Drilling Word

Drilling Engineering and Well
Completion
:Lecturer
Dr. Ali Piroozian
Contact Number: 09198486907
E-mail:
alipiroozian@yahoo.com
: Main Reference
.Bourgoyne, A.T., Applied Drilling Engineering, SPE, Richardson, Texas,1986
:Other References
(1) American Petroleum Institute, Recommended Practice for Standard Procedure for
Testing Drilling Fluids (API RP 13B), Dallas, Texas.
(2) The University of Texas at Austin, Lesson in Rotary Drilling, Petroleum Extension
Services, Texas.
(3) Adams, N.J., Well Control Problems and Solution, PennWell Publishing Company, Tulsa, 1980.
(4) Perrin, D., 1999. Well Completion and Servicing, Editions Technip, France.
(5) Allen, T.O. & Roberts, A.P., 1993. Production Operation:Well Completion, Workover
and Stimulation, Vol. 1, Oil and Gas Consultants International Inc., Tulsa.
(6) Nelson E.B. (ed.), 1990. Well Cementing. Elsevier, New York.
(7) Cementing Technology, Dowell Schlumberger.
Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU
Assessment
The breakdown for grading is as follows:
• Test 10%
• Midterm 15%
• Final Exam 75%
Total 100%
:Extra marks
Up to 20% will be added to the class monitor
will be added to those who answer the final exam in English 10%

Fundamentals of Drilling
. Drilling means to make a hole in order to get access to the earth’s subsurface
:Objectives may be
•Gaining information about the subsurface from
sampling/testing/logging
• Production/injection of fluids
(oil, water, gas)
• Monitoring of subsurface properties
(aquifer pressure, stress state, etc.)

Fields of Drilling Applications
Exploration/production of natural resources

➢ oil and gas
Geothermal energy, produced from the natural heat of
➢ water the Earth itself, is a renewable source of energy with
➢ geothermal energy multiple
.applications, from heat pumps to power production
Site Investigation
➢ Scientific
Site Investigation is the process of collecting
➢ Foundation/Construction information, assessment of the data and reporting potential
➢ Environmental hazards
.beneath a site which are unknown
Mining exploration

Drilling in Petroleum Industry
The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major
sectors: upstream (or exploration and production-E&P), midstream and
.downstream

Drilling Engineering
Drilling engineering is a subset of petroleum engineering. Essentially, a drilling

engineer is in charge of drilling the well to produce oil or gas. Drilling Engineers
also develop, plan, cost and supervise operations necessary for drilling oil and gas
wells. They are involved from the initial stages of designing the well, through to
.testing, completion and eventually, abandonment
:Drilling engineers are typically involved in

1.Conducting a geological survey
2.Designing a wellbore plan
3.Providing a layout of the type of equipment required to reach the depth of
the well.
4.Estimating the value and accessibility cost of the reserve
5.Acquiring necessary property by lease
Contd.
Drilling Engineers work in office and field environments including well sites,
which can be on land, offshore or on mobile drilling units. They are employed
either by the operating oil company, specialist drilling contractors or a service
.company
:Types of Drilling Engineers

➢ Completions Engineer
➢ Workover Engineer
➢ Well Abandonment Engineer
➢ Deepwater Drilling Engineer

Types of Wells
1) Exploratory/Wildcat Well: to discover petroleum reservoir.

A well drilled either in search of a new and as yet undiscovered accumulation of oil and gas, or in an attempt
to significantly extend the limits of a known reservoir.
2) Discovery well: Exploratory well that discovers a new gas or oil field.
If the well does discover a new field, it is called the discovery well for that field.
3) Appraisal/delineation well:
After the discovery the size of the filed must be determined. Filed size is determined by appraisal or
delineation well that are drilled to the sides of the discovery well.
4) Production wells:
They are drilled primarily for producing oil and gas, once the producing structure and characteristics are
determined.
5) Development Well: exploit a known reservoir.
A well drilled in or adjacent to a proven part of a pool to optimize petroleum production.
6) Infill well: Any well that is drilled on a closer-than-normal well spacing pattern or requirement. Also any
well drilled between existing wells producing from the reservoir.
Types of Wells
1) Exploratory/Wildcat Well: to discover petroleum reservoir.

