SPE 160806

Wellbore Strengthening and Continuous Mud Circulation Allow to Save an

Expandable Liner: Field Application Offshore Italy
Giuseppe De Grandis, Alberto Maliardi and Angelo Ligrone, eni e&p, Franco Arpini, Ava

Copyright 2012, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 11–14 November 2012.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract
Wellbore strengthening techniques have been used in recent years to increase the capability of wellbores to maintain higher
pressures. By increasing the fracture resistance of formations, operators can save rig-time and large volumes of drilling fluids.
The Luna-41 well, offshore Italy, intersects a critical interval comprising high pressurized formations overlaying a lower
pressure depleted zone. The initial plan for the well was to divide this interval into two separate hole sections using two
different mud systems. A casing string would have been set to isolate the shallower high pressure region followed by an
expandable liner to isolate the over pressured shales laying above the depleted reservoir level.
An alternative design was proposed that required only one fluid system and a single casing string, thus saving an
expandable liner. Thanks to the wellbore strengthening application and the proprietary continuous mud circulation device, the
accomplished well program allowed an 8-day rig-time reduction and a 3-MMUSD cost saving.
A specific modelling tool developed for wellbore strengthening applications was used to assist with fluid design. The tool
calculates the width of microfractures induced by differential pressure and the Particle Size Distribution (PSD) of carbonate
materials required to plug such microfractures and ultimately strengthen the wellbore.
The mud formulation for Luna-41 was tested in the laboratory using a Pore Plugging Apparatus (PPA) and aloxite discs
with pore sizes corresponding to the calculated microfracture width. The fluid used to drill the critical interval was a salt
saturated system based on polyglycerol complex and supplemented with a polyamine inhibitor.
The field application was a success. The depleted zone was drilled without incurring lost circulation. This paper describes
the results of the field application as well as the fluid engineering process and laboratory testing to highlight the benefits –
such as accessing depleted reservoirs and saving casing strings – that wellbore strengthening combined with a continuous mud
circulation system can bring to the industry.

Introduction
The increase in complexity and costs associated with drilling “difficult” wells, such as those in depleted or weak zones, has
strengthened the industry interest towards technologies that are capable of minimizing Non Productive Time (NPT). The
typical problem associated with drilling these types of intervals is lost circulation, which is perhaps the most costly mud-
related drilling problem. In these cases, in fact, not only rig time but also large volumes of expensive drilling fluids are lost to
the formation.
It would be a clear advantage if the wellbore could be strengthened and drilled at higher mud weights without losing fluid,
especially where the drilling window between pore pressure and fracture pressure is narrow.

Wellbore Strengthening
Mud losses represent a frequent problem encountered during drilling. Induced losses occur when the mud weight required
to control the well and maintain a stable wellbore, exceeds the fracture resistance of formations.
Wellbore strengthening techniques have been used in recent years to increase the capability of wellbores to maintain higher
pressures, thus limiting the occurrence of lost circulation and making drilling more efficient. By increasing the fracture
resistance of formations, operators can save rig-time and large volumes of drilling fluids.
2 SPE 160806

This type of treatments are similar to lost circulation techniques, but with a significant difference: while the latter only
mitigate the losses of whole mud, wellbore strengthening raises the fracture resistance of rock formations, thus allowing
drilling above the fracture gradient and avoiding massive mud losses.
Wellbore strengthening is a controlled process whereby microfractures are induced around the wellbore, propped open and
sealed by means of customized blends of mud additives, thus creating a circular region where the state of stress is altered and
the fracture resistance of formations is effectively increased. In fact, the presence of packed solids at the mouth of induced
microfractures determines an additional hoop stress around the wellbore, which raises the threshold for further fracturing.
The strengthening of rock formations can be achieved either through a continuous treatment – by maintining a certain
concentration of additives in the mud while drilling – or through a spot treatment – by pumping a pill containing a customized
blend of mud additives in front of the formation interval to be strengthened, after it has been drilled.

Wellbore strengthening can be planned and effectively applied to:

 drill depleted formations
 extend the casing shoe depth, to reach the target while saving a casing string
 raise the resistance of low fracture pressure sands below the casing shoe
 widen the drilling window between the pore and the fracture pressure gradients
 prevent losses while running casing or cementing.

