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f Drilling Operations of Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC) in Murzuq Basin, Libya and The Drilling Problems and Solutions in Loose Desert Sand
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 18th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, May 2011, cp-377-00085
Abstract
Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC), a wholly-owned subsidary of Turkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortakligi (TPAO) is the 100 % holder and operator in the Area 147/3-4, Murzuq basin, Libya. TPOC was awarded the concession in the EPSA IV Bid Round II in 2005. The exploration campaign in 147 3/&4 Concession in Murzuq Basin, Libya, commenced in 2009 with the drilling of A1-147/3 well and resulted with a discovery, thus the drilling campaign intensified in 2010. Out of 11 exploration wells drilled in the concession, 7 wells (A1-, B1-, C1-, D1-, E1-,F1-, I1- 147/3) resulted as oil discoveries. The most serious difficulty which was encountered during drilling operations in Murzuq basin, is the serious threats of the loose and active desert sand on the surface (0-500 ft). During the drilling of this section, some problems such as; total mud losses, wellbore instabilities and also some cavities and collapses in the wells were encountered by companies. Previously, some companies experienced location collapses and big cavities under the rig floor that caused to fall over of the rigs. In this section, TPOC use some regional lost circulation materials and methods and drill this section with maximum one cement plug operation and save money and time. In this study, drilling operations of Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC) in Murzuq basin, Libya and the drilling problems and solutions in loose desert sand will be discussed.