PETE 411

Well Drilling

Lesson 24
Kicks and Well Control
1

Kicks and Well Control Methods

The Anatomy of a KICK
Kicks - Definition
Kick Detection

Kick Control
(a)
(b)
*
*

Dynamic Kick Control

Other Kick Control Methods
Drillers Method
Engineers Method
2

Read:
Applied Drilling Engineering, Ch.4

HW #12
Casing Design
due Oct. 29, 2001
3

Causes of Kicks

Causes of Kicks

Causes of Kicks

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

What?
What is a kick?
An unscheduled
entry of
formation
fluid(s) into the
wellbore

17

Why?
Why does a kick occur?
The pressure inside the
wellbore is lower
than the formation
pore pressure (in a
permeable formation).
pw < pf
18

How?
How can this occur?

( pW pF )

Mud density is too low

Fluid level is too low - trips or lost circ.
Swabbing on trips
Circulation stopped - ECD too low

19

What ?

What happens if a kick is not

controlled?

BLOWOUT !!!
20

Typical Kick Sequence

1. Kick indication
2. Kick detection - (confirmation)
3. Kick containment - (stop kick influx)
4. Removal of kick from wellbore
5. Replace old mud with kill mud (heavier)

21

Kick Detection and Control

Kick Detection

Kick Control

22

1. Circulate Kick out of hole

Keep the BHP constant throughout

23

2. Circulate Old Mud out of hole

Keep the BHP constant throughout

24

Kick Detection
Some of the preliminary events that may
be associated with a well-control
problem, not necessarily in the order of
occurrence, are:
1. Pit gain;
2. Increase in flow of mud from the well
3. Drilling break (sudden increase in
drilling rate)
25

Kick Detection
4. Decrease in circulating pressure;
5. Shows of gas, oil, or salt water
6. Well flows after mud pump
has been shut down
7. Increase in hook load
8. Incorrect fill-up on trips
26

Dynamic Kick Control

[Kill well on the fly]
For use in controlling shallow gas kicks

No competent casing seat

No surface casing - only conductor
Use diverter (not BOPs)
Do not shut well in!

27

Dynamic Kick Control

1. Keep pumping. Increase rate!
(higher ECD)
2. Increase mud density

0.3 #/gal per circulation

3. Check for flow after each
complete circulation
4. If still flowing, repeat 2-4.
28

Dynamic Kick Control

Other ways that shallow gas kicks
may be stopped:
1. The well may breach with the
wellbore essentially collapsing.
2. The reservoir may deplete to the
point where flow stops.
29

Conventional Kick Control

{Surface Casing and BOP Stack are in place}

Shut in well for pressure readings.

(a) Remove kick fluid from wellbore;
(b) Replace old mud with kill weight mud
Use choke to keep BHP constant.
30

Conventional Kick Control

1. DRILLERS METHOD
** TWO complete circulations **
Circulate kick out of hole
using old mud
Circulate old mud out of hole
using kill weight mud
31

Conventional Kick Control

2. WAIT AND WEIGHT METHOD
(Engineers Method)
** ONE complete circulation **

Circulate kick out of hole

using kill weight mud
32

Drillers Method - Constant Geometry

Information required:
Well Data:
Depth
= 10,000 ft.
Hole size = 12.415 in. (constant)
Drill Pipe = 4 1/2 O.D., 16.60 #/ft
Surface Csg.: 4,000 ft. of 13 3/8 O.D. 68 #/ft
(12.415 in I.D.)
33

Drillers Method - Constant Geometry

Additional Information required:
Kick Data:
Original mud weight
Shut-in annulus press.
Shut-in drill pipe press.
Kick size

= 10.0 #/gal
= 600 psi
= 500 psi
= 30 bbl
(pit gain)

34

Constant
Annular
Geometry.
Initial
conditions:
Kick has just
entered the
wellbore
Pressures
have
stabilized
35

