DRILLING PRACTICES

BEST PRACTICES

• Prevention of Stuck Pipe During Routine Operations

• Preventing Drill String Failures

• Secondary Freeing Procedures

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Prevention of Stuck Pipe During Routine Operations
Reaming and Backreaming

A high risk operation that accounts for a large proportion of stuck pipe incidents.

Solids can be introduced into the circulating system faster than the hole is being cleaned.

Results in a pack-off or potential pack-off situation.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
GENERAL GUIDELINES.
PLANNING

• Have a contingency plan for possible problems.

• Always pre-plan a trip.

• Have singles ready in case a need arises to work pipe after a connection.
Break-out stand and use singles to cock jars etc.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
ORGANIZATION

• Monitor shakers and record volume of solids removed from wellbore.

• When drilling or reaming problem area’s have two people at the console.

• Ensure driller understands what actions to take in the event of problems.

• Mud loggers report all parameters and report any significant trend changes.

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PARAMETERS
• Use consistent parameters for reaming operations.

• Address any parameter changes immediately.

• Circulate hole clean if indicators show the hole loading up during reaming.

• If indications of a pack-off occur, reduce pump speed. If after several minutes

the hole does not pack-off then return to normal parameters and be prepared to
circulate the hole clean.

• Adjust reaming speed and circulation time if cuttings volume rate is excessive.

• Stop reaming and circulate the hole clean if, torque becomes erratic, rotary
stalls out, cave-in rate increases or torque and pressure readings increase.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
PARAMETERS CONTINUED
• Prior to heavy reaming, slow rotation <80 rpm should be used to walk pipe past ledges.

• Reaming operations should be conducted with the same flow rate as drilling.

• To reduce chances of sidetracking and damage to drill string keep reaming weight
and speed low.

• Maximum reaming speed should not exceed (as a rule of thumb) four stands an hour.

• Due to large volume of settled cuttings or new cavings introduced into the hole.
It is critical that this material be circulated out of the hole.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
GENERAL OPERATION
• Follow FIRST ACTIONS for solids induced pack-off.

• When reaming problem formations, the hole may need to be wiped at regular intervals.

• Make sure pipe is free before setting slips.

• After drilling or reaming down, circulate cuttings above BHA prior to picking up.

• Always try to work the string past a tight spot as a first option.

• Know and use overpull limits.

• Work overpull limit up in stages and ensure free movement in both directions.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
GENERAL OPERATION CONTINUED

• Limit overpulls to half the BHA weight.

• If a stall out occurs during reaming release the torqued up drill string slowly.

• When back reaming, do not overpull the pipe into the slips to connect the top drive.

• When washing in with a motor in the BHA, rotate the entire drill string at low rpm.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Tripping in Deviated Hole
PLANNING

• Record depth of top of BHA while circulating prior to tripping and take extreme care when
the top stabilizer reaches this point and for the following two stands. This is the point the
BHA could encounter a cuttings bed if one exists.

• Where the well inclination is 40o-65o take care as this is the point that cuttings will settle
after avalanching down steeper sections of the well.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
PARAMETERS

• Initially do not pull more than half the BHA weight or 30,000 lbs..... when POOH.

• Note: 30,000 lb overpull rule.

Used for initial overpulls while tripping out of the hole. Initially do not pull more than half
the BHA weight or 30,000 lbs..... when POOH

• If overpulls exceed 30,000 lbs..... or half the BHA weight then go back down one stand
and circulate bottoms up at full drilling flow rate while reciprocating and rotating the string.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
GENERAL/OPERATION
• Before tripping circulate the hole using the recommended number of fluid circulation's.

• Reciprocate and rotate the drill string while circulating bottoms up.

• Be aware that the BHA can become stuck in a cuttings bed inside the casing.

• Use paper mud log model of the well and BHA to help identify and forecast problem depths.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Connections

• Sticking problems commonly occur when making connections.

• They can occur in all hole sizes.

• It can result in expensive side tracking.

ALL DRILLERS SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE FOLLOWING

CONNECTION PROCEDURES.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
CONNECTION PROCEDURES

• Wipe the last joint/stand prior to making a connection.

• If erratic or high torque is experienced prior to connection take time to ensure cuttings are
above BHA.

• After connection break circulation slowly and check for returns.

• Avoid starting/stopping pumps suddenly as shock loads may disturb wellbore.

• Minimise time without circulation.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
• If differential sticking is experienced.

(a) Maximise pipe motion.

(b) Consider rotating string with slips set.

• Never make a connection with overpull onto the slips.