A well drilled either in search of a new and as yet undiscovered accumulation of oil and gas, or in an attempt
to significantly extend the limits of a known reservoir.
2) Discovery well: Exploratory well that discovers a new gas or oil field.
If the well does discover a new field, it is called the discovery well for that field.
3) Appraisal/delineation well:
After the discovery the size of the filed must be determined. Filed size is determined by appraisal or
delineation well that are drilled to t h e s i de s o f t h e d is c ov e ry w
. G e o l o g i c a l g r o u p : reelcl.ommends
wildcat wells’ location
4) Production Reservoir Engg. group: recommends development
wells:
They are drilled primarily for produ ci n g o il an d ga s , on c e
the p ro d u c i ng structurew
determined. andecharacteristics
l ls ’ n uarem b e r a n
d lo c a t i o n s
5) Development Well: exploit a
Dknroiwllninregsegrvrooiru. p: design and cost estimate
A well drilled in or adjacent to a proven part of a pool to optimize petroleum production.
6) Infill well: Any well that is drilled on a closer-than-normal well spacing pattern or requirement. Also any
well drilled between existing wells producing from the reservoir.
Drilling Techniques-
Classification by Hole
making Methods
Principles of drilling technique - Cable Tool
Drilling
Cable tool, or percussion drilling, is the method of drilling when a tool is simply
raised and dropped on the end of a cable or rope.
Very old drilling technique (applied more that 4000
years ago by Chinese)
2 Phase technique (discontinuous)
Phase 1: Rock Drilling
Free falling bit strikes the bottom with a heavy blow –
Repeated lifting and dropping makes the bit drill
Phase 2: Removal of Cuttings

Water in the hole keeps the cuttings in suspension
for removal at regular intervals by bailing.
Interruption of drilling to remove the cuttings by
bailing
Drilling
Cable tool, or percussion drilling, is the method of drilling when a tool is simply
raised and dropped on the end of a cable or rope.
Very old drilling technique (applied more that 4000
years ago by Chinese)
2 Phase technique (discontinuous)
✓ Suitable only for hard rock
Phase 1: Rock Drilling
✓ Total
Free falling bit strikes theefficiency
bottom withof a heavy blow –
Repeated lifting anddrilling process
dropping makesis the
fairly
bit drill
low
Phase 2: Removal of Cuttings
Water in the hole keeps the cuttings in suspension
for removal at regular intervals by bailing.
Interruption
of drilling to remove the cuttings by bailing
Drilling (contd.)
Cable tool bailer:
Bailers: Bailers are used to clear cuttings from the hole.

Bailers are run on a separate “bailing line”
when the drill string in out of the hole.
The bailer is attached to an eye in
the end of the line.
Selection of the most suitable type of bailer
will depend on how well the cuttings are
mixined. The dart valve bailer will only
pick up well-mixed cuttings.

Principles of drilling technique –
Rotary Drilling
Rotary drilling rigs are used for almost all drilling done today.
The drill string is rotated by means of a rotary table to

turn the bit; it is fed down as the penetration
Bit is pushed into the bottom and rotation makes it cut
Drilling Fluid is circulated by being pumped down the
drill string
Return circulation carries cuttings up the annulus
between the drill string and the wall of the hole
Key Elements:
▪ Drill Bit
▪ Drill String
▪ Drilling Fluid

Principles of drilling technique –
Rotary Drilling
Rotary drilling rigs are used for almost all drilling done today.
The drill string is rotated by means of a rotary table to

turn the bit; it is fed down as the penetration
Bit is pushed into the bottom and rotation makes it cut
Drilling Fluid is circulated by being pumped down the
drill string
Return circulation carries cuttings up the annulus
between the drill string and the wall of the hole
Key Elements:
▪ Drill Bit
▪ Drill String
▪ Drilling Fluid

Rotary Drilling System
Although drilling rigs differ greatly in outward

appearance and method of deployment, all rotary
rigs have the same basic drilling equipment. For all
rigs, the depth of the planned well determines
basic rig requirements. The main component parts
of a rotary rig are:
❖ Rig Power System
❖ Hoisting System
❖ Circulation System
❖ Rotating System
❖ Well Control System (BOP System)
❖ Auxiliary Equipment
Rig Power System
I- Rig Power System (prime movers):
It basically provides all the necessary power to carry out the drilling work. Normally this power is generated
from local combustion generators. A common drilling rig requires approximately 1000-3000 horse power to
maintain the operation. However,
the power efficiency can be varied
from place to place. Generally, the
mechanical efficiency of the generator
is favorable to work in low altitude
and medium temperature environment.
The maximum power consumers on a
rotary drilling rig are hoisting,
circulation, and rotary systems.
Therefore, these components determine
mainly the total power requirements.

