OISD-TopHol Hzard F

Top Hole drilling Hazards : Historical
Consequences, Lessons & Future Strategies
VK Gupta, GM(D)-IDT,
Top Hole drilling hazards in E&P Industry
“Top Hole drilling Hazards: Historic

consequences , lessons & Future Strategies
OISD Workshop : 25th-26th Nov.’2013
2
ONGC a Wealth Creator
Presentation Overview
1 Introduction
2 Case-Histories-i : LPDK
3 Case-Histories-ii : TKAB
4 Case-Histories-iii : LKFT
5 Lessons & Strategies
6 Technology Measures
3 #2 E&P Company in the world

Top Hole drilling hazards
Introduction
` Seepages during top hole drilling resulted some

serious consequences, in Hydrocarbon industry.
` Continued channeling caused fragility around

well bore, resulting instability and route to flow.
` Loss of Rig and Well reported in some cases in

last two decades in ONGC.
4
A FORTUNE Global 500 Company
Top Hole drilling hazards in ONGC
Case-I : LPDK :
¾ Rig : E-2000-6 : Sibsagar , Sept.’2006
¾ Target- Depth : 3885m {Dev.} / DD: 1334m

¾ Csgs.- Plan/Act. : 20” - 300m / 65m
(short landed)
: 13⅜” - 2460m / Nil
: 9⅝” - 3460m / Nil
: 7”Liner - 3885m / Nil
70 Rig-days lost .
5
Case-I : LPDK :
¾ Spudded on 02nd Sept.’2006.
¾ Drilled 26” hole to 305m.
¾ Seepage observed from rat hole annulus.
¾ Evacuated mud from cellar pit to mud tank.
¾ Lowered 20” Casing to 87m.Observed Held-up.
6 ONGC: No.#1 Maharatna Company

Case-I : LPDK :
¾ During Casing Pull-out , three side walls of
cellar pit collapsed. Reconstructed the same.
¾ Run in 26” bit , Held-up again at 15m.
¾ Pumped 14T cement in conductor annulus.
¾ Cut window in 30”conductor for returns .
7 India’s Highest Profit making Maharatna PSU

Case-I : LPDK :
¾ Filled cellar pit adjacent area with sand & soil.
¾ Cleared hole to 145m.
¾ Could lower 20”Csg.upto 65m. H/up. Cemented.
17½” Drilling :
¾ Drilled 17½” hole to 1334m.
¾ Obsd. mud seepages from out side of cellar pit.
8 Country’s biggest wealth creator-PSU

Case-I : LPDK :
¾ Pumped 20T cement @72 m to arrest seepage.
¾ Tagged cement at 32m & Cleared to 456m.
¾ Subsequent held up@110m could not cleared.
¾ Abandoned . Rig Released on 23rd Nov.’06.
¾ While lowering mast all the nuts of 16 bolts of

base plate came out and Mast fell to ground .
9 ONGC : Overseas footprints in 15 Countries

Case-I {LPDK} : Conclusions:

` Seepages prior lowering 20”casing not arrested.
` F/Conductor grouting deeper, may have helped.
` 20”Casing short landed @65m due to collapsing

the hole , which continued all through thereafter.
` Amid continued seepages, foundation (tilt) should

have been obsvd. for deviations, to avoid disaster.
10 ONGC-OVL : 30 Projects across the globe

Case-II : TKAB :
¾ Rig: E-1400-12 {Expl.} : Silchar : March’2010
¾ Target- Depth : 3500m / DD: 2387m

¾ Csgs.- Plan/Act. : 20” - 500m / 503m
: 13⅜” - 1900m / 1795m
: 9⅝” - 2650m / Nil
: 7”Liner - 3500m / Nil
90 Rig days lost .
11 ONGC : Group Turnover crosses Rs. 150,000 Crores

