Overview


Challenges
  • Highly depleted shale formation
  • Low ROP
  • Downhole fluid losses
  • Wellbore instability
Results
  • Improved ROP
  • Decreased fluid losses
  • Enabled use of rotary steerable system due to improved wellbore stability
  • Reduced overall drilling NPT and casing requirements




Case study details

As fields mature, permeable formations can become depleted, leading to differential sticking, wellbore instability, and whole mud losses. If one or more of these were to occur, it could significantly add to the cost of any drilling program in terms of contingency liners, fishing or sidetracking, non- productive time (NPT), or having to abandon the well.

In a highly-reactive shale environment in Abu Rudeis, an operator used a conventional polymer system to address these issues. This resulted in a low rate of penetration (ROP) and considerable fluid losses.

Download the PDF to read the full case study.

/sites/bakerhughes/files/2020-05/max-bridge-tripled-rop-decreased-mud-losses-74-percent-egypt-cs.pdf