canadian well construction journalmedia.cade.ca.s3.amazonaws.com/2010_05_cwc_journal.pdf6 may 2010...

Canadian Well Construction JournalThe Official Publication of the Canadian Association of Drilling Engineers

Volume 2 | Issue 5

mAY 201011 fEATurE

Mineralogy analysis for drilling and completions engineers

15 EDuCATiOn2010 Drilling Conference education short courses

8 AssOCiATiOn infOrMATiOn

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Canadian Association Of Drilling Engineers May 2010 3

Table of Contents

Canadian Association of Drilling engineers (CADe)800, 540-5 Ave. SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 0M2

Phone: 403 264-4311 | Fax: 403 263-3796

www.cade.ca

Managing Editors: Todd Brown, Mike MacKinnon

CWCJ Photographer: Mike MacKinnon

Advertising Sales: Nick Drinkwater

Published by: JuneWarren-Nickle’s Energy Group

CADE’s mandate is to provide high-quality techni-

cal meetings to promote awareness of the drilling

& well servicing industry. Through CADE, members

and the public can learn about the technical chal-

lenges and experience gained from our speakers,

who are most often CADE members themselves.

We invite you to join CADE and further your profes-

sional development.

Past issues of CADENews are available online.

Current issues of Canadian Well Construction Jour-

nal are available via email, to CADE members only.

CADE is not responsible for any opinion or statement

expressed in this publication.

President’s MessageHello everyone, and thank you for picking up our monthly Canadian Well Construction Journal. We have a very exciting month ahead of us. Every year goes out with a bang with the annual CADE/CAODC Drilling Conference. This year is no exception, as the hard work of our organizing committees for the conference and the education seminars will finally come to fruition. Our members will have the opportu-nity to attend an impressive lineup of technical presentations from both drilling and completion disciplines. Additionally, the two-day education seminars will certainly provide people the opportunity to learn exceptional skills and knowledge, which will elevate their contributions to their employers and assist in drilling and completing better wells.

I would like to take this opportunity prior to many people dispersing for spring and summer holidays to ask for your time and help. CADE continues its long-standing tradition of volunteers and we will remain a volunteer organization for many years. Our community has so many talented, knowledgeable, and giving individuals, and I invite these people to join us and help CADE continue its growth and prosperity. Our conference efforts have already begun for 2011, the CADE organization continues every year, and our exciting CADE Education Program will certainly require people to elevate its presence, enhance its curriculum, and continue its growth.

I am proud to say that our sponsors have made 2010 a very successful year. We have acquired sponsorship for the CWCJ and the conference, which has enabled us to grow and support the new initiatives such as our secured websites and the CADE Education Program. Thank you and we hope to continue our relationship.

Patrick Murphy, P.Eng.President, Canadian Association of Drilling Engineers

FEATurE SToriES

mineralogy analysis for drilling and completions engineers 11

2010 Drilling Conference education short courses 15

DEPArTMENTS

Member Profile: Leroy J. Field 5

Association News 8

Upcoming Events 8

Cover photo: Mike Mackinnon

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MEMBEr PrOfiLE

Leroy J. Field (Retired)Founding Member of CADEby Mike Mackinnon

Where did the idea for CADe originate?We were already working together as an industry, on a number of ad hoc committees and forums. An example would be the Arctic Petroleum Operators Association, where we were putting together an operations manual for the Arctic while protecting the environment. We also worked closely with the drilling contractors at their training facility in the south end of Edmonton trying to improve rig safe-ty—we were getting a lot of accidents at the time. Cooperative kick control procedures were devel-oped using Imperial’s field set up at Golden Spike.

