Drilling Engineering

PE 353
Dr. S. Adjei
Petroleum Eng. Dept.
KNUST-Ghana

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 Course Content
• Describe the functions of the Drilling systems
• Describe the role of drilling in the exploration, appraisal and
development of a field and the types of information gathered
during these processes
• Discuss rotary drilling
• Perform basic rotary drilling calculations
• Discuss the causes of abnormal pressures
• Predict abnormal pressures
• Drilling Fluid.
• Drilling Hydraulics.
• Wellheads and casing hangers.
• Well control; primary control, warning signs of kicks, secondary
control, well killing procedures, BOP equipment, BOP stack
arrangements.
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• Oil well cementing
Introduction to
Drilling

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Oilfield Production Lifecycle

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Exploration Phase

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▪ Exploration techniques are essential tools used by petroleum
geologists to find and assess petroleum reserves.
▪ There are several techniques used in petroleum exploration,
including:
▪ Seismic surveys:
✓ This is done by transmitting sound waves into the subsurface and
measuring the time it takes for the waves to return to the surface.
✓ It helps identify structural and stratigraphic features.
✓ Indirectly, seismic data represent time scales where reflections
correspond to interfaces between layers deposited over geologic
time.

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• For instance, when you shoot seismic offshore in western
basin you’ll see multiple layers of rocks running down
from the Cenozoic to different era.

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• There are some periods in the geologic time scale that have been
especially prone to generate good source rocks.
• These periods coincide with a high sea level and a lot of biological
activity (algae, plankton).
• For example, at Aptian-Turonian times, there are very good source
rocks at Venezuela-Colombia-Ecuador petroleum systems, West
Africa, Texas.
✓ At Late Jurassic —Neocomian time, very good source rocks in
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Middle East, North Africa, Siberia, Gulf of
Mexico, North Sea.
✓ At Permian times, good source rock at Permian basin, USA
✓ At Silurian times (very old), good source rocks in North Africa (Libya,
Algeria).

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Petroleum traps are geological structures that prevent petroleum from
escaping to the surface and allow it to accumulate and be preserved in
a reservoir

✓ Structural traps: These traps are created by the deformation of rock

formations due to tectonic activity. Anticlines, faults, and dome-like.

✓ Stratigraphic traps: These traps occur when a layer of permeable

rock is overlain by an impermeable layer, preventing the petroleum
from escaping. Examples of stratigraphic traps include
pinchouts, shale seals, and mudstones.

✓ Combined traps: Some petroleum reservoirs are formed by a

combination of structural and stratigraphic traps. For example, an
anticline that is capped by an impermeable layer is considered a
combined trap.
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Definitions:
✓ A source rock: This is a rock that contains organic matter that can be
converted into oil and gas.
✓ A reservoir rock: This is a rock that can store oil and gas.
✓ A trap: This is a structure that prevents the oil and gas from escaping
from the reservoir rock.
✓ A seal/cap rock: This is a rock that prevents fluids from migrating
from one reservoir rock to another.

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▪ Ghanaian Fields has mostly combination trapping systems.
1. Stratigraphic caused by pinch out
2. Structural caused by either a fault or anticline

▪ A single trap can contain multiple reservoirs, each separated by its own seal within the
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same structural or stratigraphic feature.
▪ Drilling:
✓ Drilling is the process of penetrating the subsurface to obtain rock
samples and fluid data.
✓ This data is used to assess the size, quality, and fluid content of the
reservoir.
• Exploration wells are drilled to determine the presence of
petroleum.
• Appraisal wells are drilled to assess the size and quality of the
reservoir.
• Wildcat is a well drilled to determine if hydrocarbons are present in
an unproven location.

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▪ Well logging:
✓ Well logging is the process of measuring various physical
and chemical properties of the rocks and fluids within a
wellbore.
✓ This data is used to determine the presence of petroleum,
the type of rock formations, and the fluid content of the
reservoir.

