GeoBalance

MPD Intermediate – Module 1

Learning Objectives
 At the end of this module, you will be able to:

 Describe and discuss basic drilling processes and techniques

 Explain pressure and operational window

 Explain common drilling techniques used today, their characteristics and

application: Conventional Drilling, Managed Pressure Drilling.

 Describe and understand Managed Pressure Drilling equipment

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Conventional (Overbalanced) Drilling

 What is Conventional Drilling?

The practice of maintaining a borehole
pressure that exceeds the pore pressure
gradients is called overbalanced drilling
(OBD).

 Characteristics
Conventionally drilled wells are open
systems.

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Basic Concept

Pressure Balance – Conventional

BHP  PGravity  PFriction

Where:
 ΔPGravity = hydrostatic pressure due to mud weight
 ΔPFriction = friction pressure due to circulation

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4
 Conventional Drilling
Pressure
Conventional
Static Mud Weight > PP
Dynamic Mud Weight
ECD < FP

Fracture Pressure
TV Depth
Pore Pressure

5
5
 Conventional Drilling
What happen if the is a small window between pore and fracturing pressure?

Fracture pressure

ECD

Conventional drilling (Hydrostatic pressure)

Pore pressure

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6
Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD)

 What is it? An adaptive drilling process used to precisely control the

annular pressure profile throughout the wellbore.

 What is the objective?

 Control the bottom hole pressure
within the downhole pressure
environment limits.
 Avoid continuous influx of
formation fluids to the surface.

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 Why to use MPD ? Helps to identify earlier the kicks.
150
ATN  6” Hole Section
140  8.5” Hole Section
Kick Volume Vs Kick Intensity  12.25” Hole Section
130
 17.5” Hole section
120

110

100 ATN

90

80 T09

70

60

50
CGR

40
Kick Volume, bbls

30 DSS
T15
ATN
MGH
20

10
TND
CET MER
TND
0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5
Kick Intensity, ppg

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MPD Benefits
MANAGED PRESSURE DRILLING
43% ofequal
BHCP NPT is pressure-related
or above BHP
(Narrow Drilling Margins) Other
57%
 Solve “Drilling”
Twist Off related problems
– 3%Lost circulation - Depleted reservoirs
– Abnormally pressured formations
– Unstable formations
Stuck Pipe – Pressure Cycling
11% – Tripping out of the hole
– Running Casing in hole
– Ballooning
– Connection gas
 Increased safety
– Surface Gas Control
Wellbore
–
Instability/Sloughing Early influx detection / Improved well control

Shale Cost efficient
4% – Rapid change of downhole pressure without any changes to mud system
– Increased ROP
– Lost Circulation
Potential decreased formation damage / recognition of bypassed reserves
– Improve13%reservoir isolation Shallow
(BHP management during cementing)
Water Flow Kick
– Reduce the number of casing strings3% required to access the target.
9%

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9
Scheme of a MPD Operation Onshore

RPD MGS

Auto
Choke

RPD

Coriolis MPD Choke

Coriolis Meter

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Pore Pressure

 What is Pore Pressure (Formation Pressure)? It is the pressure acting on the

fluids in the pore spaces of the rock. Depending on the magnitude of pore
pressure, it can be described as normal, abnormal or subnormal.

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Fracture Pressure

 What is Fracture Pressure? The amount of pressure it takes to permanently

deform the rock structure of a formation.
 It can be expressed as a gradient (psi/ft), a
fluid density equivalent (ppg), or by
calculated total pressure at the formation
(psi).

 Fracture gradients normally increase with

depth.