We were a close-knit group, kind of unique in industry, a cohesive innovative group willing to share ideas while educating ourselves. We were trying to get some ideas and papers published with the encouragement of our companies, but it was difficult through SPE [the Society of Petroleum Engineers] or CIM [the Canadian Institute of Min-ing]. We decided to form our own association, the Canadian Association of Drilling Engineers. This would have been in 1974. Basically, CADE evolved out of the Oilfield Technical Society as the technical entity. The OTS operates a historical equipment site west of Ellerslie and continues as a networking organization. You might say that the petroleum industry training centre at Nisku also evolved from CADE members. ➤

Photo: Mike M

ackinnon

6 May 2010 Canadian Well Construction Journal

Why did you decide to participate in the founding of CADe?Amoco, being a big player in industry, was quite involved in drilling in a number of areas, and thus so was I. I was drilling engineer and later, drill-ing superintendent, responsible for planning and drilling a broad variety of wells including the Northwest Territories, Yukon, western Canada, Ontario, and offshore Newfoundland. I was quite enthusiastic about the formation of the association, given that I was quite involved in a bunch of this work already. I took the rather lowly title of member at large on the first CADE executive committee rather than a more involved execu-tive position due to work commitments.

What were the goals and objectives when CADe was formed?The primary objective of the association was to facilitate the exchange of technical drilling knowledge to improve the technical competence of association members and the Canadian drilling industry as a whole. It was and remains a great networking opportunity also.

Tell us about yourself, and why you choose a career in the oil industry.I was born in Consort, Alberta, on May 13, 1931, the son of an Alberta Wheat Pool grain buyer or elevator agent. We moved to Bowden, where I grew up. I was a pretty good hockey player—I got to attend the Boston Bruins training camp in 1948, played junior in Lethbridge, Calgary, and then with the Edmonton Mercurys, until I got hurt. I stayed in Edmonton with my uncle, his next door neighbour at the time was a party chief for Heiland Exploration. This was how I got into the oilpatch, as a jug hustler on a seismic program in Oyen.

I worked on GP Rig 8 at Oyen, in mid-winter, when they needed someone to fire boilers. I would work seismic in the days and the rig at night. I made it to “cathead man” after spending about two years in drilling. After that, I went back to school to do engineering. I graduated with a degree in petroleum engineering in 1954; this was only the third graduating class of petroleum engineers from the University of Alberta. I became a profes-sional engineer in 1957.

Tell us about your career.I spent almost 60 years involved in the oil industry before fully retiring about three years ago. After completing my engineering degree, I went to work for Texaco Exploration as a junior engineer in 1954. Three years with Canadian Fina in Edson, Peace River, and Estevan followed, work-ing on drilling, completion, and workovers as well as production facility construction. In 1958, I joined Great Plains Development Company. Of note, here I was project engineer on the first western Canada waterflood operation at Joffre, east of Red Deer.

In 1960, I joined the Permeator Corporation, providing sales, engineering, and supervision on unique Permeator completion

installations worldwide. In addition, I was involved in mechanical and chemical research into tool improvements. The three years I spent here were quite memorable.

I then spent a time as a drilling consultant. In 1964, I joined Amoco, where I held a number of positions up until my retirement after 25 years in 1989, after the Beaufort Sea operations were closed down. The first three years with Amoco were in Calgary as a drilling engi-neer. In 1968, I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to take the position of senior research engineer. Here my focus was the development of courses and training of drilling personnel corporate and industry-wide. I also conducted research into the computer optimization of drilling parameters, low-solids polymer drilling fluids, improved solids removal, improved dull bit grading, and drill bit design. Quite a num-ber of papers came from this work, and the service industry has car-ried on with improvements ever since. The two years I spent in Tulsa were important stepping stones in my career, and I enjoyed the work very much.

I returned to Calgary in 1970, spent eight years as a drilling superin-tendent, drilling wells all over western Canada, the Arctic, Ontario, and offshore Newfoundland. During this time, CADE was formed. In 1978 I became drilling manager for Amoco. After retiring from Amoco in 1989, I consulted for a number of companies until 2007, when I decided to take full retirement. I worked with Bissett Drilling Consultants, Resource

Professionals, and my own firm of Leroy Holdings. I had to get down to basic drillng technology, environmental re-quirements, and the application of ARPs [Alberta Recommended Practices] for sour well drilling programming in addi-tion to using metric. Quite a challenge after the time spent in management. I had a number of interesting projects worldwide and got involved in prepar-ing and presenting drilling training programs.

