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Casing Drilling-

Recent Advances for Drilling Challenges

Allen Sinor
Hughes Christensen - A Baker Hughes Company
The Woodlands, Texas
SPE Gulf Coast Section
January 10, 2001
Casing Drilling History
Casing Drilling Isn’t New…..
• Mid 20’s- Retractable Bits in Poland/France (Gelfgat)
• Mid 70’s- Retractable Bits in Siberia (Gelfgat)
• Early 80’s- California Heavy Oil Sands
• Mid 80’s- West Texas Infill Drilling (Weaver)
• Late 80’s - High Speed Coring/Drilling (Millheim )
• 90’s
• Unsaturated / In-Situ (Long- DOE Yucca Mtn.)
• Depleted Reservoir Sections (Sinor, Vogt)
• Unstable Formations / Ocean Drilling (O.D.P.)
• Well Cost Reduction (Tessari , Warren)
Drilling Challenges

Why Casing Drilling?


• Getting Casing / Liner to Total Depth
• Running Casing / Liner into Depleted
Pay with Weak Matrix Strength
• Minimizing Flat Time
• Extending the Length of Open Wellbores
• Mitigating Shallow Gas / Water Hazards
• Rubble Zones Above / Below Salt Domes
Getting Casing / Liner to Total Depth

Bestline Liner Systems

Liner Drilling in Heavy Oil Application


Evolutionary Process……
• Bridges While TIH With Liner
• Drilling Liner to Remove Obstacles
• Drilling Liner Underbalanced
• Drilling Liner and Gravel Packing

Successes
• 2000 Liner Drilling Completions Since 1981
• 260+ in 1998, 100+ in 2000
• Three Sizes
•8-1/2” bit (or 7”x15” UR) with 7” liner for 9-5/8” casing
•7-7/8” bit (or 7”x15” UR) with 6-5/8” liner for 8-5/8” casing
•Same for 5-1/2” liner for 8-5/8” casing
•6-1/8” bit (or 6”x13” UR) with 5-1/2” liner for 7” casing
• Texaco, Chevron, Aera Energy LLC + independents
• INCREASED PRODUCTION
DIRECTION OF CIRCULATION

ROTATING HEAD
DIVERTER LINE
ONE STEP Completion System BOP

• Drill and Underream Liner DRILL PIPE

• Gravel Pack Liner


• Release Liner
• All Steps Completed in One Trip DRILL IN NIPPLE

Procedure
• Run Liner to Casing Shoe LINER

• Establish Foam Rate and Pressure CASING

• Establish Shoulder for Underreaming CASING SHOE


• Begin Foam Drilling UNDERREAMER

• Take Returns Through Diverter Line


BIT

PILOT HOLE
DIRECTION OF CIRCULATION

ROTATING HEAD
DIVERTER LINE
• At TD, Circulate Foam Until Clean BOP CASING
VALVE
• Switch Returns to Casing Valve DRILL PIPE

• Close Hydril
• Drop Ball Down Drillpipe, Opening
Gravel Pack Valve Inside Liner CASING

• Foam Down Drillpipe, Out Through


Liner Slots and Casing Valve
CASING SHOE

SLOTTED LINER

GRAVEL PACK VALVE

UNDEREAMER

BIT
DIRECTION OF CIRCULATION

ROTATING HEAD
DIVERTER LINE
BOP
Begin Gravel Packing
CASING
• Reverse Foam Down Casing, Liner DRILL PIPE
VALVE

Slots and Gravel Pack Valve


• Begin Adding Gravel to Foam
CASING
• Continue at Slow Rate Until Liner Has
Packed Off
• Bleed Off Pressure, Drop Release Ball
• Circulate to Remove Sand from Liner CASING SHOE

Top
• Pull Tools and Tailpipe Out of the Hole
SLOTTED LINER
GRAVEL PACK VALVE

UNDERREAMER

BIT
Running Casing / Liner into Depleted Pay
with Weak Matrix Strength

Baker Hughes Inc.


