Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Sai S Rao

Kaustubh S Kulkarni

Andrey A Troshko

Gregory King

System and methods for cleaning debris or particulates from a wellbore using foam is provided, including predicting if a foam cleanout of a well is feasible by calculating foam properties at each of a number of segments in a well during a foam cleanout, comparing the foam properties to screening limits, providing an output to indicate if a foam cleanout is feasible. If feasible, the foam cleanout is performed.

Foam cleanout methods and systems for wellbores

A method for conducting a wellbore operation includes drilling a wellbore through one or more hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formations with a drill bit arranged at an end of a drill string, wherein an annulus is defined between the drill string and an inner wall of the wellbore. A foam is generated with a foam generator of an annular injection system in communication with the annulus, and the foam is introduced into the annulus with the annular injection system.

Foam cap drilling methods

Methods for enhancing transport rate of particles of size Din a cuttings bed within an annulus of a wellbore during drilling operations. One method comprises estimating, with a computer, a current particle size distribution (PSD) of a particle bed including particles of size Dwithin a measured depth (MD) range of the wellbore; calculating, with the computer, a target PSD of the MD range using a using a one-dimensional transient model incorporating a particle transport model; determining, with the computer, a pumping PSD to achieve the target PSD within the MD range; and adding the pumping PSD to a drilling fluid flowing within the annulus, thereby enhancing the transport rate of particles of size Dwithin the MD range. The particle transport model may be a surface-based transport model.

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Spring, TX, United States of America

Sai S Rao