Introduction to

Underbalanced
Drilling
Technology
(M2)

Wellsite UBD
Equipment

Nitrogen
Geology

UB operators

Separator
Rotating Head

Mud Treatment

Camp

UB DRILLING - JOBS

1998 Spears & Assoc.

UBD - Types
Normally Pressured Reservoirs
Applications for normal to above normal
pressured reservoirs utilizing fluid systems in
a controlled flow (mudcap) drilling technique.
Depleted Reservoirs
Where a multi-phase circulating fluid is
necessary to achieve required Bottom Hole
Circulating Pressure (BHCP) - underbalanced
or with minimal overbalance.

Barriers to UB Drilling

REGULATORY BARRIERS
to
UnderBalance Drilling

The
regulators
need
assurance
and details

BARRIERS TO UB D&C
Regulatory
Lack

of Standards
Lack of knowledge
Little statistical history
Concern about well control
Environmental questions

OPERATORS BARRIERS

The Operator
needs
experience
and
confidence.

OPERATORS PROBLEMS
Unfamiliar
risk

Lack

with the system

of the new

of experienced people
Economics - Too expensive
Concern- liability
Concern- well bore stability

REASONS FOR UB
GROWTH

There are
driving
economic
reasons

REASONS FOR UB
GROWTH
Depleted

reservoirs
Awareness of skin damage
Limits of lost circulation
matl.
Cost of differential sticking

REASONS FOR UB
GROWTH
Service

co. competition
Trade journal publications
Horizontal drilling
Consultants available

TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS

We were not
ready to put
all of this
together until
the 1990s

TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS
Compressor

Evolution
Hammer drills
Nitrogen
Increased

availability
Reduced cost
On site generation

TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS
Recyclable

foam systems
Better gas separators
Closed loop circulation
Hydraulics models
Improved rotating heads
Wire line wet connect

TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS
Improved

MWD
Rig assist snubbing units
Coiled tubing equipment
Non-damaging drilling
fluids
Top drive

WORKING ON
Well

Control Concepts
Deployment valves
Casing Drilling
Expandable casing
Expandable sand screens
Retractable bit

COMPLETION TECHNIQUES
Improved

gravel packing

fluids
Improved completion fluids
General technique
improvement

Reasons for UB drilling

Lost
circulation

Reasons for UB drilling

Lost
circulation
Faster Drilling

Reasons for UB drilling

Lost
circulation
Faster Drilling
No
Differential
Sticking

Reasons for UB drilling

...
Reduce
Reservoir
Damage

Reasons for UB drilling

...
Reduce
Reservoir
Damage
Improve Prod.
Evaluation

Effect of Skin on Production

Rates

BOPD
1,000
800
600
400
200
0

-3 -2 -1 0

SKIN

10

15

Physical Limitation to
UBD

Borehole Instability
Unconsolidated Sands
Weak Formations
Geopressured Shales
Salt Beds
Inadequate Casing
UBD is another tool in the toolbox,
not a Panacea.

Production Limits to UBD

Permeability
is so low the
zone needs to
be fraced.
Zones must
be isolated

Types of Flow Regimes

LIQUID

AERATED
LIQUID

FOAM

MIST

GAS

Fluid Phase Continuity

AIR/GAS

WATER

FOAM
(0-97% AIR)

MIST
(97-100% AIR)

Generalized
Fluid Systems

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

Equipment - Rotating
Head

Shaffer Rotating Blow-Out Preventor

2,500 psi rotating - 5,000 psi static

Closed Loop Circulation

System
FLARESTACK
SEPARATOR
SAMPLE
CATCHERS
OIL
TANKS

TOP
DRIVE
SYSTEM

NITROGEN
PUMPERS

CHOKE
MANIFOLD

R-BOP
WATER
TANKS
RETURN
CUTTING

RIG
MUD
TANKS

RIG
PUMPS

N2 / FLUID
MIX

Choke Manifold

Equipment - Lots More

To shale shaker
ESD

Manifold
Sample
catchers
Willis choke
Flare
Separator
200 psi vessel

Rig Manifold
Choke

Oil storage/transport

HCR

Water returned to tanks

Choke

Flare pit

AIR DRILLING
A brief summary

Air Drilling
Air/Gas drilling (dust) is a technique used in
areas where the formations are Dry i.e.,
there is no influx of water or liquid
hydrocarbons.

This medium requires significant compressed

gas volumes to clean the well with average
velocities of over 3,000 ft per minute.

Air Drilling Dusting

Air Drilling Benefits

Increased Rate of Penetration
Reduced Formation Damage
Improves Bit Performance
Lost Circulation Control
Continuous Drill Stem Test

Air/Dust Drilling Layout

Air Drilling Waited upon

Large Portable
Compression

Simple and convenient to drill with air inexpensively and anywhere.

Misting
Addition

of 6 to 30 bbl/hr of
fluid to the air stream.
Clean and lubricates the bit
Carries the cuttings to the
surface as a mist or more
normally in a modified two
phase flow.

FOAM DRILLING
Basic Comments

TT96-86

42

Foam Drilling
The most versatile of the gas-generated
systems.

Effective operating range from 0.2 to 0.6 s.g.

Mixture of gas phase and foaming solution.
Foam flow varies with depth in the hole.
Adjustable effective BHP.
Enhanced lifting and well bore cleaning.
A displacing medium, not a propelling
medium.

Foam (Heading)

Improved Hole Cleaning

Foam Drilling Benefits

Faster Penetration rate

Low Air requirements
Low fluid requirements
Low Hydrostatic head
No damage to formation
Continuous Drill Stem test
Best for large holes

Mist or Foam Drilling

Layout

GASEATED
OR
AERATED
DRILLING

Mist
Water
Gas

Transition

Gaseated

Aerated Fluid
Gasification of Primary Drilling Fluid.
Initially designed as a technique to lighten
mud to reduce lost circulation.
Methods
Standpipe injection
Jet Sub
Parasite String
Dual Casing String
As an UB fluid, it is easiest to control in small
holes.

Parasite String

Small injection string run simultaneo

with intermediate casing.
Injected gas does not affect
bit hydraulics.
Injected gas does not effect
MWD

Jet Sub
Similar to Parasite String
Gas induced thru drill pipe
Selective jet sizing dictates
amount of air to be injected

Jets are Similar to Bit Jets

Parallel Casing String

(Teichrob)
N2 /air
N2 /water
N2 /air/water/oil
150 m TVD, 150 m MD
89-mm (3-1/2 in.) Drill Pipe
244.5-mm (9-5/8 in.) Intermidiate Casing
o

177.8-mm (7 in.) Tie Back Liner

724o m MD at
64 inclination
12 m Slotted
Joint

892 mo MD
at 90 Inclination
694 m TVD

159-mm (6-1/4 in.)

Hole Diameter

Foam Cement
o

TD = 1,440 m MD at 90 o
Inclination, 696 m TVD

Aerated Fluid Layout

Aerated Drilling Problems

Compressor/
N2
Cost

Rotating BOPs
Solid/Liquid/Gas
Separation

Corrosion
Hydraulic Calculations
Vibration

High Torque/
Drag
Borehole Stability

Cuttings Lifting
Fluid Influx
Fire/
Underbalanced
Explosions Completion
MWD Transmission

END
OF
INTRODUCTION