Run a Packer in Casing While Drilling (CwD), resisting severe conditions and sealing the annulus effectively
Casing while drilling optimizes well construction costs, improves drilling efficiency, and provides better safety. CwD technique minimizes personnel exposure while decreasing the staff needed on site.
Drilling techniques have been evolving. They now meet numerous challenges daily.
However, several issues prevail with the current state of the art.
CwD Packer challenges
- Stuck pipe issues.
- Low wellbore stability.
- Tripping time to change the BHA.
- Lost circulation.
Such issues reduce the drilling efficiency and increase the chances of NPT. Consequently, Casing while Drilling (CwD) technique has been field-proven to fix numerous problems faced during the drilling.
The method consists of running the casing while drilling at the same time. As a result, operators can improve drilling efficiency while alleviating the risks of NPT. CwD has proven beneficial to control losses and improve the wellbore stability.
Stage cementing with casing while drilling
Drilling ops in wells with hole instability or space limitation have different requirements. The equipment on the rig needs safe but straight drilling methods. Saltel Annular Zonal Isolation Packer CwD is a reliable packer. This Packer allows stage cementing when using the casing as a drill string instead of a drill pipe. The AZIP CwD design can withstand additional torque and present outstanding fatigue resistance.
When drilling with casing into under-pressurized zones, it may be necessary to set an annular packer. This barrier sets almost instantly to prevent fluid loss in a formation. As a result, the Packer enables proper cementing of the annulus.
Xpandable Steel Packer Solution
Running a hardened Steel Packer into the well as part of the casing string enables a fast setting (dropping a plug). The packer installation seals immediately the losses below (annular seal). We can fix a stage tool to cement successfully above the Packer. The Annular Zonal Isolation Packer is the right solution to meet the requirements of casing drilling. Moreover, the Packer resists abrasion while circulating.
The full flush ID means the Packer is suitable for level 2 or level 3 Casing while Drilling. The same base casing is used, with no decrease in performance.