WWT NRPS Smooth and Reduce Drag Through Buckled Casing

Executive Summary
A deepwater offsho re well had a highly deviated and buckled production casing throughout most of the wellbore. Pipe-to-casing contact resulted in high drag and made completion operations difficult due to high set-down weight volatility.

WWT installed 594 SS3 model NRPs at a frequency of two per joint—one near the tool joint and one mid-span—to reduce steel-on-steel contact points. The SS3 NRP exterior contains a low-friction polymer designed to enable smoother running of the drill string in and out of hole.

The operator confirmed the benefits of the NRPs by running the same drill string to TD twice: once with NRPs installed and once without.

High Drag

• Use of NRPs resulted in a 40 kip increase in slack-off hookload, as shown below.

• Use of NRPs resulted in an 80 kip decrease in pickup hookload. High Volatility When Setting Down Weight During Completions

 • When slacking off a consistent 40 kips at surface:-Without NRPs on string the WOB varied between 39 to 86 kips (∆47k)-With NRPs on string WOB varied from 74 to 85 kips (∆11k)

 • Once NRPs were installed, all completion operations were performed successfully.