Blending technologies: MPD, casting drilling can eliminate intermediate casing string

摘要

PREMATURE SETTING OF intermediate casing and drilling liners are a source of cost overruns for today's drillers. A technology blend is coming into focus that may increase the depth at which casing is set and perhaps eliminate one or more casing strings from a project. The blend combines Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) with casing drilling to widen the window of pore pressure ranges that can be addressed in an open-hole section. The technique, called Managed Pressure Casing Drilling (MPCD), may be effective for drilling through formations where conventional methods are not practical or have previously failed. Despite the engineering challenges, MPCD has the potential to reduce wellhead costs, pipe costs and decrease time to run and cement the intermediate casing string and rig down/up the blowout preventer stack. Downsizing the hole can also potentially decrease mud and cement costs.