Enabling Technology Optimizes Dynamic Mud Weight Management and Reduces Well Cost Associated with Drilling Operations

Abstract

Abstract Description of the Material: The drilling industry's new Micro-Flux Control (MFC) System technology has enabled safer and cost effective processes and practices in defining uncertain down-hole limitations in wells ranging from wildcat to mature fields. MFC is a closed loop system that evaluates available drilling data in real time. The standard application of MFC technology optimizes drilling practices by its ability to ascertain actual downhole pressure environment limitations in real time. Knowing these limitations allows continuous conventional drilling operations while retaining the benefits of the Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) through dynamic mud weight management. This paper presents a description and features of the MFC system, benefits of standard application, and case studies with real field data. The Application: An increasing proportion of wells are drilled in challenging environments; uncertainties and unforeseen events associated while drilling are costly and unsafe. Utilizing MFC methods allows operators to mitigate these drilling events through real time event identification with accurate measurement in mass flow/density and pressures. Furthermore, the MFC system provides an accurate response, and determination, of actual wellbore pressure limitations. Armed with this understanding, wells can be progressively drilled in conventional practice with optimized dynamic mud weight management via drilling parameter adjustments. Common practices of the applications in recent wells are pore/fracture pressure determination through dynamic pore pressure test and LOT/FIT's, identification and mitigation of ballooning, quick identification of kicks and losses in miniscule order of magnitude with or without automatic control, safe and rapid depletion of gas zones, and so forth. The results, observations and conclusions: This paper includes actual field cases from recent wells drilled in the United States, North Sea, North Africa, and Asia Pacific. Also, screenshots are presented showing each of the aforementioned events and the mitigation techniques implemented to maintain drilling conditions within the downhole pressure limitations. The significance of the subject matter: Micro-Flux Control technology is the only enabling method that closely adheres to the definition of MPD by IADC without changing conventional drilling practices. Eliminating uncertainty during the drilling process enhances overall safety, improves the real-time decision making process, and reduces non productive time and well costs.