Underbalanced Drilling

By Nishant Kumar Panigrahi

SE Petroleum Engg
Maharashtra Institute Of Technology
Pune-38
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CONVENTIONAL APPROACH
UNDERBALANCED DRILLING
UNDERBALANCE GASES
UNDERBALANCE TECHNIQUES
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
REFERENCES

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 Introduction
The International association of Drilling Contractors(IADC)
defines Managed pressure Drilling as “an adaptive drilling
process used to precisely control the annular pressure profile
throughout the wellbore. The objectives are to establish the
down hole pressure environments limits and to manage the
annular pressure profile accordingly”

Underbalanced drilling, or UBD, is a procedure used to

drill oil and gas wells where the pressure in the wellbore is
kept lower than the fluid pressure in the formation being
drilled.

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Conventional approach
In the conventional approach, bottom hole pressure is
managed by controlling the density of the drilling
fluid to maintain well bore pressure profile above the
pore pressure at all times

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 Introduction to underbalanced
drilling

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Underbalance Gases
They Include air, nitrogen and natural gases
Although not typical the natural gas from the well can be
re injected into the well to establish underbalance
resulting in the most cost effective solution for
underbalance drilling
Nitrogen is commonly preferred for its low cost of
generation, scale of control and minimal potential for
downhole fires. While pure nitrogen can be purchased, it
is cost-prohibitive. Therefore, nitrogen is more commonly
produced onsite with a membrane unit, resulting in a
95% level of purity.

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Underbalance Techniques
There are Four Main Techniques
Use Of Light Weight Drilling Fluids
Injection of gas down the drill pipe
Gas injection by parasite string
Use Of Nitrogen Foam

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Advantages
Potential reduction in invasive formation damage
Minimize the potential for lost circulation
Minimize the potential for differential sticking
Eliminate need for costly mud systems and costly
Disposal of exotic muds
Improved ROP on drilling, reducing drilling costs and
increased bit life
Mitigation of extensive and expensive completion and
stimulation operations
Rapid indication of productive zones of the reservoir
during drilling
Potential economic benefit from flush production during drilling
Potential to flow test while drilling

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Disadvantages
Underbalanced drilling is usually more expensive than
conventional drilling, and has safety issues of its own
This is true when combustible and corrosive gasses
like processed flue gas and oxygen are injected into the
drilling mud to lower its density.
Drilling underbalanced may be pointless from a
formation damage standpoint if the underbalanced
condition can not be maintained.
Underbalanced drilling also increases the chances of
the wellbore collapsing in on itself

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References

www.spe.org
www.wikipedia.com
www.shell.com
UNDERBALANCED DRILLING TECHNOLOGY -D. Brant
Bennion, Hycal Energy Research Laboratories Ltd.

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 THANK YOU

12/08/2021 Nishant Kumar Panigrahi