KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
B.Sc. Petroleum Engineering
Third Year

PETE 350 Drilling Engineering

ASSIGNMENT 2 (SOLUTION)

Question 1
i. A roller cone bit has the code 737. What does this tell us?
Answer: (1 point)
Roller cones are classified with three (3) digits, XYZ
X = 7: Teeth type
NB. The number INCREASES with Harder formation. E.g. Milled tooth (1, 2, 3) & Insert
bits (4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

Hence, this bit is for hard formation

Y = 3: Size & Density of Cutters which depend on the Formation type

Z = 7: Gauge protection, Bearing type etc.

ii. The following IADC dull grading characteristics is given for a bit. What
was the condition of the bit and why was it pulled?

Cutting Structure

Inner Outer Dull Char Location Bearing Gauge Other Dull Reasons
char pulled
Seals

2 2 PN N X 1/16 HC PP

Answer: (1 point)

The PP (Pump pressure) was high resulting from the PN (Plugged Nozzle) due to bit balling. I.e.
The Pump was circulating drilling mud into the drillstring but the Nozzles of the bit are plugged
hence preventing the mud to flow out through the Nozzles of the Bit resulting in pressure build

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up in the drillstring which is reflected in the pump readings. Another reason for pulling out of hole
is that the gauge was worn-out, hence the required wellbore diameter was not drilled.

NB. The Dull Characteristics could be PN (Plugged Nozzle), BC (Broken Cone), BT (Broken
Teeth), LT (Lost Teeth) etc.

Other Dull characteristics like the heat check (HC) ensure proper HYDRAULICS and that the
PDC is not DEGRADED due to HIGH TEMPERATURES since it is very sensitive to temperature
above 750C.

iii. What kind of vibrations can occur for bits and which type of vibration is
typical for PDC bits vs roller cone bits?

Answer: (0.5 point)

PDC undergoes Lateral & Torsional Vibration but not Axial Vibration. The torsional vibration is
due to the fact that the PDC has NO BEARING TO ROLL THE BIT ON THE FORMATION.
Their CUTTING mode of operation results in no Axial Vibration.

While Roller Cones Undergoes Lateral & Axial but not Torsional Vibration. The Tricones do not
undergo torsional vibration due to the presence of bearing which roll the bit against the
formation but their CRUSHING mode of operation results in Axial Vibration.

iv. Which type of bit is most aggressive with respect to torque and how does
that affect the steerability?

Answer: (0.5 point)

PDC has high TORQUE SENSITIVITY/ MORE AGGRESSIVE than Roller Cone, hence not
easy to STEER. This implies that the PDC changes direction [in a way which is not needed]
when there is a Change in Weight On Bit (WOB).

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 NB. Non-aggressive cutter are now introduced for the PDC to improve on it
STEERABILITY

v. Provide a list of reasons for when it is preferential to perform directional

drilling
Answer: (1 point)
a. Drilling of many wells from one Platform (Multi-lateral wells, Relief well, Side
tracking)

b. Avoid drilling into SALT DOMES because it results in LARGE WASHOUT, LOST
CIRCULATION & CORROSION when drilled into it

c. Fault & Hard formations are drilled PERPENDICULARLY in order to avoid

SLIDING /Bouncing off that Surface

d. Drain several layers

e. Exploit a thin OIL LAYER (10m)

f. Carbonate reservoirs have VERTICAL FRACTURES hence Horizontal well ensure a

HIGH drainage

vi. How is azimuth defined?

Answer: (1 point)
Azimuth – It measures the ANGLE from 0 to 360 from the True North in the HORIZONTAL
PLANE OF THE WELLBORE. It expresses how much the curve bends.

vii. What are the three measurements describing the position of the
wellbore?
Answer: (0.5 point)

Inclination, Azimuth & Measured Depth (MD)

viii. Why are the uncertainty in the wellbore position? How do we express this
and what causes the uncertainty?
Answer: (0.5 point)

These are the uncertainties in the Inclination & Azimuth. It is usually due to fault.

ix. What do we mean by horizontal displacement?

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 Answer: (0.5 point)

Horizontal displacement is the distance between the well center and the target

x. What is vertical section?

Answer: (0.5 point)

It is a plot of True Vertical Depth (TVD) against the horizontal displacement

xi. When drilling directional wells we need to be careful which coordinate

system we are working in and there can be a need for converting from
one system to another (what are the three reference systems and what
system do the direct survey measurements (geographic) relate to?
Answer: (0.5 point)
a. True North
b. Magnetic North
c. Geographic North (UTM North, Flat Map North)

NB. We usually relate survey measurement to true North

xii. Give some examples of typical directional well profiles

Answer: (1 point)

J profile [Build & Hold]

S profile [Build, Hold & Drop]

xiii. Describe the three ways you can place the stabilizers in the BHA to
change the directional behaviour of the drillstring (build, hold, drop)
Answer: (1 point)
a. Near Bit to build angle
b. Mid body to drop angle
c. Many stabilizer placed above the bit to mid body to hold angle

xiv. How does a motor work and how do we change angle in the wellpath with
it?

Answer: (0.5 point)

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 The Motor angle and rotations are preset before tripping into the well. When making angle, the
drillstring does not rotate only the motor using the drill fluid flowrate rotate in a process
called Slide drilling

xv. How does a rotary steerable assembly work?

Answer: (0.5 point)

It uses the Push the bit principle in which a pad pushes against the formation to move the bit in
the desired direction. The drillstring can be rotated when building angle

xvi. Which advantages has a rotary steerable assembly vs a motor?

