ROTARY DRILLING

in
Open-Hole

st
Au
Fishing

at
s
xa
Te
of
ity
rs
ve
ni
U
e
Th
n-
io
ns
te
Ex

Fourth Edition
um

UNIT III • LESSON 2

le
ro
t
Pe
 ROTARY DRILLING SERIES

in
Unit I: The Rig and Its Maintenance

st
Lesson 1: The Rotary Rig and Its Components

Au
Lesson 2: The Bit
Lesson 3: Drill String and Drill Collars

at
Lesson 4: Rotary, Kelly, Swivel, Tongs, and Top Drive
Lesson 5: The Blocks and Drilling Line

s
Lesson 6: The Drawworks and the Compound

xa
Lesson 7: Drilling Fluids, Mud Pumps, and Conditioning Equipment
Lesson 8: Diesel Engines and Electric Power

Te
Lesson 9: The Auxiliaries
Lesson 10: Safety on the Rig

of
Unit II: Normal Drilling Operations

ity
Lesson 1: Making Hole
Lesson 2: Drilling Fluids
Lesson 3: Drilling a Straight Hole
rs
ve
Lesson 4: Casing and Cementing
Lesson 5: Testing and Completing
ni
U

Unit III: Nonroutine Operations

e

Lesson 1: Controlled Directional Drilling

Th

Lesson 2: Open-Hole Fishing

Lesson 3: Blowout Prevention
n-

Unit IV: Man Management and Rig Management

io
ns

Unit V: Offshore Technology

te

Lesson 1: Wind, Waves, and Weather

Ex

Lesson 2: Spread Mooring Systems

Lesson 3: Buoyancy, Stability, and Trim
Lesson 4: Jacking Systems and Rig Moving Procedures
um

Lesson 5: Diving and Equipment

Lesson 6: Vessel Inspection and Maintenance
le

Lesson 7: Helicopter Safety

Lesson 8: Orientation for Offshore Crane Operations
ro

Lesson 9: Life Offshore

t

Lesson 10: Marine Riser Systems and Subsea Blowout Preventers

Pe
 Figures
Foreword
v
vii Contents
Preface ix ▼

in
▼
Acknowledgments xi

st
▼
About the Authors xii

Au
Units of Measurement xiv
Causes of Fishing Jobs 1

at
Twistoff 2

s
Stuck Pipe 3

xa
Mechanical Sticking 3
Differential Sticking 7

Te
Offshore Sheared Pipe 8
Junk in the Hole 8

of
To summarize 9

ity
Preparing for a Fishing Job 11
To summarize 14
Fishing Out a Twistoff 15 rs
ve
Milling the Fish 16
ni

Rotary Speed and Weight During Milling 19

U

Engaging the Fish 21

To summarize 29
e
Th

Fishing for Stuck Pipe 31

Freeing Mechanically Stuck Pipe 31
n-

Jarring 32
io

Finding the Stuck Point 33

Backing Off 36
ns

Washing Over 36
te

Drilling Out 42
Cutting Pipe 43
Ex

Freeing Pipe from a Keyseat 45

Freeing Wall-Stuck Pipe 48
um

To summarize 49
le

Other Fishing Jobs 51

Recovering Drill Collars 51
ro

Fishing for Offshore Sheared Pipe 53

t
Pe

Fishing for Wireline 53

Fishing for Junk 57
To summarize 62

iii
 The Economics of Fishing 63
To summarize 67
Appendix 69

in
Glossary 75

st
Review Questions 83

Au
Index 91
Answers 95

at
s
xa
Te
of
ity
rs
ve
ni
U
e
Th
n-
io
ns
te
Ex
um
le
ro
t
Pe

iv
 About the Authors
▼

in
▼

st
▼

Au
J erry Fisher has 36 years experience working with fishing and re-
entry products, of which the past 12 years have been with Weath-

at
erford International, Ltd. Jerry is currently serving as the Global

s
General Manager for Fishing Services, based in Houston, Texas.

xa
His past positions include the Middle East/North Africa Regional
Fishing and Re-Entry Product Line Manager, based in Dubai, UAE;

Te
the Operations Manager, Fishing Re-Entry Product Line, based in
Aberdeen, UK; and the Fishing Tool Supervisor overseeing the Fish-

of
ing & Re-Entry Product Line throughout the United States, North
Sea, Continental Europe, and West Africa. Jerry has a vast amount

ity
of experience in all types of fishing operations including open-hole,
cased-hole, milling, cutting, well abandonment, slot recovery, casing

rs
milling, and casing exits.
ve
ni
U
e
Th
n-
io
ns
te
Ex
um
le
ro
t
Pe

xii
 in
st
Au
at
s
xa
Te
A rthur Meeks is the Senior Engineering Supervisor at Weath-

of
erford International, Ltd. In that role, he oversees the design
and construction of prototype tools in response to demands from

ity
customers and Weatherford engineers in the field. He is also involved

rs
in developing recommended practices for the use of equipment in
particular situations.
ve
Arthur has over thirty years of experience in oilfield services,
with a focus on the engineering of drilling, fishing, and remedial
ni

tools. His previous employers include Smith International, Inc. and

U

Houston Engineers, Inc. Arthur has worked in most of the petroleum-

e

producing areas of the United States, and has traveled to the Middle
Th

East, Far East, and Europe to direct the training of specialist workers
in the use of new tools and to monitor the performance of equipment
n-

in field operations.
Arthur holds a B.S. in Manufacturing Systems-Engineering
io

Technology from the University of Houston and is a member of the

ns

SPE and ASM.

te
Ex
um
le
ro
t
Pe

xiii
 Units of Measurement

in
st
Au
▼
▼

at
▼

s
T hroughout the world, two systems of measurement dominate:

xa
the English system and the metric system. Today, the United
States is one of only a few countries that employ the English system.

Te
The English system uses the pound as the unit of weight, the
foot as the unit of length, and the gallon as the unit of capacity. In the

of
English system, for example, 1 foot equals 12 inches, 1 yard equals 36
inches, and 1 mile equals 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards.

ity
The metric system uses the gram as the unit of weight, the metre

rs
as the unit of length, and the litre as the unit of capacity. In the metric
system, 1 metre equals 10 decimetres, 100 centimetres, or 1,000 mil-
ve
limetres. A kilometre equals 1,000 metres. The metric system, unlike
the English system, uses a base of 10; thus, it is easy to convert from
ni

one unit to another. To convert from one unit to another in the English
U

system, you must memorize or look up the values.

In the late 1970s, the Eleventh General Conference on Weights
e
Th

and Measures described and adopted the Systeme International (SI)

d’Unites. Conference participants based the SI system on the metric
n-

system and designed it as an international standard of measurement.

The Rotary Drilling Series gives both English and SI units.
io

And because the SI system employs the British spelling of many of

ns

the terms, the book follows those spelling rules as well. The unit of
length, for example, is metre, not meter. (Note, however, that the unit
te

of weight is gram, not gramme.)

Ex

To aid U.S. readers in making and understanding the conversion

system, we include the table on the next page.
um
le
ro
t
Pe

xiv
 English-Units-to-SI-Units Conversion Factors
Quantity Multiply To Obtain
or Property English Units English Units By These SI Units
Length, inches (in.) 25.4 millimetres (mm)

in
depth, 2.54 centimetres (cm)

st
or height feet (ft) 0.3048 metres (m)
yards (yd) 0.9144 metres (m)

Au
miles (mi) 1609.344 metres (m)
1.61 kilometres (km)
Hole and pipe di­ame­ters, bit size inches (in.) 25.4 millimetres (mm)

at
Drilling rate feet per hour (ft/h) 0.3048 metres per hour (m/h)
Weight on bit pounds (lb) 0.445 decanewtons (dN)

s
Nozzle size 32nds of an inch 0.8 millimetres (mm)

xa
barrels (bbl) 0.159 cubic metres (m3)
159 litres (L)

