Performance of the Hole Cleaning Factor in Predicting the Hole Cleaning Conditions in Vertical and Deviated Wells: Real Case Studies

Transportation of the drilled cuttings to the surface is required to ensure optimum hole cleaning condition that is needed to fasten the drilling process. Transportation of these cuttings is challenging regardless of the well trajectory because of the several parameters controlling the performance of the drilling mud to raise these cuttings, and the severity of the hole cleaning problems is increased for the deviated and horizontal wells due to the increase in the wellbore inclination. All of the currently available parameters considered for evaluating the hole cleaning condition do not include the effect of some of the influential factors affecting the hole cleaning condition. This study evaluates the hole cleaning factor (HCF) which is a new hole cleaning parameter developed by modifying the cutting carrying index. HCF considers the impact of all parameters affecting the hole cleaning conditions, which involve the impact of the drilled hole size and inclination, the size of the drill pipe, the drilling fluid rheology, mud density, and its flowrate, and rate of penetration. The developed HCF is applicable to evaluate the hole cleaning in the vertical and deviated wells on real time while drilling. The HCF model was applied to evaluate the hole cleaning situation in vertical and deviated wells. The results showed an excellent correlation between the conditions predicted with the HCF and the daily drilling reports. The crew members reported an increase in the torque with fluctuation in the drilling parameters followed by stuck pipe condition at the sections identified by the HCF.