Lesson 38

Introduction to
Underbalanced
Drilling Technology
Wellsite UBD Equipment

Nitrogen
UB operators Geology

Separator

Rotating Head
Camp

Mud Treatment
 UB DRILLING - JOBS

1997 Underbalanced Drilling Jobs

Geographic Distribution

Canada

M iddle East
US Europe
South America
Far East

1998 Spears & Assoc.

Underbalanced Drilling in the United States

16,000
LOW
14,000
HIGH
12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0
95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05
YEAR
 UBD Definition

Formation Pressure is
equal to or greater than
Circulating Pressure
 UBD - Types
Normally Pressured Reservoirs
Applications for normal to above normal
pressured reservoirs utilizing fluid systems
in a controlled flow drilling technique.

Depleted Reservoirs
Where a multi-phase circulating fluid is
necessary to achieve required Bottom Hole
Circulating Pressure (BHCP) - underbalanced
or with minimal overbalance.
Barriers to UB Drilling
REGULATORY BARRIERS
to
UnderBalance Drilling

Theregulators
need assurance
and details
 BARRIERS TO UB D&C

Regulatory
Lack of Standards
Lack of knowledge
Little statistical history
Concern about well control
Environmental questions
 OPERATORS BARRIERS

TheOperator
needs
experience and
confidence.
 OPERATORS PROBLEMS

Unfamiliar with the system

risk of the new
Lackof experienced people
Economics - Too expensive
Concern- liability
Concern- well bore stability
REASONS FOR UB GROWTH

Thereare
driving
economic
reasons
 UBD Forecast by Region
US
UBD Forecast by Region Can
Eur
1,200
SoAm
ME/Afr
1,000
FE

800
Wells

600

400

200

-
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

1998 Spears & Assoc.

 REASONS FOR UB GROWTH

Depleted reservoirs
Awareness of skin damage
Limits of lost circulation matl.
Cost of differential sticking
 REASONS FOR UB GROWTH

Service co. competition

Trade journal publications
Horizontal drilling
Consultants available
 TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS

We were not
ready to put all
of this together
until the 1990s
 TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS

Compressor Evolution
Hammer drills
Nitrogen
Increased availability
Reduced cost
On site generation
 TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS

Recyclable foam systems

Better gas separators
Closed loop circulation
Hydraulics models
Improved rotating heads
Wire line wet connect
 TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS

Improved MWD
Rig assist snubbing units
Coiled tubing equipment
Non-damaging drilling fluids
Top drive
Reasons for UB drilling

Lost circulation
Reasons for UB drilling

Lost circulation
Faster Drilling
Reasons for UB drilling

Lost circulation
Faster Drilling
No Differential
Sticking
Reasons for UB drilling

...
Reduce
Reservoir
Damage
Reasons for UB drilling

...
Reduce
Reservoir
Damage
Improve Prod.
Evaluation
 Effect of Skin on Production Rates
BOPD

1,000

800

600

400

200

0
-3 -2 -1 0 5 10 15
SKIN
 Physical Limitation to UBD
Borehole Instability
Unconsolidated Sands
Weak Formations
Geopressured Shales
Salt Beds
Inadequate Casing

UBD is another tool in the toolbox,

not a Panacea.
Production Limits to UBD

Permeabilityis
so low the zone
needs to be
fracked

Zones must be
isolated
 Types of Flow Regimes

AERATED
LIQUID FOAM MIST GAS
LIQUID
 Generalized
Fluid Systems
 Equipment - Rotating Head

Shaffer Rotating Blow-Out Preventor

2,500 psi rotating - 5,000 psi static
 Closed Loop Circulation
System
FLARESTACK

SEPARATOR

SAMPLE
CATCHERS
OIL TOP
TANKS DRIVE
NITROGEN SYSTEM
PUMPERS CHOKE
MANIFOLD
R-BOP
WATER
TANKS

RIG RETURN
CUTTING
MUD
TANKS RIG
PUMPS
N2 / FLUID
MIX
 Equipment - Gas Source

Stainless Steel
Carbon Steel

Vaporizer
Liquid Nitrogen Pump
(-320OF) Gaseous nitrogen
to well
80OF, 0-10,000
psi

6.11.3
AIR DRILLING

A brief summary
 Air Drilling

Air/Gas drilling (dust) is a technique used in

areas where the formations are Dry i.e., there
is no influx of water or liquid hydrocarbons.
This medium requires significant compressed
gas volumes to clean the well with average
velocities of over 3,000 ft per minute.
Air Drilling Dusting
 Air Drilling Benefits

Increased Rate of Penetration

Reduced Formation Damage
Improved Bit Performance
Lost Circulation Control
Continuous Drill Stem Test
Air/Dust Drilling Layout
 Misting

Addition of 6 to 30 bbl/hr of
fluid to the air stream.
Cleans and lubricates the bit
Carries the cuttings to the
surface as a mist or more
normally in a modified two
phase flow.
 FOAM DRILLING

Basic Comments

TT96-86 39
 Foam Drilling
The most versatile of the gas-generated
systems.
Effective operating range from 0.2 to 0.6 s.g.
Mixture of gas phase and foaming solution.
Foam flow varies with depth in the hole.
Adjustable effective BHP.
Enhanced lifting and well bore cleaning.
A displacing medium, not a propelling
medium.
Foam (Heading)
Improved Hole Cleaning
 Foam Drilling Benefits

Faster Penetration rate

Low Air requirements
Low fluid requirements
Low Hydrostatic head
No damage to formation
Continuous Drill Stem test
Best for large holes
Mist or Foam Drilling Layout
GASEATED
OR
AERATED
DRILLING
 Mist

Water Transition

Gas Gaseated
 Aerated Fluid

Gasification of Primary Drilling Fluid.

Initially designed as a technique to lighten
mud to reduce lost circulation.
Methods
Standpipe injection
Jet Sub
Parasite String
Dual Casing String
As an UB fluid, it is easiest to control in small
holes.
 Parasite String

Small injection string run simultaneously

with intermediate casing.
Injected gas does not affect
bit hydraulics.
Injected gas does not effect
MWD
Aerated Fluid Layout
 Aerated Drilling Problems

Compressor/N2 Rotating BOPs

Cost Solid/Liquid/Gas
Separation

Corrosion
Hydraulic Calculations
Vibration
Cuttings Lifting
Fluid Influx
Fire/ Underbalanced
High Torque/ Explosions Completion
Drag
Borehole Stability
MWD Transmission