IADC/SPE 98969

Torque Reduction Techniques in ERD Wells

J.H. Schamp and B.L. Estes, SPE, ExxonMobil Development Co., and S.R. Keller, SPE, ExxonMobil
Upstream Research Co.

Copyright 2006, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference

This paper was prepared for presentation at the IADC/SPE Drilling Conference held in Miami,
Florida, U.S.A., 2123 February 2006.
This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE Program Committee following
review of information contained in a proposal submitted by the author(s). Contents of the
paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling
Contractors or Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s).
The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the IADC, SPE, their
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper
for commercial purposes without the written consent of the International Association of Drilling
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abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was
presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax
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Abstract
World class ERD wells are being used in the Russian Far East
to develop an offshore reservoir from an onshore location.
These wells have reaches of 9-11 km. While drilling the initial
wells into the reservoir, high torque was experienced even
while using a nonaqueous drilling fluid (NAF). The torque
was sufficiently high that concerns arose about the feasibility
of being able to drill longer wells later in the development.
Consequently, finding techniques to reduce drilling torque
became a major focus for the drilling phase of the project.
A systematic R&D process was initiated to look for solutions
to the torque problem. The scope of the investigations
included consideration of different drilling fluid base oils,
solid/liquid lubricants, and mechanical means to reduce
torque. Small-scale screening lubricity testing was performed
in a controlled laboratory environment to identify potential
lubricant candidates. Full-size laboratory testing was then
performed on the leading products. Various mechanical means
to reduce torque were also evaluated. Finally, field trials were
performed using solid and liquid lubricants and different types
of mechanical torque-reduction tools.
Solid lubricants caused plugging problems with BHA
components and their use was discontinued. Liquid lubricants
achieved torque reductions of 5-15%, which was sufficient to
drill the longest throw wells. The mechanical tools when
added to the drill string showed the greatest reductions in
torque, but were very expensive.
Since the liquid lubricants represented a significant addition to
the cost of the wells, other means of reducing torque were
investigated. Eventually, it was discovered that the use of
4,500 m of range II drill pipe instead of range III caused a
reduction in the torque. This is believed to be related to the

larger tube body-casing contact area of the range III pipe

joints compared to the range II pipe joints. Further evidence
that the large contact area between the casing and the range III
drill pipe was causing both excessive wear and torque was
provided when drill pipe inspections revealed an alarming
increase in rejections due to excessive tube wear near the
middle of many joints.
Ongoing investigations are attempting to find mechanical
solutions to the drill pipe-casing contact problem. New orders
of drill pipe could be range II pipe, but the existing large
inventory of range III drill pipe needs to be protected from
excessive wear, while at the same time reducing the drilling
torque. Several types of drill pipe stand-off bands are under
investigation and may represent a viable solution to both
problems.

Introduction
The Sakhalin-1 project will develop about 2.4 billion bbl of oil
and approximately 17 TCF of gas. For the initial phase, 15
ERD wells are planned from the land well site (Figure 1), and
an additional 18 ERD wells will be drilled from an offshore
location1, as shown in Figure 2. These wells will be used to
develop the Chayvo field reservoirs.
The well design for the land-based wells, shown in Figure 3,
has the following features:
Very shallow KOP at app. 200 m
18-5/8-in. surface casing at 800 m
13-5/8-in. intermediate casing at 3300 m
4,500-6,300 m long tangent section at a 76-81 deg
sail angle
9-5/8-in. production casing run to the top of the
pay at 7,800-9,600 m MD
A 1,300-3,200 m long horizontal section cased
with a 6 5/8 in. or 7-in. liner
The horizontal section crosses multiple hydrocarbon intervals
before reaching total depth (TD) from 9,100 - 11,134 m. The
wells are drilled with rotary steerable systems (RSS) from the
17-1/2-in. hole down to TD. These tools contribute
significantly to the success of the wells. They enable a smooth
borehole to be drilled along the planned directional path. On
the eight wells drilled to date, all of the 13-5/8-in. and 9-5/8in. casings and the 7-in. liners have reached their target depth

using normal (mud-filled), floated (air-filled), and selectively

floated (mud over air) casing installation methods.
Chayvo Pilot Wells. While drilling the first of two pilot wells,
high torque was encountered while drilling out the 9-5/8-in.
casing shoe track. The high torque continued through the 81/2-in. hole section and approached the make-up torque of the
5-7/8-in. drill pipe (56,000 ft-lb) and the nominal working
capacity of the top drive system (~56,000 ft-lb at 110 RPM).
Concerns about being able to drill to TD arose. A solid fibrous
lubricant was added to the NAF system to reduce the
coefficient of friction (CoF). This lubricant caused issues with
both the MWD system and the cuttings injection well and
required constant additions due to screening out by the solids
control equipment. Therefore its use had to be discontinued.
Two other available asphaltene-based lubricants also showed
little success. The first well was eventually TD'd at the
planned depth of 9,276 m MD. Drilling torque had not
increased significantly while drilling the 8-1/2-in. hole section
most probably due to a polishing effect in the long 9-5/8-in.
production casing.
On the second pilot well, similar high torque was encountered
despite a lower cumulative-dogleg down to the 9-5/8-in.
casing shoe. After the top drive stalled several times, nonrotating drill pipe protectors (NRDPPs) were installed on the
DP which lowered the torque significantly. Unfortunately,
these tools could not withstand the side loads in the tangent
section, and they had to be removed after experiencing
considerable damage. This well was TD'd at 10,181 m, and it
became evident that alternative solutions to the torque
problem were needed.
Chayvo ERD Challenges. The longest land well was planned
at 11,134 m and presented a significant step-out from the two
pilot wells. Also, after proving the feasibility of drilling
Sakhalin ERD wells from onshore, a potential need to drill
even longer wells was realized. Within this scenario, the need
for a systematic research effort to identify ways to reduce
drilling torque became evident. A special task force consisting
of drilling, mud, and R&D specialists was put together to
search for solutions.
The next four wells (Chayvo Z-1, Z-2, ZG-1, ZG-2) were
planned to be drilled in batch mode. This opened a time
window of 6-8 months for the research work before the next 81/2-in. section was to be drilled. This group of wells included
the two longest oil wells and two slightly shorter gas wells.

Drilling Torque Considerations

The torque required to rotate generally arises from two
sources: the frictional resistance between the rotating drill
string and the casing or borehole and the bit/stabilizer torque.
For ERD wells, as the measured depth increases, most of the
torque comes from the frictional resistance. Frictional
resistance is affected by many factors including the drilling
fluid properties, hole cleaning, drill string surface roughness,
and side loads on the drill string.

