Drilling and Completion in Petroleum Engineering: Theory and Numerical Applications

Modern petroleum and petrotechnical engineering is increasingly challenging due to the inherently scarce and decreasing number of global petroleum resources. Exploiting these resources efficiently will require researchers, scientists, engineers and other practitioners to develop innovative mathematical solutions to serve as basis for new asset development designs. Deploying these systems in numerical models is essential to the future success and efficiency of the petroleum industry.

Multiphysics modeling has been widely applied in the petroleum industry since the 1960s. The rapid development of computer technology has enabled the numerical applications of multiphysics modeling in the petroleum industry: its applications are particularly popular for the numerical simulation of drilling and completion processes. This book covers theory and numerical applications of multiphysical modeling presenting various author-developed subroutines, used to address complex pore pressure input, complex initial geo-stress field input, etc. Some innovative methods in drilling and completion developed by the authors, such as trajectory optimization and a 3-dimensional workflow for calculation of mud weight window etc, are also presented. Detailed explanations are provided for the modeling process of each application example included in the book. In addition, details of the completed numerical models data are presented as supporting material which can be downloaded from the website of the publisher. Readers can easily understand key modeling techniques with the theory of multiphysics embedded in examples of applications,and can use the data to reproduce the results presented.

While this book would be of interest to any student, academic or professional practitioner of engineering, mathematics and natural science, we believe those professionals and academics working in civil engineering, petroleum engineering and petroleum geomechanics would find the work especially relevant to their endeavors.

Xinpu Shen is a Principal Consultant at Halliburton Consulting, department of Petroleum Engineering, group of Geomechanics Practice. He received his PhD degree in Engineering Mechanics in 1994. He was an associate professor in Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, from 1994 to 1999. From 1997 to 2004, he worked as post-doctoral research associate in several European institutions, including Politecnico di Milano, Italy and the University of Sheffield, UK. Since May 2001, he is a professor in Engineering Mechanics in Shenyang University of Technology, China. He worked as consultant of geomechanics for Knowledge Systems Inc Houston since 2005 and until it was acquired by Halliburton in 2008. He has been coordinator to 3 projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China since 2005.

Mao Bai is the Principal Consultant in Geomechanics and Geomechanics Solutions Team Leader at Halliburton Consulting and Project Management. Dr. Bai received the Msc degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK in 1986, and Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University in Mineral Engineering in 1991. Before joining Halliburton in 2008, Dr. Bai worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Rock Mechanics Institute in the University of Oklahoma between 1991 and 2000, as a Senior Engineer at TerraTek / Schlumberger between 2000 and 2007, as a Senior Geomechanics Specialist at Geomechanics International / Baker Hughes between 2007 and 2008. Dr. Bai is specializing in technical advising in petroleum engineering related geomechanics. He is the author of the book "Coupled Processes in Subsurface Deformation, Flow and Transport" published by ASCE Press in 2000, and author / co-author of over 130 technical papers in geomechanics related subjects.

William Standifird currently serves as a Solutions Director for Halliburton. In this role he is charged with the invention, development and deployment of innovative technologies that support safe and efficient well construction for petroleum assets. William began his career with Schlumberger as a Drilling Services Engineer where he specialized in the application of petroleum geomechanics to deepwater drilling operations. He subsequently joined Knowledge Systems Inc. and rapidly built a global petroleum geomechanics practice which was acquired by Halliburton in 2008. William has over 20 peer reviewed publications, a Performed by Schlumberger Silver Medal and a Hart’s Meritorious Engineering Award. He holds undergraduate degrees in electronics engineering, management science and earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston System.