IADC/SPE 72281

Optimizing Drilling Parameters Enhances Horizontal Drilling Performance

Walid Mohamed Eissa / Petrobel (Eni-Agip)

Copyright 2001, IADC/SPE Middle East Drilling Technology

INTRODUCTION
This paper was prepared for presentation at the IADC/SPE Middle East Drilling Technology
held in Bahrain, 22–24 October 2001.
Drilling in mature fields as Belayim land and marine
becomes a challenge due to the old age of the field
This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE Program Committee following
review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the (in production since 1960’s), where the depletion of
paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling
Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the its producing sand levels becomes a real challenge
author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the IADC or
SPE, their officers, or members. Papers presented at the IADC/SPE meetings are subject to
to drill through in safe way and efficient manner.
publication review by Editorial Committees of the IADC and SPE. Electronic reproduction,
distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written
Some of the remarkable difficulties been
consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print encountered during drilling these wells and raised
is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The
abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was extremely the non productive time percentage
presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax
01-972-952-9435. compared to the whole drilling time were while
drilling Belayim formation’s depleted sands. where
Abstract drilling these sands exercised the following
The optimized selection of bits and mud type during problems, Sever mud losses, differential pipe
any drilling operation improves significantly the sticking tendency, hole wall stabilization, inefficient
drilling efficiency presented in high rates of hole cleaning, poor rate of penetration, premature
penetration consequently less cost per meter. bit wear and seal life, finally excessive reaming
Hydraulics play also great part in optimization cycle times.
by enhancing the ratio of the pressure loss across Later will illustrate in details these problems and
the bit nozzles to the circulating pressure., Utilizing will analyze each of their components, also
bit hydraulic horsepower or jet impact force criteria describing the optimization process that reflected
which improving considerably the rate of the improvement achieved.
penetration, due to the continuos cleaning below
and through the bit cones. ANALYSIS AND STUDY
Geosteering drilling is considered as one of the All the above down hole concerns have been
optimizing tools that recently introduced to drilling carefully studied and deeply analyzed., it has been
operations, where it affected positively Petrobel categorized into two major arguments, which
horizontal drilling learning curve performance. representing the main factors of optimization.
This paper present a case study for group of The first argument was the drilling mud, where
horizontal wells drilled by Petrobel through last two several drilling fluids are being trailed in more than
years, summaries the good drilling performance one well and in different lithological conditions.,
achieved and analyzing difficulties encountered considering the real challenge that to find a mud
and describing implementation process of the system that can minimize fluid loss into Belayim
lessons learned from old wells in planning recent formation depleted sands, in turns, eliminating any
ones. damage to the reservoir’s rock might happens
As a result of that, the cost per meter was during wells production, taking into account the
decreased by about 50% in last two years, and existence of an overpressure shale level in the
average penetration rate was nearly doubled, same phase with the depleted sands (expected
moreover, the production rate increased mild to sever losses), where these shale should be
approximately 10 times more each well. kept under control without any additional impact
over such depleted zones, that to avoid any
possibilities of pipe sticking.
2 WALID MOHAMED EISSA
Other essential mud criteria that being introduced
recently into the oil industry worldwide, that the
system must have no environmental impacts,
where it can be dumped freely without any
treatment processing requirement or special
transportation means either in land or offshore.
Later will explain in details the steps of selection
the fluid type used for drilling these wells, where it
characterized by combining all the previous
properties., also will illustrate the comparison have
been performed with previous mud systems, finally
will represent its effect in decreasing hole trouble
time percentage compared to the whole drilling
time.
The second argument which has the same
importance as the first one was the drilling bits.,
huge number of bits are being used from numerous
manufacturers, that to obtain an optimum rate of
penetrations for each formation type, where several
tri-cone and PDC bit types were modified
particularly to fit such formations structure., the
selection basis for excellent bits performance will
be showed shortly same with the optimum ROP
achieved compared with old performances, where
the results confirmed significant improving of the
drilling rate.
The advanced technology in the oil business
become the key factor of optimization, where
introducing such technology in our drilling
operations reflected great improvement not only in
our drilling performance, but also helps in our
production optimizations, Geosteering drilling plays
an important factor in that optimization process.
Here below will synopsize the analysis process of
each argument, and how it being addressed and
considered in planning of other successive
horizontal wells, where the results recorded in
recent wells proved great success in optimizing
drilling performance and enhancing learning curve,
