Analysis of Drilling Fluid Circulating Pressure Loss in Hole Annulus for Microhole Drilling
The microhole drilling (MHD) technology is one of cutting-edge drilling technologies with wellbore diameter less than 88.9 mm and taking coiled tubing (CT) as drilling string to deliver the bottomhole assembly to drill ahead. The normal circulation of drilling fluid is affected because of huge annulus drilling fluid circulating pressure loss (ADFCPL) caused by small diameter wellbore, narrow hole annulus and deep well. For three flow regimes of power-law fluid in MHD, the computing models of ADFCPL are built by analyzing the relationships among annulus drilling fluid parameters according to power law fluid flow state equation. The ADFCPL with different flow rate, CT diameter, well depth, eccen- tricity and so on is calculated for the hole annulus of MHD. The calculation results show that: in 89mm diameter MHD, the ADFCPL is huge. It increases with the increase of outer diameter of CT and average flow rate of drilling fluid, and in- creases linearly with the increase of well depth, and decreases with the increase of eccentricity. The bigger the hole annu- lus is, and the lower the flow rate is, the less the impact of eccentricity acts on the ADFCPL is. Thus, the ADFCPL can be reduced by decreasing the outer diameter of CT and the average flow rate of drilling fluid in hole annulus. Only low flow rate can be used to drill deep well. The research results may be useful for MHD parameter selections related to the ADFCPL.
A model of calculating the circulating pressure loss in coiled tubing ultra-short radius radial drilling
Abstract By analyzing the relationship between measured values of pressure loss in a high-pressure hose and calculated values of metal tubing pressure loss formula under the same condition, a calculation formula of pressure loss in a high-pressure hose is revised on the basis of the existing formula, and a model of calculating the circulating pressure loss in coiled tubing ultra-short radius radial drilling is established by theoretical derivation. The effects of tubing diameter, tubing length, pump delivery and fluid dynamic viscosity on each part of pressure loss in circulation system are studied by the pressure loss calculating model. The pressure loss in coiled and straight parts of 0.025 4 m (1 in) coiled tubing is about 8-10 times bigger than the pressure loss of 0.038 1 m (1.5 in) coiled tubing, and the pressure loss in high-pressure hose accounts for a large proportion in circulation system, about 86% in this study; and with drag reducer added in clear water, the pressure loss is about half of clear water pressure loss under the same condition.
MICRO-BOREHOLE DRILLING TECHNOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATION PROSPECT
Micro-borehole is borehole diameter less than 88.9mm.For borehole diameter is small,the automatization drilling is easier to realize by using coiled tubing and new seismic testing technology.Therefore,drilling costs of micro-borehole result from reduced drilling equipment and low labor.It could also reduce the time of production interruption,improve production efficiency,lessen cost of exploration and development.At the same time,micro-borehole drilling technology could lessen environmental pollution from reduced drilling waste.Micro-borehole drilling technology had wide application scope.It can be used for directional drilling,underbalanced drilling,formation testing,drilling shallow development wells and deep exploration holes.Micro-borehole drilling technology could also be applied in sensitive and bad environment,such as under ultra-deep water,backcountry of offshore and ashore.Specific application of micro-borehole drilling technology was tracking out oil or gas recovery operations by information detecting in reservoir or near reservoir.