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SESSION 2

DRILLING A WELL
What does it mean?

• Simply it is making a hole

• To achieve some or all or more of the objectives below:

- Drill to the well target depth as per sub-surface requirements

- Drill the well such that well objectives are achieved

- Drill the well safely without hurting people, without damaging the
environment and equipment

All the above to be delivered such that:

- The well is drilled safely with minimum risk

- The well is drilled optimally with optimum cost

- The well is delivered with maximum value


WHY DRILLING IS FASCINATING?

• Because it is a mystery

• Everything is happening sub-surface

• We can predict, evaluate and interpret but no absolute data

• That is why it is not only fascinating but also risky

Drilling means delivery of objectives

Anything less means technical failure


LET US DRILL A WELL

After a good lunch and break, let us go for something which


will keep us awake!

What do you think?


WHAT DO WE NEED TO DRILL?

Assume that you are using a electrical drill to drill

a hole in the wall to hang a painting…

What are the things you need to drill the hole?

• Rotation

• Compression

• Cleaning

• Drilling bit
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DRILL?

Similar to the hole drilled in the wall of your home,

To drill the well also we need the following:

• Rotation

• Compression to give weight

• Cleaning of the hole

• Drilling bit
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DRILL?
Assume that you are digging a big well of 40 feet diameter
in your farm
To a depth of day 90 feet
What do you need to stabilise the well not falling over?

• Start with big size

• Stabilise with brick wall or cement rings

• Reduce the size each time a brick wall


or cement ring is installed

• You may reach the bottom at 90 feet at


a smaller size than 40 feet at surface
DIGGING A WELL IN A FARM
In Gujarat and few other places, when wells are digged deep
(some even to 150 feet), they used a method called step well…

There is one such beautiful step well near Mehsana built


almost 600 years back

Can anybody draw a schematic to show this step well?

Concrete or
Brick Walls

Water
20” casing -
150 m WHAT DO WE NEED
Cement to
surface
TO DRILL?

13.3/8” casing The same way we did the step well to


– 1,150 m
Cement to stabilise the
surface
Upper formations, we will run casings
starting
with larger Diameter At the surface
9.5/8” casing – and ending
1,950 m
Cement to 150 m with smallest size at well TD
inside 13.3/8”
shoe

5.1/2” Liner –
3,200 m
Cement to 150 m
inside 9.5/8”
shoe

Reservoir Section
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DRILL?

Rotation

Rotary Table

Can be an independent drive or coupled with draw works

Top Drive

Has its own hydraulic or electrical motor – no rotary table is required


ROTARY TABLE

• Requires drive
(either independent or coupled)

• Not a part of the hoisting


equipment

• Requires Kelly bushing and Kelly to


pass the drive to drill string

TOP DRIVE

• Has its own drive

• Part of the hoisting


system

• Does not require Kelly


and Kelly bushing to pass
the drive to drill string
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DRILL?
Compression

Drill Collar

Designed to apply weight on bit

Designed for compression

Sizes vary depending on the bit size

Common sizes are as follows:

For 26” hole section – 9.1/2” or 9” and 8”

For 17.1/2” hole section – 9.1/2” or 9” and/or 8” (if a tapered string is used, then a
6.1/2” will be used above 8”)

For 12.1/4” hole section – 8” (if a tapered string is used, then a 6.1/2” will be used
above 8”)

For 8.1/2” hole section – 6.1/2” or 6.3/4”


DEFINITION

“WELL CONSTRUCTION” means Drilling, Testing and

Completion operations
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

In a Logical Sequence,

Part 1 : Drilling Preparation

Part 2 : Tangibles

Part 3 : Mobilization of Rig and Services

Part 3 : Drilling Operations

Part 4 : Demobilization of Rig and Services

Part 5 : Drilling Close out


WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 1 : Drilling Preparation

Definition:

To carry out all activities to prepare for drilling, testing and


completing the well (s).

Generally ignored by many Operators but this is one of the most critical
requirement for a successful drilling campaign.

You have to be prepared…if not ???

FAIL to PREPARE – PREPARE to FAIL


WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 1 : Drilling Preparation

List of Activities

- Well engineering - Feasibility studies


- Engineering studies - Drilling Programme
- Budgets and AFE - Tendering and contracting process
- Site preparation - Systems, procedures and policies
- Statutory and environmental approvals - Inspection of rig and services
- Setting up IT and Communication systems - Others as necessary
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 2 : Tangibles

Tangibles require generally long lead time for delivery depending upon the
requirements and market conditions.

• Hence, they are ordered well in advance of the drilling operations, some times
even 6 to 12 months before

• At least the preliminary well design has to be completed (preferably final well
design) prior to ordering of the tangibles

• For some complex wells, the exercise for ordering tangibles starts even 1 or 2
years prior to the expected drilling time
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 2 : Tangibles

• Design may change close to start of drilling operations due to additional work or
data during the period between ordering tangibles and actually drilling and hence
the preliminary design for ordering has to include contingencies for such changes

• Tangibles generally include the following:

- Casings - Casing accessories


- Tubings - Completion equipment
- Wellheads - Liner Hangers
- X’Mas Trees - Others
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 3 : Mobilisation of Rig and Services

To mobilize rig and all the related services to the Location to drill the
1st well in the campaign

List of most common services


- Drilling rig - Cementing and pumping services
- Mud logging services - Wireline logging services
- Drilling and fishing tools - Tubular running services
- Mud engineering and chemicals services - Solids control equipment services
- Waste Management services - Directional drilling services
- Well testing services - Slick line services
- Coring services - Liner hanger services
- Wellhead services - Inspection services
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 3 : Mobilisation of Rig and Services

List of some additional services

- Diving services (offshore)


- AHTS vessels (offshore)
- ROV services (offshore – mostly for floater operations)
- Helicopter services (generally for offshore – but some onshore remote
operations also utilise)
- Special services and technology related services
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Site preparation Rig


and others
All services

Spudding of
well

Drilling programme Tangibles


And
Statutory
Budget / AFE
approvals

So many activities have to converge to the date of spud and it is not


easy to accomplish unless proper preparation and mobilisation plans
are developed and executed

Otherwise there be waiting time which costs MONEY


WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 4 : Drilling Operations

To drill the well as per the Drilling Programme to achieve the


following:

- Drilling Engineering objectives


- Geological objectives
- Evaluation and testing objectives
- Completion objectives

All of the above, within defined KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)


WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 5 : Demobilisation of Rig and Services

At the end of the drilling campaign, to demobilise the rig and services
in time and properly
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR WELL CONSTRUCTION?

Part 5 : Drilling Close-Out

Generally ignored by many Operators but it is critical for later reference,


audits and future projects as same personnel may or may not be present

List of Activities

- Demobilisation of rig and services - End of well / project reports


- Material consumptions reports - Learning points and recommendations
- Final cost – planned vs actual - Payment of invoices and close out
- Close out of all contracts - Location clearance
END OF SESSION 2

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