Minimizing surface hole washout helped prevent conductor pipe failure

The control of an offshore oil well was maintained following the failure of a driven conductor. Well operators solved the problem by minimizing washout for a 17.7-inch hole drilling. Operators also made certain the well cement was within the annulus. Phillips Petroleum International Corporation Asia is developing the offshore field in the South China Sea with partners Conhe and Pecten Orient.
The failure of a driven conductor in the Xijiang 24-3 field in the South China Sea led to changes in the drilling and cementing procedures for the surface holes in [...]