DC166134 DOI: 10.
2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14 Stage: Page: 194 Total Pages: 14
Case Study—Equivalent-Circulating-
Density Management Strategy Solves
Lost-Circulation Issues on Complex Salt
Diapirs/Paleocene Reservoir
David Murray, Shell UK Limited; Mark W. Sanders, SPE, and Kirsty Houston, SPE, M-I Swaco
(a Schlumberger Company); and Hamish Hogg and Graeme Wylie, Shell UK Limited
Summary
Drilling horizontal infill wells in the Pierce field in the UK Central
North Sea (UKCNS) is challenging because of the narrow drilling
window caused by depletion in a highly fractured reservoir, which
is complicated further by water injection and the proximity of
other production wells. Wellbore strengthening was attempted in
the reservoir section of Pierce B5 (B5), although, when a pre-
existing fracture weakened further by depletion was encountered,
losses occurred. During the next 10 days more than 5,000 bbl of
nonaqueous fluid (NAF) was lost downhole. During the recovery
from the losses event, 15 individual treatments with lost-circula-
tion materials (LCMs) were made. More than 50 t of LCM was
used without success; however, the well was stabilized enough to
secure the drilled footage and to complete the well.
Two additional horizontal wells in the same field were suc-
cessfully drilled with a low-equivalent-circulating-density (ECD)
management strategy combined with the development of a low-
ECD drilling-fluid system and the use of a high-fluid-loss, high-
strength (HFHS) pill. The dual problems of barite sag and poor
hole cleaning, which can be problematic when reducing ECD
through a reduction in fluid rheology, were successfully managed.
This low-ECD technique can be applied in other subsea depleted
wells in which a narrow drilling window exists.
This paper describes how a detailed analysis of the losses
event on Pierce B5 provided an improved understanding of the
loss mechanism that resulted in a revised ECD-management
strategy. An engineered low-ECD NAF with an HFHS pill, com-
bined with learnings on ECD awareness in the planning and exe-
cution phases, mitigated the drilling risks on subsequent wells.
This has implications when encountering very large fractures that
are difficult to overcome, not only on future Central North Sea
wells, but also globally for wells drilled in similar geological
settings.
Introduction
The Pierce field (Fig. 1) in the UKCNS is a brownfield develop-
ment with 17 existing wells drilled around two complex salt dia-
pirs, referred to as “North” and “South” Pierce, respectively,
given their northwest/southeast alignment. Center-to-center sepa-
ration is approximately 2.5 nautical miles (Seymour et al. 1993;
Schutjens et al. 2012). Pierce is situated 170 miles east of Aber-
deen within the UKCNS License Blocks 23/22a and 23/27a close
to the UK/Norwegian boundary in water depths of approximately
275 ft. The Paleocene Forties sandstone reservoir produces both
oil and gas, with the gas being reinjected. Reservoir temperatures
range from 236 to 272 F (113 to 133 C) in the wells discussed.
Oil production was depletion driven for the first 7 years, until
pressure support was provided by three water injectors drilled
Copyright V
C 2014 Society of Petroleum Engineers
This paper (SPE 166134) was accepted for presentation at the SPE Annual Technical
Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, 30 September–2 October 2013, and revised for
publication. Original manuscript received for review 24 June 2013. Revised manuscript
received for review 18 November 2013. Paper peer approved 19 February 2014.
194
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around the southern salt diapir. B5 was drilled in the proximity of
the southern diapir, and losses encountered in the reservoir section
were severe enough that no further drilling progress could be
made. Pre-existing fractures, further weakened by depletion, were
thought to be the cause of the losses. Unfortunately, from a well-
planning perspective, these fractures cannot be predicted or
avoided when drilling horizontal wells.
This paper describes how, during a three-well infill campaign
[B5 and Wells A11 and C1 (A11) (C1)], considerable losses on
the first well lead the operator to re-evaluate how future wells
would be drilled. The outcome of this review was the develop-
ment of a low-ECD drilling-fluid system, a revised ECD-manage-
ment procedure, and a much-improved loss-treatment strategy.
The combined strategy was applied in the field, and it enabled the
successful drilling of the subsequent wells.
Pierce Drilling Challenges
The Paleocene Forties sandstone reservoir units of the Pierce
field exhibit steeply dipping geometries; this was caused by the
presence of the salt diapirs, with shales, faulting, and syn-sedi-
mentary deformation complicating the reservoir geology further.
The heterogeneous nature and low permeability of the Forties
reservoir, with limited vertical connectivity, make drilling hori-
zontal wells around the perimeter of the salt diapirs the most-
effective method of draining the field. The consequence of this
was that each well was drilled through a number of radial faults
and fracture zones, which occur every 200 to 300 ft or so while
drilling in the reservoir. The Pierce field also has had a compli-
cated fluid-contact history, with a hydrodynamic aquifer acting
from north to south, resulting in changes in free-water level and
oil/water-contact (OWC) across the field. The OWC tilt was
amplified around the fault zones, in which the reduced permeabil-
ity of the fault rock often caused a step in contact across the fault
zones and wells, often seeing oil on one side of the fault and
water on the other.
During the drilling of the initial development wells, when the
reservoir was at virgin pressure, the driver for the mud-weight
selection was the wellbore stability of the intra-Forties shales. At
that time, with mud weights ranging from 11.15 to 11.54 lbm/gal
[580 to 600 lbm per 1,000 ft (pptf)], there were no notable loss-
circulation events in the reservoir, and it appeared that drilling the
natural fractures/faults did not significantly increase the risk of
losses; the only recorded loss events were background seepage
losses of approximately 10 bbl/hr. Reservoir pressures were then
left to deplete during the first years of production to a maximal
historical depletion of 1,850 psi around the nearest producer to B5
[minimal static pressure of 2,800 psi, providing a differential pres-
sure of 1,850 psi (Fig. 2)]. Subsequent pressure support through
water injection has reduced the level of depletion to its current
level of 500 psi; however, there is no guarantee of a direct con-
nection between water injectors and producers, thus making accu-
rate pore-pressure predictions difficult, and, as such, a range of
pore pressures is provided for planning purposes on the basis of
available well data. This level of depletion has resulted in a
June 2014 SPE Drilling & Completion
 DC166134 DOI: 10.2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14 Stage: Page: 195 Total Pages: 14

6341600

6341600
FWL - STEPPED INTERPRETATION (RFTs, WUTs, ODTs)

10000
10000
6340800

6340800
00
100
23/22A-5s3 C1 Z
PIERCE FIELD DEVELOPMENT AREA

1000
6340000

6340000
A6

0
10000

A3X 23/22A-3s1
23/22A-2 23/22A-3

23/22A-2Z
GOC - RFT PRESSURES
6339200

6339200
A3Y

A3Z
A4
A3
A9
6338400

6338400
23/22
A7Z A8Z
23/27

A7 A10 A10Z A1
A11
6337600

6337600
A5
23/27-9 23/27-4

A11
10
00

750
0

A2

0
23/27-5
6336800

6336800
A2Z

A2Y 23/27-8s2

B5 B2
23/27-8
7500 GOC-RFT PRESSURES
6336000

6336000
23/27-3 B1Z
B4A 23/27-10

B3 23/27-1
6335200

6335200
23/27-6
10
00
0
6

6
Fig. 1—Pierce field showing location of Pierce B5, A11, and C1.

B2 Historic Pressures
@8500 ft TVDss

5100
Initial Pressure – 4650 psi Current Pressure – 4100–4150 psi
(confirmed by RFT)
4600

4100

3600
psi

3100 Min Static Pressure – 2800 psi

2600

2100

1600 Min Pressure – 1490 psi

1100
01-Jan-99 15-May-00 27-Sep-01 09-Feb-03 23-Jun-04 05-Nov-05 20-Mar-07 01-Aug-08 14-Dec-09
Max Pressure (water gradient) Min Pressure (measured gradient)

Fig. 2—Historic Pierce pressures, as measured at Well B2, nearest producer to B5.