Answer: (0.5 point)

a. High ROP
b. Smooth hole
c. Less probability of getting stuck since there is no spirally shaped wellbore as a result of
the motor.

xvii. What do we mean by push the bit vs point the bit steerable tools (what is
the main difference in functionality)

Answer: (1 point)

In the Point the bit, the angles are already set at the surface before tripping in and the drillstring
can not be rotated while building angle While in The Push the bit, there is a real time
communication with the surface hence the direction can be change at any given time when the
need arises. The drillstring can also be rotated when making angle.

xviii. Explain the purpose of the following BHA components: (1 point)

a) Jar: to free stuck pipe
b) Drill Collar: provide weight on Bit
c) HWDP: Provide weight on bit
d) Reamer: For hole enlargement

xix. What is MWD and how does it communicate with surface?

Answer: (1 point)

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 MWD refers to Measurement While Drilling and it measure the Inclination and Azimuth of the
well path. It communicates with the surface on the real time through mud column in the drill
pipe.

xx. What are the different logging tools we can use in our BHA and explain
shortly what they measure?

Answer: (1 point)

a. GR: Formation lithology

b. Sonic: measuring Porosity
c. Neutron & Density: Porosity measurement

xxi. What role does logging tools have in geo-steering and in which hole
sections do we typically use them?

Answer: (1 point)

Logging tools are used in the reservoir zone to help position the well above the OWC & below
the shale.

xxii. What are the challenges when we meet a fault when using geo-steering?

Answer: (1 point)

The logging tools can not see the fault unless in has gotten to that position because it can only
log sideways.

xxiii. When studying the drilling program from Statoil, what kind of
uncertainties were intended to be revealed by drilling a pilot hole across
a fault?

Answer: (1 point)

a. Stratigraphic uncertainties
b. Depth Uncertainties

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Question 2
We shall drill a well from a fixed installation in the North Sea. The target
coordinates are:

✓ TVD = 3000 meter

✓ Northing of target = 479.6 m
✓ Easting of target = 1100 m

a. Calculate the horizontal displacement of the target and the direction of

the target!
b. The inclination in the sail or hold section shall be constant 45 degrees.
i
The build-up rate is 3°/30 meter.
l
Show that the KOP must be at 1562 meter to fulfill the geometrical
requirements. Draw a figure of the well.

c. Calculate the measured depth of the well!

d. At 2500meter TVD, a casing shoe will be set. Calculate the measured
depth for the casing which will be run.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF QUESTION 2

Solution (Each sub-question is worth 0.5 POINT. Hence, so 2 points in

total)

a. Horizontal displacement is given by H = (11002 + 479.6 2 ) = 1200 m (Using

1100
Pythagoras). The direction is given by  = tan −1 ( ) = 66.4 (angle with North is the
479.6
same as Azimuth)

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b. Always draw a figure first. We shall show that KOP (B) must be at 1562 meters.

R
Y

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The directional drilling profile for this question is a J-profile. i.e. you build and hold angle (page 34 of
lecture 6)

NB. Point AB is the Vertical section analogous to drilling vertical well

Point BC depicts the build section where we begin to build angle

Point CT represents the sail section where we hold angle

CONSIDERING THE BUILD SECTION (BC)

Since the build section (BC) is an incomplete circle, lets consider a circle as case study.

The circumference of a circle is given by 2𝜋𝑅 with an angle of 360o.

If you want to calculate the length of the missing segment say Y, it becomes

2𝜋𝑅 𝑌
=
𝟑𝟔𝟎 𝜽
𝜽
⇒𝒀= 𝒙 2𝜋𝑅
𝟑𝟔𝟎
In a similar vein, we have the following relations from the build section

𝟑𝟔𝟎 𝜶
=
2𝜋𝑅 𝑩𝑪
i 𝟑𝒐
Since the build-up rate (i.e. the rate at which we are building the per length was given (𝟑𝟎),
l
the relation can also be extended as

𝟑𝟔𝟎 𝜶 ∆𝒊
= =
2𝜋𝑅 𝑩𝑪 ∆𝒍

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 360l
Since the build rate is given, we can deduce that R =
2i

In this case R = 573m.

Note that the radius of the build section (i.e. marked green in the figure in “b”) and it given as

R= BY= EZ= 573m

EC = EZ – CZ

But CZ = RCos 𝜶

EC = R – RCos 𝜶

We have that EC = R(1 − cos  ) and BE = RSin .

Since  = 45 , we obtain EC=167 m and BE=405 m.

CONSIDERING THE HOLD SECTION (CT)

FT
Then CF =
tan 

FT = H − EC = 1200 − 167 = 1033m .

Note that H is the horizontal displacement calculated previously (a).

1033
This gives CF = = 1033 m. KOP = B = TVD-CF-BE=3000-1033-405 = 1562 m.
tan 45

 i
c. We have =
BC l
l 45  30
This gives: BC = = = 450m
i 3
CF 1033
CT = = = 1461m
cos  cos 45

Measured depth = AB+BC+CT= 1562+450+1461=3473 meters.

d. The vertical depth of point C is AB+BE = 1562+405=1967 meter. I.e. the casing shoe
will be set between C and T. i.e. S = 2500 meter.
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 CS = 2500-AB-BE=2500-1562-405=533 m
CS 533
CR = = = 753
Cos Cos45

Measured depth of shoe = AB+BC+CR=1562+450+753=2765 m.

SUMMARY

i. To solve this type of question, you need to know your basic mathematics;
a. Pythagoras theorem
b. Ratio and proportion
c. Circumference of a circle

ii. Its always expedient to draw the profile (e.g. J profile in this case) of the well to give
you a good overview of the well trajectory and how to calculate the unknowns

iii. Since the radius is connected to both the build and the sail (hold) sections, it will be
expedient to calculate the radius first then using the Pythagoras theorem.

iv. Ratio and proportion and other basic mathematics can then be used to calculate the
other unknowns

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