Lesson 3 Benefits of UBD

PETE 689 Underbalanced Drilling,
UBD 3
Lesson
Benefits of
Underbalanced
Drilling
Read: UDM - Chapter
3
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
Benefits of
Underbalanced Drilling
Increased penetration rate.

Increased bit life.
Minimize lost circulation.
Improved formation
evaluation.
Reduced formation damage.
Benefits of
Underbalanced Drilling
Reduced probability of differential
sticking.
Earlier production.
Environmental benefits.
Improved safety.
Increased well productivity.
Less need for stimulation
treatments.
Increased Penetration
In permeable Rate
rocks, a positive
differential pressure will decrease

penetration because.
Increases the effective confining stress
which.
Increases the rocks shear strength.

Therefore increasing shear stress (by
drilling UB) increases penetration rate.
And increases the chip hold down

effect.
Chip Hold Down Effect

Bit tooth.
Crack in
the
formation.
As drilling fluid
enters the
fracture, the
pressure
differential
across the rock
fragment
decreases,
releasing the
chip.
Effect of Pressure
Differential
Micro-bit
rocks
penetration
rate is a
function of the
differential
pressure not
the absolute
pressure.
test
12
Indiana Limestone
Confining Pressure= 6000
psi
10
Drilling Rate (ft/hr)
In permeable
Bit weight= 1000 lbm

8
50 rpm
4
2
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Overbalanced Differential Pressure
(psl)
20
120
Drilling
Days
40
60
80
100
Drilled With
1000
Mud
Drilled With
2000
Gas
Depth (feet)
3000
4000
Mu
d
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
Ga
s
Gas
Drilling
Vs.
Mud
Drilling
10000
Penetration Rate As A Function

Of The Differential Pressure
Across The Workfront
100
For permeable
rocks
90
80
ROP (ft/hr)
15000 lbm
30000 lbm
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
900
100
1000
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Pressure Drop Through Filter Cake (psi)

Penetration Rate in
Impermeable Rocks
Bit tooth
Crack in
the
formation.
In impermeable rock,
the instantaneous
initial pressure in the
crack itself is close to
zero, i.e. the
penetration rate is
now a function of
absolute wellbore
pressure.
Borehole pressure = 440

psi
150
X Pore Pressure 87
psi
Rate of Penetration (ft/hr)
125
O Pore Pressure 508

psi
100
75
50
25
0
0
5000
10000
45000 50000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
Downhole Weight on Bit (lbf)
40000
Borehole pressure = 1.450

psi
150
X Pore Pressure 580

psi
125
100
O Pore Pressure 870

psi
+ Pore Pressure 116
psi
75
50
25
0
0
45000
5000 10000
50000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Borehole pressure = 4.800

psi
150
X Pore Pressure 2320 psi
125
+ Pore Pressure 4930 psi
100
75
50
25
0
0
45000
5000
50000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000

40000
Normalized Drilling Strength

DSn=
DSn
WOB x RPM
ROP
WOB x RPM
ROP
Pb
Po
Normalized Drilling Strength Index.
WOB =
Weight on Bit (lbf).
RPM
Rotary speed (rpm).
ROP
Rate of penetration (ft/hr).
Pressure (psia).
Subscript b Indicates borehole conditions.

Subscript o Indicates atmospheric conditions.
Influence Of BHP On Normalized

Drilling Strength In Hard Shales
Normalized Rock Drilling Strength,
DSn
10
9
8
7
DTM/Jurassic-2 Shale
SDM/Welsh Shale
Results from Cheatham
et al.
SDM/Jurassic-2 Shale
6
5
4
A value of 5 means that the

penetration rate at an specific
BHP will be 1/5 of the
penetration rate at
atmospheric pressure.
3
2
1
0
0
4500
500
5000
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Bottomhole Pressure
(psi)
4000
Normalized Shale Strength

Example
A well drilled with an unweighted

(8.5 ppg) mud at a depth of 6000.
BHP ~ 2900 psi.
Reducing the effective MW to 7 ppg
reduces BHP to 2400 psi.
Decreases the drilling strength, i.e.,
increase the penetration rate by
less than 15%.

