Abstract
A methodology to properly screen all UBD techniques to reduce failure/misapplication and align objectives with expectations had been absent. The paper addresses the latest enhancements to better understand and screen options for UBD operations according to two aspects: formation applicability and engineering applicability. The screening tool considers a range of economic and technical parameter to provide a relative ranking for each candidate of the Underbalanced drilling (UBD) technique. As a case, the methodology was available to optimize the UBD techniques in a risky exploration well in Xinjiang oilfield, which provided guidance and technical support to screen the UBD candidate, design the drilling modeconversion, and establish the emergency schedule.
Highlights
Underbalanced drilling technology is an adaptive drilling process that enables a more precise control of wellbore pressures through the use of rotary blowout preventer and engineered processes
An important aspect of Underbalanced drilling (UBD) success is proper candidate screening, which can provide an understand of benefits and risks
Many research institutions and service companies already have studied to screening the UBD candidate1,2, and the formation pressure profile prediction as the key factor is focused on, but to properly apply UBD, other factors besides the pressure prediction should be considered comprehensively to more fully evaluate the UBD applicability
Summary
Underbalanced drilling technology is an adaptive drilling process that enables a more precise control of wellbore pressures through the use of rotary blowout preventer and engineered processes. The drilling process is becoming an important tool for drilling many oilfields with depleted reservoirs, narrow pressure windows, and/or drilling issues. The drilling processing can provide a variety of benefits during the drilling operation and production phase. UBD as a high investment to get high returns technology can fail to deliver full potential because unsuitable candidates are drilled or the inappropriate drilling technology is applied. An important aspect of UBD success is proper candidate screening, which can provide an understand of benefits and risks. An UBD candidate screening method is proposed according to two aspects: formation applicability and engineering applicability
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