Rig Power System
Power needed is usually determined by well depth,

predicted hoisting loads, and whether the drilling
operation is planned to take place onshore or
offshore. Rigs are generally classified as either a
diesel-electric type (electric drive) or a direct-drive
type (mechanical drive) depending on how power is
transmitted to other rig systems. Each one of these
has its advantages and disadvantages. The
deciding factors of use are mainly a matter of
preference or cost. In diesel-electric rigs, the driller
can apply power smoothly to various rig components,
thus minimizing shock and vibration problems.
However, the initial cost of a direct-drive power
system is considerably less than that of a comparable
diesel-electric system. Newer rigs use electric
generators to power electric motors on the other parts of the rig.
Rig Power System
Power system performance characteristics generally are stated in terms of output horsepower, torque, and
fuel consumption for various engine speeds. Some important equations that are used to calculate various
terms within the power system are listed below:

Rig Power System
Rig Power System
Electric Control House:
On diesel electric rigs, powerful diesel engines drive

large electric generators. The generators produce
electricity that flows through cables to electric switches
and control equipment enclosed in a control cabinet or
panel. Electricity is fed to electric motors via the panel.

Hoisting System
II- Hoisting System:
The hoisting system is a large pulley system which

is used to lower and raise equipment into and out
of the well. In particular, the hoisting system is used
to raise and lower the drillstring and casing into and
out of the well. The components parts of the hoisting
system are shown in the presented figure. The
drawworks consists of a large revolving drum, around
which a wire rope (drilling line) is spooled. The drum
of the drawworks is connected to an electric motor
and gearing system. The driller controls the
drawworks with a clutch and gearing system when
lifting equipment out of the well and a brake (friction
and electric) when running equipment into the well.

Hoisting System
The drilling line is threaded (reeved) over a set of

Sheaves in the top of the derrick, known as the crown
block and down to another set of sheaves known as the
travelling block. A large hook with a snap-shut locking
device is suspended from the travelling block. This hook
is used to suspend the drillstring. A set of clamps, known
as the elevators, used when running, or pulling the
drillstring or casing into or out of the hole, are also
connected to the travelling block.
The drawworks is powered by prime

movers - two, .three or even four engines.

Hoisting System
The drilling line is threaded (reeved) over a set of

Sheaves in the top of the derrick, known as the crown
block and down to another set of sheaves known as the
travelling block. A large hook with a snap-shut locking
device is suspended from the travelling block. This hook
is used to suspend the drillstring. A set of clamps, known
as the elevators, used when running, or pulling the
drillstring or casing into or out of the hole, are also
connected to the travelling block.
The drawworks is powered by prime

movers - two, .three or even four engines.

Hoisting System
Having reeved the drilling line around the

crown block and travelling block, one end
of the drilling line is secured to an anchor
point somewhere below the rig floor. Since
this line does not move it is called the deadline.
The other end of the drilling line is wound onto
the drawworks and is called the fastline. The
drilling line is usually reeved around the blocks
several times. The tensile strength of the drilling
line and the number of times it is reeved through
the blocks will depend on the load which must
be supported by the hoisting system.

Hoisting System
Derrick:
The derrick is a metallic structure which has four supporting legs resting on a square base. It is erected on a
substructure which supports the rig floor and the rotary table and provides work space on the rig floor.
The derrick and its substructure support the weight

of the drillstem at all times. The drillstem is suspended
by the traveling block and drilling line, the entire load
rests on the derrick whenever it is suspended from the
crown block or resting in the rotary table. The height of
the derrick can limit the length of drill pipe sections that can be
pulled out of the hole for many reasons (ex: changing drill bit).
This is because the crown block must be sufficiently elevated
above the rig floor.

Hoisting System
Traveling Block, Crown Block, Drill Line and Hook:
The traveling block, crown block and drilling line are used to
connect the derrick with the drill string to be lowered into or
pulled out of the hole. During drilling operations, this drill
string usually composed of the drill pipe, heavy weight drill
pipe, drilling jar, drill collars and drill bit. The drilling line
passes from the drawworks to the top of the derrick. From
there, it is sheaved between the crown block and traveling
block to give an eight, ten or twelve-line suspension. It is
then clamped to the rig floor by the deadline anchor. The
drilling line wears evenly as it is used; it has to be Cutoff
time to time. The cutoff procedures are related to ton-miles
of service. The ton-mile unit is calculated as the drill line
moves a one-ton load a distance of one mile, and then the
line receives one ton-mile of usage.

