1/3-4

General

Wildcat well 1/3-4 was drilled on the northern part of the Hidra High in the North Sea. The objective was to test the hydrocarbon potential of the Danian and late Cretaceous Chalk, on a domal structure induced by halokinesis.

Operations and results

Well 1/3-4 was spudded with the semi-submersible installation Dyvi Alpha on 15 February 1983 and drilled to TD at 3198 m in the Late Permian Zechstein Group. While drilling through Middle Miocene claystones, the average background gas increased rapidly from 5% to 80% between 1580 m and 1595 m and, at this depth, the mud weight had to be increased gradually from 1.37 to 1.50 - 1.53 to lower the gas content. Furthermore, to stop the gas leakage and to isolate the weak zone, it was decided to set the 13 3/8" casing. Logs were run (ISF/BHC and LDT/CNL) and the casing was set with shoe at 1557 m. While circulating after the logging a gain of 1 m3 with gas and more than 100 litres of oil occurred. To stabilize the well, 2 cement plugs and 4 barite plugs were set, in order to stop the gas leaking from the formation. In total, twenty days were spent on circulating, logging (ISF/BHC and LDT/CNL), setting the 13 3/8" casing, and plugging before drilling of the 12 1/4" section commenced. While drilling the 12 1/4" hole, the background gas varied between 32 and 84% down to 1695 m where the mud-weight was raised to 1.60. The background gas then decreased between 10 and 25% and drilling continued normally. Logs performed at the end of the 12 1/4" phase and covering the zone of interest are strongly affected by large cavings and by barite squeezed into the formation. Side wall core recovery was very poor from the caved zone. The well was drilled water based.

The first ev