Basic Wellbore Engineering: Torque, Drag & Hydraulics Training Course

1. Introduction to Wellbore Engineering

1.1 Basic Principles and Terminology

• Role of wellbore engineering in drilling operations including (efficiency optimization, risk mitigation, and cost control)

• Integrated approach to drilling engineering including (mechanical, hydraulic, and geomechanical aspects)

• Key performance indicators including (ROP, drilling efficiency, and operational reliability)

• Economic impact of wellbore engineering including (NPT reduction, operational efficiency, and optimal well design)

• Relationship between torque, drag, and hydraulics including (interdependencies, constraints, and optimization opportunities)

• Introduction to relevant industry standards including API RP 13D and SPE recommended practices

1.2 Wellbore Design Fundamentals

• Well trajectory considerations including (vertical, directional, horizontal, and complex 3D profiles)

• Wellbore geometry factors including (hole size, casing design, and clearance considerations)

• Formation characteristics including (lithology, strength properties, and instability mechanisms)

• Well planning workflow including (pre-drill analysis, real-time monitoring, and post-well evaluation)

• Key constraints in wellbore design including (mechanical limitations, hydraulic requirements, and formation compatibility)

2. Drill String Mechanics

2.1 Drill String Components and Properties

• Drill pipe specifications including (grades, dimensions, and mechanical properties)

• Bottom hole assembly components including (drill collars, stabilizers, and specialty tools)

• Mechanical properties including (yield strength, torsional capacity, and tensile limits)

• Connection specifications including (make-up torque, tensile efficiency, and pressure ratings)

• Material selection considerations including (weight, strength, and wear resistance)

• Tool joints and connections including (thread types, torque capacity, and fatigue resistance)

2.2 Forces Acting on Drill String

• Gravitational forces including (self-weight, buoyancy effects, and inclination factors)

• Contact forces including (side forces, wall contact, and key seating)

• Tensile and compressive loads including (overpull, slack-off, and buckling thresholds)

• Torsional loads including (rotary torque, reactive torque, and make-up torque)

• Dynamic forces including (vibration, shock loading, and rotational effects)

• Combined loading including (stress superposition, failure criteria, and safety factors)

3. Torque and Drag Analysis

3.1 Torque and Drag Fundamentals

• Friction concepts including (coefficient of friction, normal forces, and Coulomb's law)

• Torque components including (rotational resistance, make-up torque, and downhole tools)

• Drag components including (sliding resistance, pickup force, and slackoff force)

• Factors affecting friction including (mud type, hole cleaning, wellbore quality, and tool joint effects)

• Weight transfer including (effective weight on bit, friction losses, and buckling effects)

• Force balances including (axial, lateral, and torsional equilibrium)

3.2 Analytical Methods

• Soft string models including (assumptions, implementation, and limitations)

• Stiff string models including (bending effects, contact forces, and enhanced accuracy)

• Torque and drag calculations including (incremental analysis, integration methods, and safety factors)

• Friction factor determination including (field calibration, historical data, and sensitivity analysis)

• Buckling analysis including (sinusoidal, helical, and transition modes)

• Hook load prediction including (pickup, slackoff, and rotating scenarios)

• Torque prediction including (rotating off bottom, drilling, and reaming operations)

3.3 Wellbore Friction Assessment

• Field measurement techniques including (pickup/slackoff tests, rotation tests, and free point indicators)

• Friction factor calibration including (surface measurements, downhole data, and correlation methods)

• Operational indicators including (torque fluctuations, hook load variations, and drilling parameters)

• Friction reduction strategies including (lubrication, wellbore quality improvement, and mechanical approaches)

• Monitoring methodologies including (real-time analysis, trend identification, and remedial actions)

• Case histories including (high-angle wells, extended reach drilling, and challenging environments)

4. Drilling Hydraulics

4.1 Hydraulics Fundamentals

• Fluid properties including (density, rheology, and temperature effects)

• Flow regimes including (laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow)

• Pressure loss calculations including (drill string, annulus, and bit hydraulics)

• Equivalent circulating density including (calculation methods, critical values, and wellbore effects)

• Hydraulic power including (pump power, hydraulic horsepower, and optimization criteria)

• Hole cleaning principles including (cutting transport, annular velocity, and operational practices)

4.2 Drilling Fluid Rheology

• Rheological models including (Newtonian, Bingham Plastic, Power Law, and Herschel-Bulkley)

• Rheological parameters including (plastic viscosity, yield point, and shear rate dependency)

• Measurement methods including (viscometers, rheometers, and field testing)

• Temperature and pressure effects including (downhole conditions, property changes, and correlations)

• Rheology optimization including (property adjustments, additives, and performance enhancement)

• API RP 13D recommended practices for rheological management

4.3 Hydraulic Calculations

• Pressure drop calculations including (frictional losses, acceleration losses, and elevation changes)

• ECD calculation including (static head, frictional pressure losses, and cuttings loading)

• Bit hydraulics including (jet impact force, hydraulic horsepower, and nozzle optimization)

• Surge and swab calculations including (tripping speeds, clearances, and pressure limits)

• Hydraulic optimization including (flow rate selection, nozzle sizing, and pump pressure management)

• Specialty applications including (managed pressure drilling, underbalanced operations, and HPHT environments)

5. Integrated Drilling Optimization

5.1 Torque, Drag and Hydraulics Integration

• Interrelationships including (friction effects on ECD, hydraulics impact on hole cleaning, and torque/drag implications)

