What To Do When RSS Is Not An

Option Due To Tight Budget

A Case For Side-track Campaign with Motor BHA

Issued: July 12, 2018

By: Erwan de Boisjolly
 WhitePaper4 - A Case For Sidetrack Campaign with Motor BHA

I. Context
An Operator is planning a side-track campaign on approximately 20 wells. As they want to reduce equipment’s costs
-avoiding expensive RSS- they want to assess if these wells can be drilled with steerable motor BHA. The Operator
contacted DrillScan to perform some advanced engineering, considering both Directional and Mechanical aspects.
The Operator also asked DrillScan to provide recommendations for drill pipes selection, to optimize drillstring
design in terms of Hydraulics and Torque & Drag.

A complete Trajectory screening had been performed by DrillScan beforehand, to identify the most challenging well
trajectories to be drilled during this campaign.

II. Directional challenges

The objective is to assess if the
complex 3D trajectory could be
drilled using a steerable motor
BHA despite high DLS
(10deg/30m) in soft formation.
DrillScan proposed a BHA
design that can deiver build,
drop and slant sections in a
single run, simulating with our
WellScan® software its
sensitivity to Weight On Bit
(WOB) and Hole Overgauge.

DrillScan was able to estimate a slide and

rotate pattern (respectively 80%/20%) Impact of Hole Overgauge and VGS activation
for both build and drop sections, on Build rate (rotating mode)
providing optimized bend angle of 1.5°
2
based on standard 6 3/4’’ hole drilling
equipment. 1,5
Build rate (deg/30m)

DrillScan also recommended to use a 1

Variable Gauge Stabilizer to get 0,5
inclination control while drilling slant
section in soft formation in case WOB is 0
limited and Hole Overgauge (OVG) is 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
-0,5
uncontrolled.
-1
Inclination (deg)
VGS 6" - OVG 1/2" VGS 6" - OVG 3/4"
VGS 6 1/2" - OVG 1/2" VGS 6 1/2" - OVG 3/4"

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 WhitePaper4 - A Case For Sidetrack Campaign with Motor BHA

III. Torque and Drag and Buckling limits

III.1 - Drilling: The following questions were raised by the Operator:
• Ability to apply WOB while sliding,
• Ability to transfer torque at bit while rotating,
• Ability to back-ream from TD and derive rig power capacities.

DrillScan performed some

Torque and Drag and Buckling
analyses using its unique stiff
string model with contact
management. Sensitivities were
performed on the drillstring
composition: 3 ½” or 4” DP.
Buckling
margin
Looking at Hookload, tension
and torque profiles, the
simulations confirmed that the
sections could be safely drilled,
with comfortable margins to
apply the necessary torque and
weight at the bit. Besides, no
buckling was expected for the two types of drill pipes even while drilling with high WOB in a tortuous wellbore.

III.2 - RIH with 5 ½” liner: some simulations were performed using the WellScan® software to:
• Predict potential liner buckling and lock-up,
• Evaluate rotating torque while cementing the liner,
• Evaluate hook load capacity while POOH the liner.

The simulations confirmed that the 5 ½” liner can be run to

TD without buckling and approx. 35 tf of margin on
hookload. The maximum expected torque (~3330 lb.ft) and
the maximum expected hookload while POOH the liner (50
tf) were used to confirm rig power capacities as well.

In addition, DrillScan engineers investigated several centralisation programs along the liner, to optimize the stand-
off profile before the cementation, without compromising the ability to reach TD using too many centralisers.

IV. Hydraulics Analyses

Some hydraulics analyses were eventually performed to confirm good hole cleaning, ensuring sufficient annulus
velocity without compromising borehole quality through borehole erosion. The hydraulics simulations helped the
client in the choice of drill pipes diameter and evaluating ECD margins to frac pressure at side track depth.

V. Conclusion
Even if your budget is tight, it doesn’t mean you can not drill profitable campaigns. When you look closer at the
fundamentals of the drilling process, you may very well spot some golden opportunities. More often than not, the
most expensive or advanced equipment is NOT what you really need to unlock the reservoir. If you are in a penny-
pinching situation with you drilling campaign, and you want to find that fittest solution to make it work, we’re here
to help just like we did for the client in this case study. You can contact regis.studer@drillscan.com to set up a meeting
for discussion in more details.
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