ISSN 0253-2778

CN 34-1054/N

Open AccessOpen Access JUSTC Earth and Space Sciences 02 July 2022

An analytical study on early kick detection and well control considerations for casing while drilling technology

Cite this:
https://doi.org/10.52396/JUSTC-2021-0192
More Information
  • Author Bio:

    Said K. Elsayed is an Associate Professor with Petroleum Engineering Department, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Egypt. He received his PhD degree from Texas A&M University and Suez Canal University (Through Channel System). He is interested in teaching EOR and petroleum production courses for graduate and undergraduate students, and he is active in consulting and advising the Oil & Gas industry

    Hany M. Azab is an MSc candidate at the Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Egypt. He is an overseas accredited IADC & IWCF well control instructor and assessor. He has over 15 years of experience in oil and gas operations. His experience in drilling and workover consulting started in 2006 after joining Weatherford Drilling International Company and progressed to drilling and workover superintendence in Agiba Petroleum Company (Eni Joint Venture Operating Company for exploring, drilling, and producing hydrocarbons in Egypt) on both onshore and offshore rigs for both oil and gas drilling and workover operations

  • Corresponding author: E-mail: Hany.AzMa@pme.suezuni.edu.eg
  • Received Date: 31 August 2021
  • Accepted Date: 17 December 2021
  • Available Online: 02 July 2022
  • Casing while drilling (CwD) technology is designed to reduce drilling time and expenses by improving the wellbore stability, fracture gradient, and formation damage while reducing the exposure time. However, for the purpose well control, the wellbore geometry and volumes differ from those obtained via a conventional drilling technique, thereby requiring a different approach. This study discusses well control principles for CwD operations. It presents a simplified method for evaluating the maximum kick tolerance and allowable well shut-in time for both conventional and CwD techniques using a mathematical model. Preliminary results revealed that the use of CwD leads to an annulus pressure loss three times higher than that observed in the conventional drilling. In addition, the kick tolerance is reduced by 50% and the maximum allowable well shut-in time is reduced by 65%, making an early kick detection system necessary.
    Casing while drilling technique and drilling problem solutions.
    Casing while drilling (CwD) technology is designed to reduce drilling time and expenses by improving the wellbore stability, fracture gradient, and formation damage while reducing the exposure time. However, for the purpose well control, the wellbore geometry and volumes differ from those obtained via a conventional drilling technique, thereby requiring a different approach. This study discusses well control principles for CwD operations. It presents a simplified method for evaluating the maximum kick tolerance and allowable well shut-in time for both conventional and CwD techniques using a mathematical model. Preliminary results revealed that the use of CwD leads to an annulus pressure loss three times higher than that observed in the conventional drilling. In addition, the kick tolerance is reduced by 50% and the maximum allowable well shut-in time is reduced by 65%, making an early kick detection system necessary.
    • The goal of the casing while drilling (CwD) technology is to drive the casing deeper as possible to close the problematic zone.
    • Drilling with casing provides a significantly different fluid flow path geometry than the conventional drilling method.
    • When using the CwD technology, kick tolerances should be carefully analyzed during the well-planning phase.