Continuous Mud Circulation

In conventional rotary drilling, severe fluctuations in bottomhole pressure are generated when the mud circulation is
stopped to make-up or break-out drillpipe connections. While circulating the mud, the bottomhole pressure is affected by both
the hydrostatic head and the annular pressure losses. When circulation is stopped, the pressure losses component is equal to
zero while solids contained in the drilling fluid tend to gradually settle on the bottom of the hole. Then, when the pumps are re-
started after connection, additional pressure is applied to break the mud gels and re-establish circulation.
When the mud circulation is interrupted, several problems may arise, such as inefficient cuttings removal, particularly in
deviated and horizontal wells, hole instability due to pressure fluctuations and barite sagging.
With a continuous circulation system, steady state conditions can be maintained downhole. This allows formations to not
suffer pressure oscillations, thanks to the continuous flow of drilling fluid into and out of the well while all the steps of adding
or removing joints of drillpipe to the drilling string are performed within the drilling process, including trip in and out of hole.
The proprietary continuous circulation system, eni-circulating device (e-cd), allows continuous mud circulation in the well
to maintain constant bottomhole pressure while making-up or breaking-out drillpipe connections during drilling operations.
The e-cd system includes specific subs and a manifold. The e-cd sub (Fig. 1) is a dual flapper tool with a side entry port run in
hole on top of drillpipe stands. The number of subs required depends on the borehole length to be drilled with uninterrupted
circulation. The e-cd manifold, which diverts the flow from the rig standpipe manifold directly to the e-cd sub, is installed on
the rig floor and connected to the standpipe manifold (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 – e-cd manifold and e-cd sub for continuous mud circulation

The main benefits of a continuous mud circulation system are:

 control of Equivalent Circulation Density (ECD), thus eliminating the detrimental effects of pressure fluctuation
 enhancement of hole cleaning and borehole stability
 improvement of operational safety
 reduction of NPT, thus reducing the total drilling time and costs.
SPE 160806 3

Field Application Offshore Italy: Luna-41 Well

The Luna-41 well is a sidetrack drilled to increase the recovery of gas still available in some reservoir levels of the Hera
Lacinia field, offshore Crotone, in southern Italy.
The well intersects a critical interval comprising high pressurized formations overlaying a lower pressure depleted zone.
The initial plan for the well was to divide this interval into two separate hole sections, by using two different mud systems. A
casing string would have been set to isolate the shallower high pressure region, followed by an expandable liner to isolate the
over pressured shales laying above the depleted reservoir level.
An alternative design was proposed that required only one fluid system and a single casing string, thus saving an
expandable liner. Thanks to the wellbore strengthening application and the proprietary continuous mud circulation system, the
accomplished well program allowed an 8-day rig-time reduction and a 3-MMUSD cost saving.

