A

SPE 49116

Optimization of Cuttings Removal by Use of Real-Time Annulus Pressure

Measurements While Drilling
B.R. Pedersen, Baker Hughes INTEQ, J. Zajaczkowski, Statoil

Cepyflgh! 1S98, Scciety of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

TMs paper was prepared for presentation at the 1S3S SPE Annual Tcwhnioal Conferen@ and Service Description
ExMblion held in New Orfeans, Louisiana, 27FS0 September 1s98.
The annular pressure reading is performed as a part of a
Thk paper was selected for presentation by en SPE Pregram timmittee following review ef
informstien crmained in an abatracf submitted by the author(s). Centents of the paper, as Modular Dynamic Pressure service (MDP) which comprises
presented. have not been reviewed by the Smiety of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to
correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, dws not neceaeerily reflecl any
downhole weight on bit, torque, bending, and internal and
peeitien of the Seciety of Petroleum Engineers, its officers. or members. Papra presented at borehole pressure readings. The sensors are fitted in a stainless
SPE meetings ere subject to pubficetion review by Editorial Committees of the Seciety of
Petroleum Engineers. Electronic repreductiem, distribution, or storage of any part ef this pepr steel housing with an integral stainless steel barrier diaphragm.
for commercial purpeaes without the vnitten cenaent of the Smiety of Petroleum Engineers is
prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print ia restricted to an abstract of not more than 300
The two sensors are combined in a sealed double ended
words illuatratlona may not be mpled. The abstract must mntain cefwpicuous c@dge. The sensor features a four arm active Wheatstone
acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was presented. Write Librarian, SPE, PO.
Sox SS3S3S, Riihardeen, TX 750S3-SS3S. U.S.A.. fes 01 -972 -952 -94S5. Bridge strain gauge dift%sed directlly into a silicon diaphragm.
The system is powered from the MWD turbine driven power
supply. This limits measurements to be made while flow is
Abstract
above a critical rate. The service is provided with 6.75” and
This paper demonstrates how real-time monitoring of
downhole annulus pressure can be used to reduce risks and 8.25” tool sizes. In addition an integrated annular pressure
sensor is mounted optionally in 4,75” MWD assemblies. A key
optimize the drilling process especially in the extended reach
requirement for a downhole pressure measurement is a high
applications. Field data shows how real-time pressure data are
used interactively to optimize cuttings removal and adjusting level of confidence in the accuracy of the pressure readings.
This is maintained through highly specified calibration and
mud weight. The ability to monitoring and subsequently
verification routines. The dynamic range for the pressure
controlling downhole circulating pressure enables tight
acceptance windows between estimated pore pressure and sensors is O-15000 psi within O-125 deg C operating range.
The sampling frequency for all sensors is 150 cycleskec.
fracture gradient.
Buckets of 5 seconds sampling is acquired. This gives 750
samples in each bucket. Mean and variance values are
Introduction
calculated for each channel. Average values for 2 buckets are
New directional drilling technology has encouraged the
then stored in memory every 10 sees, and sent to surface apx.
industry to drill longer horizontal wells, with increased rates of
every 2 minutes. The bit resolution is 7.5 psi in real time and
penetration. This has created new challenges for efficient
0.28 psi for memory. The analog voltage signal is digitized
cuttings removal, demanding higher flow rates. Cuttings
and corrected for non- linear drift and temperature drift, using
buildup creates higher pressure drops, and increased chance of
two sets of a third order polynomial. The six calibration
fracturing the formation, or packing off. The desire to push
coefficients are calculated based on a sensor level response.
casing shoes further down has left tight margins between
After the sensor is installed in the sub, the response is verified
fracture gradient and pore pressure. When these tight limits are
on a system level. The response is specified with an accuracy
combined with high pressure loss along the borehole,
of +/- 1%. Response curve is verified each time the sub is
surveillance and control of downhole fluid pressure becomes
passing through the local maintenance shop.
critical.
This paper describes the use use of a downhole annulus
The Gullfaks Field
pressure service and it’s application for the Gullfaks field in
Real-time monitoring of downhole annulus pressure was
the Norwegian North Sea. The acquisition system is described,
introduced on Gullfaks field in fall 1996. Since then this part
and example logs are shown with interpretations. The
of MWD service has become a standard on all wells drilled on
experience is condensed to a Best Practice document intended
the field. The service was originally performed only in 8 1/2”
to be followed for the drilling operations.
reservoir section. After gaining experience from reservoir
sections, the service was also introduced in 12 1/4” and 17

565
2 B.R. PEDERSEN, J. ZAJACZKOWSKI SPE 49116

1/2” hole sections, Statoil uses real time annular pressure data pressure loss for drilling with no rotation, and underestimating
for ECD controll and for monitoring of hole condition. Real the pressure loss for rotations above 100 rpm. On well C-36
time annular pressure readings are considered the best the MDP sub measured an ECD of 1.72 S.G. with no rotation,
available tool for hole cleaning surveillance. with mud weight of 1.62. At 130 rpm string rotation the ECD
increased to 1.77 S.G. That corresponds to a frictional m-essure
Example well C-36 increase of 5070 with rotation.
Well 34/10-C-36 was drilled by Statoil on Gullfaks field in
1997. The objective of the well was to penetrate 4 targets in
the Shetland group horizontally. The 24” section reached down
to 1475m with 72 degrees inclination at TC of section. 13 3/8”
casing was set at 3205 m MD and 10 3/4” liner at 4585 m MD.
The well was further drilled with 9 1/2” hole assembly with Prl
planned TD at 7367 m. The formation below 10 3/4” liner
consisted of sandstone, siltstone,claystone and coals beds.
Pore pressure and formation strength varied a lot throughout * m ,m m ❑

drilling interval giving a very tight “window” for minimum 1 Dmth

mud weight and maximum ECD. Due to a very long 13 3/8”

..>
casing and high angle, hole cleaning problems
encountered. Large amounts of cuttings were accumulated in
were

the 13 3/8” casing section above the 10 3/4” liner as the result
of almost 50% reduction of mud velocity in annulus. Mud
losses occured in the beginning of the 9 1/2” hole-section,
E , Drilling while
rotating
L ‘7$1,91
Fast drilling,
increase in ECD 1; .. .
.:

most probably in a coal bed. The ECD value measured by >

MWD MDP tool before occurance of mud losses was
lteering
considered as “leak off test” for futher operation. This was 5—}
confirmed later during drilling operation. Exceeding “leak off
test “ value caused lost circulation. This was critical in order
),.,?

