Stuck Pipe Prevention

Prentice & Hill, LLC

Second Day

Differential Sticking
Causes
High Differential Pressures
Excessive Mud Weight
Drawn Down Formations
Poor Well Planning

Well Bore Contact

Poor Filter Cake
Little or No Pipe Motion

Solids Induced Pack-off

Causes
UNCONSOLIDATED FORMATIONS
Formation Loose w/ Little or No Bonding
Insufficient Hydrostatic to Hold Back
Formation

Pack-off Due to
Unconsolidated Formations

Prevention
Plan / Anticipate:
Gel up Mud / Run Hi Vis Sweeps
Control Drill
Spot Gel Pill Prior to TOH

Solids Induced Pack-off

Causes

MOBILE / PLASTIC FORMATIONS

Formation Extrudes Into Well Bore Due to
Overburden Forces.
Prevention
Proper Well Planning:

Increase Mud Weight, if possible

Use Under-saturated Water Base Mud
Pump Fresh Water Sweeps
Design Casing to Handle Collapse Loads

Solids Induced Pack-off

Causes
FRACTURED / FAULTED FORMATIONS
Loose Chunks of Rock Fall into Well Bore

Prevention
Plan / Anticipate
Control Drill & Ream Connections
Anticipate Reaming on Trips

Solids Induced Pack-off

Causes
OVER-PRESSURED SHALE COLLAPSE
Shale Pops Off Wall Due to Pressure

Prevention
Plan / Anticipate
Raise Mud Weight, if possible
Set Casing Appropriately

Solids Induced Pack-off

Causes
REACTIVE FORMATIONS
Mud Filtrate Reacts Chemically with Formation

Preventio
n
Plan / Anticipate
Use Inhibited Mud System
Minimize Exposure Time
Be Prepared for Gumbo Attack

Solids Induced Pack-off

Causes
POOR HOLE CLEANING
Not Removing Cuttings From Well Bore

Prevention
Increase Annular Velocities
Better Mud Properties
Subject of another section

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
KEYSEATING
Abrupt Change in Well Bore Path (Dog Leg)
Long Hole Section Below Dog Leg
Prevention
Minimize Dog Leg Severity
Case Off Curves Soon After Building
Use Keyseat Wiper
Make Frequent Wiper Trips
Back Ream Out of Hole

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
UNDERGAUGE HOLE
Undergauge Bit and/or Stabilizers
Coring (Core heads slightly U.G.)
Prevention
Always Gauge Bit & Stabilizers IN and OUT
Run Gauge Protected Bits & Stabilizers
Ream Suspected Undergauge Sections

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
LEDGES & DOGLEGS
Limber BHAs
Hard - Soft Interbedded Formation
Preventio
n
Run Packed Hole Assemblies
Ream on Trips Through Problem Zones

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
SHOE JOINT BACKS OFF
Prevention
Do Not Overdisplace Cement
Thread Lock Bottom 3 Joints of Casing
Drill Out Carefully

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
JUNK
Something Manmade is Loose in the Hole

Prevention
Good Housekeeping on Rig Floor
Keep Hole Covered
Inspect Equipment Frequently

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
CEMENT BLOCKS
Hard Cement Falls In From Casing Shoe or From
Open Hole Cement Plug

Prevention
Set All Casing As Close To TD As Possible
Ream Casing Shoe & Open Hole Plugs Before
Drilling Ahead

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
GREEN CEMENT
Run BHA Into Un-set Cement

Prevention
Wash Down Carefully to Top of Cement
Pre-Treat Mud Before Drilling Green
Cement

Mechanical / Wellbore Geometry Sticking

Causes
LINER & SQUEEZE CEMENTING
Cementing Yourself in the Hole

Hazards in Liner Cementing

Too Much Excess

Overdisplacement

Squeeze Cementing

Hold Pressure on Back Side, If Possible

Use Cement Retainers
DO NOT Cement Up a Squeeze Packer (RTTS)

