bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
1988 Summary Report SPE Five Year Review Of Engineering Manpower
Authors: Calhoun John C. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Eleven responses were received to the survey questionaire, of which nine contained data sufficiently complete for comparative analysis. One responding company reported less than ten engineering employees; one fell in the category of 10–20 engineering employees; one in the 40–50 range of engineering employees; one in the range of 100–120; two in the range of 300–500;and three in the range of 500 or more. Table 1 shows the five year summary of all respondents for total engineers employed at year end; degreed petroleum engineers employed at year end; total number of engineering hires during the year from universities; total number of degreed petroleum engineering hires during the year from universities; and total number of engineering hires during the year from sources other than the campuses. The high year for engineering employment was 1984, not only for all engineers but also for degreed petroleum engineers. In the 1984–1987 interval, employment of all engineers dropped 21.2% and employment of degreed petroleum engineers dropped 17.3%. The percentage of petroleum engineers in the total engineering work force increased from 62 to 65 over the five year period 1983 to 1987.
Alternatives for Draining Tight Naturally Fractured Gas Reservoirs: Horizontal Hole Drilling vs. Massive Hydraulic Fracturing
Authors: van Kruysdijk C. P. J. W. , Niko H. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
Tight gas reservoirs with matrix permeabilities in the microdarcy range sometimes contain zones of natural fractures with relatively high permeabilities. The development of these reservoirs requires great care in that it is essential to connect the wells with the natural fracture system in order to ensure economic well productivities.
To assess the feasibility of developing such reservoirs, a study was undertaken to investigate the relative attractiveness of connecting a well to a vertical zone of high permeability either by a horizontal hole or by a massive hydraulic fracture (MHF). The first phase of the work assumed single-phase compressible flow and utilised Green's function theory to derive the transient pressure response in such complex situations. The results indicate that a horizontal hole draining a natural fracture zone compares well with connecting the well to the naturally fractured zone by a MHF, particularly in the case of short MHFs. The calculations also resulted in new principles for the interpretation of well tests for the two situations described above. For example, interpretation of the formation linear flow period when there are multiple fractures indicates fracture areas that are larger than the area of the MHF.
The second phase involved numerical simulation, with mobile water both in the matrix and in the fracture systems taken into account. The results, which agree qualitatively with those of analytical methods, indicate under which conditions coning or cusping of water from the fractures into the well perforations might be expected.
Transoil Technology for Heavy Oil Transportation: Results of Field Trials at Wolf Lake
Authors: Stockwell A. , Sit S. P. , Hardy W. A. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
Since 1982, BP Research International has been investigating the suitability of oil-in-water emulsion technology for the transportation of heavy oils and bitumens as part of a collaborative research agreement with Intevep S.A., an affiliate of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A.
During the course of this work, in 1983, a new method for the preparation of stable oil-in-water emulsions was discovered. Patent applications for the process have been filed in appropriate countries.
Encouraged by the results of a substantial programme of laboratory and small-scale pilot plant research at the Sunbury Research Centre of BP Research International, a Joint Venture was established in 1987 between BP Canada, the Alberta Energy Company and BP Canadian Holdings to develop and demonstrate TRANSOIL technology at Wolf Lake, Alberta, Canada.
The development programme has recently been completed in trials designed to evaluate the scale-up of the TRANSOIL emulsification process, the storage properties of the emulsions produced, their transportation characteristics and their ultimate demulsification.
This paper describes the background to the technology, the facilities used and the results obtained during the trials.
HESPER: An Expert System for Petrophysical Formation Evaluation
Authors: Peveraro R. C. A. , Lee J. A. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
A prototype expert system for formation evaluation is introduced and discussed, beginning with the rationale for its development, and presenting briefly qualitative assessments and tests of its performance.
The background and definition of petrophysical formation evaluation is clarified, and the specific geological frame of the Permian Southern Basin of the North Sea, in which the system operates, is presented, with indications of future developments.
The different modules of the system are discussed in some detail, and the interaction between modelling, advice-giving, and the user interface is clearly shown to be a crucial factor. Of particular importance is the ability of the system of presenting the reasons for its choice of solution in a clear text and in a user-intelligible fashion.
Tests and performance of the system are discussed from a qualitative viewpoint, rather than after rigorous benchmark tests. This is considered appropriate at this stage, since the system is by no means in its final configuration.
The conclusion has been reached by Britoil that the system has demonstrated that the application of expert systems design and technology to petrophysical formation evaluation is both feasible and desirable, and further development would therefore be beneficial.