IADC/SPE 98969

Drilling Fluid Properties. The properties of the drilling fluid,

including viscosity and chemical composition, can effect
torque. However, trying to adjust these properties to reduce
torque can be challenging because the fluid properties impact
many other aspects of drilling. For example, the mud
viscosity effects not only torque but also solids suspension,
hole cleaning, and circulating fluid pressures. The oil/water
ratio (OWR) in a NAF is known to affect drilling torque5, but
changing the OWR can affect fluid stability, cost, and other
properties.
For Chayvo, all hole sections (with the exception of the 24-in.
surface hole) are drilled with a low-toxicity mineral oil-based
NAF system The mineral base oil has a low viscosity even at
colder temperatures which is beneficial for equivalent
circulating density (ECD) control in the long, horizontal hole
sections.
Lubricants. In the past, the use of drilling fluid additives to
reduce the torque required to rotate the drill string has
typically been associated with water-base muds (WBMs).
Both chemical and solid (e.g., beads) additives have been
used. NAFs are generally thought to provide lower torque
values than WBMs primarily due to the lower coefficient of
friction of the base fluid. Typical NAF base oils have a steelon-steel coefficient of friction (CoF) 20%-40% lower than that
of water under similar temperature and pressure conditions.
However, as wells with longer throws (e.g., 11 km) are being
drilled, the need has arisen to examine lubricants for NAF
systems.
A great deal of work has been performed to identify additives
for oils to reduce friction and wear in applications such as
internal combustion engines and machinery. However, these
are relatively clean applications. In a drilling fluid, there is
typically a large concentration (e.g., 10-40 % by volume) of
solid particles from the weighting material and drilled
cuttings. Also, the surfaces of the drill string and the casing or
borehole can be very rough. Very little research has been
performed on lubricants to reduce friction in these "dirty"
applications.
While some anecdotal reports on the
effectiveness of various NAF lubricants have been reported2-5,
a systematic study on NAF lubricants does not appear to have
been documented in the literature.
Hole Cleaning. Another consideration for reducing torque in
high-angle wells is hole cleaning. The drill string is often
embedded in cuttings, and this can hinder rotation both by
increasing mechanical friction and by wedging in the gap
between the drill string and the surrounding casing or borehole
as the string rotates. It is often noted that surface torque is
reduced after performing operations to improve hole cleaning.
(Such operations might include circulating several bottoms up,
increasing the flow rate, increasing the rotation rate, and/or
pumping sweeps.) For the Chayvo wells, however, high
torques were observed inside casing prior to drilling out
indicating that hole cleaning is unlikely to be the cause of the
observed high torque values.

IADC/SPE 98969

Surface Roughness. The surface conditions of the drill string

and casing can also affect torque. Hardbanding to reduce tool
joint and casing wear has been used for years, and often a
reduction in torque due to a polishing effect is noted in ERD
wells. Openhole spiraling or tortuosity can also contribute to
high friction and torque values. However, for the Chayvo
wells, more than 75% of the hole is cased while drilling the 81/2-in. hole section where the highest torque values are seen.
Side Loads. The side loads are the distributed normal (lateral)
forces acting on the drill string. These loads, when combined
with the local CoF, effect the torque required to rotate the
string. The side loads are primarily effected by the well path
and the weight of the drill string. A number of studies4, 5 have
indicated that a catenary well path helps reduce torque.
However, the selection of the well path is influenced by a
number of factors, including hole stability considerations,
performance of directional equipment in various hole sizes,
simplicity, and the required completion interval trajectory.
For these reasons, a well path with an initial build section, a
long tangent interval, and a final build to horizontal was
chosen for the majority of the Chayvo wells drilled to date.
Pre-drill modeling studies indicated that there was not a
significant difference in torque between the chosen well path
and a catenary profile.
Doglegs or other local variations in the actual well path
compared to the desired path can also contribute to the side
loads and hence torque. To minimize these effects, as
mentioned earlier, RSS are used to drill the Chayvo wells
below the surface pipe. Because they can build angle
continuously while rotating, RSSs generally provide a
smoother well trajectory than alternative directional drilling
methods.
It is also well known that side loads can be increased by
buckling of the drill string due to compressive loads. For the
Chayvo wells, torque and drag modeling is used to ensure that
the string does not experience excessive buckling.
Research Approach. After considering the factors effecting
torque for the Sakhalin I ERD wells, the team decided to
initially focus on two approaches for torque reduction:

