Techbits: Assessing Managed-Pressure Drilling

Abstract

The SPE Applied Technology Workshop (ATW) "Managed-Pressure Drilling (MPD)" held during 11−14 June in Phuket, Thailand, drew 82 participants from 47 different organizations and 14 countries. The focus of the ATW was the use of MPD, precisely controlling the annular pressure in a closed system while drilling, to drill reservoirs that have been deemed economically undrillable by conventional means or to avoid drilling-related issues in others. Wee Si Boon, Head of Wells Delivery (Malaysia), Shell Malaysia E&P, delivered the keynote address, titled "Developing Mud Cap Drilling and Completion Technology." His upbeat opening speech on the impact MPD has had on the Shell Malaysia operations emphasized its continued use to alleviate drilling problems in carbonate reservoirs often associated with severe lost circulation. These points were followed by comments on the wider application of MPD in the Asia Pacific region and its expanding use as a drilling enabler. Ben Gedge, Brunei Country Manager and Shell E&P-Asia focal point for Weatherford, and Ian Davidson, Middle East Regional Manager, UBD Global Implementation Team, Shell E&P Intl. Ltd., gave the past, present, and future prospects for MPD and explained how this technology evolved out of underbalanced drilling (UBD) over the past 10 years, especially for the challenging drilling applications where full UBD is not appropriate. The workshop reviewed the many applications for MPD, including, land, offshore, deepwater, high-pressure/high-temperature, and tight-gas air drilling. David Castillo, Director-Asia-Pacific, GeoMechanics, set the scene by reviewing and analyzing the many geological challenges that are encountered during the well-construction process and how these can be addressed with MPD techniques. Particular attention was paid in the workshop to the cur-rent projects employing MPD techniques in Asia Pacific, particularly in carbonate reservoirs. Leo Maekiaho, Well Engineer-Operations, Shell Malaysia E&P, gave an overview of Shell Malaysia groundbreaking operations from jackups and semisubmersible rigs in the South China Sea. Andy Timms, Drilling Manager, Amerada Hess, reviewed a recent successful project in Thailand where high-pressure gas wells were successfully drilled with MPD technology, so much so that the number of development wells in the field was cut dramatically as a result of much-improved flow rates achieved with MPD technology (especially as a result of novel completion techniques). Don Reitsma, Vice President-Engineering, At Balance, gave a description of a new dynamic-annular-pressure-control drilling technique that has only recently been commercialized. Planning of MPD wells is one of the most critical parts of an operation. A group consisting of Oliver Coker, Principal Engineer, Conoco/Phillips; John Ramalho, UBD Regional Implementation Manager, Shell; Don Reitsma; Phil Frink, President, Blade Energy Partners; and Ben Gedge led the presentations and subsequent panel discussion.