Original Well Design

The Luna-41 well intersects a critical interval comprising high pressurized formations overlaying a lower pressure depleted
zone. After the setting of the 9 5/8 in. casing at 1425 m MD, the target was to reach the top of the “Ponda” formation, which is
a depleted sand reservoir, by drilling through the overpressured formations “Gessoso Solfifera” – where shales, salt and
gypsum layers are present – and “Argille di Crotone” – essentially gumbo shales. In Fig. 2 the sequence of “Gessoso
Solfifera”, “Argille di Crotone” and “Ponda” formations is illustrated between the 9 5/8 in. casing point and the depleted
reservoir, along with the pore pressure and fracture pressure gradients. The pore pressure gradient (Gp) below the 9 5/8 in.
casing shoe is equal to 1.6 kgf/cm2 ∙10 m and remains constant in the “Gessoso Solfifera” formation down to the top of
“Argille di Crotone”, where it decreases to 1.22 kgf/cm2 ∙10 m down to the top of the depleted reservoir (“Ponda”), where it
drops to 0.52 kgf/cm2 ∙10 m. The fracture pressure gradient (Gf) below the 9 5/8 in. casing shoe is 2.2 kgf/cm2 ∙10 m and
remains constant in the “Gessoso Solfifera” formation; it decreases to 1.89 kgf/cm2 ∙10 m in the “Argille di Crotone” and
undergoes another drop in the depleted sands of the Ponda formation, where it is equal to 1.66 kgf/cm2 ∙10 m.
Reaching the top of the reservoir in one step, with a 8 ½ in. section, seems to be not feasible as the overbalance required to
drill the overpressured formations would be approximately equal to the fracture gradient in the “Argille di Crotone” and would
exceed the fracture gradient of the reservoir. It would result in lost circulation and wellbore instability. This is illustrated in
Fig. 3, where a 1.7 kg/l mud weight (MW) is assumed and the effects of an ECD higher than the fracture gradient are shown.
The initial plan for the well was to divide the interval between the 9 5/8 in. casing shoe and the top of the depleted
reservoir into two separate hole sections, by using two different mud systems, as shown in Fig. 4. At first, a 8 ½ in. hole would
have been drilled by using a 1.7 kg/l salt saturated mud and a 7 in. casing string would have been set at the top of the “Argille
di Crotone” to isolate the high pressure region of “Gessoso Solfifera”. Then, a 6 in. hole enlarged to 8 ½ in. would have been
drilled by using a 1.3 kg/l salt saturated mud to set a 5 ½ x 7 in. expandable liner at the top of the “Ponda” depleted reservoir
and isolate the over pressured shales “Argille di Crotone”.

Fig. 2 – Sequence of formations and pressure gradients between the 9 5/8 in. casing shoe and the top of reservoir (“Ponda”)
4 SPE 160806

Fig. 3 – Lost circulation and wellbore instability with a 1.7 kg/l mud weight

Fig. 4 – Original well design

Actual Well Design

The scope of the sidetrack well Luna-41 is to increase the recovery of gas still available in some reservoir levels of the
Hera Lacinia field, offshore Crotone, in southern Italy. The objective of the original well design review was to take advantage
of the wellbore strengthening and continuous mud circulation techniques to reach the target depth in a shorter time and by
saving a casing string compared to the original well program.
An alternative well design was proposed that required only one fluid system and a single casing string, thus saving an
expandable liner. The reviewed, and later accomplished, well program allowed to reach the top of the reservoir in one step,
drilling the whole section between the 9 5/8 in. casing shoe and the top of the depleted “Ponda” formation with an 8 ½ in. bit
and by using a 1.6 kg/l sea water salt saturated mud, as shown in Fig. 5.
Thanks to the proprietary continuous fluid circulation system, the “Gessoso Solfifera” formation was drilled with a mud
weight in balance with the pore pressure gradient. In addition, the 1.6 kg/l mud weight, lower than the value planned in the
original well program, allowed to drill the “Argille di Crotone” interval without exceeding the fracture gradient.
SPE 160806 5

Finally, a wellbore strengthening treatment was applied to avoid lost circulation when drilling through the top of the
depleted reservoir. The application of carbonate materials to strengthen the wellbore while drilling the depleted zone was a
success. The bottomhole ECD was maintained at 1.75 kg/l while drilling, without incurring lost circulation. To achieve the
goal, an optimized blend of calcium carbonate was added to the circulating mud before entering the depleted reservoir, and
kept in the mud system by maintaining the proper concentration and PSD of solid carbonates, required to plug and prop open
the microfractures induced by the differential pressure exerted when drilling through the top of the “Ponda” formation due to
an ECD higher than the fracture gradient.

