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A Novel Model for the Real-Time Evaluation of Hole-Cleaning Conditions with Case Studies

Author

Listed:
  • Mohammed Al-Rubaii

    (Department of Petroleum Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammed Al-Shargabi

    (School of Earth Sciences & Engineering, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin Avenue, Tomsk 634050, Russia)

  • Dhafer Al-Shehri

    (Department of Petroleum Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

The main challenge in deviated and horizontal well drilling is hole cleaning, which involves the removal of drill cuttings and maintaining a clean borehole. Insufficient hole cleaning can lead to issues such as stuck pipe incidents, lost circulation, slow rate of penetration ( ROP ), difficult tripping operations, poor cementing, and formation damage. Insufficient advancements in real-time drilling evaluation for complex wells can also lead to drilling troubles and an increase in drilling costs. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model for the hole-cleaning index ( HCI ) that could be integrated into drilling operations to provide an automated and real-time evaluation of deviated- and horizontal-drilling hole cleaning based on hydraulic and mechanical drilling parameters and drilling fluid rheological properties. This HCI model was validated and tested in the field in 3 wells, as it was applied when drilling 12.25″ intermediate directional sections and an 8.5″ liner directional section. The integration of the HCI in Well-A and Well-B helped achieve much better well drilling performance (50% ROP enhancement) and mitigate potential problems such as pipe sticking due to hole cleaning and the slower rate of penetration. Moreover, the HCI model was also able to identify hole-cleaning efficiency during a stuck pipe issue in Well-C, which highlights its potential usage as a real-time model for optimizing drilling performance and demonstrates its versatility.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammed Al-Rubaii & Mohammed Al-Shargabi & Dhafer Al-Shehri, 2023. "A Novel Model for the Real-Time Evaluation of Hole-Cleaning Conditions with Case Studies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-27, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:13:p:4934-:d:1178744
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hany Gamal & Salaheldin Elkatatny & Salem Basfar & Abdulaziz Al-Majed, 2019. "Effect of pH on Rheological and Filtration Properties of Water-Based Drilling Fluid Based on Bentonite," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Gurtej Singh Saini & Parham Pournazari & Pradeepkumar Ashok & Eric van Oort, 2022. "Intelligent Action Planning for Well Construction Operations Demonstrated for Hole Cleaning Optimization and Automation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-33, August.
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