Model-Based Sticking Risk Assessment for

Formation Testing Tools in the U.S. Gulf

Coast

W.B. Underhill, L. Moore & G.H. Meeten

SPE 48963
 Content

 Sticking Modes
 Differential Pressure Sticking Theory
 Key-seating Theory
 Sticking Probability
 Risk Reduction Strategies

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 Fishing Lost Time Dominates
Failure Lost Time
Formation Tester Lost Time/Job
U.S. Gulf Coast

0
LTFail/Job LTFish/Job

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 Various Sticking Modes

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 Overbalance + Mudcake Damage + Stopped
Object
=> New Cake Growth & Stuck Object

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 Force-to-Free can be Estimated

• Mudcake grows as bt1/2

• No slip at the mudcake-cylinder interface
• Uniform mudcake shear yield stress to(  p )

Ff = 2L tD  t t 1/ 2 1 / 2
e o
1/ 4

2R
where De = = effective diameter
1- R R w

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 Three Components: Object Geometry,
Mud properties, Stationary Time

Object Geometry: L tD1e/ 2

Mud Properties:  1/ 2
o

1/ 4
Stationary Time: t

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 Buildup of Force-to-Free with Time

10000

9000

8000 CABLE

7000
Force to free [lbf]

6000

5000
PULLING LIMIT

4000

3000 TOOL w/standoffs

2000

1000

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Time [sec]

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 Stickance Tester Measures Sticking
Tendency of the Mud (IADC/SPE 35100)

Stickance Tester
gas
pressure M o = torque to free sphere

= 2
 
3/2 3/2
M o 3 Dball ot
3/4

stickance
2
=3 Dball o
3/2 3 /2

filtrate

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 Stickance is the Slope of Torque vs
t3/4
200 psi 600 psi 800 psi

600

500

400
Torque (mNm)

300

200

100

0
0 5 10 15 20 30 40
Time (minutes3/4)

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 Stickance is Effectively Reduced with
Oil-Base or Lubricated Water-Base Mud

30 30 Base Gel WBM

Gel WBM
Base + 5% A
Polymer 25
Stickance (mNm s(-3/4))

25 Base + 5% B
WBM
Oil Mud Base + 5% C
20 20

15 15

10 10

5 5

0 0

Mud type Mud type

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 Differential Cable Sticking Probability
is Proportional to
Cable-Borehole Contact Length

Contact Length Ratio:

L c L = f A L ,B L 

A L dogleg severity

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 Contact Length can be Estimated
1

0.9
B=6in, 3deg/100ft
0.8
Contact length ratio (Lc/L)

B=12in, 3deg/100ft
0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3
.018
.014
0.2 .01
.006
0.1
A/L=.002
0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012 0.014 0.016 0.018 0.02
0

Borehole diameter ratio (B/L)

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 Key-seating Probability is
Proportional to Penetration Efficiency

F  T1
Penetration Efficiency
T 
Ep = 1
DcL cC
C = rock compressive strength

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 Sticking Probability Calculation

P s = P1 + P 2 + P 3
Differential Pressure Sticking of Tool (force to free)

P1 = f(Lt, Dt, Dw, m, p, T, Sf, t, i)

Differential Pressure Sticking of Cable (force to free)

P2 = f(Loh, Dc, Dw, m, p, T, Sf, t, i, d)

Key seating (penetration efficiency)

P3 = f(NL, Wt, Sf, i, d,, Co, p, Loh)

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 Prediction Performance on a
Large Database
664 Formation Testing jobs in U.S. Gulf Coast
0.5

0.4
Actual Fishings/Job

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
< 0.1 0.1 - 0.2 0.2 - 0.3 0.3 - 0.4 > 0.4
Calculated Sticking Probability
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 Average Parameters in Different
Probability Ranges

Ps Dt/Dw qi rm Sf LOH Samp

(deg) (lbs/gal) (ft) (%)
< 0.1 0.537 1.48 12.77 0.45 2988 21

0.1 - 0.2 0.530 7.37 12.82 0.76 3607 51

0.2 - 0.3 0.545 15.82 13.54 0.77 4022 57

0.3 - 0.4 0.542 24.92 13.64 0.83 3993 52

> 0.4 0.563 34.25 14.62 0.92 4208 58

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 Stickance can be Reduced with Fluid-
loss Additives, Solids Removal &
Lubricants
Stickance

70 70

60 60

50 50 With Lubricant
40 40

30 30

20 20

10 10

0 0
2.5
3
6
3.5
3
6
4
3
Fluid Loss 0 LGS
Additive Content

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Risk Reduction with Fluid Loss Additives,
Low-Gravity Solids Removal, Lubricants,
Oil-base Mud

Mud VAPI CLGS CLUB P1 P2 P3 Ps

(ml) (%) (%)

WBM 20 6 0 0.15 0.28 0.05 0.49

WBM 10 6 0 0.14 0.23 0.05 0.41

WBM 10 3 0 0.10 0.16 0.05 0.30

WBM 10 3 3 0.06 0.09 0.05 0.20

OBM 6 5 0 0.05 0.07 0.05 0.16

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 Conclusions

 Predictive sticking model built from fundamental physics,

calibrated/tested with large database.
 Most important factors are:
– mud composition
– well inclination
 Future use of wellsite stickance tester combined with
improved mud-conditioning systems should reduce Lost
Time due to sticking.

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Modular Dynamics Formation Tester Tool

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