Analysis Sensitivity Lateral for Hydraulics NBT - 059 Well

Abstract

Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) presents significant challenges in hydraulic management and efficient hole cleaning, which can limit the horizontal reach of the well. This study is based on the question of the technical limits of ERD drilling. The objective is to conduct a hydraulic sensitivity analysis of the added lateral length to assess operational efficiency and determine the maximum reach that can be achieved with current equipment capabilities. In this study, a hydraulic simulation method using Wellplan software was used to examine six lateral extension scenarios (HD ratio of 2:1 to 6.5:1) in the NBT-059 well. Each scenario was assessed for feasibility based on key operational constraints, including maximum pump pressure (5,000 psi), flow rate to clean the hole, and Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD). The results showed that narrowing by increasing the lateral length decreased the maximum achievable flow rate. The analysis showed that increasing the lateral length led to a decrease in the maximum achievable flow rate, which narrowed the operational window significantly from 144 GPM in the 2:1 HD scenario to 5 GPM in the 6:1 HD scenario. The 6.5:1 HD scenario was considered infeasible because its maximum flow rate (245 GPM) was below the minimum flow rate to clean the hole (249.51 GPM) and the required circulation pressure (5,002.96 psi) exceeded the rig capacity due to the narrow operational window.