What were some of the highlights of your career?There are many highlights that come to mind. One is certainly directing the development of the first field opera-tional measurement-while-drilling sys-tem for directional surveying. This led to the evolution of directional drilling and, ultimately, horizontal drilling. I was chairman of the Industry Drilling Com-

mittee that drilled the five wells at the Nisku Petroleum Industry Train-ing Service (PITS—now Enform) for rig crew training and kick control training and certification.

I was also involved in the development of two-tonne lift heliport-able rigs for a 40-well Primrose exploratory program and the further generation of a 3,000-metre transportable by anything rig with Adeco Drilling for summer drilling in muskeg locations. This rig travelled to northern Spain by boat and was hauled into the mountains with two-tonne trucks. Later in my career, I really enjoyed my teaching work, primarily on sour gas drilling and horizontal drilling, with both local and international students.

Leroy Field as a university student, around 1948.


What were some of the challenging parts of your career?Definitely the 1982 Lodgepole blowout. Testifying before the ERCB [Energy Resources Conservation Board] Inquiry Commission and partici-pating in the joint government-industry review. This led to the develop-ment of the Alberta Recommended Practices (now IRP 1) for equipment requirements and procedures for the drilling of critical sour wells.

Arctic drilling. The logistics and planning for Arctic drilling loca-tions for summer and/or winter operations on tundra and in the Arctic Islands was a significant challenge.

Other challenges include the 30-well Grand Banks drilling program some 200 miles offshore Newfoundland and the development of a saltwa-ter polymer drilling fluid with Magcobar to save on freshwater hauling.

Who had the greatest influence on your career?Three individuals come to mind. Myron Zandmer, early Turner Valley entre-preneur and inventor with National Petroleum and Permeator Corporation. He is the holder of many patents, including the Permeator, which is a selective stimulation tool, which was used worldwide. Another interesting example is Myron pumping liquid nitroglycerin, displacing it down the open-hole and into the reservoir, which, when detonated, was to fracture the formation. So, the story goes, he got quite a sealed cavern down there. He came up with many different ideas and different ways of doing things. Of note, Myron also fired me from Permeator and then later tried to hire me back when sales fell off, this after I tried to improve his Permeator tool. I learned quite a bit from Myron.

Jim Lummus of the Pan American Research Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was another innova-tor with many developments to his name. I spent a couple of years working with him and his engi-neering staff, learning Fortran and card punching for the IBM com-puter system. This led to the previ-ously described drilling advance-ments of the 1970s and 1980s.

The third individual, I never did know his name, but he certainly had a big influence on my life. I was working rigs in Redwater at the time, it was 1949. I remember a nice white, clean car with an Imperial decal on the door driving up on location. We had just pulled a wet drill stem test, and were all covered with mud. An individual got out of the car in cleaned, pressed khakis. I thought, there is the job for me! It was the Imperial Oil engineer. Shortly thereafter, I made up my mind to go back to school, and entered engineering. Thanks to that person for the inspiration.

What are the biggest changes or turning points that you’ve seen in the drilling business?Horizontal drilling for sure. Multiple fracture stimulations in horizontal open-hole. Also the business has evolved from one of trial and error to the application of technology for lower costs and a higher success rate.

What few words best describe the Western Canadian sedimentary Basin?Declining conventional, natural gas–prone, heavy oil future. The WCSB is certainly a declining conventional basin. There will be more focus on heavy oil, particularly the in situ development. The payout per well is reducing. Low natural gas prices are not helping. The basin requires a lot of technology to drill or complete effectively. Not only is the equipment high-tech, but evolving computer technology is also playing a big part.

Why do you still participate in CADe?I continued consulting until a few years ago and keep an interest in the business. I am involved in the Petroleum History Society, OTS, and the Oilpatch Old-timers. I enjoy the social aspects, visiting with old friends, meeting new ones, and discussing the business. I like to keep up to date on new technology and new methods, and CADE provides a forum for this.

Why should people become involved with CADe?The drilling and completions business in all its facets is represented here. You meet lots of people and get to exchange ideas. CADE developed as a forum for a close-knit industry, promoting ideas, methodology, and friendships. This continues today.

What keeps you busy these days?As I approach 79, I try to stay fit and keep giving my mind a workout to keep it up to speed. My wife Marina and I have been married going on 55 years and we have twin daughters—both living in southern Alberta open country—and three grandchildren, who are grown up now. Marina comes from a ranching family down by the Oldman River and we have a place there, so we are there quite a bit and the calves are coming now. I have also been preparing the life and times of Leroy Field to share with my grandchildren.

Now that I am not interrupted by work, I like to travel to new places, experience new customs and people. We have toured the U.S. extensively, South America a number of times, the Baltic, Turkey, done Europe (as they say), touched Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, a number

of cruises—a nice way to go. Trips to plan are the Norwegian coast, Australia, New Zealand, and many others before I get too stiff to go.

Do you have any words of advice for someone just starting out in the oil industry?Don’t be afraid of getting a good grounding in the field; become your own expert. Don’t work at arm’s length. In this business, there are ups and downs to get used to, and more travel than you want, away from family, to other parts of the world so get used to it and take advantage of it. It’s a tough industry, but very rewarding. ■

Leroy Field and his wife Marina in 1954.


Members on The MoveNAME COMPANY TELEPHONE EMAIL

Grant Duncan Enerplus 403-298-1252 [email protected] Small Weatherford Asia Pacific 65-6543-2133 (252) [email protected] Szutiak EOG Resources Canada Inc. 403-297-9187 [email protected]

Association/Membership News

Welcome New Members NAME COMPANY TELEPHONE EMAIL

Muhamad Bacho University Of Alberta [email protected] Baltiou Q'max Solutions Inc. 403-269-2242 [email protected] Baltiou Q'max Solutions Inc. 403-269-2242 [email protected] Bobrosky University of Alberta [email protected] Bruce Engineered Drilling Solutions Inc. 403-233-2850 [email protected] Burns Savanna Drilling 403-267-6732 [email protected] Cottrell Atlantic Directional Inc. 403-984-1198 [email protected] Danyluik University Of Alberta 780-417-3804 [email protected] Erickson Apex Oilfield Services 403-257-5152 [email protected] Ibeziako Q'max Solutions Inc. 403-513-6043 [email protected] Keating Kayden Industries 403-819-7969 [email protected] Kirk Schlumberger Drilling & Measurements 403-862-2465 [email protected] Larkam Q'Max Solutions Inc. 403-513-6022 [email protected] Logan Rheotech Drilling Fluid Services Inc. 403-237-8870 [email protected] MacKenzie Blackstone Drilling Fluids Ltd. 403-262-5955 [email protected] Matthews Typhoon Drilling Fluid Management Inc. 403-899-5437 [email protected] Okunlola 647-341-8566 [email protected] Reidy ICTC 403-355-1061 [email protected] Rieger Q'Max Solutions Inc. 403-513-6047 [email protected] Scheck 403-261-0640 [email protected] Stackhouse XI Technologies Inc. 403-296-0079 [email protected]

TITLE NAME TELEPHONE

President Patrick Murphy 403-266-7383Past President David White 403-699-5160Vice-President John Garden 403-441-2300Secretary Tammy Todd 403-613-8844Treasurer Alice Skoda 403-232-6066Membership Chairman Jason Tiefenbach 403-543-8012Education Chairman Mike Buker 403-213-3615 Social Chairman Dan Schlosser 403-531-5284CADE News Editor Todd Brown 403-230-3055Technical Chairman Jeff Arvidson 403-232-7100IT Chairman Ryan Schoenhals 403-767-0202Drilling Conference Liaison Doug Hollies 403-604-6645Executive Member Shannon Kelsick 403-992-4142CAODC Liaison John Pahl 403-292-7966

