Impact of Drilling Practices on Well Integrity and Production: An Analysis and Assessment

Drilling is carried out in the very early stage of the well and it is critical for ensuring smooth execution of every aspect of well construction such as faster drilling, better hole cleaning, superior logging, running casing efficiently, maintaining wellbore integrity and achieving economic production. This paper will demonstrate the significance of best drilling practices to achieve good wellbore geometry, which has a profound effect on total well construction and production time and cost and sometimes even determine the success of the well. Poor wellbore geometry, because of improper choice of drilling system i.e. mud motor or rotatory steerable, is generally related to the washed out and/or spiraled wellbore. Washed out hole is recognized by using calipers, however, the hole spiraling is difficult to detect at the early stage of the well. In spiraled holes, it becomes virtually impossible to get a good cementing job done. The poor cementing conditions behind the casing are identified using ultra-sonic images or high amplitudes values of CBL/VDL. These channels behind casing are, a clear threat to production and life cycle of the well. It is widely assumed that the squeeze jobs are an option to improve cement behind casing, however, it does not hold true in case of a spiral borehole. This paper compares the wells, drilled with different drilling system and their impact on the wellbore geometry. It also exhibits the aftermath effects on wellbore construction, well integrity and production.