PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING
SUMMER COURSE
2015

Petroleum Engineering Design

PART A

Drilling Engineering

CHAPTER 2

Drilling Straight and Deviated
Wells

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Drill String

Drill String Components

Kelly
Drill Pipes
Heavy Weight Drill Pipes
Drill Collars (magne=c,
non-magne=c)
Op=onal Downhole Motor
Stabilizers, Jars
Bit

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

Parts of
the drill
string

Parts of
the BHA

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Drill String Objec=ves

Must transfer high torque when rotated
for drilling or must tolerate high torque
when sta=c and a downhole motor is used
for drilling.
Must transfer high Weight on Bit (WOB) by
drill collars.
Must transfer mud to bit nozzles with low
fric=onal pressure loss to circulate out
cuNngs.

Rota=on by Rotary Table

Kelly
Rotary Table

Kelly Drive
Bushings
Master Bushing

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

with pin drive roller

or square drive roller

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Rota=on by Top Drive

Provide the ability to rotate and
circulate en=re stands while
reaming into or back-reaming out
of the hole.
Top drives greatly reduce the risk
of s=cking and loosing boTom hole
assembly.
During underbalanced drilling, a
rota=ng BOP is used to contain the
annular pressure while drilling. Top
drives can rotate smooth, round
drill pipe in the annular preventer.

Ref: www.varco.com

Rota=on by Downhole Motor

Rotating Mode: The entire
drill string rotates - used for
straight hole drilling
Steering Mode: Only the bit
rotates - used for curve
drilling and corrections.

Steerable Downhole Motors with bent housing for directional and

horizontal drilling: Rotation of bit is provided by the pressure of the
circulation fluid and a special rotor/stator configuration.
Measurements at the bit (BHA) are transmitted to the surface in
real time via mud pulses (MWD).
Data can be directional data, caliper, resistivity, neutron porosity,
gamma density and others.
Ref: www.bakerhughes.com, www.neyrfor.com

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Drill Pipe Dimensions & Classes

API- Standards:
3 Ranges: 18-22X, 27-30X, 38-45X
5 Grades: D, E75, X95, G105, S135
ODs: ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! !!!
!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!

Classes

Class One: New drill pipe

Premium: Pipe having a uniform wear and a wall thickness of 80%
Class Two: Minimum wall thickness of 65% with all wear on one side
Class Three: Minimum wall thickness of 55% with all wear on one side

Ref: Oilwell Drilling Engineering, ISBN 0-86010-661-6

Drill Collars Avoid Buckling

Drill Collars
To provide weight on bit (but only 85% of buoyant weight is
used for WOB) AND to keep the drill string in tension
Neutral point within the DCs
Below the neutral point the DCs are in compression and
buckling can occur
Small inside diameter =>
high pressure loss per unit
length
Normally manufactured in
length of 31X
Pin and box are cut from
steel body
Shouldered connec=on
Ref: Oilwell Drilling Engineering, ISBN 0-86010-661-6

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Drill Collar Buckling

Lubinskys
Buckling Curve

Buckling

Tension

Increasing
weight on bit

Compression

Increasing
weight on bit
Suspended pipe

Buckling of
1st order
Buckling of
2nd order

Tangent
points

Helical buckling
of pipe in a well

Ref: Applied Drilling Engineering, ISBN 1-55563-001-4

Drill Pipes Loads During Drilling

Ver=cal Wellbores
Basic Loadings
Tension: Axial loading due to weight
Collapse: Radial forces due to wellbore pressure
Torsion: Torque due to rota=on
Burst: High inside pressure due to pipe plugging
Cyclic stress reversals when drill pipe is bent
across dog-legs
Corrosion

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Two Failure Mechanism Groups

Group 1 - High Threshold Stress

primarily mechanical failure, act immediately when

critical stress is exceeded
easy to control and to design
Include torsion, tension, combination tension/
torsion, collapse, burst

Group 2 - Low Threshold Stress

not so simple to predict

damage accumulates in small
increments over extended time
80-90 % of all drill string failures,
with fatigue being largest
Include fatigue, sulfide stress
cracking (SSC), stress corrosion
cracking (SCC), split box

Rest

Ref: www.thhill.com

Cyclic Stress Reversals

Ref: www.thill.com

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Group 1 Failures
Collapse Failure

Tension Failure

Location: Drill pipe

tubes, usually low
in the hole.
Appearance: The
drill pipe tube is
mashed flat or into
a half-moon shape
Location: located in pipe tube between
upsets, near the top of the string .
Appearance: Often jagged, the tube is
usually necked down or "bottlenecked"

Location: Drill pipe tube.

Appearance: Longitudinal split,
accompanied by gross plastic
deformation.

Burst Failure

Ref: www.thhill.com

Group 2 - Fa=gue Failures

Location: Drill pipe tube and BHA connections .

Appearance: planar and perpendicular to the pipe axis.