Lubricant Testing
There are two categories of drilling fluid additives (lubricants)
that may reduce the CoF: solids and chemicals. Solids act like
ball or roller bearings in the mud to keep the metal-to-metal or
metal-to-rock interface from occurring. The end result is a
metal-to-solid or rock-to-solid contact thus reducing the CoF.
Chemical lubricants are believed to adhere to or modify the
surface of the metal and/or borehole thus reducing the CoF.
Testing Procedures. In testing lubricants, one of the most
important factors is using consistent test procedures and
consistent drilling fluid. During the initial testing, it was
found that the results were significantly effected if the
procedures were not followed exactly (mixing time, order of
addition, letting the mud cool down before testing, etc.). This
led to the writing of detailed testing procedures (including
duplicate testing) and lab technician signoff to ensure accurate
and consistent data.
The drilling fluid was built in the same laboratory using the
same procedures to ensure a consistent lab-prepared drilling
fluid.
Testing Fluids. A 55-gallon drum of drilling fluid from a
recent Sakhalin well was shipped to Houston for lubricity
testing, as this is a more representative sample of fluid than a
lab-prepared sample. Due to the limited volume, only the
small scale testing was performed using the field drilling fluid.
Lab-prepared muds were used for the large scale testing
(described later).
Screening Process. There are several laboratory lubricity
measuring devices on the market; most of them measure
metal-to-metal interfaces. The performed testing focused on
metal-to-metal testing as more than 75% of the hole is cased
while drilling the 8--in. hole section where the highest
torque values are seen. After evaluating six lubricity devices,
three were chosen for the planned work. These were a Baroid
lubricity meter (Figure 4), a special lubricity tester built by
MI/Westport (Figure 5), and a Falex lubricity meter located at
Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) (Figure 6).

drilling fluid additives to reduce the CoF by

improving the lubricity of the mud system, and
mechanical drill string tools to reduce the
frictional resistance to rotation.

Over 40 different lubricants and base oils and seven drilling

fluid systems were tested to determine which one provided the
lowest CoF. Lubricants included vegetable oils, fatty acids,
alcohols, esters, and other chemical groups. Base oils included
mineral oils, diesel, esters, olefins, and mixtures of the last
two.

The goal was to identify one or two lubricants, or mechanical

torque reduction devices, that would give enough torque
reduction to allow drilling all wells to TD. Constraints
included avoiding plugging of any downhole tools, additional
equivalent circulating density (ECD), extensive surface
equipment modifications, excessive additive costs, costly tool
failures, or high tool mob/demob and rental charges in this
remote location.

Preliminary lubricant tests were performed on the Baroid

lubricity meter and the Falex device as results could be
obtained quickly and easily. These data were used to narrow
down the products being tested. The MI/Westport lubricity
meter was also used for the same purpose, but not as
extensively as the Baroid and Falex devices due to the volume
requirements and cost of using the device.

IADC/SPE 98969

Once the lubricant choices were narrowed down, optimization

testing was performed on the Falex and Baroid devices. This
testing involved varying the applied sideload, and varying
product concentration, to determine the optimum quantity to
achieve the maximum effectiveness.

reduce the CoF in the field. The testing showed that each of
the devices had its own range of CoFs and % improvement.
In general, the laboratory lubricant testing indicated that,
under ideal conditions, certain lubricants added to the NAF
could reduce the CoF by up to 50%.

Testing Results. Figure 7 and 8 show Falex testing results

from the screening testing (CoF for different fluid systems vs.
side load, and CoF for various liquid lubricants vs. side load).
Important observations from screening and optimization
testing are:

However, it is recognized that the results in the field may be

different due to a variety of factors including the presence of a
cuttings bed, different side loads, drilling fluid contaminants,
different surface roughness conditions, and adsorption of the
lubricants on both cuttings and other surfaces. Two of the best
performing lubricants were shipped to Sakhalin for a field
trial. The lubricants selected were also based on availability,
logistics, and price. (The field results are discussed in a later
section.)

1.

2.

3.
4.

5.
6.

No single chemical group consistently tested better;

the results are scattered, and each product needs to be
evaluated on its own.
The results are valid only for the particular
combination of base oil and lubricant. Other base oils
(drilling systems) may show different results.
A few products increased the CoF.
Higher lubricant concentrations beyond a certain
threshold did not provide further reductions of the
CoF.
The best alternative fluid system had similar CoFs to
the current fluid system plus the best lubricant.
In the Falex device, the CoF decreases with increased
loads. This is believed to be due to a polishing effect.

