A Noble Drilling Corporation Subsidiary

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Hollow Sphere Dual Gradient Drilling

System

JIP Kickoff Meeting

Dr. William C. Maurer September 27, 2001

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DOE Hollow Sphere Underbalanced Drilling Project

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Types of Flow Regimes

MIST FOAM LIQUID GAS AERATED

LIQUID

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Lightweight Mud

LIGHT WEIGHT

MUD MUD HOLLOW SPHERES

5.84 ppg 8.5 ppg 3.17 ppg

0.70 S.G. 1.02 S.G. 0.38 S.G.

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Glass Beads

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Particle Sizes in Unweighted, Water-Based Mud

(After Bourgoyne Jr. et al, 1986)

.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 10,000

SILT FINE SAND

COARSE SAND

GRAVEL

200

100

60

20

MESH

Solid

s Perc

enta

ge

MICRONS

Bentonite Small Hollow Spheres

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Centrifuge Test

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Desilter Tests

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Oilfield Hydroclone (Moore et al., 1974)

Underflow Discharge (Cuttings)

Feed Chamber

Feed Inlet

Vortex Finder

Vortex

Overflow Opening (Hollow Spheres)

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Golden State Drilling Rig Mud System

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Mud Returns

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Dual Gradient Drilling Systems

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Hydrostatic Gradients for Conventional and Riserless Drilling

(Snyder, 1998)

Surface

Casing

Depth

Seawater (E) hydrostatic pressure

Mud hydrostatic pressure (C) (Conventional)

Mud hydrostatic pressure (D) ( Riserless )

Fracture (B) pressure

Pore pressure (A)

Pressure

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Riserless Drilling System (Peterman, 1998)

Mud Return and Pump

Return Line Riser

Mudlift Pump

BHA

Wellhead and BOP

Diverter

Drillpipe

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“DGD is estimated to save $9 million per well and increase the project value by $150 to $250 million at Crazy Horse”

Andy Frazelle, BP (Wellconnected, Dec, 2000)

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“In an ultra-deepwater well, the savings could range from $5 - 15 million in casing running alone”

Conoco, 2001 (Drilling Contractor, May/June)

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Mudlift System

(Conoco/Hydril)

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Mudlift Pumping System

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Mudlift Subsea Diaphragm Pumps

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Mudlift Subfloor Module

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Mudlift Subsea Diverter

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Mudlift Drillstring Valve

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(Baker Hughes/Transocean)

DEEPVISION System

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DEEPVISION Subsea Centrifugal Pump

Pressure & volume compensator

Strainer for compensator

Isolation valves for motor filters

Main filters

Pump suction

Pump discharge

Electrical connections

Motor cooling loop

Filter for bearing pack

Isolation valves for Bearing pack filters

6-Stage pump

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DEEPVISION Subsea Module

5-pump module station

Size: 15’ *17’ * 40’

Weight: 350 kips

Max. available hhp 4050

ANSI 2500 (6250 psi) rated

Standard riser joint connection

Independent of BOP MUX control system

Self contained power and control

10,000 ft. Pump Station

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DEEPVISION Drillstring Valve

VALVE SEAT & CONE

VALVE PLUNGER

DISC SPRING PACKAGE

4-3/4” Flow Stop Sub

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DGD Rock Removal Rates

Drilling Rates (ft/hr)

Rock

Rem

ova

l Rate

(to

ns/

hr)

100 50 0 150 200 0

4

8

12

12-1/4” Bit

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Shell SSPS System

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Shell SSPS DGD System (Offshore, June 2001)

Power Control Existing Rig Pumps From Rig Power

Water Depth

Pump Section

Motor & Seal Nitrogen Tank

Check Valve

Level Sensor For Process Control

Eductor Pump

Control Module

Element Optional For Fluid Sep.

Mud Processing

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SSPS Gumbo Slide & Mud/Gas Separation

Nitrogen Tank (Back-up)

Mud/Gas Separator

Flowline

Subsea BOP

Cuttings Eductor

Gumbo Slide

Nitrogen Tank Cut Away View

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Dual Gradient Project Participation

CONOCO*

HYDRIL*

BP

CHEVRON

MUDLIFT

TEXACO

DIAMOND OFFSHORE

GLOBAL MARINE

SCHLUMBERGER

BAKER HUGHES*

TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX*

DEEPVISION

BP

CHEVRON

SHELL

SSPS

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Hollow Sphere Dual Gradient System

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Surface Hollow Sphere System

Riser

Mud Line

BHA

Wellhead and BOP

Drillpipe

Mud

Shale Shaker

Mud

Spheres

Spheres & Mud

Mud Pump (Spheres)

Mud Pump (Mud)

Swivel

Valve

Mud & Spheres

Drill Ship

Mud

Rock

Drill String Valve

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Hollow Glass Sphere Technique

Mixture

Mud

Slurry

Hollow Glass Spheres

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New Seafloor Equipment

DeepVision Mudlift

Shell SSPS Maurer

Nothing

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Sea Water Density Mud (50 % Spheres)

LIGHT WEIGHT

MUD MUD HOLLOW SPHERES

8.56 ppg 14 ppg 3.17 ppg

1.02 S.G. 1.68 S.G. 0.38 S.G.

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4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0 20 30 40 70

Sphere Concentration (Volume %)

Mix

ture

Density,

ppg

18 16 14 12 10

Sphere Sp. Gr. = 0.38

Mud Weight

ppg

Water Sea Water

Mixture Density vs. Sphere Volume

10 50 60

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Sea Floor

10

12

14

16

18

Dual Gradient Mud Weights

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Single Injection Point

Valve

Riser Flow Line

Mud & Spheres

Surface

Sea Floor

Mud & Spheres

Wellhead and BOP

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Multiple Injection Points

10,000’

7,500’

5,000’

2,500’

Valve

Riser Flow Line

Sea Water & Spheres

Surface

Sea Floor

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Surface Sphere Separation

Shale Shaker

Seawater

Hollow Spheres

Drill Cuttings Mud

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Large and Small Hollow Glass Spheres

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Particle Sizes in Unweighted, Water-Based Mud

(After Bourgoyne Jr. et al, 1986)

.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 10,000

SILT FINE SAND

COARSE SAND

GRAVEL

200

100

60

20

MESH

Solid

s Perc

enta

ge

MICRONS

Large Hollow Spheres

Bentonite Small Hollow Spheres

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Relative Particle Size (Microns)

50 Small Hollow Spheres

147 100 Mesh

Screen

300 Large Hollow Spheres

1700 Frac Sand

(12 mesh)

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Composite Hollow Spheres

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Composite Sphere Densities

Water Depth (ft) PVC

Thermoplastic Macrospheres

GRE Minispheres

Carbon Fibre Minispheres

Foam System Density (g/cc)

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000 13000 15000

0.25 0.36

0.28 0.34 0.36 0.39 0.43 0.44 0.48 0.53 0.53

0.40 0.41 0.45 0.48 0.51 0.55 0.60 0.62 0.65

0.43 0.45 0.46 0.48 0.50 0.53 0.56 0.59 0.61 0.66

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Riser Buoyancy Modules

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Solids Separation

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DGD Sphere Separation System 1

100 1000

MESH

MICRONS

100 20

Large Spheres

20 Mesh

Large Cuttings

Return Mud 2000 gpm 25% Spheres

Mud 1500 gpm

To Seafloor 1000 gpm

50% Spheres

Clean Mud

Shale Shaker

Shale Shaker Spheres

Spheres 500 gpm

Seawater

Medium Cuttings

Spheres 500 gpm

100 Mesh

Spheres

Conventional Mud

System

To Rig Pump 1000 gpm No Spheres

500 gpm

Fine Cuttings

Spheres 500 gpm

Mud 1500 gpm

+

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Hydrocyclone Separator

Barite (SG = 4.25)

Drill Cuttings (SG = 2.65)

Hollow Spheres (SG = 0.4)

Water (SG = 100)

Barite, Drill Cuttings

Mud & Spheres

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100 1000

MESH

MICRONS

100 20

Large Spheres

DGD Sphere Separation System 2 20 Mesh

Large Cuttings Return Mud 2000 gpm 25% Spheres

Mud 1000 gpm

To Seafloor 1000 gpm

50% Spheres

Clean Mud

Shale Shaker

Shale Shaker

Medium Cuttings (Few Spheres)

