UNSCHEDULED EVENTS

% TIME BY PROBLEM
WELLHEAD PRO BS.
WELL CO NTRO L PRO BLEMS
BO P EQ UIP PRO BLEMS
EQ UIP.FAILURE-DRLG
CASING PRO BLEMS
DIR RELATED PRO BLEMS
LO ST CIRCULATIO NS
RIG REPAIR
CEMENT PRO BLEMS
MISC.
DRILL STRING FAILURE
WEATHER
EQ UIP FAILURE-EVAL.
HO LE PRO BLEMS/RMG
STUCK PIPE

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
% OF TOTAL TIME
130 WELLS IN 15 COUNTRIES 25.9% avg.
 Lost circulation

Surface hole Intermediate Production hole

Loss of fluid level monitoring.

Loss of fluid level.
Loss of formation evaluation.
Loss of formation evaluation
Hole cleaning problems.
Loss of conductor hole. Hole cleaning
Hole collapse.
Hole cleaning problems Hole bridge and collapse
More well bore exposure time.
Hole bridge and collapse More well bore
Stuck pipe.
Stuck pipe. exposure time
Well control
Well control events Stuck pipe
Additional casing strings.
Loss off well. Well control event
Underground blow outs
Production zone damage
Additional casing strings
Underground blow outs.
 ADVERSE EFFECT ON OPERATIONS.

•Hole cleaning.

•Loss of monitoring.

•Hole collapse.

•Stuck pipe.

•Well control.
 Causes of lost circulation.

• Mud weight too high.

•Cuttings load.

•Surge pressures.

•Trapped pressures.

•Low fracture strength.

 LOST CIRCULATION.
FRACTURE PERMEABILITY MATRIX PERMEABILITY
 LOST CIRCULATION

LOSS SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION

SEEPAGE LOSS PARTIAL LOSS TOTAL LOSS

< 20 bbls > 20 bbls /hour No returns
/hour/3.5 cubes

Immediate drop in fluid Return flow stops

Gradual losses. immediately.
level when pumps stop
Operation are not Pump pressure
interrupted. Decreases.
Slow to regain returns
after circulation stops. String weight increases.
Possible warning signs Operations are
of increased losses. Operation usually suspended.
interrupted.
Remedial action
Remedial action
required.
required.
 Loss circulation

LCM Guidelines

Locate the loss zone.

Know the capabilities of the LCM.
Ensure sufficient gel content.
Position the string +/-100 ft above
the zone.
Keep the pipe moving.
Use a Plain Jane BHA if the bit
nozzles are small.
 LOST CIRCULATION

Seepage loss solutions < 20 bbls hour

First action Recovery

Add LCM pill in 5 to 10 ppb increments.
Reduce ROP to limit Evaluate results over two circulations before
Cuttings load increasing to next level of LCM concentration.
Mix in 30 to 50 bbls batches dictated by hole size.
Minimise mud rheology Consider spotting LCM pill before pulling out of hole.
Non – productive intervals
Minimise GPM
WBM FINE :LCM. OBM/SBM:
Minimise well bore 5/15 PPB. Cellulosic F/M 2/25 PPB
Pressure surges MEDIUM LCM @ 5/15PPB.
FLAKED LCM @ 10/20 PPB
Minimise mud weight
Production zone exposed
Consider pulling into WBM: OBM/ SBM:
casing and waiting Limestone , Cellulosic F/M 2/25 PPB.
6/8 hours fine / medium Limestone. Fine
5/ 30 PPB. /Medium
5/15 PPB.
 LOST CIRCULATION
Partial loss solutions > 20 bbls hour.

First action. Recovery.

Add LCM pill in 5 to 10 ppb increments.

Reduce ROP to limit Evaluate results over two circulations before
Cuttings load. increasing to next level of LCM concentration.
Mix in 30 to 50 bbls batches dictated by hole size.
Minimise mud rheology Consider spotting LCM pill before pulling out of hole.
Non – productive intervals
Minimise GPM
WBM Medium LCM. OBM/SBM:
Minimise well bore 15/25 PPB. Cellulosic F/M 10/25 PPB
Pressure surges. Coarse LCM @ 15/25PPB. Cellulosic coarse 10/25ppb
Walnut M/C@ 10/20 PPB Walnut Medium 5/15 ppb
Minimise mud weight.
Production zone exposed
Consider pulling into WBM: OBM/ SBM:
casing and waiting LCM blend fine 5/15ppb Cellulosic F/M 2/25 PPB.
6/8 hours LCM blend med 5/15ppb Limestone. Fine 5/15ppb
Cellulosic med 5/15 ppb
 LOST CIRCULATION
Total loss solutions
.

First action. Recovery.

