Drilling hole

The Drilling of an oil and gas well in, exact point on the earth, come after using different
methods of exploration. The evaluation of all methods results assure for presence of those
substances. According to the area of exploration and depth of reservoir the selection of rig type
and the contracts with services companies take place. Rig move to location start then spot
equipment or rig up the rig in site begin. When the rig up of the rig complete, perform the rig
acceptance and spud the well to execute the drilling program for the well.

The drilling program to build or drill the well will take consideration to meet with all legislative
and government requirements in addition to internal company requirements and safety policies.

Excavation of well is to drill vertical or horizontal hole from surface to the carbohydrate
reservoir, which may lay a few miles from surface. The drilling or building of the well will take a
telescopic shape consist of three, four, or more stages or intervals according to the type of the
well or problems encounter during drilling.

These stages will be conductor, surface, intermediate 1, 2, Itc, and production. Each stage has its
function and necessity to reach to production zone.

The first stage in drilling operation is to drive a large diameter of pipe 36 -28”, called casing or
the conductor, to length between 10 to 30 m below ground level decrease or increase according
to type of formation, using a truck mounted pile-driver.

The rig can brought to set up over the conductor or dill hole and run the conductor. The purpose
of this conductor is to prevent unconsolidated surface formation from collapsing whilst drilling
deeper.

The surface section drilling will use drill bit with diameter less than the inside diameter of the
conductor 26-22”. The length of this section may reach to 700 m and will drill through
unconsolidated formation near surface.

Whilst drilling this section and other section drilling fluid “mud” is circulated down the drillpipe,
across the face of drill bit, and up the annulus between the drill pipe and the bore hole, Carrying
the drilled cuttings from the face of the bit to surface.

Mud or drilling fluid is a critical component in the drilling process and those fluids must be
carefully selected and/or designed.

At the surface the cutting are removed from the mud before it is circulated back down the drill
pipe, to collect more cuttings.

When reach the desired depth, the drill string is pulled out and surface casing is run into the
hole. The diameter of this casing may be 20” or 13 3/8”. The surface casing run and cemented
then install blow out preventer BOP which must be placed and tested before drilling next
sections to control formation pressures.

Drill the next section which may be intermediate or production section, according to the
problem facing the drilling. Sometimes problem come during drilling which inforce to change
the drilling program and adding a section or run liner, casing with small diameter hang from the
tail of last casing.

When drilling production zone, more consideration must take place to prevent damage to pay
zone. Suitable drilling mud must be used to drill a usable hole, minimize formation permeability
damage, and control washout.

When drill production section finish, logging of well is run. According to the logging a program
for complete the well is prepared. Run production casing, 9 5/8” or 7”OD, and cemented it.

A string of pipe, known as tubing (4 ½” or 5 ½” OD), through which the hydrocarbons will flow is
run inside the production casing string. The annulus between the production casing and
production tubing is sealed off by a device known as a packer.

The BOP is then removed and a set of valves (Christmas tree) is installed on the top of wellhead.
The Christmas tree is used to control the flow of oil once it reaches the surface.

To initiate production, the production casing is perforated by explosive charges run down the
tubing on wireline and positioned adjacent the pay zone.

Holes are then shot through the casing and cement into the formation, the hydrocarbon flow
into the wellbore and up the tubing to the surface.

Now the well is producing commercially and hydrocarbon flow naturally from the well to the
surface. With time the production decrease or not come to surface due to formation depletion
or other production problems. In this case a workover for the well is needed. The workover
could be pumping acid to clean tubular and formation, run electric submersible pump ESP,
perforate another zone, isolate or remedial cement job, etc.