WELL CONTROL

Equations
Charts & Tables
 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

1. Pressure (psi)

Force (lb)
= psi
Area (in 2 )

2. Pressure Gradient (psi/ft)

psi
P.G.( )  0.052  Mud Weight (ppg)
ft

3. Hydrostatic Pressure (psi)

a. H. P.(psi) = 0.052  Mud Weight (ppg)  True Vertical Depth, TVD (ft)

Hydrostatic Pressure (psi)

b. Mud Weight (ppg) =
0.052  True Vertical Depth, TVD (ft)

Hydrostatic Pressure (psi)

c. True Vertical Depth, TVD (ft) =
0.052  Mud Weight (ppg)

4. Equivalent Density (ppg)

Pressure (psi)
Eq. Density (ppg) =
0.052  TVD (ft)

5. Formation Pressure (psi)

Formation Pressure (psi) = Hydrostatic Pressure in Drill Pipe (psi) + SIDPP (psi)
assuming shut-in well with BHP equalized with formation pressure

6. Density to Balance Formation (ppg)

Kill Mud Weight, KMW (ppg) =

SIDPP (psi)
+ Original Mud Weight (ppg)
0.052  TVD (ft)

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 2 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

7. Equivalent Mud Weight, EMW (ppg)

Leak - Off Pressure (psi)

EMW(ppg) = + Leak - Off Mud Wt (ppg)
0.052  Casing Shoe TVD (ft)

8. Maximum Allowable Surface Pressure, MASP (psi) Based on Casing Burst.

MASP(psi) = Casing Internal Yield (psi)  .80 (safety factor)

9. Maximum Initial Shut-In Casing Pressure, MISICP (psi) Upon initial closure only--Based on
formation breakdown @ shoe. For
IWCF, written as initial MAASP.
MISICP(psi) =  EMW (ppg) - Present Mud Wt (ppg)  0.052  Shoe TVD (ft)

10. Initial Circulating Pressure (psi) ENGINEER'S & DRILLER'S METHODS.

ICP (psi) = SIDPP(psi) + Slow Pump Rate Pressure, SPRP (psi)

11. Final Circulating Pressure (psi) ENGINEER'S METHOD.

Kill Mud Wt (ppg)

FCP(psi) = SPRP (psi) 
Original Mud Wt (ppg)

12. Equivalent Circulating Density, ECD (ppg)

Annular Pressure Loss (psi)

ECD(psi) = + Mud Wt (ppg)
0.052  TVD Bit (ft)

13. Gas Pressure and Volume Relationship -- Boyle's Law

P1V1 = P 2 V 2 The Pressure (psi) of a gas bubble times its Volume (bbl) in one
part of the hole equals its Pressure times its Volume in another.
Disregards effects of Temperature (T) and gas compressibility (z)
P1V1 P1V1
P2 = or V2 =
V2 P2

14. Pump Output (bbl/min)

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 3 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

bbl strokes
Pump Output(bbl / min) = 
stroke min

15. 100% Triplex Pump Output (bbl/stroke)

Pump Output(bbl / stk) =

 Liner ID (in) 2


Stroke Length (in)
 3
1029 12

16. Surface To Bit Strokes (strokes)

Drill String Internal Volume (bbl)

Strokes =
bbl / stroke

17. Circulating Time (min)

Volume (bbl)
Min =
Pump Output (bbl / min)

18. Open Hole Capacity Factor (bbl/ft)

Capacity(bbl / ft) =
 Open Hole Diameter (in) 2

1029

19. Pipe Capacity Factor (bbl/ft)

Capacity(bbl / ft) =
 Pipe Inside Diameter (in) 2

1029

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 4 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

20. Annulus Capacity Factor, ACF (bbl/ft)

Capacity(bbl / ft) =
 Open Hole Diameter (in) 2
-  Pipe Outside Diameter (in)
2

1029

or

Capacity(bbl / ft) =
 Casing Inside Diameter (in) 2
-  Pipe Outside Diameter (in)
2

1029

21. Pipe Displacement (bbl/ft) Disregarding tool joints.

Displacement(bbl / ft) =
 Pipe Outside Diameter (in) 2
-  Pipe Inside Diameter (in)
2

1029

22. Total Pipe Displacement Including Capacity (bbl/ft) Disregarding tool joints.

Displacement(bbl / ft) =
 Pipe Outside Diameter (in) 2

1029

23. Height of Influx (ft)

Pit Gain (bbl)

Height(ft) =
Annulus Capacity Factor (bbl / ft)

24. Pressure Gradient of Influx (psi/ft) Bit on bottom.

25.
 SICP (psi) - SIDPP (psi) 
Influx Gradient(psi / ft) = Pressure Gradient of Mud (psi / ft) -  
 Height of Influx (ft) 

26. Rate of Kick Rise (ft/hr) Well Shut-In.

Change in SICP (psi)
R.O. R.(ft / hr) =
0.052  Mud Wt (ppg)  Elapsed Time for Change in SICP (hr)

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 5 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

27. Weight per Foot of Drill Collars (lb/ft)


lbs / ft = 2.67  OD(in)  ID(in)
2 2

28. Force (lb)

Force(lbs) = Pressure (psi)  Area (in 2 )

29. Area (in2)

   Diameter (in)
2

Area(in ) 
2
,   3.142
4

30. Degrees API (@ 60oF)

O 141. 5
API = - 131. 5
Specific Gravity

31. Specific Gravity (@ 60oF)

141. 5
Specific Gravity = O
API + 131. 5

32. Mud Weight from Specific Gravity (ppg)

Mud Weight(ppg)  Specific Gravity  8.33 ppg (Fresh Water weighs 8.33 ppg)

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 6 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

33. Hang Off Weight (lb)

Weight of Block
+ Kelly Weight
+ Weight of Compensator
+ Air Weight of Drill Pipe (KB to Hang- Off Ram)
+ 10, 000 lbs
Weight on Indicator after hangoff (lb)

34. Barite Requirement For Weight-up (100 lb sxs)

 15  Increase in MW 
Barite (sxs) = Volume to weight up (bbls)   
 35.0 - KWM

35. Cutting Back or Weighting Up One Fluid with Another to Obtain Desired Fluid Density

Volume of Mixing Fluid to Add (bbls) 

 Starting Fluid Wt (ppg)  Desired Fluid Wt (ppg) 

Vol of Starting Fluid (bbls)   
 Desired Fluid Wt (ppg)  Mixing Fluid Wt (ppg) 

36. Final Density of a Mixture of Fluids, (ppg)

Final Fluid Wt (ppg) 

 Fluid Wt 1 (ppg)  Volume Fluid 1 (gals)   Fluid Wt 2 (ppg)  Volume Fluid 2 (gals)
Volume Fluid 1 (gals)  Volume Fluid 2 (gals)

37. Final Density of a Mixture of a Fluid and a Solid, (ppg)

Final Fluid Density (ppg) 

 Fluid Density (ppg)  Volume Fluid (gals)  Weight of Solid Added (lb)
 Weight of Solid Added (lb) 
Volume Fluid (gals)   
 True Density of Solid (ppg) 

38. Weight of Solid to Add to a Fluid to Obtain Desired Fluid Weight , (lb)

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 7 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

Weight of Solid to Add (lb) 

Volume of Starting Fluid (gals)  True Density of Solid (ppg)

 Desired Fluid Wt (ppg)  Starting Fluid Wt (ppg) 

 
 True Density of Solid (ppg)  Desired Fluid Wt (ppg) 

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 8 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

VOLUMETRIC CONTROL EQUATIONS

39. Pressure Increment, PI (psi)

Safety Factor (psi)

PI = = psi
3

40. Fluid Increment, MI (bbl)

PI (psi)  Annulus Capacity Factor (bbl / ft)

MI = = bbl
0. 052  Mud Wt (ppg)

41. Rate of Bubble Rise, ROR (ft/hr) See Equation 25 above.

Change in Casing Pressure (psi) ft

ROR = =
0.052  Mud Wt (ppg)  Elapsed Time for Change (hr) hr

42. Time to Bubble Penetration, BPT (hr)

Depth of Bubble (ft) - Depth of Bit (ft)

BPT = = hr
ROR (ft / hr) + Stripping Speed (ft / hr)

LUBRICATE AND BLEED

43. Pressure that can be bled off after lubricating in a given volume of fluid , (psi)

0.052  Fluid Wt (ppg)

Volume Lubricated (bbl)  = psi
Capacity Factor (bbl / ft)

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 9 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

STRIPPING AND SNUBBING EQUATIONS

STRIPPING

   OD (in)
2
44. Pressure-Area Force, Fp (lb) Fp   Well Head Pressure (psi)
4

 65 .4  Mud Wt (ppg) 
45. Buoyed Weight of Tubulars, W (lb) W  WAIR (lb)   
 65 .4 

46. Barrels to Bleed per Stand, (bbls/stand) BBL / Stand 

 OD (in)
2
 Stand Length (ft)
1029

47. Volumetric Control Considerations

Pressure Increment, PI (psi) See Equation 37 above.

