Drilling Risks

&
HOLE CLEANING
FUNDAMENTALS
1/58
 Drilling Risks

2/58
 Drilling Problems

3/58
 Extended Reach Wells

4/58
 Introduction

This Section will Cover:

Hole Cleaning Fundamentals
• Systems approach to hole cleaning
• Hole cleaning theory
• Video
• Remedial hole cleaning practices
• Review Best Practice Quick Guide /
Manual
5/58
 Systems Approach

Hole cleaning efficiency is affected by:

• Hole size • Cuttings size
• Washouts • Pipe reciprocation
• Drill pipe diameter • % Sliding
• Flow rate • Penetration rate
• Rotary speed • Wellbore stability
• Mud rheology • Mud solids
• Wellbore Trajectory • Cuttings Dispersion
• Mud Weight Window • Water Depth
6/58
 Systems Approach

Hole Cleaning System:

• Hole cleaning is a key element of all
design components for a high angle well
(e.g. hub of the wheel)
• Consider all operational aspects of design
to optimize overall performance

7/58
 Systems Approach

Elements of Hole Cleaning System:

• Drilling Fluid (properties for cuttings
transport, hole stability, mud weight)
• Bit & BHA Designs & Strategies (rotation,
bypass area)
• Hydraulics (available GPM, pressure limits)
• Rig Systems (limitations for top drive, solids
control, pumps, electrical power)

8/58
 Systems Approach

Although elements individually may

seem appropriate to an ERD
application,
– We must consider all elements
collectively
– Goal is to “fire on all cylinders”

9/58
 Systems Approach
“Drilling in the Box”
• Inside of the box represents an
environment of good hole cleaning
• Sides represent the limitation that
must be taken into account to
remain in the box
• Changes to one parameter will
impact others, and a systems
approach must be applied to stay
within the box
(e.g. add pump for more FR → inadequate shakers, tool restrictions)
10/58
 Systems Approach
The “Planning Box”
ECD Planning

s
tice
ac
Pr ity

Soft I ssues
g bil
ippin St
a
T r re
& llbo
ng e
illi W
Dr
Drillstring Desig
n

s
Mud Selection

gie

Rig Capability
t e
ign St
ra
es
D ng
ell rilli
W D
nal
io
ct
ire
D
Casing Running

“Good hole cleaning performance doesn’t just

happen …
11/58 it must be engineered into the design”
 Systems Approach

The “Execution Box”

ECD Managemen
es t
ctic
a
Pr
ing ing
an or

Soft I ssues
Cle nit
le Mo
Ho on
ial
diti
med Co
n
Re le
Mechanical Tools Ho

Tripping Practices
Mud Properties

es
ctic
a
pr
ng
rilli
D
nal
io
ct
ire
D
Drilling Parameters
and Practices

“Sometimes you have to go slow to go

fast”
12/58
 Hole Cleaning Theory

This Section will cover:

• Hole cleaning mechanisms
• Solids in the wellbore
• Hole cleaning regimes
• Fluid flow downhole
• Cuttings transport
• What is a clean hole?
• Hole cleaning parameters

13/58
 Hole Cleaning Mechanisms

Two Mechanisms For Hole Cleaning

• Dispersion
− Effectively “disintegrates” cuttings into the mud
− May facilitate cleaning shallow large-diameter
holes drilled with WBM
− Requirements
 Dispersive mud (lignosulphonate, high pH, etc)
 Formation that will disperse (shale or chalk)
• Mechanical Removal (remaining discussion)

14/58
 Solids in a Wellbore
Hole Cleaning is all about the removal of solids
from a wellbore.