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 DC166134 DOI: 10.2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14 Stage: Page: 196 Total Pages: 14

B5 - Wellbore Integrity

15.8 Rock Strength (Shmin) Mud Weight / ECD Losses

15.3 Virgin Fracture Gradient - 15.48 ppg

predicted from offset well LOT/FIT

14.8

14.3 Weakened due to Historical Depletion

13.8
Mud Weight (ppg)

13.3
Pierce A9 - Losses at 12.70 ppg
12.8 Field Wide Depletion (1900 psi) Shmin - 12.67 ppg
Actual ECD - 12.5 ppg

12.3
Local Depletion at B5 location (2300 psi) - 11.96 ppg Predicted ECD - 12.33 ppg
11.8
Circulating Pressures

11.3
Pierce B5: Losses at 10.96 ppg
Static Mud Weight - 11.15 ppg
10.8
Pre-existing Fault / Fracture?
Lowest Possible Depletion (3200 psi) - 10.38 ppg
10.3

Fig. 3—Available drilling window on Pierce B5.

reduction in the minimal horizontal stress (Shmin) of the Forties
reservoir. The wellbore stability of the intra-Forties shale contin-
ues to be the driver for fluid density, and there was no option to
reduce the mud weight to maintain the original drilling window
(the margin between the Forties reservoir fracture gradient and
the minimal allowable mud weight including ECD). An assess-
ment of the expected Forties Shmin was performed when planning
recent infill wells on Pierce. However, two significant unknowns
remained:
• The extent to which the Forties formation strength had
recovered since the maximal level of depletion occurred
• The impact of depletion on the strength of pre-existing faults
and fractures in the Forties reservoir.
Graphical Depiction of Available Drilling Margin
As a means of clearly illustrating the available drilling margin,
the operator developed a style of plot that depicts wellbore integ-
rity. Examples are provided in Fig. 3 and in several subsequent
figures. The drilling-window plots are created from the pore-pres-
sure prediction provided by the Pierce reservoir engineer. This
information was used by the wellbore-stability focal point to pro-
vide the minimal and expected formation integrity, as a function
of depletion. In this paper, formation integrity is defined by the
term Shmin. On the left side of the chart, the formation integrity
was plotted on the basis of the original (virgin) formation integrity
as well as the subsequent formation integrity on the basis of
depletion with a depletion constant. From the range of pore pres-
sures supplied by the reservoir engineer, Shmin is calculated on the
basis of both the expected pressure and the possible real low pres-
sure. The full range of pressures provided includes an absolute
minimal pressure; however, this is not normally used in well
design with regard to calculating formation integrity. Absolute
minimal pressure represents the worst-case pressure possible in
the reservoir, with a very low likelihood of encountering it.
The middle of the plot displays the planned static mud weight
that will be based on either well-control or wellbore-stability
requirements along with the predicted ECD obtained by software
modeling. The gap between the predicted ECD and the Shmin pro-
jections is therefore the drilling window.
The right-hand side of the plot displays any references to
losses encountered on offset wells.
Loss Event on Pierce B5
Because of the close proximity in the reservoir of the B5 to an ear-
lier drilled production well (Pierce B2), it was determined that the
localized depletion seen at this location (as a result of the draw-
down effects of B2) would be on the order of 2,300 psi; this would
result in a reduction in the Shmin to 11.96 lbm/gal (622 pptf) (Fig.
3). However, there was concern that the effects of depletion could
be higher than this (2,300 psi)—3,200 psi through open fractures
was modeled as the worst case. Therefore, because of the potential
for dynamic losses when encountering zones that have seen the
lowest field depletion and to mitigate the risk of open fractures, the
recommendation was to use a fluid design that incorporates well-
bore-strengthening materials (WSMs). Wellbore strengthening is a
recognized technique to increase formation strength (or the drilling
window) by the addition of specially sized and selected particles to
the drilling-fluid system or by adding the particles in a pill format
(Davison et al. 2004; Alberty and McLean 2004; van Oort et al.
2009; unpublished regional experience).
Drilling the first 2,066 ft of reservoir (out of a planned total of
2,357 ft) exposed the wellbore to stable ECDs of 12.48 lbm/gal
(649 pptf) without any induced losses, which suggested that well-
bore strengthening had been effective in providing an additional
drilling margin. However, at this point in the well, losses occurred
(Fig. 4) both dynamically (while pumping) and statically with ini-
tial loss rates of 200 and 65 bbl/hr, respectively. These losses
occurred following a connection during which an ECD density
spike of 12.67 lbm/gal (659 pptf) was observed; drilling then con-
tinued for the next hour with a decreasing trend in the drilling
ECD, which was 12.38 lbm/gal (644 pptf) when losses occurred.
The ECD trend in Fig. 4 demonstrates that there was no ECD
spike or warning of losses when they occurred, suggesting that
drilling into an existing weakened zone or fracture was the cause
of the losses.
Over the next 10 days, more than 5,000 bbl of NAF was lost
downhole, and 15 individual LCM treatments were made in an
attempt to cure the losses. A total of more than 51 t of LCM was
used without success before the well stabilized enough to secure
the drilled footage and to complete the well. There were two main
types of LCM treatments: (1) a combination of predominantly fi-
brous materials, ground nut shells, and metamorphosized lime-
stone (marble) (designated as “Pill B”) and (2) a thermally
activated gelling agent for NAF. It was suspected that the losses
were caused by a pre-existing fracture, or fractures, with a frac-
ture width greater than the WSM was designed to bridge (in this
instance, approximately 110 mm). The analysis of the measured
ECD during this loss event suggested an Shmin of approximately
10.96 lbm/gal (570 pptf), a figure significantly less than the pre-
dicted minimal stress before drilling. In fact, nine previous faults
had been crossed by the wellpath in the reservoir without issue,
although the trajectory took the well on a path in which the dis-
tance between B5 and the nearby producer B2 was at its minimum

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Pierce B5: 1.5 hours before losses

700 10500
12.67 lbm/gal /
659pptf
12.48 lbm/gal / 659 pptf 12.38 lbm/gal /
649pptf
649 pptf 644 pptf
644pptf
10480
650

Flow Rate (gpm) / ECD (pptf)

LOSSES 10460

600
10440

Bit Depth (ft)

550 10420

10400
500
ECD
Flowrate 10380
Bit Depth
450
10360

400 10340
20:38:24 21:07:12 21:36:00 22:04:48 22:33:36 23:02:24 23:31:12 00:00:00
Time

Fig. 4—Losses on Pierce B5.