consequently decreasing the overall drilling costs.,
in addition to improving company daily oil
production.
DRILLING MUD
Efforts to maximize returns on drilling investment
have led to much advancement in drilling fluid
technology, where the drilling and completion fluid
compatibility with the formation characteristics
represents important issue for both mud
contractors and drilling-completion staff., that for
improving ROP while maintaining hole stability
IADC/SPE 72281
without any additional production problems related
to bottom hole skinning or reservoir rock damage.
The study of nearby correlating wells shows
unusual hole problems of overpulls associated with
mud losses, where these wells were drilled using
oil base mud system, another main problem was
the high well inclination in front of these depleted
sands, a matter of fact that cleaning of such highly
inclined holes requires extreme flow rates., where
in our case, it is quite impossible to reach the
proper rate to clean such high angles with the
existence of such depleted sands, as a result of
that, drilling cutting will accumulate on the low side
of the hole, leading to sever problems either pipe
sticking or excessive annulus hydrostatic pressure
which causing sever losses into depleted levels, in
which leaving a big chance for shale bodies either
to close back or pack off around the drilling string,
in general affecting badly hole stability. Excessive
washing and reaming time being required each
time tripping out or running in hole which was
consuming most of the whole drilling time, where
such long time of circulation in front of these weak
sands raising another risk of mud losses in that
kind of formation.
Drilling in remote offshore areas (far from Abu
Rudies base) was making extra burden on logistic
operations while drilling using oil based mud,
especially, during rough sea condition periods., that
because of the special precautions required for
transporting the drilling cuttings to shore in daily
basis for treatment following the restricted
environmental regulations.
All the above consideration have been combined
together to establish new mud system replacing old
one.
DRILLING BITS
Improving bit performances became an valued
concern, that most of the oil companies are looking
for., in which, pushing bit manufacturers to update
and modify continuously their products design to fit
with different lithological combinations, that to avoid
the extra-trips required for changing between
different bit types, considering an important factor,
that to maximize the rate of penetration, in turns,
minimizing drilling time, lowering cost per meter,
consequently saving more expenditures. Where in
the ultimate 4 years, bit technology observed
several innovative modifications, which brings the
bit industry to new frontier.
IADC/SPE 72281 OPTIMIZING DRILLING PARAMETERS ENHANCES HORIZONTAL DRILLING PERFORMANCE IN PETROBEL
Regarding Belayim field and as mentioned before
about the complex lithology combinations, which
characterizing its structure, where the upper part is
composed of loose sands, garvels, pressurized
shallow water sand levels, and clays., while the
lower part is composed of anhydrite to anhydritic
salts, dolomites, limestone to siltstone, and shale
bodies (sticky in some parts of the field).
Selecting the suitable bit type for such complex
lithology was representing big challenge for drilling
operations, where insert bits were not suitable due
to sever balling problems. Milled tooth bits were
also unable to complete the section because of its
lower rate of penetrations, where an excessive bit’s
gauge wear and bearing failure were noticed
commonly due to insufficient sustaining resistance
to that much directional work (sliding mode
percentage more than the rotating mode).,
especially during drilling through the anhydrite
formations. Other PDC trials, were not the good
application either heavy set blades because of
balling problems or light set ones due to the very
hard anhydrite as mentioned above, another
significant problem was the directional drilling using
PDC bits and its famous problem with tool face
control difficulty., as a result of that, the cost per
meter have reached unacceptable and very high
values, which creates an impacting force from oil
companies to the bit contractors towards
optimization philosophy.
The main optimization factors were to replace the
tri-cone bits with PDC types having suitable cutter
sizes for each formation hardness, modifying well
trajectory design, optimizing bit hydraulics by
redesigning nozzle outlets, compromising bit
designs between very hard and very soft formation
intercalation.
Later will explain the steps being taken for bit
optimization and the optimum progress that noticed
in Petrobel’s horizontal drilling performance.
GEOSTEERING DRILLING
Exploratory and development drilling expenditures
are considered the main nerve for international
companies. That means, As much as their
investments increases in international scales, and
the amount of their budgets raised than its
competitors, that surely will reflects its power in the
economics world. Keeping its position stable in
front of the big and strong merged companies., also
increasing its financial value internationally in that
free-market economy.
3
Recently the high well costs compared to the low
productivity rate of such mature field as Belayim
could decreases its development chances.
Meanwhile the oil market is exposing to sever
abrupt changes in prices and unstable conditions.
Accordingly, it was more convenient to study the
feasibility of drilling more wells that are horizontal,
in addition to re-entry of old ones with weak
production rates., that for getting the benefits of
crossing more net sands in each well, consequently
increasing the production rate and cut down the
costs of drilling several directional wells to get the
same net sand thickness.
Geosteering drilling recently introduced into
Petrobel drilling operations provided reliable and
efficient real time directional control, in addition to
