GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V.

DOSHI 1
 TWO PRIMARY ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED
WITH DRILLING A WELL
 1. PENETRATING SUBTERRANEAN
FORMATIONS WITH THE DRILL BIT.
 2. REMOVING THE DRILLED
MATERIAL FROM THE HOLE THUS
DRILLED

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 2

 THIS LATTER PROCESS WHICH WE CALL HOLE
CLEANING DOES NOT GET THE ATTENTION IT
DESERVES
 WE MERELY ASSUME THAT THE ACT OF
CIRCULATING DRILLING MUD UP AND DOWN
THE HOLE CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS ACTIVITY.
 THIS MAY SOMETIMES BE TRUE IN VERTICAL
WELLS BUT IT IS SELDOM THE CASE IN
DRILLING HIGH ANGLE DEVIATION WELLS

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 3

 IN THESE HIGH ANGLE DEVIATED WELLS
THE CUTTINGS FOLLOW A COMPLEX AND
TORTUROUS PATH TO THE SURFACE IN
WHICH SOME OF THE CUTTINGS
GRAVITATE TO THE LOW SIDE OF THE
HOLE.
 FAILURE TO CLEAN THESE CUTTINGS OUT
OF THE BOREHOLE LEADS TO MANY
SERIOUS PROBLEMS WE ENCOUNTER IN
THESE WELLS.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 4
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 5
THE RATIO OF THE RATE AT WHICH THE CUTTINGS ARE
REMOVED FROM THE HOLE TO THE RATE AT WHICH THEY
ARE GENERATED AT THE BIT IS THE HOLE CLEANING RATIO.

IDEALLY WE WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE = 1.

BUT IT WOULD BE A COINCIDENCE IF THIS WERE TO

ACTUALLY HAPPEN – YOU HAVE TO BE LUCKY TO GET THIS
IDEAL SCENARIO.

NORMALLY THE RATE OF CUTTING REMOVAL LAGS THE

RATE OF CUTTING GENERATION
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 6
 THIS LAGGING BEHIND LEADS TO
ACCUMULATION OF SOME CUTTINGS IN
THE HOLE.
 SO LONG AS THIS ACCUMULATION DOES
NOT HAMPER NORMAL OPERATIONS YOU
CAN TOLERATE IT. BUT WHEN THIS
ACCUMULATION STARTS HAMPERING OUR
NORMAL OPERATIONS WE ARE IN
TROUBLE.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 7
 CUTTINGS CAN BE DEGRADED
CHEMICALLY AND PHYSICALLY WHILE
STILL IN THE ANNULUS.
 DEGRADATION/DISPERSION OF THE
CUTTING IN THE ANNULUS MUD STREAM
DECREASES THE SIZE OF THE CUTTINGS
LEADING TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
HOLE CLEANING EFFICIENCY

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 8

DISPERSION OF CUTTINGS INTO THE MUD STREAM
CAN HAVE SERIOUS UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS ON THE
PROPERTIES OF THE MUD.

SOBMs DO NOT ALLOW THE CUTTINGS TO DISPERSE

IN THE MUD OR DEGRADE IN THE MUD AND HENCE
THEIR HOLE CLEANING EFFICIENCIES ARE LESS AS
COMPARED TO WATER BASED MUDS WHICH AID
DISPERSION OF CUTTINGS.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 9
SMALL VOLUME OF CUTTINGS AT THE SHAKER AS COMPARED TO THE
VOLUME OF THE HOLE DRILLED.

LARGE AMOUNT OF FILL AFTER TRIPS

INCREASING DRAG

INCREASING TORQUE

REGROUND (SMALL AND ROUNDED) CUTTINGS

INCREASED ECD AS MEASURED BY THE PWD TOOL

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 10

LOST CIRCULATION DUE TO PACK OFF OR HIGH ECD

STUCK PIPE

HIGH TORQUE AND DRAG

DIFFICULTIES IN RUNNING AND CEMENTING CASING

DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE LOGGING TOOLS TO THE REQUIRED

DEPTH
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 11
 HOLE SIZE

HOLE ANGLE

ROP

FLOW RATE

DRILLING FLUID PROPERTIES

PIPE ROTATION

CUTTINGS SIZE AND SHAPE

MINERALOGY OF THE CUTTINGS

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 12
 THE BEHAVIOR OF CUTTINGS IN THE WELL
BORE IS LARGELY DEPENDENT ON THE
ANGLE OF INCLINATION OF THE WELL
BORE
 WE CAN CLASSIFY WELL BORES INTO
THREE TYPES
› STRAIGHT OR NEAR STRAIGHT 0 - 300
› HIGH ANGLE HOLES 30 - 650
› EXTREMELY HIGH ANGLE HOLES 65 - 900
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 13
 DRILL CUTTINGS EXHIBIT DISTINCTLY
DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR IN EACH OF THESE
HOLE TYPES

