The Perla Gas Field is a naturally-fractured carbonate formation in offshore

Venezuela that often requires advanced technology to complete and optimize drilling
operations while also minimizing nonproductive time (NPT). To overcome the
challenges and reduce NPT demonstrated on a well drilled in 2010 in the Perla
field, continuous circulation and managed pressure drilling (MPD) technologies were
used to drill two subsequent wells in 2016. Drilling in the Perla field is a
challenge because of its narrow pore pressure and fracture pressure window, which
increases the potential for issues such as lost circulation, kicks, wellbore
instability, and connection gas. To overcome challenges encountered in 2010 while
also decreasing NPT, a combination of MPD and continuous circulation technologies
were selected to drill the wells. To navigate the tight drilling windows, MPD was
selected for this campaign, with continuous circulation implemented to supplement
the MPD process by removing any transient time or pump cycling effects during
connections. Continuous circulation allows the operator to circulate fluid downhole
during the drill pipe connections. The system includes a manifold connected into
the standpipe that performs the diversion, and subs installed onto the top of each
stand of drill pipe, creating two independent flow paths for drilling an open hole
section. MPD creates a closed loop system and allows the operator to safely add or
remove backpressure at the surface in order to control bottom hole pressure (BHP).
In Perla, a well was drilled in 2010 with significant losses as a result of an
unexpectedly narrow drilling window of 0.5 ppg equivalent mud weight between pore
and fracture pressures (9.8 to 10.3 ppg, respectively). In 2016, the new combined
solution enabled drilling of the lateral in both wells by maintaining a constant
BHP during all phases, mitigating influxes or losses, removing static mud pressure
spikes (breaking gels), reducing connection gas, and improving hole cleaning. A
statically underbalanced 9 ppg fluid was used while targeting a 10.2 ppg equivalent
mud weight throughout the length of the 8½ in lateral on more than 150 drill pipe
connections to decrease tripping time, get liner to depth, and improve the
estimated time to total depth, decreasing overall risk, NPT, and cost. In
exploratory and development wells, risks increase when different than expected well
conditions are encountered during drilling. This case study provides an example of
the viability of combining MPD and continuous circulation, a solution which is
highly applicable in offshore Latin America, including but not limited to
Venezuela.
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