Cost-Efficient MPD Optimizing Long Reach Well Construction and Enhancing Safety Barriers on Strategic Haynesville HPHT Unconventional Shale

Abstract

The strategic location of the Haynesville unconventional dry-gas shale, near some of the world largest petrochemical complexes, export facilities, and in proximity with the Gulf of Mexico makes it one of the most revenue attractive plays in the USA. However, with wellhead pressures in excess of 9,000 psi and bottom hole temperatures reaching 380°F, this deep shale is classified as a challenging dry-gas high pressure-high temperature basin.

The conservative and conventional approach of using extremely high mud density to deal with pressure uncertainties and possible dry gas entering the annulus while drilling, making connections, or tripping combined with the high temperature detrimental effect over the drilling fluid properties, have made the operators incur time consuming activities during the well construction process in this area.

After 4 years and 2 million feet of long reach horizontal production hole sections successfully drilled with MPD in this HPHT Texas-Louisiana shared unconventional gas play, our experiences after strategically developing and utilizing a state of the art precise, fast, and reliable-low maintenance electric set point choke in combination with reduced equipment footprint and crew on a setup to comply with easy mobilization for the rig to fit on the cost-efficiencies improvement plans from operators and rig contractors in the area are described on this document.