Makin’ Hole: The Drilling of Oil WellsI. Drilling rigsII. Drilling mechanismsIII. Drilling mudIV. The well below the drilling floorV. Normal drilling operationsVI. Directions of drillingVII. Bad things that happen to wellsVIII. Fates of wellsIX. Geoscience information from wells

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs (mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)

Rate of penetration or drill-time logDrilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration, commonly as the result of increased porosity (but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).

CuttingsSubject to frequency of samplingSubject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled

Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)

Cores Tripping in and out; lessened circulation

Side-wall cores Small samples

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs (mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)

Rate of penetration or drill-time logDrilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration, commonly as the result of increased porosity (but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).

CuttingsSubject to frequency of samplingSubject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled

Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)

Cores Tripping in and out; lessened circulation

Side-wall cores Small samples

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs (mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)

Rate of penetration or drill-time logDrilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration, commonly as the result of increased porosity (but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).

CuttingsSubject to frequency of samplingSubject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled

Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)

Cores Tripping in and out; lessened circulation

Side-wall cores Small samples

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs (mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)

Rate of penetration or drill-time logDrilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration, commonly as the result of increased porosity (but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).

Cuttings (pieces of rock generated by bit and flushed up hole).Subject to frequency of samplingSubject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled

Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)

Cores Tripping in and out; lessened circulation

Side-wall cores Small samples

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs (mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)

Rate of penetration or drill-time logDrilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration, commonly as the result of increased porosity (but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).

Cuttings (pieces of rock generated by bit and flushed up hole).Subject to frequency of samplingSubject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled

Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)

Cores Tripping in and out; lessened circulation

Side-wall cores Small samples

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs (mud log = record of what comes up with drilling mud, produced by a person called a mud logger)

Rate of penetration or drill-time logDrilling breaks: rapid increases in rate of penetration, commonly as the result of increased porosity (but new bits cause the same thing, hopefully as noted).

CuttingsSubject to frequency of samplingSubject to contamination from previously-drilled strata (“cave”)Logged both as actual arrivals and as inferred lithology drilled

Shows (emissions of gas as measured by detectors, and oiled-stained cuttings at detected by fluorescence in UV)

Cores Tripping in and out; lessened circulation

Side-wall cores Small samples

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

Whittaker, 2010, The Online Mudlogging Handbook

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?

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

Whittaker, 2010, The Online Mudlogging Handbook

?

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

Whittaker, 2010, The Online Mudlogging Handbook

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs

Cores Cylinders of rock cut by core-barrel rather than drill bit Great sources of lithologic/petrophysical information Not commonly taken because core barrels only hold 60 feet

(thus lots of time in tripping out and in and out etc.) Not commonly taken because circulation is diminished while coring Recovery is usually not 100%

Side-wall cores Small samples taken after drilling by explosive-propelled cups

on a wireline tool.

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs

Cores Cylinders of rock cut by core-barrel rather than drill bit Great sources of lithologic/petrophysical information Not commonly taken because core barrels only hold 60 feet

(thus lots of time in tripping out and in and out etc.) Not commonly taken because circulation is diminished while coring Recovery is usually not 100%

Side-wall cores Small samples taken after drilling by explosive-propelled cups

on a wireline tool.

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

joshuahicks.us/about_me

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs

Cores Cylinders of rock cut by core-barrel rather than drill bit Great sources of lithologic/petrophysical information Not commonly taken because core barrels only hold 60 feet

(thus lots of time in tripping out and in and out etc.) Not commonly taken because circulation is diminished while coring Recovery is usually not 100%

Side-wall cores Small samples taken after drilling by explosive-propelled cups

on a wireline tool.

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Wireline logs

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Packer failure

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

Explosive caps for side-wall core samples

krandeegroup.com/theuvenins_5/album1.html

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

from the webpages of theCanada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board(www.cnsopb.ns.ca/what_we_do.php)

Side-wall core samples

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs Cores

Side-wall cores

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole

sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string. Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.

Wireline logs Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables

and pulled upward. Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

Assaad 2008

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs Cores

Side-wall cores

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole

sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string. Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.

Wireline logs Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables

and pulled upward. Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs Cores

Side-wall cores

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole

sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string. Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.

Wireline logs Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables

and pulled upward. Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

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IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs Cores

Side-wall cores

Drill stem tests (DSTs) Test of flow rate and pressure in interval of hole

sealed with packer(s) on end of drill string. Failure of packers against wall of open hole is a common problem.

Wireline logs Responses from tools/sensors lowered into the hole on cables

and pulled upward. Detection of electrical, radioactive, acoustic, and other properties.

Logging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)

Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Production tests

Velocity surveys

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs) Time since circulation

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

Rigzone

Logging-while-drilling technology

Rigzone

Measurement-while-drilling technology

Rigzone

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wellsInformation on mud logs Cores

Side-wall coresDrill stem tests (DSTs)Wireline logsLogging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Production testsMeasurement of rate of flow from bottom of hole

or from perforations of casing.

Vertical seismic profilesMeasurement of travel time of seismic pulses from surface

to bottom of hole.

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs)Measurement of temperatureProblem: circulation of mud and movement of tool stir mud,

disturbing equilibrium distribution of temperature.

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

www.geo.wvu.edu/~jtoro/Petroleum/Review%203.html#maps

IX. Geoscience information from wellsInformation on mud logs Cores

Side-wall coresDrill stem tests (DSTs)Wireline logsLogging while drilling (LWD) (and logging while tripping)Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Production testsMeasurement of rate of flow from bottom of hole

or from perforations of casing.

Vertical seismic profilesMeasurement of travel time of seismic pulses from surface

to bottom of hole.

Bottom-hole temperatures (BHTs)Measurement of temperatureProblem: circulation of mud and movement of tool stir mud,

disturbing equilibrium distribution of temperature.

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology

IX. Geoscience information from wells

Information on mud logs Cores

Side-wall coresDrill stem tests (DSTs)

Wireline logsLogging while drilling (LWD and LWT)Measurement while drilling (MWD)

Production testsVertical seismic profilesBottom-hole temperatures (BHTs)

University of Georgia Department of Geology GEOL 4320/6320 Petroleum Geology