when losses occurred [390 ft at total depth (TD)], suggesting that at 12.67 lbm/gal (659 pptf). These ECDs were higher than those
the fracture may have been weakened further by localized predicted from modeling, as a result of a combination of
depletion. • Underestimation of ECD on the basis of modeling (no tem-
perature or pressure effects were taken into account).
• Higher-than-expected rheology from the WSM in slurry
Wellbore Strengthening on Pierce B5 form was observed while drilling. This was because of the NAF
Wellbore strengthening was chosen for B5 because of concerns with a high low-end rheology to suspend the WSM during transit
about localized depletion around the B5 location. The estimation to the rig. After the clay was exposed to shear and temperature
of the fracture aperture that would be created by the overbalance through the bit, additional yielding of the clay resulted in elevated
of the drilling fluid relative to the fracture gradient was calculated rheologies. Laboratory testing for ECD modeling did not account
with software that was based on hydraulic-fracture theory in com- for this
bination with the rock properties and wellbore geometry. Optimal • The impact of an unconstrained high instantaneous rate of
WSM treatments were derived with proprietary algorithms for penetration (ROP) while drilling.
particle-size distribution and fracture sealing. The maintenance [Fig. 3 shows that there is no drilling window that is based on
treatments for the whole of the reservoir section could be derived an Shmin of 11.96 lbm/gal (622 pptf) and only a 0.17-lbm/gal win-
from the D100 cut point of the shaker screens. Operationally, the dow (more than actual ECD) that is based on an expected case
material was added as concentrated slurry at the rigsite, at a con- with no drilling window if the ECD spike is considered.]
trolled rate to keep the coarser particles in the circulating system.
With a planned mud weight of 11.15 lbm/gal (580 pptf), the pre-
dicted ECD was 12.0 lbm/gal (625 pptf). The base case Shmin was A11: Low-ECD-Drilling-Fluid and Losses Strategy
12.67 lbm/gal (659 pptf), and ECDs were no greater than this dur- The losses on B5 occurred during the planning stages of A11.
ing drilling: a maximum of 12.48 lbm/gal (649 pptf), with a spike Fig. 5 shows the drilling window and wellbore-integrity

A11 - Wellbore Integrity

Rock Strength (Shmin) Mud Weight / ECD Losses
15.57
Virgin Fracture Gradient - 15.48 ppg
15.07 predicted from offset well LOT/FIT

14.57
Weakened due Depletion

14.07
Expected Depletion (1400 psi) Shmin - 13.67 ppg
Mud Weight (ppg)

13.57

13.07
Pierce A9 - 12.70 ppg

12.57
Possible Real Low Shmin - 12.27 ppg Predicted ECD - 12.33 ppg

12.07
Circulating Pressures
11.57
Pierce B5 - 10.96 ppg
11.07
Static Mud Weight - 11.15 ppg

10.57

Fig. 5—Available drilling window on Pierce A11.

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 DC166134 DOI: 10.2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14
–5000
–6000 Top Forties
Z axis
(Reservoir entry
–7000
depth TVDss)
–8000
–9000
–9503
–9637
–10000
–11000
A7z
Fig. 6—A11 pilot hole and main-bore trajectory.
information for A11. The A11 well was designated as an oil pro-
ducer in the saddle area between the two diapirs, with both pilot
and main bores planned in the reservoir (Fig. 6). The objective of
the 2,163-ft pilot hole was to confirm the OWC and base reservoir
depth, and to establish whether the first 1,000 ft of reservoir was
oil- or water-bearing. The results of the pilot hole would be used
to optimize the position of the 5,200-ft horizontal main bore.
A11 was clearly a challenging well, and there was an addi-
tional focus on the design team, after the losses on B5, to develop
a strategy to address the following areas:
• Decide if wellbore strengthening was necessary for the suc-
cessful drilling of A11.
• Develop a strategy to reduce ECD while drilling, through
the development of a low-ECD drilling fluid on the basis of a
high oil/water ratio (OWR).
• Design a robust LCM strategy on the basis of the best prod-
ucts currently available for the region to contend with large
fractures.
Drilling Window
The drilling window for A11 was estimated to be larger than that
for B5 (Fig. 5) because there were no localized depletion effects
expected at the A11 location. Note that the expected depletion at
the A11 location was 1,400 vs. 2,300 psi seen at B5. From the
pore-pressure prediction, the expected Shmin was 13.67 lbm/gal
(711 pptf), and the possible real low Shmin was predicted to be
12.27 lbm/gal (638 pptf). With a mud weight of 11.15 lbm/gal
(580 pptf), the predicted ECD was 12.33 lbm/gal (641 pptf). The
11.15-lbm/gal (580 pptf) mud weight was based on wellbore sta-
bility and exceeded the requirement for well control.
The results of the drilling-window analysis show that there is a
possibility of losses if the possible real low pressure values are
seen around A11, although these losses will stop when the pumps
are turned off because the static mud weight is less than the possi-
ble real low Shmin. If, however, a fracture occurs, as encountered
on B5, then static losses will occur.
Low-ECD Drilling Fluid
The use of WSM on B5 was relatively complex. Thus, with a
larger drilling window available (on the basis of expected Shmin)
for A11, there was an opportunity to drill the planned 7,300 ft of
reservoir (pilot hole and main bore) conventionally. The key to
the success of this approach was ECD management in which dril-
ling-fluid properties and drilling parameters were closely moni-
tored to ensure that the ECD was kept as low as possible because
it would likely exceed the Shmin on the basis of possible real low
pressure.
The problem with setting a maximal ECD limit on a well with
a tight drilling margin and a “standard NAF system” is that
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–8920
A11
(Pilothole)
A11z
(mainbore)
remaining less than this limit can be obtained only by reducing
flow rate and/or ROP. Reducing flow rate on a highly deviated
well will have a negative impact on hole cleaning that will result
in the formation of cuttings beds, which, in turn, will increase the
ECD by reducing flow area. This creates a vicious circle of diffi-
culty, which could ultimately result in the loss of the hole section.
Because the wells on Pierce are horizontal, getting the balance
between cuttings generation (ROP) and hole cleaning would be
very hard without the use of a low-ECD-drilling-fluid system. A
successful system is one in which its low rheological profile (low
viscosity) leads to a reduction in ECD while drilling, but does not
impact the drilling-fluid cuttings-carrying capacity or increase the
likelihood of barite sag. The latter is concerning because it can
occur in a number of circumstances:
• Dynamically, it occurs under conditions of low shear in the
annulus (related to mud weight and hole angle).
• Where the drilling fluid is stationary for long periods of time
(static sag).
• During logging or periods of low circulation in which gels
are continuously broken, although this is quite rare.
To reduce the occurrence of barite sag and to maintain the cut-
tings-carrying capacity of the drilling fluid, a limit was set on the
low-end rheology (6- and 3-rev/min readings on a rotational vis-
cometer), often referred to as the drilling-fluid yield stress (also
known as LSRYP) (twice the 3-rev/min direct dial reading minus
the 6-rev/min reading), which was set to a minimum of 8 lbf/100
ft2 (Bern et al. 1996; Zamora 2009).
The solution on the Pierce wells to achieving a low-ECD-dril-