A drill pipe tube fatigue crack. The perpendicular cannels

result from corrosion. (x100)

Ref: www.thhill.com

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Fight Fa=gue
Decrease inspec=on intervals
Account for SMR between neighbors
For DPs: Never exceed the recommended
make-up torque
SM1
< 5.5 with SM1 > SM 2
SM 2
I

SM =
with I = (OD 4 ID 4 )
OD
64
SMR =

DirecHonal Drilling

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Direc=onal Drilling
Controlled direc=onal drilling is the science of devia=ng a
wellbore along a planned course to a subterranean target located
a given distance horizontally from a point directly under the
center of the rotary table of a drilling rig.
With the advances in new steerable mud motors, measurement
while drilling (MWD and, logging while drilling (LWD) tools,
direc=onal drilling became more and more popular during the
last 20 years.
It is now possible to drill economically extended reach wells or
mul=-horizontal (lateral) wells, even under dicult condi=ons.
Old direc=onal-drilling prac=ces such as whipstocks, jeNng or
mud motors with bent subs are s=ll in use.
Direc=onal drilling requires the measurement of both ver=cal
devia=on and horizontal direc=on. This is done by direc=onal
survey instruments which are the eyes through which the
direc=onal drilling engineer can see where the hole is going.

Well Prole
Terminology

Ref: Petroleum Well Construc9on, ISBN 0-471-96938-9

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Inclina=on
and Direc=on

Ref: Applied Drilling Engineering, ISBN 1-55563-001-4

Direc=onal Drilling Examples (1/2)

Ref: Applied Drilling Engineering, ISBN 1-55563-001-4

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Direc=onal Drilling Examples (2/2)

Ref: Applied Drilling Engineering, ISBN 1-55563-001-4

Deec=on with Whipstock

Most commonly used in re-entries
Controllable and versa=le

Video with comments (00:40), start on click

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Deec=on with JeNng Bit

Used in soX
forma=ons.
Erra=c results
and severe
doglegs.
Not in common
use today.

Downhole Motor Technology

The most commonly used method today is a posi=ve displacement
motor (PDM) coupled to a bent-sub or having a bent housing to deect
the well, building angle (sliding mode), and drilling straight through the
tangen=al sec=on (rotary mode) and to drop angle (sliding mode).
Measurements at the bit are transmiTed to the surface in real =me via
mud pulses (MWD).
Data can be direc=onal data,
caliper, resis=vity, neutron
porosity, gamma density
and others.

Ref: hBp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpXHEPm2G1s

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Bent Subs and Bent Housing

Steerable motors, which use a downhole
turbine (turbo drill) or posi=ve displacement
motor (PDM) to generate power and a BHA with
a xed bend of approximately 12, were
developed in the early 1960s to allow
simultaneous control of wellbore azimuth and
inclina=on.
Today, a typical steerable motor assembly
consists of a power-genera=ng sec=on, through
which drilling uid is pumped to turn the drill
bit, a bend sec=on of 0 to 3, a drive shaX and
the bit.
The bent sub is used to impart a constant
deec=on to the tool. Its upper thread is cut
concentric to the axis of the sub body, and its
lower thread with an axis inclined 1-3 in
rela=on to the axis of the upper thread. Bent
housings are progressively replaced by bent sub.

Sliding and
Rota=ng

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

Solu=on:
Rotary
Steerable
Systems

RotaHng

Bent
housing

Sliding

Drilling with steerable motors

(posi=ve displacement motors,
PDM, or turbines) is divided into
two ac=vi=es: Sliding and rota=ng.
Sliding involves precision guidance
of the assembly.
Sliding is used for drilling the build
sec=on.
Rota=ng involves no ac=ve guidance
of the trajectory.
Rota=ng is used for drilling the
straight sec=ons (ver=cal, tangent).
Hole enlargements during rota=ng
when bent is not set to zero.

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Problems with Sliding and Rota=ng

Problems are associated with each of
these states (see Table).
Most of the limita=ons and
ineciencies are related to the need
to drill a por=on of the well without
drillstring rota=on or concerns related
to motor performance.
Con=nued evolu=on of the steerable
motor system is not likely to solve
most of these problems since they are
related to the fundamental
characteris=cs of the steerable-motor
direc=onal system.

Solu=on:
Rotary Steerable Systems

PDM Posi=ve Displacement Motor

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

PDM Power Sec=on

The power sec=on of a posi=ve displacement drill motor (PDM)
consists of a helical-shaped steel rotor and a tube with a molded
elastomeric lining (stator).
It converts the hydraulic energy of high pressure drilling uid to
mechanical energy in the form of torque output for the drill bit. The
rotor is typically made of steel and is either chrome plated or coated
for wear resistance.
The stator is a heat-treated steel tube lined with a helical-shaped
elastomeric insert.
Rotors

Increasing Torque, Decreasing RPM

Stators

Rotors have one less lobe than

the stators and when the two are
assembled, a series of cavities
is formed along the helical curve
of the power section.

The Problem With Buckling

Tension

Neutral Point
Compression

High likelihood for buckling

All in compression!
Acceptable

Not acceptable

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

WOB?

