Mud Logging School

By: Mohamed Ashraf Samir

Day 3
 Content
1) Tripping operation.

2) Casing Operation

3) Cementing Operation.
- Primary Cementing: (Using Cement Stinger, Using plugs, multi-stage Cement
job).
- Secondary Cementing: (e.g. Squeeze Job).

4) Drilling Operation and Related terminologies.

5) Fishing Operation.
 1) Tripping Operation
A trip is the act of pulling the drill string out of the hole (POOH) or replacing it in
the hole (RIH- Run In Hole).

A pipe trip is usually done because the bit has dulled or has otherwise ceased to
drill efficiently and must be replaced.
Round Trip:
The complete operation of removing the drill string from the well bore and running
it back in the hole. This operation is typically undertaken when the bit becomes
dull or broken, and no longer drills the rock efficiently. After some preliminary
preparations for the trip, the rig crew removes the drill string 90 ft [27 m] at a time,
by unscrewing every third drill pipe or drill collar connection. When the three
joints are unscrewed from the rest of the drill string, they are carefully stored
upright in the derrick by the fingerboards
Wiper Trip:
Recovery and replacement of the drill string in the well bore that usually includes
the bit and bottom hole assembly passing by all of the open hole, or at least all of
the open hole that is thought to be potentially troublesome.

Wiper trips are commonly used when a particular zone is troublesome or if hole-
cleaning efficiency is questionable.
Wet and Dry Trips (POOH)/closed end:

Dry trip:
Trip before which a slug of dense mud was pumped into the drill pipe. This allows
the drill pipe to be broken out without back-flowing out.
The amount of mud that is to be pumped into the hole is equivalent to the volume
of steel in the drill string.

Metal displacement of Heavy-weight drill pipe:

Used formula: (OD2 - ID2) x Length x 0.000971 = Volume (bbl) Metal

Displacement of 5" Heavy-weight drill pipe with 3" I.D. =
(5 2 - 3 2) x 93 x 0.000971 = 1.4448 bbl (per stand of 93’ length)
5 stands of Heavy-weight = 5 x 1.4448 = 7.224 bbl
Calculated volumes should agree closely with the volume of mud used to fill the
hole as this amount of pipe is removed.
Wet trip:
If a slug cannot be used, for example 1) with certain down-hole tools not allowing
mud to fall through, or 2) if insufficient slug volume or density was used, or 3) in
case of wash-out in drill pipes, then the pipe at surface will be “wet,” with mud
falling out of the pipe onto the rig floor. To prevent or reduce this, a “mud-bucket”
is used. There is a hose attached to allow the mud to run back through the rotary
table, into the bore-hole.
This is not an efficient system; differences arise between the actual volume of mud
used - vs. - the theoretical volume.
During a “wet” trip, the maximum amount of mud to be pumped into the hole is
equivalent to the steel displacement plus the internal capacity of the pipe.

Used formula: (OD2) x Length x 0.000971 = Volume (bbl) Metal

Displacement of 5" Heavy-weight drill pipe with 3" I.D. =

5 2 x 93 x 0.000971 = 2.2575 bbl/stand
5 stands drill pipe = 5 x 2.2575 = 11.2875 bbl 5"
Due to the use of a mud-bucket, some of the mud inside the pipe is redirected back
into the hole; however, as they are not very efficient, some of the mud spills on the
rig floor. Thus, in actual practice, the amount of mud required to replace the
volume removed will be greater than the theoretical “dry” trip volume, but should
be less than the maximum calculated volume.

Mud Bucket
 2) Casing Operation

Casing function:

- To prevent the hole from caving in or being washed out

- To exclude water from the producing formations
- To provide a means of controlling the well
- To permit installation artificial lift equipment for
producing the well
- To provide a flow path for producing fluids

Casing Types

1- Conductor Pipe:
- The hole for the conductor pipe may be drilled or pile
driven with a pile driver
- Conductor pipe is usually 48 inches to 16 inches in
diameter

Conductor Casing or Pipe: Uses

- As a channel to raise the mud high enough to return to
the mud pits
- To prevent erosion around the base of the rig (Cellar)
- To provide for attaching the BOP stack where shallow
gas is expected
- To protect the subsequent casing strings from corrosion
- To support some of the wellhead load on locations where
the ground is soft.

2-Surface Casing:
- The diameter of the surface casing must be less than the conductor casing

Surface Casing: Uses

- Primarily for protection in case of a blowout, so this string is usually designed
to withstand a burst pressure equivalent to 1 psi/ft of depth
- Set deep enough to protect the well from caving in and washout of loose
formations that are encountered near the surface.
- Starting point for the casing head and other fittings that will be left on the
completed well
3- Intermediate Casing:
- The number of intermediate casing strings set depends on the depth of the well
and the problems encountered in drilling.

Intermediate Casing: Uses

- Generally used to seal off weak zones that might break with the use of heavy
mud and withstand pressure at the wellhead when kicks are being handled
- Sometimes used to seal off salt and anhydrite zones that may contaminate the
drilling mud or cause pipe sticking and key seats.
- Also used to seal off older production zones in order to drill deeper.

4- Liner String:
- An abbreviated string of casing used to case the open hole below existing
casing.
- It extends from the setting depth up into another casing string, usually
overlapping around 100 feet above the lower end of either the intermediate or
production casing.
- Suspended from the upper casing by a liner hanger.
- Production liners are sometimes not cemented.
(Scab liner: it's reverse liner run above the liner to support, and it must be of
high grade).

5- Production Casing (Tubing):

This serves to isolate the hydrocarbons during production from undesirable fluids
in the producing formation and from other zones penetrated by the well bore.
Liner: Advantages
- Cheaper because only a short string of pipe is needed instead of a complete
string back to the surface (principal advantage).
- Less danger of the casing being stuck because a liner can be run in a shorter
amount of time.
- If drilling has weakened the casing string, additional pipe may be tied back to
the surface from the top of the liner

Liner: Problems Encountered

-Liner seals sometimes leak
- Difficulty in disengaging the liner string from the running tool
Casing Accessories

1- Guide Shoes: is attached to the first

length of casing to be lowered into the hole.
It is aluminum with a hole in the center and
rounded, to guide the casing into the borehole,
around obstructions.

3- Float shoe: a Short cylindrical steel section

with a rounded bottom; attached to the
bottom end of the casing string.

The valve permits fluid to pass downward but

not upward (one-way valve).
This stops heavier cement u-tubing back into
the casing after displacement by lighter mud.

2- Float Collars: One way valve to move fluid

downward only (like float shoe)

4- Centralizers: to keep the casing in the

center of the hole and make sure it is not
resting on borehole wall, this increases the
chance of good cement bond.

5- Scratcher: A device fastened to the

outside of casing that removes the mud cake
from the wall of the hole to condition the hole
for cementing.
By rotating or moving the casing string up and
down as it is being run into the hole; the
scratchers (formed of stiff wire) removes the
cake so that the cement can bond solidly to the
formation.
Scratchers
6- Cementing Head:
This provides the union for connecting the cementing lines from the cementing
pump to the casing.

This type of head makes it possible to circulate the mud in a normal manner,
release the bottom plug, mix and pump the cement and pump it down, release
the top plug, and displaces the cement without making or breaking any
connections.
 Spider elevator/
Casing elevator

Stab master/
Casing stabilizer arm
Power tongue/
Casing tongue

Spider slips/
Casing slips

Rig floor

Running Casing/Tubing:
This involves the same level of monitoring as for tripping drill pipe. The steel
displacement of the casing must be calculated, as well as the internal capacity.
When casing is run, the full volume equivalent to capacity plus displacement,
returns to the pits. When casing is filled, the pit volume should decrease by the
volume equivalent to the internal capacity of the casing run-in since the last fill-
up. Care must be taken when running in casing too quickly as the surge pressure
may cause weak formations to fracture. Pit level gains whilst running casing
must be closely checked against theoretical figures.
3) Cementing Operation

Cementing helps in the following ways:

1- Bonds the casing to the formation.