ling-fluid system, together with high barite-sag resistance, is in
the OWR, coupled with an optimal organophilic-clay content. In
terms of viscosity control, it is recognized that for invert-emulsion
fluids, as OWR increases, the contribution from the emulsion
droplets decreases and the reliance on organophilic clay increases
(Lummus and Azar 1986). Furthermore, for organophilic clays to
activate and ultimately yield, a polar solvent such as water must
be used, with dry-process clays that are notably less efficient than
the wet-process clays, as used here. Thus, in NAFs with organo-
philic clay for viscosity, under a given set of conditions, the con-
centration of organophilic clay will increase as the OWR
increases to maintain a particular rheological requirement (Jach-
nik and Marshall 1989). This is because the organophilic clay will
yield less as the OWR increases because of the reduction in avail-
able water in the NAF; low-OWR NAFs only require a small
amount of organophilic clay to yield, as has been shown empiri-
cally in laboratory testing (as later noted in the text), although the
contribution from the emulsion droplets will be greater. Organo-
philic clay can therefore be thought of as the backbone of an NAF
for reducing the likelihood of barite sag, when used in high-
enough concentrations. Thus, for a low-ECD fluid, it is reasonable
that a high-OWR NAF will be more sag-resistant than a low-
June 2014 SPE Drilling & Completion
 DC166134 DOI: 10.2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14
10 μm
Fig. 7—Left: scanning-electron-microscope image of HFHS application in its fibrous lattice form; right: photograph of application
in defluidized state.
OWR NAF because of the higher concentration of organophilic
clay in the NAF system. In addition, and this is key to the Pierce
drilling-fluid design, a high-OWR NAF can have its viscosity
reduced to lower the ECD while minimizing barite-sag risk. The
limit to the reduction is then ensuring that enough low-end rheol-
ogy (such as LSRYP) remains adequate for hole cleaning and the
suspension of the weighting agent.
The OWR range programmed for A11 was 75:25 to 85:15.
The drilling-fluids engineers were encouraged to aim for the
higher end of the range, but allow for dilution with base oil to
control solids toward the end of the section. Limits for both ECD
and ROP were set to stay less than the expected Shmin, the ECD
limit was set at 12.5 lbm/gal (650 pptf), and an ROP limit was set
at 50 ft/hr. The offshore team was made aware of the importance
of ECD management. The ECD limit is higher than the possible
real low Shmin; however, fracture breakdown pressure will exist
even with depletion: The amount of additional strength is un-
known and will be lost if ECDs are too high or a fracture is
encountered. The result would be the formation strength equaliz-
ing Shmin and losses occurring. The key to lowering the induced-
losses risk was therefore to limit ECD as much as possible, adhere
to good drilling practices, and use low-ECD drilling fluid.
The decision to use the low-ECD drilling fluid (weighted with
ultrafine barite) was the result of modeling predicted ECDs. The
low-ECD fluid was compared to a NAF system based on colloidal
barite and a standard NAF system with WSM, as used in the dril-
ling of B5. The results of software modeling showed no signifi-
cant improvement in ECD with the colloidal barite system over
the low-ECD drilling fluid (0.15 lbm/gal or 8 pptf at TD), but
there was good improvement between the low-ECD drilling fluid
and the B5 equivalent (0.42 lbm/gal or 22 pptf at TD). Although
the colloidal barite system had the lowest ECD of the drilling flu-
ids tested, it had the highest cost, had reduced hole cleaning effec-
tiveness, and the rig team members were not familiar with its use.
With only a 0.15-lbm/gal or an 8-pptf improvement over the low-
ECD drilling fluid, it did not offer enough of a benefit to warrant
its use on this well.
LCM Strategy
Although ECD management would help reduce the risk of
losses, it was apparent that there was still a risk of encountering
additional losses to severely weakened pre-existing fractures. As
discussed, the losses on B5 resulted in 10 days of nonproductive
time with no further progress in reaching the planned TD. The
LCMs used were largely ineffective on this type of loss mecha-
nism even after 15 attempts. The conventional LCM materials
used on B5 had been selected on the basis of the ability to plug
up a slot with a maximal width of 3 mm on a test apparatus sim-
ulating fracture openings. It became clear that a new strategy
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was required for A11 in the curing of losses to fractures greater
than 3 mm—taking into account both the size of the fractures
and the ability to cure the losses enough to continue drilling
ahead.
The operator’s well-fluids team evaluated possible LCM treat-
ments from incumbent fluid vendors that might enable the sealing
of large fractures (greater than 3 mm). The following LCM solu-
tions were proposed for A11.
• HFHS pill.
• “Soft-setting” cement plugs with additives to prevent acci-
dental sidetracking (reduced compressive strength).
• Specially selected synthetic fibers originally designed for
cement spacers.
• Shear-thinning water-based mixed-metal-oxide fluid treatment.
• “Pill A” and “Pill B”—LCM blends including fibrous mate-
rials, ground nut shells, and marble (“Pill A” represents a light
treatment, whereas “Pill B” represents a heavy treatment).
The effectiveness of each particulate LCM treatment was
determined by a slot-disk test performed in the laboratory. After
testing all the possible solutions, the HFHS pill appeared to be the
most promising for the Pierce-reservoir applications. The advan-
tages of the HFHS pill include the capability to be mixed and
pumped at densities up to 18 lbm/gal (936 pptf) and the compati-
bility in oil, water, and brine environments. After squeezed into
the fracture, it would defluidize to form a resilient and malleable
plug, thus preventing further losses.
The LCMs chosen for A11 were Pill A, Pill B, and the HFHS
treatment. All these would be kept on the semisubmersible dril-
ling unit, together with procedures for their use including a flow
chart. Supplies of the specially selected fibers, which also per-
formed well, were kept on standby onshore; this was because they
blocked the directional company’s rotary-steerable tool and could
not be used without a circulation sub or on a dedicated string.
HFHS Functionality
The HFHS application is a one-sack inert/multifiber lost-circula-
tion pill treatment designed to be easily mixable in a variety of
media and engineered to defluidize rapidly within the loss zone,
leaving behind a resilient, high-solids plug, in a fibrous lattice
form (Fig. 7).
When the filtrate is squeezed into a permeable formation and
the consolidating matrix of solids increases in thickness, so does
its resistance to differential pressure and mechanical force. Pill
density can be controlled with either a weighting agent, such as
barite, or through the use of a brine base, used in Pierce, to help
maximize shear strength. Shear strength, as opposed to compres-
sive strength, is a property that is considered to be a major differ-
entiator with this type of treatment. In Sanders et al. (2010), the
difference between the two was highlighted. Shear strength is a
199
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Product Comparison
Shear Strength of Unweighted Formulas
(Water-Based & Oil-Based)

