University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
Makin’ Hole: The Drilling of Oil Wells
I. Drilling rigs
II. Drilling mechanisms
III. Drilling mud
IV. The well below the drilling floor
V. Normal drilling operations
VI. Directions of drilling
VII. Bad things that happen to wells
VIII. Fates of wells
IX. Geoscience information from wells
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
(mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)
Rate of penetration or drill-time log
Drilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration,
commonly as the result of increased porosity
(but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).
Cuttings
Subject to frequency of sampling
Subject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)
Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled
Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and
oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)
Cores
Tripping in and out;
lessened circulation
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
(mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)
Rate of penetration or drill-time log
Drilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration,
commonly as the result of increased porosity
(but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).
Cuttings
Subject to frequency of sampling
Subject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)
Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled
Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and
oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)
Cores
Tripping in and out;
lessened circulation
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
(mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)
Rate of penetration or drill-time log
Drilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration,
commonly as the result of increased porosity
(but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).
Cuttings
Subject to frequency of sampling
Subject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)
Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled
Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and
oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)
Cores
Tripping in and out;
lessened circulation
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
(mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)
Rate of penetration or drill-time log
Drilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration,
commonly as the result of increased porosity
(but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).
Cuttings (pieces of rock generated by bit and flushed up hole).
Subject to frequency of sampling
Subject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)
Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled
Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and
oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)
Cores
Tripping in and out;
lessened circulation
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
(mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)
Rate of penetration or drill-time log
Drilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration,
commonly as the result of increased porosity
(but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).
Cuttings (pieces of rock generated by bit and flushed up hole).
Subject to frequency of sampling
Subject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)
Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled
Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and
oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)
Cores
Tripping in and out;
lessened circulation
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
(mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)
Rate of penetration or drill-time log
Drilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration,
commonly as the result of increased porosity
(but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).
Cuttings
Subject to frequency of sampling
Subject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)
Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled
Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and
oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)
Cores
Tripping in and out;
lessened circulation
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
?
?
Whittaker, 2010, The Online
Mudlogging Handbook
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
?
Whittaker, 2010, The Online
Mudlogging Handbook
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
Whittaker, 2010, The Online
Mudlogging Handbook
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Cylinders of rock cut by core-barrel rather than drill bit
Great sources of lithologic/petrophysical information
Not commonly taken because core barrels only hold 60 feet
(thus lots of time in tripping out and in and out etc.)
Not commonly taken because circulation is diminished while coring
Recovery is usually not 100%
Side-wall cores
Small samples taken after drilling by explosive-propelled cups
on a wireline tool.
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
Wireline logs
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Cylinders of rock cut by core-barrel rather than drill bit
Great sources of lithologic/petrophysical information
Not commonly taken because core barrels only hold 60 feet
(thus lots of time in tripping out and in and out etc.)
Not commonly taken because circulation is diminished while coring
Recovery is usually not 100%
Side-wall cores
Small samples taken after drilling by explosive-propelled cups
on a wireline tool.
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
Wireline logs
joshuahicks.us/about_me
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Cylinders of rock cut by core-barrel rather than drill bit
Great sources of lithologic/petrophysical information
Not commonly taken because core barrels only hold 60 feet
(thus lots of time in tripping out and in and out etc.)
Not commonly taken because circulation is diminished while coring
Recovery is usually not 100%
Side-wall cores
Small samples taken after drilling by explosive-propelled cups
on a wireline tool.
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
Wireline logs
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
Explosive caps for side-wall core samples
krandeegroup.com/theuvenins_5/album1.html
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
Side-wall core samples
from the webpages of the
Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
(www.cnsopb.ns.ca/what_we_do.php)
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Side-wall cores
Drill stem tests (DSTs)
Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole
sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string.
Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.
Wireline logs
Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables
and pulled upward.
Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
Assaad 2008
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Side-wall cores
Drill stem tests (DSTs)
Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole
sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string.
Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.
Wireline logs
Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables
and pulled upward.
Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Side-wall cores
Drill stem tests (DSTs)
Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole
sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string.
Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.
Wireline logs
Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables
and pulled upward.
Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
petrophysicssimlab.com/psl_details.html
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Side-wall cores
Drill stem tests (DSTs)
Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole
sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string.
Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.
Wireline logs
Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables
and pulled upward.
Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
Rigzone
Logging-while-drilling technology
Rigzone
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
Measurement-while-drilling technology
Rigzone
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Side-wall cores
Drill stem tests (DSTs)
Wireline logs
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
Production tests
Measurement of rate of flow from bottom of hole
or from perforations of casing.
Vertical seismic profiles
Measurement of travel time of seismic pulses from surface
to bottom of hole.
Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs)
Measurement of temperature
Problem: circulation of mud and movement of tool stir mud,
disturbing equilibrium distribution of temperature.
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
www.geo.wvu.edu/~jtoro/Petroleum/Review%203.html#maps
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Side-wall cores
Drill stem tests (DSTs)
Wireline logs
Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
Production tests
Measurement of rate of flow from bottom of hole
or from perforations of casing.
Vertical seismic profiles
Measurement of travel time of seismic pulses from surface
to bottom of hole.
Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs)
Measurement of temperature
Problem: circulation of mud and movement of tool stir mud,
disturbing equilibrium distribution of temperature.
University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology
IX. Geoscience information from wells
Information on mud logs
Cores
Side-wall cores
Drill stem tests (DSTs)
Wireline logs
Logging while drilling (LWD and LWT)
Measurement while drilling (MWD)
Production tests
Vertical seismic profiles
Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs)