GEOTHERMAL DRILLING

GEOTHERMAL DRILLING
POTENTIAL FOR CASCADES?
POTENTIAL FOR CASCADES?
Washington Geothermal
Washington Geothermal
Resources
Resources
Oregon Geothermal Resources
Oregon Geothermal Resources
Limited High Temperature
Limited High Temperature
Development in the Cascades?
Development in the Cascades?
Exploration Difficulties
Exploration Difficulties

Surface manifestations limited

Surface manifestations limited

Temperature masking by the volcanic shield

Temperature masking by the volcanic shield
Blindly poking holes is expensive
Blindly poking holes is expensive
DRILLING IN THE CASCADES
DRILLING IN THE CASCADES
What are the options
What are the options
What are the Well Design Issues
What are the Well Design Issues
Planning and Execution
Planning and Execution
Different Purposes
Different Purposes
Gradient Holes
Gradient Holes
Test Wells
Test Wells

Core Holes
Core Holes

Slim Holes
Slim Holes
Production Wells
Production Wells
Injection Wells
Injection Wells
Different Drilling Processes
Different Drilling Processes
Cable Tool/Augur
Cable Tool/Augur
Continuous Coring
Continuous Coring

Reverse Circulation
Reverse Circulation

Conventional Circulation
Conventional Circulation
Rotary
Rotary

Mud
Mud

Air, Mist, Foam

Air, Mist, Foam
Different Size Rigs
Different Size Rigs
Very Small
Very Small
To
To
Very Large
Very Large
Basic Rig
Basic Rig
Human Powered
Human Powered
Cable Tool Rig
Cable Tool Rig
Continuous Coring
Continuous Coring
Rigging Up A Coring Rig
Rigging Up A Coring Rig
Early Geysers
Early Geysers
Rig
Rig
Medium Size Rig
Medium Size Rig
Drilling Rig in the Philippines
Drilling Rig in the Philippines
Drilling Rig in Utah
Drilling Rig in Utah
Large Rig
Large Rig
Large Rig on the
Large Rig on the
SAFOD project
SAFOD project
Top Drive Rig
Top Drive Rig
WELL DESIGN ISSUES
WELL DESIGN ISSUES
Do not depend on
Do not depend on

Well type
Well type

Rig type
Rig type

Rig size
Rig size
The solutions may differ, but the issues
The solutions may differ, but the issues
are the same
are the same
WELL DESIGN ISSUES
WELL DESIGN ISSUES
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues

Protection of the workforce

Protection of the workforce

Protection of the environment

Protection of the environment
Economic Design Issues
Economic Design Issues

Well Placement
Well Placement

Drilling and Completion Fluids

Drilling and Completion Fluids

Casing Design
Casing Design

Cementing Design
Cementing Design
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Workforce
Protection of the Workforce
-
-
1
1
Air Quality
Air Quality
H H
2 2
S S
Particulates Particulates
Noise Noise
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Workforce
Protection of the Workforce
-
-
2
2
Chemical Exposures
Chemical Exposures

Mud chemicals
Mud chemicals

Geothermal chemicals
Geothermal chemicals
Arsenic Arsenic
Heavy Metals Heavy Metals
NORMS NORMS
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Workforce
Protection of the Workforce
-
-
3
3
Thermal Hazards
Thermal Hazards
Contact with Hot Pipe, Hot Water or Steam Contact with Hot Pipe, Hot Water or Steam
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Workforce
Protection of the Workforce
-
-
4
4
Contact with moving
Contact with moving
objects
objects
Routine rig hazards Routine rig hazards
Equipment expelled Equipment expelled
from the well from the well
Air drilling Air drilling
Well Control Well Control
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Environment
Protection of the Environment
-
-
1
1
Air Quality (usually an
Air Quality (usually an
air drilling issue)
air drilling issue)
H H
2 2
S S
Particulates Particulates
Noise Noise
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Environment
Protection of the Environment
-
-
2
2
Surface
Surface
Contamination
Contamination
Containment Containment
Basin Failures Basin Failures
Drilling Fluids Drilling Fluids
Production Production
Fluids Fluids
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Environment
Protection of the Environment
-
-
3
3
Surface Contamination Surface Contamination
Well Control Well Control
Regulatory Design Issues
Regulatory Design Issues
Protection of the Environment
Protection of the Environment

4
4
Subsurface Contamination
Subsurface Contamination

Casing/Cement Failures
Casing/Cement Failures

Well Control
Well Control

Injection Control
Injection Control
CONVENTIONAL WELL DESIGN
CONVENTIONAL WELL DESIGN
Design for Mitigation
Design for Mitigation
Good Sense and Good Engineering
Good Sense and Good Engineering
Provide Safe, Economical Well Designs
Provide Safe, Economical Well Designs
Good Planning and Good Execution Build
Good Planning and Good Execution Build
a Safe, Economical Well
a Safe, Economical Well
You Cannot Regulate Out Stupidity or
You Cannot Regulate Out Stupidity or
Ignorance
Ignorance
Rotary
Rotary
Drilling
Drilling
Fundamentals
Fundamentals
Mud System Mud System
Bits Bits
BOP BOP s s
Casing Casing
Cementing Cementing
Mud
Mud
System
System
-
-
1
1
Mud System
Mud System
-
-
2
2
Bits
Bits
BOP
BOP

S
S
-
-
1
1
BOP
BOP

S
S
-
-
2
2
CASING
CASING
-
-
1
1
CASING
CASING
-
-
2
2
CASING
CASING
-
-
3
3
CEMENTING
CEMENTING
-
-
1
1
CEMENTING
CEMENTING
-
-
2
2
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
1
1
Location Location
More than one Exit, Wind Socks, Adequate size and soil strength More than one Exit, Wind Socks, Adequate size and soil strength for rig for rig
Containment basin with a bottom seal Containment basin with a bottom seal
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
2
2
Pressure, Temperature & Energy Cause
Pressure, Temperature & Energy Cause
the potential for loss of well control
the potential for loss of well control

Drilling Mud is the first line of defense

Drilling Mud is the first line of defense
Use of air requires a design exception Use of air requires a design exception

Cemented Casing & Blow Out Preventers

Cemented Casing & Blow Out Preventers
(BOP
(BOP

s) are the second line of defense

s) are the second line of defense
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
3
3
Lithostatic pressure is 1 psi/ft, which is
Lithostatic pressure is 1 psi/ft, which is
equivalent to a mud weight of 19.24 lbs/gal
equivalent to a mud weight of 19.24 lbs/gal

Normal
Normal

Hydrostatic pressure of fresh

Hydrostatic pressure of fresh
water is 0.433 psi/ft, which is equivalent to
water is 0.433 psi/ft, which is equivalent to
a mud weight of 8.33 lbs/gal
a mud weight of 8.33 lbs/gal
A reservoir is
A reservoir is

overpressured
overpressured

if its
if its
gradient is over 0.433 psi/ft
gradient is over 0.433 psi/ft
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
4
4
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

4A
4A
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
5
5
Hot Water contains tremendous energy
Hot Water contains tremendous energy
When you reduce the pressure on hot
When you reduce the pressure on hot
water, you release this energy
water, you release this energy
There is a boil down effect
There is a boil down effect

A little pressure release allows the water at

A little pressure release allows the water at
the top to boil, which reduces the pressure on
the top to boil, which reduces the pressure on
the deeper water
the deeper water

