Riser length Measurements

• When calculating the number of joints of riser

required for a given water depth. It is easiest to
take the rigs “Constant” and subtract it from
the water depth of the new location the
resulting depth is divided by the joint length to
obtain the number of joints required
 DRILLING RISER COMPONENTS AND MEASURMENTS
Diverter Rotary Top of RKB

E A WELLHEAD HEIGHT FROM

Bottom of MUD LINE

Telescopic JT. Flexible JT B BOP STACK HEIGHT

Near MID.
Stroke
D RISER LENGTH
Bottom of
C
Telescopic JT F TELESCOPIC JT LENGTH PLUS
D MIDSTROKE
G
E TOP OF RKB TO BOTTOM OF
C FLEXIBLE JT.

MEAN TIDE WATER DEPTH

F PLUS DISTANCE FROM
Top of flexible JT WATERLINE TO RKB
BOP
stack
G TOP OF RKB TO TOP OF
Wellhead B WELLHEAD

RISER LENGTH
Mud line
C=F-(A+B+D+E)
A OR
C=G-(B+D+E)
 Well information

• Water depth to mud line 1756 ft

• RKB to top of wellhead (G)=1890
• Top of wellhead (A) = 9 ft off bottom
• Mud weight=11.2 ppg
 BOP stack an Riser information

• BOP stack height (BOP+LMRP+riser

adaptor)(B)=48 ft
• Riser slip jt. Length=62.6 ft
(D)
• Inner barrel length for mid stroke=25 ft
• RKB to top of slip JT(E)=15.2 ft
• Riser Capacity=15.99 gal/ft
• 8 tensioners with 35.7:1 ratio (1 psi will hold
35.7 lbs)
 Weights of the riser in sea water
• 50’ riser JT=13300 lbs
• 40’ pup JT=10620 lbs
• 25’ pup JT=5840 lbs
• 15’ pup JT=4030 lbs
• 10’ pup JT=3290 lbs
• 5’ pup JT=2630 lbs
• Slip joint=39300 lbs
• Slip joint inner barrel=25000lbs
• LMRP=111800 lbs
 Problem to Solve
1. Calculate Riser length in feet
2. Calculate the number of riser joints and pup joints
needed for this well
3. Calculate the Wight of riser plus the weight of LMRP
and slip JT. Outer barrel in seawater
4. Add 10% to the above figure for sheave friction loss
5. Add 50000 lbs over for EDS
6. Calculate the mud column differential with 111.2 ppg
mud
7. Calculate the total; support weight required for the
drilling riser tensioners
8. Calculate the riser tensioner air pressure required to
support the weight required
 Calculation of Riser length, the number of riser
joints and pup joints needed for this well
• A=9 ft
• B=48 ft
• D=62.6+25=87.6 ft
• E=15.2 ft
• G=1890 ft
• Riser length=G-(B+D+E)=1890-(48+87.6+15.2)=1739.2 ft
• Number of riser joints=1739.2/50=34.78 joints of 50 ft. long
joints
• Say that No. of riser joints=34
• So the corrected 50 ft length=34*50=1700
• Pup joint length=1739.2-1700=39.2 ft (say 40 ft)
 Calculation of the Wight of riser plus the weight of LMRP
and slip JT. Outer barrel in seawater include 10% sheave
factor loss plus 50000 lbs overpull (EDS)
• Weight of (34) 50 ft riser joints=34*13300=452200
• Weight of (1) 40 ft pup joint=1*10620=10620 lbs
• Weight of LMRP=111800 lbs
• Weight for outer barrel on slip JT=39300 lbs(slip JT)-
25000lbs (inner barrel)=14300 lbs
• Total for all the riser weight=588920 lbs
• Add 10% sheave factor loss=588920*0.1=58892lbs
• Add 50000 lbs overpull=50000lbs
• Total after addition=588920+58892+50000=697812lbs
 Calculation of mud column differential with 11.2
ppg
• Mud column differential= weight of mud column in
riser-the weight of the sea water column
• Mud column
length=C+D+E=1739.2+87.6+15.2=1842 ft
• Sea water column depth=water depth to mud line-
(A+B)=1756-(9+48)=1699 ft
• Mud column weight=15.99*11.2*1842=329880 lbs
• Seawater column weight=1699*8.6*15.99=233636
lbs
• The mud column differential=329880-23363=96244
lbs
 Calculation of the total support weight required for the
drilling riser tensioner & riser tensioner pressure

• Total riser weight plus 10% sheave factor loss plus 50000 lbs
overpull=697812 lbs
• Mud column differential weight=96244 lbs
• Total support weight required for riser
tensioner=697812+96244=794056 lbs
• Riser tensioner pressure=794056/35.7/8=2780 psi