• Set slips high enough to allow downward movement.

• If extra stick up is required take care not to bend pipe.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Surveying
PLANNING

• Be ready to take survey before stopping drilling.

• Know survey times and try not to exceed. Average times are between 3-5 minutes.
• Person in charge on the rig floor must determine if the pipe is to be moved between
surveys or if another survey is to be attempted.
• Never allow the MWD operator to continue surveying without the permission of the
Driller, Directional Driller or Toolpusher.

•The following should be recorded on the rig floor.

(1) Depth or position on kelly of next survey.

(2) Last survey results.

(3) The amount of circulating and reaming prior to and during surveys.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
GENERAL/OPERATION

• Pipe should be worked, reamed or circulated before carrying out a survey.

• The amount of presurvey working, reaming or circulating should be discussed with the
toolpusher and company rep prior to drilling the hole section.

• Ask MWD operator for rotating options during survey.

• Company rep may recommend more circulating before surveying. He may also want to
drill a few extra feet then pick back up to survey depth. These are the sort of things that
should be discussed at presection meetings.

• Do not take surveys with the kelly completely down or after a connection is made as this
may result in too little space to cock the jars and work the pipe.

• Position pipe to compensate for stretch and compression of the string so that jars can
be properly operated.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
• Ensure correct handling procedures are in place when using drillpipe screens.

(a) Drilling.

(b) Tripping.

(c) Surveying.

• If dropping a survey prior to tripping. Consider time intervals for surveys if having to
back ream through open hole section.

• Be aware of mud additives like LCM and its possible effect on survey tools.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Drilling Parameter Trends

• Monitoring trends will give an indication of the hole condition and provide information
as to whether the hole condition is improving or deteriorating.

• On some rigs trends may be monitored when doing drilling and reaming operations
every fifteen minutes and if significant changes occur then corrective action should be
taken immediately.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Running Casing or Liners

Steps to reduce the chances of stuck casing

• Perform Torque and Drag analysis to predict the limiting friction factor that will still
allow the casing or liner to get to bottom.

• Friction factor can be measured on the last trip out of the well, but is best determined
from experience over the duration of the well.

• If significant deviation is experienced from the predicted down weights then remedial
action can be taken before sticking occurs.

• If overpulls are experienced on the last trip out of the well, consider performing a
wiper trip. This is even more critical if the casing being run is too heavy to be removed
from the hole.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Logging

• Logging companies have their own procedures for attempting to free a stuck logging
tool. Procedures may involve opening and closing calipers and other moving parts.

• The most common mechanisms are.

(1) Differential sticking of the cable.

(2) Mechanical sticking of formation test tools and side wall core tools.

(3) Geometrical sticking of the tool because of its shape.

(4) Keyseating of the cable.

* A procedure with recommendations for stripping in over wireline can be found in the
stuck pipe handbook .

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Coring

• If the rig is fitted with a top drive it is recommended that the core is broken every 90 ft
where differential sticking is a risk.

Well Control

STUCK PIPE IS SECONDARY TO WELL CONTROL.

• Solve the well control problem first.

• Deal with the stuck pipe situation.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Lost Circulation
When intermediate to severe losses occur, cuttings can settle around the BHA and
mechanically stick the pipe. The cuttings act like a packer and can make the losses worse.

• Try to keep the pipe moving if possible.

• Consider pulling into the shoe before pumping LCM.

• As a rule have enough open hole volume below the bit to accommodate the whole treatment.

KEEP IN MIND:
• Reactive clays may become unstable if exposed to uninhibited fluids.

• Pressure differential in loss zones may cause differential sticking.

• Ensure any LCM is clear of pipe before pumping cement.

• Carry out pilot tests for each treatment.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling
Although there is little reliable material available on the subject of stuck pipe while air
drilling. Problems are similar to those encountered in conventional drilling operations.

• Differential Sticking. Unlikely to occur due to underbalance in wellbore.

• Pack-Off. Most likely because of inadequate hole cleaning.

• Mechanical or Geometric Sticking. May occur as in a conventional well.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling

Listen to what the hole is telling you: Always Monitor

• Drag. • Torque. • Rate of return of cuttings and cavings.

Monitoring the following may indicate potential problems.

• Change in air flow rate from the compressors to the well.

• Condition of the foam.

• Small fluctuations in standpipe pressure may indicate hole cleaning problems or mud
rings forming.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling
When freeing the pipe always follow good drilling practices.

• In the event of mechanical sticking ALWAYS jar in the opposite direction to the direction
the pipe was travelling when it became stuck.

