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Summary. Magnetic logs are commonly used in wild-well kill operations to guide a relief well to a blowout well. Estimates of distance and direction to the blowout well are highly dependent on the assumed magnetic model of the blowout well casing. Theoretical and experimental results show that the magnetic poles of a long magnetized cylinder fit an exponentially distributed model rather than the standard impulsive-pole model. Magnetic techniques for determining range and direction from a relief well to a blowout well are explained, and modifications of these techniques based on the new magnetic model are developed. The techniques presented here can be used during drilling operations with data from most measurement while drilling (MWD) tools. Substantial improvements in range estimates are achieved for near- and medium-range targets. Introduction Drilling a relief well to intersect the borehole of a blowout well is often the only practical method for bringing a wild well under control. Inaccuracies in the well surveys make the chances of intersection remote without some means for determining the relative distance and direction of the two wells at a given depth. Measurements of the magnetic field in the relief well detect the presence of such iron objects as casing or drillpipe in the blowout well, and these data are used to estimate the relative locations of the two wells. Although current magnetic ranging techniques often result in an eventual intersection with the blowout well, estimates of the distance between the wells may substantially exceed the actual range when the relief well is close (within 20 ft [6 m]) to the blowout wellbore. This error results from the assumption of infinitely con-centrated (impulse) magnetic poles in long iron cylinders. The pole is actually distributed, or smeared, along the magnetized cylinder, and the smoothed features give the appearance of greater distance. A magnetic model has been derived that distributes a magnetic pole along the magnetized cylinder with an exponential distribution. Two different experiments confirm the accuracy of this model. In this report, we outline the techniques used to estimate distance and direction from a relief well to a blowout well and modify these methods to include the distributed magnetic model. We present experimental results that confirm the exponentially distributemagnetic-pole model and data describing the actual pole width for various grades and diameters of steel pipe. The new ranging techniques differ from older methods at the interpretation stage and do not require the development of new logging equipment. Most current MWD tools can provide sufficient information to apply the magnetic ranging techniques developed in this paper, thus allowing distance and direction estimates to be made during drilling. A substantial reduction in the number of relief-well redirections required to intersect a blowout well should be obtained with the new techniques. Description of Magnetic Methods for Blowout Ranging It is well known that iron objects possess a significant degree of magnetization unless they are frequently demagnetized. Unless iron tubing is artificially magnetized, each section acts as a single magnetic dipole, and after assembly into a long casing or drillstring, each joint roughly maintains its previous magnetization. A pipe string can be described magnetically as a line of magnetic dipoles of random strength evenly spaced at intervals equal to the length of a single section. Characteristics of Magnetic Monopoles. Although each pipe is an exact magnetic dipole, it is often more convenient to regard a dipole as two monopoles of equal but opposite strengths. The following discussion will concentrate largely on the ranging of magnetic monopoles. If we consider moving a three-component vector magnetometer past an impulse magnetic monopole of strength M and with distance of closest approach L, the measured magnetic field will be a vector sum of the earth's magnetic field and the field of the magnetic monopole. After the earth's field is subtracted, the axial and radial components, Fa and Fr, of the magnetic field that is caused by the monopole are determined from the inverse-square law describing the magnetic field caused by a concentrated pole: (1)(2) where s is the distance along the relief-well axis from the point of closest approach (see Fig. 1). The amplitude of the axial and radial fields depends on the total pole strength, but the shapes of these fields depend on only L. This fact is fundamental to magnetic ranging techniques. The range L can be determined from the separation between the maximum and minimum of the axial magnetic field (see Fig. 2a) by the relation (3) The range can be determined in a similar manner from the half-width of the radial field, (see Fig. 2b): (4) SPEDE p. 316