Hoisting System
Crown Block:
A crown block is the stationary section of a block and tackle that contains a set of pulleys or sheaves through
which the drill line (wire rope) is threaded or reeved and is opposite and above the traveling block.
The combination of the traveling block, crown block and wire rope drill line gives the ability to lift weights in
the hundreds of thousands of pounds On larger drilling rigs, when raising and lowering the derrick, line
tensions over a million pounds are not unusual.

Hoisting System
Travelling Block:
A traveling block is the freely moving section of a block and tackle

that contains a set of pulleys or sheaves through which the drill line
(wire rope) is threaded or reeved and is opposite (and under) the
crown block (the stationary section).

Hoisting System
Drilling Line:
A wire rope hoisting line, reeved on sheaves of the crown

block and traveling block (in effect a block and tackle).
Its primary purpose is to hoist or lower drill pipe or casing
from or into a well. Also, a wire rope used to support the
drilling tools.

Drilling Procedure
Drilling Procedure
With the rig in position and the conductor pipe in place, drilling is begun. The largest bit is the first
to be run, of course. The drilling program is designed so that the initial bit will drill a hole large
enough for casing that can accommodate successively smaller bits and casing strings. The number
of casing strings necessary to reach the target depth safely will determine the initial hole size.
Attached to the bit are the first drill collars and stabilizers, followed with joints of drillpipe.
Weight is applied to the bit by allowing the bottomhole assembly to rest on bottom somewhat, and
the rotary table begins to turn the kelly. As the bit chews away at the bottom of the hole, the mud
pumps circulate the cuttings up the annulus. The kelly slowly moves down ward until the top of the
kelly and the attached swivel are near the drilling floor (after about 30 to 40 ft [9 to 12 m] has been
drilled). From now on, each time a kelly length has been drilled down, another joint of drillpipe is
added to the drillstem.

Slips and Connections
The new joint of pipe will have been hoisted into the "mouse-hole" in
preparation, waiting to be connected ( Notice that the kelly has been "drilled down" to
where the swivel is close to the rotary)

Hoisting the new pipe:
Rack (pipe rack): Framework for supporting or containing a number of loose objects, such as pipe.
Cat walk: A long, rectangular platform about 3 ft [0.9 m] high, usually made of steel and located
perpendicular to the vee-door at the bottom of the slide. This platform is used as a staging area for rig and
drillstring tools, components that are about to be picked up and run, or components that have been run and are
being laid down.
V door: The upside down V-shaped opening in one side of the derrick that enables long pipes and tools to be
lifted into the interior of the derrick.

2 Slips and Connections
The kelly and attached drillstring are lifted up in the derrick until the kelly bushing has cleared the
drill floor and the tool joint between kelly and drillpipe is visible. Slips (flexible, toothed wedges) are
set in the rotary table to grip the drill-string and allow it to hang motionless while the crew "breaks
out" (unscrews) the kelly with the rotary tongs.
These tongs are nothing more than over-sized pipe wrenches hung from the mast, over the drill
floor, and pulled by a cable from the drawworks



Settings Slips
Settings Slips
Setting the tongs to break the joint

Now the kelly is hanging freely from the hook, and the crew can swing it over to the pipe joint that is waiting,
"box end up," in the mousehole.
The kelly is screwed into the new joint and both are then
lifted up into the derrick and swung over the drillstring held
by the slips. The driller lowers the assembly and carefully
"stabs" the pin of the new joint into the box end of the
waiting joint. The pipe is quickly screwed together and
tightened with the tongs before the slips are removed. The
entire assembly is then lowered back into the hole to drill
another joint length. After each kelly has "drilled down“
30 ft to 40 ft (9 to 12 m), the connection process must be
repeated, joint after joint, as the hole is deepened.

Stabbing the Joint
"STABS"
v: to guide the end of a pipe into a tool joint when making up a connection.
n: To place the male threads of a piece of the drillstring, such as a joint of drillpipe, into the mating female
threads, prior to making up tight.