100 Mesh

Conventional Mud

System

To Rig Pump 1000 gpm No Spheres

Centrifugal Pump

Spheres 500 gpm

Mud 1000 gpm

Fine Cuttings

Mud 500 gpm

+

Special Hydrocyclone

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Effect of Spheres on Plastic Viscosity

12.5 12.0

22.5

0

5

10

15

20

25

Pla

sti

c V

isco

sit

y (

cp

)

No Spheres Large Spheres Standard

Spheres

Water 36% Spheres

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Alternative Hollow Sphere

Injection Systems

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Mud Line

Wellhead and BOP

Drillstring Injection DGD System

Riser

BHA

Drillpipe

Mud

Sphere Mixing Tank

Mud Pump (Mud)

Swivel

Mud & Spheres

Drill Ship

Mud

Rock

Casing

Sphere Separator

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Drill String Sphere Separator

Sea Floor

Spheres

Spheres & Mud

Riser

Sphere Separator

Mud

Spheres & Mud

Casing Drill Bit

Drill Pipe

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Carrier Fluid Dual Gradient System

Riser

Mud Line

BHA

Wellhead and BOP

Drillpipe

Mud

Shale Shaker

Carrier Fluid

Spheres

Carrier Fluid & Spheres

Mud Pump (Spheres)

Mud Pump (Mud)

Swivel

Choke

Mud & Spheres

Drill Ship

Mud

Rock

Injector Pump Screen

Valve

Flow Controller

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Mud

Injector Pump (Moineau)

Carrier Fluid Plus Spheres

Screen

Return Line

Valve

Carrier Fluid

Carrier Fluid Dual Gradient System

Mud

Choke

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Seawater Transfer System

Mud

Seawater and Spheres

Seawater

Mud

Injector Pump (Moineau)

Mud and Spheres

Screen

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Spreading Pore Pressure/Frac Curves Apart

Surface

Depth

Fracture

pressure

Pore pressure

Pressure

Seafloor

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Curved Gradient Drilling

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Riser

Sea Floor

Conventional Deep Water Drilling

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Riser

Sea Floor

Dual-Gradient Deep Water Drilling

Subsea Pumps

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Riser

Sea Floor

Curved-Gradient Deep Water Drilling

Gas or Sphere Injection Points

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`

DRILLING FLUID

SPHERES

OR GAS PARASITE

INJECTION PORT

Fluid Injection Techniques

GAS OR SPHERES

`

Concentric Drill Pipe Parasite String

Tie-Back Casing

SPHERES

OR GAS

MUD

`

MUD

SPHERES

OR GAS

Jet Sub

`

MUD

SPHERES

OR GAS

Nozzle

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Seafloor Sphere Injection 0

6000

10000

15000

20000

15,000 10,000 5,000 0

We

ll D

ep

th (

ft)

Riser

Sea Water Density (8.6 ppg) (50%)

4470 psi Sea Floor

11,750 psi

8110 psi

Annulus Pressure (psi)

Casing

Seafloor Sphere Injection

14 ppg (0%)

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Sub Seafloor Sphere Injection 0

6000

10000

15000

20000

15,000 10,000 5,000 0

We

ll D

ep

th (

ft)

Riser

10.4 ppg (33%)

Sea Floor

14 ppg (0%)

11,750 psi

8110 psi

Annulus Pressure (psi)

Casing

Sub Sea Floor Sphere Injection

5410 psi 4470 psi

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Sub Seafloor Sphere Injection 0

6000

10000

15000

20000

15,000 10,000 5,000 0

We

ll D

ep

th (

ft)

Riser

11.3 ppg (25%)

Sea Floor

14 ppg (0%)

11,750 psi

8110 psi

Annulus Pressure (psi)

Casing

Sub Sea Floor Sphere Injection

5876 psi 4470 psi

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Lightweight Brine Drilling Fluid

Sea Water (8.56 ppg)

Salt Brine (12 ppg)

Salt Brine + 39% Spheres (8.56 ppg)

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Major Questions

• Will Hollow Spheres Survive?

• Can Spheres Be Pumped Reliably?

• Can Spheres Be Separated From Mud?

• Can Sphere Circulation Be Initiated after Shutdowns?

• Maximum Sphere Concentration Achievable?

• How to Detect and Handle Kicks?

• Can Constant Seafloor Pressure Be Maintained?

• System Cost and Reliability?

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