe; however,
special attention and inspection must be
performed on the inner pipe joints and
the inner pipe sealing.
The ROM system can be used after
installing and cementing the surface
casing. The 65/o-in. DDS can enter hole
sizes of 8.5 in. and larger. Smaller hole
sizes can be drilled with a tapered string
arrangement. The smallest piston size
for the current arrangement is for 95/o-in.
casing. The ystem has proven capable
of drilling and building up to g/30 m for
8%-in. hole.
It is possible to quickly switch from
RDM to conventional drilling by removing the TDA and DFV from the DDS. In this
ca e, the valves at the FCU are arranged
for conventional circulation. The DDS can
also be used for conventional drilling,
pumping down both channels, and taking the returns through the well annulus.

Multigradient System
After tripping in and before drilling a
new section, the RDM allows the circu-

JPT AUGUST 2012

lation of an active drilling fluid with different fluid propetties, compared with
the passive drilling fluid in the well annulus, which is not in the active circulation
path. Thus, it allows use of a heavy fluid
in the well annulus and a light active fluid
circulated inside the drillstring. In the
latter case, the piston can be used as a
fluid partition unit to prevent the two fluid from mixing. The annular well fluid
can be the same fluid as is inside the well
when tripping in, or it may be di placed
into the well annulus before drilling. The
fluid in the well annulus can be replaced
by pumping the fluid down the DDS and
opening for the return through the well
annulus, rather than through the return
conduit of the DDS.

Results
The full-scale drilling trials have shown
RDM to be efficient, providing comparable rate-of-penetration values to conventional drilling. Efficient hole cleaning was
seen as large concentration of cutting
arrived at the shale hakers shortly afte r

drilling startup. The transport time for

the cuttings from the bottom of the well
to the surface was recorded as approximately 5 min/km measured depth.
The results also indicate larger cuttings size distribution compared with
conventional drilling. The reason for this
seem to be because the cuttings travel
quickly to the surface and avoid being
milled into smaller particles between the
rotating drill pipe and the borehole wall.
Operations have mainly been performed with the same fluid in the well
annulus as inside the drillstring; however, a heavier drilling fluid was used in the
well annulus in one trial run. A significantly reduced well annulus surface presure below the RCD was then ob erved
during the MPD operation.
Experience from the operations performed to date ha resulted in improvements and optimization of the tool's performance and reliability. The equipment
has been through a design revision and
testing, and plans exi t for it to be used
in operations soon. J PT

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