CADE Executive Team 2009/2010

upcoming Events

CADe Technical luncheonWednesday, May 12, 2010 The Westin Calgary

CADe Technical luncheon Wednesday, June 16, 2010 The Westin Calgary

CADe Technical luncheon September 2010—TBA The Westin Calgary


Association/Membership News

upcoming CADE Technical Luncheon

Editor’s Note

Date Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Place The Westin Calgary

Time 11:30 a.m.—Reception

12:00 noon—Luncheon 12:30 p.m.—Presentation

speakerAlek Ozegovic,

Weatherford Canada

We are gearing up for the annual CADE/CAODC Drilling Conference, to be held on May 26, 2010, in Calgary. This year’s title theme is “Innovative Solutions for Unconventional Challenges,” and all the information is on our newly refurbished websites if you need further information. After an extensive planning year, the Technical Committee has put together a very strong program and has created high value for your education dollar. We hope to see you all there again this year.

Speaking of websites, if you haven’t seen our website for a while, check it out. With help from the fine folks at JuneWarren-Nickle’s Energy Group, our website is looking very slick. We have more daily news items online and it changes regularly, so drop by and see our new look when you have a moment.

How do you like the new look of Canadian Well Construction Journal this year? With another great cover shot from Mike, we have a great story on mineralogy this issue along with our regular news, and we have an interesting interview coming up next month with Paul Ziff on the future of our industry.

I hope you enjoy the issue, and see you all again next month for our last issue before the summer break.

Todd Brown, CADE News Editor [email protected] | cell: (403) 969–8148

In Canada, managed pressure drilling (MPD) is quickly becoming the preferred method to drill formations with nuisance gas and high-pressure, low-volume (HPLV) gas influx that creates costly non-productive time (NPT) during the drilling process. Traditionally, both nuisance gas and especially HPLV gas influx have forced operators to increase the mud density in order to safely continue drilling.

By using MPD, an operator can now safely drill with a lower mud density and divert any gas pro-duction, while continuing to drill ahead without NPT. Another benefit of drilling with a lower density mud is an increase in the average rate of penetration and a decrease in the number of days required to drill the well. MPD’s ability to manage tight pore pressure and fracture gradient windows allows operators to drill without worrying about kick-loss scenarios or differential sticking. Using a lighter density drilling fluid will also allow an operator to significantly reduce their mud losses while drilling, and thus reduce the cost of expensive oil-based mud.

The majority of Canadian foothill oil and gas targets in Alberta and British Columbia are well be-low a pore pressure boundary.

Traditionally, an intermediate casing is required to isolate the lower-pressure, weaker formations above from the overpressured, more competent formations below. MPD can be used with assertive equivalent circulating density management to avoid the need to set this intermediate casing.

Weatherford provides different MPD service levels to specifically address the various primary ob-jectives that Weatherford Canada’s clients currently have. This presentation aims to familiarize the audience with the various MPD service levels and safety features offered in the Canadian oil and gas industry today.

Bio: Alek Ozegovic graduated from the University of Alberta in 2003 with a B.Sc. degree in chemical engineering and joined Weath-erford in the fall of 2004. He has worked in the under-balanced drilling division, now known as the controlled pressure drilling group, both in Canada and the USA as well as in Asia and Europe. Currently, Alek holds the title of regional engineering manager for Canada.

Abstract: managed pressure drilling in Canada

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Understanding the minerals that make up a particular formation is vital. Specifically, understanding the constituents of a geological formation under investigation can have implications as to what site is chosen for drilling. Once a site has been chosen, this mineral-ogical information can be used to anticipate certain expectations about the field due to the minerals revealed. This leads to further implications, such as the customization of drilling fluids for the site. As minerals are crystalline, the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify and determine the approximate amount of each species is used.