Chemical Systems for the Control of Asphaltene Sludge During Oilwell Acidizing Treatments
Authors: Jacobs I. C. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
A number of effects have recently been studied as they relate to sludging tendency including: acid type and strength, the use of reducing agents, amounts of Fe II and Fe III in test procedures, the use of mutual solvents and/or wetting agents, the use of iron chelants and/or extractants, and the effects of different acid corrosion inhibitors. Crudes tested and found to exhibit iron induced sludging included the Beaverhill Lake crudes of Western Canada as well as crudes from Alaska and California and San Andres and Smackover crudes from Texas and Mississippi, respectively. Testing techniques are discussed as well as additives response. The chemistry of iron extractant and anti-sludging/dispersant packages is reviewed.
Wettability Preferences of Minerals Used in Oil-Based Drilling Fluids
Authors: Cline J. T. , Teeters D. C. , Andersen M. A. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
The wettability of typical drill solids and mud weighting agents in simple oil-based drilling fluids was studied with a newly developed dynamic Wilhelmy plate technique. Thin plates were cut from mineral specimens and used for wettability testing without polishing. The fluid systems studied were equilibrated brine with oils containing typical additives such as emulsifiers and organophilic clays. Thin plates of barite, hematite, quartz, marble and shale were moved through the air/oil and oil/brine interfaces while wetting forces were continuously measured in the advancing and receding directions.
Without added emulsifier, quartz and shale were usually preferentially water-wetting in mineral oils/brine. The oil-mud weighting agents - barite, hematite and marble - were oil-wetting when advancing from mineral oil into brine and water-wetting when receding from the brine. If these minerals were wet with water before wettability testing, they remained water—wet when immersed in oil. In an oil mud system, solid additives should not be wet with water before addition to an oil mud.
Wettability preferences of the minerals, including shale, were altered by diesel oils and by oil-mud additives. Diesel oils made the minerals oil-wet. The common oil-mud emulsifiers, such as tall oil soaps and polyamides, and organophilic clay caused the "dry" minerals to be strongly to moderately oil-wet and lowered the oil/brine interfacial tension. Excess emulsifier ensured that the solids in an oil mud remained oil-wet. But if the solids were initially wet with water, or if the oil-based mud became inverted (water-continuous), the water-wet solids clumped together and became difficult to revert to oil-wet. This troublesome problem occurs in field muds and is referred to as a "flipped" mud.
Wilhelmy plate wetting results were correlated to the wetting behavior of solids in emulsions by photomicroscopy such that observed water-wet solids were correlated to measured adhesion tension indicating water-wetting and vice versa.
Low-pH Ammonium Nitrate-Methanol Completion Fluid: A Promising Alternative for Calcareous, Argillaceous Sand Formations
Authors: Krilov Z. , Wojtanowicz A. K. , Langlinais J. P. , Dernikovic B. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The objective of this research was to formulate and examine a new completion fluid, a mixture of the ammonium nitrate and methanol. The potential applications for the fluid are completion and workover operations in calcareous, argillaceous sand reservoirs similar to the gas reservoirs located offshore Adriatic Sea. The new fluid becomes a promising alternative to the unsuccessfully-used, traditional chloride-type brines.
The concept of the new completion fluid was based on a combination of the clay-stabilizing effects of ammonium ions with the clay-inhibiting properties of alcohol at low pH values. The preliminary flow tests showed a lower level of permeability damage with the new fluid as compared to the conventional KCl, CaCl2 and NaCl brines.
In this study, various aspects of the new completion fluid's implementation were systematically evaluated. The evaluation procedure included (1) typical core floods (inflow tests that simulated well completion), (2) reversed core floods (backflow tests that simulated well production), (3) core floods at various levels of influent pH, and (4) corrosivity tests. The laboratory core floods were conducted on the reconstituted cores that were made of the unconsolidated core material from the gas reservoirs located offshore Adriatic Sea.
The study revealed superiority of the new completion fluid over the conventional brines, in both inflow and backflow core floods. Porosity development, caused by pore cleaning, was observed in the SEM microphotographs and in the effluents particle-size distributions.
There was a strong correlation between the reservoir rock permeability and the pH of the ammonium nitrate-methanol solution; for the alkaline solutions, permeability damage increased with increasing pH. However, for the acidic solutions the permeability improvement was observed, and it was inversely affected by pH (i.e. lower pH caused permeability increase).
When uninhibited, the new fluid appeared to be highly corrosive, particularly for a pH lower than four. However, the experiments with the corrosion inhibitor showed that for a pH between four and five the new fluid can be effectively inhibited so its corrosion rate will be below the maximum acceptable limit, 0.005 in./year.