These may include:

• Cuttings
• Cavings
• Fines
• Metal shavings / Junk / Cement

15/58
 Solids in a Wellbore

Cuttings

Cavings
16/58
 Solids in a Wellbore

STANDARD BED FOR FORD F-150 PICK UP TRUCK IS ± 60FT3

HOLE SIZE ROP NUMBER OF BEDS FILLED
(ft/hr) TO THE TOP IN ONE HOUR

200 5.6
17½”
50 1.4
200 3.8
14½”
50 1.0
200 2.7
12¼”
50 0.7
200 1.3
8½”
50 0.3

17/58
 Hole Cleaning Regimes

Cuttings behave differently depending on

well angle:
0° to ±35°
±35° to ±60°
> ±60°
Guidelines for effective hole cleaning are
therefore different
18/58
 Hole Cleaning Regimes
Stationary cuttings bed
Slip-velocity
Avalanching Cuttings transport depends
(suspension)
on GPM/RPM

0 - 35 35 - 60 60 - 90

Cuttings Movement With Flow Cuttings Movement Without Flow

19/58
 Hole Cleaning Regimes

Approach to hole cleaning for….

• 0° to ±35° wells: Mud rheology & flow rate designed
to combat slip-velocity(suspension)
• ±35° to ±60° wells: Practices designed to combat
cuttings avalanching
• >±60° degree wells: Practices designed to move
cuttings in a long, stationary bed (with a short
avalanche interval in the build section)
• Note that a high angle well must deal with each of
these intervals

20/58
 Fluid Flow

Vertical Hole

21/58
 Fluid Flow

Directional Hole
High Flow

Low Flow
22/58
 Cuttings Transport

Cuttings Transport - Vertical Hole

Upward
Force due to
Downward
Fluid Flow
Force due to
Fluid
Gravity
Flow
CUTTING

+ =
Resulting upward force carrying
the cutting out of the hole

23/58
 Cuttings Transport

Cuttings Transport – Deviated Hole

Force up the hole high side of

hole due to Fluid Flow
Downward Fluid
Force due to CUTTING Flow
Gravity

Resulting force on the cutting

does not pull it out of the hole

24/58
 Cuttings Transport
Cuttings Transport - The Hole
Cleaning Conveyor Belt

25/58
 Cuttings Transport
• High velocity fluid on top of the hole acts like a
conveyor belt transporting cuttings out of the hole
• Cuttings will travel so far and then fall off (into low
flow zone) due to gravity.
• The length traveled on the conveyor belt is a function
of flowrate, rpm and fluid viscosity

Speed of the conveyor

belt is a function of
flowrate
26/58
 Cuttings Transport
• Drillpipe rotation is the key to getting the cuttings
back onto the conveyor belt.
• Without rotation the conveyor belt will not having
any cuttings on it

Rotation turns the

conveyor belt on
and off

27/58
 Cuttings Transport
No rotation Rotation

Cuttings are moved by mechanical

agitation and viscous coupling effect
28/58
 Cuttings Transport
Other complex cuttings transport mechanisms:
• Saltation flow
• Boycott Settling

29/58
 Cuttings Transport
Saltation Flow – flow of cuttings in high angle hole

High
Velocity
Low Low
Velocity Velocity

Dune Movement
30/58
 Cuttings Transport
Boycott Settling– settling of cuttings in inclined hole

Cuttings on the top of

the hole move up

Cuttings settle to the

low side and slip down
the hole

31/58
 Defining a clean Hole
What is a clean hole?:
• Every high angle wellbore will have a cuttings bed
• Management of the cutting bed key to hole
cleaning

“a wellbore with a cuttings bed height and

distribution such that operations are trouble free”
• “Clean hole” will be different for various
operations (e.g. drilling, tripping, logging)

32/58
 Defining a clean Hole

Drilling: Tripping:
“Dirtier” hole can be Hole needs to be cleaner
tolerated as the drillpipe as drillcollars, stabilizers
moving through the and bits have to be pulled
cuttings bed through the cuttings bed.

33/58
 Defining a clean Hole

Running Casing:
Depending on annular
clearances, may need a very
clean hole. Casing can act like a
bulldozer running down the hole
(excessive drag, plugging floats).