2692
3000
2546

Shear Strength (lbm/in.2)

2500

2000
1127 1056
1500 810
518
1000
60 104
371
500 172 Water-Based
31 30 45 35
Oil-Based
0
HFHS Oilfield Product Product Product Product Product
Cement A B C D E
Reactive Particulates

Primarily Particulate/
Primarily Particulate
Particulate/Fibrous

Particulate/Fibrous

Particulate/Fibrous

Reactive Blend
Multifiber Blend

Reactive
Blend

Blend

Blend
Fig. 8—Shear-strength and composition comparisons of unweighted lost-circulation treatments mixed under both water- and oil-
based conditions. The oil-based cement blend clearly shows that some products tested required water to function correctly.

property that is deemed important because it relates to how much It was clear from Fig. 9 that, from 11,500 to approximately
differential pressure a plug placed inside a fracture can resist 12,400 ft, hole cleaning was insufficient at 500 gal/min and 150
before it shears or opens up. It was found that the type of material rev/min, resulting in higher-than-predicted ECD [12.27 lbm/gal
used in the makeup of an LCM also plays a part, because particu- (638 pptf) vs. 11.96 lbm/gal (622 pptf) at 12,000 ft]. However,
late or particulate/fiber blends tend to have lower shear strengths drilling slowed by hard limestone stringers (allowing for more cir-
(Fig. 8). There is a tendency to fracture more readily under com- culation) or when additional circulation was performed reduced
pression also, whereas treatments such as the HFHS application the ECD to the predicted level—ECD was low from 10,600 to
do not fracture because they compress and deform. 11,000 ft in which limestone stringers were reported. At 12,410 ft,
drilling was stopped for 30 minutes to clear cuttings beds, indicat-
Results From A11 ing the hole was not clean. After additional circulation, the ECD
was reduced to the predicted level. Later in the section, additional
On A11, 2,169 ft of pilot hole and 4,608 ft of main bore (shorter
wiping and reaming before a connection and increased rotary rev/
than originally planned because of exiting the reservoir) were
min helped prevent the ECD from becoming too high. The other
drilled with the revised ECD-management and low-ECD-drilling-
main factor in increasing the ECD was caused by the addition of
fluid strategies. The ECD throughout both hole sections was
marble to the NAF, which was as high as 2,865 lbm/d (1300 kg/
maintained less than the 12.5-lbm/gal (650 pptf) ECD limit. One
d), as reported in the drilling-fluid reports. The addition of marble
instance of losses occurred while drilling the pilot hole when
was designed to be a sacrificial treatment intended to ensure that
crossing a fault with a 12.15-lbm/gal (632-pptf) ECD, but that
the filter cake was acid-soluble in the event of stuck pipe,
cured itself after the fault “took a drink” and no LCM treatment
although the drilling-fluid reports showed a rise in low-gravity
had to be used. No further loss events occurred; both hole sections
solids (LGS) from 6.4 vol% to a high of 9.3 vol% at 12,939 ft.
were delivered successfully as per plan.
The additions were not approved at this level, and the resulting
LGS value was higher than the operator’s limit of 8 vol% of LGS.
Low-ECD-Drilling-Fluid Performance and ECD The LGS level was lowered to approximately 7.9 vol% before TD
Management on A11—A Summary by centrifuging and increasing the OWR to 80:20. The knock-on
Fig. 9 shows a plot of the ECD while drilling the 81=2-in. main effect on the drilling-fluid properties was to increase the plastic
bore. The results show ECD values greater than those predicted viscosity (PV), yield point (YP), and 6-rev/min reading, and sub-
on the basis of the ROP of 50 ft/hr (blue line) and an upward sequently increase the ECD (Table 1).
trend. A detailed analysis of the ECD trend shows several con- Therefore, although the OWR was relatively high in the dril-
flicting processes happening concurrently: ling-fluid system, the properties could have been better engi-
• Increased ECD: A result of poor hole cleaning in the hori- neered to give a lower rheology rather than allowed to drift
zontal section upward because of the marble additions.
• Increased ECD: A result of an increase in the drilling-fluid
rheological properties through the addition of marble
• Reduced ECD: A result of dilution with premix to a higher C1 Planning
OWR and the use of centrifuges C1 was the seventeenth development well drilled in the Pierce
• Reduced ECD: A result of when the ROP reduced, such as field. It consisted of a 2,850-ft horizontal reservoir section target-
drilling limestone stringers ing the Forties Paleocene reservoir (Fig. 10) and was planned as
• Reduced ECD: A result of additional wiping of the hole the most-northerly production well at the top of the North Pierce
before connections that improved cuttings removal diapir. The well is flanked on either side by two production wells
• Reduced ECD: A result of increased rotary rev/min from with long horizontal sections (A3x and A6) and crosses several ra-
150 to 180 rev/min at a TD that improved hole cleaning dial faults that could be seen on seismic.

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 DC166134 DOI: 10.2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14 Stage: Page: 201 Total Pages: 14

ECD Management
Pierce 23/22a-A11z 8½-in. Section

PWD ECD ECD Limit ESD MW (Mud Report) Connections Trip ECD (Clean Hole) ECD ROP (50/hr) Flow Rate Inclination
660 550
Normalised the predicted ECD values ECD spike 654 pptf @ connection
based on 8½-in. Pilot hole data

650 540

Bit Run #6
Bit Run #7
11,458 ft-TD: Control ROP +/– 50 ft/hr

640 530

630 520

Flow Rate (gpm/incx6/deg)

Run centrifuge: ECD &ESD decrease
13,247–13,915 ft: Increase in set down weight,
620 wipe/ream a double xZ prior to a connection. 510
Circulated & conditioned mud-decrease in
ECD/MW (pptf)

ECD/ESD 644–627/588–577 pptf respectively

610 500

600 490
Increase in PV & LGS hence increase in ECD

TD 14888 ft
Add Premix, run centrifuge to maintain MW 577
590 480

580 470

570 LGS 6.9% 460

LGS 6.8% LGS 5.2% LGS 9.3% LGS 8.9% LGS 8.1% LGS 7.4%
PV 19 PV 22 PV 21 PV 23 PV 26 PV 25 PV 26
YP 18 YP 20 YP 19 YP 20 YP 21 YP 21 YP 21
R6 9 R6 11
560 R6 10 R6 11 R6 12 R6 12 R6 11 450
10000 10500 11000 11500 12000 12500 13000 13500 14000 14500 15000

Fig. 9—Drilling parameters of A11 main bore.

TABLE 1—DRILLING-FLUID PROPERTIES—MAIN-BORE OF A11

Low-ECD NAF Properties Properties Properties

Properties at 10,293 ft at 12,939 ft at 14,888 ft

Mud weight 11.15 lbm/gal 11.1 lbm/gal 11.1 lbm/gal

PV (cP) 20 26 26
YP (lbf/100 ft2) 18 22 21
rev/min 9 12 11
LGS (%) 6.4 9.3 7.4
OWR 74:26 80:20 79:21

The available drilling window (Fig. 11) was assessed, and a possible real low Shmin values; however, the ECD limit set for the
low-ECD drilling fluid, ECD management, and LCM strategy well was 12.30 lbm/gal (640 pptf), which was based on the abso-
were planned to drill the well. The drilling window on C1 was lute minimal Shmin, a conservative limit. By studying the ECD
larger than that of both A11 and B5 on the basis of expected and measured on A11 by a pressure-while-drilling (PWD) tool, history
matching could be performed with the operator’s in-house ECD
modeling software. It was during this modeling that it was real-
ized that the model underestimated ECD, and by using the rheol-
ogy data from an HPHT rheometer a better match was obtained
for modeled vs. actual ECD. By use of this technique, which pro-
vided rheological data under pressure and temperature, a more-
accurate assessment of the ECD on C1 could be made and was
found to be 12.19 lbm/gal (634 pptf) with a 11.15-lbm/gal (580-
pptf) low-ECD drilling fluid at 500 gal/min, 150 rev/min, and an
C1 ROP of 50 ft/hr. As a comparison with 6-speed rotational viscom-
eter data (ambient pressure/120 F with all other properties the
A3x same), the predicted ECD was 11.94 lbm/gal (621 pptf). ECD
management would be critical, and the following learnings from
A11 were introduced to C1:
• Establish optimal OWR with laboratory testing on the low-
ECD drilling fluid.
• Control ROP to a 50-ft/hr average, 70- to 80-ft/hr
Fig. 10—C1 targets Forties reservoir on the flanks of the north- instantaneous.
ern salt diapir. • Limit ECD to 12.30 lbm/gal (640 pptf).

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C1 - Wellbore Integrity
Rock Strength (Shmin) Mud Weight / ECD Losses
15.57 Virgin Fracture Gradient - 15.29 ppg

15.07
Weakened due to Depletion
14.57

Mud Weight (ppg) 14.07 Expected Depletion (900 psi) Shmin - 13.85 ppg

13.57 Possible Real Low (1361 psi) Shmin - 13.36 ppg

13.07

12.57
Abs Min Shmin - 12.30 ppg
Predicted ECD - 12.19 ppg
12.07
Circulating Pressures
11.57

Pierce B5 - 10.96 ppg

11.07
Static Mud Weight - 11.15 ppg

10.57

Fig. 11—Available drilling window on C1.

• Track PWD data and hole cleaning in real time.
• Optimize marble additions to the drilling fluid (added in
case of stuck pipe).
• Establish a testing method to measure marble concentration
in an NAF.
• Adopt narrow-margin drilling-window practices (stage up
pumps, reduce surge pressures).
• Perform additional wiping of the hole on connections to
improve hole cleaning, as per A11.
• Use a minimum of 150 rev/min when drilling the reservoir
section.
Laboratory Testing on the Low-ECD Drilling Fluid
Although the theory behind the low-ECD drilling fluid that is
based on a high concentration of organophilic clay seemed robust,
no actual laboratory testing had taken place before its application
on A11. With adequate time available to perform testing before
drilling C1, a project was set up to establish whether laboratory
data could support the theory and if there was an optimal OWR
for the fluid system. In addition, the operator was interested in the
ability to measure for barite sag not only in the laboratory, but
also in the field. This would play a part in the strategy to drive
down the rheology of the drilling-fluid system, but with confi-
dence that by doing so would not promote barite sag.
The laboratory results did indeed back up the theory (Fig. 12).
As OWR increased, so did the organophilic-clay concentration,
and a decrease was seen in PV and in YP to its lowest point at
80:20 OWR, with the PV continuing to decrease at 85:15 OWR.
The 85:15 OWR NAF had a concentration of 7.5 lbm/bbl of orga-
nophilic clay compared with a 5.5-lbm/bbl concentration in the
70:30 OWR NAF. On the basis of these results, the programmed
OWR for the section was 80:20 to 85:15, which allowed room for
dilution with base oil to control LGS.
Barite sag measured with the viscometer sag-shoe test method
(Zamora and Bell 2004) in the laboratory was found to be incon-
clusive. The operator’s desire to monitor this in the field required
the purchase of two ultralow-shear rheometers, one for the labora-
tory and one for the field. Dynamic barite sag is a highly complex
process that is often very difficult to predict or manage; however,
because it appears to be related to low shear rates, the ability to
measure ultralow shear rates in the field offers a great advantage
(Dye et al. 1999). For C1, the challenge would be to ascertain
whether the equipment is robust enough to measure viscosity at
ultralow shear rates in an offshore environment in which the
vibration and general movement of the semisubmersible are issues
for sensitive equipment.
A further challenge was to define the lower limit (in cP) below
which barite sag would be predicted for the low-ECD drilling fluid
in the field. The aim would be to maintain the viscosity above that
value to prevent sag occurring. Testing was conducted with a labo-
ratory-based ultralow-shear rheometer on field-sampled NAFs that
had low ECD profiles to help define this lower limit (Fig. 13;
Tables 2 and 3).
The fluid designed for C1 should have a viscosity limit at 0.01
rev/min that is greater than 17,669 cP at 50 C and at no time falls
below this lower limit. The C1 low-ECD drilling fluid (when

Rheology vs. Oil: Water Ratio for Minimal ECD and Barite Sag
35 6 rev/min Advanced Ultra-low Shear Rate Viscometer Data for
PV (cP)
Low-ECD Field Mud @ 250°C (77°F) and 50°C (122°F)
30 YP (lbm/100 ft2) 1000000
LSRYP 25°C
Organoclay conc (lbm/bbl) 100000 2.59×104 cP @ 25°C
25 50°C
Fluid Property

10000
Viscosity (cP)

20
1000 1.77×104 cP @ 50°C
15
100

10 10

1
5 0.01 rev/min ≡ 0.017 sec–1
0.1
0 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000
65/35 70/30 75/25 80/20 85/15 Shear Rate (sec–1)

Fig. 12—Rheology vs. OWR of the low-ECD drilling fluid. Fig. 13—Ultralow-shear rheology results on low-ECD NAF.

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TABLE 2—LOW-ECD FIELD-SUPPLIED NAF TABLE 3—LOW-ECD FIELD-SUPPLIED NAF

(VISCOSITY GEL-METER EQUIVALENT VALUES AT 25º C) (VG-METER EQUIVALENT VALUES AT 50º C)

Shear Dial Viscosity Shear Dial Viscosity

Rev/min Stress (Pa) Reading (cP) Rev/min Stress (Pa) Reading (cP)

600 34.1 71 33 600 22.5 47 22

300 19.3 40 39 300 13.0 27 26
200 14.6 30 43 200 10.0 21 29
100 9.5 20 56 100 7.0 15 41
6 3.4 7 335 6 3.0 6 291
3 3.0 6 586 3 2.7 6 521
0.01 0.4 1 25,925 0.01 0.3 1 17,669

Advanced Ultra-low Shear Rate Viscometer Data for

Low-ECD Pierce Lab Mud @ 25°C (77°F) and 50°C (122°F) TABLE 4—C1 RHEOLOGY RESULTS
1,000,000 (VG-METER EQUIVALENT VALUES AT 25º C)
25°C
100,000 3.31×104 cP @ 25°C 50°C
Shear Dial Viscosity
10,000 2.56×104 cP @ 50°C Rev/min Stress (Pa) Reading (cP)
Viscosity (cP)

1000 600 56.4 117 55

100 300 31.3 65 63
200 22.9 48 67
10
100 13.9 29 82
1 6 4.3 9 419
0.01 rev/min ≡ 0.017 sec–1
0.1 3 3.8 8 736
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 0.01 0.6 1 33,127
Shear Rate (sec–1)

Fig. 14—Ultralow-shear rheology results on low-ECD fluid for and drilling-fluid engineers. Onshore training for drilling-fluid
C1. engineers took place on the specialized low-shear rheometer. Ev-
ery opportunity was taken to re-enforce the low-ECD strategy by
tested on the same laboratory rheometer as the field fluid) pro- performing a drill-the-well-on-paper exercise and through face-
vided the following results (Fig. 14; Tables 4 and 5). to-face discussions with key personnel. Another key role was the
The ultralow-shear rate of the laboratory-prepared C1 NAF life-cycle well engineer (LCWE), who began by planning the well
was 25,616 cP, a value notably higher than the lower limit of and finishes in the execution phase. The LCWE transitions to the
17,669 cP at 50 C, as determined from tests performed on the operations-engineer position within the execution team and drills
field-proved fluid (Table 3). The testing was performed to provide what was designed and acts as a “technical first point of contact”
the drilling-fluid engineers with a limit on the low-end rheology while drilling the well.
that would indicate that barite sag was a possibility and, in addi-
tion, would be used to reduce the rheology (and thus the ECD)
with confidence and without promoting barite sag. With the use of C1 Execution, Losses, and Application of the
the ultralow-shear rheometer, the plan was to equip the engineers HFHS Pill To Cure Losses
with a tool that allowed them to engineer a low-ECD drilling fluid Drilling the reservoir section began below the 97=8-in. shoe in the
with confidence, yet ensure that the fluid would be useable in the 81=2-in. hole through the Sele shale and into the Forties reservoir.
field. From there, the well was drilled horizontally at 500 gal/min with
an 11.40-lbm/gal (593-pptf) mud weight. The mud weight, higher
than planned, was actively lowered by dilution as drilling started.
Preparation To Spud At 11,288 ft, losses occurred; the mud weight was 11.25 lbm/gal
One of the key areas identified for the success of C1 was commu- (585 pptf) with an ECD of 12.15 lbm/gal (632 pptf)—less than
nication about the strategy with the offshore team. Key individu- the defined limit of 12.3 lbm/gal (640 pptf). Dynamic losses were
als were the day and night drilling supervisors, drilling engineer, 300 bbl/hr with static losses at 50 bbl/hr, reducing to zero after 30
minutes.
Pill A was prepared, pumped, and allowed to soak for 50
TABLE 5—C1 RHEOLOGY RESULTS minutes. Attempts were made to achieve a drilling-loss-free flow
(VG-METER EQUIVALENT VALUES AT 50º C) rate; however, even at a lower flow rate of 225 gal/min, the loss
rate was 60 bbl/hr. This high loss rate, at such a low pump rate,
Shear Dial Viscosity was considered too high to continue drilling. The decision was
Rev/min Stress (Pa) Reading (cP) made to pump an HFHS pill. To help maximize product shear
strength, the HFHS pill was prepared with 10 lbm/gal (520 pptf)
600 31.8 66 31 of sodium chloride brine, which was then weighted to 11.28 lbm/
300 17.9 37 36 gal (587 pptf) with barite. Subsequently, 20 bbl was pumped
200 13.5 28 40 downhole with the bit 3-ft off-bottom (no spacer was pumped
100 9.0 19 53 between the NAF and the HFHS pill). Two stands were then
6 3.8 8 368 pulled back, and a hesitation squeeze was performed in five steps
to a maximum of 510 psi (Fig. 15).
3 3.4 7 672
Circulation was then established with 24 bbl of losses at 450
0.01 0.4 1 25,616
gal/min, which decreased quickly to loss-free status. On the basis

