BASICS OF WELL

CONTROL
.
PRIMARY WELL CONTROL:
Maintenance of
sufficient hydrostatic pressure in the well-bore to control
back the formation pressure.

SECONDARY WELL CONTROL:

It involves the
proper use of B.O.P. & kill procedures for detection and
safe handling of kicks so as to re-establish the Primary
Well Control.
PRESSURE GRADIENT:
It is the pressure exerted by
a fluid of a given density measured over a given unit
depth. Its unit is psi/ft.
Pressure Gradient = 0.052 × Mud weight
Pressure Gradient is also referred as Mud Gradient
HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE:
It is the pressure exerted
by a static column of fluid by virtue of its density. It depends
on the True Vertical Depth (TVD) of the fluid column and
the density of the fluid.
Hydrostatic Pressure will not depend upon the hole size
or the hole geometry.

Hydr. Press.(psi) = 0.052  Mud weight (ppg)  TVD(feet)

Ex. Mud weight = 10 ppg , TVD = 10,000 ft

Hydr. Press. = 0.052  10  10,000
= 5200 psi
Annulus
Drill String
SICP SIDP SICP
700 500 700 Total D/S Pr.
500+5000
HY. HY. =5500
PR PR
OF HY OF
MUD PR MUD Total Annulus Pr
IN OF IN 700+4600+200
A/S MUD A/S =5500
4600 IN 4600
D/S
GAS 5000 GAS
PR PR
200. 200.

TOTAL TOTAL TOTAL

PR PR PR
5500 5500 5500

Formation Pressure 5500

 CAUSES OF HYDROSTATIC PR. REDUCTION

a) Improper hole fill up on trips.

b) Swabbing.

c) Insufficient mud density.

d) Lost circulation.

e) Gas cut mud

 FORMATION PRESSURE
• Formation pressure or Pore pressure is
the pressure exerted by the fluid trapped
in the pores of the formation.
• This can be categorized as :
• Normal
• Abnormal
• Subnormal
 ABNORMAL FORMATION PRESSURE

• Hydrostatic Pressure Gradient of Fresh Water

= 0.052 × 8.33

= 0.433 psi / ft

• Hydrostatic Pressure Gradient of Salt Water =

0.052 × 8.92

= 0.465 psi / ft
1) If Form. Press. Grad. > Hyd. Press. Grad. of Salt Water
=> Abnormal Pressure

2) If Form. Press. Grad. < Hydrostatic Pressure Gradient of Fresh Water

=> Sub-normal Pressure

3) If Form. Press. Grad. lies in between 0.433 and 0.465 psi / ft

=>Normal Pressure
 REASONS OF HAVING ABNORMAL
PRESSURE
• 1) UNDER-COMPACTION
In general the geological
process is such that the rate of deposition is slow and gradual,
and hence the excess water gets enough opportunity to escape
to the surrounding formations and full compaction results.. But
sometimes the rate of deposition is high and the formation
water may not be able to escape to the surrounding formations
at that proportionate high rate and shall then support more part
of the overburden pressure.

.
• 2) ARTESIAN EFFECT
When a water bearing permeable rock outcrops at the surface in
a mountain area then the formation fluids at any depth are under
hydrostatic pressure which is equivalent to the height of the
outcrop. Hence the formation fluid in the valley below shall be
abnormally pressured.
Formation Pressure at point A = 0.465 × 4000 = 1860 psi
1860
Formation Pressure Gradient at point B =
3000
= 0.62 psi / ft
As Formation Pressure gradient is greater than 0.465 psi / ft,
hence formation fluid at the valley is abnormally pressured.
If the formation water source is located above the rig floor level,
• 3) FAULTING
Faulting is up-thrusting of deep rocks .
Due to various geological reasons rocks from deeper depths
gets displaced up and the displacement may range from few
centimetres to kilometres. Since the formation pressure
normally increases with depth, when deep rocks get faulted
up, they have higher than normal pressure with respect to the
new depth they now occupy. Hence when drilling across a
fault , there is a possibility of encountering abnormally high
formation pressure.
• 4) GAS CAP EFFECT
In a folded permeable formation , pore
pressure at various places across the fold, though in direct
communication to each other, varies depending upon the nature of the
fluid trapped in the pores . Difference in density between the gas and
water causes the abnormal pressures where hydrocarbon occur above
water. The magnitude of this pressure depends upon the structural
elevation of the hydrocarbon reservoir.
Formation pressure at point A = 0.465 × 8000 = 3720 psi
Hydrostatic pressure of gas = 0.1 × 1000 = 100 psi
Formation pressure at point B = 3720 – 100 = 3620 psi
3620
Formation pressure gradient at point B = = 0.517 psi / ft
7000
Hence the same formation which was normally pressurised for 8000
feet is abnormally pressured for 7000 feet.
 BOTTOM HOLE PRESSURE
(BHP):
• It is the sum total of all the pressures i.e.
static, dynamic and surface applied
pressures acting on the bottom the well.

