A Noble Drilling

Corporation Subsidiary

Hollow Sphere
Dual Gradient Drilling
System
JIP Kickoff Meeting
Dr. William C. Maurer
September 27, 2001

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DOE Hollow Sphere

Underbalanced Drilling Project

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25

Types of Flow Regimes

LIQUID

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AERATED
LIQUID

FOAM

MIST

GAS

26

Lightweight Mud

MUD

1.02 S.G.
8.5 ppg

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HOLLOW SPHERES

0.38 S.G.
3.17 ppg

LIGHT WEIGHT
MUD

0.70 S.G.
5.84 ppg

30

Glass Beads

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33

Particle Sizes in Unweighted,

Water-Based Mud
(After Bourgoyne Jr. et al, 1986)
MICRONS
1

10

Small
Hollow
Spheres

Bentonite
SILT

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100

1000

10,000

MESH

FINE
SAND

20

0.1

200
100
60

Solids Percentage

.01

COARSE
SAND

GRAVEL

34

Centrifuge Test

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37

Desilter Tests

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38

Oilfield Hydroclone
(Moore et al., 1974)

Overflow Opening
(Hollow Spheres)
Feed Inlet
Feed Chamber
Vortex Finder
Vortex

Underflow Discharge
(Cuttings)
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39

Golden State Drilling Rig Mud System

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46

Mud Returns

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47

Dual Gradient Drilling Systems

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50

Hydrostatic Gradients for Conventional

and Riserless Drilling
(Snyder, 1998)
Mud hydrostatic pressure (D)
( Riserless)
Mud hydrostatic pressure (C)
(Conventional)

Surface
Casing

Fracture (B)
pressure

Depth
Seawater (E)
hydrostatic
pressure

Pore pressure (A)

Pressure

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51

Riserless Drilling System

(Peterman, 1998)
Mud Return
and Pump
Drillpipe
Diverter

Wellhead
and BOP

Return Line
Riser
Mudlift
Pump

BHA
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52

TT01-43

53

DGD is estimated to save $9 million per

well and increase the project value by
$150 to $250 million at Crazy Horse

Andy Frazelle, BP (Wellconnected, Dec, 2000)

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54

In an ultra-deepwater well, the

savings could range from $5 - 15
million in casing running alone

Conoco, 2001 (Drilling Contractor, May/June)

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56

Mudlift System
(Conoco/Hydril)

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57

Mudlift Pumping
System

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58

Mudlift Subsea Diaphragm Pumps

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59

Mudlift Subfloor Module

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60

Mudlift Subsea Diverter

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61

Mudlift Drillstring Valve

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62

DEEPVISION System
(Baker Hughes/Transocean)

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66

TT01-43

67

DEEPVISION Subsea Centrifugal Pump

Electrical connections
Pressure & volume
compensator
Motor cooling loop
Filter for bearing pack

Isolation valves for

Bearing pack filters

Strainer for
compensator
Isolation valves for
motor filters

Main filters
Pump suction

6-Stage pump

Pump discharge
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68

DEEPVISION Subsea Module

10,000 ft. Pump Station

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5-pump module station

Size: 15 *17 * 40
Weight: 350 kips
Max. available hhp 4050
ANSI 2500 (6250 psi) rated
Standard riser joint
connection
Independent of BOP MUX
control system
Self contained power and
control
69

DEEPVISION Drillstring Valve

VALVE SEAT
& CONE
VALVE
PLUNGER

DISC SPRING
PACKAGE

4-3/4 Flow Stop Sub

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71

DGD Rock Removal Rates

Rock Removal Rate (tons/hr)

12

12-1/4 Bit
8

0
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50

100
Drilling Rates (ft/hr)

150

200
72

Shell SSPS System

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73

Shell SSPS DGD System

(Offshore, June 2001)

From Rig
Power

Existing Rig Pumps

Power Control
Mud Processing

Water Depth

Pump Section

Motor & Seal

Nitrogen
Tank

Control
Module

Level Sensor
For Process Control
Check Valve

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Eductor
Pump

Element Optional
For Fluid Sep.

74

SSPS Gumbo Slide & Mud/Gas Separation

Nitrogen Tank
(Back-up)

Mud/Gas
Separator

Flowline

Nitrogen Tank
Cut Away View

Gumbo
Slide

Cuttings
Eductor

Subsea
BOP
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77

Dual Gradient Project Participation

MUDLIFT

CONOCO*
HYDRIL*
BP
CHEVRON

TEXACO
DIAMOND OFFSHORE
GLOBAL MARINE
SCHLUMBERGER

DEEPVISION

BAKER HUGHES*
TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX*

BP
CHEVRON

SSPS

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SHELL
80

Hollow Sphere
Dual Gradient System

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85

Surface Hollow Sphere System

Swivel
Mud Pump
(Mud)

Shale Shaker
Spheres

Mud

Mud Pump
(Spheres)

Drill Ship
Mud

Drillpipe

Spheres
& Mud

Mud & Spheres

Riser
Mud Line

Wellhead
and BOP
Mud

BHA
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Valve
Drill String Valve
Rock

86

Hollow Glass Sphere Technique

Mixture

Slurry
Hollow
Glass Spheres
Mud
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87

New Seafloor Equipment

DeepVision

Mudlift

Nothing

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Shell SSPS

Maurer

88

Sea Water Density Mud

(50 % Spheres)

MUD

1.68 S.G.
14 ppg

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HOLLOW SPHERES

0.38 S.G.
3.17 ppg

LIGHT WEIGHT
MUD

1.02 S.G.
8.56 ppg

89

Mixture Density vs. Sphere Volume

18
Sphere Sp. Gr. = 0.38
Mixture Density, ppg

16
14
12
10

Mud Weight
ppg
18
16
14
12
10
Water

8
6
Sea Water
4
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Sphere Concentration (Volume %)

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90

Dual Gradient Mud Weights

Sea Floor

10
12
14
16

18

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91

Single Injection Point

Surface

Mud
& Spheres

Riser

Mud
& Spheres
Flow Line
Valve

Wellhead
and BOP

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Sea Floor

93

Multiple Injection Points

Surface
Valve
2,500

5,000
Riser

Sea Water
& Spheres
Flow Line

7,500

10,000
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Sea Floor

94

Surface Sphere Separation

Shale
Shaker
Mud

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Seawater

Hollow
Spheres
Drill Cuttings

99

Large and Small Hollow Glass Spheres

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100

Particle Sizes in Unweighted,

Water-Based Mud
(After Bourgoyne Jr. et al, 1986)
MICRONS
1

10

Small
Hollow
Spheres

Bentonite
SILT

TT01-43

100

1000

Large
Hollow
Spheres

MESH

FINE
SAND

10,000

20

0.1

200
100
60

Solids Percentage

.01

COARSE
SAND

GRAVEL

101

Relative Particle Size (Microns)

50
Small
Hollow
Spheres

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147
100 Mesh
Screen

300
Large
Hollow
Spheres

1700
Frac
Sand
(12 mesh)

102

Composite Hollow Spheres

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104

Composite Sphere Densities

Water
Depth (ft)
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
11000
12000
13000
15000
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Foam System Density (g/cc)

PVC
0.25
0.36

Thermoplastic
Macrospheres
0.28
0.34
0.36
0.39
0.43
0.44
0.48
0.53
0.53

GRE
Minispheres
0.40
0.41
0.45
0.48
0.51
0.55
0.60
0.62
0.65

Carbon Fibre
Minispheres

0.43
0.45
0.46
0.48
0.50
0.53
0.56
0.59
0.61
0.66
106

Riser Buoyancy Modules

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107

Solids Separation

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108

DGD Sphere Separation System 1

20 Mesh
Shale
Shaker

Return Mud
2000 gpm
25% Spheres

100

1000

Large Cuttings
Large
Spheres

100

100 Mesh
Mud + Spheres
1500 gpm
500 gpm

Shale
Shaker

Spheres

MESH 20

Spheres
500 gpm

Spheres
Seawater

Medium Cuttings

Mud
1500 gpm

Conventional
Mud
System

Fine Cuttings

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MICRONS

Clean Mud

Spheres
500 gpm

500 gpm

To Rig Pump
1000 gpm
No Spheres

To Seafloor
1000 gpm
50% Spheres

109

Hydrocyclone Separator
Mud & Spheres

Barite (SG = 4.25)

Drill Cuttings (SG = 2.65)
Hollow Spheres (SG = 0.4)
Water (SG = 100)

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Barite, Drill Cuttings

110

DGD Sphere Separation System 2

20 Mesh

Centrifugal
Pump

MICRONS

1000

Large Cuttings

Shale
Shaker

Return Mud
2000 gpm
25% Spheres

100

Spheres + Mud
500 gpm 500 gpm
Special
Hydrocyclone

Mud 1000 gpm

Shale
Shaker

Large
Spheres

100

MESH 20

100 Mesh

Medium Cuttings
(Few Spheres)

