Solutions to Problems Drilling a
High-Temperature High-Pressure Well
S.D. Cassidy, SPE. Texaco North Sea U.K. Co.
Summary
This paper is a case history of a deep, high-temperature, high-pressure
(HTHP) well, drilled in the U.K. sector of the North Sea. The topics
covered include the use of a vertical seismic profile (VSP) ahead-of-
the-bit prediction combined with measurement-while-drilling
(MWD) information to assist in picking a critical casing point. This
technique permits penetration of the high-pressure transition zone
without reaching a previously identified kick zone. Also discussed is
an assessment of the suitability of different casing elevators to run a
heavy casing string. New laboratory data indicate that some elevators
will initiate localized yielding of the casing material at tensile loads
much lower than those predicted by theory. Field data are presented
that demonstrate the limitation on oil-based mud (OBM) circulating
rates caused by flowline temperatures approaching the base oil flash-
point.
Although this material relates to a HTHP well, much of the in-
formation may be applied to improve the safety and efficiency of
drilling operations in other deep, overpressured, or close-to-balance
drilling environments.
Introduction
In 1991, Texaco North Sea U.K. Co. drilled a 16,600-ft well in Block
23/26 in the Central graben of the North Sea. Situated in 300 ft of wa-
ter, this subsea well was drilled by the semisubmersible rig Henry
Goodrich. Although Well 23/26b-15 (Fig. 1) was the fourth well
drilled by Texaco in the block, several new studies and practices were
performed during the planning and execution of this difficult well.
Well 23/26b-15 was planned primarily to appraise Jurassic sands be-
low 15,700 ft. The Jurassic formations were expected to be overpres-
sured to ± 17 .6 Ibm/gal mud weight equivalent (MWE) at a temperature
of350 a F. A short (± 150-ft) lower-Cretaceous interval was predicted to
overlay the Jurassic. In previous wells, where this lower-Cretaceous zone
was absent, 18-lbm/gal gas-condensate kicks had been taken in the up-
per-Cretaceous limestone only 80 ft above the Jurassic. We believed that
the formation pressures within the upper Cretaceous changed from ± 9.5
Ibm/gal to ± 18 Ibm/gal MWE over an interval of 300 to 1,000 ft. Two
previous casing shoes set only 300 ft above the known kick zone had
failed to provide sufficient seat integrity to penetrate the kick zone safely.
As a result of this previous experience, locating the last intermediate cas-
ing shoe deep enough to provide adequate seat integrity, but shallow
enough to avoid encountering the kick zone, was of critical importance
to the success of the well.
Another problem associated with the high bottomhole pressures
(BHP's) was that of casing design. The previous two wells we drilled
in Block 23/26 had used 9 5/ s-in. drilling liners set across the high-
pressure transition zone to reach the well total depth (TD) in an 8V2-in.
hole. This procedure led to a complex casing design incorporating
three liners and two tieback strings (Fig. 2). Owing to the predicted
sealing ability of the lower Cretaceous sequence in Well 23/26b-15,
a more conventional casing design with a tapered string of 10%- and
9 5/ s-in. casing was to be used. However, a requirement from the UK.
Dept. of Energy for pressure testing this intermediate string resulted
in the use of a casing string with a buoyed weight of 1 million Ibf. A
description of the steps taken to ensure a safe running of this casing
string is presented in this report.
The high bottomhole temperatures (BHT's) experienced in the
well created several problems. The choice of cement slurry recipes be-
came more difficult, the selection of suitable downhole logging tools
Copyright t 995 SOCiety of Petroleum Engineers
Original SPE manuscript received for review Nov. 4. 1992. Revised manuscript received
June 16, 1994. Paper peer approved July 17. 1995. Paper (SPE 24603) first presented at
the 1992 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Washington. DC, Oct.
4-7.
238
I
became important, and the temperature of the mud returns reached a
critical level.
Drilling 17Vz· and 121;4-in. Holes
After cementing 20-in. casing at 2,500 ft, the hole was displaced to
a 12.5-lbm/gal low-toxicity OBM in anticipation of a sequence of
overpressured, reactive Tertiary shaies. Then drilling continued in a
171Jz-in. hole. The first milled-tooth bit drilled more than 6,000 ft;
thereafter, the rate of penetration (RaP) slowed dramatically because
of increasing mud overbalance and hardening formations. Despite
the planned replacement of part of the 5-in. drillstring with 6 5/ g-in.
