Hibernia Record Well Breaks Extended Reach Drilling and Completion Envelope

Abstract

fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractIn 2002 the Hibernia Management and Development Company (HMDC), led by ExxonMobil Canada, embarked upon the development of the northern most compartment of the Hibernia development project, ('A' Block). To access these reserves, it was proposed to drill and complete a 31,000 ft measured depth (MD) oil producer with a horizontal departure and vertical depth that would exceed the present day industry extended reach drilling (ERD) envelope.Successfully drilling this world-class well would require the application and extension of currently available drilling and completion technology. Meeting the project goals would demand the installation of a large monobore completion system with offshore-Canada's deepest downhole telemetry system. The proposed trajectory would require management of weak and unstable intervals across an extended 17,000 ft MD intermediate section. This trajectory would necessitate the installation of record length production casing strings under high friction load. Subsurface tool reliability under extreme cyclic loading would be needed, especially at the lower wellbore sections where downhole tool failures would be costly due to depth and trip time. The project would require the development of effective strategies to mitigate very high circulating pressures and fluid rheology at extended distances. Drill pipe and tool joints would require upgrade to meet the higher anticipated loads for this program. Completion equipment would also require significant enhancements to meet the pressure and axial load requirements of the wellbore. Planned intervention tools would require modification to allow passage through the extended reach sail angle. Wellbore tractors would be refitted and shop testing would be conducted to ensure all tools were ready for application.To meet these challenges HMDC would leverage existing local experiences 1 while at the same time engage recognized international expertise to supplement existing practices. Technical work sessions were conducted during the planning phase to start the communication process to all stakeholders (including service providers) and to identify critical technical boundaries and key technologies to extend the current ERD envelope. The comprehensive review and upgrade of Hibernia ERD practices was effected through external engagement of ERD experts for worldwide lessons learned.Internal resources were accessed to effectively integrate the latest concepts in hole cleaning and wellbore stability. All the while, operational and design revisions were based upon, and complemented by, successful existing Hibernia ERD practices.

An Analytical Model for Axial Force Transfer and the Maximum Compression Point of Work Strings in Extend Reach Drilling

“…Naegel et al [5] reported an ERD well with a 20,341.2 ft horizontal departure at 5,577 ft true vertical depth (TVD). ERD continued in the past two decades with new record updated every a few years [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Armstrong and Evans [12] reported planning and execution of an offshore ERD well of a total measured depth (MD) of 37,165 ft with TVD of 6,938 ft, and horizontal displacement (HD) of 33,682 ft. Tskhadaya et al [13] presented a design of ERD for an Arctic well depth of 49,212.6 ft and horizontal borehole depth of 4,921.3 ft. Special technical issues in ERD include rig requirement, borehole stability, cuttings transport, data acquisition, and drill string design.…”

Field Result of Equivalent-Circulating-Density Reduction With a Low-Rheology Fluid

“…[1][2][3] This is particularly pertinent when planning a world record ERD well. Preliminary work showed several areas of concern when using standard Hibernia well architecture, drilling equipment, and a barite-weighted synthetic mud: marginal flow rates for cleaning the 12¼-in (311 mm) hole section (planned to 29,528 ft (9,000 m) MD); marginal flow rates for cleaning the 8½-in.…”