Surface Parameters

Department(s): Saudi Real-time GOC operation
Version: 1.0 - Last updated: 22/03/2015

Author: Andrian Arif – Reviewer(s) by: Budhi Nugraha
Security Classification: Internal
Surface Parameter Drilling

Plot Interpretation
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PETROLINK GROUP – Saudi-Khobar Operation 1
Surface drilling parameter data is generated from the sensors that installed in some of places in the
drilling rig. Petrolink itself acquires this surface data from Data Acquisition Rig (DAQ) which connected to
the petrolink rig server.
There are 3 main sensors installed in the rig for surface data acquisition, as follows below ;
Sensors - Drilling Parameters :
 Rate of Penetration (ROP) : Continuous recording of drilling rate. Display in ft / hr or min / 5ft
 Block Position / Hook Height : Height of the travelling block in the derrick. Monitoring of pipe
running speed during tripping. It is most important to monitor pipe running speed to prevent
swabbing or surging.
 Rotary Torque: Surface measurement of drilling torque. Torque fluctuation often provides
information on subsurface lithology changes. For example, smooth low values of torque in
claystone / shale often become very erratic high values when entering a coarse sandstone or
conglomerate lithology.
 Revolutions per minute (RPM) : Measurement of revolutions per minute of drill string.
 Weight on Bit / Hook Load: Measures weight on bit during drilling and hook load during tripping
and connections. Very useful in monitoring overpull or drag.
 Standpipe Pressure: Measurement of the circulating drilling fluid pressure. Sensor mounted in
the standpipe. Very useful in the early detection of downhole washouts.
 Pump Strokes: One sensor mounted on each rig pump. Used in lag time measurement.
 Casing Pressure: Measures the pressure between the casing head and the choke manifold.
Sensors - Drilling Fluid :
 Active Pit System: Measures the total volume of drilling fluid in the active pit system. One sensor
required in each pit.
 Trip Tank: Measures the volume of drilling fluid in the trip tank. This is a very important
parameter. Close monitoring of the trip tank volume provides warning of a well which is not
displacing or taking the correct amount of fluid during a trip.
 Mud Flow: Sensors measure the amount of drilling fluid flowing out of the well by comparison to
the amount of fluid being pumped into the well. Very important in early detection of well kicks.
Sensors - Gas :

 Total Gas is measured in units of ppm (parts per million) as the quantity of total gas (average),
but does not represent the actual quantity of oil or gas the reservoir contains.
Rotary Drilling
Rotary drilling performed by a mechanical device on a drilling rig called rotary table. It provides clockwise
(as viewed from above) rotational force to the drill string to facilitate the process of drilling a borehole.
Rotary speed is the number of times the rotary table makes one full revolution in one minute (rpm).

 If hole depth is equal to bit depth and increasing, with RPM and WOB, pump active , means
Rotary Drilling. Rotary drilling could simply be defined as dril string is rotating while drilling and
be marked with having RPM. As the drill string is rotating , so there will be friction between drill
string and the wall, means torque value will be generated.
 If hole depth is equal to bit depth and increasing, with 0 RPM , higher WOB, lesser Hook load,
pump active, means Slide Drilling. Slide drilling could simply be defined as drill string is not
rotating while drilling (hence RPM = 0) and WOB is increased to give more weight on bit to slide.
Because drill string is not rotating during slide drilling, there will be no friction between drill string
and the wall ,hence torque value will be 0.
Pump will always be turned on during drilling with the aim to pump the mud to help lubricant of
the bit, raise cutting to the surface (circulation), and etc.
 If bit depth keeps increasing, hook height keeps decreasing, WOB 0, hookload increasing, RPM
0, Torque 0, pump inactive means Tripping In. Bit depth will increase as we’re inserting the drill
string to the wellbore (hookheight declines). Hookload will increase (when slips is removed) as
the top drive starts holding the weight from down drill strings. Pump is set off (so SPP = 0)
since no circulation required during the trip (unless for some cases). During trip, we use the trip
tank (trip tank is activated) to facilitate the observation towards any loss/kick likelihood .

 The point of Tripping out is very similar to Tripping in, but the only different is we’re pulling out
the drill strings of the wellbore, so the bit depth keeps decreasing on this operation (align with
hookheight increasing). Other parameters also remain the same.

 If hole depth is static, hook height is decreasing, 0 ROP, less RPM, 0 WOB, pump active, means
Reaming. Reaming is operation to enlarge the bore hole size by moving up/down of the drill
string. Most common reason to perform it is if the bore hole is tight (prevent drill string to be
lowered down), then we need to enlarge the bore hole with the reaming move to get the hole size
as large as it should have been (as bit later will be worn-out from its original size during drilling,
but however we need to maintain the hole bore on its actual size). Since we don’t advance the

hole depth, so ROP will be 0 as well 0 WOB applied. Pump is turned on to circulate the mud to
make bore hole size enlargement easier.
 The point of Back reaming is very similar to Reaming, but the only different is it’s carried out
while pulling out the drill strings. Other parameters also remain the same.
- If hook height is static, no ROP, no RPM, pump is on, means Circulation. Circulation is
performed to bring the drilling cuttings to the surface and other aims. During tripping/drilling,
activity will be stopped to allow circulation happens. Due to this, hookheight will be static
since no drilling string movement. Henceforth, there will be no RPM and hole depth advance
(ROP) as well.

- If hook height is decreasing, no hole depth increament (0 ROP), 0 RPM, 0 WOB, pump is on,
means Washing (Circulation while tripping in). During tripping in (pump is off), pump will be
turned on during washing then will be turned off again after its finished . The aim to do
washing is to smoothen the tripping process. Most common reason to perform it is if the
wellbore is felt tight (prevent drill string to be lowered down). If the issue still persists then we
could proceed with reaming operation.

- If Pump is off, SPP 0, WOB 0, RPM 0 means Connection. Pump MUST be off in order to
stop any circulation during the connection. Align with it, SPP will be 0 as well since no
circulation passed the stand pipe (a pipe used to conduct drilling fluid from the mud pumps to
the kelly hose). RPM 0 due to no drill string rotation since drill string movement limited by
slips (a device used to grip and hold the upper part of a drill string to the drillfloor on an
oilrig). Due to slips also, WOB will be 0 since top drive doesn’t hold any weight of down
drilling strings. Hookload will be reduced far , because at this point hook only bears weight
of the top drive. To be easy, curve of WOB and Hookload is always contrary each other once
connection carried out.



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Department(s): Saudi Real-time GOC operation

Version: 1.0 - Last updated: 22/03/2015

Surface Parameter Drilling

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Sensors - Drilling Parameters :

Sensors - Drilling Fluid :

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

Once printed this document is considered an uncontrolled version

Security Classification: Confidential, Restricted, Protect, Internal or Public

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