• Operational window definition including (mechanical limits, hydraulic constraints, and formation compatibility)

• Parameter optimization including (WOB, RPM, flow rate, and mud properties)

• Wellbore quality considerations including (hole cleaning, gauge hole, and minimum tortuosity)

• Casing and liner running including (floatation techniques, rotation methods, and centralization)

• Completion installation including (production tubing, liner hangers, and intelligent completion systems)

5.2 Well Planning Applications

• Pre-drill analysis including (trajectory optimization, critical section identification, and contingency planning)

• Casing design impacts including (setting depths, string design, and centralization)

• Drill string design including (component selection, transition management, and BHA optimization)

• Hydraulic program development including (mud properties, flow rate selection, and ECD management)

• Operational limit determination including (max DLS, rotation limits, and tripping parameters)

• Sensitivity analysis including (friction uncertainty, fluid property variations, and trajectory adjustments)

5.3 Real-time Monitoring and Optimization

• Data acquisition including (surface parameters, downhole measurements, and real-time transmission)

• Trend analysis including (friction evolution, hydraulic changes, and performance tracking)

• Model calibration including (real-time adjustments, continuous improvement, and prediction refinement)

• Problem identification including (early warning signs, diagnostic methods, and corrective actions)

• Decision support including (parameter adjustment, operational changes, and risk mitigation)

• Case studies including (complex well examples, problem resolution, and performance enhancement)

6. Common Challenges and Solutions

6.1 Mechanical Challenges

• Excessive torque including (causes, identification, and mitigation strategies)

• Poor weight transfer including (friction management, buckling prevention, and operational techniques)

• Severe doglegs including (trajectory control, stress concentration, and trip management)

• Differential sticking including (prevention, identification, and recovery techniques)

• Vibration issues including (axial, lateral, and torsional vibration management)

• Tool failure including (fatigue, connection integrity, and component selection)

6.2 Hydraulic Challenges

• Inadequate hole cleaning including (cuttings transport problems, pack-off risks, and remedial practices)

• Pressure limitations including (surface pressure constraints, formation limits, and management techniques)

• Surge and swab control including (tripping practices, fluid conditioning, and critical sections)

• Lost circulation including (prevention strategies, detection methods, and treatment approaches)

• Wellbore stability including (pressure balancing, shale inhibition, and stabilization methods)

• Downhole motor optimization including (differential pressure, RPM control, and performance monitoring)

7. Wellbore Quality and Integrity

7.1 Wellbore Quality Factors

• Gauge hole drilling including (BHA design, stabilization, and parameter selection)

• Tortuosity reduction including (slide drilling practices, rotary steering, and trajectory control)

• Wellbore friction management including (lubricants, mechanical means, and operational practices)

• Hole cleaning effectiveness including (flow regimes, rheology optimization, and mechanical methods)

• Formation damage prevention including (filtration control, inhibition strategies, and protective measures)

• Casing and cementing considerations including (centralization, rotation, and reciprocation)

7.2 Extended Reach and Horizontal Wells

• Technical limits including (depth vs. departure ratio, friction limitations, and operational constraints)

• Weight transfer enhancement including (pipe rotation, friction reduction, and mechanical assistance)

• Hole cleaning challenges including (high-angle sections, transport mechanisms, and rheology optimization)

• Specialized equipment including (torque reduction tools, friction reducers, and advanced BHAs)

• Case histories including (record wells, challenging applications, and technical solutions)

• Best practices including (planning methodology, operational guidelines, and continuous improvement)

8. Computational Methods and Software Tools

8.1 Torque and Drag Software

• Commercial software capabilities including (analysis types, input requirements, and output interpretation)

• Modeling techniques including (soft string, stiff string, and finite element approaches)

• Calibration methodology including (field data integration, historical matching, and sensitivity analysis)

• Visualization tools including (3D displays, critical section identification, and operational windows)

• Planning applications including (string design, BHA selection, and operational limit determination)

• Real-time monitoring implementations including (trend analysis, model updating, and prediction)

8.2 Hydraulics Software

• Hydraulics modeling tools including (steady-state, transient, and temperature-dependent analysis)

• Input requirements including (fluid properties, wellbore geometry, and operational parameters)

• Output interpretation including (pressure profiles, ECD distribution, and optimization indicators)

• Sensitivity analysis including (rheology variations, flow rate changes, and wellbore geometry effects)

• Integration with other models including (geomechanics, temperature modeling, and torque/drag)

• Advanced applications including (managed pressure drilling, underbalanced operations, and special tools)

9. HSE Considerations

• Risk assessment including (mechanical failures, loss of well control, and personnel hazards)

• Operational safety including (pressure hazards, rotating equipment, and handling practices)

• Environmental protection including (fluid containment, waste management, and regulatory compliance)

• Well control considerations including (kick detection, barrier verification, and response procedures)

• Emergency response planning including (contingency scenarios, intervention capabilities, and communication protocols)

• Regulatory compliance including (governmental requirements, industry standards, and company policies)

10. Case Studies & Group Discussions

• Vertical well optimization including (string design, hydraulics program, and operational efficiency)

• Directional well challenges including (torque/drag issues, hydraulics optimization, and problem resolution)

• Extended reach drilling applications including (technical limits, enabling technologies, and best practices)

• Problem-solving exercises including (torque/drag analysis, hydraulics optimization, and integrated solutions)

• Regional case studies including (Middle East applications, specific challenges, and proven solutions)

• The importance of proper training in successful wellbore engineering practices