 EACH WELL TYPE REQUIRES DIFFERENT

CONSIDERATIONS WITH RESPECT TO
EFFICIENT HOLE CLEANING.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 14

 THE MOTION OF
THE CUTTINGS IS
THE STRAIGHT HOLE
IS LARGELY
DOWNWARD WHEN
THERE IS NO
CIRCULATION AND
UPWARD WITH
CIRCULATION

15
THE VECTOR OF THE DOWNWARD MOTION IS
CONTROLLED BY THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND
IS INFLUENCED BY:
• BUOYANCY
• VISCOSITY OF THE DRILLING FLUID
• SIZE OF THE PARTICLE

THE UPWARD MOTION OF THE PARTICLE IS

GOVERNED BY ALL OF THESE AND BY THE
VELOCITY OF THE DRILLING FLUID.

THE MATTER OF HOLE CLEANING IS A MATTER

OF SUFFICIENT CIRCULATION OF THE
WELLBORE
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 16
LIFE BECOMES SLIGHTLY COMPLEX HERE DUE TO THE
TENDENCY OF THE CUTTINGS TO SETTLE ON THE LOW SIDE OF
THE HOLE EVEN WHEN MOVING UP DUE TO CIRCULATION OF
THE MUD.

THE AVALANCHING OF THE

CUTTINGS IN THESE HOLES
MAKES THEM THE MOST
DIFFICULT TO CLEAN.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 17

CUTTINGS TEND TO SETTLE ON THE LOW SIDE OF THE
HOLE BUT WHEN CIRCULATION IS STOPPED

THE CUTTING DO NOT

AVALANCHE DOWN THE
WELLBORE WHEN
CIRCULATION IS STOPPED

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 18

ANNULAR VELOCITY
 HIGHER THE BETTER IS A GOOD RULE OF
THUMB PROVIDED THE FORMATIONS ARE
COMPETENT
 IN STRAIGHT HOLES MUD VISCOSITY AND
ANNULAR VELOCITY ARE THE ONLY
CONSIDERATIONS.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 19

 FOR HIGH ANGLE AND EXTREME HIGH
ANGLE WELLS IT IS NECESSARY TO
OPTIMIZE THE ANNULAR VELOCITY WITH
THE HIGHEST PRACTICAL FLOW RATE

 BUT THIS FACTOR WILL NOT OBTAIN

ADEQUATE HOLE CLEANING.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 20

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM FLOW RATES
AND ANNULAR VELOCITIES

HOLE SIZE INCHES FLOW RATE ANNULAR VELOCITY

GPM FT/MIN

17 1/2 900 – 1200 76 – 100

12 1/4 700 – 1000 133 – 190
9 7/8 600 – 850 197 – 279
8 1/2 400 - 600 202 - 303

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 21

HOLE SIZE IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN HOLE CLEANING. ANNULAR VELOCITY
OF 140 FT/MIN OR MORE IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE IN HIGH ANGLE WELLS BUT
THESE RATES CAN BE ACHIEVED ONLY IN SMALLER HOLES
HOLE
CHARACTERISTICS
SIZE
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CLEAN. PROBLEM COMPOUNDED BY
17 ½ USE OF SOBMs. LUCKILY WE DON’T USE SOBMs IN THESE
AND SECTIONS. ALL AVAILABLE TOOLS AT HAND MUST BE BROUGHT
LARGER INTO PLAY TO CLEAN THE HIGH ANGLE WELLS OF THIS SIZE

14 ¾ HOLE CLEANING REMAINS A PROBLEM IN THESE HOLE SIZES

TOO. SOBMs ARE FREQUENTYLY USED IN THESE SECTIONS
AND 12
COMPOUNDING HOLE CLEANING PROBLEMS.
¼
HOLE CLEANING BECOMES EASIER IN THESE SECTIONS IF GOOD
9 7/8GUIDELINES
PRACTICES
TO EFFECTIVE HOLEARE FOLLOWED.
CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 22
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 23
 THE DRILL PIPES AND CUTTINGS LIE ON THE
LOW SIDE OF THE HOLE.

 THE AREA OF THE HIGHEST FLUID VELOCITY

TENDS TO BE AT THE HIGH SIDE OF THE
HOLE WHILE THE LOW SIDE CONTAINS AN
AREA OF LOW FLOW RATE THAT IS
EFFECTIVELY A DEAD ZONE

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 24

 THIS TYPE OF FLOW PROFILE
CREATES HUGE PROBLEMS
WHEN THE CUTTINGS SETTLE
INTO A SPACE OF LITTLE OR NO
FLOW ON THE LOW SIDE OF THE
HOLE.
THE EFFECT GETS MORE
PRONOUNCED AS THE PIPE
ECCENTRICITY INCREASES
THE CLEANING DEPENDS ON
REMOVING THE CUTTING FROM
THE LOW SIDE OF THE HOLE
INTO THE AREA OF HIGH FLOW.
D/P ROTATION IS THE MOST
EFFECTIVE TOOLS FOR
ACHIEVING THIS.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 25
 THE CUTTINGS MOVE UP-HOLE INTO THE
HIGH FLOW AREA UNTIL THEY ONCE MORE
SETTLE INTO THE DEAD SPACE ON THE LOW
SIDE OF THE HOLE.
 THEN THEY ARE THROWN INTO THE MAIN
STREAM BY THE ROATION OF THE D/P
 THIS START STOP PRACTICE CONTINUES
UNTIL THE CUTTINGS REACH THE STRAIGHT
HOLE SECTION AND ARE CIRCULATED OUT
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 26
 THE CUTTINGS IN THE START-STOP MOTION ARE
ABRADED MECHANICALLY BY THE D/P
ROTATION AND BECOME SMALLER AND
ROUNDED.
 THIS UP AND DOWN JOURNEY IS SLOW AND
TAKES LONGER THAN THE BOTTOMS UP TIME
EVEN WITH OPTIMUM D/P ROTATION.
 WITHOUT D/P ROTATION THE CUTTINGS BED MAY
REMAIN IN PLACE WITH VERY LITTLE UPWARD
MOTION AND MAY EVEN SLIDE DOWNWARDS
WHEN CIRCULATION IS STOPPED

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 27

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 28
 THERE IS A GREAT DIFFERENCE IN THE
CUTTINGS REMOVAL FROM 100 AND 120
RPM
 A SIMILAR CHANGE OCCURS BETWEEN
150 AND 170 RPM
 OPTIMUM PIPE ROTATION IS THE SINGLE
MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO OBTAIN
SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN HOLE
CLEANING

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 29

HOLE SIZE – (INCHES) MINIMUM PIPE ROTATION SPEED
RPM

17 1/2 120

12 1/4 120

9 7/8 120

8 1/2 80

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 30

 INCREASING VISCOSITY TO CLEAN THE
HOLE USUALLY WORKS IN A STRAIGHT
HOLE.
 17 ½”AND 20” HOLES ARE GENERALLY
DRILLED WITH A LOW MUD WEIGHT SO
THEY CAN BE CLEANED BY INCREASING
THE VISCOSITY OF THE MUD WHERE Yp >
Pv IN ORDER TO OVERCOME THE LOW
BUOYANCY AND THE LOW ANNULAR
VELOCITY OF THE MUD.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 31
 IN SMALLER HOLES MUD WT. AND ANNULAR
VELOCITY INCREASE AND HOLE CLEANING
IMPROVES ACCORDINGLY.
 IN SMALLER HOLES ECD IS ALSO AN
IMPORTANT FACTOR TO BE CONSIDERED IN
DETERMINING THE OPTIMUM VISCOSITY OF
STRAIGHT HOLES.
 HIGHER ANNULAR VELOCITY ALLOWS FOR
USE OF LOVER FLUID VISCOSITY WITHOUT
COMPROMISING THE CLEANING
EFFICIENCY.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 32
 HIGH VISCOSITY DOES NOT
NECESSARILY PROMOTE IMPROVED
HOLE CLEANING IN DEVIATED HOLES.
BOTH HI VIS AND LOW VIS ARE
DETRIMENTAL TO HOLE CLEANING IN
THESE WELLS.

A RANGE OF MODERATE VISCOSITY

PROMOTES THE BEST HOLE CLEANING.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 33
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 34
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 35
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 36
HIGH VISCOUS SWEEPS CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN
STRAIGHT HOLES BUT THEY ARE NOT VERY HELPFUL
IN HI ANGLE HOLES.

