Stuck Pipe

Objectives
• Identifying situations that can lead to stuck pipe.

• State prevention measures.

• Correctly react when pipe gets stuck.

• Use chart to recognise sticking mechanisms.

 Definition
• What is Stuck Pipe?

• When pipe cannot be moved without exceeding

limits of the drill string.
 Costs

• What does stuck pipe cost the industry?

• +/- 2hours of shift change

• Most on crew change day

• 65% related to planning

 Causes

What can cause stuck pipe?

 Stuck Pipe Mechanisms

Can we categorise them?

• Solids Induced Pack Off (Hole Pack Off & Bridge)

• Differential

• Mechanical & Wellbore Geometry

 Stuck Pipe Mechanisms

•Solids Induced Pack Off •Differential •Wellbore Geometry

•Unconsolidated •Key seating

•Undergauge Hole
•Mobile
•Ledges & Doglegs
•Fractured & Faulted
•Differential Sticking
•Collapsed Casing
•Mechanically Stressed
•Green Cement

•Reactive Shales •Junk

•Cement Blocks
•Hole Cleaning
 Stuck Pipe Mechanisms

• Solids Induced Pack Off (Hole Pack Off & Bridge)

• Differential

• Mechanical & Wellbore Geometry

Solids Induced Pack Off

Unconsolidated Formation

Mobile Formation

Fractured & Faulted Formation

Mechanically Stressed forrmation

Reactive Shales

Hole Cleaning
 Unconsolidated
­ What is an unconsolidated formation?

­ How can this get us stuck?

­ How can we recognise it?

­ How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Build low permeability filter cake

- Flow Rate not more than required for hole cleaning

­ Avoid rotating bits or stabilisers near the problem zone

­ Trip carefully to avoid disturbing filter cake

­ Clean out hole fill prior to drilling, use sweeps

- Control ROP

­ Soak viscous pills into formation

­ Solids Control Equipment working

 Mobile

­ What is a mobile formation?

­ How can this get us stuck?

­ How can we recognise it?

­ How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent

­ Maintain sufficient mud weight

­ Use eccentric PDC bits

­ Consider Roller Reamer and ream and wipe

frequently

­ Keep pipe moving in Open Hole

­ Spot freshwater pills

­ Regular Wiper Trips

­ Time
 Fractured & Faulted
­ What is a fractured or faulted
formation?

­ How can this get us stuck?

­ How can we recognise it?

­ How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Check the hole condition
constantly:
­ Cuttings shape changes
­ Erratic torque
­ Pump pressure.
­ Wash and ream regularly
­ Restrict tripping speed when
BHA is near area
­ Limit circulating and surge
pressures
­ Minimise drill string vibration
 Mechanically Stressed Formations

­ What is a mechanically stressed

formation?

­ How can this get us stuck?

­ How can we recognise it?

­ How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Keep hole clean to stop build up.
­ Monitor pore pressure:
­ increase in gas
­ changes in ROP
­ cavings
­ Increase mud weight as soon as
possible
­ Avoid mud weight reduction
­ Shaker Hand to detect “cavings”
­ Minimise open hole exposure time
­ Minimise Swab/surge pressures
 Reactive Formations
­ What is a reactive formation?

- How can this get us stuck?

­ How can we recognise it?

­ How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Keep an inhibitive mud in
specification, consider using OBM
­ Drill hole section and case off quickly
­ Monitor the Methylene Blue Test
(MBT)
­ Minimise the BHA length
­ Wipe the hole regularly
­ Utilise dump and dilute procedures as
required when using WBM.
 Hole Cleaning
­ What is hole cleaning?

­ How can this get us stuck?

­ How can we recognise it?

­ How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Clean the hole as fast as drilled, increase mud
velocity, larger drillpipe.
­ Ensure mud is within specification
­ Adequate time to circulate hole clean
­ Reciprocate and rotate the pipe continuously
­ Plan and perform wiper trips as hole conditions
dictate, backream
­ Monitor the shakers
­ Keep all circulating and solids control equipment
in good working order
 Hole Cleaning Exercise
• Class will be divided into 3 groups

• Prepare presentation on:

• Group 1- Vertical Hole Cleaning & Reaming

• Group 2- Deviated Hole Cleaning

• Group 3- How to use Hole Cleaning Charts

• Time 1/2 hour

Vertical Hole Cleaning Exercise
­ Select and maintain the required mud properties

­ Circulate cuttings above BHA before connections

­ Circulate the well thoroughly prior to tripping

­ Try not to use high weight pills

­ Reciprocation is good

­ Know max. overpull; stop and circulate if problem

­ Only back ream if essential

­ Circulate at recommended GPM for hole size

Deviated Hole Cleaning Exercise

­ Increase flow rate with hole angle

­ 30o inclination requires 20% higher velocity
­ 50o to 60o requires twice the AV of a vertical well
­ Use lower viscosity mud to induce turbulence
­ Consider cleaning cutting beds < 350 with:
­ high viscosity sweeps
­ Consider cleaning cuttings beds > 350 with:
­ low viscosity sweeps followed by high viscosity (or
weighted) sweeps
­ Rotation and reciprocation are critical > 450
 Hole Cleaning Pills

• Hi Vis – large holes; Low Vis- small holes

• Bigger hole- larger pill

• Hi Vis pill- 20-50bbls- best in Vertical well

• Lo Vis pill- turbulent flow; disturb but not carry

• Weighted pill- +2-3ppg

• Tandem- Lo Vis then Hi Vis

 Stuck Pipe Mechanisms

• Solids Induced Pack Off (Hole Pack Off & Bridge)

• Differential

• Mechanical & Wellbore Geometry

 Differential Sticking
­ What is Differential Sticking ?