Optimized Slurry Design for Salt Zone Cementations
Authors: van Kleef R. P. A. R. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
The influence of salt content on the performance of saline cement slurries has been investigated with the objective of improving primary cementations through salt layers.
It is shown that the pumpability times of neat saline cement slurries under low-shear conditions (as encountered in the field) are virtually independent of salt content. Pumpability time and time of final set (onset of strength development) determined under these conditions are shorter than the API thickening time.
Salt introduced into a neat cement slurry by halite formation dissolution during the cementing operation has much less Of a retarding influence on pumpability time and time of final set than the same quantity of salt introduced into a slurry during mixing.
In dispersed slurries, medium to high salt contents cause excessive retardation of cement set. At low-shear conditions, pumpability times are about twice as long as those determined in API tests. As a consequence of this high shear sensitivity, the setting time of dispersed saline slurries cannot be controlled effectively in the field.
Core-flow tests show that salt is not eroded by cement Slurries. Salt dissolution occurs with non-saturated cement slurries, with the dissolution rate being clearly influenced by the state of fluid flow.
Salt is dissolved by non-saturated cements even after final set. This results in the formation of a micro-annulus at the salt/cement interface. Usually, the creep rate of the salt is sufficient to close the micro-annulus within a reasonable time, i.e. before the well is completed. If salt creep rates are expected to be insufficient to ensure zonal isolation, salt-saturated cement slurries should be used. In all other cases, the use of salt-free or low-salt-content cements is recommended. These slurries have been used successfully in many North Sea wells.
Extended Nozzles and Gauge Drilling Are Keys to Bit Design in Alwyn 17½
Authors: Delafon H. , Bannerman J. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
TOTAL OIL MARINE pic, operator on behalf of an association of Total Oil Marine (33.3%) and Elf UK (66.6%) has been drilling the development wells of Alwyn North field in UK North Sea since early 1987. One of the most critical phases in this field is the 17½" phase. It is unusually deep and drilled with water based mud through abrasive and sticky formations. One key success has been the step by step improvement of 17½" rock bits in conjunction with the bit manufacturer.
This paper presents:
A constructive engineered approach used throughout the Alwyn project, where all bits were systematically recovered, photographed, thoroughly examined and cut into pieces to understand any possible wear mechanism.
The improvement in 17½" bits performances obtained between the first two wells (6 to 7 m/hr ROP - 100 to 150m metrage) and the sixteenth well (31 m/hr ROP - 800m metrage).
The main progression steps, each one being associated with a specific bit design.
The learning made on how to efficiently use extended nozzles in the field.
Problem 1 : Poor cutting evacuation at the bottom of the hole.
Problem 2 : Gauge drilling the "corner" of the hole, i.e. the transition area between the side and the front of the bottom hole.
Problem 3 : Hydraulic erosion inside the bit body.
Problem 4 : Hydraulic erosion inside the extended nozzles.
Problem 5 : Interference of directional drilling considerations.
Cleaning Deviated Holes: New Experimental and Theoretical Studies
Authors: Brown N. P. , Bern P. A. , Weaver A. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
A number of studies have been carried out by other researchers into cleaning deviated holes. However, the results to date do not provide clear operational recommendations. A research programme that addresses hole cleaning is in progress using Field-scale equipment. Experimental results have been obtained from circulating water and HEC polymer-based pills. The experimental studies are complemented by mathematical modelling.
A comparison of the results from the inclined equipment show that not only is the transport of cuttings initiated at lower flow rates when water is circulated, but also the rate at which cuttings are removed is higher. The poorest removal rates generally occur with inclination angles in the region of 50 to 60 degrees. Predictions from the mathematical model are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.
A Case History Review of the Effects of Drilling Fluids on Shale Stability in the Central Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Gilmore W. H. , Sanclemente J. B. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
In 1987 Chevron conducted an experiment to obtain data which could be used to comparatively evaluate the ability of various mud systems to stabilize highly reactive shales and gumbos, such as those found in the U. S. Gulf Coast. The mud systems used in this study range from the commonly used chrome lignosulfonate system to polymer systems to variations of gypsum or lime systems.
In order to evaluate the ability of the various mud systems to stabilize the borehole, four-arm or six-arm caliper logs were run in the intervals of interest. The average borehole diameter was calculated from this caliper data. A program which calculates annular hydraulics was run on the data for each interval to determine if any of the observed washout could or should be attributed to hydraulic erosion. The average hole diameter was then used as a measure of borehole stability. The closer the average hole diameter was to the bit size, the more stabilizing the mud system.