• During well control we are maintaining the

BHP constant throughout the Well Killing
Operations.
BHP in different Well situations:

1) When not circulating

BHP = Hyd. Press. Of mud column

2) While drilling
BHP = Hyd. Press. Of mud + Annular pressure losses

3) Well shut-in on a kick

BHP = Hyd. Press. Of mud in Drill String + SIDPP
BHP = Hyd. Press. Of mud in annulus + Hyd. Press. Of
Influx + SICP
SIDPP = Form. Press.- Hyd. Press.of mud In Drill String
4) BHP while killing
BHP = Hyd. Press. Of mud in annulus + Hyd. Press. Of
Influx + Casing Press. + Annular Press. Losses
5) BHP while tripping-in ( R/I )
BHP = Hyd. Press.+ Surge Pressure

Surge pressure can be increased by:

a) R/I speed
b) Mud viscosity & gel strength
c) Annular clearance
d) BHA length & size
6) BHP while tripping-out ( P/O)
BHP = Hyd. Press - Swab Pressure

Swab pressure can be increased by:

a) P/O speed
b) Mud viscosity & gel strength
c) Annular clearance
d) Wall cake is thick
e) Balled-up bit & stabilizer
Relationship between Pump pressure & SPM / Pump rate

[ New SPM ]2
New Pump Pressure = × Old Pump pressure
[ Old SPM ]2

e.g. At 30SPM, Pump Pressure is 200psi, what will be the pump pressure
60SPM ?

[60]2
New Pump Pressure = × 200
[30]2

= 800 psi
Relationship between Pump pressure & Mud Weight

New Mud Weight

New Pump Pressure = × Old Pump pressure
Old Mud Weight

e.g. With 10ppg mud weight , Pump pressure is 200psi , then what will
be the pump pressure with 12ppg mud weight ?
12
New Pump Pressure = × 200
10

= 240 psi
Exercise:
At 90 SPM with 11ppg mud, pump pressure is 2000 psi. What will be the
pump pressure at 45 SPM with 16 ppg mud ?
At 90 SPM with 11ppg mud, pump pressure is 2000 psi
At 45 SPM with 11ppg mud, pump pressure will be

( 45)2
= × 2000 = 500 psi
(90)2

At 45 SPM with 16 ppg mud, pump pressure will be

16
= × 500 = 727.3 psi
11
 KICK INDICATIONS:

1. EARLY WARNING SIGNS : These are indications of

approaching higher formation pressure which means that the well
may go under-balance if no appropriate action is taken.
2. POSITIVE KICK SIGNS : These indicate that the kick has
already entered the well bore.
 EARLY WARNING SIGNS
1. Increase in rate of penetration.
2. Increase in torque and drag.
3. Decrease in Shale density : Shale density usually increases
with depth but decreases in abnormal pressure zones.
4. Change in cutting size and shape : Cuttings are normally
small in size with rounded edges. Cuttings drilled from
abnormal pressured formation are often long and splintery
with angular edges. As differential pressure is reduced due to
increase in formation pressure, the cuttings have a tendency
to explode off bottom.
5. Change in mud properties
6. Change in ‘d’-exponent
 ‘d’- exponent curve
d exponent

x
Depth x
x
x
x

In high pressure formations d

exp. tend to decrease with depth

• d exponent = log(R/60N) / log(12 W/10 3 Db)

