Data-driven indicators for the detection and prediction of stuck-pipe events in oil&gas drilling operations

Abstract Stuck-pipe phenomena can have disastrous effects on drilling performance, with outcomes that can range from time delays to loss of expensive machinery. In this work, we develop three indicators based on mudlog data, which aim to detect three different physical phenomena associated with the insurgence of a sticking. In particular, two indices target respectively the detection of translational and rotational motion issues, while the third index concerns the wellbore pressure. A statistical model that relates these features to documented stuck-pipe events is then developed using advanced machine learning tools. The resulting model takes the form of a depth-based map of the risk of incurring into a stuck-pipe, updated in real-time. Preliminary experimental results on the available dataset indicate that the use of the proposed model and indicators can help mitigate the stuck-pipe issue.