early detection of targeted reservoir formation. It
effectively succeeded to locate the reservoir
boundaries by the efficient identification of Gas/Oil
contacts. Allowing interactive steering of the BHA
during drilling process, by placing the formation
evaluation measuring point close to the bit., also
increasing the depth of investigation into the
formation in order to get the maximum wave
propagation, which helps in early detection of any
layer dipping changes or difference in lithology. It
gives also accurate formation evaluation data
(azimuthul Gamma ray and Resistivity at bit),
providing complete reservoir characteristics in wells
that are typically difficult to be logged using
conventional wire line technology. Permitting the
precise placing of the horizontal section landing
point, keeping the well bore within any reservoir
thin thickness, in addition to navigating the bit up
and down, right or left according to the layer
dipping changes.
From Petrobel Drilling Performance Evaluation, it
has been proved that the horizontal wells which
has been drilled using the Geosteering Innovative
Technology is much more economical than the
horizontal one drilled without that technique. That
because of the continues steering of the well bore
into the reservoir boundaries getting more net sand
intervals, and of course more production potential
capabilities.
4 WALID MOHAMED EISSA
RESULTS AND ACHIEVMENTS
For the drilling mud, two new systems been
introduced till now, the first one is light weight
diesel based fluid, which was optimum for depleted
zones, where the second fluid was an water based
inhibited-non damaging fluid, where it was optimum
for those overpressure shale bodies in combination
with other depleted zones., beside its main
advantage where it can be dumped freely without
any environmental impacts.
Both systems proved great success in Petrobel
drilling performance, where the washing and
reaming times were minimized dramatically to very
low percentages, also the mud losses was
completely eliminated. Significant improvement in
hole stability been clearly noticed, especially those
problematic zones either sever depleted sands or
pressurized shale bodies.
For the drilling bits, the modifications are being
performed had been summarized in the following
recommendations, enhanced design for rock bits
lead to easy and smooth kick off point, it also gives
much more tool face stability to perform all the
necessary directional work., in addition to
strengthen bit gauge and introducing new bearing
features that lead to minimizing bit wear and
increasing bearing resistance, in turns, increasing
bit life (longer hours in hole).
Improving PDC performances by choosing the
suitable cutter size according to formation
hardness, short gauge bits helps drastically in tool
face stability, switchblades hydraulics to avoid
balling problems, bits hard facing for standing such
high mud weights 1.9kg/l.
Well path modifications also plays great part in the
optimization process, where all the direction work
should be avoided in front of depleted zones, and
to be drilled using tri-cone bits and finished earlier
than those trouble zones.
All the above features have minimized dramatically
the number of bits being used for each phase, also
lead to optimizing the rate of penetrations,
consequently decreasing the cost per meter.
Fig.1.a.), b.) & c.) are showing optimization results,
a.) ROP optimization (drilling learning curve), b.)
number of bits reduction per phase and meters
drilled, c.) cost per meter ($/m) optimization, all the
charts data were based on the ultimate 4 years
performance.
IADC/SPE 72281
For the Geosteering drilling, it was proved that the
geosteering technology succeeded to execute the
desired target of Petrobel, that to increase the
productivity rate of the field, by the precise placing
of the wellbore into thin reservoir thickness,
especially Belayim formation, achieving Petrobel
objective of increasing the production rate per well
approximately up to10 times in marine fields., While
other re-entry operations of old wells with low
productivity using short radius technology proved
greet success in production optimizations,(see Fig
2.a.) & b.) are showing the production rates
comparison, 2.a.) is showing comparison between
Belayim marine old wells and new
horizontal/geosteering wells, where 2.b.) is showing
comparison between Belayim land old wells and its
Re-entry using short radius drilling techniques., that
to achieve the main strategy of Petrobel that to
increase the productivity of such mature field.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to thank my management for permission to
publish this paper, thanks also to Eni-Agip
colleagues and IADC/SPE Steering and Program
Committees for their great assistance in presenting
such study. Also wish to express my deep
appreciation for all the drilling and w.over
department’s staff, both at Cairo head office or in
Abu Rudies fields for their great efforts to achieve
that optimum performance.
REFERENCES
1. W. Eissa, “Cost optimization in drilling the Mediterranean high
pressure gas wells”. ARPO convention, 25th-26th March, 1998,
Agip premises, San Donato Millanese, Milano, Italy.
2. R. S. Khrumi: A Text book of Hydraulics, fluid mechanics and
Hydraulic mechanics, twelfth edition, S. Chand &Company ltd.,
Ram Nagar, New Delhi, 1982.
3. S. D. Joshi, Ph.D.: Horizontal well Technology, Pennwell
publishing company, Tulsa, OK, USA, 1991.
4. P. L. Moore: Drilling practices Manual, second edition,
Pennwell publishing company, Tulsa, OK, USA, 1986.
5. W. Tiraspolsky: Hydraulics downhole drilling motors, editions
technip, Paris, 1981.
6. J. T. Dewan: Essentials of open – hole log interpretation,
Pennwell publishing company, Tulsa, OK, USA, 1983.
7. C.M. Smith: “Schlumberger well evaluation conference”,
Schlumberger Middle East S.A, Egypt, 1984.
8. Baroid fluid Handbook
9. MI fluid handbook.
IADC/SPE 72281 OPTIMIZING DRILLING PARAMETERS ENHANCES HORIZONTAL DRILLING PERFORMANCE IN PETROBEL 5