• In the event of a pack-off, torque made help break up the packed material.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling
Good drilling practices for mud still apply with Air or Foam

• Always reciprocate, do not circulate in one place.

• The same stuck pipe indicators apply for Air or Foam as with mud.

• If problems are encountered prior to a connection, pick up a single to work the string.

• Try to use a low energy approach with connections. No reaming or back reaming
unless absolutely necessary

• Keep drilling as low energy as possible (low rpm) to prevent pipe lash
degrading the formation integrity.

• Move the string smoothly. Remember the hole is effectively dry.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling
Drilling Parameters
Drilling indicators are different from those in mud.

• Torque is the primary and most reliable indicator of downhole events.

• Differential pressure gauge at the air manifold can be an excellent indicator of what
is going on downhole .

• Trends may occur over a longer period. Two or four hourly printouts on mud loggers
monitors can often identify slow building trends.

• Monitor trends in the blooey line discharge.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling
Check Valves

• Drill to a maximum of 500 ft before pulling back to reposition upper check valve.

• Use only flapper type with springs removed to allow access for wireline tools.

• A bit float or check valve must always be run while air or foam drilling.

Air Rates

• High air rates do not usually cause erosion.

• Experience indicates the need to keep foam as dry as possible at maximum air rates.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling
Casing Design

• Design casing program as usual, but be aware of collapse considerations.

Cement

• Do not use bentonite in a foam water mix if you have drilled a cement plug. Reaction
with the cement and bentonite will cause mud rings and possible pack-off.

Communications

• Good communications between driller and air drilling contractor.

•Traffic light system or radio headsets strongly advised.

• Driller should be in a position to see blooey line. If not consider TV camera.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Air and Foam Drilling
Freeing Techniques
Generally different from those used in mud operations and are area specific.

Two cardinal rules apply if sloughing, caving, tight hole, packing-off or mud
rings occur.
(1) Remember you are working with a compressible fluid. If returns are lost do
not bypass the air.

(2) Do not overpull more than 30,000 lbs..... if returns are lost , air or foam
can behave unexpectedly under such conditions.

Overpulling will increase the tightness of the pack-off and make it more
difficult for air to percolate into it and undermine its integrity.

BE PATIENT

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Drilling with Coiled Tubing

Coiled tubing cannot be rotated so differential sticking is a risk.

Working the string under pressure is a risk. (Limited number of cycles before failure)

Usual solution is to flow the well.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
• High circulation pressures.

• Large annulus.

• No rotation.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Preventing Drill String Failures
• Handle all tubulars carefully.
• Always fit thread protectors.
• Prevent slip and tong damage by correct use.
• Stab pipe with care to prevent shoulder damage.
• Follow inspection routines and make additional inspections if pipe is subjected to heavy use.

The two most frequent causes of drill string failures are.

• BHA connection fatigue.

• drillpipe tube fatigue.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Preventing Drill String Failures
BHA Connection Fatigue Prevention

(1) Put the WOB limits used to design the BHA in the drilling program.

(2) Check bending strength ratios (BSR) of the drill collars and try to match.

(3) Use correct inspection criteria.

(4) If pin failures then BSR too high if box failures then raise BSR.

(5) Specify bore back box and stress relieve grooves in all drilling equipment contracts.

(6) Do not allow OD change of more than 2 inches at any one connection.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Preventing Drill String Failures
drillpipe Fatigue Prevention
(1) Use heavy-walled drillpipe as transition pipe. Do not run HWDP buckled.
(2) Check stiffness ratio. 5.5 or less for low and less than 3.5 for high complex wells
(3) SR = (Z lower)
(Z upper)
(4) Use correct makeup torque.
(5) Check pipe for slip damage after any rotating of pipe in slips.
(6) In slip stick situations reduce torque limit by 50%.
(7) Cycle the bottom stand of drillpipe out of the string every trip.
(8) Check for shoulder damage before making up.
(9) Minimise dog legs at shallow well depths.
(10) Rotate breaks.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Secondary Freeing Procedures

Pipe Release Agents (PRA)

WELL CONTROL MUST BE ONE OF THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS

WHEN USING PILLS OF DIFFERENT DENSITY.

Drilling Fluid and Acid suppliers must be involved in the early planning stage.

Involves unique procedures with Technical and Environmental considerations.

Unlike U tubing restrictions do not apply when using pipe release agents.

Any PRA should be spotted within 4 hours of sticking for best results.

