ABSTRACT

K&M’s Hybrid Operations Services (HOPS) utilizes an On-Site Advisor and a Remote Advisor to provide real-time Torque, Drag and Hydraulics modeling using proprietary software. The service provides a cost effective way of continuous monitoring of wellbore conditions while optimizing drilling and casing operations with one Advisor onsite to coach Drill Crews on best practices and one advisor remote for complete 24 hour coverage.

CHALLENGE

• Client required an in-depth look at floating 5½” casing in +10,000’ lateral in predominately sandstone with 2-3°/100 ft tortuosity and some large dogleg intervals.
• Production lateral section drilled at 89-92° inclination and sub-parallel to bedding dip, increasing the risk of formation breakout, bedding plane instability and stuck pipe events.
• Existing casing string used in previous laterals would collapse if ran empty.
• Existing centralizer program consisted of free rotating, rigid bow spring centralizers which only allow the casing string to rotate on the inside of the centralizers.
• On-site Drill Crew lacked training of floating casing and the ability to accurately measure and model torque and drag during operations.
• Existing tripping practices were either unrestricted or too conservative which could lead to swab induced wellbore instability or surge induced losses.

SOLUTION

• K&M Technology Group was contracted to model and simulate floating 5½” casing from surface to 21,408’ TD with 11,930’ of reach.
• It was determined that typical free rotating bow spring centralizers would not allow casing to rotate to TD and recommended crimped on, solid body centralizers as apart of the centralizer program. The hybrid centralizer program made it possible for casing to reach TD as a cost effective solution.
• K&M’s Hybrid Operations Services (HOPS) provided a trip schedule for running casing to ensure all surge pressures remained below casing collapse specifications.
• During the casing run, real-time torque and drag measurements were monitored 24 hours a day and communicated to the Drill Team.

RESULTS

• Upon casing selection, the right casing weight (lb/ft) was used to stay above the collapse limits.
• The hybrid centralizer program of utilizing crimped on centralizers for the half of the lateral and free rotating bow spring centralizers for the remainder to surface allowed a portion of axial drag to be converted to torsional when rotating ensuring the string made it to TD. The hybrid centralizer design was cost effective engineering to only use as many crimped on centralizers as needed.
• K&M’s HOPS provided 24 hour surveillance, monitoring real-time torque and drag. A quick few of the plot below shows minimum hookloads approaching block weight as well as average hookload decreasing. The casing string was tripped in as far as possible before having to rotate the remainder of casing to TD. K&M’s HOPS provided affordable solutions for 24 hour coverage during high level operations with one On-Site Advisor and one Remote Advisor.
• A post job review was delivered, which provided recommendations for future casing runs.