Case-II : TKAB :
¾ On 4th Aug.’10@2387m in12¼”Hole : While P/o
Obsd.Gushing-water in Cellar pit. No Activity.
¾ BOP closed as precaution.
¾ DS evacuated, observing erosion at cellar pit.
¾ Bottom Box sank . Rig tilted & Toppled.
¾ Flow continued at cellar pit area for over 24Hrs
Silchar Seepage-1.mpg Silchar Rig Fall.mpg

¾ 12 . ONGC: The highest carbon credit earning Company
Case-II : TKAB : Conclusions
• A Water source found outcropped high up in a
adjoining mountain area.
• Artesian effect resulted higher water pressures.
• Weaker & permeable soil caused gushing in &

around well bore , followed by toppling of Rig.
• Site area survey for flowing underneath river ,

could have been helpful.
13 ONGC : 6 CDM Projects with ann. Accruable CERs of 2,09,460

Case-III : LKFT - 1st Phase :
• Rig: F-6100 {DEV.} : Sibsagar : Dec.’2012
• Target- Depth: 4082m / DD: 554m
• Csgs.-Plan /Actual : 20” - 500m / 503m

: 13⅜” - 1900m /
: 9⅝” - 3460m /
: 5½” - 3885m
• 60 Rig days lost .

14 ONGC : Consistently rising Reserve accretion
• Well was spudded on 4th Oct.’2012
• Drilled 26” hole to 18m.
• Heavy seepage observed near cellar pit area.
• Repeated cement jobs done.
15 ONGC : Elite Maharatna Status

• Drilled 26” hole to 233m.
• Seepage again observed near cellar pit.
• 20” casing held up at15m. Pulled out casing.
• Large crater found near foundation.
• Filled cement in hole and tagged at 10m.
16 # 21 Energy Company in the World

• Drilled upto 255m.
• Seepage observed again.
• 20” casing R/I , held at 30m again.
• While P/o csg., false conductor came out and

cellar pit & nearby area sank by 3 to 4 feet.
17 ONGC : Countrywide recognized CSR initiatives

18
19
¾ Cut 4m of conductor. Remaining conductor sank
in well.
¾ Grouted new conductor above existing sunk one
¾ Repeated Cement job done to strengthen the

cellar pit & surrounding.
¾ Minor gap noted below Bottom Box . Placed

Wedges .
20 ONGC : Biggest Contributor to Govt. Exchequer

¾ RI bit and held-up @17.66m. No return.
¾ Squeezed Cement.
¾ 17½”Bit held up @17.3m.Cleared to 255m.
¾ Lowered 20” Csg.@75m. Cemented.
¾ Drilled 17½”hole to 554m, losing 60 Rig days.
¾ Later completed successfully & flowed HC.
21
Case-III : LKFT : Conclusion

• Deeper conductor may have avoided seepages.
• A pilot hole drilling could have resulted relatively

controlled situation.
• Foundation gap may have caused detrimental

consequences , averted by careful monitoring.
22 ONGC: Only CPSU having distinction in Environment -Management

Lessons learnt / Future strategies :
If site is located at hillock , extensive area survey
should be done for detecting artesian conditions ,
accordingly location is decided.
At suspected locations ;
1. 30” or 20” Conductor casing should be lowered

deeper to about 25-30m by civil contractor.
23 ONGC : 5th Energy Company in Asia by Platts

Lessons learnt / Future strategies :
3. A pilot hole of atleast 17½” / preferably 12¼” is
drilled for controlled monitoring.
4. Stronger pile / alternatively stronger foundation

is laid for bottom box at suspected locations.
5. Proper cementation is ensured against surface

casing to avoid subsequent adversities.
24 ONGC: Winner of Scope award for excellence

Technology Measures :
1. Newer DF/Cement additives like Micro-Bubble
is tried depending upon feasibility.
¾ Micro-Bubbles / Aphrons : Proven for fluid loss

control, formation damage & differential sticking.
¾ Aphron-based DF combines certain surfactants

in the fluid to convert entrained air into aphrons
/ highly stabilized micro-bubbles.
25 ONGC: Sustained Energy Security provider to Nation