Trip Out/In
At some point it becomes necessary to pull out ("trip out") of the hole,
perhaps to change the bit or to run casing.
When making a trip, drillpipe is handled in stands, usually of two or
three joints each (about 60 ft to 90 ft, or 18 m to 27 m).
Pipe is removed from the hole and placed on the floor. First
the kelly, rotary bushings, and swivel are stowed in the "rat hole,".

Kelly in the Rat Hole
Trip Out/In
With this equipment out of the way, the elevators, which hang from the hook,
can be latched around the pipe just below the tool joint box and used to lift the
pipe out of the hole. When a stand of several joints has been pulled up into
the derrick, the slips are used once again to hang the drillstring in the rotary
table while the bottom tool joint is 'broken" with the tongs and unscrewed
with a spinning wrench

Trip Out/In
The stand of pipe is then swung to one side of the drill floor, where it is set down and
secured at the top by the derrickman.
Free of their load, the hook and elevators are lowered once again to
grip another stand of pipe and repeat the process, until all of the
drillstem is racked in the derrick. The bit is removed from the final
stand of drill collars with a "bit breaker," and the rotary table is
carefully covered to prevent any loose items from falling into the
hole. "Tripping in" the hole is the reverse procedure of tripping out.
Some rigs have automated pipe handling systems with robot arms at
different elevations in their masts to perform the job very quickly.
Tripping in or out can take many hours in a deep hole, and time is
money on a drilling rig. Careful planning and monitoring of drilling
conditions by the driller and drilling engineer can prevent
unnecessary trips.

Block and Tackle
The block and tackle is comprised of (1) the crown block, (2) the traveling block, and (3) the drilling line.

Block and Tackle
Block and Tackle
The principal function of the block and tackle is to provide a mechanical advantage, which permits easier
handling of large loads. The mechanical advantage M of a block and tackle is simply the load supported by
the traveling block, W, divided by the load imposed on the drawworks, Ff :
The load imposed on the drawworks is the tension in the fast line. If there is no friction in the pulleys, the
tension in the drilling line is constant throughout. Thus a force balance in the vertical direction yields
Where n is the number of lines strung through the

Traveling block. Solving this relationship for the
Tension in the fast line and substituting the resulting
Expression yields
Which indicates that the ideal mechanical advantage

Is equal to the number of lines strung between the
crown block and traveling block.
Block and Tackle
The input power Pi of the block and tackle:
Ff : Drawworks load
Ʋf :Velocity of fast line
The output power, or hook power,
W: traveling block load

Ʋb :Velocity of traveling block
For frictionless system we have:
Thus, a frictionless system implies that the ratio of output power to input power (efficiency) is unity:

Block and Tackle
Of course, in an actual system, there is always a power loss due to friction.
Knowledge of the block and tackle efficiency permits calculation of the actual tension in the fast line for a
given load. Since the power efficiency is given by:
Then the tension in the fast line is . This equation can be used to select drilling size line. However, a
safety factor should be used to allow for line wear and shock loading conditions.

Block and Tackle
The load applied to the derrick is the sum of the hook

Load, the tension in the dead line, and the tension in
the fast line

Block and Tackle
Calculation o Derrick Leg Load

Block and Tackle
Note that for E ≥ 0.5, the load on Leg A is greater than the load on the other three legs

Block and Tackle
Since if any leg fails, the entire derrick also ails, it is convenient to define maximum equivalent derrick load
which is equal to four times the maximum leg load.
Derrick Efficiency Factor: Ratio o the actual derrick load to the maximum equivalent load.

Block and Tackle
Block and Tackle
Block and Tackle

❖ Hoisting System
❖ Rotating System
Circulation System
Conditions and supplies drilling fluid (drilling mud) to the drill bit.
Condition: to treat drilling mud with additives to give it certain properties. To condition and circulate mud is
to ensure that additives are distributed evenly throughout a system by circulating the mud while it is being
conditioned.
Mud pump
Pressure & flow rate provided by mud pump.
Into Stand pipe into rotary hose
Rotary hose is flexible to allow vertical motion. Does not rotate.
Mud returns with cuttings via the annulus and out through mud
return line.
Cuttings removed via shale shaker go to reserve pit.
Mostly a disposal area is used to allow suspended solids
to settle out.
If settling doesn’t work you can add equipment to clean the mud
Desilter; Desander; Degasser

Drilling Mud
Water, clay, other minerals
Removes cuttings
Cools and lubricates the bit
Exerts pressure inside the hole
Create wall cake that stabilizes the surface
Properties of mud:
Viscosity (support solids)
Weight (density) (pressure control)
Filtration rate (water loss)
Solids content (degrades bit performance)
Usually, the lower the solids content of mud,

the faster is the rate of penetration.

Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Circulation System
Standpipe pressure (SPP) is the total pressure loss in a system that

occurs due to fluid friction. It is the summation of pressure loss in
annulus, pressure loss in drill string, pressure loss in bottom hole
assembly (BHA) and pressure loss across the bit.

❖ Hoisting System
❖ Rotating System
Rotating system
Rigs can be equipped with Kelly system or top-drive system.
Both systems are used to rotate

the drill string and the drill bit.
(Kelly system)

Rotating system
Rotating system
Rotating system
Rotating system
Rotating system
Rotating system
Rotating system
Rotating system
It is called top drive system because the rotating motion is accomplished by a drive motor attached to the
travelling block above all the drill string. An electric motor is used to generate the rotary torque which is
applied to the drill string.
The main advantage of the top drive system is that connections have to be screwed or unscrewed every 30m
(90 ft), because drilling can be performed by stands rather than single joint of drill pipe. The swivel and
handling equipment are an integral piece of equipment in the top drive which can make the circulation and
back reaming while pulling the pipe an easy task. These advantages serve to reduce drilling time which is the
most important factor in drilling programming and operations.
The Kelly and the Kelly bushing are not required while using the top drive system.

Rotating system
Rotating system
Rotating system

❖ Hoisting System
❖ Rotating System
Well Control System (BOP System)
Well Control & kick
✓ The functions of the well control system are:

➢ To detect, stop, and remove any undesired entrance
of formation fluids into the borehole.
✓ An undesired entrance of formation fluid into the borehole

is called kick and may occur due to several reasons:
➢ High formation(s) pressure
➢ Insufficient drilling fluid density
➢ Drillstring swab
➢ Loss of circulation
➢ Formation fracture
➢ Etc.

Swab and Surge
Swabbing is the process by which formation fluid is sucked into the borehole
by the upward movement of the drill string. Swabbing is observed when the
bit is covered with drill cuttings and their is very less annular clearance
between drill string and annulus. In this situation if the drilling string is pulled
out it acts like a big piston and creates a region of low pressure below the bit.
This low pressure region will suck the formation fluid into the borehole.
During trip up swabbing effect is observed, formation gases are sucked into
the borehole which when circulated to surface will increase the gas level and
is termed as Swab gas or trip gas. If the swab effect is high we may even take
a kick.

Swab and Surge
Surging is the opposite of swabbing. It is the process by which borehole fluid is pushed
into the formation. Surging creates a region of high pressure below the bit which forces
the borehole fluid into the formation. If this surge pressure is high enough it may exceed
formation fracture pressure creating fracture and cause loss of drilling mud so both
high swab and surge pressure should be avoided.
Swab and surge pressure will depend on:-

Speed of Drilling movement
Viscosity of drilling mud
Annular clearance between drill string and borehole
Mud cake thickness
Hole cleaning


Blowout
✓ If the undesired entrance of fluid feedbacks and the fluid continuously enters the borehole reaching the
surface, it is called blowout.
✓ Blowouts (in particular gas blowouts) are extremely dangerous and put the crew, the rig, the drilling
operation, and the reservoir at risk.


Well control system constituent
✓ The well control system must detect, control, and remove the undesired entrance of fluids into the
borehole.
✓ The system is composed of
➢ Sensors (flow rate, surface volume, annular and drillstring pressure, and etc,) capable to detect an
increase of flow or volume in the fluid system,
➢ The blowout preventer (BOP),
➢ The circulating pressure control manifold (chock manifold),
➢ And the kill and choke lines.

THE BLOWOUT PREVENTER (BOP)
✓ The BOP is a set of pack-offs capable of shutting the

annular space between the surface casing and the drillstring.
✓ Because of the diversity in shape of the annular, several
different device types exist and they are normally assembled
together (and in various configurations) called BOP stack.
➢ The BOP stack is located
❖ In land and fixed marine rigs

Under the rotary table
❖ In mobile and floating rigs
on the bottom of the sea

THE BLOWOUT PREVENTER (BOP)



Pressure Control Equipment
✓ BOPs equipment are selected based on the maximum expected

wellbore pressures.
✓ The pressure rating, size and number of BOP components must

be determined by the drilling engineer prior to drilling the well.
✓ BOPs are rated by API as

➢ 3 M (3000 psi), 5 M, 10 M and 15 M.
➢ For HPHT, BOPs are either
❖ 15 M or 20 M.
The Roman numeral M is often used to indicate one thousand, and MM is used to indicate one million.

