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DualGradientDrillingMethods:

TheirLayoutsandPressure
Profiles
JohnCohen,AGR
KenSmith,Chevron
KristinFalk,OceanRiserSystems
JasminBegagic,Transocean
IADCDualGradient DrillingWorkshop
Houston,TX
May5,2010
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

DefinitionsandBackdrop

ManagedPressureDrilling(MPD)isanadaptivedrillingprocessusedto
preciselycontroltheannularpressureprofilethroughoutthewellbore.
Theobjectivesaretoascertainthedownhole pressureenvironmentlimits
andtomanagetheannularhydraulicpressureprofileaccordingly.
DualGradientDrilling(DGD)isoneofthe4variationsofMPD.
TheothersareConstantBottomHolePressure,PressurizedMudCap
DrillingandReturnsFlowControl(HSE).
DualGradientDrilling(DGD):Creationofmultiplepressuregradients
withinselectsectionsoftheannulustomanagetheannularpressure
profile.Methodsincludeuseofpumps,fluidsofvaryingdensities,or
combinationofthese.
IndustryhastriedtoaccomplishDGDwiththelighterdensitybeing
providedbysolids,liquidsandgases.

WhatDifferentiatesTheseEfforts?
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

DGDApproachesandSystems
(DeployedBeforeorAftertheBOP)
DGDSystems
PostBOPDGDSystems

PreBOP
DGDSystems
SeabedPumping

Riserless
Mud
Return

Subsea *Controlled
*MudLift
Mud
Drilling

Pressure

Available

Active

Active

AGR

GE/Hydril

AGR

With
Liquids

With
Solids

Shell
Subsea
Processing
System

Continuous
Annular
Pressure
Management

Light
Weight
Solids
Additives

Inactive

Inactive?
(Shell)

Active

Inactive?

(Transocean)

DeepVision

MidRiser
Pumping

Dilution

Transocean

(Mauer)

With
Gas

Low
* Riser

*Delta
Vision

Return
System

Inactive?

Active

Inactive
(Transocean)

OceanRiser
Systems

*Note: These systems can be classified as, Controlled Riser Fluid Level systems under the IADC MPD Screening tool under development.

May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

PressureProfilesinDeepwaterEnvironments
ConventionalDrilling

Single Gradient
Density at TD
Seafloor
Casing Points

Depth

Surface
Casing

Seawater
Hydrostatic

Fracture
Pressure

TD
Pore Pressure

Pressure
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

PressureProfilesinDeepwaterEnvironments
MidRiserPumping,SeawaterDensityinRiser

Seafloor

Depth

Dual Gradient
Density at TD
Surface
Casing

Seawater
Hydrostatic

Fracture
Pressure

TD
Pore Pressure

Pressure

PressureProfilesinDeepwaterEnvironments
SeabedPumping,SeawaterDensityinRiser

Dual Gradient
Density at TD

Seafloor

Depth

Surface
Casing

Seawater
Hydrostatic

Fracture
Pressure

TD
Pore Pressure

Pressure

PressureProfilesinDeepwaterEnvironments
MidRiserPumping,GasDensityinRiser

Dual Gradient
Density at TD

Seafloor

Depth

Surface
Casing

Seawater
Hydrostatic

Fracture
Pressure

TD
Pore Pressure

Pressure

ContinuousAnnularPressureManagement(Transocean)
Lightdrillingfluidis
pumpeddownthe
annulusformed
betweenthedrilling
riserandaninnerriser
(example: 16casing
string)orusing
dedicatedboosterlines.
Itmixeswiththereturn
mudfromthewellbore
andcreatesalighter
densitymudinthe
drillingriser.
Themudisprocessed
throughcentrifugesto
separateintothelight
dilutionfluidandthe
heavierdrillingfluid.
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

Courtesy of: Transocean Ltd.