drillpipe, bit hydraulics were compromised toward the end of the hole
section to maintain sufficient flow rate for hole cleaning.
Analyses of offset wells indicated that a l-Ibm/gal-MWE increase in
formation integrity could be gained by placing the 13 3/ s-in. casing shoe
below a fractured formation at the top of the upper Cretaceous. Such an
increase in shoe integrity was important if mud weight needed to be
raised at the base of the next hole section. As a result, the low RaP's were
tolerated and drilling of the 17V2-in. hole continued to a depth of 11,600
ft. The 133/s-in. casing was run and cemented without incident. Drilling
then proceeded in a 121/4-in. hole through a massive Cretaceous lime-
stone sequence toward the predicted section TD at 15,100 ft.
121;4·in. Hole-Section TO
We established the following criteria to determine when to stop drill-
ing in the 121;4-in. hole.
I. Drilling must come no closer than 100 ft above the base Creta-
ceous/top Jurassic to avoid entering the possible kick zone.
2. Drilling must go no farther than 80 ft into the lower Cretaceous,
which is sufficient penetration to ensure that the casing shoe would
be set within this more competent formation.
3. The hole must go as deep as possible--dictated by the mud
weight required to maintain overbalance and the criteria listed above.
Although the top Jurassic and top lower Cretaceous could be picked
out on seismic plots (and to some extent by electric logs), there were no
easy means of identifying these formation tops from cuttings analyses.
Another complicating factor was that the predicted thickness of the criti-
cal lower-Cretaceous formation varied between 100 and 200 ft, depend-
ing on the interval velocities used in the seismic interpretation. The only
readily recognizable horizon from mudlogging techniques was the local-
1y named "Black Limestone Marker," the top of which could be identi-
fied ± 800 ft above the base Cretaceous.
We devised the following scheme to assist in picking the section
TD (Fig. I).
I. Pick up an MWD tool when approaching the Black Limestone.
Real-time resistivity and gamma ray information will be provided by
this tool.
2. Use the MWD information to confirm the location of the top Black
Limestone and to establish the depth of the base of this formation.
3. Continue drilling to 150 ft below the Black Limestone (± 500 ft
above the Jurassic). This equivalent depth had been reached without inci-
dent in previous wells with mud weights no higher than 12.5 Ibm/gal.
4. Run electric wireline logs. Run a VSP log and perform an ahead-
of-the-bit prediction with this information. Correlate the VSP data
with the original seismic data and re-evaluate the critical formation
tops below. (Assuming consistent rock properties, the VSP predic-
tion, in this case, should be accurate to ± 15 ft and should provide res-
olution of horizons ± 25 ft in thickness).
5. Continue drilling with the MWD tool. Use the MWD data and
conventional cuttings analyses to revise continuously the interval ve-
locities.used in the ahead-of-the-bit prediction. Also use the MWD
data to correlate with offset well logs. Continuously appraise whether
the lower Cretaceous has been penetrated and how far the Jurassic is
from the current depth.
SPE Drilling & Completion, December 1995
 8 10 12 14 16 18
I L 20"
2500«.
Tertiary
. 13.318"
Upper
11600«.
~ ~
Cr_
.... I [ I.. 10.314" X 9.5/8"
JuraSSiC
I.. 7"
15100«.
16600«.
Top Black Limestone
>- , " L
150 H. Base Black Umestone
VSp
:l.l
E +!:...50~Hl~I~1
Top Lower Cretaceous
Possible
HPKicks I$Qft.
......
Top Jurassic
Fig. 1-Well-design summary.
Two problems hampered the execution of this scheme. The first
was that multiple MWD tool failures resulted in no resistivity and
gamma ray data being supplied after running the VSP. Consequently,
only cuttings analysis was available to update the ahead-of-the-bit
prediction while drilling into the high-pressure transition zone.
The second problem concerned the seismic-data interpretation.
When the lower Cretaceous was not encountered at the predicted
depth, we revised the estimated seismic interval velocities, deepening
the prognosis. However, when this problem occurred again, the inter-
val velocities required to account for this deepening of the lower Cre-
taceous became unrealistically high, so the interpretation of the seis-
mic horizons must have been incorrect.
A second VSP performed at this point identified the problem: the
seismic horizon, previously identified as the top lower Cretaceous,
was a hard limestone band that had just been drilled within the upper
Cretaceous.
The second VSP ahead-of-the-bit prediction indicated that the
lower Cretaceous might be much thinner than originally expected,
and that the top Jurassic could be as little as 100 ft below the current
depth. To comply with one of the original criteria for selecting the cas-
ing point-that drilling should continue no closer than 100ft above
the Jurassic-we decided to run casing at this point.
Analyses
Without the VSP information, 12%-in. hole-section TD would have
been chosen according to the following methods: (1) drilling to a tar-
get depth derived from the original seismic interpretation, (2) cuttings
analyses, and (3) mud weight vs. fracture gradient-/pore-pressure li-
mitations. None of these methods would likely have provided suffi-
cient confidence in the selection of the section TD.
Although the initial VSP prediction proved to be incorrect, the
VSP information did eventually highlight a problem with the original
seismic interpretation that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.
Consequently, the VSP information was invaluable in allowing the
deepest penetration of the high-pressure transition zone without
reaching the previously identified kick zone.
Because oflool failures, the MWD was able only to serve in deter-
mining the base Black Limestone. It is most probable, however, that
MWD data below this depth would have assisted in the casing-point
selection, as previously described. Although it is costly, the use of
combined MWD and seismic prediction methods will be considered
for future use in critical situations.
Running 10%· x 9 5/ s-in. Casing
The tapered 10% x 9 5/ 8-in. casing string to be run at this point had a
buoyed weight of I million Ibf. Normally, we would have chosen
750-ton elevators to run a casing string of this weight. However, test
SPE Drilling & Completion, December 1995
f .- I I I PPG
Pore
Pressure
..... 20", 2500 ft.
22" Hole
Tertiary
I
.-J 13.3/8" Tieback
....
0 I"'"'
'"
~ I .... 16",8500 ft.
14.3/4" Hole
1-= n 7.5/8" Production Tieback I
Upper Cretaceous
10.5/8" HOI;IT ..... 11.3/4", 14500 ft.
a.1/2" Hole 9.5/8",15100 ft.
7",15600 ft.
Jurassic
Fig. 2-Previous casing design.
data acquired by Texaco in the U.S. indicated that the 750-ton casing
elevators of the type available in the U.K. might cause excessive
yielding of the casing material at tensile loads much lower than 1 mil-
lion lbf. As a result, we decided to retest the 750-ton elevators and
compare them with 500-ton elevators. (The 750- and 500-ton eleva-
tors were of the same basic design). First, the elevators were dimen-
sionally checked by the manufacturer, The detailed dimensional
checks revealed a minor manufacturing tolerance problem on some
750-ton slip bodies, so these were substituted for dimensionally cor-
rect slips, The casing elevators were sent to the Natl. Engineering
Laboratory (NEL) in Scotland for load testing,
The NEL prepared two short lengths of lO%-in. casing with two
rows of 24 strain gauges arranged circumferentially on the inside of
each casing. The two rows corresponded exactly to the locations of
the top and bottom contact areas of the casing elevator slips on the
outer surface of the casing,
Each casing and elevator pair was installed in a horizontal test
frame at the NEL. Tensile loads were applied to the elevators in
100,000 Ibf increments up to their respective working capacities of
500 and 750 tons. The strain-gauge data were converted into hoop
and axial stresses for each load increment.
Results
For the lO%-in., 85.3-lbf/ft, TRC95 casing tested, the casing-strain
gauges first indicated that the casing minimum yield strength had
been exceeded when a load of 800,000 Ibf was applied to the 750-ton
elevator. The maximum stress recorded inside the casing with the
500-ton elevator was 97% of the casing minimum yield strength at a
load of I million Ibf. In addition to creating lower stress maximums
within the casing, the 500-ton elevator appeared to distribute loads
more uniformly to the casing (Figs. 3 and 4).
Although these results showed a great improvement in casing
stresses compared with the test data previously acquired in the U,S.
(possibly owing to the extensive pretest inspections performed in the
U.K.), the loads required to initiate material yield are much lower than
those predicted by theory.
Hook load to cause casing yield 1 can be determined as
_1/1
Yx A[ 1 + ~ + (~f] . .""".".,,.,,"" (1)
With this equation for the 750-ton elevators and lO%-in., 85.3-lbf/ft
casing, onset of yield is predicted to occur above a hook load of
1,585,000 Ibf (i.e., almost double the value determined experimentally).
239
 '''E}' ", Top Gauges

+ +
100% Yield Strength 100% Yield Strength

Fig. 3-500-ton elevator test hoop stresses 1 million-Ibf tension Fig. 4-750-ton elevator test hoop stresses 1 million-Ibf tension
load. load.

The equation is probably over optimistic, mainly because of un- action. The casing was run, cemented, and pressure tested to 11 ,000
even loading of the casing by the elevator slips, which probably psi without incident.
occurs as a result of casing ovality and slip misalignment, although
the casing used in the laboratory tests met API specifications and the Circulating-Mud Temperatures
casing elevators were within specified manufacturing tolerances.
Throughout the drilling of the well, the temperature of mud returns
Minor localized yielding of the casing may not always present a hazard
was continuously monitored and recorded at the flowline. Two fac-
to the casing integrity. However, yield hardening of the casing will make
tors instigated this course of action.
these localized areas far more susceptible to stress corrosion cracking
1. The U.K. Dept. of Energy imposed a 200°F upperlimit on flow-
should the casing be subsequently exposed to sour well fluids.
line temperature while drilling.2 This limitation was based on a con-
The lO%-in. casing used in the NEL tests was a lower grade and
tinuous temperature rating of 250°F for the subsea blowout preventer
weight than the casing to be used in Well 23/26b-15 because of deliv-
(BOP) elastomers and a conservative estimate of a 50°F temperature
ery constraints. Eq. 1 was used to convert the tested value for onset
drop between the BOP's (in 300 ft of water) and the flowline.
of yield to a value for the 103-lbf/ft, C 100-grade casing to be run in
2. The measured flashpoint of the oil-based mud in use was
the well. Thus, we showed that the 1 million-lbf casing string could
± 190°F, so surface mud temperatures in excess of this value pres-
be run safely with the 750-ton elevators, and we chose this course of
ented a safety hazard in the presence of a source of ignition.
Upper Temp, Limit
Recommended by DOE
Fig. 5 shows a plot of mud flowline temperature vs, depth for the
well. Ideally the temperature and depth might have been plotted along
Flowline Temperatures (0 F) ~ lines of constant flow rate, but as flow rates were varied, the points on
the plot have been grouped into flow rate bands. Each of the data
80 100 120 140 160 180 200
points represents a steady-state or near-steady-state condition.
We can see that flowline temperature increases with depth and cir-
culation rate. At two points in the well-toward the base ofthe 17%-
9,000 and 121;4-in. hole sections-the flowline temperature reached the
flashpoint temperature of the mud. In each instance, the flowline tem-
perature was successfully reduced by lowering the mud circulation
10,000 rate without jeopardizing hole cleaning. Small reductions in flow rate
were sufficient to bring the flowline temperature down to acceptable
levels. Although the BHT continued to increase with depth in the
11,000
8V2-in. hole, it is apparent that the reduced flowrates and smaller hole
iii" size resulted in significantly lower flowline temperatures.
~
a:: 12,000 /!::,. 11112"
Cl
~
~
0 200~--------------------==::::::::;::::::j===t
~ 13,000 180
o
E 160
~
14,000 :J
E
Q)
140

'"
E
~ 120
15,000
c Q)
,5
'j 100

16,000 '"
LL

80

• Indicates examples of reducing o 8 10 12 14 16 1B 20 22 24

temperature by reducing flowrate.
Time Since Start of Circulation (hrs,)

Fig. 5-WeIl23126b-15 flowline temperatures vs. depth. Fig. 6-WeIl23/26b-15 flowline temperatures vs. time.

240 SPE Drilling & Completion, December 1995

 TABLE 1-FLOWLINE TEMPERATURE CURVE DATA
Curve number 2 3
Date March 31, 1991 May 7, 1991 May 29,1991
Hole size, in. 17.5 12.25 8.5
Depth, ft measured depth 11,300 14,700 15,600
Active volume , bbl 4,018 2,757 1,852
Circulation rate, gal/min 880 620 420
Time to circulate active volume, hours 3.2 3.1 3.1
Time since well last circulated, hours 14 17 21
Steady-state flowline temperature reached, of 190 176 115
Time to reach 99% of steady-state temperature, hours 17 13 16
Active volumes circulated when 99% steady-state
temperature reached 5.3 4.3 5.1