Trend Analysis
Plot Property -vs- Depth or Time and Analyze

Drag on each Connection

Torque -vs- Depth
PWD -vs- Time
Soap Box

Pressure While Drilling

120

Pressure

100
80
60
40
20
0
1

3
Time

Pressure While Drilling

120

Pressure

100
80
60
40
20
0
1

3
Time

Pressure While Drilling

120

Pressure

100
80
60
40
20
0
1

3
Time

Drag on Trip

0
1000
2000
3000

Depth

4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
11000

200000

180000

160000

140000

120000

100000

80000

60000

40000

Weight

Recovery
Our Best Preventive Efforts Have FAILED

WERE STUCK !!
What Do We Do Now?

Identifying the Problem:

Why are we stuck?
Stuck Pipe Handbook Flowcharts

Problem Diagnosis
Computer Intelligent System on Network at
Cambridge Facility
Charts in Front of Sedco Forex Handbook

Solving the Problem:

What do we do now?
First Actions

Solids Induced Stuck Pipe

First Actions
Formation Movement / Poor Hole Cleaning
Stop pumps & bleed pressure to 500 psi
Hold pressure & cycle drill string up to MUT
with no up/down movement
Try pumping if pressure bleeds off
Begin working pipe up/down - max 50K
overpull

Solids Induced Stuck Pipe

First Actions
Continued
Do not commence jarring
Increase standpipe pressure to 1500 psi
Work pipe
Commence secondary procedures

Differential Sticking
First Actions
Overbalanced, Filter Cake, Contact Area
Circulate at maximum allowable rate
Set compression w/ 50% MUT
Pull tension w/ 50% MUT
Secondary Procedures

Mechanical Sticking
First Actions
Dogleg, Keyseat, Junk, Undergauge
Maintain circulation
Jar in opposite direction of last movement
Light loads (50K) w/ systematic increases
Secondary procedures

Locating the Problem:

Where are we stuck?
Pipe Stretch Measurements

Pipe Stretch Equation

L

735,000 W L
F

L = Length of Free Pipe (ft)

L = Length of Stretch (in)
F = Incremental Force (lbs)
W = Weight of Drill Pipe (lb/ft)

Locating the Problem:

Where are we stuck?
Pipe Stretch Measurements
Free Point Tool

Review Stuck Pipe Handbook Procedures

Pull On DP
Measure Stretch
Here

Stuck Here
Measure Stretch
Here

Free
Point
Tool

Solids Induced Stuck Pipe

Secondary Procedures
Jarring
Back off and wash over

Differential Sticking
Secondary Procedures
Attack Filter Cake -- Spotting Fluid

Spot within 4 hrs of sticking

Omit after 16 hrs
Rule of Thumb - Soak minimum 20 hrs and a
maximum 40 hrs

Pipe Releasing Agents

Spotting Fluids
Pump shear thinning spacer
Viscosity: 100 rpm value > drilling mud
50 to 100 bbl spacer
Calculate volume of PRA - Example
Spot at highest allowable pump rate
Work pipe (up/down, torque) while soaking

Differential Sticking
Secondary Procedures
Reduce Hydrostatic

Cut Mud Weight

U Tube - Kick it free
Caution - Well May Come In

Back Off and Wash Over

Mechanical Sticking
Secondary Procedures
Jar in opposite direction of last pipe
movement
Back Off and Wash Over

Acid Pills
Secondary Procedures
Calcium Formations, Strip Filter Cake
Typically 7.5% to 15% HCl
Cover stuck zone
Pump acid quickly to bit
Large water spacers
Work pipe while soaking
Circulate out after 5 minutes

Fresh Water Pills

Secondary Procedures
Mobile Salt
Cover stuck zone plus 20 bbl inside drill
string
OBM - Viscous weighted spacer
Maintain overpull while soaking
Repeat after 2 hrs

Drilling Jars - Benefits

Jar stuck pipe immediately
Minimize fishing / sidetrack potential
Minimize surface loads (safety)
Something to do while waiting on tools

