a fresh approach to wellbore cleaning

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Interventio

Many operators know that the transition

from drilling to completion is a

challenging proposition, one made all

the more difcult with an improperly

executed wellbore-cleaning program.

Debris such as drilling mud and metal solids left in

the wellbore can have an adverse affect on several

aspects of a well’s completion and production

stages, from inhibiting the performance of

downhole tools to inducing formation damage andplugging. Regardless of how the problem manifests

itself, the eventual result is a drain on prots

because of increased nonproductive time (NPT),

higher operating costs and impaired production.

Operators have emphasized to Weatherford that

debris left in the wellbore results in one third of all

failed completions. This fact stresses the continued

need for robust and comprehensive wellbore-

cleaning solutions.

Addressing All Facets

To meet the needs associated with wellbore

cleaning, Weatherford expanded its already

extensive suite of intervention services to provide

an integrated solution that addresses the major

categories of wellbore cleaning—cased-hole

cleaning, which is designed to remove debris

and mud from the cased section of the wellbore,

and openhole cleaning, in which lter cakes and

debris are removed from the open hole.

Weatherford’s approach to wellbore cleaning begins

with the realization that all downhole operations

are interrelated. As such, the company takes into

account ways to better serve operators and ensure

that additional wellbore-servicing operations, such

as running expandable screens or performing

a casing exit job, are not limited by inadequate wellbore cleaning.

“At the same time, if an operation is to be truly

successful, we need to address all three facets of

wellbore cleaning—mechanical, chemical and

hydraulic,” explains David Brunnert, Weatherford’s

Vice President of Intervention.

For example, the right wellbore-cleaning chemical

treatment for mud removal does not work as

effectively if the mechanical treatment, such as

a scraping tool, fails to adequately remove the

scale from the drillpipe or casing. Similarly, if the hydraulic component to wellbore cleaning—

typically a downhole circulation tool designed to

keep the well uids in a turbulent ow regime such

that solids do not settle out—is not present or

works ineffectively, the chemical and mechanical

cleanup treatments are negatively impacted.

A Fresh Approach to

Wellbore Cleaning

By combining a comprehensive suite o chemical and

mechanical technologies with wellbore intervention

specialists, Weatherord’s new wellbore-cleaning service

provides an integrated approach that simultaneously

improves feld saety and proftability.

FEBRUARY 2010



“Neglecting any facet of wellbore cleaning ultimately

leads to impaired production, increased NPT or

some combination of the two,” says Brunnert.

Weatherford has already made several strategic

moves to position itself as both the premier

provider for mechanical wellbore-cleaning

treatments—an area for which it is already

internationally recognized—and as the rst

choice for integrated projects that require

the full range of cleaning options.

“Fluids companies—that also dabble in

mechanical tools—perform many of the

wellbore-cleaning services,” Brunnert adds.

“We offer a unique perspective in that we are

fundamentally known as a mechanical tool

company, but we are also going to provide

the full scope of chemical-cleaning services.”

Through Weatherford’s Engineered Chemistry ®

product offering, as well as several strategic

acquisitions during the past several years, the

company now possesses a vast portfolio of

chemical-treatment technologies, including

On the mechanical wellbore-cleaning front,

Weatherford recently strengthened its position

with the acquisition of a company specializing

in a wide variety of mechanical wellbore cleanup

tools, including downhole ltration-management

tools, casing and tubing scrapers, and uid-

circulating tools. This acquisition has now placed

Weatherford in a unique position of providing

both the expertise and engineering for any

wellbore-cleaning scenario.

Intervention

drilling uids systems, lter-cake breaker systems,

wellbore stimulation aids, and scale and corrosion

inhibitors. In addition, Weatherford’s various

ow-control and well-servicing product linesprovide an array of hydraulic components, such

as circulation tools that are designed to alter the

ow pattern of uids downhole and prevent

solids buildup in the wellbore.

I an operation is to be truly successul, we need

to address all three acets o wellbore cleaning—

mechanical, chemical and hydraulic.

26 m A g A z i n E

Weatherord’s wellbore clea

processes cobe Engineered

Chemistry ad echacal wellbore

clea tools, scrapers, brushes,

aets, ad dowhole flters to

help clets saely ad eectvely

reove wellbore debrs.