34/58
 Hole Cleaning Parameters
• Rotation
• Flowrate
• Mud Rheology
• Time (Cleanup Cycles)

35/58
 Rotation
No rotation Rotation

Cuttings are moved by mechanical

agitation and viscous coupling effect
36/58
 Rotation
• Key parameter for hole cleaning efficiency
in high angle holes (turns conveyor on)
• Rotation alone is not sufficient…rotary
speed is critical

37/58
 Rotation
RPM vs Hole Cleaning Effectiveness (9-7/8" and larger hole sizes)

150 – 180 rpm

Relative Cuttings
Return Volume 100 – 120 rpm

Fine tuning of pipe rpm

from 60-80rpm is generally
not meaningful

Pipe rpm

38/58
 Rotation
• There is a significant difference between 100 rpm
& 120 rpm, for high angle hole cleaning in 121/4”
& 171/2” hole.
• Step changes occur at 120 rpm, and 150 rpm
− Independent of hole size, drillpipe size, mud type
− Importance, however, depends on hole size
− 120 RPM Minimum to clean 121/4” & 171/2” hole,
maximum generally determined by mechanical
limitations
− 60 RPM Minimum to clean 81/2 ” hole, the maximum
generally determined by ECD
39/58
 Rotation Effects
Real Life Example: Hondo H-42, 75° inclination
10-5/8” intermediate hole, 600 GPM (SBC, CA)
• Sidetrack with big angle motor, limit rotary to 40
rpm: very few cuttings over shakers
• Before tripping out, circulate 4 x BU @ 100 rpm:
only slightly improved cuttings load on shakers
• Trip in with rotary assembly & clean up well @ 120
rpm…..at 2 x BU shakers flooded with cuttings
• Drill ahead at 120 rpm, shakers stayed full

40/58
 Rotation
Why is it easier to clean 8½” (& smaller holes)?
5” DP in 8½” Hole 5” DP in 12¼” Hole
61% Eccentric 81% Eccentric
Tool
• Pipe is better
Joint
centralized by tool
joint in small hole
• Viscous coupling
more effective

• Higher annular velocity (usually), more evenly distributed

• Fewer cuttings to remove for same ROP
41/58
 Rotation
Operational Considerations:
• Caution using >150rpm in >16” hole
• Monitor vibrations
• Monitor impact on ECD’s

42/58
 Flowrate
• Key parameter for hole cleaning rate
(governs the speed of the conveyor)
− Cuttings move faster
− Stay on conveyor longer
− Can drill at higher ROP
• Low side threshold, and point of
diminishing returns on the high side.

43/58
 Flowrate

Point of
Hole Cleaning diminishing
rate at 120rpm benefits

Hole Cleaning
Relative Cuttings with no rotation
Return Volume

Minimum
flowrate for
returns

Flowrate

44/58
 Flowrate
Operational Considerations:
• Attempt to maximize at all times within
other limitations (ECD, pump pressures)
• Hole erosion unlikely due to flow
• Turbulent flow almost impossible
• AV’s walking pace
• Theoretically fluid velocity next to borehole
wall is zero

45/58
 Hole Cleaning Parameters
Minimal for
Desirable for Good
Hole Cleaning
Effective Hole
Cleaning
Hole Flowrate Flowrate
Size (gpm)
rpm rpm
(gpm)
120 –
17½” 900 – 1200
150
800 120
120 –
14½” 850 – 1150
170
800 120
150 –
12¼” 800 – 1100
180
650 - 700 120
120 –
9⅞” 700 – 900
150
500 100

8½” 450 - 600 70 – 100 350 - 400 60

46/58
 Mud Rheology
• Not as critical as flowrate and rpm for hole cleaning in
deviated wells.
• Optimize for hole cleaning while considering impact
on ECD and barite sag etc.
• YP not representative of flow in the annulus
• Target 3 and 6 rpm readings
• Rules of thumb (consider impact on ECD)
− 6rpm reading = 1.0 - 1.2 x Hole size
− YZ = 2 x 3rpm – 6 rpm = 8-15 lbs/100ft2

47/58
 Mud Rheology

Mud too thin:

• Lower ECD, but…
• Less effective viscous coupling
(harder to turn the conveyor belt on)
• Cuttings will drop out of the fluid
easier (travel less distance on
conveyor belt)
• Barite sag an issue

48/58
 Mud Rheology

Mud too thick:

• Fluid more prone to channeling up
high side.
• Low velocity zone increases in size.
• Impacts SPP and ECD (may have to
cut flowrate).

49/58
 Time (Cleanup Cycles)

• The term BU is somewhat

meaningless for high angle wells as
cuttings move up the hole much
slower than the fluid.

• Circulation should generally

continue until the shakers are clean
or a background level has been
reached.

50/58
 Time (Cleanup Cycles)
• Generally minimum 2-3 x BU (up to 4-6) is
requires to cleanup a high angle hole.
• The number of BU will increase with:
− Increased measured depth
− Higher inclination
− Larger hole size
− Reduced parameters (rpm, flowrate, viscosity)
• More in tripping practices

51/58
 Video

Effects of Hole Angle (no drill pipe in flow)

1. Flow in 80° pipe- Note stable bed (won’t slide)
• Very little cuttings movement at 200 fpm AV
2. Flow in 35° pipe- Good transport, 200 fpm AV
• Avalanching when flow stops (YP = 23, 6-rpm = 4)
3. Flow in 45° pipe- Complex “Boycott Settling”
• Some cuttings move upward at top of hole, some
downward at bottom of hole
• Poor hole cleaning at only 130 fpm AV
Open Video Clip MI-1 (right click to start/stop)

52/58
 Video
Effects of Drill String Rotation
• Rotation flips cuttings into flow stream
- Note individual cuttings “hop” up the hole
• Horizontal annulus with no rotation
- Poor cleaning, even with good fluid and flow rate
• Good cuttings transport with addition of rotation
• Similar rotation benefit at 55°
• Effect of mud rheology
- HEC has good YP but low 6-RPM….cleans poorly
- Biopolymer (XC) has good 6-RPM… cleans well
Open Video Clip MI-2 (right click to start/stop)

53/58
 Video
Effect of Eccentricity, Sweeps, Washouts
1. Simulated flow pattern with pipe at bottom of
hole
• Almost all flow is along top of hole
• Cuttings naturally migrate to areas of low flow
2. Viscous sweeps
• Travel along top of hole with no effect on cuttings
• Elongates & normally just mixes into the mud
3. Cuttings collect in washouts & large dia ratholes
Open Video Clip MI-3 (right click to start/stop)

54/58
 Remedial Hole Cleaning

If Hole Cleaning problems while drilling:

• Optimize Parameters (flowrate, rpm, mud)
• Control ROP
• Cleanup cycles
• Wiper trips
• Sweeps
• Backreaming (more later)

55/58
 Remedial Hole Cleaning

Wiper Trips:
• Unless preceded by cleanup cycle, limited value to
hole cleaning
• May be beneficial for other reasons (e.g. wipe off
filter cake, swelling shale, instability)
• Not seen as necessary if good hole cleaning
practices are used

56/58
 Remedial Hole Cleaning
Inclined: Fluid takes the
Hi-vis sweep path of least resistance,
and pill elongates up top
of hole. Slip velocity
meaningless.

Vertical: decreased slip-

velocity in the hi-vis pill
allows large cuttings to
be swept out of the hole

57/58
 Remedial Hole Cleaning

Sweeps:
• Generally seen as ineffective, regardless of the
sweep design.
• Fluid takes the path of least resistance up the high
side (magnified with the use of hi-vis mud).
• Sweeps usually seen coming back
early.
• When additional cutting are seen,
likely from low inclination section
or riser.
58/58
 Remedial Hole Cleaning

Sweeps – what’s the downside:

• Time and money.
• Makes management of mud properties difficult,
particularly with large volume sweeps.
• Barite sag.
• When ECD’s critical, can result in an ECD spike if
a large volume of cuttings are picked up in the low
inclination interval.

59/58
 Remedial Hole Cleaning

Sweeps – if they must be pumped:

• Carefully document to avoid doing the same thing
twice and expecting a different result.
• Pipe should be rotated continuously at 120+rpm in
>9⅞” hole.
• Don’t stop pumping till sweep out of hole.
• Consider alternative sweep types:
− Tandem lo-vis / hi-vis.
− Weighted sweeps.
− Fiberous LCM sweeps.

60/58
 BEST PRACTICE
QUICK GUIDE /
MANUAL

61/58
 Tripping/Back reaming

62/58