Experimental Investigation of Drilled Cuttings Transport in Inclined Boreholes

Abstract

Experimental Investigation of Drilled Cuttings Transport in Inclined Boreholes J.T. Ford; J.T. Ford Heriot-Watt U. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar J.M. Peden; J.M. Peden Heriot-Watt U. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar M.B. Oyeneyin; M.B. Oyeneyin Heriot-Watt U. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Erhu Gao; Erhu Gao Heriot-Watt U. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar R. Zarrough R. Zarrough Heriot-Watt U. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 1990. Paper Number: SPE-20421-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/20421-MS Published: September 23 1990 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Ford, J.T., Peden, J.M., Oyeneyin, M.B., Gao, Erhu, and R. Zarrough. "Experimental Investigation of Drilled Cuttings Transport in Inclined Boreholes." Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 1990. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/20421-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition Search Advanced Search AbstractThis paper describes an experimental investigation into drilled cuttings transport in inclined boreholes carried out in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Heriot-Watt University.The paper describes how a 21 ft borehole simulator and peripheral equipment built within the department has been used to determine the effects of various drilling parameters on the circulation rate required to ensure that the drilled cuttings in a deviated borehole are efficiently transported to surface,The procedures used to conduct the experiments are fully explained and experimental results and observations are discussed.Two distinctly different cuttings transport mechanisms were identified. The first occurs where the cuttings are transported to surface by a rolling/sliding motion along the low-side wall of the annulus and the second is where the cuttings are transported in suspension in the circulating fluid. The latter mechanism requires a higher fluid velocity than the first. Although these two mechanisms produce the same effect (to clean the hole) their response to variations in the drilling parameters investigated was significantly different.The main conclusions from the experiments carried out to date are that the annular fluid velocity required to initiate cuttings transport with either of the two different transport mechanisms is sensitive to variations in hole angle but that the relationship between the required fluid velocity and hole angle is different for each of these transport mechanisms. The effectiveness of a circulating fluid in removing drilled cuttings is not only dependent on the rheology of the fluid but also on whether the fluid is in laminar or turbulent flow. Water in turbulent flow, can be a very effective cuttings transport medium. Pipe rotation had little or no effect on the fluid velocity required Pipe rotation had little or no effect on the fluid velocity required to transport the cuttings when circulating water but significantly reduced the fluid velocity required to transport the cuttings when circulating medium or highly viscous fluids. It should be noted however that these experiments were conducted on a relatively small annulus. The fluid velocity required to transport the cuttings is a function of the size of the cuttings.IntroductionThe problems of stuck pipe associated with the inefficient removal of drilled cuttings from the drillstring/borehole annulus of wellbores have been with the drilling industry for many years. Although these problems may exist when drilling vertical wells they are most prevalent when drilling deviated wells. In this case the drillstring may be lying eccentrically in the borehole thus increasing the difficulty of removing the drilled cuttings and consequently the possibility of getting the drillstring stuck. An appreciation of engineering principles suggests that measures such as increasing the annular fluid velocity or increasing the drilling fluid viscosity will assist hole cleaning. However, although these measures may be effective in some situations the well design, drilling rig capacity, or formation characteristics may constrain such measures. As with most engineering problems a compromise is required when designing the system that will efficiently remove the cuttings. In order that this compromise may be reached, a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms which govern hole cleaning efficiency must be developed.p. 197 Keywords: mechanism, fluid velocity, society of petroleum engineers, low-side wall, experiment, rotation, rheological property, cuttings transport, annular fluid velocity, drilling fluid management & disposal Subjects: Drilling Fluids and Materials, Drilling fluid management & disposal, Cuttings transport This content is only available via PDF. 1990. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.