CAPMDualGradientWellDesignwith
3CasingStrings

May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

CAPMDualGradientWellDesignwith1Casing
StringandSubMudlineInjection

May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

SubSeaMudLiftDrilling(GE/Hydril)
Aseawaterdriven
positivedisplacement
pump(MLP)islocated
abovetheBOP/LMRP.It
withdrawsthemudfrom
thewellandpumpsit
backtothesurface
throughalineattachedto
thedrillingriser.
Theriserisfilledwitha
seawaterdensityfluid,or
themud/riserfluid
interfacecanbe
maintainedatanydepth.
ASubseaRotatingDevice
(SRD)sitsabovethe
MudLiftPumpwhichcan
beusedtorapidlychange
thepressureprofileinthe
well.
May 5, 2011

Pacific
Santa
Ana
Seawater Power Line
Choke
Line
Drill
Pipe

Kill Line

Mud Return Line

Drilling Riser
Cross-Section

Subsea
Rotating
Device (SRD)

Solids Processing
Unit (SPU)

MudLift Pump
(MLP)

Drill String
Valve (DSV)
IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

Courtesy of: Chevron

SubSeaMudLiftDrillingPressureProfiles
(MudlinePositiveDisplacementPump)
(Highdensitymudbelowthemudline,seawaterdensityintheriser)

Any WD up to
10,000

Dual Gradient
Density at TD

Casing Points
Seafloor

Depth

Surface
Casing

Seawater
Hydrostatic

Fracture
Pressure

TD
Pore Pressure

Pressure
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

ControlledMudPressure(AGRSubsea)

Adiskpump(head
pump)issuspended
fromtherigandplaced
neartheseabed.
Thepumpwithdraws
themudfromthewell
abovetheBOP/LMRP
andreturnsittotherig
throughanexternal
line.
Theriserisfilledwith
seawater.

May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

Courtesy of: AGR Subsea Inc.

ControlledMudPressure(CMP)PressureProfiles
(MudlineHeadPump)
(Highdensitymudbelowthemudline,seawaterdensityintheriser)

Any WD up to
5,000

Dual Gradient
Density at TD

Casing Points
Seafloor

Depth

Surface
Casing

Seawater
Hydrostatic

Fracture
Pressure

TD
Pore Pressure

Pressure
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

LowRiserReturnSystem(OceanRiserSystems)
Apumpissuspended
fromtherigtoafixed
depthintheseawater
column.
Itisattachedtothe
riser,wherethemudis
withdrawnfromthe
wellboreandreturned
totherigthroughan
externalline.
Theriserisevacuated
andflushedwith
nitrogen,andthe
gas/fluidinterfacein
theriserismanaged.
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

Courtesy of: Ocean Riser Systems AS

LRRSDrillingPressureProfiles
(Pumpatfixeddepthbelowsealevel)
(Highdensitymudbelowtheloweredmudlevel,gasabovethisdynamic level)

2 or 3
Casing Points

Mud level

Seafloor

Depth

Surface
Casing

Seawater
Hydrostatic

Fracture
Pressure

TD
Pore Pressure

Pressure
May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

Potential Gradient
Eliminate a
Casing Point

ThankYou!QuestionsofAnyofUs?
DGDSystems
PostBOPDGDSystems

PreBOP
DGDSystems
SeabedPumping

Riserless
Mud
Return

Subsea *Controlled
*MudLift
Mud
Drilling

Pressure

Available

Active

Active

AGR

GE/Hydril

AGR

With
Liquids

With
Solids

Shell
Subsea
Processing
System

Continuous
Annular
Pressure
Management

Light
Weight
Solids
Additives

Inactive

Inactive?
(Shell)

Active

Inactive?

(Transocean)

DeepVision

MidRiser
Pumping

Dilution

Transocean

(Mauer)

With
Gas

Low
* Riser

*Delta
Vision

Return
System

Inactive?

Active

Inactive
(Transocean)

OceanRiser
Systems

*Note: These systems can be classified as, Controlled Riser Fluid Level systems under the IADC MPD Screening tool under development.

May 5, 2011

IADC Dual Gradient Drilling Workshop

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