RESEARCH ARTICLE


Wiper Trips Effect on Wellbore Instability Using Net Rising Velocity Methods



Ali K. Darwesh*, Thorkild M. Rasmussen, Nadhir Al-Ansari
Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden


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© 2017 Darwesh et al.

open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

* Address correspondence to this authors at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden, Tel: +46(0)920491384; E-mails: ali.darwesh@ltu.se; thorkild.maack.rasmussen@ltu.se


Abstract

Background:

This paper discusses the wiper trip effects on well instability in shale formations.

Objectives:

Problematic shale interval sections have been studied for the time spent on the wiper trip operations. Lifting efficiency and well wall instability change with the time analyzed. Detailed drilling operation, formation heterogeneity, rheological and filtration characteristics of polymer water-based mud are discussed. Physical and chemical properties of the drilled formation and drilling fluid are also studied.

Materials and Methods:

Wiper trips are analyzed using a typical drawing program to find the relations between the most controllable parameters. For that, two calculation models have been implemented to find the net rising cutting particles velocity in the annular. The relation between the net rising velocity and wiper trips is analyzed. Laboratory works have been done to support the findings of field work.

Results:

Strong relations have been found between the wiper trip impacts and lithology types of the penetrated shale.

Conclusion:

A modified drilling program is proposed in relation to changes in casing setting depth and drilling fluid properties that make the operations more efficient in cost and time.

Keywords: Wiper trip, Well drilling, Well instability, Drilling fluid, Lithology, Shale formation.