Summary. Magnetic logs are commonly used in wild-well kill operations to guide a relief well to a blowout well. Estimates of distance and direction to the blowout well are highly dependent on the assumed magnetic model of the blowout well casing. Theoretical and experimental results show that the magnetic poles of a long magnetized cylinder fit an exponentially distributed model rather than the standard impulsive-pole model. Magnetic techniques for determining range and direction from a relief well to a blowout well are explained, and modifications of these techniques based on the new magnetic model are developed. The techniques presented here can be used during drilling operations with data from most measurement while drilling (MWD) tools. Substantial improvements in range estimates are achieved for near- and medium-range targets. Introduction Drilling a relief well to intersect the borehole of a blowout well is often the only practical method for bringing a wild well under control. Inaccuracies in the well surveys make the chances of intersection remote without some means for determining the relative distance and direction of the two wells at a given depth. Measurements of the magnetic field in the relief well detect the presence of such iron objects as casing or drillpipe in the blowout well, and these data are used to estimate the relative locations of the two wells. Although current magnetic ranging techniques often result in an eventual intersection with the blowout well, estimates of the distance between the wells may substantially exceed the actual range when the relief well is close (within 20 ft [6 m]) to the blowout wellbore. This error results from the assumption of infinitely con-centrated (impulse) magnetic poles in long iron cylinders. The pole is actually distributed, or smeared, along the magnetized cylinder, and the smoothed features give the appearance of greater distance. A magnetic model has been derived that distributes a magnetic pole along the magnetized cylinder with an exponential distribution. Two different experiments confirm the accuracy of this model. In this report, we outline the techniques used to estimate distance and direction from a relief well to a blowout well and modify these methods to include the distributed magnetic model. We present experimental results that confirm the exponentially distributemagnetic-pole model and data describing the actual pole width for various grades and diameters of steel pipe. The new ranging techniques differ from older methods at the interpretation stage and do not require the development of new logging equipment. Most current MWD tools can provide sufficient information to apply the magnetic ranging techniques developed in this paper, thus allowing distance and direction estimates to be made during drilling. A substantial reduction in the number of relief-well redirections required to intersect a blowout well should be obtained with the new techniques. Description of Magnetic Methods for Blowout Ranging It is well known that iron objects possess a significant degree of magnetization unless they are frequently demagnetized. Unless iron tubing is artificially magnetized, each section acts as a single magnetic dipole, and after assembly into a long casing or drillstring, each joint roughly maintains its previous magnetization. A pipe string can be described magnetically as a line of magnetic dipoles of random strength evenly spaced at intervals equal to the length of a single section. Characteristics of Magnetic Monopoles. Although each pipe is an exact magnetic dipole, it is often more convenient to regard a dipole as two monopoles of equal but opposite strengths. The following discussion will concentrate largely on the ranging of magnetic monopoles. If we consider moving a three-component vector magnetometer past an impulse magnetic monopole of strength M and with distance of closest approach L, the measured magnetic field will be a vector sum of the earth's magnetic field and the field of the magnetic monopole. After the earth's field is subtracted, the axial and radial components, Fa and Fr, of the magnetic field that is caused by the monopole are determined from the inverse-square law describing the magnetic field caused by a concentrated pole: (1)(2) where s is the distance along the relief-well axis from the point of closest approach (see Fig. 1). The amplitude of the axial and radial fields depends on the total pole strength, but the shapes of these fields depend on only L. This fact is fundamental to magnetic ranging techniques. The range L can be determined from the separation between the maximum and minimum of the axial magnetic field (see Fig. 2a) by the relation (3) The range can be determined in a similar manner from the half-width of the radial field, (see Fig. 2b): (4) SPEDE p. 316