Porous Thick
and
Filter
Permeable
rock Cake
 Differential Sticking

- How can this get us stuck?

­ How can we recognise it? Porous

and
Thick
Filter
Permeable
rock Cake

­ How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Select BHA’s with minimum wall
contact
­ Minimise mud weight and filter
loss
Porous Thick
­ Know depths of permeable zones and
Permeable
Filter
Cake
rock

­ Keep pipe moving and circulate

whenever possible
­ Continuously monitor pore
pressure
­ Good solids control
 Stuck Pipe Mechanisms

• Solids Induced Pack Off (Hole Pack Off & Bridge)

• Differential

• Mechanical & Wellbore Geometry

Mechanical & Wellbore Geometry

• Key seating
• Undergauge Hole
• Ledges & Doglegs
• Collapsed Casing
• Green Cement
• Junk
• Cement Blocks
 Key Seats
• How is a Key Seat formed?

• How can we recognise it?

• How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
• Consider String Reamers
• Consider Key Seat Wiper
• Minimise practices that cause
doglegs
• Identify problem zones
• Ream problem zones
• Avoid stiff BHA’s
• Pull and rotate slowly through
problem zones
 Undergauge Hole
• What is undergauge hole?

• How can we recognise it?

• How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Always gauge bits etc
­ Trip cautiously
­ Ream suspected under-gauge
sections
­ Run gauge protected bits and
stabilizers
­ Consider using a roller reamer
­ Jar upwards to free if stuck
 Doglegs & Ledges
• How are they formed?

• How can we recognise it?

• How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
­ Minimise direction changes in wellbore
­ Minimise BHA changes and configuration
­ Use a limber BHA (see right)
­ Consider reaming trips (ream with caution)
­ Slow trip speed before BHA enters suspected
zone
­ Avoid prolonged circulation across soft
formations
­ Frequent surveys
 Collapsed Casing
• How can we get stuck?

• How can we recognise it?

• How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
• Avoid Casing Wear

• Ensure good cement job

• Consider corrosion inhibitors

• Good handling practices on

surface

• ‘Rabbit” casing
 Cement
• How can we get stuck?

• How can we recognise it?

• How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
• Green Cement
 Never assume it has set
 Know calculated TOC
 Do not rely on hook load changes
 Wash down last few stands
 Control drill soft cement
• Cement Blocks
 Allow setting time
 Limit Rat-Hole length
 Trip slowly through Shoe
 Do not over-displace cement
 Junk
• How can we get stuck?

• How can we recognise it?

• How can we prevent it?

 Actions To Prevent
• Good Housekeeping

• Hole Covers

• Wiper Rubbers

• Regularly check ‘dies’

• Inspect downhole equipment

 Review
• What are the main Stuck pipe mechanisms?

• Types of Solids Induced Pack Off problems?

• What is differential sticking?

• Types of Wellbore Geometry problems?

 Reviews

•Solids Induced Pack Off •Differential •Wellbore Geometry

•Unconsolidated •Key seating

•Undergauge Hole
•Mobile
•Ledges & Doglegs
•Fractured & Faulted
•Differential Sticking
•Collapsed Casing
•Mechanically Stressed
•Green Cement

•Reactive Shales •Junk

•Cement Blocks
•Hole Cleaning
 1 Actions Exercise
st

• Group 1- List 1st Actions for the Driller to take

with Solids induced Pack Off

• Group 2- List 1st Actions for the Driller to take

with Differential Sticking

• Group 3- List 1st Actions for the Driller to take

with Mechanical & Wellbore Geometry
 1st Actions for Solids

• Reduce SPM or stop pumps

• Bleed back any trapped pressure
• Leave 500psi under pack off
• Start cycling string up to max. make-up torque
• If bleed off then maintain 500psi and repeat
• If no bleed off, work pipe up/down, apply torque
• If circulation OK then Jar
1st Actions for Differential Sticking

• Circulate
• Wind in 50% make up torque then slump down
• Next Pick Up to just above string weight, torque
up and slump
• Repeat with increasing pick up weight and
torque
• If not free then consider
 Releasing pill
 Reduce hydrostatic
1st Actions for Wellbore Geometry

• Maintain circulation

• If rotation OK- consider back reaming

• Stuck moving up?- Apply torque and jar down

• Stuck moving down?- Jar up

Recognising Stuck Pipe Mechanisms
Moving down, down impossible, rotation restricted,
circulation free

3 0 6
 Try These Examples
1. Pulling out, sudden overpull, cannot go up or rotate
but able to go back down and rotate, circulation OK
2. Running in, further motion down impossible,
rotation restricted, circulation restricted
3. Making connection, cannot move up or down, no
rotation, circulation OK
4. Backreaming, down free, rotation restricted,
circulation restricted.
What about 1st Actions ?
End