  • loading
  • [1]
    Gupta A K. Drilling with casing: Prospects and limitations. In: SPE Western Regional/AAPG Pacific Section/GSA Cordilleran Section Joint Meeting, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 2006: SPE-99536-MS.
    [2]
    Hossain M, Amro M. Prospects of casing while drilling and the factors to be considered during drilling operations in Arabian region. In: IADC/SPE Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2004: SPE-87987-MS.
    [3]
    Fontenot K, Highnote J, Warren T, et al. Casing drilling activity expands in South Texas. In: SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2003: SPE-79862-MS.
    [4]
    Warren T M, Angman P, Houtchens B. Casing drilling application design considerations. In: IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2000: SPE-59179-MS.
    [5]
    Warren T, Houtchens B, Madell G. Casing drilling technology moves to more challenging applications. In: the AADE 2001 National Drilling Conference, Houston, Texas, 2001: 01-NC-HO-32.
    [6]
    Mohammed A, Okeke C J, Abolle-Okoyeagu I. Current trends and future development in casing drilling. International Journal of Science and Technology, 2012, 2 (8): 567–582.
    [7]
    Tessari B, Madell G, Warren T. Drilling with casing promises major benefits. Oil & Gas Journal, 1999, 97 (20): 58–62.
    [8]
    Pavković B, Bizjak R, Petrović B. Review of casing while drilling technology. Podzemni Radovi, 2016, 29: 11–32. doi: 10.5937/PODRAD1629011P
    [9]
    Shepard S F, Reiley R H, Warren T M. Casing drilling: An emerging technology. In: the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2001: SPE-67731-MS.
    [10]
    Marbun B T H, Adinugratama Y, Kurnianto B E. Feasibility study of casing while drilling application on geothermal drilling operation. In: Thirty-Ninth Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 2014: SGP-TR-202.
    [11]
    Grijalva O, Holzmann J, Oppelt J, et al. OCTG advancements in casing drilling: Where we have been and where are we going? In: the SPE Oklahoma City Oil and Gas Symposium, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, 2017: SPE-185102-MS.
    [12]
    Gupta Y, Banerjee S N. The application of expandable tubulars in casing while drilling. In: The Latin American & Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2007: SPE-105517-MS.
    [13]
    López E A, Bonilla P A. Casing-drilling application in the depleted La Cira Infantas mature field, Colombia. In: the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Lima, Peru, 2010: SPE-139020-MS.
    [14]
    Sanchez A, Brown C F, Adams W. Casing centralization in horizontal and extended reach wells. In: the SPE/EAGE European Unconventional Resources Conference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria, 2012: SPE-150317-MS.
    [15]
    Radwan A, Karimi M. Feasibility study of casing drilling application in HPHT environments; A review of challenges, benefits, and limitations. In: the SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Muscat, Oman, 2011: SPE-148433-MS.
    [16]
    Tost B, Rose K, Aminzadeh F, et al. Kick detection at the bit: Early detection via low cost monitoring. Albany, OR: National Energy Technology Laboratory, 2016: NETL-TRS-2-2016.
    [17]
    Noviasta B, Falhum H M, Setiawan B. Innovative casing drilling technology improved the ability to set the casing deeper through the problematic zone in Indonesia geothermal operation. In: Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2017: SPE-188960-MS.
    [18]
    Sánchez F, Turki M, Nabhani Y, et al. Casing while Drilling (CwD); A new approach drilling FIQA Formation in the Sultanate of Oman. A success story. In: The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2010: SPE 136107.
    [19]
    Patel D, Shah M, Thakar V, et al. Identifying casing while drilling (CwD) potential in geothermal scenario along with economics. In: 44th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 2019: SGP-TR-214.
    [20]
    Sehsah O, Kawass A E, Siddik S M, et al. Casing while drilling transformation into standard operation in Middle East. In: International Petroleum Technology Conference, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2020: IPTC-19730-MS.
    [21]
    Kerunwa1 A, Anyadiegwu C I C. Overview of the advances in casing drilling technology. Petroleum & Coal, 2015, 57 (6): 661–675.
    [22]
    Karimi M, Petrie S, Moellendick E, et al. A review of casing drilling advantages to reduce lost circulation, Improve wellbore stability, augment wellbore strengthening, and mitigate drilling-induced formation damage. In: SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Muscat, Oman, 2011: SPE-148564-MS.
    [23]
    Beaumont E, de Crevoisier L, Baquero F, et al. First retrievable directional casing while drilling (DCwD) application in peruvian fields generates time reduction and improves drilling performance preventing potential non-planned downtime. In: SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Lima, Peru, 2010: SPE-139339-MS.
    [24]
    Grijalva Meza O, Kamp K, Asgharzadeh A, et al. Well control for drilling with casing: Theoretical and experimental insights into hydraulic behavior in small annular clearances. In: SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2018: SPE-189366-MS.
    [25]
    Patel D, Thakar V R, Pandian S, et al. A review on casing while drilling technology for oil and gas production with well control model and economical analysis. Petroleum, 2019, 5 (1): 1–12. doi: 10.1016/j.petlm.2018.12.003
    [26]
    Avelar C S, Ribeiro P R. The study of well planning using the kick tolerance concept. In: 18th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering, Ouro Preto, MG, Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: ABCM, 2005.
    [27]
    Dedenuola A D, Iyamu I E, Adeleye O A. Stochastic approach to kick tolerance determination in risk based designs. In: SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, 2003: SPE-84174-MS.
    [28]
    Al-Ameri N J. Kick tolerance control during well drilling in southern Iraqi deep wells. Iraqi Journal of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, 2015, 16 (3): 45–52.
    [29]
    Fraser D, Lindley R, Moore D, et al. Early kick detection methods and technologies. In: SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2014: SPE-170756-MS.
    [30]
    Parfitt S H L, Thorogood J L. Application of QRA methods to casing seat selection. In: European Petroleum Conference, London, United Kingdom, 1994: SPE-28909-MS.
  • 加载中