XRD—DeTeRmInIng CRYsTAl sTRuCTuReEach mineral has a unique arrangement of atoms, referred to as its crystal structure or lattice, and these atoms are arranged in infinite repeating planes. Depending on the distance between these planes, the X-rays will diffract at a series of specific angles that provide a pattern that is specific for the mineral in question. A sample is placed between a source of X-rays and an X-ray detector. By chang-ing the angle of the sample holder, relative to the source, each crystal plane gets an opportunity to diffract its respective angle of X-rays. The detector identifies which angles produce its respective “reflected” X-ray.

ClAYs DIsCussIonIt is hard to distinguish the clays from each other in XRD due to the fact that their structure and d-spacings are similar to one another. However, the species can be distinguished by exposing

the clays to chemical or physical changes. Chemicals consisting of water and ethylene glycol may be inserted—naturally or artifi-cially—between the lattice planes. This will cause the lattice spac-ing to alter and thus it will change the position and appearance of the diffraction peak. The application of heat has two effects. Heat expels the aforementioned chemicals, therefore altering the crystal planes again. Alternatively, applying heat can result in a variety of instabilities of the crystal within itself. The lattice will have to com-pensate for these instabilities by changing its d-spacing and, thus, altering the diffraction peaks.

geneRAl PRoCeDuResWhen a sample is brought to the facility a series of considerations need to be taken into account. A washing strategy is determined by what needs to be cleaned off of the sample. A sample may be divided and then washed differently to ensure that if any one of the samples’ components gets leeched out in one washing, it will be present in another. Heterogeneous samples may be compensated for by separating out the unlike particles into the same number of different samples and running them accordingly. The freshly washed samples are then dried at about 250ºC to make sure all of the solvents are removed from the sample.

Ideally, when the sample is mixed into the water, the clays will suspend and the slide will be made accordingly. Often, a suspen-sion is not produced. This can arise due to the presence of a water-soluble mineral, like halite or gypsum. This will dissolve in the water and prohibit the suspension of the clays. The sample must ➤

Mineralogy analysis for drilling and completions engineers

Engineer a fluid that complements your wellbore

by Patrick Murphy


then be washed with water extensively until the clays can be suspended.

In reference to the clay slide itself, it needs to be emphasized that allowing the water to evaporate as slowly as possible renders the most desirable results. When the slide is dried in a heated environment, the clay grains do not become as oriented as they do when it is allowed to dry over-night at room temperature.

lImITATIonsAs this is a semi-quantitative approach, emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that this is a general approximation of the contents in the sample. XRD, in general, is ideal for identifying crystalline material. A limitation to this results from the shape factor. On grinding the sample into fine particles, the different minerals within the sample adopt different shapes. Quartz takes on a spherical shape during grinding; most other minerals grind to prismatic or rhombic fragments. Clays tend to produce flakes. The spherical quartz grains are randomly oriented and so their peak height is a fair representation of its volumetric abundance.

mIneRAl ImPlICATIons In The fIelDBy using the preparation and interpretation techniques discussed above, the expectations of that field can be predicted. A brief account is given on the general understanding of how each mineral yields an idea of what to expect and thus leads to modifying drilling fluids for the site.

Quartz and the feldspars are crucial to understanding because, together, they are the most abundant minerals encountered during drilling. Quartz is very hard (hardness of 7) and abrasive. Its crystals can increase the porosity of the shale, allowing fluid to penetrate farther and faster than in similar low-quartz shales. This circumstance can destabilize the shale, leading to difficulties in drilling. Likewise, feldspars are hard (6–6.5) and are the primary matrix of shales. In other words, the shale will be more easily dis-persed if the feldspar content is low. Furthermore, the carbonates (calcite, dolomite, and siderite) are of interest because, like quartz, they may cause additional porosity to the shale, but are signifi-cantly softer (3–4). Some of the carbonates are also a potential source of low-level carbonate buildup in the mud. Similarly, pyrite is a hard mineral (6–6.5) that may impart some increased porosity to the shale.