The offshore Wheatstone LNG Project in Western Australia utilizes subsea big-bore gas wells as the preferred method of producing the field. Wheatstone wells use a 9 -5/8" production conduit from the top of the gas pay zone to the ocean floor. Well bores of this size are necessary to match the large productive capacity of the gas reservoirs they penetrate. This producing scenario provides the obvious benefit of yielding large volumes of gas through the use of relatively few wells. Each of those highly productive wells, however, also represents a source of gas that, if accidently allowed to flow unhindered, could present an uncommonly difficult well control challenge. It is for this reason that the Wheatstone Drilling and Completions Team evaluated a wide range of possible reservoir and well architecture scenarios to fully understand the possible scale of relief well responses that might be necessary in the event of a blowout. The conclusions from this evaluation were surprising. Our originally-planned well design concept called for penetrating the Wheatstone gas reservoirs with a casing shoe set 950m vertically above. Our analysis indicated that 3-4 relief wells would be simultaneously required to bring a blowout under control. Based on these results, both the well and the drilling execution plan were redesigned to minimize the number of required relief wells. In summary, the redesign amounted to setting casing immediately (i.e., Յ 3m) above the gas reservoir before actually penetrating it, with the resulting benefit of reducing the required number of relief wells to 2. Although this reduction is beneficial, it should be noted that there is only one documented subsea case where 2 or more relief wells have been drilled with the intent of simultaneously pumping into both to effect a dynamic kill. Given this fact, our well control-related preparations for executing this project were more extensive than that of preceding projects. This paper chronicles the full extent of the engineering and operational planning performed to ensure that no uncontrolled hydrocarbon releases occurred during the execution of the Wheatstone Project's subsea big-bore gas wells and, if a blowout were to occur, that the response to such an unprecedented event would be sufficient and robust. Covered in the paper are (1) reservoir deliverability modeling, (2) dynamic kill modeling, (3) gas plume modeling, (4) relief well trajectory and mooring planning, (5) pilot hole execution planning, (6) a newly applied LWD technology for sensing resistivity vertically below the drill bit and (7) a discussion of future research that has been identified as necessary to better define the fluid injectivity capabilities of subsea relief wells.
Summary The offshore Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia uses subsea big-bore gas wells as the preferred method of producing the field. Wheatstone wells use a 9⅝-in. production conduit from the top of the gas pay zone to the ocean floor. Wellbores of this size are necessary to match the large productive capacity of the gas reservoirs they penetrate. This producing scenario provides the obvious benefit of yielding large volumes of gas through the use of relatively few wells. Each of those highly productive wells, however, also represents a source of gas that, if accidentally allowed to flow unhindered, could present an uncommonly difficult well-control challenge. It is for this reason that the Wheatstone Drilling and Completions (D&C) Team evaluated a wide range of possible reservoir- and well-architecture scenarios to fully understand the possible scale of relief-well responses that might be necessary in the event of a blowout. The conclusions from this evaluation were surprising. Our original well-design concept called for penetrating the Wheatstone gas reservoirs with a casing shoe set 3,100 ft vertically above. Our analysis indicated that three or four relief wells would be simultaneously required to bring a blowout under control. Because of these results, both the well- and drilling-execution plan were redesigned to minimize the number of required relief wells. In summary, the redesign amounted to setting the casing immediately (i.e., ≤ 10 ft) above the gas reservoir before actually penetrating it, with the resulting benefit of reducing the required number of relief wells to two. Although this reduction is beneficial, it should be noted that there is only one documented subsea case where two or more relief wells have been drilled with the intent of simultaneously pumping into both to effect a dynamic kill. Given this fact, our well-control-related preparations for executing this project were more extensive than those of preceding projects. This paper chronicles the full extent of the engineering and operational planning performed to ensure that no uncontrolled hydrocarbon releases occurred during the execution of the Wheatstone Project's subsea big-bore gas wells and, if a blowout were to occur, that the response to such an unprecedented event would be sufficient and robust. Covered in this paper are reservoir-deliverability modeling, dynamic-kill modeling, gas-plume modeling, relief-well trajectory and mooring planning, pilot-hole-execution planning, a newly applied logging-while-drilling (LWD) technology for sensing resistivity vertically below the drill bit, and a discussion of future research identified as necessary to better define the fluid-injectivity capabilities of subsea relief wells.
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