Which boils down the wellbore at an

Which boils down the wellbore at an
accelerating rate
accelerating rate
Basic Well
Basic Well
Design
Design
-
-
6
6
This is not a blow
This is not a blow
-
-
out
out
It was contained
It was contained
by the BOP
by the BOP

s,
s,
Casing & Cement
Casing & Cement
How would you
How would you
like to be standing
like to be standing
on the rig floor or
on the rig floor or
be in the derrick?
be in the derrick?
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
7
7
This is a blow
This is a blow
-
-
out, flowing outside the casing
out, flowing outside the casing
Basic Well
Basic Well
Design
Design
-
-
8
8
Same Blow
Same Blow
-
-
out
out
Where did the rig
Where did the rig
go?
go?
Basic Well
Basic Well
Design
Design
-
-
9
9
Same Blow
Same Blow
-
-
out, BUT 20
out, BUT 20
years later
years later
and still
and still
going!!!
going!!!
Don
Don

t let this
t let this
happen to
happen to
YOU!!
YOU!!
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
10
10
This Blow
This Blow
-
-
out was the result of a casing failure
out was the result of a casing failure
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
11
11
The first line of defense is mud
The first line of defense is mud

Mud weight that equals or exceeds the

Mud weight that equals or exceeds the
formation pressure
formation pressure
Potential Failures
Potential Failures

Higher than expected temperatures

Higher than expected temperatures

Shallower high temperatures

Shallower high temperatures

Lost circulation
Lost circulation
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

4A
4A
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design
-
-
12
12
The Second Line of Defense is Cemented
The Second Line of Defense is Cemented
Casing and BOP
Casing and BOP

s
s
Only as good as the weakest link
Only as good as the weakest link

Casing
Casing
Casing depth Casing depth
Casing integrity Casing integrity

Cement competency
Cement competency

BOP
BOP
capability
capability
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

13
13
Casing Setting Depth
Casing Setting Depth
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

14
14
Casing Design
Casing Design
Burst
Burst
Collapse
Collapse
Thermal Stresses
Thermal Stresses

Growth if unconfined by cement

Growth if unconfined by cement

=
=

(
(

T)L;
T)L;

= 6.5 x 10
= 6.5 x 10
- -6 6
(500)3000 = 9.75 ft
(500)3000 = 9.75 ft

Growth becomes stress, if confined by

Growth becomes stress, if confined by
cementing the pipe. The pipe & connectors
cementing the pipe. The pipe & connectors
must be designed for this stress
must be designed for this stress
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

15
15
Casing Design
Casing Design
Trapped Water
Trapped Water

Develops tremendous pressure

Develops tremendous pressure

Major cause of casing failures

Major cause of casing failures

Options
Options
Design so outer casing bursts Design so outer casing bursts
Careful cementing Careful cementing
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

16
16
Cement Design
Cement Design
Cement casing over the entire length
Cement casing over the entire length

Partial cementing leads to thermal stress

Partial cementing leads to thermal stress
failures and untenable growth
failures and untenable growth
Cement Design
Cement Design

Density of the Slurry

Density of the Slurry

Temperature stability of the set cement

Temperature stability of the set cement

Chemical resistance of the cement

Chemical resistance of the cement

Pumping time
Pumping time
Annular space and placement techniques
Annular space and placement techniques
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

17
17
BOP ISSUES
BOP ISSUES
BOP
BOP

s
s
are not high temperature devices
are not high temperature devices
BOP
BOP

s
s
must close off the annulus and the
must close off the annulus and the
pipe(s
pipe(s
)
)

Issue with dual string reverse circulation

Issue with dual string reverse circulation
Well Control Methods (Driller
Well Control Methods (Driller

s Method)
s Method)

Chokes, pressure measurement path

Chokes, pressure measurement path

Circulate out gas, circulate denser mud

Circulate out gas, circulate denser mud
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

18
18
Wellheads and Valves
Wellheads and Valves
Basic Well Design
Basic Well Design