Based on this testing (plus logistical and other considerations), it was decided to stay with the current NAF
system. However, the best performing lubricants were taken to
the next step: full-scale testing.
Full-Scale Testing. Final testing was performed on a fullscale test device (Figure 9). Modifications to an existing
device that had been used to measure riser wear due to tool
joint rotation were made. These modifications included
enabling the interface between a fullsize 5-7/8- in. tool joint
(7-in. OD) and a piece of Chayvo 9-5/8-in. casing to be
submerged in a circulating NAF at an elevated temperature.
This device rotates a tool joint at ~150 RPM, applies a side
load up to 3,200 lb/ft to the 9-5/8-in. casing as it is pressed
against the tool joint, and measures the torque imparted to the
casing using a load cell (Figure 10).
The device is configured with mud mixers and a circulation
pump so that after a baseline torque is measured, a lubricant
can be added to the drilling fluid on-the-fly so that the effect
of the lubricant can be measured without any other changes to
the test setup. Testing was done using a NAF designed to be
similar to that being used at Chayvo including incorporation of
appropriately-sized sand particles. All testing was done at the
Chayvo downhole circulating temperature of ~150 F. The
large-scale testing was used as a final verification of the
lubricants to be used in the field. Figure 11 shows typical test
results from the modified large-scale apparatus.
Lubricant Testing Results. Recognizing the differences in the
design of the test equipment, the goal of the lubricity testing
was to obtain similar trends in the results of all the lubricity
testing devices to help ensure that a selected lubricant would

Limited testing of drill beads was also conducted on the largescale testing device. The results indicate that beads can reduce
the coefficient of friction. However, due to operational
constraints, drill beads have not been used in Chayvo field
operations.
Mechanical Tool Evaluation
Drill String Subs. Mechanical torque reduction subs have
been successfully used in other ERD projects4-8. The limited
use of mechanical torque reduction devices in the Z-4 well had
also proven the concept, but the test showed that the tool used
was not robust enough to withstand the requirements of the
Chayvo downhole conditions. A quick survey of the current
market indicated several additional designs were available for
5-7/8-in. drill pipe. These tools have an inner mandrel and
outer sleeve and are designed as an integral part of the drill
string.
The tools were evaluated for their robustness and the inherent
risk of loosing parts in the hole. Out of this pre-screening, one
tool was eventually selected for further studies. A study was
conducted with the scope to estimate the margin of safety of
the sub under static design loading conditions using finite
element analysis (FEA). Not included in the study were cyclic
(fatigue) or dynamic loading conditions and effects of wear.
During the study, FEA models were developed for the
mandrel and the sleeve, and a mechanical analysis was
performed for the locking collar and pins to estimate shear,
crush and breakthrough limits. The general conclusion was
that the structural performance of all parts exceeded the
capacity required for expected levels of tension, torque,
bending, side- and drag loads. Consequently, a
recommendation to build 200 tools for a pilot test at Chayvo
was made.
Field Testing of Lubricants and Tools
While drilling the two longest wells of the Chayvo drilling
campaign:
- Chayvo Z-1 with a TD of 10,995 m, and
- Chayvo Z-2 with a TD of 11,134 m,

IADC/SPE 98969

two of the liquid lubricants were added to the drilling fluid.

Initially, the mud was treated with 5-6 volume percent of the
lubricant. This typically resulted in a 5-15% reduction in
torque. When the effect of the lubricant diminished and torque
started to increase above acceptable levels, more lubricant was
added to maintain a constant concentration. Also, 150 of the
mechanical torque reduction subs were field-tested in one of
the two wells. In the subsequent wells, more of the best
performing lubricant was used:
- Chayvo ZG-1 with 10,537 m TD,
- Chayvo ZG-2 with 10,523 m TD,
- Chayvo Z-5 with 9,168 m TD, and
- Chayvo Z-3 with 10,675 m TD.
Field Results Figure 12 summarizes the drilling torque vs. the
measured depth for all 8-1/2-in. hole sections drilled to date.
The following observations related to the applied torque
reduction tools can be made:
1. Mechanical torque-reduction tools showed the largest
torque reductions.
2. The integral subs showed a smaller torque reduction
than the clamp-on tools. Because of this (and the high
associated cost), their use was discontinued.
3. The two lubricants gave torque reductions in the 5-15%
range.
4. A larger lubricant concentration (beyond the threshold
of approximately 6 %) did not yield a measurable
torque decrease.
5. Torque fluctuations became smaller with use of the
lubricants
6. On some wells, the rate of torque increase with depth
was reduced.
7. Lubricants had to be added continually to keep torque
at an acceptable level.
Observations related to other operational and equipment
related changes include:
1. Sudden drops in torque appeared after reaming or bit
trips where the hole was thoroughly circulated and
cleaned.
2. Torque also was influenced by bit design (using a less
aggressive cutting structure or gage protection).
3. The two gas wells ZG-1 and ZG-2 (with different
trajectories) showed a considerably lower torque level
than the oil wells.
It is believed that the different directional profile of the gas
wells (which do not have the second build section to
horizontal) had a large impact on the observed lower torque.
While the design build rate (BUR) for the second build used in
the Chayvo oil wells is only 0.5 deg/100ft, it contributes to the
cumulative dogleg which influences the torque. Both gas wells
have the lowest cumulative dogleg, as shown in Figure 13.

Other Mechanical Torque Considerations

Drill pipe Hardbanding Wear. From the onset of drilling
Chayvo ERD wells, excessive hardbanding wear was noticed
on the DP tool joints. This led to the need to install a
hardbanding unit at this remote location. The rig's pipe barn
and maintenance tent facilities provide for enough working
space for the unit and eliminate costly shipping back and forth
of the pipe. About 50% of the DP has to be re-hardbanded
after drilling long sections. As the CoF of hardbanding is
lower than that of steel (0.15 vs. 0.21), a considerable effect of
worn hardbanding on the overall torque was observed.
Range III DP. An additional source of torque may be caused
by the use of range III drill pipe. Range III drill pipe has a
length of 13.5-14.8 m (41-45 ft), while the more common
range II drill pipe has a length of 9.2-10.2 m (28-31 ft). The
additional length of each range III joint creates a large contact
area in the middle of each joint caused by gravity-based sag in
a highly inclined borehole. Calculations indicated a ~7-m
contact length on a 15-m joint. Additional evidence that this
drill pipe-casing/borehole contact might be contributing to
torque was provided when regularly scheduled drill pipe
inspections detected increased rejection rates due to excessive
tube body wear after approximately 4-5 million revolutions.
As a trial, 4,500 m of range II drill pipe were used as part of
the drill string in several Chayvo wells. The torque using the
range II drill pipe appeared to be less than when a string was
made up using only range III drill pipe.
While new drill pipe orders could go back to the more
conventional range II length, it is desirable to find ways to use
the existing stock of range III drill pipe. For this purpose, a
drill pipe mid-joint stand-off band is being evaluated. This
treatment is applied in a thermal heat-spray process. During
the application process, an alloy-based material (similar to that
used in hardbanding) is liquefied in a twin-wire electric arc
and then sprayed on the carrier material. While the technology
is proven and has been used extensively in military
applications, it represents a first for the drilling industry and
had to be pilot tested.
Laboratory tests on the large-scale testing apparatus showed
an early significant reduction of the CoF which can be
explained by the polishing of the initial material surface. Once
the material is polished, the CoF stays at a constant and very
low level (Figure 14). Ten joints of range III drill pipe were
prepared with the midjoint standoff band and shipped to
Sakhalin and field tested in casing and open hole drilling.
Figure 15 shows the 0.6-m (2-ft) long -in. thick upset.
During the field test, 10 joints were run in the 12-1/4-in. and
8-1/2-in. open hole sections. After ~7,000 m were drilled, an
average OD loss of only 0.02 in. was noted; the tools were in
good condition. This wear loss was much less than the wear
loss experienced on the hardbanded tool joints.