 Fracture pressures at any given depth can

vary widely because of the geology of the
area.
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 Thresholds
Equivalent Mud Weight (ppg)
8 10 12 14 16 18 20
1800

2200

Estimated pore pressure 2600

3000

Measured pore pressure 3400

3800

Depth (m)
Estimated frac gradient 4200

4600

5000

There are benefits of being the mud weight as 5400

closed as possible to the pore pressure (Be aware

5800

of the collapse pressure)

6200

6600

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 Conventional (Small Operating window)
Pressure
0

Static Mud Weight > PP

Dynamic Mud Weight
ECD < FP

Fracture Pressure
TV Depth
Pore Pressure

1
4 14
 Conventional Drilling
What happen if the is a small window between pore and fracturing pressure?

Fracture pressure

ECD

Conventional drilling (Hydrostatic pressure)

Pore pressure

1
15
MPD Scenario
What happen if the is a small window between pore and fracturing pressure?
Needs a different approach: Lighter MPD mud weight !!!
Fracture pressure

ECD Controlled BHP

Managed Pressure drilling

Pore pressure
(Hydrostatic pressure)
MPD Mud is statically underbalance,
so needs back pressure during any pump stop to keep Bottom hole pressure
constant.
1
16
 Flow in THE TECHNIQUE
Flow out  The use of Surface Backpressure and a Kick
Detection System allows to determine the
Depth

drilling window in RT

PROCEDURE

Losses Pressure
 ECD is kept at a value where drilling is done
Pore Pressure

without problems (Flow in = Flow out)

 PP: Surface backpressure is decreased in
steps until the well “kicks” (Flow out > Flow in)
 Losses: Surface backpressure is increased in
steps until there is a loss (Flow out < Flow in)
EMW
1
7 17
Balanced Equation – MPD

BHP = SBP + ΔPGravity + ΔPFriction

Where:
 BHP = bottom hole pressure
 SBP = surface back pressure
 ΔPGravity = hydrostatic pressure due to mud weight
 ΔPFriction = friction pressure due to circulation.

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 Well project – MPD
Surface Backpressure Pressure
Conventional 0

MPD
Static Mud Weight
Dynamic Mud Weight +BP Fracture Pressure

TV Depth
Pore Pressure
SBP = Surface Backpressure

1
19
Operational Window

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Leak Off Test (LOT) Normally conventional operations.

 Why conduct LOT?

It is performed to determine the strength or fracture pressure of the open formation.

 How is it done?
During the test, the well is shut in and fluid is pumped into the wellbore to gradually
increase the pressure the formation experiences. At a certain pressure, fluid will
enter the formation/ leak off.

 What does the result indicate?

The maximum pressure and equivalent mud weight that may be applied to the well
during drilling operations.

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Formation Integrity Test (FIT). Normally in MPD operations.
 Why conduct FIT?
It is the method to test strength of
formation and casing shoe by increasing
Bottom Hole Pressure to designed
pressure. It is conducted to ensure that
formation below the shoe will not be
broken while drilling the next section with
higher BHP.

 How is it done?
Engineers from the oil company will decide
how much formation integrity test pressure
required (usually expressed as equivalent
mud density)
22
Dynamic Formation Integrity Test (DFIT)
 Why conduct DFIT?
It is the method to test strength of formation and casing shoe by
increasing Bottom Hole Pressure to a designed pressure. It is conducted
to ensure that the formation not be broken while drilling the next section
with higher BHP.

 FIT vs. DFIT

FIT does not involve flowing while a DFIT is done while flowing which
includes the friction pressure developed.

 How is it done?
While flowing through the drill string the bottom hole pressure is
increased to a predefined pressure.

23
Dynamic Pore Pressure Test (DPPT)

 Why conduct a DPPT?

The objective is to understand the real pore pressure so we know and can use
the most appropriate bottom hole pressure to continue drilling.

 How is it done?
The WHP is reduced to a pressure below the pour pressure. At this point flow
out will deviate from flow in. This pressure is measured by the PWD.

 How does knowing this pressure help drilling MPD?

Now we know the true pore pressure and can use the most appropriate bottom
hole pressure while drilling.

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Difference between FIT and LOT
Formation Integrity Test Leak Off Test

 Like testing a pressure vessel to its  Like testing a pressure vessel to leak,
rated operating pressure, in which rupture, or become permanently
no damage to future pressure deformed.
containment capability is expected

 Conventional FITs require use of  LOTs deserve careful weighing of risk

the rig’s mud pumps, closing the versus benefit in respect to making
BOP and incurring non-productive the fracture pressure gradient more
time (NPT). of a relative unknown than it may
already be.

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Operational Window
 The operational window is
the area between the pore
pressure and fracture
pressure.

 As it is not desired to reach

Operational Window
the fracture pressure at
any point, the operational
window is the area
between the pore pressure
and the weakest point in
the well, usually the
formation integrity
pressure.

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Drilling Techniques

27
Drilling Techniques
Conventional
Drilling
Constant Bottom
Hole Pressure
Underbalanced
Drilling Techniques
Drilling
Mud Cap Drilling
Managed Pressure
Drilling
Dual Gradient
Drilling

Return Flow Control

28
Drilling Techniques
Conventional
Drilling
Constant Bottom
Hole Pressure
Underbalanced
Drilling Techniques
Drilling
Mud Cap Drilling
Managed Pressure
Drilling
Dual Gradient
Drilling

Return Flow Control

29
Conventional (Overbalanced) Drilling

 What is Conventional Drilling?

The practice of maintaining a borehole
pressure that exceeds the pore pressure
gradients is called overbalanced drilling
(OBD).

 Characteristics
Conventionally drilled wells are open
systems.

30
Conventional (Overbalanced) Drilling

31
Disadvantages

 It depends on the use of multiple casing strings to prevent fluid losses because
the fluid density required to contain formation pressure is increased and ECD
approaches fracture initiation pressure

 Mud filtrate and mud solids can cause damage to the formation

 High overbalanced during drilling can cause differential sticking and other
problems related to hole cleaning

32
Conventional Drilling

33
Drilling Techniques
Conventional
Drilling
Constant Bottom
Hole Pressure
Underbalanced
Drilling Techniques
Drilling
Mud Cap Drilling
Managed Pressure
Drilling
Dual Gradient
Drilling

Return Flow Control

34
Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD)

 What is it? An adaptive drilling process used to precisely control the

annular pressure profile throughout the wellbore.

 What is the objective?

 Control the bottom hole pressure
within the downhole pressure
environment limits.
 Avoid continuous influx of
formation fluids to the surface.

35
Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD)

36
Drilling Techniques
Conventional
Drilling
Constant Bottom
Hole Pressure
Underbalanced
Drilling Techniques
Drilling
Mud Cap Drilling
Managed Pressure
Drilling
Dual Gradient
Drilling

Return Flow Control

37
Constant Bottom Hole Pressure (CBHP)
 CBHP is the term generally used to describe actions taken to correct or
reduce the effect of circulating friction loss or equivalent circulating
density (ECD) in an effort to stay within the limits imposed by the pore
pressure and fracture pressure.

38
Riser Booster Pump

Drilling Connection

39
Constant Bottom Hole Pressure (CBHP)

 Application: drilling in narrow or relatively unknown margins between the pore

and fracture gradients.

 Objective: maintain wellbore pressure between the pore pressure of the highest
pressured formation and the fracture pressure of the weakest.

 Techniques
 Maintain constant Equivalent Mud Weight (whether the mud pump on or off)
 A lighter fluids program

40
Continuous Circulation Systems

 Technique: keeps the ECD constant by not interrupting circulation during drilling.
The circulation can be maintained during connections or other interruptions to
drilling progress by using a special circulating BOP system or via continuous
circulating subs being added to the drill string.

 Application: used on wells where the annular friction pressure needs to be

constant and/or to prevent cuttings settling in extended reach horizontal sections
of the wellbore.