Te
gallons per stroke (gal/stroke) 0.00379 cubic metres per stroke (m3/stroke)
ounces (oz) 29.57 millilitres (mL)
Volume cubic inches (in.3) 16.387 cubic centimetres (cm3)
cubic feet (ft3) 28.3169 litres (L)

of
0.0283 cubic metres (m3)
quarts (qt) 0.9464 litres (L)

ity
gallons (gal) 3.7854 litres (L)
gallons (gal) 0.00379 cubic metres (m3)
pounds per barrel (lb/bbl) 2.895 kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m3)
barrels per ton (bbl/tn)
rs 0.175 cubic metres per tonne (m3/t)
ve
gallons per minute (gpm) 0.00379 cubic metres per minute (m3/min)
Pump output gallons per hour (gph) 0.00379 cubic metres per hour (m3/h)
and flow rate barrels per stroke (bbl/stroke) 0.159 cubic metres per stroke (m3/stroke)
ni

barrels per minute (bbl/min) 0.159 cubic metres per minute (m3/min)
U

Pressure pounds per square inch (psi) 6.895 kilopascals (kPa)

0.006895 megapascals (MPa)
e

°F - 32
Temperature degrees Fahrenheit (°F) degrees Celsius (°C)
Th

1.8
Mass (weight) ounces (oz) 28.35 grams (g)
pounds (lb) 453.59 grams (g)
n-

0.4536 kilograms (kg)

tons (tn) 0.9072 tonnes (t)
io

pounds per foot (lb/ft) 1.488 kilograms per metre (kg/m)

ns

Mud weight pounds per gallon (ppg) 119.82 kilograms per cubic me­tre (kg/m3)
pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft3) 16.0 kilograms per cubic me­tre (kg/m3)
Pressure gradient pounds per square inch
te

per foot (psi/ft) 22.621 kilopascals per metre (kPa/m)

Ex

Funnel viscosity seconds per quart (s/qt) 1.057 seconds per litre (s/L)
Yield point pounds per 100 square feet (lb/100 ft2) 0.48 pascals (Pa)
Gel strength pounds per 100 square feet (lb/100 ft )
2 0.48 pascals (Pa)
um

Filter cake thickness 32nds of an inch 0.8 millimetres (mm)

Power horsepower (hp) 0.75 kilowatts (kW)
le

square inches (in. )

2 6.45 square centimetres (cm2)
square feet (ft2) 0.0929 square metres (m2)
ro

Area square yards (yd2) 0.8361 square metres (m2)

square miles (mi2) 2.59 square kilometres (km2)
t
Pe

acre (ac) 0.40 hectare (ha)

Drilling line wear ton-miles (tn•mi) 14.317 megajoules (MJ)
1.459 tonne-kilometres (t•km)
Torque foot-pounds (ft•lb) 1.3558 newton metres (N•m)
 CAUSES OF FISHING JOBS

Causes of

in
st
Fishing Jobs

Au
at
▼
▼

s
▼

xa
Te
In this chapter:

of
• Types of large and small fish

ity
• Common causes of fishing jobs
• Mechanical sticking, differential sticking, and sheared drill
string
rs
ve
• Elements that can comprise junk in the hole
ni
U

F
e

ishing can be divided into two broad categories: open-hole and

Th

cased-hole. A major difference between the two is timing: open-

hole fishing is done as the well is being drilled, whereas cased-hole
n-

fishing is performed during production or well workover. Fishing

techniques and types of equipment used also vary between the two.
io

This book describes the basic techniques and tools used in open-hole
ns

fishing—that is, retrieving fish from a hole that is being drilled but
is not yet cased.
te

Just as there are many types of fish, there are many ways that
Ex

equipment can become lost or stuck in the hole. Each fishing job is
unique; the tools and techniques needed to fish a string of stuck pipe
um

from one well may not work at another well or under other condi-
tions at the same well.
The largest type of fish is a segment of the drill string that has
le

become stuck, has broken off, or has been purposely disconnected.

ro

Comparatively small fish, known as junk, can also result from drill string
failure. Slivers of metal may come loose when the drill string parts. Metal
t
Pe

fragments also are produced during the process of milling a larger fish
to aid in its recovery. And junk from uphole may stick the drill string
by jamming between the drill pipe or collars and the hole wall.

