D&M Depth TBT – Troubleshooting

What should be done if the driller’s depth is different from acquisition depth by more than0.5 ft while
drilling, reaming or tripping?  Check with the pre-job report filled with the client; it should cover what
the client expects you to do in such a case. NO GUESSES, NO LATE NIGHT CALLS TO GEOLOGIST
OR FSM.

When a depth difference is noticed, first thing to do is find the route cause before trying to change the
acquisition depth. Possible causes could be:

- Driller’s tally mistake

- Sensor out of calibration
- BHA entered incorrectly
- Surface sensor failure
- Human errors while reading the tape or writing it down
- Errors in the strapping method used (Vertical – Wind deflections; Horizontal - if tape not
perfectly parallel to the pipe, we end up with a longer measured depth)
- Check if sum of the joints in the tally coincide with what the driller has.
- Check that drill pipes have been picked up in the correct order
- Check calibration of sensors
- Check correct voltages for sensors are displayed on HSPM

Do not make depth shifts while any LWD sensor is in a zone of interest. Unless all LWD sensors are
in the zone of interest, the zone is nominally in a horizontal well and it is guaranteed that the depth shift
does not significantly impact the TVT of the zone.  In this exceptional case, report the depth shift to the
client, record it on the EOWR and on the log.

Problems and Resolutions

1. Differences in depth when checking acquisition depth against driller’s depth at Kelly down or
tool joint during regular drilling operations
a. Pre-job report
b. Deeper
c. Shallower
2. Acquisition goes in and out of slip uncontrollably or may not do any at all. A common case when
drilling horizontal or shallow wells (<8000 ft)