The BOP stack in subsea operations
✓ In subsea operations,
The BOP stack is installed at seabed.

➢ The stack has several back up units in case of failure, for
example two annular are used so that if one failed the other
can be used.
❖ This back-up system principle is applied to all BOP
components.
➢ The subsea stack for HPHT operation

❖ May not be part of the rig contract and
❖ May have to be rented out separately.

The BOP is an important piece of equipment in the rig. It is used as second barrier against any loss of pressure
control. It is fitted with:
- Annular preventer
- Ram type preventer
- Choke line
- Kill line

Annular Preventer
➢ A large valve used to control wellbore fluids.

In this type of valve, the sealing element resembles a
large rubber doughnut that is mechanically squeezed
inward to seal on either pipe (drill collar, drillpipe,
casing, or tubing) or the openhole. The ability to seal
on a variety of pipe sizes is one advantage the annular
blowout preventer has over the ram blowout preventer.
Most blowout preventer (BOP) stacks contain at least
one annular BOP at the top of the BOP stack, and one
or more ram-type preventers below. While not
considered as reliable in sealing over the openhole as
around tubulars, the elastomeric sealing doughnut is
required by API specifications to seal adequately over the openhole as part of its certification process..
➢ It is located at the top of the BOP stack.


Rams:
❑ Pipe ram
❑ Blind ram
❑ Shear ram
Pipe rams are used when there is a drillpipe in the bop stack.
Pipe rams back up annular preventer. If the annular preventer
fails, crew member could shut the pipe rams to seal the well.
It is consisted of two rams which can move to each other.
They are activated hydraulically.

Blind rams are used to close the well when pipes are not in the hole, if the blind is closed on drill pipe, this
will not stop the seepage of formation fluids, because they have flat edges. If the annular preventer
fails, and there is no pipe in the hole, the crew member could seal the well by closing the blind arms.

Shear rams are used as last solution in well control. Blind shear arms are designed with blades that can cut
through the drillpipe and then seal the hole.
They are used in extremely emergencies.

Choke line:
This line allows the circulation of the influx to choke manifold. It has two main valves: hydraulic and manual.
The manual valve is used as safety valve in case of hydraulic valve failing. Even though the preventer shut in
the well, the kick fluid must have a way to be removed or circulated.

Kill line:
This line is used to inject heavy mud while well killing process.
It has two valves: hydraulic and manual valves. It is fitted also
with check valve or non return valve to avoid the back circulation
of kill mud or formation fluids.
Kill line is attached to the BOP stack to provide a pass for the
pumping of mud directly into the annulus of the well if normal
circulating methods cannot be used.

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Drilling Engineering and Well

The breakdown for grading is as follows:

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Exploration/production of natural resources

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Drilling engineering is a subset of petroleum engineering. Essentially, a drilling

:Drilling engineers are typically involved in

:Types of Drilling Engineers

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

1) Exploratory/Wildcat Well: to discover petroleum reservoir.

1) Exploratory/Wildcat Well: to discover petroleum reservoir.

Phase 2: Removal of Cuttings

Bailers: Bailers are used to clear cuttings from the hole.

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

The drill string is rotated by means of a rotary table to

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

The drill string is rotated by means of a rotary table to

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Although drilling rigs differ greatly in outward

I- Rig Power System (prime movers):

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Power needed is usually determined by well depth,

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Electric Control House:

On diesel electric rigs, powerful diesel engines drive

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

II- Hoisting System:

The hoisting system is a large pulley system which

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

II- Hoisting System:

The drilling line is threaded (reeved) over a set of

The drawworks is powered by prime

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

II- Hoisting System:

The drilling line is threaded (reeved) over a set of

The drawworks is powered by prime

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Having reeved the drilling line around the

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

The derrick and its substructure support the weight

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Traveling Block, Crown Block, Drill Line and Hook:

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

A traveling block is the freely moving section of a block and tackle

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

A wire rope hoisting line, reeved on sheaves of the crown

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Hoisting the new pipe:

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU

Dr. Ali Piroozian, SRBIAU