Pull off bottom,

Formulations for the speciality pills and cement are
keep string moving.
decided by the conditions of each event
Fill annulus with
light mud or water. Non – productive intervals
WBM: OBM/SBM:
Record stokes and 40 ppb LCM pill 30/40 ppb LCM pill
volume to fill hole. Specialty pills Specialty pills
Cement squeeze. Cement squeeze.
Consider pulling
into casing. Production zone exposed
WBM: OBM/SBM:
Minimize well bore 40 ppb LCM pill 30/40 ppb LCM PILL
surge pressures. Specialty pills. Specialty pills
Cement squeezes . Cement squeezes
 Lost Circulation
ECD
• APL - Sub to monitor ECD.

• After connections, rotate pipe slowly to break the Gel strength, stop rotation
and break circulation with max. 10 SPM.

• When circulation is achieved gradually increase the SPM over 10 minutes.

• Avoid Back-reaming unless absolutely essential.

• When reaming stands reduce RPM to 50 and flow rate to 1000 l/min.

• Control tripping speeds.

• Maintain the mud wt. Within specified parameters.

 Annular Pressure Loss
ECD
• Use an APL sub to monitor ECD.

• If lag depth becomes too high, stop drilling and circulate out cuttings.

• Be aware of increased ECD when increasing Rotary RPM.

• Monitor Mud losses and Torque.

• Ream each stand if orientating.

• Rotate at Max. RPM to agitate low side cuttings bed.

Mud Cap
Drilling
 Lost Circulation.
Precaution for drilling blind

• Good water supply.

• One pump to drill, one pump for annulus.

• Monitor torque ,drag and pump pressure.

• Control ROP.

• Keep the pipe moving.

• Minimise well bore surge pressures.

• Circulate and condition hole before connection.

• Don’t run surveys at critical times.

• If circulation returns check well for flow.

 Losses whilst drilling
(dynamic or slight Static)

Stop Drilling
Observe well

No flow. Well flows

Severity of dynamic losses acceptable ? Measure flow volume to

(mud stock/supply governed) establish whether flow
is due to backflow or
Yes No loss of O/B

Drilling in objective,
Drilling in objective, Drilling above objective, no further sealing Drilling above objective, Flow is less than Flow is more than
no further sealing and/or further sealing formations and/or further sealing Volume lost volume lost
formations expected Formations expected expected Formations expected
Circulate bottoms Close in
Continue drilling (with Take RFTs to establish up at reduced rate
Attempt to improve (No static O/B
Take RFTs to establish LCM) until in the seal. overbalance (O/B) to minimise losses
overbalance (O/B) formation strength
Establish presence/thick-
by cement squeeze
Ness of seal by VSP When “influx” is Record Pressures
O/B excessive O/B correct at 3000ft – circulate
O/B excessive O/B correct Attempt to improve over chokes
formation strength Drill out Squeeze back influx
Reduce mud gradient Set cement plug
Continue drilling by cement squeeze (to avoid contamin-
(through bit)
(with LCM) until After “influx” has ation of complete
Reduce mud and squeeze
losses become un- Continue drilling Leak-off or limit test been circulated out, system)
gradient Drill out cement
acceptable due to go to “No flow”
increasing O/B Drill out until losses Circulate at reduced
Continue drilling Leak-off or limit test Formation rate to mudgradient
become unacceptable. Formation
Set cement plug strength to kill well
Repeat until O/B strength
(through bit) and sufficient to
Formation becomes too large too low
squeeze Formation cater for
strength to cure losses for expected Go to “No flow”
strength expected
sufficient to too low pressure
Drill out until losses pressure
cater for for expected Set drilling liner
become unacceptable.
expected pressure pressure Continue drilling
Repeat until O/B Continue drilling
Reduce mud gradient until in seal
becomes too large to
Continue drilling Set drilling and continue drilling (log VSP)
cure losses.
liner in seal
Set drilling liner Set drilling liner

Reduce mud gradient

and continue drilling
 Losses induced
Whilst running in

Total Losses,
Partial Losses
level drops
Fill up annulus with
Continue RIH at
light fluid
reduced speed
(see note 1)
to last casing shoe
Flow check
Establish circulation
whilst rotating string Well flowing
(note 2)
No flow
Dynamic losses only Severe or total Close in
losses
Go to Interface light fluid/
“losses while drilling” Spot LCM or cement Yes Mud in riser? No
and squeeze until Spot LCM through Squeeze LCM down
losses are reduced to bit and squeeze into annulus to reduce
dynamic losses only loss zone losses
Go to (note 3)
“Losses while drilling”
Losses reduced to
Yes acceptable level No

Strip in to casing shoe

Well dead Well still pressurised
RIH slowly to casing (note 4)
(note 5) (note 6)
shoe or to above
Spot and squeeze
expected loss zone Strip in to bottom
cement until losses
Spot and squeeze are reduced
Circulate out influx
LCM/cement

Clean out

Losses reduced
to dynamic only
Go to
“Losses while drilling”
 Questions

• How do we define partial losses?

• What is the first action the driller should take

if he has total losses?

• What action can the driller take to prevent a

lost circulation problem occurring?
Hole section action plan time.