A Heat Transfer Model for Accurate Wellbore Temperature Prediction during Drilling

Abstract

Accurate prediction of wellbore temperature is essential to avoid potential drilling fluid/drillstring overheating and wellbore stability problems. A new model is proposed to predict the dynamic wellbore temperature during drilling. Besides the effect of fluid flow on the thermal transfer, the model also incorporates effects caused by the forces created from the contacts between drillpipe and casing/formation. The new model is utilized in a practical well to study the dynamic temperature changes. The model can be used to accurate prediction temperature profiles in the wellbore at the design stage or mud and downhole tools selection during drilling operation.

New wellbore temperature control design for preventing failure and poor performance of logging tools in high pressure – high temperature wells

“… Jiang (2019) stated that during drilling of a well the heat balance in the annulus is given by Equation (22) : Therefore; considering the pumping and placement of the chilled oil-based mud in the zone of interest, the following boundary conditions apply: Controlled drilling fluid temperature at the surface No heat transfers between drill pipe and fluid in the annulus No heat transfers between the drill pipe and the chilled oil-based mud No heat is exiting the drill pipe and annulus or wellbore at the surface Convective heat transfer between the formation and the chilled oil-based mud is zero or negligible Where, L = vertical depth.…”