PhD meeting

Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD)

in Floating Drilling Operations

Olve Sunde Rasmussen

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

07-02-2008
 Mud Margin
in Deep Water Reservoirs

¾ Narrow pore-
pore- and fracture gradient
margin
¾ Consequences:
q
z Narrow mud weight window

z More casing points

z Well control problems

z Escalating total well cost

 MPD Methods
¾ Methods to keep well pressure constant through
th operation
the ti
z Connections
z Tripping operations
z Varying flowrate
z Varying cuttings/gas content in mud
Single Gradient

Dual Gradient
Choke
Choke + mud supply
CCS
SAC
Through Tubing Rotary Drilling (TTRD)

¾ Sidetrack through
g
existing completion
¾ Small annular clearance
¾ High ECD
¾ Large Surge & Swab
pressures
¾ MPD methods more
attractive
Single Gradient MPD Systems
 Dual Gradient MPD Systems
y

¾ Moving interface between

mud and seawater
¾ Slower and less dramatic
pressure response
Back Pressure Control MPD Systems
Back Pressure Control MPD Systems

¾ Supplying mud through

separate conduit gives flexibility
¾ Injection
j p
points may
y be:
z Booster line
z Upstream of the choke manifold
z Kill / Choke line
Continuous Circulation MPD Methods

¾ Continuously circulate mud in the well

z Circulation not interrupted by connection
 Continuous Circulation
System (CCS) MPD
¾ Circulate drillstring during
connections
¾ Compensate
p byy adjusting
j g
pump speed
¾ Pumpp rate may y be limited
¾ Slower than normal
connections

Ref: Maris International

 Secondary Annulus
Ci l ti (SAC) MPD
Circulation
¾ Circulate down secondary annulus
during connection
¾ Larger
g ppump p rates may y be available
¾ Tripping out with drillstring circulation
allows for faster tripping
pp g speed
p
 Surge & Swab
Annular Friction Pressures

¾ Tripping into / out of well

z Fluid displaced by drillstring
z Fluid friction p
pressure dropp
z Surge / Swab pressures arise
¾ May exceed pore-
pore- & fracture
pressures
¾ Tripping speed can be controlled
 Drillpipe Connection

¾ Normally suspended from

compensated crown
¾ Drillstring
g suspended
p from
rotary table (non
(non--compensated)
z Follows rig ΔL))
g heave motion ((Δ
z Alternating Surge and Swab
effects
 Drillpipe Connection
Surge/swab
Amplitude Period Max Velocity
pressures
¾ Heave motion ±(m) (sec) ±(m/s)
±(bar)
(b )

z Amplitude 0.5 11 0.29 10.18

1.0 14 0.45 14.00
z Period
1.5 11 0.86 24.32
¾ Pipe speed not 3.0 13 1.45 55.63

operator
controllable
 Conclusions

¾ MPD methods mayy p

prove to be beneficial in a
number of cases
z Deep water
z TTRD
z Depleted reservoirs
¾ Heave motions can cause surge and swab
pressures during pipe connections