3.

0 Foam Drilling

“Foams consist of a continuous liquid phase, forming a cellular structure

surrounding and entrapping a gas.”

3.1 Make Up
3.2 Generation
3.3 Disposal
3.4 Drilling Practices
3.5 Problems

Section 3 - Page 1
Functions of Foam as a UBD Fluid

 Deliver energy to bit

 Clean the drilling face
 Cool and lubricate
Power downhole tools
 Transport cuttings
 Suspend cuttings
Transmit data to
surface
 Stabilize bore hole
Create an impermeable
barrier
Hydrostatic control
over influx
 Release cuttings at
surface

Section 3 - Page 2
Foam Classification

Quality Texture
 Refers to the  Describes the size
volume of gas and distribution of
expressed as a the bubbles.
percent.  Ranges from fine
 Low and high foam (small
quality are bubbles) to coarse
identified by liquid foam with large
content. bubbles.
Regardless of the quality and texture, foam will decompose over time. This
decomposition is called it’s half life (typically around 5 minutes). This is caused by the
individual bubbles bursting due to weakening as “skin” fluid drains until burst.

Section 3 - Page 3
Foam
 Foams have very high
viscosities, this makes for
excellent hole cleaning at much
lower annular velocities than is
needed for mist or dry gas
 The low density of foam is ideal
for UBD applications ( ½ the
weight of water)
 Higher annular pressures with
foam can help reduce wellbore
stability problems
Section 3 - Page 4
Foam can be produced by mixing
a surfactant solution with a gas
flow and injected it at pressure
into the drillstring.
The foam used in stable foam
drilling is formed at the surface
by mixing the surfactant and gas
in a foam generator.
A “stiff” foam is a foam in which
the liquid phase is intentionally
viscosified.
The greatest benefit of foam is its
ability to lift large quantities of
produced liquids.
Foam Stability

 The quality of foam will reach

a ceiling-around 97% to 98%.
Greater than 98% will revert
to a mist. Mist
 Shear rates can further affect
this change. They can lower
Foam Foam
the quality as far as 94%
 Addition of polymeric
viscosfiers improve stability Liquid
above 98%.
 Most drilling foams are in the
quality range of 75 % to Downhole Separation
97.5%.

Section 3 - Page 5
Injection Rates and Pressures
(Krug and Mitchell 1972)
Hole Size – 6 ¾ inch
Design charts can be used 90 ft/hr
to indicate the required gas 300 Pipe Size – 3 ½ inch

Injection Pressure (psi)

Air Volume Rate (scfm)
160
and water injection rates.

Water Rate (gpm)

250 150
The chart at right is for a Air
200 60 ft/hr
bottomhole annular velocity 140
requirement of 90 ft/min with 150 130
Water 30 ft/hr
no surface annular
backpressure. 100 120
0 ft/hr
50 110
Different charts can be
computer generated for
differing hole sizes, 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
penetration rates, etc. Depth (ft)

Foam models suggest:

 Both air and liquid injection rates  Higher quality foams generally give
should increase with increasing lower bottom-hole pressures.
depth.  It may be necessary to apply a
 Injection pressure increased with backpressure by choking return flow in
increasing penetration rates. order to maintain foam quality as
depth increases.
Section 3 - Page 6
Foam Generation

 Mixing points
 At stand pipe
 Passing through string
 Leaving the bit
 80% of mixing is accepted as
happening at the bit

Section 3 - Page 7
Foam Decomposition
A bubble bursts when the fluid forming the skin drains
increasing the surface tension and creating a weakness.
Fluid
Bursting can be retarded by the following actions.
Drains
down
Increasing the surface viscosity of the fluid.

Creating a solid skin on the bubble fluid.

Countering any increases in surface tension by

encouraging flow within the fluid of surfactants.

Using ionic repulsion to hold the fluid in place.

Pop !
The rate at which a foam decomposes is referred to
Its half life. (typical half life is around 5 minutes)

Burst occurs

Section 3 - Page 8
Recyclable Foams

As the foam returns pass through Supplemental Defoamer Addition

To Air (if necessary) Blooie
the blooie line the foam is broken Pit
Line
Separator
down by the addition of an acid. The pH Signal to
liquid is taken to the shakers where pH Control Acid Feed
the solids are removed. An alkali is
added to return the liquid to it’s Acid Acid
P
original chemical composition. Feed Storage
Cuttings
Shaker
It is expected to lose approximately pH Signal to
Control Lime Feed
10% of the usable fluid over an
Re-circulation
entire circulation. Line
Lime
pH Hopper

P Lime Feed
The ability to re-use the liquid component
of a foam system has obvious advantages.
 Cost Mud Pits
Polymer Flocculant Recovered Solution
 Limited disposal Addition if Necessary Ready for Reuse

 Lessened environmental impact.