Fig. 6 shows how the flowline temperature varied before reaching the 8'1z-in. hole section to permit control of gas expansion in the annulus
steady-state conditions for three selected situations. Each situation is while circulating bottoms-up for bit trips.
described in Table 1.
Flowline temperatures were seen to increase rapidly after circula- Conclusions
tion began. The data indicate that 99% of the final steady-state tem- HTHP wells in Block 23/26b of the North Sea present many technical
perature was reached between 12 and 18 hours. This figure corre- challenges that might normally be overlooked in less difficult drilling
sponds to between 4 and 6 complete circulations of the active system. environments. This case history describes only a few of the problems
It was also noted that when circulating with little or no drillpipe encountered in the drilling of these wells.
rotation, the flowline temperature would increase 10 to 20°F above We hope that the presentation of this material will serve to highlight
the rotating circulating temperature within bottoms-up time. This in- how extending the normal operating envelope of drilling equipment
crease is believed to be caused by the creation of stationary boundary might result in unforeseen problems if the consequences of such ac-
layers of mud, which effectively insulate the main stream of mud from tions are not investigated fully. Although the situations described re-
the cooler portions of the upper well bore. late to a HTHP well, some of the methods may also have applications
in other environments.
8'1z-in. Hole Nomenclature
After the 10%- x 95/ s-in. casing, the well was displaced to a heavier- A = sectional area of casing, L2, in. 2
weight OBM, and drilling continued in an 8'1z-in. hole. The K = friction factor = 2.3
"10-10-10" method for evaluating connection gas levels was used L = length of slip contact, L, in.
down to the shallowest Jurassic sand encountered, as the shallowest R = outer radius of casing, L, in.
sand was expected to have the highest MWE pore pressure. The fol- y= yield strength of casing, mlLt2, psi
lowing are the steps in the "10-10-10" method.
I. Stop drilling. Acknowledgments
2. Circulate for 10 minutes. The author thanks Texaco and British Petroleum for their permission
3. Make connection and flow check for 10 minutes. to publish this paper and the members of the Texaco Drilling Dept. in
4. Circulate for 10 minutes. Aberdeen for their many contributions to its contents. Special thanks
5. Resume drilling. to all the personnel who were working onboard the Henry Goodrich
The background and connection gas levels associated with these during drilling of this well.
time periods were recorded and monitored for any trend in an attempt
to determine whether a sufficient mud pressure overbalance was be- References
ing maintained. Although this method slowed down the drilling I. Spiri, W.H. and Reinhold, W.B .: "Why Does Drill Pipe Fail In The Slip
progress, it did provide a more accurate means of gas monitoring and Area?" World Oil (Oct. 1959).
may have allowed any gas kick to have been detected earlier. The pro- 2. "Applications for Consent to Drill or Re-Enter High Pressure, High Bot-
tom Hole Temperature Exploration and Appraisal Wells," U.K. Dept. of
cedure also served to focus the attention of the offshore drilling staff
Energy Continental Shelf Operations Notice No. 59 (May 1990).
on the need for additional care in the high-pressure section of the well.
51 Metric Conversion Factors
Coring
bbl x 1.589 873 E-OI =m 3
Several coring runs were made in the high-pressure section of the ft x 3.048* E-OJ =m
well. A potential hazard, associated with the circulation of small vol- OF eF-32)/1.8 =oC
umes of reservoir gas out of the hole before and after cutting cores, gal x 3.785412 E - 03 = m3
was identified. Very small volumes of gas at BHP would expand rap- in. x2.54* E+OO =cm
idly in the upper part of the hole as hydrostatic pressures decreased, Ibf x 4.448 222 E+OO =N
possibly resulting in partial evacuation of the annulus. The following Ibm x4.535 924 E-OI =kg
procedure allows controlled bottoms-up circulation while running a psi x 6.894 757 E + 00 = kPa
conventional core barrel. ton x 8.896 444 E + 03 =N
I. Install a ball-actuated circulating sub above the core barrel. ·Conversion factor is exact. SPEDC
2. Run in the hole and circulate bottoms-up.
3. Drop and seat the core barrel ball. Cut the core and break off. Steve Cassidy is currently Texaco Chino's drilling engineer in
4. Drop the circulating sub ball. Set the pump-stroke counter to Shanghai. During his 9 years with Texaco, he has worked on all
zero. Pump out of hole to the previous casing shoe. ofTexaco North Sea U.K.'s HTHP drilling projects and atthe Texa-
5. Continue to circulate bottoms-up after the ball seats. co E&P Technology Dept. in Houston. Previously, he was a field
6. Route mud returns through the choke when the. pump strokes in- engineer for Seismograph Service Ltd. Cassidy holds on MS de-
dicate that bottoms-up has reached a depth of ± 4,000 ft. Operate the gree in petroleum engineering from Imperial C . in London.
choke as necessary to control the rate of annulus returns.
7. Continue to pull out of hole.
Note that the drillpipe and the openhole annulus volumes involved en-
sured that bottoms-up had been circulated up past the circulating sub be-
fore the circulating sub ball had seated. The top-drive mut installed on the
rig allowed pumping out of hole to reduce the possibility of swabbing.
Step 6 of this procedure was also used when drilling throughout most of

SPE Drilling & Completion, December 1995 241