Lesson 8 Aerated Fluid Drilling

PETE 689
Underbalanced Drilling
UBD
Lesson 8
DEA-101
Aerated Fluid Drilling
Chapter 4.1
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Definition
Introduction of gas into a

drilling fluid for the
purpose of reducing the
hydrostatic head.

Gaseated Mud
Uses
Control lost circulation.
Avoid differential
pressure sticking.
Increase drilling rate.
Reduce or avoid reservoir
damage.

Gaseated Mud
Advantages
Equivalent Mud Weight
reduction down to 4ppg.
Simple system.
Not much can go wrong
that can’t be fixed.

Gaseated Mud
Hole Problems
Pressure Surges.
Velocity Surges.
• These can lead to hole caving
and/or reservoir damage.

Gaseated Mud
Environmental Problems
Large volumes of water or oil.
Oil emulsifying into mud.
Residual H2S in cuttings.
Foaming with oil.
Room on location.

Gaseated Mud
Fluid Density Range
FRESH WATER
OIL BASE MUD
OIL
GASEATED MUD
LWSA
FOAM WITH BACK-PRESS
STABLE FOAM
MIST
AIR, GAS
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
FLUID DENSITY (PPG)
Aerated Systems
Historical preference - drilling mud.

Future use - clear fluids and mud.
• Diesel oil.
• Other synthetic or light oils.
• Water.
• Water w/polymers.

Gaseated Systems
General Pressure
and
Volume Requirements
Maximum pressure:
+/- 10,000 kPa (1,500 psi)
Volume:
20-45 m3 (700-1,500 scfm)
Annular Velocity Rules
of Thumb for Hole Cleaning
Conventional AV > 120 fpm (vertical).

Conventional AV > 150 fpm (Horizontal).
This should be enough to clean the bit
and the bottom of the hole.

Planning - Initial Volumes
Start with 2/3 the
amount of mud
needed for 120
ft/min annular
velocity.
This can be
increased for
horizontal wells or
other problems.
Planning - Initial Volumes
Start with 30 times

as much air at STP
as mud.
30 X (Mud gpm X
7.5) = SCF air at
STP.

Gaseated Injection Ratios
Injection ratio at
40 STP varies.
5
• 5 gas/1 liquid.
1 oLess doesn’t do
much good.
1 • 40 gas/1 liquid.
oMore is very
unstable.
Definition
Ratio - at surface conditions,

the Ratio of gas to fluid,
where fluid is expressed as 1
(e.g. 20/1)

Definition
Quality - The % gas in a system.

(This is ordinarily a foam term).
This may be expressed as a %, a
decimal, or as a number.

Gaseated Injection Ratios
Upper limit of
stability is about
10/1 or 90%
Quality at the top
of the hole.
Beyond that there
is severe surging.

Surface Injection
Ratio vs. Downhole “Foam” Quality
8,000 ft Hole
9 ppg “Mud”
Surface Ratio 10:1 (Gas: “Mud”)
Quality: 91% at Surface - 3% at the bit

Foam Quality and Mud Ratio
Surface
Air/Mud Ratio =10/1 Q = 91%
R = 1.4/1 1000’ Q = 58%

Based on 9 lb/gal Mud
R = 0.23/1 2000’ Q = 18%
R = 0.09/1 4000’ Q = 8%
6000’ Q = 5%
R = 0.05/1
R = 0.03/1 8000’ Q = 3%

Aerated Systems
 (-) Gas causes reduction in

bottom hole pressure.
 (+)Friction due to velocity
causes addition to
bottom hole pressure.

Calculations
General Gas Law
P1 * V1 P2 * V2
=
T1 * Z1 T2 * Z2

Foam Quality and Mud Ratio
Surface
Air/Mud Ratio =10/1 Q = 91%
R = 1.4/1 1000’ Q = 58%

Based on 9 lb/gal Mud
R = 0.23/1 2000’ Q = 18%
R = 0.09/1 4000’ Q = 8%
6000’ Q = 5%
R = 0.05/1
R = 0.03/1 8000’ Q = 3%

Gaseated Bottom Hole Pressure
Check (more or less)
p =P(circ1) - P(circ2)
p = decrease in BHP
P(circ1) = mud circulating pressure.
P(circ2) = gaseated circulating
pressure.

Gaseated Bottom Hole Pressure
Check (more or less)
p = Vmud / (Vann x fg)

Vmud =  in pits in bbls
Vann = Vol ann bbl/ft
fg = Fluid gradient psi/ft

Typical Volume Requirement Chart
(After Phillips Pet. Co.)
Cubic Ft of Air at 14.7 Psia and 60°F Per Barrel of Mud
180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
No Dynamic effects:
Friction
Separation
Req'D. Reduction, Ppg
Desired Fluid
Weight, Ppg
5.0 2.0
10
1.0
3.0
4.0
4 0.5
1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000
Drilling Depth in Feet

Aerated Systems
Single Biggest Problem

Pressure Surges

Aerated System Pressure
Surges
Typical Bottomhole Pressure Typical Bottomhole Pressure Survey
Survey During an Underbalanced During an Underbalanced Drilling
Drilling Operation Operation
(N2 Circulation Prior to Connections)
Hydrostatic Connections/Slugs
Pressure Hydrostatic
Pressure
Reservoir
Pressure Reservoir
Pressure
Pressure
Pressure
Time Time
Flow Regimes
Depend on Velocity Variations
Bubble Slug Churn Annular

Flow Flow Flow Flow
Threshold Velocities for
Maintaining a Mixture of Gas and Fluid
100
A
Bubble
Liquid Velocity ft/sec
10
Annular
B
1
C
0.1
Slug
Churn
A
B
0.01
0.1 1 10 100 1000
Gas Velocity ft/sec

Separation of Gas and Fluid
Large hole - low velocity

• Polymer to increase
viscosity.
• Increase velocity as
much as reasonable.

Separation of Gas and Fluid
Small hole - high velocity.

Medium depth.
Best use of gaseated
systems.

Keeping the System Together
Gas retention in the mixture.
• Viscosity.
o Polymers.
o Gel strength.
• Fluid velocity.
• Small bubbles.
o Jet bit.
o Shut blooie line on connections.
Gas Fluid Mixing System

Separating the Gas from the
Mud at the Surface
Spin in the separator.
Time.
Shale shaker screen.
Gentle mixing.
Low viscosity.
Low gel strength.
Deep rather than shallow pits.
Vertical Separator with Spin
Optional
3 psi Pressure Flapper
Gas
Gas Baffle
Inlet
Tangent
Spin Shelf
Float
Level
Linkage
Control
To Shaker or
Mud Pit Outlet Valve

Methods
of Controlling Surges

Aerated System Pressure
Surges
Typical Bottomhole Pressure Typical Bottomhole Pressure Survey
Survey During an Underbalanced During an Underbalanced Drilling
Drilling Operation Operation
(N2 Circulation Prior to Connections)
Hydrostatic Connections/Slugs
Pressure Hydrostatic
Pressure
Reservoir
Pressure Reservoir
Pressure
Pressure
Pressure
Time Time
Boosting Techniques
Connection
• Fill DP with gas.
• Turn off gas.
• Fill DP with mud to first
string float.
• Turn off liquid.
• Make connection.
Special Downhole
Equipment to Limit Surging
Jet sub.
Parasite string.
Dual casing string.
Dual drill pipe.
Constant circulating subs.

Jet Sub Advantages
No preplanning or changes.

Easier to start circulation.
Lower pressure surges.
Gas injection pressure is lower.
Lowest gas use.

Special Downhole
Jet sub.
Parasite string.
Dual drill pipe.

Basic Concept
Most expansion occurs above

3,000’.
Below 3,000’ there is no advantage
to increasing gas injection above
200 scf/bbl (ratio of 35:1).

Advantages of Parasite
String
Avoid heads by circulating

during connections and trips.
Easy to get circulation started.
Simple operations.

Problems
With Parasite String
Need to drill larger surface hole.
Slows down casing running and
makes it more complex.
Always the possibility of
smashing or plugging the string
when running it.
Uses more gas than a jet sub.
Casing Spider
Adapter For Parasite String
Slot Cut
for 2 1/16”
Tubing
3”

Special Downhole
Jet sub.
Parasite string.
Dual drill pipe.

Wellhead Setup
for Dual Casing String

Advantages of Dual Casing
Minimizes the chance of crushing

the string.
Inner string retrieved and used
again.
Can be set very deep.

Problems with a Dual String
Requires change in well head.

Extra string of stream line
casing.
Gas volume storage will
unload well.

Special Downhole
Jet sub.
Parasite string.
Dual drill pipe.

Dual Drill Pipe
It is a mining tool and

seldom used in the oil field.

Constant Circulating Subs
Used in the late 1960’s, no

longer available.
Good for connections.
No advantage on trips.
Lots of extra subs.

Constant Circulating Sub
Float Pins
Full opening float
2” Airline
Tool Joint O.D.

Quick connect

Fluids and Gasses

Gaseated Systems
Gases
Air
Nitrogen
• Cryogenic
• Manufactured
Natural Gas
Exhaust Gas
Gaseated Systems
Clear Fluids
Diesel oil.
Water.
Saline.
Other light oils.
• Mineral oils.
• Synthetic oils.
Gaseated Systems
Drilling Mud
Conventional gel based mud.
Low lime mud.
Xanthan gum mud.
• Thixotropic (holds gas).
• Easily broken gel strength.
• (Several commercial systems
available).
Corrosion

Always Remember:
Corrosion cannot be
stopped.
It can only be controlled

Corrosion Control pH
Keep pH above 9
Steel becomes passive
above pH = 11

Corrosion Control
Don’t use air.

Oxygen corrosion is the most
common type of corrosion.
There are other types of
corrosion and scaling.

Corrosion Inhibitors

Organo-Phosphate Esters
ANIONIC
Foamer compatible.
Good solubility.
Limited scale inhibition.
Relatively high temperature.
Biodegradable.
Excellent oxygen control.
500-2,000 ppm concentration.
Chromates
ANIONIC
Extremely soluble in water.
Relatively high temperature.
200-1,200 ppm concentration.
Low solids system.
pH > 8
Heavy metal carcinogen.
Nitrates
ANIONIC
60-70% chromate effectiveness.
Require high pH.
Require high concentration.