If after 16 hours the pill has not been spotted then consider another method.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Pipe Release Agents (PRA)

Probability of pipe freeing vs Soaking time

90

80

70
As a rule of thumb soak for
60 a minimum of 20 hours and
a maximum of 40 hours.
50
%
40

30

20

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
SOAKING TIME (hours)
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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Pipe Release Agents (PRA)
SPOTTING A PIPE RELEASE PILL

Plan for how and where the pill will be mixed and start as soon as possible.

Once ready displace at a continuous high flow rate.

Try and design the spacer so that turbulent flow is created across the stuck zone.

To prevent channelling of the PRA into the drilling mud the viscosity value of
the spacer using the 100 rpm reading on a fann VG meter should be higher.

Spacer should be between 50-100 bbls.

Include spacer and PRA formulation in the mud program document for each well.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Pipe Release Agents (PRA)
PRA PROCEDURE

(1) Volume of PRA pill should be 1.5 times larger than the volume of the area in
which the pipe is stuck.

(2) Prepare low YP spacer and check compatibility with mud and PRA pill.

(3) Spot spacer and pill at maximum flow rate.

(4) Allow pill to soak until the pipe is free or timed out on effectiveness of pill working.

(5) Work the pipe while the pill is soaking.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Secondary Freeing Procedures

Acid Pills

HANDLING ACID CAN BE HAZARDOUS

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER

(1) Get advice on formulation.

(2) Pump quickly with large spacers each side.

(3) Work pipe while pill is soaking.

(4) Pill should be circulated out after about 5 minutes.

(5) Separate at surface for neutralisation.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Secondary Freeing Procedures

Fresh Water Pills (SALT)

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER

WELL CONTROL MUST BE ONE OF THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS

WHEN USING PILLS OF DIFFERENT DENSITY.

(1) Pill should cover zone plus 20 bbls extra in pipe to displace into annulus during soak.

(2) Use spacer ahead of pill if using OBM (Get mud company advice).

(3) Work pipe while pill and spacer are being mixed and maximise overpull while soaking.

(4) If not free after 2 hrs circulate out and repeat.

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Free Point Indicators
FREE-POINT DETERMINATION

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER

• If jars are still operating, minimise stretch and torque readings above jars to
necessary calibration runs only.

• Attempt to establish free point using FPI stretch measurements first.

• Once preliminary free point is established verify torque can be worked down to
back-off point.

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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Free Point Indicators
FREE-POINT DETERMINATION
(1) If jars not firing then rough free-point estimated from stretch calculations prior to
wireline unit arriving on location.

(2) If jars are not stuck then fire up and uncock jars prior to RIH with wireline tool. Do
not go below weight required to recock jar during free point determination and back
off.

(3) Run FPI tool to maximum depth possible if jars are operational. If jars are not
operational 500 ft below estimated free point obtained from stretch calculations. Run
a CCL log to 500 ft above suspected stuck point. Correlate BHA and formation
depths using a paper BHA model.

(4) After CCL begin running FPI stretch tests. Initial stretch test should be in a
known free point in order to obtain baseline reading.
Procedure from stuck pipe handbook
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 DRILLING PRACTICES
Free Point Indicators
FREE-POINT DETERMINATION

(5) Once preliminary free point is determined from stretch test commence torque test
procedure.

Procedure from stuck pipe handbook

(6) After completion of tests select best back-off depth.

(7) Utilise the FPI tool to accurately determine the neutral point.

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Free Point Indicators
KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING POINTS ABOUT BACK-OFFS

(1) In a high proportion of wells, stuck point has always been joint of pipe below jars.

(2) In tortuous wells torque takes time to apply and monitor.

(3) Be aware of line creep and stretch.

(4) Wireline pack-off systems allow immediate circulation after shooting.

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Information Required Before Freeing Operation Starts
RIG READINESS
• Safety- especially potential for falling objects.
• Ton miles on block line.
DRILL STRING INFORMATION
• drillpipe:
• Yield of drillpipe tube.
• Yield of drillpipe tool joint - combined torque and pull calculations .
• Make-up torque used.
• BHA:
• Weight of BHA below jars.

• Position and formation adjacent. Paper BHA model.

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Information Required Before Freeing Operation Starts
• Jars:
• Maximum pull while jarring with hydraulic jar.
• Jar firing force envelope.

• Time delay when firing hydraulic jars.

• Jar pump open force.

WELLBORE INFORMATION

• Formation types and characteristics.

• Hole condition.
• Up, down and free rotating weights.

• Drag chart.

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