The results were consistent with the findings of independent work performed at the same time. The commonly used chrome lignosulfonate mud had the highest amount of washout (139 - 179%). The muds containing only potassium hydroxide provided a hole with washout reduced to 0 - 10%. The other muds systems provided borehole with washouts ranging between 14 - 116%.
As a result of the experiment, the potassium hydroxide low lime graft copolymer lignosulfonate (GCPLS) system consistently provided the most gauge hole at a cost approximately equal to that of a chrome lignosulfonate mud. However, solids control was realized to be an absolute necessity if this system was to be run in a cost-effective manner. On one well where poor solids control had been identified, the mud cost was double that of other systems in which good solids control had been maintained.
Unleashing the Power of Steerable Systems
Authors: Whitten R. G. , Petrey P. A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Since their introduction, steerable systems have captured a large share of the directional drilling market, accounting for almost 45% of directional wells drilled in the Gulf of Mexico in March of 19881. The wide acceptance of these drilling tools has been primarily due to the cost savings available from a reduction in the number of bottom-hole assemblies required to drill a directional well.
Even greater improvements in directional drilling effectiveness are possible, however, from some of the lesser known yet highly successful applications of the steerable concept which have been used, on a limited basis, in various oilfields around the world and which have the capacity for more general use.
This paper describes the implementation and results of a number of these less common applications. The examples serve to illustrate the way in which the steerable system concept supported by comprehensive drilling software can alter the design and planning of directional wells. Many design goals may now be achieved which were previously considered to be too costly or technically difficult. by conventional drilling methods and the future of drilling will involve a high degree of planned flexibility allowing for real-time changes throughout the drilling process.
Remote and Difficult Onshore Drilling Logistics
Authors: Dodds R. G. , Twa W. L. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The onshore search for large, or giant oilfield discoveries is leading operators into remote and sometimes environmentally difficult areas of the world. This paper will explore the role of the drilling contractor in the evaluation, design and execution of logistical programs that overcome, on a cost efficient basis, the distance and obstacles that may be encountered in the movement of the drilling package to remote and difficult exploratory drilling site(s). It will be based largely upon first hand operational experience in the continent of Africa, and it will describe the steps that were taken to satisfy operator objectives.
The importance of a well-designed remote and difficult logistics program is easily understood when one considers the fact that the costs for logistical support often exceed the cost of the exploratory well(s). Furthermore, in today's competitive market, the drilling contractor often assumes more of a risk on the logistics portion of a drilling program through a modified turnkey contract. Thus the unique and successful drilling projects that will be used as examples will be of benefit to operator and contract personnel attending the SPE/IADC 1989 Drilling Conference.
New MMS Drilling Regulations
Authors: Martin W. H. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
The consolidation of the rules governing oil, gas, and sulphur operations on the OCS, which was proposed in the Federal Register on March 18, 1986, was published as a final rule on April 1, 1988, and became effective 60 days later on May 31, 1988.
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) would have liked to have published the final rule sooner but the time required to develop the final rule was time well spent.
The comment period on the rule was originally set at 90 days and was to have closed on June 16, 1986. At the request of many of the commenters, the comment period was extended an additional 90 days until September 15, 1986.
The Economic and Operational Effects of the 1988 Promulgated Federal Regulations on Offshore Drilling Operations
Authors: Graff R. L. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
Compliance with governmental regulations is a major concern for all offshore operators and contractors who drill in Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters.
Drilling operations in these waters come under the jurisdiction of the Mineral Management Service (MMS). Failure to comply with these regulations can result in being issued a written notice called an incident of non-compliance (INC), rig opera-tions shut down, or depending on the severity of the infraction, fines and imprisonment.
This paper will review MMS Order 250- -Subpart D (Drilling Operations), which replaced OCS Order 2 in 1988. The intent is not to debate the merits of the new Orders, but to examine their present and future impact on operating practices, from both safety and economic perspectives.
Selecting and Installing Top Drive Drilling Systems on Mobile Offshore Rigs
Authors: Hock C. J. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
When top drives are installed on offshore drilling rigs, a number of equipment and modification choices are available to the drilling contractor. In this paper each major component of the top drive support equipment is examined along with the rig modification necessary for a workable top drive installation.
Reasons for extending the derrick are presented along with alternative traveling assemblies. The guide rail and dolly system are discussed along with changes to the existing rig floor drilling equipment. The driller's controls, top drive power, cooling, and special systems are addressed, standards, classification society and regulatory agency considerations are discussed where they have presented problems to top drive installations. Finally, guidance is given about the scheduling of a top drive installation.