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7/29/2019 A Fresh Approach to Wellbore Cleaning
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/a-fresh-approach-to-wellbore-cleaning 1/4
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
7/29/2019 A Fresh Approach to Wellbore Cleaning
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/a-fresh-approach-to-wellbore-cleaning 2/4
“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.
7/29/2019 A Fresh Approach to Wellbore Cleaning
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/a-fresh-approach-to-wellbore-cleaning 3/4
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
7/29/2019 A Fresh Approach to Wellbore Cleaning
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/a-fresh-approach-to-wellbore-cleaning 4/4
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