Nov-09

NOTES:

The papers listed here have been obtained by search SPE and IPTC papers post 2005 on the SPE's OnePetro
The papers relating to reservoir engineering have been catergorised for inclusion on the reservoirengineering.org.uk website
The affiiations searched were;

Total No Papers Reservoir Engineering Related

BP 551 175
Shell 575 279
Chevron 482 238
ConocoPhillips 191 68
Marathon 55 37
Total 255 129
Schlumberger 1130 563
Imperial College, London 95 53
Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh 235 175
(Anywhere in Article)
Total 3569 1717

Total number of papers published post 2005 10,000

35% of papers published categorised

 Paper
Organisation Source No. Chapter Section
SHELL SPE 103576 Drilling UBD
Distinguished Author SPE 88698 Drilling UBD
 Subject
Implementation
Formation Damage
 Title
Underbalanced Drilling In The Reservoir, An Integrated Technology Approach
Underbalanced Drilling; Remedy for Formation Damage, Lost Circulation, and Other Related Convent
 Author Abstract
John Ramalho, SPE, Shell Intl. E&P Abstract Shell is a major player in the Global dep
Hani Qutob, Weatherford Underbalanced Systems Abstract Almost every drilling operation is a pote
ajor player in the Global deployment of Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) technology to reduce drilling prob-lems minimize formation dama
ry drilling operation is a potential source of damage to well productivity lost circulation differential sticking and other related conventional
minimize formation damage and improve reservoir management techniques. The impetus is a recognition that most of the worlds mat
her related conventional Drilling problems. This paper re-visits the key damage mechanisims and provides a broad overview on how they
ost of the worlds mature hydrocarbon reservoirs are in the lower end of the depletion cycle and an increasing number of horizontal well
ad overview on how they occur during various oilfield operations and their effect on well productivity. Also lost circulation or fluid invasion
number of horizontal wells are left with un-cemented completions. In addition to access new untapped reserves requires venturing into de
rculation or fluid invasion potential in high permeability zones large open fractures heterogeneous carbonates with massive interconnecte
requires venturing into deeper water depths and the exploitation of deeper tight gas reservoirs each with its own challenges. This paper de
th massive interconnected vugular porosity or pressure depleted zones would be a major issue of concern during conventional drilling con
hallenges. This paper describes the process involving rigorous pre-screening planning execution and feedback of learning de-veloped tha
g conventional drilling condition. The worst-case scenario would be a combination of one of these high permeability features with significa
of learning de-veloped that enables fast implementation of underbalanced drilling (UBD) and integrated technologies into Brown Field a
ity features with significant pressure depletion. In order to overcome the above problems while drilling the industry developed a method t
es into Brown Field areas and new business opportunities in Green Field devel-opment. This begs the question; what is Managed
try developed a method to drill with a bottom hole pressure below the pore pressure called Underbalanced Drilling - UBD As the majority
 uestion; what is Managed Pressure Drilling technology and what is the relationship with underbalanced drilling? The International Associati
ng - UBD As the majority of hydrocarbons being exploited today are found in existing pressure depleted or complex and lower quality Rese
he International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) defines Managed Pressure Drilling as an adaptive drilling process used to p
ex and lower quality Reservoirs with lots of the conventional drilling problems this is where Underbalanced Drilling Technology can add va
drilling process used to precisely control the annular pressure profile throughout the well bore. The objectives are to establish the down-hole
g Technology can add value and in some cases reduce development cost. Soon Underbalanced Drilling will become the standard field de
to establish the down-hole pressure environment limits and to manage the annular hydraulic pressure profile accordingly. In a sense mana
ome the standard field development technique both Onshore and offshore where the Geology and Reservoir are suitable. The paper rev
 rdingly. In a sense managed pressure drilling covers all drilling since management of pressure is the goal of all drilling activities. However