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HFHS Hesitation Squeeze

600 20
Volume
Flow Rate 18
Pressure
500
16

Pressure (ppl) / Volume (bbl)

14
400

Flow Rate (bbl/min)

12

300 10

8
200
6

4
100
2

0 0
00:00:00 00:15:00 00:30:00 00:45:00 01:00:00 01:15:00
Time (hh:mm)

Fig. 15—HFHS-pill squeeze plot—pumping up in 50-psi stages and holding pressure at each stage for 4 minutes. Final squeeze
pressure held for 10 minutes.

of this positive outcome, the decision was made to drill ahead,
increasing flow rate to 488 gal/min; losses initially were as high
as 60 bbl/hr but reduced to a sustainable 8 bbl/hr. For the next 2
days following the HFHS-pill treatment, no additional LCM treat-
ments were made to the drilling-fluid system. Efforts during this
time were on conditioning the drilling-fluid system to the 80:20
OWR, as stipulated for the low-ECD drilling fluid, thus keeping
losses less than 8 bbl/hr. From 12,789 ft, until TD was reached at
13,115 ft, standard treatments with sized marble and cellulosic
fibers were made to the drilling-fluid system to further reduce the
seepage losses to between 1 and 4 bbl/hr before pulling out of
hole to run the liner.
The 7  51=2-in. liner was successfully run and cemented. Of
the 188 bbl of cement pumped, 22 bbl was lost to the formation
and 7 bbl of cement was circulated from above the hanger after
the cement job, indicating that a complete cementation of the liner
had been achieved.
Log Analysis of the Loss Zone
Curing the losses on C1 allowed for the density neutron tool in
the bottomhole assembly to log the loss zone at 11,288 ft. In addi-
tion, after close inspection, a fault was also visible on seismic at
this depth. The results were quite striking. In Fig. 16, the light
11250
11275
Low density interval
11300
High density interval
11325
11350
11375
11400
Fig. 16—Density neutron log over the loss zone.
areas on the density log are low-density zones that indicate open
fractures in which losses were taken. The darker intervals are
high-density cemented zones (i.e., a fracture filled with hard cal-
cite). This is clear evidence of weak pre-existing fractures as the
cause of losses on C1, rather than ECD creating new fractures.
Not all the fractures would have been exposed during the HFHS-
pill treatment, which may explain the seepage losses seen when
drilling ahead.
Low-ECD-Drilling-Fluid Performance and ECD
Management on C1
Drilling the 81=2-in. section began midwinter and was dominated
by bad weather. Drilling of the 2,897-ft reservoir section took just
more than 14 days from drilling the cement in the shoetrack until
TD was reached, half of which were lost to waiting on weather
(WOW). The drilling was completed in six parts, the longest of
which was 51 hours of continuous drilling, and lasted a total of
4.4 days.
The mud weight was high when it came onboard at 11.35 lbm/
gal (590 pptf) rather than the programmed 11.15 lbm/gal (580
pptf) and had an OWR of 76:24, which was lower than the
planned 80:20 OWR. Despite this, drilling started with the higher
mud weight, which gave an ECD of 12.12 lbm/gal (630 pptf) at
500 gal/min; this was less than the defined limit of 12.3 lbm/gal
(640 pptf), while treatment was made to the drilling fluid to
reduce the mud weight. However, after drilling only 203 ft, the ro-
tary-steerable tool failed, and the string was pulled out of hole.
Additional WOW then ensued, which resulted in the drilling fluid
taking on water from displacing the riser to seawater in prepara-
tion for the possibility of unlatching the lower-marine-riser pack-
age. The effect of this contamination was to lower the OWR to
74:26. It was after this long period, in which the drilling fluid was
stationary, that the only sign of barite sag was observed. On circu-
lating bottoms up, mud weights of 10.0 lbm/gal (520 pptf) and
11.78 lbm/gal (613 pptf) were seen, although this appears to have
been a small event, perhaps exacerbated by the lack of shear given
to the drilling fluid before the WOW. No further variations in
mud weight were seen in the well. Drilling continued, and an
ECD spike at 12.40 lbm/gal (645 pptf) occurred at 10,920 ft (Fig.
17) while reaming a stand on a connection at 15 ft/min. Reaming
speeds were subsequently reduced to less than 15 ft/min following
this event.
The low-shear rheometer was used on a daily basis, but the
analysis did suffer from rig movement; several hours were

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ECD Management
Pierce C1Z 8½-in. Section
PWD ECD ECD Limit ESD ECD (Clean Hole) ECD ROP (25 ft/hr) ECD ROP (50 ft/hr)
ECD ROP (100 ft/hr) Connections Mud Weight Flow Rate Trip
650 800
Section 10 @ 131154
ECD spike of 654 pptf on
ECD Limit 640 pptf

Prod ECD modelled with support MW

640 700

630 600

620 500
ECD/ESD/MW (pptf)

Flow Rate (gpm)

Trip for BHA/WOW @ 10,421 ft

610 400
Flow Rate: 480–500 gpm
Bleed base oil Total AV: 280–290 ft/hr
WOW

into active losses at Calc Min Flow Rate: 340 gpm

system to lower Bleed base oil
11,288 ft. into active
MW Cured
600 system 300
before to lower
drilling MW at 11,510 ft
ahead. Seepage
losses 3–4 bbl/hr

590 200
Bleed in Premix and Run Centrifuge
to control MW and LGS

580 MW 590 MW 585 MW 583 MW 588 MW 580 MW 575 100

PV 17 PV 19 PV 18 PV 16 PV 17 PV 18
YP 16 YP 19 YP 19 YP 15 YP 18 YP 18
LGS 4.6 LGS 7.5 LGS 10.1 LGS 6.9 LGS 3.9 LGS 7.8
OWR 76/24 OWR 75/25 OWR 74/26 OWR 78/22 OWR 79/21 OWR 80/20
570 0
10100 10300 10500 10700 10900 11100 11300 11500 11700 11900 12100 12300 12500 12700 12900 13100

Fig. 17—Drilling parameters for C1—main bore.

required to measure rheology at 0.01 rev/min, and of the sixteen and successful, effort to bring the drilling fluid into specification
runs attempted, only ten gave consistent results. Values ranged by 11,876 ft. Other than the ECD spike to 12.40 lbm/gal (645
from 26,715 to 34,407 cP, with the majority approximately pptf), as described previously, the ECD was successfully main-
32,000 cP. This indicated that the drilling-fluid rheology was tained less than the 12.30-lbm/gal (640-pptf) agreed limit and,
higher than desired on the basis of previous laboratory work, but compared with A11, the drilling-fluid rheologies were consis-
the stop/start nature of the drilling, combined with the need to tently lower throughout the section (Table 6).
bring the drilling fluid into specification, prevented the optimization
of the rheology. Another technique, one that could help quantify
the calcium carbonate content of the NAF, was also developed and Discussion
used at the rigsite, although with mixed success. Essentially, the Evidence of pre-existing fractures was captured by the neutron-
test was based on the addition of an acid to retorted solids, with the density logging tool on C1 and, therefore, validates the theory
view to liberating carbon dioxide; the calcium carbonate content of that losses on B5, and subsequently on C1, were caused by pre-
the NAF could then be deduced. existing fractures weakened by depletion. Because losses of this
In total, less than 20 hours of nonproductive time were nature are recent phenomena in Pierce, this would suggest that
incurred as a result of the loss event at 11,288 ft, with a renewed, increasing the reservoir pressure in the field, from the lows before

