Overcoming Weight Transfer Challenges in Complex, Shallow, Extended Reach Wells on Alaska's North Slope.

Thomas, Randy Lee; McKeever, Stephen O.; Hartwig, Dennis D.; Egedahl, David B.; Patton, John B.; Holtzman, Keith; Smith, Lee M.

doi:10.4043/19550-ms

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…[1][2][3][4] Excess friction is encountered in a long horizontal well that uses sliding drilling modes. 5 Additional drag and torque result in low rates of penetration (ROP), poor tool-face control, and prevent the transfer of weight to the drill bit. There are some drag reduction technologies that have been widely used in the field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of torque clutch drilling tool and evaluation of drag reduction performance

Wang

Chen

Huang

et al. 2018

Advances in Mechanical Engineering

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Horizontal well is one of the important methods of unconventional oil and gas resource development. As increasing length of horizontal section, there is a serious problem that axial force cannot transfer to bit. The drilling field needs a low-friction and low-cost drag reduction tool. This article summarized existing technologies of drag reduction in the horizontal and inclined well and proposes an integrated design of torque clutch. Detailed design of tool subsystems is introduced. The tool includes three subsystems: clutch, hydraulic system, and monitoring system. The clutch is consisted of multiple clutch units mounted in a parallel arrangement. Power of hydraulic control system adopts difference in pressure between inside and outside of drill pipes. It can efficiently reduce power consumption. The design function and minimum working pressure are validated and obtained by indoor test. According to theoretical calculation, reasonable distance from tool to bit can be obtained for an actual drilled well. During directional drilling mode, the tool can reduce more than 30% axial drag of drill string according to theoretical calculation. The tool can effectively improve the capacity of transfer weight to bit and overcome the excessive drag in horizontal drilling. No similar tools are reported in the current field.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of torque clutch drilling tool and evaluation of drag reduction performance

Wang

Chen

Huang

et al. 2018

Advances in Mechanical Engineering

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“…Based on the existing designs to reduce drag and torque, [9][10][11] a new friction reduction tool is designed and manufactured for horizontal wells. This tool is mainly used in extended-reach wells, directional wells, and horizontal wells.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical simulation of fluid flow and experiment on downhole friction reduction tool

Xiao

Yong

Zhang

et al. 2017

Advances in Mechanical Engineering

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In this article, a new friction reduction tool is designed for drilling of horizontal wells, and its performance is investigated using computational fluid dynamics simulation technique, laboratory experiment, and field testing. According to flow field analysis, the spiral diversion channel has obvious disturbance effect on fluid, which can help cutting transport and reduce cutting bed accumulation. Tensile test is carried out and tensile resistance of the friction reduction tool is 90 ton. Shearing test is also conducted to examine the shear resistance capacity of the pins that support rollers. Under the lateral load of 20 MPa, large deformation of the pins is observed, but they are not broken. The function of friction and torque reduction is verified using experimental apparatus for drill string dynamics of horizontal well. Field testing is also completed in a real well. The accumulated operational time of the friction reduction tool is more than 130 h and its fatigue life reaches up to 3 3 10 5 cycles. The simulations and experiments indicate the designed tool can effectively reduce friction and torque in horizontal wells. The work presented in this article can provide a technological basis and scientific reference for the development and application of friction reduction tool in horizontal wells.

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Development and Installation of an Extended Reach Multilateral Junction

et al. 2009

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A multitude of extended reach technologies have been utilized in the West Sak field on the North Slope of Alaska to reduce surface impact in a remote and environmentally sensitive area. Significant to the shallow heavy oil West Sak development is the use of multilateral horizontal wells with a junction providing mechanical support and both through-tubing lateral isolation and re-entry capabilities. However, as extended reach drilling capabilities evolved to routinely reach departure to true vertical depth ratios in excess of five to one, multilateral junction technology did not evolve at the same pace. A new multilateral junction was designed to match current extended reach drilling capabilities and replace existing multilateral equipment which was utilized beyond its intended limit incurring both installation and production risk. The newly designed junction allows lateral liners to overcome drag limitations by rotating the liner and junction to setting depth in one trip and includes several positive indicators to ensure a successful installation. This paper discusses the evolution of multilateral wells in the West Sak development, the limitations of multilateral junctions when utilized in extended reach wells, the development and testing of a new multilateral junction, and several successful field installations. Operation highlights during the completion phase of a multilateral well with a lateral departure to true vertical depth ratio in excess of six to one are included. Existing tools such as oil based mud lubricants and thorough torque and drag prediction were combined with the new junction for a successful completion which progressed the application for multilateral junctions in extended reach wells Multilateral History in the West Sak Development The West Sak field is a heavy oil accumulation within the Kuparuk River Unit on the North Slope of Alaska (Figure 1). It is a Cretaceous, shallow marine sandstone at vertical depths from 2,400 feet on the western edge of the Unit to 3,800 feet on the eastern edge. The field contains 7–9 billion barrels of oil in place with an oil gravity that ranges from 10–22 degrees API. Initial oil production began in the late 1990's from 29 conventionally deviated wells (18 producers and 11 injectors) on a 40-acre water flood pattern with typical production rates of 150–250 barrels oil per day (BOPD). These rates did not support the high cost of the wells and alternative well designs were considered (Targac, et al, 2005). Consequently, operators on the North Slope began experimenting with horizontal and multilateral horizontal production wells which had become an attractive alternative to vertical wells in the multi-layered West Sak reservoir. With multilateral technology, two or more of the West Sak pay sands could be accessed from a single well. In the year 2000, three dual lateral horizontal wells were drilled and completed in the Kuparuk River Unit targeting the upper two West Sak sand intervals. The first of the these wells had an upper lateral length of 3,024 with an ERD ratio of 1.37 while the most difficult of these three wells had an upper lateral length of 3,580 feet with an ERD ratio of 2.04. Note: ERD ratio in this paper is calculated as the (unwrapped surface departure) ÷ (true vertical depth from RKB). The wells were completed with sand exclusion screens in the laterals, TAML (Technical Advancement of Multi-Laterals) Level 4 junctions with both the main bore and lateral cased and cemented at the junction, and artificially lifted with electric submersible pumps (ESP). Upon the economic success of the three first multilateral horizontal West Sak wells in 2000, it became readily apparent that the development would be even more profitable by optimizing well construction. Drilling and well completion costs were by far the largest portion of the capital cost and any reduction in these costs would decrease the cost per barrel produced. Additionally, increased reservoir exposure realized by drilling and completing longer laterals could increase production per well and would further decrease the cost per barrel produced. The West Sak drillsite would evolve to reach subsurface targets exceeding a 15,000 feet radius at depths approaching 3,000 feet TVD (Figure 2).

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Overcoming Weight Transfer Challenges in Complex, Shallow, Extended Reach Wells on Alaska's North Slope.

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Development of torque clutch drilling tool and evaluation of drag reduction performance

Development of torque clutch drilling tool and evaluation of drag reduction performance

Numerical simulation of fluid flow and experiment on downhole friction reduction tool

Development and Installation of an Extended Reach Multilateral Junction

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