Differential Sticking

Differential Sticking

• High Risk with Water Based Mud when:

• Filtrate control is POOR

• Overbalance is HIGH

• Tripping procedures are SLACK

• Lower Risk with Oil Based Mud

Saturday, 24 February 2007

 Differential Sticking

• Manage Risk by:

• Knowledge of Lithology and Pressures

• Manage overbalance

• Control filter cake

• Control Drill Solids content

Differential Sticking
• When Risk is High

• Add lubricants to WBM

• lubricants can reduce the force required

to pull free

• Have a plan:

• Have a PRA pill prepared

• Know the density & volume needed for

4

Saturday, 24 February 2007

 Differential Sticking
• Getting Free:
• Calculate stuck point
• Prepare and pump spacer
• Viscous spacer needed to push mud ahead
of PRA on the low side
• Pump enough PRA to cover stuck zone
• Follow spacer with PRA that is heavier
than the mud
• Pump at high rate

Getting Free

• If in doubt, pump a Pipe Release Agent (PRA)

pill

• pump pill as soon as possible

• have a pill big enough to cover the possible

stuck point

• have the debate while it’s soaking

• leave to soak no less than 8 hours

Saturday, 24 February 2007

 Getting Free

• Pump displacing spacer ahead of the PRA pill.

• As large a spacer as possible

• Displaced at the maximum possible rate

• Increasing the density of the PRA Pill to 1.0 ppg

above circulating mud weight

Getting Free

• Spacer 0.5 ppg heavier

• Displaced to the stuck zone at the maximum

possible rate.

• To assure the drill pipe is clear while allowing

the PRA Pill to soak, maintain enough of the
pill in the drill pipe to pump 0.5 to 1 bbl per
hour for the duration of the soaking period

Saturday, 24 February 2007