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 1

 CAUSES OF FISHING JOBS

in
Preparing for a

st
Au
Fishing Job

at
s
▼

xa
▼
▼

Te
of
In this chapter:

ity
• Questions an operator asks to prepare for a fishing job

rs
• How to determine depth of broken drill string
ve
• Necessary hole and fish conditions
ni
U

W hen it becomes necessary to fish drilling equipment out of

e

an uncased hole, the experienced operator finds out as much

Th

as possible about the situation before taking action. The first step is
usually to ask for the most recent well survey, a map of the borehole
n-

that shows where the bit deviated from vertical during drilling.
io

The operator will then attempt to answer a number of questions,

including the following:
ns

• What is to be fished out of the hole?

te

• Is the fish stuck, or is it resting freely?

Ex

• If stuck, what is causing it to stick?

• What is the condition of the hole?
um

• What is the size and condition of the fish?

• Is it possible to screw into the threads on the fish? If not,
le

could fishing tools be run outside the fish, or must they be

ro

run inside it?

• Could other tools be run through the fishing assembly that
t
Pe

is to be used?
• Are there at least two ways to disengage from the fish if it
cannot be freed?

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 11

 CAUSES OF FISHING JOBS

in
st
Fishing Out

Au
a Twistoff

at
s
xa
▼

Te
▼
▼

of
ity
In this chapter:
•
rs
The variety of mills used to dress the top of fish
ve
• Scenarios for mill tool usage
• Importance of speed and weight in milling
ni

• Procedure for engaging the fish

U
e
Th

I f part of the drill string has broken off in an open hole and is not
n-

stuck, the fishing job consists mainly of locating and engaging

the top of the fish with an appropriate fishing tool.
io

In many cases the operator will find that the top of the
ns

broken-off pipe is badly split and twisted. Most fishing tech-

niques require a section of straight, undamaged pipe to make a
te

firm catch. The damaged metal must be removed to give the fish
Ex

a more acceptable shape.

um
le
ro
t
Pe

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 15

 CAUSES OF FISHING JOBS

in
st
Fishing for

Au
Stuck Pipe

at
s
xa
▼

Te
▼
▼

of
ity
In this chapter:
•
rs
Methods of freeing a mechanically stuck pipe: jarring, find-
ing the stuck point, backing off, washing over, drilling out,
ve
and cutting pipe
ni

• Steps in freeing pipe from a keyseat

U

• Methods of freeing wall-stuck pipe

e
Th

A s mentioned earlier, there are two main ways that pipe can
n-

become stuck in the hole: mechanical sticking by solid materials

io

and differential sticking by fluid pressure. Keyseating is a particular

type of mechanical sticking that happens when the pipe becomes
ns

stuck during a trip. Although differential sticking is the most com-

te

mon reason for stuck pipe, fishing techniques are somewhat limited
for recovering differentially stuck, or wall-stuck, pipe. Emphasis is
Ex

therefore placed on preventing wall sticking from the start.

um

After a fish has been caught in the overshot, the usual procedure is Freeing
to circulate out the settled cuttings without rotation. If circulation
le

Mechanically
cannot be fully established and the fish cannot be pulled, the fish is
Stuck Pipe
ro

almost certainly stuck mechanically in the hole.

t
Pe

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 31

 CAUSES OF FISHING JOBS

in
st
Au
Other Fishing Jobs

at
s
xa
▼

Te
▼
▼

of
ity
In this chapter:
• The process of recovering drill collars
rs
ve
• Considerations for fishing pipe sheared on an offshore rig
• Steps for fishing for stuck wireline and wireline tools
ni

• Tools and methods for junk removal

U
e
Th

W hen a drill collar separates, the break usually occurs at a con- Recovering Drill
n-

nection: the pin breaks off in the box, or the box breaks off Collars
and comes out with the top part of the string. The remaining collars
io

can usually be fished out with a standard overshot and jar assembly.
ns

However, if the diameter of the drill collar is very close to that of

the wellbore, as in a packed-hole assembly, an overshot may not have
te

enough clearance to go over the collars. The outside diameter of the Courtesy of Weatherford International
Ex

fish must be milled over to create a fishing neck that a standard-size

overshot can engage.
um

As a last resort a taper tap can be used to screw into the inside
diameter of the drill collar (fig. 50). The taper tap is nonreleasing, so it
is used only when an overshot cannot be run. The tap is lowered into
le

the collar bore and slowly rotated to cut its own threads as it engages
ro

the fish. Some taps have open tips, allowing limited circulation for
cleaning off the top of the fish; others have small side jets that move
t
Pe

the point of the taper tap about to help locate the top of the fish.

