# A Novel Efficient Borehole Cleaning Model for Optimizing Drilling Performance in Real Time
###### Abstract  
The drilling industry has evolved significantly over the years, with new technologies making the process more efficient and effective. One of the most crucial issues of drilling is borehole cleaning, which entails removing drill cuttings and keeping the borehole clean. Inadequate borehole cleaning can lead to drilling problems such as stuck pipes, poor cementing, and formation damage. Real-time drilling evaluation has seen significant improvements, allowing drilling engineers to monitor the drilling process and make adjustments accordingly. This paper introduces a novel real-time borehole cleaning performance evaluation model based on the transport index (\(\Pi_{\text{m}}\)). The novel \(\Pi_{\text{m}}\) model offers a real-time indication of borehole cleaning efficiency. The novel model was field-tested and validated for three wells, demonstrating its ability to determine borehole cleaning efficiency in typical drilling operations. Using \(\Pi_{\text{m}}\) in Well-A led to a 56% increase in the rate of penetration (ROP) and a 44% reduction in torque. Moreover, the efficient borehole cleaning obtained through the use of \(\Pi_{\text{m}}\) played a significant role in improving drilling efficiency and preventing stuck pipes incidents. The \(\Pi_{\text{m}}\) model was also able to identify borehole cleaning efficiency during a stuck pipe issue, highlighting its potential use as a tool for optimizing drilling performance. cutting transport index; rheology and angle factor; borehole cleaning issues; automated model; drilling performance; vertical; deviated and horizontal drilling wells +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
of beds of cuttings [7; 8]. More importantly, in borehole cleaning operations, the settling velocity of particles is a critical parameter that influences the efficiency of cuttings removal from the wellbore [9]. Moreover, determining the density and size of drill cuttings during drilling to estimate the slipping velocity of drill cuttings is critical and vital [5]. Furthermore, various methods of borehole cleaning are employed to improve drilling efficiency. These methods include drilling fluid characteristics, bit and bottom hole assembly (BHA) designs, hydraulics, and rig systems [7; 10]. The properties of the drilling fluid, such as its rheology, inhibition, and colloidal solids, can affect hole cleaning efficiency, with rheology playing a particularly crucial role in determining the fluid's ability to transport cuttings out of the wellbore [11; 12]. The design of the bit and BHA can also impact the rate of penetration, allowable revolution per minute (RPM) and reciprocation, and by-pass area, which in turn can affect the efficiency of cuttings removal from the wellbore [10]. Moreover, the directional BHA include a range of stabilizers, drill collars, rotary steerable system (RSS), motors, drill bits, and with measurement-while-drilling (MWD) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) equipment that provides real-time data on the wellbore's position that are optimized for steering the wellbore in the desired direction. When drilling at full drill string RPM, these tools can improve the ROP, reducing the time needed to complete a well and increasing the efficiency of borehole cleaning [7; 10]. Hydraulics is another critical parameter that can impact borehole cleaning efficiency [13]. Factors such as the available gallons per minute (GPM), pressure limits, equivalent circulating density (ECD), BHA requirements and limits, and shaker loading limits can all affect the efficiency of cuttings removal [14]. Moreover, the limitations of rig systems, such as top drive (RPM vs. torque), solids control, pumps, and electrical power, can also affect hole cleaning efficiency. Proper maintenance and control of these systems are crucial for efficient drilling operations. In addition, some experiments have been conducted in the field that have demonstrated the effect of pipe rotation on agitating the cuttings, which in turn helps move the cuttings more efficiently with the flow of fluid.