Assuring Stability in Extended-Reach Wells: Analyses, Practices, and Mitigations

While the departure lengths of proposed extended-reach-drilling (ERD) wells are becoming more challenging, wellbore-stability assurance technologies (both in the preplanning and execution phases) are developing at an equal pace. Several new developments in theoretical understanding and predictive capability of rock failure surrounding wells drilled at a high angle to bedding are described that are required to solve problems encountered in these challenging environments. Rigsite processes for the integration of this new understanding with real-time diagnostic measurement and monitoring provide the means to deliver borehole-stability assurance for ERD wells drilled in the most challenging environments.

View a Synopsis of SPE 105405 as published in JPT.

This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 105405, “Assuring Stability in Extended-Reach Wells—Analyses, Practices, and Mitigations,” by Stephen M. Willson and Stephen T. Edwards, BP plc; Anthony Crook and Adam Bere, Rockfield Software; Daniel Moos and Pavel Peska, GeoMechanics International; and Nigel Last, BP plc, prepared for the 2007 SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, 20–22 February.

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