IADC/SPE 98969

Conclusions

At the time of this writing, eight Chayvo ERD wells have been
successfully drilled into the reservoir. After the initial pilot
wells, six 8-1/2-in. hole sections were drilled using liquid
lubricants or integral torque-reduction subs. All products used
were the result of a focused research effort to reduce the CoF
in a NAF. The following findings and conclusions can be
drawn from the laboratory results and the field testing:

The two wells with mechanical torque reduction

tools (clamp-on tools and integral subs) showed
the largest reduction in torque.
Wear and tear on the integrated drill string subs
stayed at an acceptable level, but clamp-on tools
could not withstand the downhole conditions.
In general, the laboratory lubricant testing
indicated that, under ideal conditions, certain
lubricants added to the NAF could reduce the
CoF by up to 50%. But unfortunately this was not
found in the field trials.
Liquid lubricants added at concentrations from 2
% to 6% showed field torque reductions of 515%, but the lubricants needed to be added
continuously to maintain the torque reduction
benefit.
Higher lubricant concentrations (e.g., >6% by
volume) did not yield additional torque
reductions.
The two gas wells that had a different directional
profile and a shorter 8-1/2-in. hole section
showed significantly lower torque.
Cumulative dogleg in each well has an important
effect on the overall torque range.
Other factors like bit torque and BHA design
(stabilizer set-up, motors) influence the level of
drilling torque.
The additional length of range III drill pipe joints
compared to range II drill pipe joints appears to
contribute to both torque and tube body wear in
the Chayvo ERD wells.

Most likely, these wells also will require additional CoF

reduction measures to reach the distant reservoir targets.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank ExxonMobil for permission to
publish these results. Furthermore the support of the following
companies was greatly appreciated during the research work:
Westport Technology Center (mixing of test muds),
Halliburton-Baroid Fluids (base oil, lubricants and EP tester
measurements), Southwest Research Laboratories (Falex tester
measurements), and Mohr Engineering (full-scale testing).
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1996

8.

"Extending the Limits" Hart's E&P, December 1999, pp 66-68.

Next Steps
The remaining wells to be drilled from the Chayvo land pad
are similar in measured depth and horizontal displacement to
the wells already drilled. The authors believe that the existing
lubricants and available tools will enable all of the currently
planned wells to be drilled to TD. Better protection of the drill
pipe will be necessary to reduce both costly hardbanding
requirements and drill pipe replacement. This will hopefully
come with the added benefit of a CoF reduction.
Future ERD wells with up to 11-15 km reach are currently
under consideration. To accomplish this world-record reach,
the following drilling technologies may need to be applied:

Higher-torque top drive,

Drill pipe with high-torque connections,

Advanced RSSs to minimize cumulative dogleg,

and
Optimized BHAs that support steerability and
drillability.

SI Metric Conversion Factors

ft
in.
lbf
Psi

x 3.048*
x 2.54*
x 4.448 222
x 6.894 757

E-01=m
E+00=cm
E+00=N
E+00=kPa

IADC/SPE 98969

Figure 4: Baroid EP Lubricity Tester

Figure 1: Aerial View of Chayvo Wellsite

OPF
Chayvo Top View
Chayvo
Bay

Co
ast
lin
e

Onshore
Yastreb
Drillpad
Offshore

Yastreb Rig ORLAN

Orlan Platform

Location

Figure 5: MI/Westport Lubricity Tester

Figure 2: Chayvo ERD Well Design

-2000

30 @ 90m

18 5/8 @ 800m

2000

TVD (m)

1000

13 5/8 @ 3300m

9 5/8 @ 7800-9,600mm

3000

7 @ 9375-10,900m

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

Figure 3: Location of Chayvo Field with Onshore

and Offshore Drillsites

9000

Figure 6: Falex Lubricity Tester

IADC/SPE 98969

Bellows
Seal

0.160

0.140

Field Mud

Ester

Diesel

low viscosity Ester

Ester

Ester / Internal Olefin

Internal Olefin

Field Mud + Best Lubricant

Reciprocate

Casing

Coefficient of Friction

0.120

0.100

Tool
Joint

0.080

158 RPM

0.060

0.040
200

400

600

150F
NAF

Measure
Torque

Casing

800

Impart
Side Load

Direct Load [lbs]