Successful Well Control

1. At no time during the process of
removing the kick fluid from the
wellbore will the pressure exceed the
pressure capability of
the formation

the casing
the wellhead equipment
36

Successful Well Control

2. When the process is complete the wellbore
is completely filled with a fluid of
sufficient density (kill mud) to control the
formation pressure.
Under these conditions the well will not flow
when the BOPs are opened.
3. Keep the BHP constant throughout.
37

Calculations
From the initial shut-in data we can
calculate:
Bottom hole pressure

Casing seat pressure

Height of kick
Density of kick fluid
38

Calculate New Bottom Hole Pressure

PB = SIDPP + Hydrostatic Pressure in DP
= 500
+ 0.052 * 10.0 * 10,000
= 500 + 5,200

PB = 5,700 psig
39

Calculate Pressure at Casing Seat

P4,000 = P0 + DPHYDR. ANN. 0-4,000

= SICP + 0.052 * 10 * 4,000

= 600 + 2,080

P4,000 = 2,680 psig

40

Calculate EMW at Casing Seat

This corresponds to a pressure gradient of

2,680 psi
0.670 psi/ft
4,000 ft
Equivalent Mud Weight (EMW) =

0.670
psi / ft
12.88 lb/gal
0.052 (psi / ft )(lb / gal)
( rmud = 10.0 lb/gal )
41

Calculate Initial Height of Kick

Annular capacity per ft of hole:
vx

(D H D P )L
2

gal
bbl
(12.415 4.5 ) *12 in *
3
4
231 in 42 gal
2

0.13006 bbls/ft
42

Calculate Height of Kick

Height of kick at bottom of hole,

VB
30 bbl
hB

230.7 ft
v x 0.13006 bbl/ft

hB 231 ft
43

Calculate Density of Kick Fluid

The bottom hole pressure is the pressure at the
surface plus the total hydrostatic pressure between
the surface and the bottom:

Annulus
PB = SICP + DPMA + DPKB

Drill String
PB = SIDPP + DPMD

600 0.052 *10

*(10,000 - 231) DPKB 500 (0.052 *10*10,000)

600 5,080 DPKB 500 5,200

44

Density of Kick Fluid

DPKB 20 psi
r KB

20

1.67 lb/gal
0.052 * 231

(must be primarily gas!)

45

Circulate Kick Out of Hole

NOTE:
The bottom hole
pressure is kept
constant while the kick
fluid is circulated out of
the hole!

In this case
BHP = 5,700 psig
46

Constant
Annular
Geometry
Drillers Method.
Conditions When
Top of Kick Fluid
Reaches the Surface
BHP = const.

47

48

Top of Kick at Surface

As the kick fluid moves up the annulus, it
expands. If the expansion follows the gas
law, then

P0 V0
PB VB

Z 0n0RT0
ZBnBRTB
[surface ]

[bottom]
49

Top of Kick at Surface

Ignoring changes due to compressibility
factor (Z) and temperature, we get:

P0 V0 PB VB
P0 v 0h0 PB v BhB
i.e.

P0h0 PBhB

Since cross-sectional area = constant

(v 0 v B const .)
50

Top of Kick at Surface

We are now dealing two unknowns, P0 and
h0. We have one equation, and need a
second one.
BHP = Surface Pressure + Hydrostatic Head
5,700 = Po + DPKO + DPMA
5,700 = Po + 20 + 0.052 * 10 * (10,000 - hO )

PB hB
5,700 - 20 - 5,200 = Po - 0.52 *
Po
51

Top of Kick at Surface

480 P0 P0 0.52 * 5700 * 231
2

P0 480 P0 684684 0
2

P0

480

480 2 4 * 684,684
2

P0 240 862 1,102 psi

52

1,200
50
2,000

40
2,000/40

800
1,100
40
1,200 + 800

2,000

800 / (0.052 * 14,000)

1.10
13.5
14.6

1,200 * 14.6 / 13.5

1,298

psi53

1,298

0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50
2,000
200

bbls 54

Csg

DS DS

Csg

Pressure When Circulating

Static Pressure

First Circulation

Drillers
Method

Second Circulation
55

Csg

DS DS

Csg
Drillers
Method

Drillpipe Pressure

Volume Pumped, Strokes

56

Engineers
Method

6
57