Liner Drilling Successes
North Sea- Valhall
• 10 Wells Drilled Rotating the Liner
• 7 Wells Drilled with a Drill-in Liner
• Liner Sizes of 5”, 7”, 7-5/8” and 9-5/8”
• Liner Lengths up to 4,472’ / Inclination up to 67°
• Successful Drilling into Severely Depleted Pay (∆ 7 ppge
• Significant Well Cost Savings (~$2MM/well)

Offshore Indonesia- Arun Field


• 9 Wells Drilled with a Drill-in Liner
• Liner Sizes of 7” and 9-5/8”
• Liner Lengths up to 6,872’ / Inclination up to 67°
North Sea- Valhall Field (BP Amoco)
Depleted Oil Reservoir

• Lista Top Formation 14.7 ppg, Tor Payzone 7,0 ppg


• Top of Reservoir ca. 2400 - 2500 m
• Sea Level ca. 200 m

9 5/8” Liner
• Used for New Drills

7” and 7 5/8” Liner


• Used for Reentry (Sidetrack) Wells Valhall Field
• Sidetrack off Whipstock
• Directionally Drill Section
Mobil Indonesia / North Sumatra- Arun Field

Depleted Gas Reservoir


• Top of Reservoir ca. 2900 - 3200 m
• Shale 14,7 ppg, Limestone 2.5 ppg

7” Tools: Reentry Application


• Section Milling
• Whipstock
• Perforate & Squeeze or no Cementing
Depleted Pay With Weak Matrix Strength

North Sea Valhall Challenges:


High porosity / low matrix permeability
Result: weak matrix reservoir
Production Challenges
• Solids production
• Reservoir compaction
• Subsidence
Drilling Challenges
• Reservoir compaction (9 ft)
• Reservoir depletion (up to 8 ppge)
• Lista shale (overburden) fracturing
Rotary Method
• Drillable PDC Bit Shoe
• Float Collar
• Landing Collar
• Packer- optional
• Liner
• Liner Hanger / PBR Packer
• Rotating Liner Hanger Running Tool
• HWDP
• Drillpipe to surface
Drill-in Method
• PDC or Rollercone Pilot
• Underreamer- optional
• Core Shoe
• Mud Motor
• Drill Collars
• Thruster / Bumper Sub
• Liner Hanger Running Tool
• Drillpipe to surface
Drill Pipe Liner Hanger Thruster Motor Rotating Core Shoe / Pilot Bit
to Surface Packer
Running Tool

Drill Pipe (inner string) Landing Sub Standard Lower BHA


Liner Drilling Procedure
Step 1: Step 2: Step 3:
Drill above Drill Liner into zone Isolate Casing
problem zone Rotary or Motor Method Cement / Packers
Drill-in Liner Procedure

DL_Movie.exe
Liner Example: Well 2/8-A-2A
Depth ROP WOB RPM Flow P
(m) (m/hr) (klbs) (gpm) (psi)
3,157 9.0 5.5 75 210 1280
3,158 11.9 6.5 90 150 840
3,159 8.7 7.5 90 150 830
3,160 13.5 7.5 90 150 840
3,161 14.3 7.5 90 145 870
3,162 7.7 10.5 90 145 900
3,163 6.3 6.5 90 145 923
3,164 7.0 8.5 90 145 900
3,165 7.1 12.0 90 140 1050
3,166 4.9 11.5 90 145 850
3,167 2.8 7.5 90 140 680
3,171 2.0 4.0 80 180 260
Well 2/8-A-2A

Results:
• Drilled 15.6m in 3.2 hours, 4.9 m/hr
• Drilled 7.6m of depleted TOR
• Total losses of 14.6 ppg mud was 1,350 bbls
• Annulus kept full with 69 bbls of 6.8 ppg base oil
• Mill drilled landing/float collar, shoe in 65 min.
• Reduced rig time from 33.8 days to 15.6 days
• Estimated savings of $1.82MM ($100k/day)
Liner Shoe Improvements

Well 2/8-A -2A Well 2/8-A -8A(T2) Well 2/8-A -3B


Saw Cuts for
Carbide Cutters Improved Milling

• Carbide Cutters • Anti-whirl features • Anti-whirl features


• Two blades • Two blades • Four blades
• Bicenter design • Shorter PDC cutters (cone)
• PDC cutters • Lower cone angle
• Larger nozzles • Thicker base plate

Time
Liner Drilled Wells
$2.2MM
Savings
Well 3
60 12.1 days
Unscheduled Events, %

$1.8MM Well 2
50 Savings 15.6 days

Sidetrack & Redrill


Well 1
40 Baseline
33.8 days

30
Well Control

20
Baseline
Well 1

Well 2

Well 3
10

0
A-1A A-2A A-8A A-3B F6
Well
Rotary Liner Drilled Wells
Well Year Hole Liner Liner Length Drill Comments
Name Angle Size Length Drilled Time
(deg) (in) (ft) (ft) (hrs)
A-1A 1993 0 5.00 568 899 29.0 F.H. 6” PDC bit
Hod A-7B * 1995 40 11.75 5335 89 2.5 Bit, UR, PDM, Spear
A-2A 1995 7 7.00 3346 49 6.5 Rotary / PDC shoe
A-8A 1996 5 7.00 1640 7 2.5 Rotary / PDC shoe
A-8A(T2) 1996 5 7.00 1640 28 1.5 Rotary / PDC shoe
A-3B 1996 2 7.00 3960 31 2.5 Rotary / PDC shoe
F6 1996 60 9.63 4472 3 1.0 Rotary / PDC Shoe
A-9A ** 1997 12 7.63 2789 64 12.0 Rotary / PDC Shoe
A-5B 1997 60 7.63 433 66 2.5 Rotary / PDC Shoe
A-22A 1999 64 9.63 801 Motor then Rotary bu
A3D 2000 67 9.63 24 Rotary / PDC

