Turning a Failed Section into a Completed Well Managed Pressure Wells Approach Saves More Than $1 Million USD In Dynamic Gain/Loss Environment

Drill the 12 1/4-in and 8 1/2-in sections through a shallow, highly dynamic gain/loss environment after a previous conventional approach failed to reach TD in the 12 1/4-in section and required plug and abandonment.
Manage severe crossflow and pressure communication likely influenced by injector activity and fault connectivity within a narrow operating pressure window.
Develop a field-specific managed pressure wells (MPW) philosophy to improve pressure management, section exit, isolation, casing-running strategy, and operational continuity in future wells.

Applied learnings from the prior section failure to build a structured MPW strategy for the next well.
Adjusted the operating philosophy from targeting a single stable balance point to maintaining equilibrium within a dynamically interacting pressure system influenced by faulted and previously injected intervals.
Used the Modus™ managed pressure wells solution and surface backpressure as active control tools while interpreting real-time pressure response, mud dilution, polymer contamination, instability cycles, and crossflow behavior.
Successfully managed a complex formation pressure interval while drilling the 12 1/4-in section between 2,475 ft (754 m) MD to TD at approximately 3,525 ft (1,074 m) MD. The highly dynamic gain/loss fluid conditions were caused by faulted formation intervals influenced by communication with other injector wells that induced evolving downhole pressure requirements.
Reached TD in the 12 1/4-in section, drilled the 8 1/2-in section, completed the well, and incorporated learnings into a field-specific MPW strategy for future wells.

Enabled the operator to reach TD and complete the well after the previous 12 1/4-in section was plugged and abandoned, saving more than $1 million USD in rig time and materials.
Provided real-time pressure management in a shallow, highly dynamic gain/loss environment influenced by crossflow, injector communication, and fault connectivity.
Maintained operational continuity by using MPD surface backpressure as an active control parameter within an estimated 10 psi (0.07 MPa) operating window.
Established operational learnings and an engineering foundation for future optimization of instability management, section exit, isolation, casing-running strategy, and field-specific MPW planning.

Details

Location

India

Well Type

Horizontal, producer

Formation

Dharvi Dungar

Hole Size and Angle

12-1/4, 8-1/2 in, 70°

Casing Size

9-5/8, 5-1/2 in

Temperature

140 degF (60.2 degC)

Measured Depth

Section TD: 3,524 ft (1,074 m)

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Turning a Failed Section into a Completed Well