Modeling of Cuttings Transport In Drilling Applications Using Intelligent Materials MOCUT Thematic Area Intelligent Materials Drilling Technology

Scenario Drilling wells including vertical, inclined, curved and horizontal sections are becoming usual practice. Foams are used in underbalanced drilling as their high cuttings carrying capacity, performance on handling formation fluids, protecting the formations from contamination. Although foams have remarkable carrying capacity of cuttings in the vertical sections, they do not show a similar performance in inclined and horizontal sections, since high viscosity is required in vertical sections but low viscosity is favorable in inclined and horizontal sections. Foaming surfactant chemistry can be improved such that foams can act accordingly depending on the inclination, pressure and temperature. Thus, same fluid can show low and high viscosity preperties in different inclinations. A better understanding will be achieved and additional time requirements for well cleaning as well as many problems caused by improper cuttings transport will be eliminated.

Phase I Development of a small scale flow loop where cuttings transport can be conducted. –Foam characterization based on rheology and stability –Foaming surfactant chemistry will be studied Influence on foam properties will be determined –Polymer structures available for foam generation purposes will be used –Cuttings thickness & fluid amount determination by sound engineering –A cuttings transport model (mathematical) will be developed

Phase II Development of a foaming surfactant using intelligent materials –Intelligent materials identification & development –Characterization of developed foaming surfactant Rheology Stability –Performance of developed foam in the flow loop –Verification and improvement of cuttings transport model developed at Phase I –Further improvement of foaming surfactant

Phase III Development of a full scale flow loop representing an actual well –High pressure – high temperature applications –Testing of the performance of the developed surfactant on cuttings transport for different inclinations, pressures and temperatures –Further improvement and refinement of the foaming surfactant –Construction of a computer simulator for foam based drilling

Phase IV Real drilling applications using the developed foaming agent –Industrial partners’ applications in real cases – vertical, inclined and horizontal –Final improvement and refinement of the foaming surfactant

Phase V Finalization and commercialization of the product.

Potential applications Oil and gas exploration and production wells Mineral or fresh water wells Geothermal wells where high pressure and temperature conditions apply Geological survey drilling Mining drilling

Management and organization Technical leader: METU Administration: EGİK A.Ş. Partner: U of Freiberg Partner: TPAO Reseach Center Partner: MAPEK

Management and organization Management EGİK Technical Leader METU Cuttings Transport Model METU Foam Rheological Characterization ? Foam Stability & Characterization U of Freiberg Intelligent Material Development ? Experimental Model METU Real Drilling Applications TPAO, MAPEK

Participants Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serhat Akın (METU) Asst. Prof. Dr. Evren Özbayoğlu (METU) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakkı Gücüyener (TPAO) Dr. Heike Strauss (U of Freiberg) Bülent Şahhüseyinoğlu (MAPEK) Gökçen Öğütçü (Consultant) Ebru Arslan Shabbir(Consultant) Ender Gelen (EGİK)