Power of Design: Solid Expandable Installation Sets Multiple New Records in Deepshelf HP/HT Well

Abstract

With each installation of solid expandable tubulars, the opportunity exists to redefine the operating parameters of this enabling technology. A recent planned-in installation of a 6,935 ft (~2,115m) solid expandable openhole liner not only set a record as the longest expandable installation to-date, but also marked the first offshore-well application that combined swellable elastomer technology and solid expandable tubulars.Operators have relied on solid expandable tubulars to mitigate and manage downhole wellbore problems for several years. However, the recent fundamental change in advanced drilling engineering philosophy is to plan solid expandable liners into the basis of design (BOD) to preserve hole size and reduce non-productive drilling time (NPT). For example, the most-recent record-setting solid expandable openhole liner (7-5/8 x 9-5/8 in.) was planned into the wellbore architecture of a previously drilled well to help explore deeper high-pressure high-temperature (HP/HT) reservoirs approaching 24,000 ft (7,315m) TVD. The swellable elastomers used on the expandable system ensured the required zonal isolation for a successful leak-off test, thereby greatly reducing the possibility for costly cement squeeze operations.This paper discusses how solid expandable liner systems have facilitated multiple exploration and development projects in the region to address drilling and completion challenges. This paper also describes how combined technologies enable a greater application realm and uses the record-setting case history to illustrate the value gained by planning and using solid expandable technology. Challenges Inherent to the Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico presents inordinate drilling challenges be it from salt and sub-salt zones, pore pressure/frac gradient issues, overpressured and depleted sands, or excessive water and target depths. Although shelf drilling continues to yield significant reserves, ventures into deep and ultra-deep waters are becoming more commonplace with thorough planning, state-of-the-art technologies, and enhanced processes.Increasing water depths require larger equipment with extra hoisting capacity and more mud-circulating capacity. Drilling in 8,000 to 9,000 ft (~2,450 to 2,750m) of water looking for a target 20,000 ft (~6,100m) below the mud line requires latestgeneration drill ships that have the size, horsepower, and lifting capacity to reach these extreme depths. (Massey 2002) Bigger may not always be better when size hinders efficiency, reliability, and economic feasibility. Rather than rely solely on more powerful hardware, a methodology step-change has been possible with innovative software that can model and detect downhole conditions, enhanced chemistry that makes for more effective muds and stimulation treatments, and enabling tools such as swellable elastomers and solid expandable tubulars that can facilitate a stable wellbore. How Design Addresses Conditions, Environments, and Situations Developing a Versatile ToolOne of the ingenious aspects of solid expandable tec...

Analytical model for stick–slip phenomenon in solid tubular expansion

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Dynamic Analysis of Solid Expandable Tubular and Its Applications in Tahe Oilfield

“…The solid expandable tubular landed in the ExxonMobil/Hawkes Well in the deepwater area in the Gulf of Mexico was the deepest one at that time: a 628.3-m(2061 ft)-long, 152.4-mm (6 in.) OHL (open-hole liner) was successfully run to the measured depth (the well) of 6783.2 m (22,255 ft) [7]. The 406.4-mm (16 in.)…”

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