Well engineering for re-entry operations

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Petroleum Engineer International

OSTI ID:395396

Oil and gas operators are constantly looking at their existing assets for ways to increase their value. Several operators consider a re-entry program as the principle leveraging technology in strategic acquisitions. Much of the current re-entry operations effort targets the longer reach sidetrack and multilateral well markets. The key to this effort, whether it involves coiled tubing drilling, short radius drilling or multilateral well technologies, is re-entry well engineering. The engineer evaluating a re-entry prospect must apply significant levels of reservoir engineering, rock mechanics, completion engineering and drilling engineering to properly design the well and develop successful procedures. Re-entry drilling means that the operator is working with proven or probable reserves. Completion design and engineering are the most important aspects of well design once the target has been selected. Ultimately, the completion design selected will dictate the type of re-entry program: slot recovery, drilling out below the current casing shoe, or section milling and whipstock sidetracking. It can also dictate the principle aspects of the drilling program. The acceptable wellbore inclination build rates (dogleg severity), wellbore length, and drilling fluid selection are commonly influenced and even dictated by the completion design. These factors are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 395396
• Journal Information: Petroleum Engineer International, Journal Name: Petroleum Engineer International Journal Issue: 10SUP Vol. 69; ISSN 0164-8322; ISSN PEEID4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
ABANDONED WELLS
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRILLING FLUIDS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
PRODUCTIVITY
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
START-UP
WELL COMPLETION
WELL DRILLING