Mud
1000 gpm

Conventional
Mud
System

Fine Cuttings

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Clean Mud

To Rig Pump
1000 gpm
No Spheres

To Seafloor
1000 gpm
50% Spheres

111

Effect of Spheres on Plastic Viscosity

Plastic Viscosity (cp)

25
20
15

12.5

12.0

10
5
0

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22.5

Water
36% Spheres

No Spheres

Large Spheres

Standard
Spheres

112

Alternative Hollow Sphere

Injection Systems

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124

Drillstring Injection DGD System

Swivel
Mud Pump
(Mud)

Mud

Drill Ship
Drillpipe

Mud & Spheres

Mud Line

Wellhead
and BOP
Mud

BHA
TT01-43

Sphere Mixing Tank

Riser

Sphere Separator
Casing

Rock
125

Drill String Sphere Separator

Drill Pipe

Riser
Spheres
& Mud

Spheres
& Mud

Spheres
Sphere
Separator

Casing

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Sea Floor

Mud
Drill Bit

126

Carrier Fluid Dual Gradient System

Swivel
Mud Pump
(Mud)

Spheres
Mud

Drill Ship
Drillpipe

Mud & Spheres

Mud Line

Wellhead
and BOP
Mud

BHA
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Shale Shaker

Mud Pump
(Spheres)

Flow Controller

Carrier
Fluid

Riser

Carrier Fluid
& Spheres
Injector
Pump
Screen
Valve
Choke

Rock

128

Carrier Fluid Dual Gradient System

Return Line

Injector Pump
(Moineau)
Choke

Mud

Carrier
Fluid

Carrier Fluid
Plus Spheres

Screen

Valve

Mud

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129

Seawater Transfer System

Mud and
Spheres

Seawater and
Spheres

Injector Pump
(Moineau)
Seawater
Screen
Mud

Mud

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131

Spreading Pore Pressure/Frac Curves Apart

Surface
Seafloor
Fracture
pressure

Depth

Pore pressure
Pressure
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137

Curved Gradient Drilling

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140

Conventional Deep Water Drilling

Riser

Sea Floor

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141

Dual-Gradient Deep Water Drilling

Riser

Sea Floor

Subsea
Pumps

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142

Curved-Gradient Deep Water Drilling

Riser

Gas or Sphere
Injection Points

Sea Floor

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143

Fluid Injection Techniques

DRILLING FLUID
GAS OR
SPHERES
SPHERES
OR GAS

SPHERES
OR GAS

PARASITE

INJECTION
PORT

MUD

Concentric Drill Pipe

Parasite String

SPHERES
OR GAS

SPHERES
OR GAS
`

MUD

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Tie-Back Casing

MUD

Nozzle

Jet Sub

144

Seafloor Sphere Injection

0
Sea Water Density (8.6 ppg) (50%)
Well Depth (ft)

6000
Riser

10000
Casing

Seafloor Sphere Injection

4470 psi
Sea Floor

14 ppg (0%)
8110 psi

15000

11,750 psi
20000
0
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5,000
10,000
Annulus Pressure (psi)

15,000
149

Sub Seafloor Sphere Injection

0

Well Depth (ft)

6000

10.4 ppg (33%)

Riser
4470 psi

10000

5410 psi
Sea Floor
14 ppg (0%)

Casing
8110 psi

15000

Sub Sea Floor

Sphere Injection

20000
0
TT01-43

5,000
10,000
Annulus Pressure (psi)

11,750 psi

15,000
150

Sub Seafloor Sphere Injection

0

Well Depth (ft)

6000

11.3 ppg (25%)

Riser
4470 psi

10000

5876 psi
Sea Floor
14 ppg (0%)

Casing
8110 psi

15000

Sub Sea Floor

Sphere Injection

20000
0
TT01-43

5,000
10,000
Annulus Pressure (psi)

11,750 psi

15,000
151

Lightweight Brine Drilling Fluid

Sea Water
(8.56 ppg)

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Salt Brine
(12 ppg)

Salt Brine + 39% Spheres

(8.56 ppg)

153

Major Questions
Will Hollow Spheres Survive?
Can Spheres Be Pumped Reliably?
Can Spheres Be Separated From Mud?

Can Sphere Circulation Be Initiated after Shutdowns?

Maximum Sphere Concentration Achievable?
How to Detect and Handle Kicks?
Can Constant Seafloor Pressure Be Maintained?
System Cost and Reliability?
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155

TT01-43

164