* Bit and underreamer, inner string motor and casing spear


** Drilled in three attempts due to casing failure at window
Changed from 3.6° exit angle to 2.1° on whipstock
Drill-in Liner Wells
# Date Customer Field Liner Liner Measured Depth Drilling Incl. DLS Remark final
Location Well length OD / ID weight in out Distance Time Result
1 Jun.1995 Mobil Arun 493 m 7" 35 ppf 3240 m 3264 m 24 m 9 hrs 56° 7°/30 m No hanger used Successful
Indonesia C-I-16 1616 ft 5.879" 10626 ft 10707 ft 80 ft 7°/100 ft Releasing tool problems
2 Sep.1995 Mobil Arun 912 m 7" 35 ppf 3212 m 3236 m 25 m 16 hrs 53° 8°/30 m Problems start drilling Successful
Indonesia C-II-8B 2992 ft 5.879" 10534 ft 10615 ft 81 ft 8° / 100 ft Releasing tool problems
3 Dec.1995 Mobil Arun 1024 m 7" 35 ppf 3402 m 3462 m 60 m 33 hrs 51° 8°/30 m Releasing tool problems Successful
Indonesia C-I-12 3360 ft 5.879" 11157 ft 11355 ft 198 ft 8°/100 ft
4 Oct.1997 Mobil Arun 915 m 7" 35 ppf 3049 m 3062 m 12.8 m 9 hrs 38° 2°/30 m Meptec & BOT involved Successful
Indonesia C-II-6 3000 ft 5.879" 10000 ft 10042 ft 42 ft 2°/100 ft No problems
5 Nov.1997 Amoco Valhall 2080 m 9 5/8" 53.4 ppf 3551 m 3570 m 19 m 1.5 hrs 67° 2°/30 m Only sliding Mode Successful
Norway 2/8-F17 6822 ft 8.5" 11646 ft 11709 ft 62 ft 2°/100 ft No problems
6 Dec.1997 Mobil Arun 808 m 7" 35 ppf 3264 m 3265 m 0.76 m 1.5 hrs 43° 2°/30 m No problems Successful
Indonesia C-IV-9 2650 ft 5.879" 10705 ft 10707.5 ft 2.5 ft 2°/100 ft
7 Jan.1998 Amoco Valhall 1445 m 9 5/8" 53.4 ppf 2652 m 2669 m 17 m 3 hrs 63° n/a Only sliding mode Successful
Norway 2/8-F11 4674 ft 8.5" 8698 ft 8756 ft 56 ft n/a No problems
8 Jan.1998 Mobil Arun 806 m 7" 35 ppf 3021 m 3027 m 5.8 m 15.5 hrs 36° 3.3°/30 m Differential - Successful
Indonesia C-II-3B 2642 ft 5.879" 9908 ft 9927 ft 19 ft 3.3°/100 ft Sticking problems
9 Feb.1998 Amoco Valhall 1600 m 7 5/8" 39 ppf 4295 m 4302 m 7m 3 hrs. 60° 1.5°/30 m Only sliding Mode, stalling Successful
Norway 2/8-A-19A 5277 ft 6.5" 14087 ft 14110 ft 23 ft 1.5°/100 ft problems, Nodeco Hanger
10 Mar.1998 Mobil Arun 837 m 7" 35 ppf 3192 3202 m 10.4 m n/a 39° n/a got stuck on the first trial, Succesful
Indonesia C-1-8 2747 ft 5.879" 10469 ft 10503 ft 34 ft n/a fishing required, roller reamer
11 May.1998 Amoco Valhall 1352 m 9 5/8" 53,4 ppf 2563 m 2575 12 m 2 hrs. 3° 2.5°/100 ft slow drilling Succesful
Norway 2/8-F14 4434 ft 8,5" 8406 ft 8445 ft 39 ft 2.5°/30 m DL set 10 m into reservoir
12 July.1998 Amoco Valhall # 7 5/8" 39 ppf # # # # # # Tool failed at the rig site due abandoned
Norway 2/8 A-6A # 5.879 # # # # # # to wrong handling pocedure DL Job
13 Oct. 98 Mobil Arun 655 m 7" 35 ppf 3529 m 3556 m 27,4 m 37,8 hrs 63° 2,9°/100 ft no problems, first MOI DL Successful
Indonesia C-II-21 2148 ft 5.879" 11574 ft 11664 ft 90 ft 2.9°/30 m Whipstock Sidetrack
14 Nov-98 Mobil Arun 758 m 7" 35 ppf 3296 m 3325 m 29 m 6 hrs. 38° n/a not stuck, finiched drilling Succesful
Indonesia C-IV-4 ST 2487 ft 5,879" 10810 ft 10905 ft 95 ft when set 61 ft into reservoir
Minimizing Flat Time
Improving Drilling Efficiency with Casing Drilling