Catalog

    Figure  1.  Conventional drilling vs. casing while drilling technology.

    Figure  2.  Conventional drilling BHA vs. casing while drilling BHA.

    Figure  3.  Drill lock assembly.

    Figure  4.  Retrievable and non-retrievable CwD BHA (modified from Ref. [3]).

    Figure  5.  Tesco’s CwD practice.

    Figure  6.  Annular space of the conventional drilling (a) versus CwD (b).

    Figure  7.  Plastering effect in the casing while drilling operation[22].

    Figure  8.  Illustration of plastering effect.

    Figure  9.  (a) Conventional drilling, and (b) CwD wellbore geometry[22].

    Figure  10.  Radial flow model.

    Figure  11.  Schematic diagram of wellbore.

    Figure  12.  Comparison between conventional and CwD methods.

    Figure  13.  Column chart of resulted APL, kick tolerance, and allowable BOP closing time of conventional and CwD technique .

    Figure  14.  Kick volume vs. allowable well shut-in time.

    [1]
    Gupta A K. Drilling with casing: Prospects and limitations. In: SPE Western Regional/AAPG Pacific Section/GSA Cordilleran Section Joint Meeting, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 2006: SPE-99536-MS.
    [2]
    Hossain M, Amro M. Prospects of casing while drilling and the factors to be considered during drilling operations in Arabian region. In: IADC/SPE Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2004: SPE-87987-MS.
    [3]
    Fontenot K, Highnote J, Warren T, et al. Casing drilling activity expands in South Texas. In: SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2003: SPE-79862-MS.
    [4]
    Warren T M, Angman P, Houtchens B. Casing drilling application design considerations. In: IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2000: SPE-59179-MS.
    [5]
    Warren T, Houtchens B, Madell G. Casing drilling technology moves to more challenging applications. In: the AADE 2001 National Drilling Conference, Houston, Texas, 2001: 01-NC-HO-32.
    [6]
    Mohammed A, Okeke C J, Abolle-Okoyeagu I. Current trends and future development in casing drilling. International Journal of Science and Technology, 2012, 2 (8): 567–582.
    [7]
    Tessari B, Madell G, Warren T. Drilling with casing promises major benefits. Oil & Gas Journal, 1999, 97 (20): 58–62.
    [8]
    Pavković B, Bizjak R, Petrović B. Review of casing while drilling technology. Podzemni Radovi, 2016, 29: 11–32. doi: 10.5937/PODRAD1629011P
    [9]
    Shepard S F, Reiley R H, Warren T M. Casing drilling: An emerging technology. In: the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2001: SPE-67731-MS.
    [10]
    Marbun B T H, Adinugratama Y, Kurnianto B E. Feasibility study of casing while drilling application on geothermal drilling operation. In: Thirty-Ninth Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 2014: SGP-TR-202.
    [11]
    Grijalva O, Holzmann J, Oppelt J, et al. OCTG advancements in casing drilling: Where we have been and where are we going? In: the SPE Oklahoma City Oil and Gas Symposium, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, 2017: SPE-185102-MS.
    [12]
    Gupta Y, Banerjee S N. The application of expandable tubulars in casing while drilling. In: The Latin American & Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2007: SPE-105517-MS.
    [13]
    López E A, Bonilla P A. Casing-drilling application in the depleted La Cira Infantas mature field, Colombia. In: the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Lima, Peru, 2010: SPE-139020-MS.
    [14]
    Sanchez A, Brown C F, Adams W. Casing centralization in horizontal and extended reach wells. In: the SPE/EAGE European Unconventional Resources Conference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria, 2012: SPE-150317-MS.
    [15]