2- Protects the producing formations.
3- Helps in the control of blowouts from high-pressure zones.
4- Seals off troublesome zones (i.e. lost circulation zones).
5- Provides support for the casing.
6- Prevents casing corrosion.
7- Forms a seal in the event of a kick during drilling.

Primary Cementing:

1. Single-Stage (normal displacement technique in case of large size

casing)

After casing is set, RIH (run in hole) with cement stinger (inside casing) starts
until sting-in float collar, once lines pressure test has been carried out and
circulation has been assured

1- Pump a 10 to 15 barrel “spacer”, followed by Cement slurry.

2- Pump spacer, and then displace cement by mud.

3- Sting-out, Pull out 1 stand, flush cement lines and pipes with mud, then
POOH.
2. Single-Stage (normal displacement technique in case of small size
casing)

Once casing is set, lines pressure test has been carried out and circulation has
been assured

1- Pump a 10 to 15 barrel “spacer” ahead of the bottom (red) plug, then bottom
plug is released from the surface which is immediately followed by the cement.

2- When the bottom plug reaches the float collar, the diaphragm in the plug
ruptures to permit the cement to proceed down the casing and up the annulus.

3- The top plug (black plug), which is solidly constructed, is released when all
the cement has been pumped. It is dropped on top of the cement, followed by
drilling mud, to displace the cement from the casing. This plug causes a
complete shut-off when it reaches the float collar.

4- Pumping is stopped as soon as there is a positive indication (pressure

increase) that the top plug has reached the float collar.

N.B.:
(The spacer serves as a flushing agent and provides a spacer between the mud
and cement. It also assists in the removal of wall cake and flushes the mud
ahead of the cement, thereby lessening contamination).

(Cement plugs consist of an aluminum body encased in molded rubber. Two

plugs are usually contained in the cementing head to facilitate the operations.)
1. Single-Stage (normal displacement technique in case of large size
casing – diameter greater than 15” Casing):
3- Multi-Stage Cement Job

Usually used for a long column that might cause formation breakdown if the
cement were displaced from the bottom of the string. The essential tool consists
of a ported coupling placed at the proper point in the string.

Cementation of the lower section of casing is done first, in the usual manner,
using plugs that will pass through the stage collar without opening the ports.

The multi-stage tool is then opened hydraulically by special plugs, and fluid
circulated through the tool to the surface. Placement of cement for the upper
section occurs through the ports which are subsequently closed by the final plug
pumped behind the cement.

Secondary Cementing:

Secondary cement job is performed for many purposes:

1- Plugging to another producing zone

2- Plugging a dry hole
3- Formation “squeezes” cementing (in case of circulation total loss).

Squeeze: The process of forcing cement slurry through holes or splits in

the casing or liner. Once the slurry encounters a permeable formation, the
cement solids are filtered out of the slurry as the liquid phase is forced into the
formation matrix in the form of cement filtrate. A properly designed squeeze-
cement operation will fill the relevant holes and voids with cement filter cake that
will cure to form an impenetrable barrier.

Tag on cement: the process of RIH with string to touch the top of cement to
be identified.
 4) Drilling

Vertical Drilling:
No hole is drilled exactly vertically from top to bottom. It is desirable on most wells to
drill as near to vertical as possible. This ensures that vertical depth is close to measured
depth, and restricts the hole problems that can occur with deviated wells.

It is generally accepted that a straight or vertical well is one that: • Stays within the
boundary of a usually about 3 degrees and does not change direction rapidly (no more
than 3 degrees per 100 ft of hole) and form a “dogleg”.

