Aluminium Pipes - a Viable Solution to Boost Drilling and Completion Technology

Abstract The modern Ultra Extended Reach Drilling projects become more and more challenging. Some of the lately drilled ERD's probably reached or came close to the edge of available drilling technology. The most breathtaking well was Maersk BD-04A completed by May 2008 offshore Qatar with 12 290 m (40 320 ft) TMD and 11 569 m (37 956 ft) departure [1]. Other wells with less TMD are as much complicated as BD-04A. These are ExxonMobil Z-11 at Chayvo field (Sakhalin-1 project) in Russia (11 282m (37 014 ft) TMD) [2], BP Wytch Farm M-16 in UK, with 11 278 m (37 001 ft) TMD (10 728 m (35197 ft) displacement) [3], Total CN-1 at Ara field in Argentina with 11 184 m (36 693 ft) TMD (10 585 m displacement), StatoilHydro Visund A-6, North Sea 9 082m (29 797 ft) TMD [4] and others. The significant length of horizontal section in such wells resulted in severe growth of drag and torque, overcoming of which turned out to be crucial for reaching the desired target. Future targets promise to be even more distant and challenging, that is why further extension of horizontal borehole needs implementation of advanced technology which can either reduce friction in a borehole, or diminish the gravity force component acting between contact surfaces. One of the possible solutions of this problem is application of drill pipes with reduced weight. This can be achieved by either making drill pipe wall thinner, with simultaneous development and application of high strength steels, or utilizing of new materials for its manufacturing, light and comparatively strong, such as alloys of aluminium. The properties of ADP and the comparison of this pipe with other types of drill pipes used in drilling, as well as information about other aluminium alloy oil country tubulars are presented in this article. Analysis of possible application of ADP versus steel drill pipe, presented here, will be of an interest to drilling experts. Introduction Aluminium drill pipes have long application history in USSR and Russia. They've been used for drilling since the end of 1950-s [5]. Since then, their superior properties ensured their successful distribution among national drilling companies. By the beginning of 90-s ADP were involved in drilling 70–80% of all oil and gas wells in the Soviet Union [6]. The design of modern ADP refers to 1970-s when it was first used for ultra deep drilling of Kola well. Most of the drilling there was made using ADP. At the final stage these pipes amounted 92% of the drill string assembly. Kola well to date holds world record in TVD which reached 12262 m (40 230 ft). Since then this design became the basis for modern ADP, which are manufactured according to requirements of ISO 15546 (see Figure 1). It should be noted that term ADP is a general name describing aluminium drill pipe, whilst LAIDP is a brand name of ADP design manufactured by Aquatic. At present time nearly 1 000 000 m (3 280 840 ft) of ADP are in operation in Russia, half of which are of LAIDP brand.