Fluid Increment, MI (bbl) See Equation 38 above.

Surface Pressure Increase due to Penetration of the Bubble, SPINCR (psi)

 L K ( DP OH)  L K ( OH )    PG MUD  PG GAS   psi

Open Hole Kick Length, LK(OH) (ft)

Kick Volume at penetration (bbl)

L K ( OH ) 
ACFOH (bbl / ft)

DP by Hole Kick Length, LK(DPOH) (ft)

Kick Volume at penetration (bbl)

L K ( DP OH ) 
ACFDP OH (bbl / ft)

Rate of Bubble Rise, ROR (ft/hr) See Equation 40 above.

Time of Bubble Penetration, BPT (hrs) See Equation 41 above.

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 10 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

SNUBBING

48. Snub Force, SF (lb) SF  Fp  Friction Force  W

49. Neutral Point SF  0; Fp  W

W (lb)
50. Effective String Weight, WE (lb/ft) WE (lb / ft) 
L (ft)

51. Calculating Effective String Weight and Change in Effective String Weight after Filling

a) Effective String Weight with no fluid in the workstring:

WE (Effective String Wt, lb / ft) 

Air Wt (lb / ft) 

 OD(in)  Fluid Wt WELL (ppg)
2

245
.

Note that WE and Air Wt both have units of lb/ft. For example, the air weight of 2-7/8” tubing
normally would be 6.5 lb/ft.

b) Increase in the Effective String Weight after the pipe is filled with the same Fluid
Weight that is in the well:

WE (lb / ft) 

 ID ( in) 2  Fluid Wt WELL (ppg)
24.5

c) Increase in the Effective String Weight after the pipe is filled with a different Fluid
Weight than the Fluid Weight that is in the well:

WE (lb / ft) 

 ID ( in) 2  Fluid Wt FILL (ppg)
24 .5

d) After filling the pipe, the Effective String Weight will be:

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 11 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

WE (AFTER FILLING) (lb / ft)  WE  WE

 Air Wt (lb / ft) 

 OD (in) 2
 Fluid Wt WELL (ppg)  ID (in)  Fluid Wt FILL (ppg)

2

24.5 24.5

In this case, note that Fluid WtFILL in the last term above will be Fluid WtWELL if filled with the
same fluid.

NOTE: This the GENERAL EQUATION for the Effective Buoyed Weight of the String. It works
regardless of the fluid that is inside or outside the pipe. If the fluid is gas at fairly low
pressure, use 0 lbs/gal for the fluid wt.

52. Predicting the Neutral Point

Combining Equations 47 and 48 above gives an equation for the length L (ft) of pipe that must
be run into the well to reach the Neutral Point:

W (lb)
Fp (lb)  W (lb) and WE (lb / ft) 
L (ft)
Fp (lb)
L (ft) 
WE (lb / ft)

a) The Neutral Point occurs in unfilled pipe when the length of pipe run into the well is:

Fp (lb)
L (ft) 
AIR Wt (lb / ft) 
 OD (in ) 2
 Fluid Wt WELL (ppg)
24.5

b) The Neutral Point occurs in filled pipe when the length of pipe run into the well is:

Fp (lb)
L (ft) 
AIR Wt (lb / ft) 
 OD (in) 2
 Fluid Wt WELL (ppg)  ID (in)  Fluid Wt FILL (ppg)
+
2

24.5 24.5

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 12 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22

 WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

Accumulator Sizing

52. Bottle Capacity Required (gals)

Volume Fluid Required(gals)

Bottle Volume (gals) 
Precharge Pressure Precharge Pressure
-
Minimum Operating Pressure Maximum Operating Pressure

53. Volume Useable Fluid Available (gals)

Volume Useable Fluid (gals)

 Precharge Pressure Precharge Pressure 
= Bottle Volume (gals)   -
 Minimum Operating Pressure Maximum Operating Pressure 

apps\worddocs\wcequatn.doc PAGE 13 OF 12 Revised 1/6/22