Fig. 5 – Actual well design

In order to properly plan the wellbore strengthening treatment, it was first necessary to estimate the desired bottomhole
pressure to be exerted without fracturing the formation (i.e., the max expected ECD). Then, it was crucial to estimate the width
of microfractures most likely induced in the formation interval where the stress caging treatment would have been applied.
Finally, it was required to select the best suitable mix of calcium carbonate required to plug and prop open the induced
microfractures. After the maximum value of ECD expected at the top of the reservoir had been estimated, the design of the
wellbore strengthening treatment was performed by using a modelling tool developed for the purpose.
It is worth to point out that a technical contribution to achieve a successful strengthening treatment was given by drilling
the depleted section with a controlled Rate of Penetration (ROP) – about 3 m/h – in order for the induced fractures to be
opened slowly and allow bridging and sealing at the mouth. Furthermore, a resistivity tool placed just above the bit was used
to help identifying the top of the reservoir.
After having reached the top of the “Ponda” formation at 1740 m MD, 5 m of 8 ½ in. hole were drilled further into the
depleted reservoir, without incurring lost circulation despite the ECD being above the fracture gradient. A 7 in. liner was run
and cemented with no losses. After setting the 7 in. liner, the 6 in. hole section enlarged to 8 ½ in. was drilled through the
reservoir, down to the final depth of 1804 m MD by using a 1.25 kg/l Drill-In Fluid (DIF).
Thanks to the applied technical solution (wellbore strengthening combined with continuous mud circulation), to the well
design review and to the specific fluid engineering, the accomplished well program allowed an 8-day rig-time reduction and a
3-MMUSD cost saving.

Fluid Engineering
A modelling tool specifically developed for wellbore strengthening applications, was used to assist with fluid design. The tool
calculates the width of microfractures induced by differential pressure and the PSD of carbonate materials required to plug
such microfractures and, ultimately, strengthen the wellbore.
A salt saturated fluid system was proposed and developed for the field application, based on polyglycerol complex and
supplemented with a polyamine inhibitor.
The mud formulation for Luna-41 was tested in the laboratory, by using a PPA and aloxite discs with pore sizes
corresponding to the calculated microfracture width.
6 SPE 160806

Modelling Tool
The design of the drilling fluid and the optimization of the PSD of calcium carbonate added to the mud, requires a specific
modelling tool. The tool has been developed to calculate the width of microfractures induced by differential pressure and
determine the most suitable mix of mud additives in order to plug and prop open induced fractures and produce an altered state
of stress around the wellbore, thus raising the threshold for further fracturing.
The tool is based on two modules: the first is for fracture modelling, the second for PSD optimization. A simple analytical
model has been implemented to calculate the expected width of microfractures induced in permeable formations taking into
account rock properties and well parameters. After the fracture width is known, a customized blend of mud additives should be
designed, that is an optimized PSD and a proper type and amount of additives should be selected for the fractures to be bridged
and sealed. The PSD optimization is performed by determining the best combination of mud additives, so that the PSD of the
mix is as close as possible to an ideal target curve considered to be the most effective to plug and prop open the induced
fracture.
The fracture modelling module allows to predict the fracture geometry that may be induced when the well is being drilled.
A few input data are required:
 Well Parameters:
 True Vertical Depth Interval where the strengthening treatment should be applied (Top Section TVD,
Target TVD, Bottom Section TVD)
 Wellbore Diameter @ Target TVD
 Max. Equivalent Circulating Density expected or desired @ Target TVD;
 Rock Properties:
 Poisson’s Ratio @ Target TVD (min, most likely, max)
 Young’s Modulus @ Target TVD (min, most likely, max)
 Min. In Situ Stress @ Target TVD (min, most likely, max);
 Target Fracture Length (in the industry, a 6 in. length is considered as a default).

The output is a matrix where the min, most likely and max values of induced fracture width are calculated at a given
vertical depth. It should be pointed out that the quality of input data is fundamental for a successful wellbore strengthening
treatment design.
Optimization requires the most likely fracture width to be specified, and it is directly derived from the fracture modelling
module. Once the expected width of induced microfractures has been calculated, the optimization process can be run to
determine the best combination of mud additives so that the PSD of the mix is as close as possible to an ideal target
distribution of solid particles considered to be the most effective for the strengthening treatment. One of the main assumptions
of the model is that the target PSD is assumed to be log-normal with its characteristic parameters, such as the mean value and
the standard deviation depending on the desired sizes d50 and d90, where d50 and d90 are defined as the sizes of a mesh through
which 50% and 90% respectively of particles would pass.
Input data and output are shown in Fig. 6 regarding the fracture modelling module for wellbore strengthening design and
application on Luna-41. After having defined the well parameters and set the rock properties, assuming offset wells as a
reference, the width of induced fractures was calculated, with the most likely value equal to 92 micron. The target curve and
optimized PSD of selected calcium carbonate solid material for field application on Luna-41 are shown in Fig. 7. Three
different types of calcium carbonate were selected for the wellbore strengthening treatment, with a d50 ranging between 10 and
300 micron.