Tesco Corporation
Casing Drilling Successes
• Two Horizontal Test Wells
• 18 Commercial Wells Drilled
• 16 Land
• Two Offshore
• Directional up to Horizontal (7” casing)
• Casing Sizes Drilled
• 4-1/2”
• 7”
• 9-5/8”
Casing Used for Drillstring
Uniform, Reduced Volume Annulus
Retrievable Bottom Hole Assembly
- Drill lock assembly
- Directional tools, if needed
- Under reamer or drilling shoe
- Pilot Bit
Operation:
- Casing rotated
- No drill string tripping
- Almost continuous circulation
- Casing on bottom at all times
Casing Clamp
Extend
Clamp
(9-5/8” - 3-1/2”)
Wyoming
Four Wells
• 800 ft Surface Holes
• Drilled 12-1/4” Hole
• Cemented 9-5/8” Casing
Hours from spud to plug down

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Best 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Offset
Rollercone PDC
Wyoming- Wamsutter Field
Five Surface Holes Drilled to 1200’ (7” Casing)
30 Total time
25 Drilling time
Time, Hours

20
15
10
5
0
ell

ell

ell
ell

ell
ets

tW

W
W

W
ffs

ird

fth
nd

th
eO

rs

ur
Fi

co

Th

Fi
ag

Fo
Se
er
Av
Offshore Gulf of Mexico
Two 12-1/4” Holes Drilled with 9-5/8” Casing
Depths of 3200 & 3800 ft
Elapsed Time (Spud to TD), Hrs

100 94.0 hrs

80 75.5 hrs 75.5 hrs

59.5 hrs

Second Casing Drilled


60 First Casing Drilled
Conventional

40

20

0
A - 14 A - 12 A - 13 Target
Deepest Casing Drilled Well
January 2001
• Surface Hole
– 8-1/2” hole drilled with 7” casing to 1200 ft
– Tesco Underreamer and Hughes PDC pilot bit
– Retrieve BHA & cemented (no plug)
– 8 hr drilling time - 12.5 hr total time
• Production hole
– 6-1/4” hole drilled with 4-1/2” casing to 9,436 ft
– BHA retrieved in good shape after 236 drilling hrs
– Pay zone drilled underbalanced
– Retrieved BHA with wireline & pumped cement float
– Successful cement job including float holding pressure
Additional Activities…..
BETA
• Drilled 500’ w/10-3/4” casing & 12-1/4” Rollercone
• Rotary Speeds Up to 300 rpm

Gulf of Mexico
• Extending the Reach
– ~30 Disposable Motor Runs Past Two Years
– 5-7/8” & 6-1/4” Bits / 7-5/8” Casing / 4-3/4” Motors
• ~8 Large Diameter Casing Strings Drilled
– 10” & 18-5/8” Casing
– Water Depths of 300’ - 800’
BETA Well Comparison
12-1/4” Hole
Standard Packed BHA w/ 8” Drillcollars 10-3/4” Casing BHA
Bit Bounce -- CoPilot Run 3, Trigger 5 350 70.00

Downhole
300 60.00
Torque
Downhole Surface Indicated 250 50.00

Torque (ft-lb; ROP (fph); RPM


Weight Weight

Weight on Bit (klb)


200 40.00

150 30.00

100 20.00

DH-Torque
50 DH- RPM Avg 10.00
ROP
DH- WOB
0 0.00
300.00 400.00 500.00 600.00 700.00 800.00 900.00 1000.00
Depth (ft)
Summary
Continuing Advances in Liner / Casing Drilling
• Proven Successes
– Getting Casing / Liner to Total Depth
– Running Casing / Liner into Depleted Pay with Weak Matrix
Strength
– Minimizing Flat Time
– Improving Drilling
• Opportunities
– Flat Time Reduction with Large Diameter Surface Holes
– Extending the Reach or Hole Section Limits
– Shallow Water Flows

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