Phosphates
ANIONIC
Primary scale inhibitor.
Raise pH to 8-12.
Not sufficient by themselves.
Produce calcium phosphate.
scale in high calcium fluid.

Amines
Cationic
Effective In Mud Systems.
Work Well In Gas/Air.
Form Protective Film.
Film Easily Penetrated by
Monatomic Oxygen.
Foamer Incompatible.

Equipment for
Gaseated Systems

Rotating Head

Drill String Floats

Separators
Typical Closed System UBD Operation

Simple Aerated Mud Separator
Overflow Pipe
De-Aerator
Mud Flow Line

Vertical Separator with Baffles
Gas to Flare
Gas
Gas Baffle
Gas vent 14 Feet
Inlet flow
Mud Baffle
From Choke Manifold
From Choke Mud
Mud to Pit
Manifold (2,3 or 4 inlets)
Solids or Cleanout
~8 Fee t
Vertical Separator with Spin
Optional
3 psi Pressure Flapper
Gas
Gas Baffle
Inlet
Tangent
Spin Shelf
Float
Level
Linkage
Control
To Shaker or
Mud Pit Outlet Valve

SWACO Super Mud Gas Separator
Gas Out
83 Mmcf/d
From
Well
“U” Tube
Level Control
Fluid Out
50,000 bpd
Closed Separator

Schematic of Closed Separator
Well Effluents
Gas Out
In
Adjustable
Partition
Plate
Gas
Solids
Transfer Pump
Oil
Mud Solids

Typical Horizontal Separator
9’ x 50’ (3m x 15m).

50 psi (345 kpa) wp.
5 mmcf/d and 500-600 bbls.
• 141,000 m3/d and 87m3 liquid.
Orifice meter run.

Vertical Separator

Typical Vertical Separator
4’ x 15’ (1.3m x 3m).

500 psi (3450 kPa).
25 MMcf/d and 10,000 bbls/d
• (700,000 m3 gas/d and 1,590
m3/d liquid).
Orifice Meter, Level Control,
Dump Valves.
Surface
Equipment Closed System

Underbalance Drilling Spread

Gas Separation System
Gas Separator System
Ensures all fluid is degassed prior to return to the system.

Open Skimmer
Oil Trap
Oil Overflow
Drilling Fluid/Water
Solids

Sample Catcher for Closed System
(Alpine, 1996)

Gaseated Drilling
Techniques

Techniques
Flowline returns do not represent

downhole conditions.

Initiating Gaseated Drilling
Unloading the Hole
Start Pumping gas/mud system.
When pump pressure gets too
high for the air compressor, stop
pumping air.
Pump mud until the pressure
goes back down.

Drilling
There will be alternate

heads of gas and mud.
Heading cycle may be as
long as 5 minutes.

Control Heading
Increase viscosity.
Increase mud volume(velocity)
Decrease gas.
Add 2 TO 3 atm of backpressure
30 to 50 psi.
Decrease bit jet size.

Connections
Gas and fluid will separate.

Fill the drill pipe with gas before
connection.
Then fill to first string float with
mud to keep connection dry.

Pressure on the Annulus
Shut in the well on connections

to keep the gas under pressure.
If the well is strongly flowing,
the choke may have to be left
slightly open.

Gaseated System
Making a Trip
For lost circulation (well not
flowing) no problem with trip.
For flowing well:
• Displace clean clear fluid over
reservoir and kill with a
floating mud cap.
• Use a deployment valve.
Gaseated System
Stripping is a reasonable and

safe technique
Planning on snubbing out the
pipe light stands is a bad
planning practice because of
the time expense.

After a Trip
Go to bottom and unload hole with

alternate mud and gas.
Working back to bottom while
gassing us each zone will not be
successful unless you keep the well
shut and bleed a little pressure.

End

Lesson 8 Aerated Fluid Drilling

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Lesson 8 Aerated Fluid Drilling

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PETE 689

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Introduction of gas into a

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

FOAM WITH BACK-PRESS

Historical preference - drilling mud.

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Conventional AV > 120 fpm (vertical).

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Start with 30 times

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Ratio - at surface conditions,

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Quality - The % gas in a system.

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Air/Mud Ratio =10/1 Q = 91%

R = 1.4/1 1000’ Q = 58%

R = 0.23/1 2000’ Q = 18%

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

 (-) Gas causes reduction in

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Air/Mud Ratio =10/1 Q = 91%

R = 1.4/1 1000’ Q = 58%

R = 0.23/1 2000’ Q = 18%

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

p = Vmud / (Vann x fg)

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Drilling Depth in Feet

Single Biggest Problem

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Bubble Slug Churn Annular

0.1 1 10 100 1000

Gas Velocity ft/sec

Large hole - low velocity

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Small hole - high velocity.

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

No preplanning or changes.

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Most expansion occurs above

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Avoid heads by circulating

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Minimizes the chance of crushing

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Requires change in well head.

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering