American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2018 - 54

SpecialReport: Horizontal Wellbore Construction
FIGURE 2

Curve And Lateral Sections
Drilling the curve and lateral sections
with a single RSS in one run remains the
goal, but as mentioned, the RSS system
has had difficulty drilling both the high
build rate in the curves and the minimal
path changes in the laterals. The specific
RSS used also could not drill out stage
cementing tools without risk of damage.
The need to trip for a new assembly for
the lateral negated the advantages of
using an RSS in the curve. This led to
the decision in 2017 to go back to using
a steerable motor in the curve while continuing to use an RSS in the lateral, resulting in improved drilling times for
both sections (Figure 3).
A stable tool face is needed to attain
required build rates. The curve bit designs
minimize torsional oscillations, improving
tool-face control while maintaining ROP.
The improved tool face control resulted
in a 29 percent improvement in ROP in
2017 compared with 2016. The shortest
curve time was eight hours on a 63⁄4-inch
curve built at 10 degrees/100 feet.
In the transition to steerable motors,
BHA runs were reduced by 40 percent in
63⁄4-inch holes in the second and third
quarters of 2017 compared with using
RSS. Since switching to motors, no curves
have been plugged back and re-drilled.
The curve BHA consists of a high-speed
adjustable motor and a kick pad with no
stabilizer. For enhanced tool face control,
the cone area of the bit profile is set with

RSS versus Steerable Motor BHA (12¼-inch Salt String Performance)
4

Bit Count

Average ROP (ft/hr)

3

2

1

1

1

1

Q3

1

Q4
2017

Well Release Date by Quarter and Year

54 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

Traditional well control is not applicable to handling these flows. Mud
weight is increased only enough to stop
or at least slow flow while drilling. On
connections, flowline valves are used to
shut in and limit fluid entry. All rigs
have rotating heads, and stripper rubbers
are installed at all times. When flows
occur below the salt interval, drilling
the lateral continues. The flows cause
contamination to the drilling fluid, increasing disposal requirements and requiring attention especially on connections, but are manageable.
FIGURE 3

Q4
2015

Q3

Q4

Q1

2016

Well Release Date by Quarter & Year

Q3

1

1

2
Q2
2017

1

1

1

2

2

3
1

Q2

2

3
2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3
2

Q3

1

1

1

1

2

3

4

Average ROP (ft/hr)

RSS and Conventional BHA Average ROP with Run Count
(6¾-inch Curve Section)

Bit Count

shock tools and roller reamers.
For intermediate sections, a fit-forpurpose bit design is required for the
broad range of formations and rock
strengths. The best 97⁄8-inch bit design
features six blades set with 16-millimeter
cutters and a 6.0 to 8.0-inch tapered
gauge. The DOC control components
are set in the cone and engage at 200
feet/hour. This bit design drilled 6,863
feet for an overall ROP of 170 feet/hour
on an RSS BHA.
The mechanical solutions have reduced well performance variability and
improved ROP and run lengths in the
97⁄8-inch section. The lessons learned
were transferred to the 121⁄4- and 81⁄2inch holes with similar success. Improvements to the road mapping process
further reduced damage from stick/slip.
The guidance now addresses the parameter range more accurately, reducing or
sometimes eliminating stick/slip caused
by autodriller dysfunction. Stick/slip reduction efforts since the beginning of
2016 have resulted in an average ROP
improvement of 14 percent in 97⁄8-inch
holes and reduced by 20 percent the average number of bits required to complete
the interval.
Water flows (sometimes with hydrogen
sulfide content) occur throughout the intermediate hole sections, including in the
salt interval. The flows appear to be from
naturally overpressured zones, possibly
from pressure trapped by salt layers.
Flows also occur from injection zones.
Typically, flow occurs simultaneously
with mud losses to other formations.

1

1

2

1

2

1

2

1



American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2018

Contents
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