Hole cleaning

Summary

Cuttings start forming during drilling oil wells. These cuttings are cleaned using a drilling fluid (Mud) that is pumped from bottom to top in the annulus between the drillpipe and the wellbore. When we drill horizontal or inclined wells, these cuttings sediment at the bottom of the well because of gravity and the eccentricity of the drillpipe.

This study investigates using an add-on tool that can be used with the drillpipe to agitate these cuttings to allow the mud to carry them to the top of the well. This study includes a 3D CFD model capable of simulating the two-phase flow (Liquid mud and solid cuttings) surrounding the drillpipe.