Well Drilling Direction Optimization for Borehole Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drilling practices for underbalanced coiled tubing drilling fail to consistently meet the minimum mud weight required for optimal well direction, leading to borehole breakout or collapse, especially when drilling at the maximum horizontal stress direction.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a device with sensors to track drilling parameters, perform reservoir simulations, and generate an engineering curve to identify an optimal drilling direction by calculating the minimum mud pressure required to prevent borehole collapse, using an optimization box to simulate the angle between the drilling direction and maximum horizontal stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If drilling at the maximum horizontal stress direction, then drilling productivity is improved, but borehole collapse risk increases due to insufficient minimum mud weight
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary reservoir simulations and optimizations before actual drilling to determine the optimal drilling direction and required mud weight. The optimization box calculates the minimum mud weight needed to prevent borehole collapse for various drilling angles, allowing operators to select a direction that ensures both stability and productivity before drilling begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the drilling parameters by calculating and optimizing the mud weight and drilling angle. Instead of drilling at the maximum horizontal stress direction with standard mud weight, the system determines a specific mud weight parameter and angle combination that prevents borehole collapse while maintaining drilling efficiency, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
2Productivity
If underbalanced drilling is used, then continuous drilling and pumping is enabled, but borehole breakout risk increases when minimum mud weight is not met
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from reservoir simulations and real-time drilling parameters to adjust the drilling direction and mud weight. The optimization box continuously evaluates the relationship between drilling angle, mud weight, and borehole stability, providing feedback to ensure that the minimum mud weight requirement is met while maintaining underbalanced drilling conditions for continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations using the optimization box to determine the exact mud weight and angle combination needed to prevent borehole breakout during underbalanced drilling. This preliminary action ensures that the harmful effect of borehole breakout is prevented before it can occur, allowing continuous drilling to proceed safely.
3Ease of operation
If current drilling practices are used, then simple drilling operations are maintained, but consistent meeting of minimum mud weight parameter fails
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service through automated optimization calculations that determine the optimal drilling direction and mud weight based on reservoir characteristics. The optimization box automatically calculates the minimum mud weight needed for each drilling angle, eliminating the need for manual trial-and-error adjustments and ensuring consistent parameter meeting while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach to parameter selection by using automated optimization to determine the exact mud weight and angle combination. Instead of relying on conventional fixed parameters, the system calculates customized parameters based on reservoir data, ensuring consistent meeting of the minimum mud weight requirement while keeping the operation simple through automated decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for determining a direction for drilling a well is disclosed. The system has a device in a portion of a conveyance mechanism comprising a cylindrical housing with at least one sensor that tracks a position of the portion during a drilling operation, the device being configured to obtain a plurality of drilling parameters, and a control system coupled to the device and configured to perform at least one reservoir simulation, and prepare a plurality of required parameters while drilling. The device uses an optimization box to simulate increasing an angle between a drilling direction and a maximum horizontal stress by calculating a minimum mud pressure required to prevent borehole collapse. The control system generates an engineering curve representative of each angle simulated and a corresponding mud weight or pressure, and the device and the control system identify an optimal direction corresponding to a minimum drilling mud pressure parameter.