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12.25" guidelines for tripping, making connections and back reaming

Making connection

  • Wipe the full stand once by pumping out and reaming back down
  • Wipe the bottom single once by pumping out and reaming back down
  • The driller must nominate a responsible person to control the mud pumps (e.g DD, Toolpusher, AD). This person will be responsible for shutting down the pumps quickly in the event of a pack-off.

Tripping

  • The Drilling Supervisor will be on the rig floor from start of the trip out of hole until the string is in cased hole.
  • Prior to starting the trip (during circulating bottoms up) check the following:
    • Record up-weight, down-weight, rotating weight and off bottom torque.
    • Have a single of drill pipe available in the V door.
    • List of tight spots/intervals encountered during connections and previous trips
    • BHA schematic with measurements between stabilizers and bit
  • Upon encountering tight hole:
    • Go down and re-establish up-weight, down-weight, rotating weight and off bottom torque.
    • Apply overpull - starting with 20klbs - mark the pipe - go down - check the down drag - if negligible increase in down-drag then proceed by trying greater overpull.
    • Apply 30klbs overpull - mark the pipe - go down - check the down drag - if negligible increase in down-drag then proceed by trying greater overpull.
    • Apply 40klbs overpull - mark the pipe - go down - check the down drag - if negligible increase in down-drag then proceed by trying greater overpull.
    • Continue applying the above technique using 10klb increments up to a maximum of the weight of the BHA.
    • If on any overpull attempt, the down drag indicates that the pipe is becoming jammed, then make several attempts with less overpull.
    • If after several attempts there is no further progress (as seen from marks on the pipe) then go down, circulate clean - then try again.
    • If still no success to pass, then go down again and commence back-reaming procedures. Do not attempt to pump out of the hole as this may cause hydraulic compaction whereas rotation may disperse the blockage.
  • Do not make wiper trips unless hole conditions - such as unmanageable increase in torque or drag - dictate.
  • If during a trip, the crew have to change tour, ensure that the Tool Pusher on tour is at the brakes until a full handover is done between the drillers.

Back-reaming

  • Back-reaming should be used as the last resort and with the same flow rate that was used during drilling.
  • Back-ream for 5m maximum, circulate cuttings clear of the BHA, then try to pull through the obstruction again using the above procedure - without pumps or rotation.
  • During back-reaming the driller must nominate a responsible person to control the mud pumps (e.g DD, Toolpusher, KPO Drilling Supervisor). This person will be responsible for shutting down the pumps quickly in the event of a pack-off.
  • In the event of a pack-off:- stop the pumps - go down with the pipe (maintaining rotation) - re-establish circulation - circulate clean.
  • Attempt to pull through obstruction again without pumps or rotation.
  • Repeat the above process - with patience. The objective is to POOH with the absolute minimum of back-reaming.