e suitable. The paper reviews several case histories and real results highlighting the advantages of Underbalanced Drilling Technology in r
drilling activities. However there is general industry agreement that Managed Pressure Drilling is an umbrella term that refers to drilling activ
ed Drilling Technology in reducing Formation Damage Lost Circulations and improving well productivity. Introduction The Oil and Gas Ind
that refers to drilling activities conducted in a closed loop system. Conventional overbalanced drilling sits at one end of the Managed Press
tion The Oil and Gas Industry drills thousands of wells worldwide each year. From the Reservoir and Production Engineers perceptions a
nd of the Managed Pressure Drilling spectrum and underbalanced drilling at the other end. In conventional drilling bottom hole pressure is
Engineers perceptions a successful well is one that achieves its maximum production potential with no or minimal formation damage. U
 bottom hole pressure is managed by controlling the density of the drilling fluid to maintain well bore pressure profile above the pore-pressu
mal formation damage. Unfortunately this objective is rarely achieved when conventional overbalanced drilling is used where mud solids a
file above the pore-pressure throughout the well bore. Underbalanced drilling on the other hand the well bore pressure profile is intentional
used where mud solids and mud filtrate invade the reservoir formation and impair the permeability around the well bore. Formation damag
ssure profile is intentionally kept below the pore-pressure of all the exposed formations in the well bore. In be-tween these two extremes are
ll bore. Formation damage can occur during almost any stage of petroleum exploration and production operations. This paper describes in
en these two extremes are various techniques used to con-trol the annular pressure profile and overcome constraints im-posed as a result o
s. This paper describes in detail the main formation damage mechanisms that occur during conventional drilling operation and how it can b
nts im-posed as a result of the equivalent circulating density of the mud system. Seen from Shells perspective Managed Pressure Drill
peration and how it can be controlled and prevented using Underbalanced drilling technology. The severity of solids and filtrate invasion d
e Managed Pressure Drilling is a basket of drilling techniques that can be adapted to solve drilling related problems reduce formation dama
lids and filtrate invasion depends on mud rheology the duration of exposure to mud system over-balanced mud pressure rock permeabil
s reduce formation damage and or dynamically characterize production reservoirs (while drilling) to enable improved reservoir managemen
pressure rock permeability and mineralogical composition of reservoir rocks. The solids and filtrate invasion causes the so called ski
ved reservoir management. It is also worthy to note that not all Managed Pressure Drilling tech-niques require a closed loop system. Introd
uses the so called skin effect which may be attributed to different damage mechanisms that can have significant impact on the produc
osed loop system. Introduction Shell has deployed underbalanced drilling in oil and gas reser-voirs since the early 1990s. The introdu
ant impact on the production and/or injection rates. Therefore understanding the different mechanisms of formation damage is becoming a
y 1990s. The introduction of horizontal drilling in the reservoir in the 1980s resulted in many new challenges. It created the need fo
on damage is becoming an important task for reservoir engineers in the oil and gas industry because it is the first step to be taken to prev
ges. It created the need for a different approach to en-able drilling in depleted and fractured reservoirs. Shell initi-ated underbalanced drillin
step to be taken to prevent and further alleviate this problem. What is Formation Damage? Formation Damage was once defined as:
ated underbalanced drilling operations with foam1 in 1992 and in 1993 and 1994 the company conducted trials using multi-phase drilling flui
e was once defined as: the impairment of the invisible by the inevitable and uncontrollable resulting in an indeterminate reduction of t
ng multi-phase drilling fluids and the closed loop 4-phase separation system. In 1995 Shell successfully drilled the first horizontal underbala
determinate reduction of the un-quantifiable1. Luckily the fact that Formation Damage is inevitable and Uncontroll-able has been replaced
e first horizontal underbalanced well using coiled tubing in Canada2. In 1997 Shell introduced underbalanced drilling in the offshore envi-ro
ll-able has been replaced by a more positive attitude: Underbalanced Drilling Technology