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▪ Remote sensing:
✓ Remote sensing is the use of satellite and aerial imagery
to gather information about the earth’s surface.
✓ This data is used to identify surface features that may
indicate the presence of petroleum, such as oil seeps or
anomalous vegetation.

▪ Geological and geochemical analysis:

✓ Geological and geochemical analysis is the study of rock
samples and fluid data to determine the presence and
quality of petroleum.
✓ This information is used to assess the potential of the
reservoir and determine the best course of action for
exploration and development. 15
Development Phase

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• Once the company makes the decision to move ahead
with development in a particular area, it may proceed
with development well (production, injection) drilling at
several different locations throughout the project area.
• Equipment for processing the oil or natural gas produced
are installed.
• Flowlines that carry gas, oil, and other fluids at or near
the wellhead, gathering lines that transport the oil or gas
to a central collection point, and transmission pipelines
that take the product to market are built.

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Production Phase

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 Abandonment
• Final phase after the economic limit has been reached after
the option of EOR, additional wells, Artificial lift techniques
have been exhausted or the cost of these activities can be
justified.

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Well Types

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 Production Well
• A well completed for the production of oil and gas.

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 Stripper Wells
• Stripper wells are production wells whose production
does not exceed 10-15 barrels of oil a day from a
reservoir,
• or any natural gas well whose maximum daily average gas
production does not exceed 90 thousand cubic feet of gas
(Mcf), per day
• ………… during any 12-month consecutive time period.

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 Injection Well
• For the Injection of water and gas during Improved Oil Recovery
operations or for waste disposal

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 Relief Wells
• A relief well is used to
relieve pressure or
block an oil well that
has experience a
blowout.
• Heavy mud and then
cement are pumped
through the relief well
into a leaking well.

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WELL ORIENTATION

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RIG TYPES

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 FIXED PLATFORM
• A fixed platform is a permanent structure attached to the
ocean floor, often for the purpose of offshore oil drilling.
• Most of the working space of such a platform is raised
above the surface of the sea by rigid supports made of
steel or concrete.
• They operate at depths of 1,500 ft -1700 ft (457m-
520m).

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 COMPLIANT TOWER
• Compliant towers are similar to fixed platforms in that
they have a steel tubular jacket that is used to support the
surface facilities.
• Unlike fixed platforms, compliant towers yield to the
water and wind movements in a manner similar to
floating structures
• This flexibility allows it to operate in much deeper water, as
it can ‘absorb‘ much of the pressure exerted on it by the
wind and sea. They operate in depths of 1,500 feet to
3,000 feet (457 m to 914 m or more)

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 JACK-UP RIG
• Jack-up Mobile Drilling Units
(or Jack-ups) are rigs that can
be jacked up above the sea
using legs that can be lowered,
much like Jacks.
• These are typically used in
water depths up to 120 meters
(390 ft), although some
designs can go to 170 m
(560 ft) depth or more.

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 SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE PLATFORM

• This is a floating drilling

rig that is capable of
working in water depths
ranging from shallow
through to ultra-deep
water (60 to 3,000 m or
more).

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 TENSION LEG PLATFORMS

• Buoyant (air-filled) hull supports

the platform's topsides
• Cable-lines (tendons/tension
legs) secure the structure to the
foundation on the seabed.
• TLP can operate as deep as
7000 ft.

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 SPAR PLATFORMS

• The platform is placed atop a huge

hollow cylindrical hull.
• The cylinder however does not extend
all the way to the seafloor, but instead
tethered to the bottom by a series of
cables and lines.
• These types of platforms can operate
in water depths up to 3,048 m (10,000
ft).
• The hull is encircled with spiraling
strakes to add stability by reducing
vortex caused by currents.
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 DRILLSHIPS

• Drillships are marine ships

fitted with drilling equipment
and the dynamic positioning
system, which maintains their
positions over oil well.
• They are primarily used for
exploratory drilling and can
operate in water depths up to
3,700 m (12,000 ft).

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Well Configuration

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