A Guide to Successful

Backreaming:
Real-Time Case Histories

G. Yarim, G.M. Ritchie, R.B. May, SPE, Schlumberger

SPE 116555

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Agenda
• Introduction
• Problems with Backreaming
• Case Histories
• Real-time Surveillance
• Recommended Backreaming Approach
• Results
• Conclusions

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Stuck Pipe Statistics
56 %*
% of incidents are solid
3% induced pack offs

23 %* off the
th Stuck
St k Pipe
Pi
incidents while tripping or
29% backreaming

Solid Differential
Induced
Pack Offs

56% 12%

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* Integrated Project Management data (2005-2008) SPE 116555
Backreaming
Backreaming , “drilling backwards”, to trip out of the hole
when
there is a problem pulling the pipe without rotation and /or
circulation

Backreaming is performed by the rig site personnel:

• When there is a problem to trip out of the hole on the elevators
• To clean the hole to eliminate cuttings beds and hole cavings
• To pass through plastic formations if mud weight is too low
• To eliminate tight hole conditions (due to reactive formations, hole
collapses, well bore instability)
• To prepare the wellbore to run logs (precautionary) *
• To prepare the wellbore to run casing (precautionary) *

* not always necessary nor recommended

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 Backreaming and Wellbore Conditions
Lack of industry guidelines on conditions where back reaming shou
Backreaming should be avoided (if possible) where:
• tripping
t i i outt off the
th hole
h l iis possible
ibl on ththe elevators
l t
• there is pre-existing fractured / failed rocks and risk of wellbore
instability issues
• the hole is not clean
• cuttings beds exist in high angle wells (risk of packoffs)
• rig pumps/mud have insufficient capacity for adequate hole
cleaning
Backreaming should also be avoided:
• as the first option to pass through tight hole condition
• without close supervision of the person in charge and / or rig mgr.
• BR is extremely difficult to perform with kelly and mechanical rigs

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60° +: Stable Cuttings Bed Area
Hole Inclination > 30° & < 60°

Hole Inclination > 60°

Cuttings Dune Moving Bed Stationary

Transportation Transport Bed

Rapid Settling of Individual Particles Onto

the Existing Bed 6
 How Fast Can Backreaming Be Performed?

Restricted annular or high amount of

cuttings:
• High / fluctuating pump pressure
• High / fluctuating torque
• High / fluctuating over pull
• Combination of parameters and downhole conditions should dictate
backreaming speed 7
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• Do not backream faster than the cuttings can be transported out of the hole
Distinguish Cuttings from Cavings

Cuttings

Cavings
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Cavings – What they can tell us?
What are we looking for in cavings analysis?
• What type?
– Stress/Chemical Instability Cavings
– Natural Plane-of Weakness Cavings g
– Under-Balance Pressure Cavings

• When do they appear ?

– Drilling & Circulating
– After tripping
– After backreaming

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Effect of Backreaming on ECD

Backream Backream
Circulat Circulat
e e

Backreaming increases ECD due to solids incorporated into the flow stream
Use APWD/Surface parameters to monitor the ECD while backreaming 10
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 Shocks and Vibrations While Backreaming
Surface_rpm
(RPM)
0 c/min 300 Stand_pipe_pressu

Block_position Hookload (HKLD)

Shock_Risk MWD_CRPM
(SPPA) • BHA in tension and
(SHKRSK_RT) (CRPM_RT) 2500 psi 450

0
(BPOS)
ft 150
0 klbf 500
0 3.15 0 c/min 300 Bit_on_bottom less constrained ((no
(BONB)
Surface_wob MWD_ShkPk Surface_torque StickSlip Total_pump_flow
Rop*5 (ROP5) (SWOB) (SHKPK_RT) (STOR) (STICK_RT) (FLWI) -10 fixed end)
500 ft/h 00 klbf 100 25 0 c/min 300 0
0 G's 200 0 kft.lbf gal/min 1000

• Can lead to high

shocks resulting in
Sep.03-2006
premature failures
12:00

Shocks up to 175 G while

backreaming with 60 RPM
with a rotary steerable Sh k LLevels
Shock l
assembly in 12 ¼-in hole in
a 73° tangent <50 G Low
Sep.03-2006
50-100 G
12:20

Medium
100-150 G High
>150
150 G S
Severe
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 Backreaming Decision Tree
Drill to target depth
monitoring
Torque and Drag
Trip out of
the hole

Circulate hole clean

and measure T&D Monitor the Run back
before and hole drag 2-3 stands
after circulation

Tight spot
YES Excessive NO Slowlyy rotate and
over pull based break circulation.
Record the depth on limit set Circulate, reciprocate
of the tight spot and rotate to clean the hole
Record the over pull

Run back
2-3 stands
Likely cause: Is there
Well bore NO well bore YES
Slowly rotate and
break circulation. geometry or instability
Circulate, reciprocate mechanical problem?
and rotate to clean
the hole (Pump a pill
if required) Continue to clean the
hole and modify the
MW if required.
POOH
POOH with
caution
ti tto the
th
previous
tight spot
YES Is there
still a tight
Backream
spot?
(away from the NO
tight spot)
NO YES with drilling flow
Over pull at the
Likely cause: same depth rate and RPM
Hole cleaning 12
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Case History #1

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Case History #1 Findings and Conclusions

Stuck pipe event due to solids induced packoff while backreaming

• Drilled last 996 m with an Avg
Avg. ROP of 21 m / hour
• Circulated 1.6 x bottoms up prior to POOH
• Drilled 12 ¼” with 550 g
gpm ((constrained by
y high
g pump pressure
using 5” DP)
• Only 253 GPM while backreaming with 150 RPM and 3,900 psi
SPP
• Geomechanics post analysis indicates mechanical hole
instability (cavings) due to geological stress convergence area
• Caliper log shows 40 m of 19-20” washout below 13 3/8” shoe
• Driller did not follow best practices (exceeded overpull limits,
b k
backreaming i after
f overpullll iinstead
d off RIH to circulate
i l / clean
l the
h
well) 14
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Case History #2
Backreaming out
of the hole
2000 psi
1500ft-lbs
430 gpm
75-125 RPM

Driller had to
work the pipe to
pass the tight
spot with up to
20klbf over pull

Torque is
increasing from
1500 ft-lbs to
7500 ft-lbs

Pump pppressure is
increasing and
erratic (indication
of hole packing
off)
String is stuck
without rotation,,
circulation and
pipe movement
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Case History #2 Findings and Conclusions
Stuck pipe event was due to solids induced packoff while
backreaming
• Backreaming with > planned MW → wellbore instability and
cavings
• Clear indication that backreaming gpparameters worseningg but
driller did not go down and circulate to clean the hole
• The best course of action would have been
• to
t focus
f on hole
h l cleaning
l i
• to minimize the wellbore instability issue (MW selection)
• to observe drilling parameters more closely to adjust
backreaming speed
• Backreaming should be last resort after other options
exhausted
• should be avoided when wellbore instability issues 16
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present
Real Time Monitoring of Backreaming
Real time parameters to
monitor while backreaming

• SPP vs Flow rate

• Hookload
• Torque and Drag
• RPM
• C i
Cuttings / cavings
i rate
• APWD data
• Backreaming speed

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 Backreaming Recommendations - 1
G
General
l

• Clean hole with rotation and circulation and sweeps (if required) prior to trip
• Monitor torque and drag while drilling and establish a base line
• Monitor the cuttings and caving rates
• Perform pre-trip risk assessment (depths and overpull limitations)
• Establish over pull limits
• If there is excess drag while POOH
• Return to bottom (if close to bottom)
• If off bottom, TIH 2 to 5 stands below the tight spot
• Backreaming should be the last option whenever tight hole is found
• If tight hole conditions are encountered, do not start backreaming immediately
• Consider first that the tight hole condition is due to hole cleaning issues
• Apply hole cleaning procedures and best practices (pump pills if required)
• Backreaming should be supervised by the WSS or competent rig personnel

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Backreaming Recommendations - 2
Backreaming

• If hole instability is detected, manage the MW before attempt back

reaming
• If tight hole is caused by reactive formations increase mud inhibition and
MW
• Backream (if necessary) with optimum parameters monitoring pump
pressure, torque and hookload, cavings rate, ECD
• Determine the backreaming speed based on the parameters above
• Do not backream faster than cuttings being transported out of the hole
• Backreaming parameters and practices need to be adjusted for hole
angle condition
angle, condition, diameter
diameter, etc
• Continue backreaming only if parameters are stable or improving
• If parameters are not improving or worsening, slow down or stop
• Never force drillstring out of the hole while backreaming
• If parameters are not improving, be patient while backreaming at the tight
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spots SPE 116555
Results
Year 2007 Algeria Mexico
SP Cost/Day Inc/K Inc/MM SP Inc/K Inc/MM
$ days Feet Cost/Day $ days Feet
Total Year End 2789 10.62 6.19 5160 8.36 9.35

Year 2008 Algeria Mexico

SP Cost/Day Inc/K Inc/MM SP Inc/K Inc/MM
$ days Feet Cost/Day $ days Feet
Total Year End 1,385 10.58 5.88 821 4.42 3.98

As a result of focus on tripping, backreaming and stuck

pipe prevention
prevention, incident frequency and cost impact has
been significantly reduced

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Conclusions
• 23% of IPM stuck pipe incidents tripping or backreaming
• Lack of clear backreaming guidelines
• Backreaming g should not be p
practiced as a first action:
• If there are large amount of cuttings in the annular space
• If wellbore instability exists
• S t
Systems approach h to
t improve
i backreaming
b k i operations:
ti
• Stuck pipe prevention and mitigation training
• p
Specific backreaming
gpprocedures
• Real-time surveillance of tripping and backreaming operations
• Stuck pipe incidents due to packoffs reduced 50%
• Drilling automation may provide a better preventative solution

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Acknowledgement
We wish to thank who assisted in the writing and reviewing of
this paper:

Gerard Cuvillier
Jacques Bourque
Jose Alarcon
Eduardo Parra Garcia
Ember Duran
Randy Green

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 Questions
Ques o s –Discussion
scuss o

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 Thank
a You
ou !

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