Figure 7: Lubricious Mud Systems Testing Results

(Falex Tester)
0.140
Field Mud
Asphalt
Asphalt Suspension
Alcohol amide
Fatty acid
Sulfurized Olefin
Poly Alpha Olefin
Micro Emulsion 3
Fatty acid / glycerol
Alkaline / surfactant

0.130
0.120

Lubricity Test

3500

0.100

175

150

3000

Machine Settings:
- Escaid 110 (20 gal)
- 9-5/8" Mill Casing
- 7" Bare Tool Joint
- Axial Reciprocation
- 158 RPM
- 0-12% Lubricant K
- 2% Sand

2500

Side Load (lb/ft)

0.080
0.070
0.060
0.050

2000

1500

0.040
0

200

400

600

800

1000

0% Lubricant
Baseline

1000

1200

125
Temperature (F)
Side Load (lb/ft)
Torque (ft-lb)

100

75

3% Lubricant
-18% Torque

6% Lubricant
-51% Torque

9% Lubricant
-51% Torque

12% Lubricant
-51% Torque

50

Temp (F) or Torque (ft-lb)

0.090

Direct Load [lbs]

500

Figure 8: Liquid Lubricants Testing Results

(Falex Tester)

25

0
0

60

120

180

0
300

240

Elapsed Time (minutes)

Fig. 11: Full-scale Lubricity Testing Example

60,000
n

TDS Torque Limit @ 110 rpm

: Section Drilling Sequence

Z-2
Added into NAF :
6% lubricant K

55,000
8

Z-3
Added into NAF :
16% Lubricant H

TDS Torque Limit @ 120 rpm

50,000
1

Z-6

Torque (ft-lbs)

Coefficient of Friction

0.110

Fig. 10: Schematic of Full-scale Lubricity Testing Device

Glycerol
Gilsonite
Miscellaneous
Glycerol
Micro Emulsion 2
Sulfurized fatty acid
Micro Emulsion 1
Organic Polymer
Ester
Vegetable Oil / surfactant

Added into NAF :

solid fibruous lubricants
(coarse & medium),
asphalten lubricants.

45,000
3

40,000

Tool Joint

Added into NAF :

2% lubricant H

Casing

35,000

30,000
7,500

Figure 9: Full-scale Testing Device

8,000

8,500

ZG-2

Added into NAF :

5% lubricant H
Installed :
151 torque reduction subs

Added into NAF :

6% lubricant H

Z-4
7

Z-5

Z-1

Added into NAF :

alphaltenic lubricants
Installed :
Non-Rotating Drill Pipe
Protectors on 3000m of drill
pipe; drilled 7998-9303m MD.

9,000

ZG-1

66

Added into NAF

6% lubricsant H

9,500

10,000

10,500

Depth (m MD)

Figure 12: 8-1/2 in. Hole Section Drilling Torque

vs. Depth for all Chayvo Wells

11,000

11,500

IADC/SPE 98969

Cumulative Dogleg
0

40
ZD-1
Z-4

1,000

Z-6
Z-1

35

Z-2
2,000

30

ZG-1
ZG-2

ZD-1

Torque (ft-lb)

Z-5
Z-7

3,000

Z-23
Z-3
4,000

25

20

15
Bare TJ, No Sand
Mid-Joint Upset, No Sand

5,000
Depth [m, MD]

10

6,000

0
7,000

10

20

30

40

50

Minutes
8,000

Figure 14 : Torque Reduction Through Mid-Joint Upset

9,000
Z-5
Z-6
10,000
Z-3

Z-4
ZG-2
11,000

ZG-1
Z-1

Z-2

12,000
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Cumulative Dogleg [deg]

Figure 13: Cumulative Dogleg of Chayvo Wells

Figure 15: Mid-Joint Upset (with heat spray application)

60