19
19
Wellheads and Valves
Wellheads and Valves
PLANNING &
PLANNING &
EXECUTION
EXECUTION
You cannot design for
You cannot design for
the unknown
the unknown
Designs are based on
Designs are based on
assumptions, not
assumptions, not
known facts
known facts
Planning & Execution
Planning & Execution
must account for
must account for
unknowns
unknowns
PLANNING & EXECUTION
PLANNING & EXECUTION
-
-
2
2
The design is based on assumptions
The design is based on assumptions
Mother Nature will use what you assume
Mother Nature will use what you assume
to get your attention
to get your attention
ASS U ME
ASS U ME
Plan & Execute while anticipating
Plan & Execute while anticipating
surprises
surprises
PLANNING & EXECUTION
PLANNING & EXECUTION
-
-
3
3
The Design Assumes
The Design Assumes
:
:
A pressure verses depth
A pressure verses depth
A temperature versus depth
A temperature versus depth
Formation permeabilities
Formation permeabilities
Formation fluids
Formation fluids
PLANNING & EXECUTION
PLANNING & EXECUTION
-
-
4
4
Temperature Surprises
Temperature Surprises
:
:
Computer model the temperature gradient
Computer model the temperature gradient

Note the flow line temperature prediction

Note the flow line temperature prediction
During execution
During execution

If flow line temperatures exceed the model,

If flow line temperatures exceed the model,
you are beyond your design!! Stop drilling!!
you are beyond your design!! Stop drilling!!
Look for mineral evidence of shallow
Look for mineral evidence of shallow
temperatures
temperatures

If you find
If you find
epidote
epidote
, stop drilling!!
, stop drilling!!
PLANNING & EXECUTION
PLANNING & EXECUTION
-
-
5
5
Formation Permeability
Formation Permeability
:
:
Loss of circulation can be followed by
Loss of circulation can be followed by

Production of formation fluids

Production of formation fluids

Formation fluids may contain H

Formation fluids may contain H
2 2
S
S

Formation fluids may be steam or hot water

Formation fluids may be steam or hot water
PLANNING & EXECUTION
PLANNING & EXECUTION
-
-
6
6
Have a good well design
Have a good well design
Anticipate problems when planning
Anticipate problems when planning
Have a plan for the unexpected
Have a plan for the unexpected
Know when you have moved outside
Know when you have moved outside
the design
the design
If you are outside the design, stop until
If you are outside the design, stop until
you have a new design and a new plan
you have a new design and a new plan
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
NON
NON
-
-
MUD DRILLING
MUD DRILLING
Air, Mist or Foam Drilling
Air, Mist or Foam Drilling
Dual Tube Reverse
Dual Tube Reverse
Circulation
Circulation
Above the Reservoir
Above the Reservoir
(usually to combat lost circulation)
(usually to combat lost circulation)
Special Considerations
Special Considerations

Well Control
Well Control
Prepare for potential well control problems Prepare for potential well control problems
Prepare for producing formation fluids Prepare for producing formation fluids
Prepare for H Prepare for H
2 2
S S

Disposal of produced fluids

Disposal of produced fluids
Underbalanced Underbalanced drilling may produce formation drilling may produce formation
fluids fluids

Cementing the casing for future isolation

Cementing the casing for future isolation
Dual Tube Reverse Circulation
Dual Tube Reverse Circulation
Within the Reservoir
Within the Reservoir

Drilling while producing

Drilling while producing
Air Drilling Air Drilling
Snubbing Snubbing
Tapered casing design to ease entry Tapered casing design to ease entry
Killing the well to ease entry Killing the well to ease entry
Air Quality Air Quality
Separators Separators
Chemical scrubbing Chemical scrubbing
Disposal of produced fluids Disposal of produced fluids
Air Drilling
Air Drilling
Snubbing
Snubbing
If bit OD = Casing ID
If bit OD = Casing ID
Pressure stops bit Pressure stops bit
from entering the well from entering the well
Snub (pull in with Snub (pull in with
lines) lines)
Kill the well Kill the well
If bit OD < Casing ID
If bit OD < Casing ID
Steam can flow past Steam can flow past
the bit the bit
Air Quality
Air Quality
Before Before After After