Innovative Application of Underbalanced Drilling Technology for Deep Drilling in Wuxia Area of Junggar Basin

AbstractThe rock in deep strata of Wuxia area in Junggar Basin is abrasive and with low drillability. Part of the formation sections with abundant fractures, which leads to mud lose frequently. The exploration progress has been slowed down by low drilling speed and accidents. The exploration department of Xinjiang Oilfield Company preferred underbalanced drilling technology on well F8 and A1 on the basis of feasibility analysis of UBD technology in Permian strata. The applications reduced lose circulation effectively and promote the rate of penetration considerably.Well F8 and A1 used foam and nitrogen as underbalanced drilling circulation medium respectively. The wellbore sizes are 215.9 mm. The rate of penetration in underbalanced drilling sections are quintuple than conventional rotary drilling. It saved more than 20 days in the overall drilling time. The conversions between foam/nitrogen with mud were successfully once only. There was no losing circulation during underbalanced drilling progress.The successful application of underbalanced drilling technology in deep strata of Wuxia area solved the deep drilling speed improved problems entirely. It reduced mud lose and promote drilling speed. The drilling overall time and exploration cost has also been decreased greatly. The innovation application provides a new method for deep drilling speed improved in this area.In the passed drilling, the ROP of advanced cone and PDC bits was nearly 0.65 m/h, and the ROP was no more than 0.92 m/h even with turbodrills and impregnated bits. However, the ROP of underbalanced drilling section has promoted several times than conventional drilling. ROP optimizing was substantial versus direct offset wells that experienced quintuple drilling time through the same formation. With this success, the team has accumulated valuable experience of deep drilling for Junggar Basin.