Figure 50. Taper tap

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 51

 CAUSES OF FISHING JOBS

in
st
The Economics

Au
of Fishing

at
s
xa
▼

Te
▼
▼

of
ity
In this chapter:
•
rs
How to calculate the number of days a fishing job should
ve
be allowed to continue
• The role of specialized fishing service companies
ni

• The significance and limitations of fishing insurance

U
e
Th

S ome fishing jobs can go on for months before the fish is retrieved.
n-

After a certain period, however, the cost of fishing operations and

lost drilling time become prohibitive. Generally, once these costs reach
io

above half the cost of sidetracking and redrilling, fishing should be

ns

abandoned. In some cases the operator will opt to sidetrack immedi-

ately, without even attempting a fishing operation.
te

One way to calculate the number of days that should be allowed

Ex

for fishing uses the following equation:

V + Cs
D =
um

R + Cd
le

where
D = number of days to be allowed for fishing;
ro

V = replacement value of fish;

t
Pe

Cs = estimated cost of sidetracking;

R = daily cost of fishing tool rental and services; and
Cd = daily rig operating cost.

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 63

 CAUSES OF FISHING JOBS

Index

in
st
▼

Au
▼
▼

at
anchor washpipe spears, 41, 46, 48 drillout tool, 42

s
drill string washout, 5

xa
backing off, 36

Te
basket grapples, 22, 23
economics of fishing, 63–67
blowout preventers, subsea, 8, 53
engagement of the fish, 21–28
blowout sticking, 4

of
extension sub, 25
boot baskets, 55, 57, 58, 61
external catch tools, 18

ity
boot subs, 61
bottomhole assembly (BHA), 21
Bowen-Lebus spear, 41
rs
filter cake, 7
ve
finger shoes, 57
bowl, 22
finger-type junk baskets, 57
ni

bumper subs, 45, 46

fish
U

conditions of, 13
cable-guide assembly, 54
e

engagement of, 21–28

cable-guide fishing method, 55
Th

fishing insurance, 67
center prong rope spear, 53–54
fishing jar accelerator, 21, 32
n-

chemical cutters, 44
fishing jobs, causes of
core-type junk baskets, 59
io

about, 1
crooked pipe, 6
ns

offshore sheared pipe, 8

cutting pipe, 43–44 stuck pipe, 3–8
te

summary, 9
Ex

depth of fish, 13 twistoff, 2

depth of drill string, 12–13 fishing jobs, economics of, 63–67
um

differential sticking, 7, 48 fishing jobs, other

differential sticking vs. mechanical sticking, 3, 12, 31 drill collars, recovery of, 51–52
le

ditch magnet, 19 junk, fishing for, 57–61

dressing of fish, 13, 16, 23, 38, 44, 53 offshore sheared pipe, 53
ro

drill collars summary, 62

t
Pe

in bottom hole assembly (BHA), 21 wireline fishing, 53–56

recovery of, 51–52 fishing jobs, preparation for
in washover string, 36 depth of string, 12–13

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 91

 OPEN-HOLE FISHING

diagnosis, 12 keyseating, 5, 31, 45

in
impression block use, 14 keyseat reamers, 45
operator questions, 11 keyseats

st
fishing magnets, 60, 61 cable-guide fishing method and, 55

Au
fishing string freeing pipe from, 45–47
elements of, 21
nature of, 44

at
milling of, 19
kickoff, 64
free-point indicator, 33–34, 35

s
kick-subs, 26

xa
knuckle joints, 24, 26, 27–28
grapples, 22, 23

Te
guide, 22
lost-in-hole insurance, 67
guide sleeve, 16
lubricated bumper subs, 21

of
hole conditions, 5, 13

ity
hydraulic fishing jars, 32 mechanically stuck pipe

rs
hydrostatic junk baskets, 60 backing off, 36
cutting pipe, 43–44
ve
impression block, 14 determination of, 31
ni

internal catch tools, 18 drilling out, 42

U

jarring, 32–33
jar accelerators, 32 keyseat, freeing pipe from, 45–47
e

stuck point identification, 33–35

Th

jar intensifiers, 32
jarring, 32–33, 36, 40, 46, 48, 49 summary, 49
n-

jarring assembly, 52 wall-stuck pipe, 48

washing over, 36–41
io

jet cutters, 44
mechanical sticking, 3–6
ns

jet-powered junk baskets, 59

J-type safety joints, 38, 40 mechanical sticking vs. differential sticking, 3, 12, 31
te

junk, 1, 57–61 milling, rotary speed and weight during, 19–20

Ex

junk baskets milling of fish, 1, 16–18

core-type, 59 mills, 16, 18
mud, properties of, 48
um

finger-type, 57
hydrostatic, 60 mud cake, 7
le

jet-powered, 59
poor boy, 57 offshore sheared pipe, 8, 53
ro

reverse circulation, 59 oil spotting, 7, 48

t
Pe

junk boots, 57 open-hole vs. closed hole fishing, 1

junk in the hole, 6, 8 outside cutters, 43
junk subs, 57 overshot assembly, 53

92 Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX

 CAUSES OF FISHINGINDEX
JOBS

overshots pilot mills and, 18

in
with basket grapple, 17, 23 spiral grapples, 22
in bottom hole assembly (BHA), 21 spotting

st
circulating and release, 22 oil spotting, 7, 48

Au
engagement of, 24–25 spotted chemicals/fluids, 48
preparation for, 16 string shot, 34

at
with spiral grapple, 23 string shot assembly, 34
stuck pipe

s
tool caught in, 56

xa
differential sticking, 7
fishing for, 31–49
packed hole assembly, 51

Te
mechanical sticking, 3–6
pilot mills, 18
stuck point identification, 33–35
poor boy junk baskets, 57

of
subsea blowout preventers, 8, 53
prong grab, 54

ity
pup joints, 42
tapered holes, 6

redrilling, 63
rs
taper tap, 51–52
ve
tattletale, 42
reverse circulation junk baskets, 59
top sub, 22
ni

rotary shoes, 38
twistoff, fishing for
U

rotary speed and weight during milling, 19–20

about, 15
engagement of the fish, 21–28
e

safety joints, 52
Th

milling of fish, 16–18

screw-in subs, 41 rotary speed and weight during milling, 19–20
n-

service companies, 66 summary, 29

io

sidetracking twistoff, signs of, 2, 12

cost of, 63, 64
ns

in hard formation, 65 undergauge holes, 4

te

in soft formation, 64
Ex

skirt, 16 wall hooks, 26, 28

skirted milling assembly, 16 wall sticking, 7
um

sloughing holes, 3 wall-stuck pipe, 31, 48

snake, 56 washed-out hole, 25
le

spearhead overshot, 55 washing over, 36–41

spearhead rope socket, 56 washover operation, 39
ro

spears washover pipe, 36, 38, 41, 47

t
Pe

anchor washpipe, 41, 46, 48 washover string, 36, 37

Bowen-Lebus, 41 wireline fishing, 53–56
center prong rope, 53–54 wireline tools, 53

Copyright © The University of Texas at Austin—PETEX 93

 To obtain additional training materials, contact:

in
PETEX
The University of Texas at Austin

st
Petroleum Extension Service

Au
10100 Burnet Road, Bldg. 2
Austin, TX 78758
Telephone: 512-471-5940

at
or 800-687-4132
FAX: 512-471-9410

s
or 800-687-7839

xa
E-mail: [email protected]
or visit our Web site: www.utexas.edu/ce/petex

Te
of
To obtain information about training courses, contact:

ity
PETEX
Learning and assessment center
The University of Texas
rs
ve
4702 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Suite 800
Houston, TX 77086
ni

Telephone: 281-397-2440
U

or 800-687-7052
FAX: 281-397-2441
e

E-mail: [email protected]
Th

or visit our Web site: www.utexas.edu/ce/petex

n-
io
ns
te
Ex
um
le
ro
t
Pe
 Pe
tro
le
um
Ex
te
ns
io
n-
Th
e
U
ni
ve
rs
ity
of
Te
xa
s
at
Au
st

2.30240

978-0-88698-241-6
0-88698-241-3
in