Side tracking in open hole

Part 1

Charles Ingold, Schlumberger D&M

 Background
Historically, “Side track” sounds as bad as
“fishing”, "lost in hole”, “stuck pipe” or “plug
back”. Side tracks were mostly performed with
cement. The necessary rig time and the trips
could easily take four days.

Nowadays, a side track may take an hour without

cement and may be part of a geosteering plan.
 Main reasons for side tracking
• Stuck pipe or fish
• Hole unstable or abandonment
• Pilot holes
• Hole geometry or well too close to the water contact
• Exploration redrilled as development well
• Inability to land or steer because of laminated formations
• Easier correlation with straight-hole logs (reentry)
 The 10 questions to ask
1. Does the well need to be plugged back?
2. How much of the hole needs to be abandoned?
3. Is the formation hard? (direction of dips)
4. What tools are available?
5. Will a casing or liner be run later?
6. Was it done before on the same field?
7. Is there a wash out or DLS that can help?
8. Is there a risk of catastrophic loss of angle?
9. Cement quality and well conditions?
10.Should it be done with one single BHA?
Does the well need to be plugged?
 How much hole to be abandoned?
ROP needs to be taken in account.
The decision process should probably be a
compromise. If a cement plug is used, losing a lot
of hole just to side track in a soft spot or against a
strong DLS may not be necessary
Is the formation hard? (direction of dips)
At 2 FPH an open hole side track may be difficult.
Unless the side track is performed in the middle of
a sharp DLS, at high inclination and with heavy
tools (6 ¾ plus). There is no guarantee of success.
 What tools are available?
An open hole side track should not be attempted
if the only tool available is a rotary steerable
“push the bit type” with a poor bit selection
Will a casing or liner be run later?
Was it done before on the same field?
One can never disregard previous experience
especially when drilling contractor and service
companies have not changed.
If this is the case and past experience is bad, you
want to shoot for an aggressive solution (unless
operating practices can be changed.
Is there a wash out or DLS that can help?
Risk of catastrophic loss of angle?
Cement quality and well conditions?
Underreaming a section to place a cement plug
may be very effective.
Cement quality in oil base mud is often a problem.
the deflection technique selected may be fine
for the usual case but not on your well.
A double bend BHA may save a lot of rig time
in case of a mediocre cement plug.
Should it be done with one single BHA?
Side track with a rotary BHA
Undercuting with a classic rotary BHA
 Side track with Motors
Performing a side track with a motor and a
cement plug is usually an easy job.
It can become very hard with a poor cement plug,
when formation is very hard (laminated
formation at unfavorable angle) or simply with
the wrong bit selection.

With a single bend, time drilling will help but not

as much as when a bent sub is used. High speed
motors usually yield more DLS.
Side track with Motors in Open hole
An “open hole” side track implies the job is
performed without a cement plug.
Long ago an “open hole” side tracks were
performed to wipe out a sharp DLS.
When horizontal drilling was initiated, it became
obvious avoiding cement plugs could save a lot
of rig time.
Setting a cement plug at 90 degrees is not easy.
 Open hole side track

The tie in survey from the old hole should preferably be 100 ft behind
Stabilized or slick?
 Side track with Rotary steerables
Rotary steerables can be used with cement.
Push the bit systems are not adequate for OH ST.
The relative weak DLS capability may cause too
much TVD loss.
After two days (with X5) on an 8 ½ high angle
hole, a Motor had to be run.
 Push the bit limitations

Push the bit systems are probably worse than classic Pendulum
 ST with Point the bit systems
It all happens at the bit:
Building a trough from the bit to the 1st touch
point is enough.
 Special cases: OH Whipstocks etc…

Long ago, kick offs or side tracks were initiated with

whipstocks. It took two trips just to drill 25 ft.
Whipstocks can still be used nowadays for extreme
Situations.
Modern open hole whipstocks are no longer used to
Kick off but rather to abandon and side track.
Modern OH Whipstocks
Other cases of OH Whipstocks
OH Whipstocks better approach
 Gilligan BHAs
Defining a “Gilligan” BHA is easier than defining
its use.
Before 1980, these BHAs were used to solve
extreme situations (lack of Build or Side tracks).
Today, they seem to be used for ST only:
- Straight holes (Pendulum cannot be used)
- Motors cannot be used (odd size or lack of tools)

Gilligan BHAs normally have smaller components

mixed with larger ones to increase flex.
Examples of Gilligan BHAs
 Field case with cement
Side Track outside a 9 5/8 shoe (6 1/8 hole):
- A cement plug is set inside the shoe (oil base mud)
- Cement looks soft and even softer in Open hole.
There are only two choices:
Drill 50 more feet and set a second cement plug
Attempt side tracking with an aggressive BHA.

Solution: A double bend motor is run (2.12 on bottom

and 1.5 on top). The bit to bend distance was drilled
fast to achieve proper contact. Brake was chained for
an hour and time drilling performed after that.
 Field case without cement
Side Track in a Build section (6 1/8 Medium radius):
The objective is to beat the curve (land higher)
The PDM was set on 2.6 ABH.
- 5 feet only were slid with a 160 TF
- TF was slowly turned around
Note: ST was successful but it was necessary
To orient the TF for a couple trips afterwards.
OH ST inside a curve with PDM

This well was successful. The well was landed shallower

 Cement plug considerations
A cement plug may be good enough to isolate but
insufficiently hard to perform a side track.
Nowadays, a DD may be required to side track
without knowing plug height and hardness.
It is in our interest to recommend the use of side
track bits, tubing, plug catcher and even “Parabow”
to set a proper plug.
Cement is the best buffer.
A long cement plug may produce plug slippage.
 Cement plugs: What has changed?
Today, a 4500 PSI compressive strength can be
obtained in 24 hours with a 14.5 ppg slurry.
6000 PSI compressive strength can be obtained.

On surface holes in water base mud, 3000 PSI may

be more than enough.
Placement techniques have improved (sponge, plug
catchers)
 Determining plug hardness
Case 1: Cement plug is hard enough
A cement that drills at the same ROP as the formation
is OK. At 5 times the ROP of the formation (without
exceeding 150 FPH), Side tracking should be possible.
Case 2: Cement plug is perceived to be too soft
The best action is to wait extra time and to monitor
closely hardness drilling 5 ft every two hours without
running out of plug.
Setting a cement plug on an existing plug eliminates
the risk of plug slippage and therefore contamination.
 Parabow and plug catchers
The Parabow tool provides a solid barrier. This is
very useful when setting a plug far from bottom.
The parabow is an expendable insert (Umbrella)
run with a retrievable tool. The cement can be
pumped as soon as the Parabow is set.

Plug catchers allow accurate cement placement.

Similar to sponges, they reduce the risk of leaving
chunks of cement in the DP (Jamming MWD etc..)
Operating principles
 Classic cementing tools

The two tools above are essential to prevent plugging

the string (especially on a deviated well).
 Other ways to minimize
contamination
Goodies to place plugs more effectively may not be
available on your rig.
If this is the case, there are still options.
Two lines of action may minimize contamination:
- Setting a simple cement plug (prevent plug slippage)
- Set a Barite plug
A mud engineer can prepare a barite plug. The barite
will settle (barite sag) and will prevent plug slippage.
 Tricks and Tips
• Look at the side track like a fishing job.
• Concentrate on what you know.
• Watch out for every change (Inclination, RT)
• Attempt tagging weight with minimal circulation
The cement plug should withstand at least 20000 #.
On OH side track, try tagging after 20 ft if in doubt.
• Do not ever drill out completely a cement plug
• Do not hesitate to use Mud logging info
 Surveys and Cement
• Define DLS limits with client
• Do not hesitate in resurveying the hole
• Do not hesitate in taking check shots
• Drilling cement at 60 fph is OK on the average ST
• What matters is to look at trends over a 5 ft interval
• In oil base mud, the first 200 ft of cement may be soft
• Do not hesitate to place a 500 ft cement plug
 Open hole St tricks
• Continuous inc. at the bit is a great benefit with RS
• When in doubt, shut off the pump and tag weight
• If you have missed, relax you can reuse part of the
trough to your advantage.
Chances are the beginning of the side track is a
perfect trough to start from.
• Use a bit with minimal gauge (active gauge if
possible)
 Conclusions
• Use all the info you have about the well
• If ST is caused by an unstable hole it may happen
again if nothing is changed.
• Keeping DLS low should be easier in soft rock
• In hard rock, without continuous inc. it may be
difficult to keep DLS low. (long time to wait)
• Motors have better Side track capability.
• Side tracking as the well is drilled is easier.
• Mud compatibility with cement should be checked
 Questions?
Reference and Acknowledgments
InTouch multiple documents:
The soft science of reaming
The soft science of side tracking part 1 (OH)
Multiple documents about side tracks.

Hydrill Handbook, Drilling data handbook

BJ website and US patent website
Schlumberger pumping services and lab tests
Special thanks to:
Richard Harmer