=~.
to maximize pumprate and string rotation to improve hole
cleaning. Acquiring real time ECD values enabled adjusting
flowrate and string rotation to optimize hole cleaning and at ,,,0.,

the same time avoid lost circulation.

One can see from fig. 1 how ECD increases while drilling in

,.—-.,-
--~
{

w-
rotational mode, as the hole is being loaded down with
cuttings. In steering mode, one can see a drop in ECD of
2/100 SG (Specific Gravity). This is in agreement with
expectations. An unexplainable steady drop of yet 2/100 the
Increase in ECD 1 - f - ‘~

next 90 minutes occurs. As the backreaming starts at 16:30 00,

.:
hrs, one can see the ECD increase with 2/100 SG as the hole is A 7 f

being loaded down by cuttings. p=====+; l=..--+-.,;

The ECD values obtained while drilling were also useful
for designing of cementing program during completion of this -l-w

well. A precise value of maximum acceptable ECD without
loss could be entered into the model, hence reducing the
uncertainty.
Simulation and Measurements
For ECD simulations on the Gullfaks field the Baker Hughes
INTEQ program “EAP Hydraulics” has been used.
Comparisons with empirical data shows that the Power Law
model shows best consistency with downhole recorded data.
The EAP power law model does not take into consideration the
effect of temperature, pressure, gelstrength, eccentricity of the
drillpipe, and rotation of drillpipe. Despite these limitations the
model gives a fairly good correlation with recorded values for
drilling with 100 rpm. The model is overestimating the
‘Ig 1 -Example of time based plot from well C-36.”
Best Practices
Based on the use and experience of the annular pressure
measurements while drilling, Statoil has made a Best Bractice
document. The intent of this document is to establish best
practice for efficient hole cleaning during drilling operations.
The Best Practice document for use of annular pressure
measurements was originally written for the Gullfaks field but
is now being introduced in general for Statoil on the
Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Experience shows the necessity to optimize hole cleaning.
Complex well designs and tight margins between mud weight
and formation strength, in addition to uncertainty in pressure

566
SPE 491160PTIMIZATION OF CUTTINGS REMOVAL AND MUD PROpE~TIES BY USE OF REAL-TIME ANNULUS PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS
WHILE DRILLING 3

prognosis, limits the acceptable limits for equivalent Data Improve Reservoir Drilling Performance”, SPE
circulating density (ECD). A lack of effective hole cleaning Drilling & Completion, March 1998.
has in several instances induced the ECD to exceed formation 2. Easton, M. D.J., Nichols, J., Riley, G.J., “Optimizing
strength, giving 10SSof circulation. Hole Cleaning by Application of a Pressure While
Through the use of ECD measurements the importance of Drilling TooI”, SPE 37612.
pipe rotation for cuttings removal is demonstrated. Rotation of 3. Zajaczkowski, J., “Retningslinjer for Gullfaksfeltet for
the string gives higher ECD. In highly deviated wells this Effektivisering Hullrenskning under
effect is amplified. In the best practices document a pipe Boreoperasjoner”, St;oil document GF/980004R 1998.
rotation of minimum 150 rpm is adviced. Wherever this is not
achievable, the ineffective transport of cuttings must be
compensated by other means. After a steering section a rapid
start of string rotation can give a “slug” effect and an
undesirable increase of ECD. In these cases rotation must be
increased gradually over some minutes.
When tripping in and out of the hole there is no way of
pressure surveillance in real time. The effect of swab and surge
can only be estimated. Pump rate and ECD readings prior to
pulling out gives some indication of acceptable pulling speeds.
The restart of drilling after a connection can be critical in
wells with poor hole cleaning. It is therefore adviced
establishing guidelines on how to resume to normal pipe
rotation and flow without exceeding the fracture limit of the
formation.

Conclusions

1. Measurement of ECD while drilling is a far mor reliable

and accurate tool than hydraulic simulations combined with
surface parameters. Continuous measurements is the best way
for hole cleaning surveillance and minimizing problems related
to loss of circulation. Downhole annulus pressure is recorded
downhole, transmitted to surface, transformed to an ECD
reading, and displayed at the displays of the driller, data
operator, MWD operator and company representative.
2. Hydraulic models can predict ECD fairly close (within
2/1 00 of SC). A better understanding and refining of the
models is achievable through comparisons of models and
recorded values.
3. Problems related to loss of circulation was previously
often blamed on formation properties. Some of them can now
be eliminated through the use of ECD measurements in real
time combined with best practice documents.
4. Having a verified and accurate limit for formation
fracture gradient limits the uncertainties when modeling a
cement job. The risk of fracturing and losses while displacing
cement is then minimized.
5. The effect of pipe rotation on hole cleaning is verified
through the use of ECD.

Acknowledgments
We thank Mahendra Gohil for producing the time based log.

References
1. Ward, C and Andreassen, E “Pressure-While-Drilling

567