Beidellite and montmorillonite are known to be the most common and most well-known smectites, respectively. It is gen-erally accepted that vermiculites belong in a separate class from smectite due to differing cation exchange capacity (CEC) results (discussed below). As a group, vermiculites are much more reactive than the smectites. The smectite concentration in shale is impor-tant. Being that smectites swell when hydrated, they can make the formation unstable. Smectite clays are most often controlled these days with inhibitive water-based, oil, or synthetic-based fluids. Furthermore, kaolinite is a dispersive, non-swelling clay. It is com-monly found in shales in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin,

such as the Fort Simpson and Redknife formations. Kaolinite can be controlled most effectively with the addition of a source of potassium, which leads to illite—a dispersive, non-swelling clay that can also be controlled by the addition of a source of potas-sium or some of the amine compounds currently in use today. Similarly, chlorite clays are dispersive, non-swelling materials that are generally not found in sufficient quantities to need spe-cial attention. Typically, methods to control the kaolinitic and illitic clays will generally control the chlorite clays. Mixed layer clays can be of several types: kaolin/smectite, chlorite/smectite, chlorite/vermiculite, and illite/smectite. The most frequently found and therefore most important of these is the illite/smectite mixed layer. When water interacts with this mixed layer the conse-quences rendered are much more damaging than if it were pure smectite or illite. The illite allows the smectite to swell more easily due to increased exposed surface area. Also, the mixed layer sets up a situation where the less reactive clays act like ball bearings for the swelling clays to roll upon. Macroscopically, this results in disintegrating shale.

CATIon eXChAnge CAPACITY CEC values are important due to the fact that clays vary in their reactivity. Some of the cations (positively charged atoms) of the clay are easily replaced with other positively charged species. This phenomenon is driven by the fact that the original cations are not as compatible to the negatively charged site as the newly intro-duced positively charged species. Thus, it is rationalized that the exchangeability of the cations are directly related to the reactiv-ity of the shale. However, the CEC within itself does not provide this information alone. The individual cations of the clays that are replaced and left in solution indicate reactivity of the clay as well. These cations, also called exchangeable bases, are primarily calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. For example, shale with a high CEC value along with a high concentration of calcium may not be as reactive as shale with a lower CEC value and a high sodium concentration.

To summarize the reaction, the Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, and/or Na+ initially present in the clay are loosely bonded to negatively charged sites within the clay. The CEC reagent is a positively


charged species in solution. The clay and the CEC reagent are allowed to mix with one another for an extended period of time. During this time, the CEC reagent is strongly attracted to the negatively charged sites. It is, therefore, drawn out of solution and bonded to these sites. This, in turn, drives the Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, and/or Na+ into solution.

CEC data can indicate whether a clay mineral, particularly smectite, has a predisposition to cation retention or whether diffusion of charged or uncharged molecules can occur within

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the clay. In other words, if a shale has a high CEC, it might be able to be altered either by nature or by the application of a drilling fluid. This may be detrimental or useful to the drilling process, depending on the alteration.

With good organization skills, an accurate account as to what is included in a sample can be rendered. Being able to wash and grind a sample effectively is of utmost importance. Preparing the powdered bulk sample to be even and as random as possible is vital to the success of semi-quantitating the minerals.

Utilizing CEC to better understand these minerals is of utmost importance as well. Having experienced and knowledge-able personnel executing the procedures

is important to ensuring that the best possible analytes are cre-ated and that the XRD and CEC data is interpreted logically. Understanding the essential theories and applications behind XRD and CEC will enable the reader to better recognize and understand these very useful applications. It also enables the individuals from the field to better interpret and appreciate the reports submitted by Newpark Drilling Fluids. These factors in combination will, hopefully, provide the field personnel a better understanding of the site that they are considering or drilling. ■


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extended Reach Drilling (eRD) short courseThis two-day Extended Reach Drilling course is comprised of pre-sentation, exercises, and discussion centered on horizontal and extended reach well planning and drilling operations. Topics include high angle well planning, fluid selection, drill string and bottomhole assembly design, torque and drag, and hydraulics. This is a fast-paced course designed to give a practical overview of the principles and practices of designing and drilling these extreme wells.

