Emergency Preparedness

Nitin Kulkarni Drill Procedures for Rig Crew

Emergency Preparedness

Contributing Author
Nitin Kulkarni.
Sr. Well Engineering Professional

DISCLAIMER & PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

The content of this book is based on information sources, which we believe is reliable, including
information that was publicly available; but author does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of
such information. All statements are the opinions of author(s). The users remain fully responsible for
decisions, actions and omissions.
The use of and reliance upon this data by the user is subject to the terms and conditions agreed upon
between Petro Proficient and the user. User takes full and sole responsibility for any inference drawn and
consequences from the use of the information and procedures

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Emergency Preparedness

Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3

Shut In Drill Procedure ................................................................................................................ 4

Pit Drill Procedure ........................................................................................................................ 4

Trip Drill Procedure ...................................................................................................................... 4

Trip Drill Procedure With Drill pipe In The BOP Stack. ................................................................................ 5
Fire and Rig Abandonment Dill Procedures ............................................................................. 5

H2S Drill Procedures .................................................................................................................... 5

Diverter Drills Procedures in Well Control ............................................................................... 6

BOP Accumulator Drill Procedure for Well Control .............................................................. 6

Choke Manipulation Drill Procedure ......................................................................................... 7

Abandon Rig Drill Procedures .................................................................................................... 8

Well Control & BOP Drill exercise: ........................................................................................... 8

Timing of Drills ............................................................................................................................. 8

Routine Drills ........................................................................................................................................................... 8
Well Control & BOP Drill exercise: ..................................................................................................................... 8
Shut In drills ............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Pit drills ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9

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Emergency Preparedness

Introduction
The World Health Organization defines an emergency as the state in which normal procedures are
interrupted, and immediate measures (management) need to be taken to prevent it from becoming a
disaster, which is even harder to recover from. Emergencies and accidents can happen anywhere and at any
time bringing workplace injuries and illnesses with them. The ability to respond effectively to an emergency
is dependent on proper planning before the emergency occurs.

A workplace emergency is a situation that threatens workers, customers, or the public; disrupts or shuts
down operations; or causes physical or environmental damage. Emergencies may be natural or man-made
and many types of emergencies can be anticipated in the planning process, which can help employers and
workers plan for other unpredictable situations.

One should never ignore any indication or an alarm signal at your workplace. Gather up your personal
items (if it is safe to do so), close the door behind you and evacuate quickly. If the alarm system has not
been activated, pull the closest alarm pull station to alert the emergency responders and begin the evacuation
process for others within the work area who may not be aware of the emergency.

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Emergency Preparedness

Shut In Drill Procedure

These drills are correct to minimize the time required for the Driller and his crew to shut in the
well properly and quickly and to confirm that all essential tools and equipment are available in
good operating condition. The Drilling Contractor’s personnel shall conduct drill to close in the
BOP, in the shortest possible time, fully comprehending the procedure.

Pit Drill Procedure

The purpose of this drill is to ensure that the drill crews are familiar with the Soft or Hard Shut in Procedure
implemented in the event of taking a kick while drilling. These drills can be conducted in either, cased or
open hole. However, if the Drill String is in open hole, the well will not be shut in.

Without any previous warning an “authorized person”, will change the pit level indicator, to show an
increase in mud volume.

The mud logger is expected to detect the gain and notify the Driller.

The Driller is expected to perform the following:

• Detect and acknowledge the pit gain.

• Pick up the kelly or top drive to the correct height.
• Shut down the pumps and check the well is flowing.
• Shut In the well as per the established ‘Soft or Hard Shut in procedures’.
• Open the hydraulic valve on the BOP stack, close the upper bag-type preventer and close the
remote choke.

Trip Drill Procedure

The purpose of the trip drill procedure is to ensure that the drill crew is familiar with the Hard /Soft Shut
In procedure to be implemented as described above. The drill shall be performed with Drill Bit inside the
casing setting depth and not in a troublesome zone.

An Authorised Person (without any previous warning) will initiate the drill by manipulating the trip tank
indicator or flowline indicator.

The mud logger shall detect the gain or incorrect pipe displacement and notify the Driller.

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Trip Drill Procedure With Drill pipe In The BOP Stack.

The Driller is expected to perform the following:

• Detect the pit gain or incorrect pipe displacement.

• Lower the stand into the hole and set the pipe in the slips.
• Install a safety valve (lower kellycock) in the open position.
• Close the safety valve.
• Check for well flow.
• Shut In the well as per the established ‘Soft / Hard Shut In Procedures’: open the hydraulic valve
on the BOP stack, close the upper bag-type preventer and close the remote choke.
• Install Gray valve IBOP.
• Open safety valve and prepare to strip in hole with Drill Pipe.

Fire and Rig Abandonment Dill Procedures

Without any previous warning an authorized person should activate the alarm signal, to simulate a fire on
well, followed by the rig abandonment. The Drill Bit should be inside the casing shoe and not in a
troublesome zone.

The Drilling Contractor’s crew on duty will Shut In The Well and hang-off drill pipe without opening the
hydraulic valve on the choke and kill lines, then continue with the necessary steps to simulated rig
abandonment by all unnecessary personnel, while the emergency crew should simulate the fire-fighting
procedure.

H2S Drill Procedures

Without any previous warning an authorized person should activate the alarm signal, to simulate
the presence of H2S. The drill against the H2S effects can be operated at two levels:

• Alarm drills simulating the presence of H2S in the mud.

• Emergency drill simulating the presence of H2S in the air, i.e. in the shale shakers area, on
the rig floor, at the mud tanks etc.