d exp = Indicator of drillability
R = ROP (ft/hr), N = RPM, W = WOB (Thousand lbs), Db = Bit dia (inch)
7. Increase in chloride contents : Drilling through high pressure
formations having higher porosity results in contamination of
drilling fluid with considerable volume of saline water from pores.
This increases chloride content of the drilling fluid.
8. Increase in flow line temperature : The temperature gradient in
abnormal pressure formation is usually higher than normal pressure
formation.
9. Increase in trip, connection & background gas : An increase in
trip, connection & background gas should be considered as an
indication that pore pressure is increasing.
.
 POSITIVE KICK SIGNS:
1. Increase in return flow ( Pump on )
2. Flow from the well ( Pump off )
3. Pit gain
4. Decrease in pump pressure and increase in pump SPM
LEAK OFF TEST (L.O.T.)
Leak off test is conducted to determine the pressure at which
formation begins to leak. It also establishes the integrity of
cement bond at the casing shoe.
TEST PROCEDURE:
1) Drill 10 to 15 feet of fresh formation.
2) Circulate out all the cuttings thoroughly to get a homogenous
mud column.
3) Pull out up to casing shoe. Fill the hole and close BOP. Open
casing annulus valves.
4) Pump into the well in small increments of ¼ to ½ barrel by
low discharge high pressure pump (cementing unit ), waiting
each time for 3-4 minutes or the time required for pressure to
stabilise.
5) Plot a graph for Volume versus Pressure simultaneously.
Continue pumping in increments until the plotted curve
deviates from the straight line.
 L.O.T. CURVE

Surface Leak Off Pressure = MAASP

LOT is not last reading Elastic propagation
but a point where curve No permanent damage to formation
leaves straight line x
x

x
Fracture
x Propagation pressure

x
x

Volume Pumped
NECESSITY OF A GOOD LEAK-OFF TEST (L.O.T)
1) Drill 10 to 15 feet of fresh formation.
2) Low discharge high pressure pump.
3) Accurate pressure gauge.
4) Exact mud density.
5) Exact true vertical depth (TVD) of casing shoe.
6) Burst strength of casing
7) Volume pumped and the return volume.
 EXERCISE
• Find out the Formation strength at shoe
Both In PSI and MWE(ppg)
• MW.used during LOT : 10 ppg
• Shoe TVD : 5000 Ft.
• Surface leak off pressure: 1200 psi
Formation Strength = Hydrostatic Pressure of mud at casing
shoe + Surface Leak off Pressure
= 0.052 × 10 × 5000 + 1200
= 2600 + 1200
= 3800 psi
3800
1. Maximum Allowable Mud Weight =
0.052 × 5000

= 14.61 ppg
 Surface leak off pressure
2. Max. All. Mud Wt. = Mud Wt. in use +
0.052 × TVD of casing shoe

1200
= 10 +
0.052 × 5000

= 14.61 ppg
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE ANNULAR
SURFACE PRESSURE ( MAASP )
MAASP is the maximum surface pressure which can be applied
over and above the hydrostatic pressure before the shoe
gets fractured.
MAASP is to be recalculated whenever mud weight is
changed.
1. When mud weight is increased MAASP will decrease.
2. When mud weight is decreased MAASP will increase.

Formulas for MAASP:

1. MAASP = Formation Strength – Hyd. Press. Of mud at c/shoe
2. MAASP = ( Max.Allow.MW – Current MW ) × 0.052 × TVD
of casing shoe
From 1st Formula:
MAASP = Formation Strength – Hyd. Press. Of mud at casing shoe
= 3800 –2600
= 1200 psi
From 2nd Formula:
Max. Allowable MW = 14.61
MAASP = ( Max. Allowable MW – Current MW ) × 0.052 × TVD of
casing shoe
= ( 14.61 – 10 ) × 0.052 × 5000
= 1198.6 psi
WELL KILLING
TO CIRCULATE OUT THE INFLUX