Example
To double the penetration rate the

BHP would have to be dropped to
~ 1500 psi.
A BHP of 100 psi might be
expected if drilling with air and
would increase the penetration
rate approximately 5 times.
Note: This assumes equal WOB and RPM.


Example
10
DTM/Jurassic-2 Shale
SDM/Welsh Shale
Results from Cheatham
et al.
SDM/Jurassic-2 Shale
Normalized Rock Drilling Strength,

DSn
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
4500
500
5000
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Bottomhole Pressure
(psi)
3500
4000
Field Example
Switching From Air To
Mud
3000
Well
4000
Well
2
DRY AIR
Well
Depth (feet)
5000
SWITCH TO MUD
6000
7000
8000
9000
5
10
15
20
30
Days
25
Increased Bit Life???

Increased vibration with air drilling
may actually decrease bearing life.

Bit may drill fewer rotating hours
but drill more footage.
The number of bits required to drill
an interval will be inversely
proportional to the footage drilled
by each bit.
Effect Of UBD On Cutting

Structure Of Roller Cone
Bits
Mechanical Specific Energy,
MSE, is defined as the

mechanical work that must be
done to excavate a unit
volume of rock.
The Work Done By The Bit

Is:
W= 2
+
WOB x ROP
60 x RPM
Where
W
work done by the bit (ft/ lbf/
torque (ft- lbf)

weight on bit (lbf)
rate of penetration (ft/hr)
revolutions per minute
revolution)
WOB =
ROP =
RPM =
The Volume Of Rock

Excavated Per Revolution
Is:
2
V
=
V
3
d b x ROP
240 x RPM
volume of rock excavated per revolution (ft
bit diameter (feet)
db
The Mechanical Specific

Energy Is Give By:
MSE= 480 x RPM+
d b2 x ROP
MSE
4WOB
d b2
mechanical specific energy (psi)

What Does This Mean?

MSE= 480 x RPM+
d b2 x ROP
4WOB
d b 2
1. Bit torque is not a function of
borehole pressures.
2. Penetration rates generally increase
with decreasing borehole pressures.
3. MSE are therefore, usually lower at
lower borehole pressures.
What Does This Mean?

4. Therefore, cutting structure wear
rates (in terms of distance drilled)

should be inversely related to the
MSE.
5. If the bit has to do less work to
remove a given volume of rock, its
cutting elements should wear less.
6. A bit should be able to drill more
footage, when drilling
underbalanced.
Reduced Differential
Sticking
Fs = Ac * P s *144 sq.in./sq.ft.
Fs =
Ac =
P =
Force required to free pipe (lbf)

Contact area (sq. ft)
Pressure differential across

the mud cake (psid)
s =
Coefficient of friction between

the string and the mud cake.
Example
Contact area is 30 feet long and 0.25
ft wide.
Pressure differential is 300 psid.
The coefficient of friction is 0.3
The force to free the pipe (in excess of
string weight) is:
30 x 0.25 x 300 x 0.3 x 144 = 97,200
lbf.
Note: Equation 3.5 in text is incorrect.
Minimized Lost
Circulation
If the pressure in the
wellbore is less than the

formation pressure in the
entire open hole section, lost
circulation will not occur.
Improved Formation
Evaluation
Production rates while drilling
UB can be measured with no
filtrate invasion occurring.
No filtrate invasion can mean
more accurate LWD
measurements.
Reduces
Formation Damage
Formation Damage
Mechanisms During
Drilling
(Overbalanced)
Scales, sludges or emulsions
due to interaction between
filtrates and pore fluids.
Interaction between aqueous
mud filtrate and clay particles
in the formation.
Solids invasion.
Formation Damage
Mechanisms During
Drilling
(Overbalanced)
Phase trapping
or blocking.
Adsorption of drilling fluid additives,
leading to permeability reductions or

