Sensitivity Analysis of Major Drilling Parameters on Cuttings Transport during Drilling Highly-inclined Wells

Ozbayoglu E. M., Miska S. Z., Takach N., Reed T.

PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, cilt.27, sa.1, ss.122-133, 2009 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 27 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2009
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/10916460701700195
  • Dergi Adı: PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.122-133
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: cuttings transport, hole cleaning, horizontal drilling
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

In this study, a layered cuttings transport model is developed for high-angle and horizontal wells, which can be used for incompressible non-Newtonian fluids as well as compressible non-Newtonian fluids (i.e., foams). The effects of major drilling parameters, such as flow rate, rate of penetration, fluid density, viscosity, gas ratio, cuttings size, cuttings density, wellbore inclination and eccentricity of the drillsting on cuttings transport efficiency are analyzed. The major findings from this study are, the dominating parameter on wellbore cleaning is the flow rate, and, as the viscosity of the fluid is increased, the thickness of the cuttings bed developed in the wellbore is significantly increasing. Also, cuttings properties, fluid density, wellbore inclination and eccentricity have some influence on cuttings transport.