Section 3 - Page 9
Bubble Life Factors
Drainage Stability Half life

Increased
foaming agent Decrease Increase Increase
concentration

Increase in
fluid Both Both Both
contamination

Increase in
Increase Decrease Decrease
temperature

Increase
foaming agent Decrease Increase Increase
solubility

Section 3 - Page 10
Considerations When Foam Drilling
Connections Tripping

Continue to jet the blooie line during the time it takes to

make the connection.
It is important to circulate the hole clean prior
to POOH. During the time it takes to round trip
Some of the foam in the annulus may collapse during the foam will collapse allowing the cuttings to
the connection causing cuttings to settle. Wait until
returns are established before going back to drilling.
settle.
This will help prevent stuck pipe but also give time for Beware that liquids from the collapsed foam
the collapsed foam to be regenerated and minimize
can provide a significant hydrostatic pressure
surges.
increase at the bottom of the hole. Consider
1. Ream the hole and to ensure cuttings have displacing the hole to air if this is a problem.
moved up-hole.
Tripping procedures must safely vent
2. Shut down the gas and foam injection.
produced gas from the well during the trip.
3. Pump 6-10 bbls of water to minimize blow-back.
The pipe may have to be staged back in and
4. Strip up through RCH and set slips.
the water in the well unloading as with air
5. Make sure blooie line is open (watch flare line). drilling.
6. Make connection (PPE for floorhands).
7. Strip back through RCH.
8. Begin pumping gas and foam or gas only if well
is killing itself.

Section3 - Page 11
Tripping in an Underbalanced Well
Ideally from a point of reservoir preservation the whole operation through the reservoir
would undertaken underbalanced. May not be practicable due to:
• Formation permeability
• Formation pressure
• Hydrocarbons present

The key times that the well goes in balance and possibly overbalanced are when
tripping and making connections. Successful under balance operations minimize time
and pressure in an overbalanced state.

When required for tripping the well is not killed in the conventional sense merely
subdued (brought into balance or controlled in a slightly underbalance state).

Limited flow from a well is acceptable under certain conditions providing it is

controlled. Exercising this control dictates the how tripping will be carried out.

Section 3 - Page 12
Pre-trip Issues

Normal foam operations are similar to

air in the sense that the blooie line is
jetted in order to remove gas breaking
out of the foam during the trip.
However some UBD foam operations
require use of a choke (installed in the
blooie line) for applying a back
pressure on the annulus. A bladder
type choke has been designed for that
purpose.
In these instances, if the surface
process and storage facilities can’t
handle the flow rate of hydrocarbons
from the well during the trip, then the
well may have to be killed prior to
tripping.

Section 3 - Page 13
Tripping Procedures
Tripping procedures must deal safely with produced gas. Conventional air drilling surface equipment
should be able to handle up to 5 MM scf/d of gas production when tripping.

1. After circulating the hole clean, shut off gas
injection and strip the string through the
RCH as far as possible before pulling the
rubber element.
2. Bypass compressor flow to jet the blooie
line.
3. Continue POOH with the RCH rubber
removed.
4. If the well is making in excess of 2 MM
scf/d trip through the RCH. Close the
annular preventer and strip the BHA
through prior to pulling the RCH rubber. Jet
the blooie line to remove leaking gas.
5. Close the blind rams and vent produced
gas through an open choke to flare pit.
6. Resume jetting the blooie line prior to
opening the blind rams when RIH. Open
blind rams and close choke.
7. Consider annular stripping as much of the
BHA as possible depending on gas
production rate.
8. ASAP re-install the RCH rubber element
and stop jetting.
9. Continue to bottom and establish foam
circulation, before drilling ahead.
10. If the well is making water it will be
necessary to unload the well in a similar
manner as per air drilling, prior to foam
operations.

Section 3 - Page 14
Potential Drilling Problems with Foam
Gas Inflow
A gas inflow will increase the
standpipe pressure and flare size
when burning. Inflow can also
cause slugs of foam and gas in
the return flow. When detected,
stop drilling and increase the
liquid injection rate.
Loss of Circulation
Usually loss of circulation is caused by
water inflows. Indicated by a temporary
loss of returns followed by a violent
surge of foam. Losses can also occur
when drilling through fractures and
cavities.
The first step should always be to stop
pumping foam and to pump gas only.
Section 3 - Page 15
Liquid Inflow
Liquid inflow can cause slugs of liquid and gas
at the blooie line. This happens if the liquid
inflow is not compatible with the foamer being
used. Increases in corrosion inhibitor addition
as well as foamer concentration should be
considered.
Hole Cleaning
Excessive drag and/or hole fill may indicate
poor hole cleaning. Poor cutting returns and a
wet low quality foam being discharged at the
blooie line may indicate downhole foam
quality is insufficient for good cuttings
transport.
UBD Air, Mist, and Foam Ranking Factors

Most Efficient Least Efficient

Hole
Cleaning Foam Mist Air

Penetration Air Mist Foam

Rates

Bore Hole
Foam Mist Air
Stability

Corrosion
Foam Air Mist
Reduction

Section 3 - Page 16