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Direc=onal BHA
Drilling the horizontal secHon

**

Neutral Point
HWDPs

Cri=cal buckling
WOB

Typical BHA to drill medium and long radius

**Non-Magne=c Flex Drill Collars are thinner and more
exible than standard Slick Collars. Their ability to make short-
radius turns, bend for high build angles, and pass through
sharp doglegs makes them ideal for use in direc=onal and
horizontal drilling applica=ons.

No WOB

The most common method of managing buckling

is to place HWDP at strategically intervals in the
string.
The compressional length below the ver=cal
HWDPs could be covered by DPs, HWDPs and
Flex DCs.
Drilling con=nues un=l fric=on in the build and
horizontal sec=on overcomes a cri=cal value.
A more accurate BHA design for direc=onal wells
only can be done with a torque and drag
modeling tool.

Surveying

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Why Surveying?
To determine the boTomhole loca=on rela=ve
to the surface loca=on or another reference
system.
To locate excessive doglegs or hole curvature.
To monitor inclina=on and azimuth during
drilling.
To orient (deec=on) tools.

Principle Informa=on
Regardless of the type of survey instrument (single-shot,
mul=-shot, steering tool, SRO Gyro, MWD, EM-MWD) three
pieces of informa=on are known.
Survey Measured Depth.
Inclina=on.
Azimuth (corrected for true north).
Wellbore azimuth (direc=on) measured in the horizontal
plane and expressed in degrees from the true (geographic)
north direc=on star=ng at 0 and con=nuing clockwise to 360.

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

GeNng Informa=on On Inclina=on and Direc=on by

Single / Mul= Shoot Instruments

The Magne=c Mul= Shot (MMS)

survey instrument is a
photographic tool for taking
mul=ple surveys of a wellbore.
The MMS survey instrument is
normally posi=oned in a non-
magne=c drill collar run above the
bit in the drill string. Surveys are
then recorded while tripping the
drill string into or out of the well.
The instrument's main components
are the baTery pack, electronic
=mer, recorder, and angle/
compass unit.
The angle unit contains the
compass and plumb-bob which
measures the inclina=on, azimuth,
and tool face. One of the unique
features of this mul= shot
instrument is that magne=c
interference does not aect
inclina=on measurements.

Ref:
www.micon-christensen.de

Measurement While Drilling (MWD)

The downhole components are housed in a non-
magne=c drill collar (NMDC):
a power source to operate the tool
sensors to measure the required informa=on
a transmiTer to send the data to surface in the
form of a code;
a microprocessor or control system to
coordinate the various func=ons of the tool
The surface equipment consists of:
a standpipe pressure transducer to detect
varia=ons in pressure and convert these to
electrical signals;
an electronic ltering device to eliminate any
interference from rig pumps or downhole
motors that may also cause pressure varia=ons;
a surface computer to interpret the results;
a rig-oor display to communicate the results to
the driller.

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Mud Pulse System

(A)

(B)

(C)

(A) PosiHve mud pulse telemetry

(MPT) uses a hydraulic poppet valve to
momentarily restrict the ow of mud
through an orice in the tool to
generate an increase in pressure in
the form of a posi=ve pulse or
pressure wave which travels back to
the surface and is detected at the
standpipe.
(B) NegaHve MPT uses a controlled
valve to vent mud momentarily from
the interior of the tool into the
annulus. This process generates a
decrease in pressure in the form of a
nega=ve pulse or pressure wave which
travels back to the surface.
(C) ConHnuous wave telemetry uses a
rotary valve or mud siren with a
sloTed rotor and stator which restricts
the mud ow in such a way as to
generate a modula=ng posi=ve
pressure wave which travels to the
surface.

Survey Calcula=on Methods

TangenHal Model*
Balanced TangenHal Model*
Radius of Curvature Model*
Average Angle Model.

* Discussed in this presenta=on

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Calcula=ng the Trajectory

There are several methods to calculate the

trajectory. Except the tangen=al method,
all of them are using two measured points
for approxima=ng the trajectory.
Nomenclature for the models:

Inclina=on ()


Azimuth ()
Measured Depth D
Depth in point i Di
Inclina=on in point i
Azimuth in point i

For the dierent calcula=ng models there

exists an dened coordinate system.

Ref: Planning a Drilling Program, Video Library IHRDC, 0-88746-170-0, 1990

Tangen=al Model
At this method only the inclina=on and azimuth of the lower
point are taken into considera=on for calcula=ng the
coordinate dierence between two points.

Ref: Planning a Drilling Program, Video Library IHRDC, 0-88746-170-0, 1990

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Balanced Tangent Model

This method uses the measured angles at the top and at the end
of the measured interval and results in a beTer approxima=on of
the well prole.

Ref: Planning a Drilling Program, Video Library IHRDC, 0-88746-170-0, 1990

Radius of Curvature Method

This method assumes that the wellbore is a constant curve
between two survey points, and that it is tangent to the
measures angle at each point.

Ref: Planning a Drilling Program, Video Library IHRDC, 0-88746-170-0, 1990

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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PE DESIGN, PART A - DRILLING ENGINEERING: Drilling Straight and Deviated Wells

Rela=ve Accuracy of Models for an

Example

Chair of Drilling Engineering - University Leoben

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