    Radwan A, Karimi M. Feasibility study of casing drilling application in HPHT environments; A review of challenges, benefits, and limitations. In: the SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Muscat, Oman, 2011: SPE-148433-MS.
    [16]
    Tost B, Rose K, Aminzadeh F, et al. Kick detection at the bit: Early detection via low cost monitoring. Albany, OR: National Energy Technology Laboratory, 2016: NETL-TRS-2-2016.
    [17]
    Noviasta B, Falhum H M, Setiawan B. Innovative casing drilling technology improved the ability to set the casing deeper through the problematic zone in Indonesia geothermal operation. In: Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2017: SPE-188960-MS.
    [18]
    Sánchez F, Turki M, Nabhani Y, et al. Casing while Drilling (CwD); A new approach drilling FIQA Formation in the Sultanate of Oman. A success story. In: The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2010: SPE 136107.
    [19]
    Patel D, Shah M, Thakar V, et al. Identifying casing while drilling (CwD) potential in geothermal scenario along with economics. In: 44th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 2019: SGP-TR-214.
    [20]
    Sehsah O, Kawass A E, Siddik S M, et al. Casing while drilling transformation into standard operation in Middle East. In: International Petroleum Technology Conference, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2020: IPTC-19730-MS.
    [21]
    Kerunwa1 A, Anyadiegwu C I C. Overview of the advances in casing drilling technology. Petroleum & Coal, 2015, 57 (6): 661–675.
    [22]
    Karimi M, Petrie S, Moellendick E, et al. A review of casing drilling advantages to reduce lost circulation, Improve wellbore stability, augment wellbore strengthening, and mitigate drilling-induced formation damage. In: SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Muscat, Oman, 2011: SPE-148564-MS.
    [23]
    Beaumont E, de Crevoisier L, Baquero F, et al. First retrievable directional casing while drilling (DCwD) application in peruvian fields generates time reduction and improves drilling performance preventing potential non-planned downtime. In: SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Lima, Peru, 2010: SPE-139339-MS.
    [24]
    Grijalva Meza O, Kamp K, Asgharzadeh A, et al. Well control for drilling with casing: Theoretical and experimental insights into hydraulic behavior in small annular clearances. In: SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2018: SPE-189366-MS.
    [25]
    Patel D, Thakar V R, Pandian S, et al. A review on casing while drilling technology for oil and gas production with well control model and economical analysis. Petroleum, 2019, 5 (1): 1–12. doi: 10.1016/j.petlm.2018.12.003
    [26]
    Avelar C S, Ribeiro P R. The study of well planning using the kick tolerance concept. In: 18th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering, Ouro Preto, MG, Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: ABCM, 2005.
    [27]
    Dedenuola A D, Iyamu I E, Adeleye O A. Stochastic approach to kick tolerance determination in risk based designs. In: SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, 2003: SPE-84174-MS.
    [28]
    Al-Ameri N J. Kick tolerance control during well drilling in southern Iraqi deep wells. Iraqi Journal of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, 2015, 16 (3): 45–52.
    [29]
    Fraser D, Lindley R, Moore D, et al. Early kick detection methods and technologies. In: SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2014: SPE-170756-MS.
    [30]
    Parfitt S H L, Thorogood J L. Application of QRA methods to casing seat selection. In: European Petroleum Conference, London, United Kingdom, 1994: SPE-28909-MS.

    Article Metrics

    Article views (1999) PDF downloads(4866)
    Proportional views

    /

    DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
    Return
    Return