Hole Cleaning and Cutting Transport

Cuttings Transport
The efficient transport of drilled cuttings out of
the wellbore is a key issue. Problems relating to
poor hole cleaning, include:
• Stuck pipe
• Tight hole
• High levels of torque
Cuttings Transport
Four major areas pertinent to cuttings transport
technology today are:
• Experimental results of laboratory testing
• Drilling fluid rheological models
• Mud velocity modeling
• Cuttings transport modeling
Laboratory Testing
Factors that play important roles in affecting
cuttings transport in high angle wellbores are:
• Hole angle
• Fluid velocity
• Drill pipe eccentricity
• Penetration rate
• Drilling fluid properties
• Drilled cuttings size
• Drill pipe rotation
Hole Angle
Fluid Velocity
The single most important factor (other than hole
angle) in cuttings transport is the velocity of the
fluid circulating in the wellbore.
Early studies have generally shown that
increasing mud velocities have a positive effect
on hole cleaning efficiency.
Critical flow rate is a measurement of mud
velocities that prevent a stationary bed of cuttings
from developing in the lower side of the annulus.
Critical Flowrate vs. Angle
 Drill Pipe Eccentricity
The position of the drill pipe in the wellbore plays an
important role in cuttings transport.
In a vertical or near-vertical hole, the effect of
eccentricity is not very important, but in a high angle
hole it has a major affect on fluid velocities.
It is best to assume that most of the drill pipe in high-
angle sections will be in the lower side of the hole, where
eccentricity is said to be positive.
Changes in eccentricity have major impact on annular
pressure drops, thereby affecting circulating velocities.
 Penetration Rate
Increasing the concentration of drilled cuttings in
a high angle wellbore reduces hole cleaning
efficiency.
Increase in fluid velocity will restore cuttings
transport efficiency.
Doubling of the ROP required approximately
7-8% more average flow rate to keep the annulus
clean,
 Drilling Fluid Properties
Mud properties have important effects on cuttings
transport efficiency although they are not as critical as
hole angle and fluid velocity.
The most important parameters are drilling mud
rheological properties and mud density.
Test have shown that in high angle wellbore’s, viscous
fluids do not efficiently penetrate cuttings beds and lift
them into the main flow stream.
Generally, the higher the value of n, the faster fluids will
travel in the lower section of the annulus improving hole
cleaning conditions.
 Drilling Fluid Properties
Studies have also shown that mud weight
increases can also lead to improved hole
cleaning.
Increased buoyancy of the cuttings results, as the
specific gravity's of the solids and liquid
fractions become closer.
 Drilled Cuttings Size
The size of drilled cuttings can affect hole
cleaning conditions.
Flow loop testing has shown that, contrary to
what is seen in vertical holes, the larger cuttings
are more easily removed in high angle situations
than the smaller ones.
This effect is caused by the mud velocity
pushing against a greater surface area.
 Drill Pipe Rotation
Drill pipe rotation can have a pronounced effect
upon cuttings transport by mechanically agitating
a cuttings bed.
Such agitation, usually seen as a wiping action,
will at least temporarily remove part of the
cuttings bed and push the particles into the main
flow stream.
 Rheological Models
Fluid velocity plays such an important role in cuttings
transport in high angle holes, better numerical
simulation of localized fluid velocities is needed.
Bingham Plastic and/or the Power Law rheological
models are usually used in these studies.
One model that fits both mud types is the Herschel-
Bulkley Model, also known as the Yield-Power Law
Model.
From this model, yield stress and n factors are
calculated.
 Cuttings Transport Models
Complex hole cleaning models are being
developed to calculate both fluid velocities in the
eccentric annulus and the forces acting on the
cuttings during transport.
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