TITLE:
Analysis of Hole Cleaning for a Vertical Well
AUTHORS:
Bashir Busahmin, Nawaf H. Saeid, Ummul Hasanah Binti Hj Hasan, Gamal Alusta
KEYWORDS:
Yield Point, Plastic Viscosity, Rate of Penetration, Mud Weight
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.4 No.5,
May
17,
2017
ABSTRACT:
Vertical
or straight hole drilling that usually has less than 30 degree still is utilized
to drilling operations in conventional and even in unconventional resources in
nowadays worldwide for increasing recovery i.e. higher rate of penetration where there are kind of challenges that demand
investigation of this type of drilling. One key challenge is efficient hole
cleaning or cuttings removal which can lead to issues related to hole problems
and consequently problems such as high over pull margins and stuck pipe may
occur. Furthermore, inappropriate use of drilling fluid properties at different
stages of drilling operation causes the hole to collapse due the accumulation
of cuttings in the annulus as well as at the wellbore. The present study
introduces an analytical and a numerical model for a vertical well that can be
used to optimize drilling operations. The transport velocity i.e. the ration of the annular velocity
and slip velocity is so vital in hole cleaning. Inefficient hole cleaning may
lead to problems such as, slow drilling rates which increase drilling time and
costs. For a vertical well, as addressed in the literature, the proper hole
cleaning is basically dependent on drilling hydraulics or mud rheology liked rilling
fluid density, viscosity and thixotropy or gel strength. Based on the proposed
predictions of the above-mentioned parameters that are significant to avoid
formation damage while drilling a vertical hole. The present article analysis
the data related to efficient drilling operations, hole cleaning for a vertical
well and the results revealed that mud rheology, density, transport velocity,
pipe rotation and the depth of the well are the controlling factors that
influence hole cleaning.