IN FACT THEY CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO HOLE

CLEANING IN HI ANGLE HOLES

THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT HI VIS SWEEPS CAN

ENLARGE THE DEAD ZONE ON THE LOW SIDE OF
THE HOLE
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 37
 HIGH DENSITY SWEEPS ARE VERY
EFFECTIVE IN REMOVAL OF CUTTING BEDS
AND HAVE BECOME STANDARD PRACTICE
IN THE DRILLING OF HI ANGLE HOLES.
 THEY ARE TYPICALLY WEIGHTED UP 1 TO 3
PPG (0.12 TO 0.36 SG) OVER THE BASE
MUD AND VISCOSITY IS NOT INCREASED
BEYOND WHAT THE ADDITIONAL
WEIGHING MATERIAL CONTRIBUTES.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 38
THESE SWEEPS ARE SMALL IN VOLUME (30-50 BBL)
USUALLY 200 – 500 FT OF ANNULAR HEIGHT.

SO THE DANGER OF INCREASING THE

HYDROSTATIC HEAD OF THE MUD COLUMN AS THE
SWEEP MOVES UP THE ANNULUS IS AVOIDED.

LARGE SWEEPS ARE ALSO PROBLEMATIC WHEN THE

CUTTING BEDS ARE LARGE.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 39

THIS IS BECAUSE THE SWEEP CAN PICK UP ENOUGH
MATERIAL TO OVERLOAD THE ANNULUS WITH CUTTINGS
CREATING A POTENTIAL PACK OFF.

HENCE IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO USE A SMALLER HI

DENSITY SWEEP AND CIRCULATE OUT THE CUTTINGS
BEFORE GOING IN FOR ANOTHER SWEEP.

GOOD SHALE SHAKER DISCIPLINE IS REQUIRED HERE,

TO BE AWARE OF THE CUTTINGS COMING OUT BEFORE
SWEEPING THE HOLE WITH THE NEXT HI DENSITY SWEEP

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 40

 SOMETIME BACK I HAD TALKED OF VERY
FINELY GROUND BARITE – THE WARP
WHILE WE WERE DISCUSSING BARITE SAG.
 NOW I WILL TALK ABOUT VERY COARSE
GROUND BARITE IN MAKING THESE HIGH
DENSITY SWEEPS.
 IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT COARSE BARITE
IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN NORMAL BARITE
THAT IS USUALLY USED IN WEIGHING UP
THE MUD.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 41
THE SCOURING EFFECT OF THE COARSE BARITE IS
THOUGHT TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE INCREASED EFFICIENCY
OF COARSE BARITE TO REMOVE THE CUTTING BEDS.

“SWEEP WATE” IS A PATENTED PRODUCT BY BAROID

WHICH IS EMPLOYED IN MAKING THESE HIGH DENSITY
SWEEPS.

COARSE NUT HULLS ARE ALSO EMPLOYED IN THE

PREPARATION OF HIGH DENSITY SWEEPS.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 42

 THE OTHER ADVANTAGE OF USING
COARSE MATERIAL IS THAT THIS CAN BE
PARTIALLY REMOVED BY THE SOLIDS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT AT THE SURFACE.
 SO THE INCREASE IN THE MUD WEIGHT
DUE TO FREQUENT USE OF THESE SWEEPS IS
MINIMIZED.
 WITH NORMAL GROUND BARITE
EMPLOYED FOR THE HIGH DENSITY
SWEEPS, DILUTION BECOMES NECESSARY.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 43
DISADVANTAGES

HIGH HIGH
DILUTION
VOLUMES COSTS

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 44

ONE SHOULD HAVE A REGULAR PROGRAM
FOR EMPLOYING THESE HIGH DENSITY SWEEPS.

FREQUENCY DEPENDS ON THE HOLE SIZE AND

ROP

TYPICALLY THESE SWEEPS ARE EMPLOYED FOR

EVERY 1-3 STANDS DRILLED.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 45

HIGH DENSITY SWEEPS (1-3 BBL OVER
THE BASE MUD WEIGHT)
17 ½” HOLE 50 – 60 BBL SWEEP
EVERY 1-2 STANDS
12 ¼ ” HOLE 30 – 40 BBL SWEEP
EVERY 1 – 3 STANDS
8 ½ ” HOLE 20 – 30 BBL SWEEP
EVERY 3 – 5 STANDS

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 46

IT IS IMPORTANT TO CIRCULATE AT DRILLING FLOW
RATE WITH OPTIMUM PIPE ROTATION DURING THE
ENTIRE TIME THE SWEEP IS IN THE HOLE.

FOR FLOATING DRILLING RIGS WITH SUB SEA

STACKS, THE SWEEP NEED ONLY BE IN THE RISER
WHEN CIRCULATION THROUGH THE DRILL STRING
STOPS. A BOOSTER PUMP CAN BE EMPLOYED TO
KEEP THE SWEEP IN THE RISER MOVING UPWARDS.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 47
 CUTTING BEDS ARE FREQUENTLY COMPOSED
OF VERY FINE PARTICLES DUE TO THE
GRINDING EFFECT OF THE BHA AND THE DRILL
PIPE.
 CUTTING BEDS ALSO CONTAIN BARITE
WHICH HAS SAGGED TO THE LOW SIDE OF
THE HOLE IF THE WEIGHTED MUDS ARE BEING
USED.
 THESE FINE MATERIALS MAY NOT BE VISIBLE
ON THE SURFACE UNLESS VERY FINE SHALE
SHAKER MESHES (> 175 MESH) ARE
EMPLOYED.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 48
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 49
IN HIGH ANGLE WELLS BOTTOMS UP OF THE MUD IS
NOT THE BOTTOMS UP FOR THE CUTTINGS.

EXTENDED CIRCULATION TIMES ARE THEREFORE

NECESSARY FOR GOOD HOLE CLEANING
EFFICIENCY.

THIS HAS TO BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT RESERVATION

IN OPERATIONS ON THIS TYPE OF HOLE.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 50

 THE HOLE SHOULD BE CIRCULATED WITH D/P
ROTATION FOR AT LEAST 10 – 15 MIN BEFORE
MAKING A CONNECTION TO MOVE THE
CUTTINGS AWAY FROM THE BHA BEFORE
CIRCULATION IS STOPPED.
 WHEN DRILLING WITH VERY HIGH ROP OR
AFTER SLIDING A KELLY LENGTH SYMPTOMS
LIKE JERKY TORQUE AND FLUCTUATING PUMP
PRESSURE ARE SURE SHOT INDICATORS THAT
EXTENDED CIRCULATION IS NEEDED TO FLUSH
THE HOLE OF EXCESSIVE CUTTINGS.
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 51
 THE HOLE MUST BE CIRCULATED CLEAN PRIOR
TO TRIPS AND THIS MAY TAKE AS MUCH AS 4
TIMES THE BOTTOMS UP FOR SOME HIGH ANGLE
WELLS.
CIRCULATION TIME PRIOR TO
HOLE TYPE
TRIPS
0 – 30o 1.2 TO 1.8 TIMES BOTTOMS UP

30 – 65o 2.0 TO 2.5 TIMES BOTTOMS UP

65 – 90o 2.5 TO 3.5 TIMES BOTTOMS UP

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 52

 ITIS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT
THESE ARE MERE GUIDELINES FOR
GOOD HOLE CLEANING PRACTICES.
 THE HOLE WILL NEVER BE PERFECTLY
CLEAN BUT WE CAN LIVE WITH THE
FACT THAT THE HOLE IS CLEAN
ENOUGH TO TRIP WITHOUT EXCESSIVE
OVERPULL DUE TO CUTTING BEDS.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 53

 THE ACTUAL TIME TO ACHIEVE AN
EFFECTIVELY CLEAN HOLE WILL DEPEND ON
THE ANNULAR VELOCITY, DETAILED HOLE
GEOMETRY, SPEED OF PIPE ROTATION,
VISCOSITY, MUD WEIGHT, CUTTING
MINERALOGY, INHIBITIVE CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE MUD AND THE
COARSENESS/FINENESS OF THE WEIGHING
MATERIAL
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 54
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 55
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 56
HOWEVER BACK REAMING HAS BEEN FOUND
TO BE DANGEROUS IN HIGH ANGLE HOLE
WELLS.

THE OVER-PULL CONDITION IS USUALLY DUE TO THE

DRAGGING OF THE BIT AND THE BHA INTO A CUTTINGS
BED AND BACK REAMING CAN RESULT IN A CUTTING
LOAD SO HIGH THAT IT MAY BURY THE BIT AND THE BHA.

PACK OFF WITH LOST CIRCULATION AND/OR STUCK-PIPE

IS OFTEN THE RESULT

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 57

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 58
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 59
KEEP A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR MUD
CLEANING HANDY AT ALL TIMES
THE FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED ARE:

FLOW RATE

PIPE ROTATION

HI DENSITY SWEEPS

EXTENDED CIRCULATION
GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 60
 Thank You Very Much

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE HOLE CLEANING - DR. S. V. DOSHI 61