Instructor: marcus (marc) A. summers, P.e.Marc is based in Houston, Texas, and is the president of PetrEX International, Inc. and a principal of RigSMARTS, LLC. He has over 24 years of oilfield experience and over 10 years of hands-on training experience. Before starting PetrEX International in 1997, he worked as a drilling engineer for Amoco for 15 years in vari-ous locations around the world. His background includes opera-tions, technical support, and drilling research functions. Since 1986, he has written a number of papers presented at SPE/IADC conferences and several articles published in Petroleum Engineer International, American Oil & Gas Reporter, and other journals.Marc holds a B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

2010 Drilling Conference Education Short Courses

Costs: Members, $500 plus GST Non-members, $600 plus GSTWhere: Bank of Montreal Conference Centre, Calgary, ABWhen: May 27–28, 2010, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Maximum 30 students per course.Lunch and coffee to be provided.

For more information or to register, phone the CADE office at (403) 264-4311, email [email protected], or visit www.drillingconference.ca.

Practical Rock geomechanics for Drilling and Completions short coursePetroleum geomechanics is an important aspect of well planning, design, and construction in many settings such as tectonically deformed areas, depleted reservoirs, tight gas sands, gas shales, heavy oil and coalbed methane reservoirs, and permafrost areas. This course provides a concise overview of basic rock mechanics and its application to many practical problems encountered in the well drilling, completions and stimulation workflow. Participants will receive an up-to-date course manual with some of the latest technical innovations in the industry, a comprehensive list of ref-erences and Internet resources, a spreadsheet program for basic wellbore stress and stability calculations, and a demonstration of advanced geomechanical software

Instructor: Pat mclellan, m.sc., P.eng.Pat is a petroleum engineer with 27 years of experience apply-ing geomechanics to exploration, drilling, completions, stimula-tion, and reservoir engineering problems. He was the founder of Advanced Geotechnology Inc., now Weatherford Geomechanics Services, a petroleum consulting and software group that serves a worldwide clientele. He has conducted or managed over 350 consulting and research projects for clients in Canada and abroad. STABView, a comprehensive well-planning software package, and ROCKSBank, a rock mechanical and petrophysical database, were developed by Advanced Geotechnology. He currently offers con-sulting and training services concentrating on unconventional resource development to select clients through McLellan Energy Advisors Inc.

Pat received a B.Sc.(Eng) in Geological Engineering from Queen’s University in 1979 and M.Sc. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) in 1983 from the University of Alberta. He was previously employed in technical and supervisory roles in drilling, production, and reservoir engineering with Petro-Canada and Shell Canada. He is a member of the SPE, CADE, CHOA, CWLS, CSPG, AAPG, and APEGGA. He has given over 150 technical papers and presenta-tions, and more than 80 short courses on geomechanics-related topics in Canada and abroad.

In 2002–03, Pat was an SPE Distinguished Lecturer and he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Petroleum Society in 2007.

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• Seating is limited; avoid disappointment and register early. Registrations will not be

• No cancellations allowed; substitutions – as detailed below – may be requested.• Substitutions (change of registered delegates) received in writing by May 15, 2010

will be made at no charge.• Substitutions received in writing on or after May 16, 2010 will incur a fee of $25.00

plus GST.• Audio recordings, videotaping and photography are not permitted.

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CADE�CAODC DRILLING CONFERENCEInnovative Solutions for Unconventional ChallengesMay 26, 2010Telus Convention Centre

A short course on extended reach drilling will be available after the conference. Visit www.drillingconference.ca for updates!

canadian well construction journalmedia.cade.ca.s3.amazonaws.com/2010_05_cwc_journal.pdf6 may 2010...

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