Junk refers to any objects or debris which have been dropped into or lost in the hole. Junk can include all manner of things, from downhole tools and bottomhole assembly components, to bit cones, or even hand tools which have been accidentally dropped into the hole. In some cases, it may be clear what the junk is, such as when something has been visibly dropped down the hole. On the other hand, though, it may sometimes be unclear just what is causing the problem. While drilling is taking place, junk can be detected by an irregular torque, or by the drill being unable to move ahead when a new bit has been run. In order to remove any junk from a well, junk removal tools will be used depending on a particular condition of junk and wellbore.
There are three main ways that junk can be dealt with; which method is chosen will depend on the size of the junk itself, and how hard the formation is. The junk can be recovered whole, split into smaller pieces so that these pieces can be recovered or that they are too small to cause any additional issues, or finally pushed into the side of a soft formation or the bottom of a formation with a large enough rathole. If none of these are possible and the junk continues to interfere with well operations, then the well made need to be sidetracked or abandoned.
The junk removal tools are as follows;