TABLE 6—DRILLING-FLUID PROPERTIES—FOR C1

Low-ECD NAF Properties Properties Properties

Properties at 10,421 ft at 11,876 ft at 13,115 ft

Mud weight 11.35 lbm/gal 11.05 lbm/gal 11.1 lbm/gal

600 reading 50 50 56
300 reading 33 33 37
200 reading 27 27 30
100 reading 19 20 22
6 reading 9 9 10
3 reading 8 8 9
PV (cP) 17 17 19
YP (lbf/100 ft2) 16 16 18
LSRYP 7 7 9
LGS (%) 4.6 4.8 8.4
OWR 76:24 80:20 80:20

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 DC166134 DOI: 10.2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14
water injection, has not improved the overall strength of the for-
mations encompassing these fractures. On B5, the risk of losses
was exacerbated further by the localized depletion from the
nearby B2 well. This implies that future drilling around the Pierce
diapirs may also suffer losses; however, the likelihood of predict-
ing pre-existing fractures that would be problematic is low
because, as was seen on B5, many faults were crossed without
any issues.
The low-ECD drilling strategy used on A11 and C1 was an
attempt to remain at less than the depleted fracture gradient in the
reservoir, which is assumed to be lowered by depletion. This was
successful, although the actual drilling window (and therefore the
risk of losses without this strategy) are unknown. Wellbore
strengthening appears to have worked on B5 on the basis of the
ECDs seen while drilling, which were at, or above, the Shmin. The
strategy for future wells (whether low-ECD drilling fluid or well-
bore strengthening) will depend on the estimates of Shmin and
ECD while drilling.
The development of the low-ECD drilling fluid provides the
opportunity to implement a managed-ECD strategy with minimal
cost and to find a niche between standard NAF and colloidal/bar-
ite systems that has been lacking, until recently, for drilling infill
wells in which depletion is a concern, but wellbore-strengthening
techniques are demanding. In this context, the challenge to imple-
mentation lies with the use of third-generation semisubmersibles
and the constraints these have when applying logistically chal-
lenging technology in harsh environments.
The HFHS pill has proved to be an effective LCM treatment
where losses occur in pre-existing fractures. The ability to apply a
single effective treatment to cure severe losses is a huge advant-
age when planning depleted wells. The HFHS pill can be recom-
mended for loss zones similar in nature to those of C1 or B5 or in
other fractured and depleted sandstone reservoirs. The defluidiz-
ing properties of the pill are key to its successful application, indi-
cating that its use will be limited to formations in which fluid
leakoff can be achieved and in which the hesitation pressure
applied does not exceed the Shmin in the existing openhole section.
Successful applications in shales above or within reservoirs are
limited, or will be ineffective, if defluidizing cannot be achieved.
Placement is also key; therefore, openhole sections with multiple
loss zones or in which uncertainty exists on the depth of the loss
zone will not be good candidates for this sort of treatment—cer-
tainly with regard to single applications of the technology.
Conclusions
• Communication between the various key personnel is critical
when implementing new approaches to drilling and drilling flu-
ids. The results from C1, although better implemented than
A11, still show that improvement is needed to achieve all the
aims of the project.
• The optimization of the low-ECD drilling fluid should be quali-
fied empirically with laboratory tests before use in the field, and
confirmation before shipment that the fluid is within specifica-
tions must occur.
• The greatest risk when drilling infill wells in the Pierce field is
encountering fracture zones that have been weakened by deple-
tion. The drilling of these three wells has improved our under-
standing of this issue; however, the mechanism for these
fractures occurring is not fully understood, and many questions
remain unanswered.
• A low-ECD drilling fluid and ECD-management strategy are
potential alternatives to wellbore strengthening in depleted res-
ervoirs in which drilling windows exist but are narrow; how-
ever, a robust LCM strategy is also required in the event of
losses occurring through large fractures.
• The combination of poor weather and an NAF without its
design specification resulted in the loss of the opportunity to
fully test the high-OWR NAF and prove the theory that its rhe-
ology can be reduced without encountering barite sag, thereby
reducing the ECD to values not possible with the use of a stand-
ard NAF.
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• The ability to test the ultralow-shear rate of an NAF in the field
is a valuable asset when designing a low-ECD NAF; however,
measuring ultralow-shear-rate viscosity on a floating drilling rig
remains a challenge.
• HFHS pills can be recommended for losses into fractures in
sandstone reservoirs.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the management of Shell UK;
Summit Petroleum; and M-I Swaco, a Schlumberger company,
for their permission and support in publishing this paper. Special
thanks are also extended to Ahmadi Tehrani and Ryan Shursen of
M-I Swaco and to Nicky Walker and Gordon Wilson of Shell UK
for their respective comments and contributions to the laboratory-
testing requirements in the lead up to the drilling program. Thanks
also go to Gwilym Lynn and Tim McCulloch of Shell UK for
their subsurface inputs and to Neil Jack of Shell UK for his sup-
port in implementing these initiatives in the field.
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David Murray is a Wells Engineering Team Leader at Shell UK
Limited based in Aberdeen. He is involved in the concept
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 DC166134 DOI: 10.2118/166134-PA Date: 18-June-14
design of subsea normal pressure/normal temperature wells
and is also a subject-matter expert in drilling fluids and
cementing, who spent the early part of his career in drilling-
fluid and cementing laboratories for service companies and
for Shell UK Limited, which he joined in 1989. The first 10 years of
Murray’s Shell career were spent in the Production Chemistry
Department in which he provided support on drilling fluids and
cementing. He then joined the Well Engineering Department
and has worked in the UK and Norway in both operational
and well-design roles during the last 14 years. Murray holds an
HD degree in chemistry from Robert Gordon University.
Mark Sanders is a research scientist and local technical ad-
viser with M-I Swaco, a Schlumberger Company. Based at
their Aberdeen Research and Technology Centre in the UK,
he has an ongoing interest in wellbore-strengthening and lost-
circulation issues. During 26 years of drilling-fluids experience
with Schlumberger or affiliate companies, Sanders has had
postings in Cambridge, Paris, Houston, and Aberdeen. He
holds an HND degree in biology and an honors degree with a
major in chemistry from The Open University, UK. Sanders has
authored or coauthored twenty-five industry-related papers
and is an SPE member.
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Kirsty Houston, an SPE member, is currently the Technical Serv-
ices Manager for M-I Swaco Drilling Solutions based in Aber-
deen. She started her fluids career in 1996 with Dowell
Schlumberger in cementing before specializing in drilling fluids:
first with Baker Hughes and then with M-I Swaco. Houston
holds a BSc degree in applied biosciences and chemistry from
Robert Gordon University.
Hamish Hogg joined Shell UK Limited as a well engineer in 2006
after graduating from the University of Strathclyde with an MS
degree in engineering. During his time with Shell, he has
worked in onshore and offshore roles for the design and con-
struction of subsea wells. From 2010 to 2012, Hogg worked on
the Pierce project, delivering the A11 and C1 wells. He cur-
rently works as the Brent Abandonment Technology Engineer
in Aberdeen.
Graeme Wylie has worked in Shell UK Limited for nearly 8 years
as a well-fluids production chemist. Previous to his role at Shell,
he worked as an offshore-fluids engineer for 4 years and as a
fluids-account manager for 1 year. Wylie holds an MSc degree
in analytical chemistry and a joint honors degree in chemistry
and mathematics.
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