Mud Formulation
A specific fit-for-purpose fluid was developed for the field application on Luna-41. The presence of interbedded salt layers
and reactive clays required a salt based system with high inhibitive properties. From the experience gained on offset wells and
laboratory tests, a specific mud formulation was developed, based on a proprietary high performance water based fluid system
used successfully in the area on previous wells.
The fluid properties required for the field application on Luna-41 are specified in Table 1.

Fluid properties

Density kg/l 1.60-1.70

Yield Point (YP) lbf/100 ft2 20-24
Gel 10 s / Gel 10 min lbf/100 ft2 8-12 / 16-20
API filtrate ml <5
Table 1 – Fluid properties required for the field application on Luna-41

A high fluid density within the range of 1.6 – 1.7 kg/l was required to counteract the pore pressure gradient through the
“Gessosa Solfifera” formation.
SPE 160806 7

Fig. 6 – Fracture modelling: input and output for Luna-41.

Fig. 7 – Target curve and optimized PSD of calcium carbonate for field application

Considering the well construction geometry, good lubricity was necessary with particular attention focused on both reology
and filtrate values, to assure adequate hole cleaning, low filtration rates and a thin durable filtercake to avoid the risk of
differential stuck pipe.
Clay swelling inhibition was achieved by using a proprietary complex polyoil additive supplemented with an ammine
based inhibitor. The complex polyoil consists of a mixture of methyl glucoside and polyglycerol. Altogether these components
are very effective at controlling the swelling tendencies of highly reactive clay formations. For this project, a fluid formulation
consisting of 5-6% by volume was deemed necessary. The concentration of the active product in the system, while drilling,
was monitored by using a refractometer device that measures units in degree Brix.
To enhance inhibition and aid in developing a quality wellbore membrane, necessary for effective inhibition, an emulsified
phase was incorporated into the high performance system at a concentration of 1.5% by volume. The system was supplemeted
with 0.5-1.0% by volume amine-based additive to also aid in limiting the hydration and dispersion of reactive clay sequences.
The system was completed with sodium chloride, caustic soda to stabilize the pH, a biopolymer for rheology and a mixture
of starch and pure low-viscosity Poly Anionic Cellulose (PAC) to control the filtrate loss to the formation.
Finally, an optimized size distribution of solid calcium carbonate particles was incorporated in the fluid system before
reaching the top of reservoir, to act as a bridging material for wellbore strengthening. Several laboratory tests were conducted
to evaluate the ability of customized blends composed of calcium carbonate to plug and seal microfractures.

The study, conducted to determine the optimal fluid formulation, took into account several parameters to be optimized:
8 SPE 160806

 rheological properties to ensure adequate carrying capability with minimal impact on ECD. The ECD played an
important role in the operation, because even a small increase could have induced losses. The ECD was analyzed
by using proprietary hydraulics software and simulating several well situations. It was suggested to maintain a
good rheology and, if necessary before entering the depleted formation, treat the mud with small quantities of
dispersant to reduce as much as possible the rheology values avoiding to adversely affecting the value of ECD
 lubricity to minimize the risk of stuck pipe
 filtrate and plugging ability
 plasticity and minimal filter cake thickness, to minimize the risk of stuck pipe
 fracture plugging and sealing ability.

The following targets were defined:

 Plastic Viscosity (PV) as low as possible
 YP < 30 lbf/100 ft2
 API filtrate < 3 ml
 Permeability Plugging test:
 Spurt loss ≈ 0-1 ml
 Total filtrate as low as possible
 Filter cake: minimum thickness achievable.

The products and concentrations for the base formulation used on Luna-41 are shown in Table 2.

Product Concentration [kg/m3]

Sodium chloride 240

Caustic soda 2
Biopolymer 1.5
Pure ultra low viscosity PAC 5
Starch 10
Polyoil complex 60
HP lubricant 15
Amine based inhibitor 10
Barite 600-700
Table 2 – Products and concentrations for the base formulation used on Luna-41

Laboratory Test
The fluid formulation was defined through a series of laboratory tests that included combined and simultaneous control of
rheology through standard 8-speed viscometer, API filtration analysis, pore plugging ability using a PPA with aloxite discs of
various permebalities and porosities, at estimated bottomhole conditions (2900 psi of differential pressure and 65 °C of
temperature).
The first step towards combined optimization of the various fluid parameters was to achieve the required rheological and
filtration properties. By comparing the results from the numerous formulations, the optimal concentration of viscosifiers and
other polymers included 1.5 kg/m3 of xanthan gum as a viscosifying agent, 10 kg/m3 of starch and 6 kg/m3 of extra low
viscosity PAC for filtrate control. This formulation allowed to achieve the following results: YP of 22-25 lbf/100 ft2, PV of
less than 40 cP with low and non progressive 10 s and 10 min gel strengths (3-5 and 5-7 lbf/100 ft2) and API filtrate always
less than 3.5 ml, as shown in Table 3.
In accordance with the tests results, the lubricant concentration must not exceed 2% by volume, to avoid unwanted
rheology effects such as an increase in plastic viscosity. The addition of PAC to the original formulation, which originally
included only starch, was found to be effective in reducing the filter cake thickness observed from Permeability Plugging Test
(PPT). The volume of filtrate recorded was continuously low for all tests.
The subsequent step was to optimize the concentration and size distribution of solid calcium carbonate using the PPT and
various sized aloxite discs. The optimum concentration range was between 150 and 170 kg/m3.
The estimated permeability of the formation was in the range of 20-25 mD corresponding to aloxite discs of low porosity,
3-10 micron average pore throat diameter. The tests results concluded that no quantifiable advantage could be obtained using
additional non-carbonatic plugging agents, including graphite and black powder, or from adjustments to the concentration of
filtrate reducers as shown in Table 4. In fact, the addition of graphite/black powder produced results lower than those obtained
from formulations containing only sized carbonate blends.
SPE 160806 9

Base fluid formulation

[kg/m3]
Sodium chloride 240
Caustic soda 2
Biopolymer 1.5
Pure ultra low viscosity PAC 6
Starch 10
Polyoil complex 60
HP lubricant 15
Amine based inhibitor 10
Carbonatic material 150
Barite 600

Hot rolled at 65 °C [h] 16

Density [kg/l] 1.7

600 rpm/300 rpm 108/66
200 rpm/100 rpm 42/22
6 rpm/3 rpm 5/3
Gel 10 s / Gel 10 min [lbf/100 ft2] 3/5
PV [cP] 42
YP [lbf/100 ft2] 24
pH 10.5
API fluid loss [ml/30 min] 3.0

Lubricity coefficient 0.142

Table 3 – Composition and properties of the base fluid formulation

Test fluid formulation

Sample identification Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4
[kg/m3] [kg/m3] [kg/m3] [kg/m3]
Sodium chloride 240 240 240 240
Caustic soda 2 2 2 2
Biopolymer 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5
Pure ultra low viscosity PAC 6 6 6 6
Starch 10 10 - -
Humalite - - 15 -
Blend of cellulose and filming polymer 10
Polyoil complex 60 60 60 60
HP lubricant 15 15 15 15
Amine based inhibitor 10 10 10 10
CaCO3 10 micron 50 50 50 50
CaCO3 5 micron 100 100 100 100
Graphite - 15 - 15
Sulphonated asphalt - - 10 -
Barite 600 600 600 600

Hot rolled at 65 °C [h] 16 16 16 16

PPT at 65 °C, 2900 psi (90 micron aloxite disc)

Spurt loss [ml] 1 0.1 0.6 1
Total volume [ml] 6.5 5.5 14.5 9.0
Table 4 – Composition and properties of fluid formulations tested in laboratory
10 SPE 160806

It was decided to tailor the fluid formulation based on the output provided by the modelling tool, which calculated 90
micron as the most likely fracture width and estimated the optimum PSD of calcium carbonate to plug and seal such
microfractures. A PPT test was performed using a PPA and an aloxite disc with an average pore throat diameter corresponding
to 90 microns to validate the results of the modeling tool, which estimated the optimum blend of bridging agents based on the
PSD of different carbonatic materials to be:
 CaCO3 Medium 8.5 kg/m3
 CaCO3 Fine 71 kg/m3
 CaCO3 Ultra-fine 71 kg/m3

The PSD for each of the carbonate products was obtained through a laser diffraction particle sizing analysis and is shown
in Fig. 8, Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. The results of the PPT performed at downhole conditions for the final fluid formulation are
reported in Table 5.