26 ONGC: Globally recognized expertise in Hydrocarbon world

Technology Measures :
2. “Polygrouting” : A latest technology solution to
susceptible locations , where polymer ;
a) Expands 300 to 400 times by volume.
b) Temporary Barrier for effective cement job.
c) Swells in less than minutes on water contact.
Issues with Polygrouting:
I. Placement problematic although use of
Cement pump recommended
II. Based on water quantum & reactivity, dilution
& Poly glycol treatment / Formulation decided
27
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Top Hole drilling Hazards : Historical

Consequences, Lessons & Future Strategies

“Top Hole drilling Hazards: Historic

OISD Workshop : 25th-26th Nov.’2013

5 Lessons & Strategies

3 #2 E&P Company in the world

` Seepages during top hole drilling resulted some

` Continued channeling caused fragility around

` Loss of Rig and Well reported in some cases in

¾ Target- Depth : 3885m {Dev.} / DD: 1334m

¾ Drilled 26” hole to 305m.

¾ Seepage observed from rat hole annulus.

¾ Evacuated mud from cellar pit to mud tank.

¾ Lowered 20” Casing to 87m.Observed Held-up.

6 ONGC: No.#1 Maharatna Company

¾ Run in 26” bit , Held-up again at 15m.

¾ Pumped 14T cement in conductor annulus.

¾ Cut window in 30”conductor for returns .

7 India’s Highest Profit making Maharatna PSU

¾ Cleared hole to 145m.

¾ Could lower 20”Csg.upto 65m. H/up. Cemented.

¾ Drilled 17½” hole to 1334m.

¾ Obsd. mud seepages from out side of cellar pit.

8 Country’s biggest wealth creator-PSU

¾ Tagged cement at 32m & Cleared to 456m.

¾ Subsequent held up@110m could not cleared.

¾ Abandoned . Rig Released on 23rd Nov.’06.

¾ While lowering mast all the nuts of 16 bolts of

9 ONGC : Overseas footprints in 15 Countries

Case-I {LPDK} : Conclusions:

` F/Conductor grouting deeper, may have helped.

` 20”Casing short landed @65m due to collapsing

` Amid continued seepages, foundation (tilt) should

10 ONGC-OVL : 30 Projects across the globe

¾ Rig: E-1400-12 {Expl.} : Silchar : March’2010

¾ Target- Depth : 3500m / DD: 2387m

 90 Rig days lost .

11 ONGC : Group Turnover crosses Rs. 150,000 Crores

¾ DS evacuated, observing erosion at cellar pit.

¾ Bottom Box sank . Rig tilted & Toppled.

¾ Flow continued at cellar pit area for over 24Hrs

Silchar Seepage-1.mpg Silchar Rig Fall.mpg

• Artesian effect resulted higher water pressures.

• Weaker & permeable soil caused gushing in &

• Site area survey for flowing underneath river ,

13 ONGC : 6 CDM Projects with ann. Accruable CERs of 2,09,460

• Rig: F-6100 {DEV.} : Sibsagar : Dec.’2012

• Target- Depth: 4082m / DD: 554m

• Csgs.-Plan /Actual : 20” - 500m / 503m

• 60 Rig days lost .

• Drilled 26” hole to 18m.

• Heavy seepage observed near cellar pit area.

• Repeated cement jobs done.

15 ONGC : Elite Maharatna Status

• Seepage again observed near cellar pit.

• 20” casing held up at15m. Pulled out casing.

• Large crater found near foundation.

• Filled cement in hole and tagged at 10m.

16 # 21 Energy Company in the World

• Drilled upto 255m.

• Seepage observed again.

• 20” casing R/I , held at 30m again.

• While P/o csg., false conductor came out and

90 Rig days lost .