41
Continuous Circulation System - Drilling and Connection

42
Pressure Trapping during connections

43
Friction Management

 Technique: the annular pressure is maintained to keep the bottomhole pressure

as constant as possible.

 Application: used in High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or in Extended

Reach wells
 HPHT well- maintain annular circulation through the use of a concentric
casing string.
 ERD well – reduce the annular pressure loss through the use of annular
pump.
 The pump is placed in the cased section of the well and pumps
annular fluid back to surface

44
Drilling Techniques
Conventional
Drilling
Constant Bottom
Hole Pressure
Underbalanced
Drilling Techniques
Drilling
Mud Cap Drilling
Managed Pressure
Drilling
Dual Gradient
Drilling

Return Flow Control

45
Pressurized Mud Cap Drilling (PMCD)

 PMCD Pressurised Mud Cap Drilling as defined by the

IADC is as follows: A variation of Managed
Pressurised Drilling (MPD), that involves drilling with
no returns to surface and where an annulus fluid
column, assisted by surface pressure (made possible
with the use of an RCD), is maintained above a
formation that is capable of accepting fluid and
cuttings.
 The “mud cap” serves as an annular barrier, while the
driller uses a lighter, less damaging and less
expensive fluid to drill into the weak zone.

46
Pressured Mud Cap Drilling
 Main drivers of the technique
 Drilling through zones with total losses
 Drilling through zones with hazardous reservoir fluids (e.g. H2S or CO2)

 Pro: reduces the time and cost associated with continuous well control issues
and loss of drilling fluid.

 Con:
 Requires a zone that can take the cuttings and the drilling fluid used to drill
the section for a long period of time
 Large quantities of sacrificial and mud cap drilling fluids
 Complex operational procedures
 Specialized equipment/personnel
47
Pressurized Mud Cap Drilling (PMCD)
 A buffer manifold must be installed below the RCD to allow fluid to be pumped
into the annulus.

48
Floating Mud Cap Drilling (FMCD)
 Application
 It is used if the annular fluid cannot be
designed to provide surface pressure in
the annulus, in which case the mud cap is
called floating.
 In an FMCD operation, sacrificial fluid
(normally water) is pumped down the drill
pipe, as in PMCD.

49
Floating Mud Cap Drilling (FMCD)

 “Floating” is an explanation of dynamically balanced condition.

 The balance can be maintained either increasing or decreasing the pressure of

the mud cap.
 Increase the density of mud cap or apply back pressure
 Decrease the density of mud cap or use a downhole pressure-boost tool

50
Controlled Mud Cap Drilling (CMCD)

 It is commonly referred as Pressurized

Mud Cap Drilling (PMCD).

 Technique
 Uses pumps below sea level to bring
the returns to the surface is the Low
Riser Return and Mud-Lift System
(LRRS)
 Difference between LRRS and SMD

51
Drilling Techniques
Conventional
Drilling
Constant Bottom
Hole Pressure
Underbalanced
Drilling Techniques
Drilling
Mud Cap Drilling
Managed Pressure
Drilling
Dual Gradient
Drilling

Return Flow Control

52
Dual Gradient Drilling (DGD)

 Application: Offshore operations

(small drilling windows)

 Technique
 Control up-hole annular pressure
 Mimic saltwater overburden with a
lighter-density fluid by injecting
less dense media, or by filling the
drilling riser with salt water while
diverting and pumping the mud
and cuttings from the seabed floor
to the surface.

53
Equipment

54
Overview of the Equipment Used

 Rotating control device

 Chokes
 Choke manifolds
 Separator
 Flow lines
 Valves
 Data acquisition and monitoring equipment and sensors
 Fluids handling systems
 High pressure pumps
 Chemical injection pumps

55
Rotating Control Device
 What is RCD?
 A pressure-control device used during
drilling for the purpose of making a seal
around the drillstring while the drillstring
rotates. This device is intended to contain
hydrocarbons or other wellbore fluids and
prevent their release to the atmosphere.
 A key piece of well control equipment and
the first line of defense against the escape
of well fluids during critical drilling
operations.
 Diverts the flow and forms a closed loop
systems in the well, which allows
implementing different GBA techniques.

