8.

Introduction to
Underbalanced
Drilling Technology

8.1-1
 Wellsite UBD
Equipment

Nitrogen
UB operators Geology

Separator

Rotating Head
Camp

Mud Treatment

8.1-2
UB DRILLING - JOBS

8.1-3& Assoc.
©1998 Spears
 Underbalanced
Underbalanced Drilling
Drilling in
in the
the United
United
States
States
16,000
LOW
14,000
HIGH
TOTAL UNBDERBALANCED WELLS

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0
95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05
YEAR

8.1-4
Underbalanced Drilling
Wells by Region

8.1-5& Assoc.
©1998 Spears
 UBD Definition

Formation Pressure is
equal to or greater than
Circulating Pressure
 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

8.1-8
REGULATORY BARRIERS
to
UnderBalance Drilling
 The
regulators
need
assurance
and details

8.1-9
 BARRIERS TO UB D&C

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

8.1-10
 OPERATORS BARRIERS

 The Operator
needs
experience
and
confidence.

8.1-11
 OPERATORS PROBLEMS

 Unfamiliar with the system

 risk of the new
 Lack of experienced people
 Economics - Too expensive
 Concern- liability
 Concern- well bore stability
8.1-12
REASONS FOR UB
GROWTH

 There are
driving
economic
reasons

8.1-13
 UBD Forecast by Region
US
UBD Forecast by Region Can
Eur
1,200
SoAm
ME/Afr
1,000
FE

800
Wells

600

400

200

-
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

8.1-14& Assoc.
©1998 Spears
 REASONS FOR UB
GROWTH

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

8.1-15
 REASONS FOR UB
GROWTH

 Service co. competition

 Trade journal publications
 Horizontal drilling
 Consultants available

8.1-16
 TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS

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

8.1-17
 TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS

 Compressor Evolution
 Hammer drills
 Nitrogen
 Increased availability
 Reduced cost
 On site generation

8.1-18
 TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS

 Recyclable foam systems

 Better gas separators
 Closed loop circulation
 Hydraulics models
 Improved rotating heads
 Wire line wet connect
8.1-19
 TECHNICAL
IMPROVEMENTS

 Improved MWD
 Rig assist snubbing units
 Coiled tubing equipment
 Non-damaging drilling
fluids
 Top drive
8.1-20
 WORKING ON

 Well Control Concepts

 Deployment valves
 Casing Drilling
 Expandable casing
 Expandable sand screens
 Retractable bit
8.1-21
 COMPLETION TECHNIQUES

 Improved gravel packing

fluids
 Improved completion fluids
 General technique
improvement

8.1-22
Reasons for UB drilling

 Lost
circulation

8.1-23
Reasons for UB drilling

 Lost
circulation
 Faster
Drilling

8.1-24
Reasons for UB drilling

 Lost
circulation
 Faster
Drilling
 No
Differential
Sticking

8.1-25
Reasons for UB drilling

 ...
 Reduce
Reservoir
Damage

8.1-26
Reasons for UB drilling

 ...
 Reduce
Reservoir
Damage
 Improve Prod.
Evaluation

8.1-27
 Effect of Skin on Production
Rates
BOPD

1,000

800

600

400

200

0
-3 -2 -1 0 5 10 15
SKIN
Physical Limits to UB
Drilling

 Borehole
Instability
 Poor Casing
Point

8.1-29
 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

8.1-31
 Types of Flow Regimes

AERATED
LIQUID FOAM MIST GAS
LIQUID

8.1-32
 Fluid
Fluid Phase
Phase Continuity
Continuity

AIR/GAS

WATER

FOAM MIST
(0-97% AIR) (97-100% AIR)

8.1-33
 Generalized
“Fluid” Systems

8.1-34
CONTROL EQUIPMENT

8.1-35
 Equipment - Rotating
Head

• Shaffer Rotating Blow-Out Preventor

• 2,500 psi rotating - 5,000 psi static
 Closed
Closed Loop
Loop Circulation
Circulation
System
System
FLARESTACK

SEPARATOR

SAMPLE
CATCHERS
OIL TOP
TANKS DRIVE
NITROGEN SYSTEM
PUMPERS CHOKE
MANIFOLD
R-BOP
WATER
TANKS

RIG RETURN
CUTTING
MUD
TANKS RIG
PUMPS
N2 / FLUID
MIX
8.1-37
Choke
Choke Manifold
Manifold

8.1-38
Equipment - Separators

8.1-39
Equipment - Chokes

8.1-40
 Equipment - Gas Source

Stainless Steel
Carbon Steel

Vaporizer
Liquid Nitrogen Pump
(-320OF) Gaseous
nitrogen to well
80OF, 0-10,000
psi

8.1-41
6.11.3
Equipment - Lots More

To shale shaker

ESD Manifold

Sample
catchers
Willis choke
Flare

Separator
Rig Manifold 200 psi vessel
Choke

HCR Oil storage/transport

Water returned to tanks

Choke Flare pit

8.1-42
 AIR DRILLING
A brief summary

8.1-43
 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.

8.1-44
Air Drilling Dusting

8.1-45
 Air Drilling Benefits

•Increased Rate of Penetration

•Reduced Formation Damage
•Improves Bit Performance
•Lost Circulation Control
•Continuous Drill Stem Test

8.1-46
Air/Dust Drilling Layout

8.1-47
 Air
Air Drilling
Drilling Waited
Waited upon
upon
Large
Large Portable
Portable
Compression
Compression

Simple and convenient to drill with air inexpensively and anywhere.

8.1-48
 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.
8.1-49
 FOAM
FOAM DRILLING
DRILLING

Basic Comments

TT96-86 50
 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.

8.1-51
Foam (Heading)

8.1-52
Improved Hole Cleaning

8.1-53
 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

8.1-54
Mist or Foam Drilling
Layout

8.1-55
8.1-56
GASEATED
OR
AERATED
DRILLING

8.1-57
 Mist

Water Transition

Gas Gaseated

8.1-58
 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.
8.1-59
 Parasite String

• Small injection string run simultaneousl

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

8.1-60
 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

8.1-61
 Parallel
Parallel Casing
Casing String
String
(Teichrob)
(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

177.8-mm (7 in.) Tie Back Liner

724 m MD at
64 o inclination
159-mm (6-1/4 in.)
12 m Slotted 892 m MD Hole Diameter
Joint at 90 o Inclination
694 m TVD

Foam Cement
o
TD = 1,440 m MD at 90 o
Inclination, 696 m TVD
8.1-62
Aerated Fluid Layout

8.1-63
 Aerated Drilling Problems

Compressor/ Rotating BOP’s

N2
Cost Solid/Liquid/Gas
Separation

Corrosion
Hydraulic Calculations
Vibration
Cuttings Lifting
Fluid Influx
Fire/ Underbalanced
High Torque/ Explosions Completion
Drag
Borehole Stability
MWD Transmission 8.1-64
 Flow Drilling

 Flow drilling refers to drilling

operations in which the well is
allowed to flow to surface while
drilling.
 All UBD operations are really flow
drilling operations, but the term is
usually applied to drilling with a
single phase mud, and no gas is
injected except by the formation.

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

 Flow Drilling

Clear drill brine density less than or equal to 1.02

g/cm3

Oil, Gas, and

Brine

9.5 ppg
Brine

Pressure higher in HEEL Pressure lower in

of well causing lost TOE of well causes
returns influx
Pore Pressure =3030 psi at
6234 ft

Flowdrilling a naturally fractured horizontal well

(courtesy of Signa Engineering Corporation)
8.1-66
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Drilling Fluid
Selection

 Density is determined by:

• Maximum pressure ≤ to
formation pressure.
• Minimum pressure dictated
by wellbore stability.
 Pressure limitations of
diverter and BOP equipment.
8.1-67
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Surface Equipment

MUD PITS

STACK

CHEMICAL
INJECTION GAS/FLUID
SEPARATION
SYSTEM

UNDERBALANC
E DRILLING
MANIFOLD

Schematic of surface equipment required for

flowdrilling (courtesy of Signa Engineering
8.1-68
Corporation)
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Surface Equipment
12 in. Flare

6 in. Flare
4-6
in. 4 in. Flare

Gas boot (open on

bottom)

Water to
rig
Grade
Gas Gas
Separato Separato Skimmer tanks
r r
Choke
Manifold ROP
Annular
Preventer
Oil
Pipe Rams tank
Blind Rams

Pipe Rams Oil to

treatment off
location

Atmospheric surface system for flowdrilling

(courtesy of Signa Engineering Corporation)
8.1-69
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Surface Equipment
RBO
P

Choke
Line

Typical flowdrilling BOP stack

(courtesy of Signa Engineering Corporation)
8.1-70
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Surface Equipment

Rotating blowout preventer (RBOP).

8.1-71
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
Surface Equipment

Kelly
Packer

Fluid
Hydraulic
Nitrile

RBOP sealing elements 8.1-72

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Surface Equipment

Hydrauli Manual
c Choke Choke

A typical flowdrilling choke manifold

(courtesy of Signa Engineering Corporation)
8.1-73
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Surface Pits

 Primary oil separation pit.

 Secondary oil separation pit.
 Skimmer system safety.
 Drilling fluid pit.
 Oil transfer tank.

8.1-74
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Operating Procedures

 Mechanical objectives during flow

drilling are:
• To control the well.
• Minimize differential sticking problems.
• Minimize drilling fluids losses.
 Maximum tolerable surfaces pressures
should be established before drilling
starts.

8.1-75
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Mudcap Drilling

 Utilized with uncontrollable loss

of circulation during flowdrilling
operations.
 Higher pressures than can be
safely handled with the rotating
head or RBOP.
 It is not strictly an underbalanced
drilling technique.

8.1-76
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Mudcap Drilling

 Driller loads the annulus with a

relatively high density high viscosity
mud and closes the choke with
surface pressure maintained.

 Drilling
is then continued “blind” by
pumping a clear non-damaging fluid
down the drillstring through the bit
and into the thief zone.
8.1-77
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Mudcap Drilling

 Applications:
• Sustained surface pressures
in excess of 2,000 psi.
• Sour oil and gas production.
• Small diameter wellbores.

8.1-78
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Mudcap Drilling

Viscous Fluid Mudcap

Mudcap Interface
(Formation Fluid /
Drillwater) Water replacement in
formation fractures

An example of mudcap drilling

(courtesy of Signa Engineering Corporation)
8.1-79
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Mudcap Drilling

GAS
BUSTER To flare
MUD pit
PITS

RIG
FLOOR

Chemical
HCR
Valve
Injection
MUD (Closed) CHOKE
PUMPS (closed)

DIVERTER

Schematic of equipment required for mudcap drilling

(courtesy of Signa Engineering Corporation)
8.1-80
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Snub Drilling

 UBD operation utilizing a

snubbing unit or coiled tubing
unit.
 Expense is justifiable if very high
formation pressures are
anticipated, and uncontrollable
loss of circulation is expected.

8.1-81
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 UPPER
CABLE
GUIDE
SNUBBING
CABLES
COUNTE
R
BALANCE
WEIGHT
S
SNATCH
BLOCK

PIPE
GUIDE
TRAVELING
SLIP
ASSEMBLY
STAND
GUIDE
OPERATOR’S
SLIP
CONSOLE
OPERATOR’S
BOP
CONSOLE

WORK
BASKE
T

STATIONARY
SLIP
ASSEMBLY

SHEAVES

SWIVEL BASE
ASSEMBLY
8.1-82
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 DUAL SHEAVE
DROWN
SWIWEL QIN
STARTING POLE
VALVE
TRAVELING SLIPS
TONG ROTARY
ARM TABLE
KELLY HOSE

POWER CONTROL CONSOLE

TONG
PIPE WORK
ELEVATO BASKET
R
DUAL WINCH

STATIONARY SLIPS
STAND
PIPE
HYDRAULIC
STRIPPER EQUALIZING
VALVES
BO POWER PACK
P FUEL TANK
TOOL BOX
RISER
SPOOLS

PIPE RACKS PUMP

MANIFOL
D
HOSE
BASKE
T

8.1-83
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 7” 26# @ Top of productive interval @
8128’ 8157’
Pilot KOP @
hole 8302’
60 deg
dresse
d off 6-1/8” Hole to
to
8285” 8550’
4-3/4”
Hole FORMATION DIP 6-80 N
820ETarget) 8558’
(Secondary
SHALE
SHALE 8578’
Target Center
8594’
(Primary Target)

Pilot 8618’
Hole

Top of SHALE
8821’

8.1-84
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Drilling Spool
7-1/16”, 10M x 7-
1/16”,5M
RIG
FLOOR

Cameron single
7-1/6”, 10M
Annular Preventer
Cameron 7-1/16”,
10M

Cameron “U”
double 7-1/16”,
10M companion
Install
flange w/2” WECO 1502
thread
Drilling Spool
7-1/16”, 15M x
10M
Cameron “U”
double 7-1/16”,
15M
DSA
7-1/16”, 10M x
7-1/16”, 15M
Frac Valve

TUBING HEAD
7-1/16”,
10M 11”, 5M x 7-
Outlet 10M
1/16”, with (2) 1-13/16”
10M Gate Valve
SOW CASING HEAD
11”,
5M x 9-5/8”,

BOP stack ( courtesy of Signa Engineering

8.1-85
Corporation)
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 FLARE
PIT
6” GAS

6” GAS Gas LIQUID LIQUID Gas

Buste SKIMMER
Buste
r r

4” GAS

ALL DRILLING FLUID

MUD RETURN
GAS
PIT ADJUSTABLE HYD.L
MANUAL
MANUAL CHOKE CHOKE CHOKE
DRILLING FLUID
RETURN

SAND
GAS + LIQUID
SEPARATER

Prevailing
Wind
Direction

WELLHEA
D

Snub drilling choke system

( courtesy of Signa Engineering8.1-86
Corporation)
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Closed Systems

 Refers to UBD operations with

a specific surface system.
 A pressurized, four phase
separator and a fully closed
surface system, is used to
handle the returned fluids.

8.1-87
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Ignito
r

Flere
Stack
Sample Catcher

Pressure Stac
Production Choke Manifold k
Vessel
Tank N2
Pumpers

Mix

Drilling Fluid
Vaporizo
Tank Rig Pump
r

A typical closed surface system (modified after Lunan,

8.1-88
19942).
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Rotating Blow out
Rotating Blow To Shala
Preventer/Diverter
out RBOP Shaker
Preventer/Divert ESD
er Northland
RBOP Height Manifold
1700 mm
Annular Returns to Choke 6” Gate Valve Sample Catchers
Manifold and Separator
4” Globe
Annular Valves
Preventer Wills
Choke
127mm (5”) Pipe Flare Stack
Rams Choke Line Connected to
Kill Line Northland Separator
Manifold

Separator
200 psi Vessel
Shear/Blind Rig Manifold
Rams Choke
127mm (5”) Pipe Choke Line
Rams Connected
to Rig Water Returned Oil
Manifold to Rig Tanks Storage/
Transport
Kill Line HC
Tubing R
Spool Choke Flare Pit
Casing
Spool

Surface Casing
300-400m,
508.0mm
Intermediate
Casing 1300-1450m,
339.7mm
Production Casing
1890m, 244.5mm

Flow control arrangement (after Saponja, 19957).

8.1-89
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Flow
Directio
n Outpu
Valve t Data
#2 Heade
r
Sample Catcher #1 Sample Catcher #2

Full Bore Valve #3

Valve #2

Full Bore
Valve #1

Valve
#1
Choke
Bypass
Well Input
Effluents Data
Flow Heade Valve
Directio r #4
n

Integrated flow control and sample catcher manifold

(after Lunan and Boote, 199412). 8.1-90
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
 Well
Adjustable Partition Effluents In
Plates

Gas Out Velocity

Gas Gas
Reducer

Continuous Pressurized
Solids Transfer Pump

A typical, horizontal, four-phase separator, for

underbalance drilling (after Lunan and Boote, 19948.1-91).
12

Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering

Other Surface Equipment
 Cuttings filter.
 Heater.
 Degasser.
 Flare stack/pit.
 Production tank.
 Water tank.
 Solids tank.
 Instrumentation.
8.1-92
Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering