Project Overview

During an offshore drilling campaign in the Natuna Sea, Indonesia, a stuck pipe incident occurred while drilling at 5,000 ft. SPD was engaged to conduct an independent engineering investigation to determine the root cause, identify contributing factors and develop actionable lessons to prevent recurrence. The well section had encountered highly fractured geological formations resulting in severe to total drilling fluid losses, which created the conditions leading to the incident.

SPD’s Approach

SPD conducted a structured root cause analysis combining a full review of drilling data, real-time parameter trends, mud reports and operational records with detailed technical assessment of the formation behaviour and fluid system performance. The primary mechanism identified was mechanical sticking caused by excessive accumulation of drill cuttings during sustained total loss conditions. Three contributing factors were identified: ineffective loss mitigation strategy, extended drilling under total loss, and delayed response to early pack-off indicators.

Results & Value Delivered

✔ Root Cause Confirmed — Mechanical sticking due to cuttings pack-off during sustained total fluid loss — not differential sticking as initially suspected.

✔ Loss Strategy Gap Identified — Available loss control methods were inadequate for the severity of fractured formation losses encountered.

✔ Procedural Updates Recommended — Existing operational procedures for drilling under sustained total loss conditions identified for immediate revision.