TO REGAIN THE PRIMARY CONTROL

CIRCULATING KILLING NON CIRCULATING KILLING

DRILLER’S WAIT & WEIGHT VOLUMETRIC

{ONLY FOR GAS KICK & IN SPECIAL
SITUATIONS e. g.
NOZZLE PLUG, STRING OUT OF HOLE
ETC. }
 TWO CIRCULATION KILLING

 Ist CIRCULATION IS CARRIED OUT WITH

ORIGINAL MUD & INFLUX IS REMOVED
FROM THE WELLBORE

 IInd CIRCULATION IS CARRIED OUT WITH

KILL MUD & ORIGINAL MUD IN THE WELL
IS DISPLACED
ONE CIRCULATION KILLING

KILL MUD IS PREPARED AND DURING THE

WAITING PERIOD IF SURFACE PRESSURES
START INCREASING SIDPP IS MAINTAINED
CONSTANT BLEEDING THROUGH CHOKE

KILL MUD IS CIRCULATED IN THE WELL,

BOTH INFLUX AS WELL AS ORIGINAL MUD
ARE DISPLACED IN ONE CIRCULATION
 PRESSURE AT SHOE
• If Surface to Bit strokes (string
volume) are less then Bit to Shoe
strokes (open hole volume), then
in case of Driller’s Method shoe
pressure will be more than that
of Wait & Weight Method.
 CASING SHOE PRESSURE PROFILE
S Driller’s Method
h
Wait & Weight Method
o
e

P Top of influx at shoe

r
e 900 psi (Driller’s)
s
Kill mud enters annulus
s 875 psi ( W&W)
u
r Influx crossing shoe
e Kill mud at shoe
800
750
P 700
s
i

Bit to Shoe Casing Vol.

Strokes
TOP HOLE DRILLING( SHELLOW WELLS)
FEATURES:
•Fast R.O.P.
•Hole sizes are large and Porosity is very high
•Cutting carrying capacity of mud is poor because of the large hole
size
•Formation strength are low in the top hole section , more so in a
marine well since part of the overburden there consists of seawater
rather than formation.
• Shallow gas kicks are difficult to detect at an early stage
because most of the standard flow detection techniques fail.
Flow checks on drilling breaks become impractical as drilling
rates generally are very fast and penetration rates vary
tremendously.
• Mud volume is continuously being added to active mud
system therefore pit level indicator at times cannot be made
use of.
• Reaction time is very less since gas expands immediately
upon entering the well-bore, which further reduces the
hydrostatic head and allows more and more influx to enter the
well-bore.
• As such well cannot be closed completely because the
pressure might generate so much as to broach to the outside of
the shallow casing. Allow the well to divert through a diverter.
PROBLEMS FACED IN TOP HOLE DRILLING
• Formation being weak is vulnerable to bulk mud losses. Also
soft, fast drilling formations generate large volume of cuttings
which tend to accumulate in the borehole because of low annular
velocities resulting in increase in effective mud weight.
• Kicks occur quickly & since shallow reservoirs can have high
permeability, Time for action is limited.
• Shallow gas kicks are difficult to detect at an early stage
because most of the standard flow detection techniques fail. Flow
checks on drilling breaks become impractical as drilling rates
generally are very fast and penetration rates vary tremendously.
Mud volume is continuously being added to active mud system
therefore pit level indicator at times cannot be made use of. The
only reliable indication is the return flow meter.
 Difference Shallow Vs Deep Hole
Deep Kick Shallow kick
1 Equipment BOP, Choke & Diverter and
Kill manifold D/Vent
2 Kill Rate 1/2 to 1/3 Maximum
3 Kill Mud Wt Based on SIDP On Flow
Severity
4 Closing Stop Pump, Open D/line,
Sequence Close BOP Close Diverter
Increase Pump
Rate
5 Kick indication Reliable Sign Difficult to
recognised
ACTION RECOMMENDED FOR SHALLOW WELLS
1) Keep slow drilling rate.
2) Clean hole by intermittent high viscous sweeps.
3) Drill a pilot hole and enlarge with underreamer.
4) Keep tripping speeds slow.
5) Keep enough stock of reserve mud.
6) Control losses before drilling ahead.
7) Run float in string to prevent sudden flow through string.