All personnel must wear breathing apparatus and with the exception of the crews on duty. They
must proceed to the upwind emergency safe breathing area ( Muster Point), while the emergency
crew secure the well and simulates the delimitation of the polluted area.

H2S drills shall be recorded on the IADC daily drilling report and appropriate company form.

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Emergency Preparedness

Diverter Drills Procedures in Well Control

Because of the limited response time required when diverter systems are employed, the Drilling Contractor
shall have written procedures that detail specific emergency action plans. These emergency action
procedures should be in operation prior to spudding the well.

The purpose of diverter drills is to reduce to the minimum, the time required for a driller and his crew to
divert the well flow during a Kick. Diverter drills shall not be limited to the rig floor personnel but shall
involve all rig personnel. The drills will be prepared in line with the specific procedure that will be adopted
in the event of a shallow gas kick.

This well control drill shall be conducted hourly with each crew until the crew is familiar with the drill.

The Driller is expected to perform the following:

• Pick up the kelly or top drive so that lower kellycock is above the rotary table.
• Open the diverter lines, close the diverter element and close the shaker valve (auto sequenced
operation). Check the closing time (for diverter sizes smaller than 20” the closing time shall be
within 30 sec, for diverter sizes 20” or larger the closing time should be within 45 sec).
• Circulate through both lines.

BOP Accumulator Drill Procedure for Well Control

The purpose of this drill is to minimize the cause of equipment failures, to ensure quick initial
closure times, and to check the ability to continue operations in the event of BOP accumulator
pump failure. Accumulator performance shall be proven at the first installation of the BOP on the
wellhead. Thereafter, this drill should be conducted after each Casing setting before the BOP
pressure tests.

The following well control drills procedure is recommended:

• Position a joint of Drill Pipe in the stack. Make sure the tool joint is not across the RAMs.
• Turn off the accumulator pumps.
• Record the initial accumulator pressure. This pressure should be the design operating
pressure of the accumulator. Adjust the regulator to provide 1,500 psi operating pressure
to the annular preventer.
• Close then open the annular preventer, hydraulic valves on choke and lines and the pipe
ram preventers for the size of pipe being run. Closing times shall be less than 30 sec for

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Emergency Preparedness

each ram type preventer. Closing time should not exceed 30 sec for annular preventers
smaller than 18 3/4” nominal bore and 45 sec for annular preventers of 18 3/4” and larger.

Record the final accumulator pressure. The final accumulator pressure shall not be less than 1,200
psi (84 kg/cm2).

Bleed the accumulator pressure down to 1,000psi (precharge pressure). Turn on the accumulator
pumps and record the recharge time. The recharging time from 1,000 psi to 3,000 psi shall be less
than 15 min.

Reposition all the preventer control valves in the normal operating mode.

Equipment that does not meet these requirements, either, has insufficient capacity or is not in
good operating condition and needs repair. At the end of this BOP drill procedure, a function test
will be conducted to run the accumulator electric pump using the rig emergency generator. Also,
you can perform all BOP Control System Tests from time to time to ensure everything is working
fine.

Choke Manipulation Drill Procedure

The purpose of the ‘choke manipulation drill’, is to provide the drill crews with realistic Well Control
training and a feel for the equipment and procedures used for killing a well, by simulating a circulation
through the choke manifold under Kick condition.

The choke manipulation drill should be carried out before drilling out shoe tracks.

Drilling Contractor’s crew should run BOP drill procedure and exercise as following:

• Run the Drilling Bit to above the shoe track.

• Break the circulation and record the RPSP.
• Close the BOP Stack.
• Apply pressure to the well, and simulate a circulation under Kick condition using the automatic
power choke and manual adjustable choke
• Record the circulating drill pipe pressure and casing pressure.
• Consider applying low pressure to the Casing (~ 200 psi), and bring the pump up to reduced pump
strokes controlling the drill pipe pressure according to a predetermined schedule.

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Emergency Preparedness

Abandon Rig Drill Procedures

Without any previous warning an authorized person should activate the alarm signal, to abandon
the rig due to the following reasons:

• A potential uncontrollable fire on board

• Uncontrollable blow-out situation

• Damage to rig structure etc.

All Personnel except the crews on duty must get ready to abandon the rig. Operations must be
suspended for the time the drill is carried out.

Well Control & BOP Drill exercise:

Pit/trip drills shall be carried out on a shift basis every fortnight. These drills shall be conducted
also when the well is nearing or entering high-pressure zones.

Diverter drills shall be performed prior to drilling out the conductor casing string.

Timing of Drills
Time is the most important aspect in shut-in drills and pit drills, and the times required to
accomplish the given task shall be recorded.

The well control drills Reaction times that can be considered as satisfactory to accomplish different
drill requirements are detailed below:

Routine Drills
These well control drills shall be executed every week. Potential fire on wellsite and/or abandon
rig.

Alert or emergency drills have to be performed weekly and repeated before entering the zone
where the presence of H2S is suspected, before coring and before making DST or a production
test when the presence of H2S is, either, predicted or ascertained.

Well Control & BOP Drill exercise:

Pit/trip drills shall be carried out on a shift basis every fortnight. These drills shall be conducted
also when the well is nearing or entering high-pressure zones.

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Emergency Preparedness

Diverter drills shall be performed prior to drilling out the conductor casing string

Shut In drills
One minute from activation of the alarm signal to being ready to close the bag type preventer.
Pit drills
Not more than 2.5 min from an observable change in drilling fluid volume to the time the well is
closed-in, implementing the soft shut-in procedure.

The correct timing for all other tests will be defined in the Drilling Contractor’s Procedures according
to the equipment characteristics.