56
 Rotating Control Devices
 Passive Systems
 Halliburton
 Strata Passive – chamfer, or
 Optimal Pressure Drilling interference fit
 Smith
 Weatherford
 Etc...

 Active Systems
 Weatherford RBOP Active – works like inverted
balloon to insure contact
 Weatherford RPM 3000
 NOV PCWD
57
The Components of RCD
Top Cap / Driver

Mandrel

Bearing Assembly

Stripper Rubber

Flow spool / bowl

58
Video RCD Working

59
Buffer Manifold

60
 Buffer Manifold
 Allows for PMCD

61
Stand pipe manifold USE IN PMCD

To Drill String
The stand pipe manifold
must be line up to allow
pumping sea water to the
drillstring and pumping LAM
(Light Annular Fluid) to the
annulus.

To annulus
SW from Rig Pumps

LAM from Rig Pumps

62
Junk Catcher

63
Junk Catcher

 Filters large solid particles from return drilling fluid

 Protects sensitive components in the GBA
 Has a removable strainer section for partial removal
 Parallel flow path piping to prevent accidental closing of valves

64
GBA Coriolis Flowmeter

65
GBA Coriolis Flow Meter

 Used for measuring the mass flow rate of

liquids

 Also measures fluid density and fluid

temperature

 These parameters are then used to calculate

other variables such as volume flow

66
• Flow Meter
– Uses coriolis effect
– Very accurate (+/- 0.05%) measure
of :
• Mass flow rate
• Volumetric flow rate
• Density
• Temperature
– Can show light and heavy spots in
mud

67
GBA MPD Autochoke

68
 GBA MPD Autochoke
 3 Chokes design
 Hydraulic Choke
Control Panel
 PLC for Automatic
Control
 Actuated gate
valves for each
choke leg
(pneumatic)
 All controllable
from software or
locally at hydraulic
panel

69
Automated Choke Control HMI
 GBA Choke HMI is displayed in a graphic format showing the different
variables, flow path, valve positions, chokes positions and allows the user to
set alarms, calibrate the choke, see the variable trends and other functions.

 Function: control the choke

position based on a desired
pressure

70
Modes to Control the Choke

 Standby/field Mode
 Position Control Mode
 Pressure Control Mode

71
Pressure Control Mode

 Manual Entry

 Hydraulic Model

72
 P&ID Simplified

MGS

RIG
Stand
CHOKE Pipe

Manifol
d

RIG
PUMPS

73
MPD Valve Numbering Diagram

74
MPD Components

75
MPD Stack

76
MPD Application in Deep Waters

RISER TENSION

SLIP JOINT INNER BARREL SLIP JOINT OUTER BARREL

UPPER BALL JOINT

KILL AND CHOICE LINES RISER JOINTS

LOWER BALL JOINT

BOP
Mudline

77
Rig movement
HEADING
HEAVE

78
TJ and Tensioner Ring

Inner Barrel – Moving part

Tensioner Ring

Outer Barrel - Fixed

79
MPD Stack

80
System Overview
 Series of specialty riser joints comprised of upper and
lower Riser Interfaces, Drill String Isolation Tool (DSIT)
and Flow Spool
 Safely diverts drilling fluid, cuttings, and gas away from
the drill floor via an “annular” type diverter.
 Fluids, cuttings, and gas can be diverted through a choke
manifold system via the flow spool armored hoses

 Easily convertible from conventional drilling operations to

closed loop drilling operations, such as MPD by
installation of a rotating control device between the upper
Riser Interface and DSIT.

81
Video of MPD Riser System Installation

82
Integrated Joint Presentation

83
REVIEW AND TEST

84
END OF TRAINING

www.halliburton.com/GBA

85