Mechanical Jars
Most basic type of jar
Sliding sleeve inside shoulder sleeve
Holding mechanism locks hammer
Overpull stretches drill string
Sudden release when holding mechanism is
overcome

Mechanical Jars - Advantages

Remain locked until loaded
More freedom of placement in string
No special tripping procedures
Do not jar unexpectedly
Short jar cycle
Cost
Availability

Mechanical Jars - Disadvantages

Load may not be varied
Jarring immediate once load is reached
Large shock to hoisting equipment
Rig may not pull over holding force
Difficult to load in deviated wellbores

Hydraulic Jars
Oil reservoir w/ orifice & bypass valve
Oil bleeds slowly until piston reaches
bypass valve
Hydraulic delay

Hydraulic Jars - Advantages

Allows time to set drilling brake
No torque needed to operate
Torque does not affect load
Varied impact force
Use in deviated holes

Hydraulic Jars - Disadvantages

May jar unexpectedly
Tripping more time consuming
Longer jar cycle
More expensive
Availability

Reasons Jars Fail to Fire

Incorrect weight - calculation incorrect
Pump open force exceeds compression
force
Stuck above jar
Jar mechanism failed
Jar not cocked
Drag too high to load jar

Reasons Jars Fail to Fire (cont.)

Jar firing not felt at surface
Torque trapped in mechanical jar
No patience

Accelerators - Functions
Compensate for short string
Compensate for hole drag slowing
contraction
Act as a reflector to jar shock wave
Intensify jar blow

Jar / Accelerator Placement

Considerations
Sticking point
Jar direction required
Differential risk
Neutral point of tension / compression
Buckling point
Drag in the hole section
Depth of hole section

Placement - Vertical Holes

Above buckling point at maximum WOB
Two DCs above jars
No stabilizers above jars
Accelerators needed in shallow hole
sections

Placement - Deviated Holes

Do not run jars buckled
Avoid tension / compression neutral point
Calculate measured weight reading required
Account for hole drag

Jar Placement Programs

Do not typically account for buckling
Accurately calculate and account for pump
open forces
Maximize jar impact at stuck point
Example - Griffith Oil Tools

Fishing - Overshots
Catches OD of fish
Right hand torque operated
Always run a bumper sub
Circulating sub
Basket grapple

More sturdy, Easier to release

Spiral grapple

Stronger hold, Use in slim hole

Wall hooks

Fishing - Spears
Catches ID of pipe
Consider stop ring
Risk back off of wash pipe
Rope spears

Fishing - Taps
Use when overshot or spear cannot be used
Taper Tap - Screws inside fish
Box Tap - Screws over fish
Cannot be released & subject to breakage
String shot cannot be run through taper tap
Excessive torque will split box tap

Fishing - Junk
Magnets
Junk Baskets
Confusion Blocks
Mills

Pilot, Tapered, Concave, Flat-Bottom, Section,

Fluted, Watermelon

Fishing - Milling
Pilot
Tapered
Concave
Flat-Bottom
Section
Fluted
Watermelon

Washover Operations
Run minimum size required - clearance
inside, " clearance outside
Maximum length 600' drill pipe, 300' BHA
Conditioning trip
Easy to differentially stick
Run jars in deeper hole sections
Steady feed when cutting formation
Jerky feed when going over tool joints

Washover Shoes
Short tooth mills (mill tooth) for medium to
hard formations
Long tooth mills for soft formations

Cut faster
Hang easier
Harder to get over top of fish

Flat bottom for stabilizers, reamers, tool

joints, etc.

Solving the Problem:

What do we do now?
THE OTHER OPTION:

S I D E T R AC K
Free Point and Back Off as Deep as Possible
Go Around the Fish

What Do We Do Now?
Sidetrack or Fish?
Its Purely a Matter of Economics
Sidetrack is a good choice when:

Fish Inexpensive or Recovery Unlikely

Hole is Cheap (read Fast) to Drill
Soft Formation - Easy to Kick Off
Spread Rate (Total Daily Cost) is HIGH