Rate of penetrations (ROP) performance

ROP, m/hr during drilling 16" phase

20

15
13.5

10

8.4

1.6
1.1
0
1996 1997 1998 1999-2000

ROP, m/hr Years

Fig. 1.a)

Number of bits compared to the meters drilled

during 16" phase
Bits number meters

14 2,500

12
2,000
11 1,970
10 1,820 1,855
8 1,500
1,530

6 7
1,000

4
4
500
2
2

0 0
1996 1997 1998 1999-2000

no. of bits Years meters

Fig. 1.b)
6 WALID MOHAMED EISSA IADC/SPE 72281

Cost per meter comparison

Cost, $/m during drilling 16" phase
3,500

3,000

2,500

2,553
2,000

1,500
1,867.2

1,000

500

0 379.8 194.8

1996 1997 1998 1999-2000

Years
$/m
Fig. 1.c)

Belayim Marine wells production comparison

between new Horizontals and old wells
Production rate, m3/d
600

500

400
400
350
300

200 230

100

40
0
old well (1960) horizontal-normal
Horizontal-geosteering A
Horizontal-geosteering B
Well Types
production rate, m3/d Fig. 2.a)
IADC/SPE 72281 OPTIMIZING DRILLING PARAMETERS ENHANCES HORIZONTAL DRILLING PERFORMANCE IN PETROBEL 7

Belayim Land Re-entry wells production comparison

between old holes and horizontal re-entries
Production rate, m3/d
250

200 230

150 180
160
100

50
50
40 30
0
old hole Vs. Re- old hole Vs. Re- old hole Vs. -Re-
entry- A entry - B entry-Short R. -C
Old well Production rate
Fig. 2.b)
Re-entery Hole Production rate