Deep drilling pushes technology to the limit
Deep drilling has tapered off in recent years - particularly in the last 6 months, as the result of lower oil and gas prices. The number of well drilled to depths greater than 15,000 ft dropped from a record high of 1,205 wells in 1982 to 566 wells last year. Early estimates show the pace to slow further in 1986. Eventually, as oil and gas prices rebound, deep drilling should make a comeback, as well. With this return in deep drilling activity, engineers will be faced once again with technical problems the industry was learning to overcome. When bottomhole temperatures exceed 400/sup 0/F and bottomhole pressures rise above 15,000 psi, corrosion problems are magnified. These high temperatures and pressures complicate decisions about the drilling fluid system and drill string program. Further, the pressure integrity of the deep liner and casing strings and the associated cementing jobs become more critical.
- OSTI ID:
- 5309995
- Journal Information:
- Pet. Eng. Int.; (United States), Vol. 58:7
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Use of Cutting-Edge Horizontal and Underbalanced Drilling Technologies and Subsurface Seismic Techniques to Explore, Drill and Produce Reservoired Oil and Gas from the Fractured Monterey Below 10,000 ft in the Santa Maria Basin of California
Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
WELL DRILLING
OIL WELLS
CEMENTING
CORROSION
DEPTH 3-6 KM
DRILL PIPES
DRILLING FLUIDS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
LINERS
NATURAL GAS
PETROLEUM
VERY HIGH PRESSURE
WELL CASINGS
WELL TEMPERATURE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DEPTH
DIMENSIONS
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
PIPES
RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing