Geomechanics and Geoenergy Journal

Geomechanics and Geoenergy Journal

Laboratory simulation of drilling operations to study factors affecting hole cleaning and well fluid pressure drop in the well drilling

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohsen Dehodar 1
Payam Esmaeilnia 1
Parviz Maarefvand 2
1 Petroleum and Geoenergy Department, Amirkabir University of Technology
2 Mining Engineering Department,, Amirkabir University of Technology
10.22107/ggj.2025.502182.1248
Abstract
The effect of cuttings transfer means improving the hole cleaning operation in the drilling process, increasing the penetration rate, preventing pipe stuck, and reducing torque and drag problems. If the well is cleaned optimally and promptly, the drilling speed will increase, and the final cost will decrease. The parameters affecting the well cleaning operation are drilling fluid characteristics, drilling cuttings characteristics such as shape and size, bottom hole assembly (BHA) design, drill nozzle characteristics, well deviation degree, drilling fluid volume rate, and drill penetration rate. This study investigates the effect of drilling stabilizers on cleaning and fluid pressure drop. The experimental design output for the laboratory simulator was used to investigate the behavior of the cuttings. In experiments by changing the angle of the simulator, the effect of the well deviation angle in the presence of a drilling stabilizer has been investigated. As the distance of the stabilizer from the laboratory bit increases, the pressure drop decreases. The pressure drop will be less in the laboratory environment with more drill string rotation. As long as the rotation does not increase the friction force and only allows the cuttings to move more easily in the rotation path, hole cleaning will improve, and we will see the bed's movement and height change. As the density of the cuttings increases, the pressure drop increases slightly, and the cutting base height also increases. The optimum place of the stabilizer helps with hole cleaning when placed 75 cm away from the bit.
Keywords
hole cleaning
annulus pressure drop
drilling stabilizer
drill string rotation
laboratory simulator
[1] Van dyke, K., Rotary Drilling, The Bit Unit 1 Lesson 2. International Assocciation f Drilling Contractors, 1951.
[2] Hughes, B. (2006). Drilling fluids reference manual. Houston, Texas.
[3] Olawale, S. B., Longe, P. O., & Ofesi, S. F. (2021). Evaluating the effect of drill string rotation and change in drilling fluid viscosity on hole cleaning. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, 11(7), 2981-2989. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-021-01209-y
[4] Yeo, L., Feng, Y., Seibi, A., Temani, A., & Liu, N. (2021). Optimization of hole cleaning in horizontal and inclined wellbores: A study with computational fluid dynamics. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 205, 108993.                https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.108993
[5] Hu, W., Zhang, J., Xu, B., & Zhu, H. (2024). Numerical simulation and experimental study of hole cleaning. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 147, 105697.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2024.105697
[6] Mahmoud, H., Hamza, A., Nasser, M. S., Hussein, I. A., Ahmed, R., & Karami, H. (2020). Hole cleaning and drilling fluid sweeps in horizontal and deviated wells: Comprehensive review. Journal of petroleum science and engineering, 186, 106748.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2019.106748
[7]ASME Shale Shaker ASME Shale Shaker Committee. (2011). Drilling fluids processing handbook. Elsevier.
[8]موذنی، علیرضا؛ نبئی، محمد. (1393) مهندسی حفاری. اصفهان: بامداد امید
[9] Hossain, M. E., & Al-Majed, A. A. (2015). Fundamentals of sustainable drilling engineering. John Wiley & Sons.
[10] Tang, L., Yao, H., & Wang, C. (2021). Development of remotely operated adjustable stabilizer to improve drilling efficiency. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 95, 104174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2021.104174
[11] Chen, Z. M., & Xiong, J. Y. (2010). Numerical Calculation for Carrying-cutting Lifting of Spiral Centralizer in Conventional Drilling. Natural Gas Technology, 4(5), 44-46.
[12] Dehvedar, M., Moarefvand, P., Kiyani, A. R., & Mansouri, A. R. (2019). Using an experimental drilling simulator to study operational parameters in drilled-cutting transport efficiency. Journal of Mining and Environment, 10(2), 417-428. https://doi.org/10.22044/jme.2019.7665.1624
[13] Di, Q., Qin, K., Chen, T., Liu, B., Li, S., Wang, W., ... & Zhang, H. (2021). An innovative method for studying the dynamic failure mechanism of box connection of stabilizer in large diameter wellbore of ultra-deep wells. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 205, 108822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.108822
[14] Inglis, T. (2013). Directional drilling (Vol. 2). Springer Science & Business Media.
[15] Sun, X., Wang, K., Yan, T., Shao, S., & Jiao, J. (2014). Effect of drillpipe rotation on cuttings transport using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in complex structure wells. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, 4(3), 255-261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-014-0118-x
[16] Abbas, A. K., Alsaba, M. T., & Al Dushaishi, M. F. (2022). Comprehensive experimental investigation of hole cleaning performance in horizontal wells including the effects of drill string eccentricity, pipe rotation, and cuttings size. Journal of Energy Resources Technology, 144(6), 063006. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4052102
Geomechanics and Geoenergy Journal
Volume 8, Issue 1
Spring 2025
Pages 47-56