Field Results of Applied Drilling Hydraulics in Deep Wells Using Nomographs

One of the most important and critical factors in drilling a well is hydraulics. As wells go deeper, the drilling hydraulics calculations become more critical and lengthy. So that drilling personnel on the rigs can readily solve complicated hydraulics problems, a set of eight nomographs was developed. Mud volumes, velocities, type flows (laminar or turbulent) and pressure drops in drill pipe, across bits and in annulus are easily and rapidly found with the nomographs without solving equations. The equations derived for Bingham plastics were used in developing the pressure drop and flow nomographs. The pressure drop and flow nomographs. The nomographs have been found to be quite accurate and reliable. Introduction The drilling well hydraulic system is not unlike the circulatory system of the human body in its importance and functions. Good drilling hydraulics is probably the most important single factor in drilling deep, expensive wells. When drilling with water-base muds, the circulatory system of a drilling rig can be analyzed by employing the equations developed for Bingham plastics. Since solving the Bingham plastic fluid flow equations is both tedious and time consuming, nomographs were constructed. The prime reason for their development was to give the man on the rig a fast, simple, reliable means of solving his hydraulic problems. The field results have been excellent, and some of them are presented in this paper, along with the presented in this paper, along with the nomographs. In planning development wells, parameters can usually be predicted with fair accuracy. In drilling rank wildcat wells, some parameters can be predicted, but others have to parameters can be predicted, but others have to be established while drilling. Although the nomographs presented in this paper are useful in drilling both type wells, it is in handling the unexpected problems, such as encountered while drilling wildcat wells, that they are of the most importance to the man on the rig. BASIC REQUIREMENTS There are many papers published in the literature which cover the different phases of planning and drilling deep or abnormally high planning and drilling deep or abnormally high pressured wells. pressured wells.