Success in Prevention of Casing Failures Opposite Salts, Little Knife Field, North Dakota

Abstract

Summary We became aware in early 1981 of a severe problem with casing failures opposite salts in the Little Knife field. A concerted engineering effort was initiated to isolate and to remedy the cause of failures. With the use of a relaxed invert-oil-emulsion drilling fluid and properly designed cementing programs, the problem has been arrested. In the 26 wells drilled in the Little Knife field since initiation of this drilling program, there have been no instances of casing failure.