In order for the driller to be sure he is maintaining a vertical hole within the limits set out
in the drilling contract, periodic measurements must be taken by the drilling crew. If any
deviation has occurred, it must be recorded and compared with the amount of deviation
permissible in that section of hole. In straight-hole drilling, the measuring device is used
to determine inclination or drift (the azimuth of the borehole is not necessary).

Measuring Inclination: The drift survey instrument can be run into and pulled out of the
drill pipe (dropped into the pipe and retrieved with an overshot assembly, or (3) dropped
into the pipe and recovered by tripping out of the hole. (dropping Totco Survey).

Preventing and Correcting Deviation: Where deviation is expected, it can be inhibited

by using a stiff bottom hole assembly (a BHA with many stabilizers). This will align the
bit with the hole already drilled and resist any change in direction. To straighten a
crooked hole, the pendulum principle is often utilized. By removing any stabilizers
placed just above the bit, retaining an upper stabilizer, and by using light weight-on-bit
the drill collars will exert the pendulum effect to straighten the borehole.

Directional drilling: The art of deviating a well.

Related Terminologies:

Connection: the act of joining another joint or stand (3 joints) of pipe to allow drilling to
continue. At the connection the pumps will be switched off; the drill string disconnected
from the top drive and hung in the rotary table using the slips then a stand of pipe will be
be added and the top drive screwed into the top of the new stand finally the slips will be
taken out; the pump switched on and the bit lowered at the bottom to resume drilling.

Active pits: Mud pits that are part of the circulating system.

Annulus: The cylindrical space between the hole wall and the drill pipe. (or outside
of casing and borehaole wall before cementing take place).

Hi Vis pill: Abbreviation of high viscosity pills, hi vis mud are periodically circulated
especially when drilling with sea water or very thin mud to help carry cuttings out of the
hole; this process is often called hi vis sweep.

Lag Time: time taken for cuttings once cut to reach the surface.

Bottom’s Up: As in (have we got bottom’s up) this means has the sample from the
bottom of the hole been circulated over the shale shakers yet?
Drillers often circulate bottoms up prior to trip out to ensure hole is clean.

Make Up (M/U): to screw together two threaded pices such as drill pipe, drill collar.

Lay Down (L/D): to take out particular pipe of tools from the drill string.

LCM: Lost Circulation Materials.

Back Ream: a method of cleaning the hole when it is tight. If tight hole occurs then as
well as reaming downward to clean the hole it is also possible to back ream (Upward).
Pack off: restriction of annulus caused by cuttings or collapsing of well bore.

Back off: to unscrew pieces of pipe from another. This term usually used during fishing
operation.
This is usually done by:

- (Free point wireline run: to identify the nearest free tool joint to the stuck pipe)
- Detonating a small explosive charge near the desired tool joint. (explosive
wireline run)
- The pipe is backed off at the desired tool joint.
- The back off is followed by RIH with fishing assembly, if fishing failed a side-
track will take place.
Leak Off Test (L.O.T.):
Formation pressure test that allows measurement of fracture pressure.
After casing is set and cemented, and a few meters of formation are drilled, the well is
shut in using BOP, pumps then are used to apply pressure in small increments until the
pressure is sufficient to fracture the formation and this pressure will be recorded.

Formation Integrity Test (FIT):

Pressure test of formation up to a set pressure limit or test that does not go to leak off.

Equation used to Convert Applied pressure to (EMW)

Hp = C x MD x TVD

Where, C= Constant equal to 0.052

MD= Mud Density
TVD= Total Vertical Depth
 5) Fishing Operation
Fishing is the removal of unwanted objects from the borehole; the objects can be tools,
equipments and broken parts of drill pipes or drill bits.

Fishing operation usually takes place after a back-off at the stuck point or a twist-off.

The key elements of a fishing operation include an understanding of the dimensions and
nature of the fish to be removed, the well-bore conditions, the tools and techniques
employed and the process by which the recovered fish will be handled at surface.

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