Fig. 8 – PSD of medium CaCO3

Fig. 9 – PSD of fine CaCO3

SPE 160806 11

Fig. 10 – PSD of ultra-fine CaCO3

Final fluid formulation

[kg/m3]
Sodium chloride 240
Caustic soda 2
Biopolymer 1.5
Pure ultra low viscosity PAC 6
Starch 10
Polyoil complex 60
HP lubricant 15
Amine based inhibitor 10
CaCO3 Medium 8.5
CaCO3 Fine 71
CaCO3 Ultra-fine 71
Barite 600

Hot rolled at 65 °C [h] 16

Density [kg/l] 1.7

600 rpm/300 rpm 96/60
200 rpm/100 rpm 46/30
6 rpm/3 rpm 5/3
Gel 10 s / Gel 10 min [lbf/100 ft2] 3/5
PV [cP] 36
YP [lbf/100 ft2] 24
pH 10.8
API fluid loss [ml/30 min] 2.8

PPT at 65 °C, 2900 psi (90 micron aloxite disc)

Spurt loss [ml] 2.0
Total volume [ml] 10.0
Table 5 – Composition and properties of the final fluid formulation

The inhibitive properties of the proposed fluid formulation were verified through shale recovery tests – as per API
specifications – and swelling tests using prepared cores, both using reference clay samples. The results were: shale recovery
higher than 93% and swelling lower than 25% after 150 hours. Results from both tests were desirable to the set application.
12 SPE 160806

Lubricity test indicated a very low friction value for a Water Base Mud (WBM) formulation. The obtained data indicated
that the proposed formulation was acceptable from the stand point of both inhibition and plugging ability.

Conclusions
The Luna-41 well is a sidetrack drilled to increase the recovery of the gas still available in some levels of a depleted reservoir
in southern Italy.
The well intersects a critical interval consisting of high pressurized formations overlaying a lower pressure depleted zone.
The initial plan for the well was to divide this interval into two separate hole sections, by using two different mud systems.
A 7 in. casing would have been set to isolate the shallower high pressure formation, followed by a 5 ½ x 7 in. expandable liner
to isolate the over pressured shales laying above the depleted reservoir level.
As an alternative solution, the combined application of a wellbore strengthening technique and the proprietary continuous
mud circulation system allowed to use only one fluid system and a single casing string, thus saving an expandable liner.
The field application of the alternative solution was a success. The top of the reservoir was reached in one step, by drilling
the whole section between the 9 5/8 in. casing shoe and the top of the depleted “Ponda” formation with an 8 ½ in. bit. After
having reached the top of reservoir, the depleted zone was drilled without incurring lost circulation, despite the ECD was
above the fracture gradient. A 7 in. liner was then run and cemented with no losses.
This resulted in an 8-day rig-time reduction and a 3-MMUSD cost saving.
The success of this experience confirms that the combined use of wellbore strengthening and continuous mud circulation
allows drilling depleted reservoirs while saving casing strings.

Conversion Factors
psi/ft × 2.3 = kgf/cm2 ·10 m
ppg × 1.2 E-01 = kg/l

Aknowledgments
The authors would like to thank eni e&p, particularly the management of the Well Operations and the management of the
Southern Italy Business Unit for permission to publish and present the paper.

References
1. Calderoni, A. and Girola, G. “ENBD, the proprietary Eni Managed Pressure Drilling with Uninterrupted Mud Circulation:
Technical Update after the First Year’s Activity”. Paper IPTC 13867, presented at the International Petroleum Technology
Conference, Doha, Qatar, 7-9 Dec. 2009.
2. Calderoni, A., Masi S., Repetto C., Tufo M., Molaschi C., Poloni R. “Managing Pressure Drilling with Continuous Circulation, a
Summary of eni Experience”. Paper SPE 147147, presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver,
Colorado, USA, 30 Oct. – 2 Nov. 2011.