changes in wettability.
Migration of fines in the formation.
Generation of pore-blocking organic
byproducts from bacteria entering
the formation from the drilling fluid.
Formation Damage
Mechanisms During
Drilling (Overbalanced)
Temporary overbalance.
Spontaneous imbibition.
Gravity-induced invasion.
Wellbore glazing.
Post-drilling damage.
Mechanical degradation.
Temporary Overbalance
Can be intentional to:
Kill well for trips.
Transmit MWD surveys.
Log the well.
Completion and WO
operations.
Can be unintentional:
Slug flow or liquid holdup causing
fluctuations in downhole pressure.
High fluid pressures across the
face of diamond and TSP bits.
Near wellbore production reduces
the formation pressure near the
face of the wellbore.
Can be unintentional:
Varying pore pressure along
the wellbore.
Drill string running too fast
after a bit is changed.
Equipment malfunctions or
procedural errors.
Spontaneous Imbibition
Due to capillary effects - even
if drilling underbalanced.
The underbalance pressure
necessary to prevent water
from being drawn from an
aqueous drilling fluid into the
formation will depend on the
initial formation water
saturation and the pore sizes.
Spontaneous Imbibition
800
Zone of
Potential
Spontaneous
Imbibition
700
600
Capillary Pressure (psi)
Countercurrent Imbibition is
Possible for Initial Wetting
Phase Saurations Between
20 and 47% for the
Underbalance Pressure
Shown in this Example (200
psi).
500
400
300
Example Underbalance
Pressure
200
100
S i =
20%
0
0
20
100
S c = 47%
S irr=
40%
(Equilibrium
40
Wetting Phase,
Saturation (%)
60
80
Gravity-induced Invasion
Can occur during UBD in
the
formation produces from
natural fractures or vugs.
Wellbore Glazing
UBD can result in high wellbore
temperatures due to the
friction between the rotating
drillstring and the borehole
wall.
This can cause a thin low
permeability glazed zone.
Post-drilling Damage
Due to:
Killing the well for
completion.
Cementing.
Mobilization of fines during
production.
Liquid coning in gas reservoir.
Mechanical Degradation
Rock around the wellbore
experiences a concentration of insitu stresses due to drilling the well.

As the wellbore pressure is lowered,
the effective stresses increase.
Resulting in a decrease in porosity
and available flow channels leading
to reduced permeability.
Earlier Production
With the necessary equipment
on location during UBD

operations, produced fluids can
go to sales.
Open-hole completions are
sometimes performed.
If the well is drilled and
completed underbalanced, wells
from depleated reservoirs will
not need swabbing.
Environmental Benefits
Closed loop systems
produce less wasted
drilling fluids.
Less Need for

Stimulation
If the formation is not
damaged during
drilling and completion,
stimulation to remove
the damage will not be
needed.

Lesson 3 Benefits of UBD

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Lesson 3 Benefits of UBD

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

PETE 689 Underbalanced Drilling,

Increased penetration rate.

differential pressure will decrease

Increases the rocks shear strength.

And increases the chip hold down

Chip Hold Down Effect

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Drilling Rate (ft/hr)

Bit weight= 1000 lbm

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Penetration Rate As A Function

Pressure Drop Through Filter Cake (psi)

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Borehole pressure = 440

O Pore Pressure 508

Downhole Weight on Bit (lbf)

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Borehole pressure = 1.450

X Pore Pressure 580

O Pore Pressure 870

Downhole Weight on Bit (lbf)

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Borehole pressure = 4.800

X Pore Pressure 2320 psi

Rate of Penetration (ft/hr)

+ Pore Pressure 4930 psi

Downhole Weight on Bit (lbf)

Normalized Drilling Strength

Normalized Drilling Strength Index.

Weight on Bit (lbf).

Rotary speed (rpm).

Rate of penetration (ft/hr).

Subscript b Indicates borehole conditions.

Influence Of BHP On Normalized

A value of 5 means that the

Normalized Shale Strength

A well drilled with an unweighted

Normalized Shale Strength

To double the penetration rate the

Note: This assumes equal WOB and RPM.

Normalized Shale Strength

Normalized Rock Drilling Strength,

Increased Bit Life???

may actually decrease bearing life.

Effect Of UBD On Cutting

MSE, is defined as the

The Work Done By The Bit

work done by the bit (ft/ lbf/

torque (ft- lbf)

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

The Volume Of Rock

volume of rock excavated per revolution (ft

bit diameter (feet)

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

The Mechanical Specific

mechanical specific energy (psi)

What Does This Mean?

1. Bit torque is not a function of

What Does This Mean?

rates (in terms of distance drilled)

Force required to free pipe (lbf)

Pressure differential across

Coefficient of friction between