CONTENTS

1. Introduction to Oil & Gas Industry 4. Offshore Drilling Rigs & Production
2. Myanmar Oil & Gas Industry Platforms
2.1 Historical Main Oil Field 4.1 Offshore Jack-up Drilling Rig
2.2 Historical Development of Drilling & 4.2 Offshore Production Platform
Production 5. Services in Oil & Gas Industry
Hand-Dug Wells
6. Current Oil & Gas Activities in
Rotary Drilling System Myanmar
2.3 Myanmar Oil & Gas Industry after 1963 6.1 Onshore Activities
3. How Drilling Works 6.2 Offshore Activities
3.1 How Oil is formed 7. Out Look for Myanmar Oil & Gas
3.2 Finding Oil Industry
3.3 Preparing to Drill
3.4 Components of a Drilling Rig
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.6 Extracting the Oil
3.7 Transporting of Oil & Gas
3. How Drilling Works
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.1 Drilling Fluid - Mud (1/4)

Drilling fluid ( mud ) – a mixture of water, clay, weighting

material, and a few chemicals. Some time oil may be used instead
of water or a little oil is added.

There are only three basics types of drilling fluid.

• Water/ clay muds

• Oil/ Water clay muds
• Compressed gases

Water/clay muds – is the major type of mud system. It is the three

component system – water, reactive and inert solids.
Water – This may be fresh or salt water.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.1 Drilling Fluid - Mud (2/4)

Water/clay muds –

 Reactive solids – is clays, also referred to as “gel”. Common clay types

are 1. Bentonite ( for fresh water muds), 2. Attapulgite ( for fresh
water muds), 3.Natural formation clay.
To reduce viscosity “Dispersants” are used such as tannins,
quebracho,phosphates etc.
To control the amount of water loss “Filtration Control Agents” are
added such as starch, sodium carboxy-methyl cellulosc (CMC),
polymers etc.
Detergents, Emulsifiers and Lubricants are used to assist cooling and
lubrication. Also used for a spotting fluid in order to free stuck pipe.
Deformers, Sodium Compounds and Calcium Compounds are used to
prevent mud foaming at the surface of equipment, to decrease the
yield of the clays, and to prevent from hydrating or swelling.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.1 Drilling Fluid - Mud (3/4)

Water/clay muds –
 Inert Solids (Weigh Material) – are finely ground, high density
materials. Common weight materials are barite, hematite and
galena.
 Inert Solids [ Lost Circulation Material (L.C.M) ] – is added to
the mud system in order to bridge-over or plug the point of
lost. Common sizes & types are ;
 Fibrous : wood fiber, leather fiber
 Granular : walnut shells (nut plugs)
 Reinforcing plugs : bentonoite with diesel oil, time setting clay,
attapulgite and granilar (squeeze)
 Anti-friction Materials – is added to reduce torque & decrease
the possibility of differential sticking. Polyurethance spheres
are the most frequently used.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.1 Drilling Fluid - Mud (4/4)

Oil/Water/Clay Muds –
Two basics types are used :

Emulsion (oil/water) System : in which diesel or crude oil is

dispersed in a continuous phase of water.

Invert Emulsion (oil/water) System : in which water is dispersed

in a continuous phase of diesel or crude oil.

Compressed Gases
Compressed air of natural gas is occasionally used. Its use is
applicable only in areas where there is little formation water.
3.5 Drilling Operation

3.5.2 Mud Circulation Equipment (1/5)

Mud Pumps
Stand Pipe
Rotary Hose ( Kelly Hose )
Swivel
Drill String
Mud Return Line
Shale Shaker
Degasser
Desander
Desilter
Mud Pits
Agitators
Hopper
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.2 Mud Circulation System (2/5)
The mud pump take in mud from the mud pits and pump the
mud up to stand pipe and into a flexible, very strong,
reinforced rubber hose called rotary hose or kelly hose.

Rotary hose is connected to the swivel. The mud enters the

swivel, goes down the drill string and exits at the bit.

It then does a sharp U-turn and head back up the hole in the
annulus – which is the space between the outside of the drill
string and wall of the hole.

Finally the mud leaves the hole through the mud return line
and fall over a vibrating screenlike called shale shaker.
Shaker screens out the cuttings and dumps into the reserve
pit.

The mud drains back into the mud pits and is recycled back
down the hole by mud pump. The mud circulating system is
a closed system.
3.5 Drilling Operation

3.5.2 Mud Circulation System (3/5)

3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.2 Mud Circulation System (4/5)
There are some auxiliary equipment to maintain the drilling mud.

Agitators – installed on the mud pits and help to maintain a uniform mixture of liquids and
solids in the mud.
Hopper – a big funnel-shaped equipment. It is used when adding solid materials like clay, barite
etc.
Degasser – Sometimes, small amount of gas in a formation will enter the mud and degasser
releases the gas. If the gas is not released, then the mud could become so light as to allow the
pressure in the formation to enter the hole. It may occur a blowout.
Desilter & Desander – remove very fine particles that can not be removed by shale shaker. Often
it is not desirable to recirculate as they can erode the drill string and other components and can
make the mud heavier than desired.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.2 Mud Circulation System (5/5)

Drilling mud serves several important functions;

Control subsurface pressure and prevent caving mud – mud density

Remove cuttings from the borehole - viscosity

Suspend cuttings when circulation stops – gel strength

Cool and lubricate the bit and drill string – additive content

Wall the borehole with impermeable filter cake – water loss

Release the cuttings at the surface – viscosity/ gel strength

Help support the weight of drill string and casing

3.5 Drilling Operation

3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (1/11)

Norman drilling operations are ;

Keeping a sharp bit on the bottom, drilling as efficiently as possible

Adding a new joint of pipe as the hole deepen.

Tripping the drill string out of the hole to put a new bit and running it back to bottom, or
making a round trip.

Running and cementing casing. Large diameter steel pipe (casing) is put into the hole at various,
predetermined level.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (2/11)

Drilling the surface hole ;

Make up drill collar, drill pipe and bit and lower in until the bit is almost to the bottom.
Pick up the kelly out of the rathole and make up on the topmost joint of drill pipe. Now the
joint of pipe is suspended in the rotary table by slips.
Start the pump to begin circulating drilling mud, and lower the kelly bushing to engage the
master bushing in the rotary table.
Actuate the rotary table for start of rotation.
Then release the drawwork brakes gradually. The rotating bit touches the bottom and begins
making hole. The driller monitors the amount of weight put on the bit by using weight indicator.
Once the drill bit has penetrated down close to 30 feet it is time to connect to a new piece of
pipe (making a connection at the tool joint).
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (3/11)

Connecting a new piece of pipe ;

• Stop the rotary, raise the kelly a little, and stop the mud pump.
• Pull the bushing and the attached string up and set the slip around the joint of pipe.
• Disconnect the kelley from the pipe using the tongs.
• Next, the Kelley is swung over to connect to a new pipe in the mouse hole.
• Pull up the new pipe and make a connection to drill pipe hanging in the rotary.
• Then lift up the kelly, remove the slip.
• Next, drop the kelley down and reengage the bushing in the rotary table.
• Start the pump, set back the bit to bottom and drill another 30 ft or so feet.
• Finally, make a new piece of pipe ready in the mouse hole in preparation for the next
tool joint connection.
• Thirty feet at a time this sequence is repeated over and over again.
 3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (4/11)

Preparation
for the next
tool joint
connection
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (5/11)

Tripping out & Tripping in

At some predetermined depth, drilling
stops and the drill string & bit is tripped
out of hole – To run casing or to
check/renew the bit.
• To trip out, the slips are set, and the kelly is
broken out & set back in the rat hole.
• Swivel is also removed from the hook of the
traveling block. So, stored in the rat hole
are kelly, kelly bushing, swivel and attached
rotary hose.
• So elevator remains attached to the hook of
the traveling block. The elevators are
latched around the pipe just below the tool
joint box end.
 3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (6/11)

Tripping out & Tripping in

• When making a trip, drill pipe is handled in stands of
three joints each.
• Tripping in is just the reverse procedure of tripping
out.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (7/11)
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (8/11)

Running Casing

– The first string of casing run is called surface casing.

– Running casing is very similar to running drill pipe. But
it requires special elevators, tongs and slips as the
casing diameter is much larger.
– Other devices, centralizer & scratcher are often
installed before lowering into the hole.
– Centralizer keeps the casing centered in the hole.
– Scratcher removes the wall cake formed by the
drilling fluid and thus the cement will able to bond
better to the hole.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (9/11)

Running Casing

– The first string of casing run is called surface casing.

– Running casing is very similar to running drill pipe. But
it requires special elevators, tongs and slips as the
casing diameter is much larger.
– Other devices, centralizer & scratcher are often
installed before lowering into the hole.
– Centralizer keeps the casing centered in the hole.
– Scratcher removes the wall cake formed by the drilling
fluid and thus the cement will able to bond better to
the hole.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (10/11)
Cementing

– After casing string is run, the next task is cementing the

casing in place.
– The dry cement was mixed with water by using jet-mixing
hopper to make slurry ( very thin, watery cement )
– Cementing pump pick up the cement slurry and send it up
to a valve, called cementing head.
– Before the cement slurry arrives, a rubber plug ( bottom
plug) is released from the cementing head.
– The bottom plug stops or seats in the float collar.
– The cement slurry passes the bottom plug and then flows
out through the opening in the guide shoe and then starts
up annular space.
3.5 Drilling Operation
3.5.3 The Oil Drilling Process (11/11)

Cementing

– Pumping continues and the cement slurry fills the annular space.
– A top plug is released as the last of the cement slurry enters the casing.
– Then displacement fluid ( usually salt water or drilling mud ) is pumped in behind the top plug.
– Most of the cement slurry flows out of the casing and by the time the top plug seats on or bumps the bottom
plug is the time to stop pumping.
– Most of the cement slurry flows out of the casing and by the time the top plug seats on or bumps the bottom
plug is the time to stop pumping.
– After the cement is run, it needs a waiting time to allow the cement slurry harden. This period is called WOC
( waiting on cement ).
– After the cement hardens, test may be run to ensure a good cement job.
– Cement supports the casing.
– Cement seals off formation and prevents fluids or gas to pollute to another formation.
– Cement protects the casing from the corrosive effects.