An integrated wellbore-cleaning service

addresses three basic challenges of any

intervention operation—reduce NPT,

protect the formation from debris by

removing solids and uid emulsions from

the wellbore, and improve the health and

safety metrics for engineers on-site.

“The way these three challenges are

resolved is through integrated operations,

an area in which Weatherford’s engineers

have a great deal of experience,” explains

Brunnert. “The inclusion of wellbore-

cleaning tools in an integrated serviceoffering makes for an ideal environment

for simultaneous operations.”

For example, after a well has been drilled

to total depth, it is possible to drillout

cement and establish a new target

plug-back total depth (PBTD) with the

cleanup string—including mechanical

scrapers, circulating ports and other

tools—in the well. This capability

enables the operator to move straight

to displacement, saving a signicant

amount of tripping time and rig costs.

Reduced tripping time and a reduction in

the number of overall trips translate to a

reduction in NPT, enabling production

to start up more quickly. “In fact, a well-

executed cleaning operation can take days

off the drilling or completion schedule,”

Brunnert adds.

“Fewer trips downhole also provide

safety benets,” he continues. “The risk

of injuries to your people is signicantly

reduced because fewer separate

operations translate to less exposure to

chemicals, less pipe handling and less

transportation of heavy equipment

around the site.”

An integrated operation results in greater

protection of the formation because the

intervention team on-site has a better

understanding of the chemistry of the

uids that are being pumped down the wellbore. “By using our own chemical

treatments, which are developed and

evaluated in our own R&D facilities, the

risk of using the wrong completion uid

that could push contaminants into the

formation is reduced,” Brunnert said.

With this integrated wellbore-cleaning

service fully in place, Weatherford is now

introducing it to regions of the world

with the greatest need, starting with the

growing market in the Middle East. “We

already have a well-established base of experience in the Middle East and have

successfully completed separate wellbore-

cleaning services for clients for years,”

says Brunnert. “Now, with the specialized

engineering personnel and the reliability

and range of solutions that our integrated

offering provides, I am condent that we

can quickly and effectively improve any

wellbore-cleaning operation.”

Simultaneous Operations Possible

Debris left in the wellboreresults in one-third of all

failed completions.

FEBRUARY 2010



hen Weatherord was looking to increase its chemical competency in integrated

wellbore-cleaning services, David Kippie seemed the perect t. The Dubai-based

Global Business Unit Manager or Wellbore Cleaning Services received a B.S.

degree in Chemistry in 1997 rom Texas Tech University. He quickly put that knowledge to

work on the research and development o new drilling and completion-fuid technologies

or several U.S. oileld service providers, including Weatherord. David was a respected

contributor or many years to the Controlled Pressure Drilling® business unit or Weatherord.

In 2004, Kippie moved to Dubai to provide technical support and develop integration

programs or chemical and mechanical reservoir solutions or companies in the Middle East.

A certied drilling and completions fuids engineer, Kippie is the author o several patents in

the development o thermally stable well fuids. He re-joined Weatherord in late 2009.

“Weatherord already had a strong technical resource base in the mechanical aspect

o wellbore cleaning,” says Kippie. “This base is a great opportunity to add my chemistry

background to provide a more complete service oering or our clients.”

We oer a unique perspective in that we are undamentally

known as a mechanical tool company, but we are also going

to provide the ull scope o chemical-cleaning services.

“

”

The human element

Intervention

Weatherord’s new online Tubular Connection Database (TCD) provides clients and feld technicians with the

ability to instantly and easily veriy connection size and makeup criteria in the feld, when access to printed

material is limited or not available.TCD was created to provide users with ast and easy access to thousands o connections, hevi and spiral wate

drillpipe and collars, specifcation sheets, and contact inormation. The site is a one-stop shop or users to access

inormation on technical specifcations and sizes o tubing, casing and drillpipe connections rom various vendors,

rather than visiting individual websites or relying on printed publications that can easily become outdated.

The inormation in the database is supplied directly rom the connection manuacturers and is the latest

published data. Current, updated inormation is easily accessible in one place, saving time and reducing error.

In addition, TCD has a “mobile interace,” enabling access rom any web-enabled, personal-digital-assistant

(PDA) device or smart phone. For more inormation, visit http://tcd.weatherford.com/.

Tubular Connection Database

TechBites

David Kippie

28 m A g A z i n E

a fresh approach to wellbore cleaning

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