Drilling Well Control

Gas Behavior and

Hydrostatics
 Contents
™Why Study Well Control?
™Ideal Gases
™Real Gases
™Critical Temperature & Pressure
™Pseudo-Critical Temp. and Press.
™Gas Compressibility
™Problems
Schematic example of high pressure circulating system for
well control operation 3
 Why study well control?
™ Well control fundamentals are quite
well known and understood

™ Individuals involved in drilling

operations have, in general, received
well control training

4
 Why study well control?
™ Yet, well control problems, and
blowouts occur
™ with casualties
™ with environmental damage
™ at high cost (often in $millions/occurrence)

5
 Why study well control?
™ Most blowouts result from human
failure

™ Perhaps advanced well control training

and education can further improve
the statistics

6
 Why study well control?
™ At times unconventional well control
procedures are necessary in order to
avoid blowouts

™ We can all learn from the mistakes

made in the past to help avoid
problems in the future

7
 Why study well control?
™ Well owners, oil field workers, and
regulatory authorities are becoming
increasingly intolerant of human
error relative to well operations

8
 Why study well control?
™ The way to prevent failures:
™ proper training
™ responsible engineering and planning
™ adequate equipment
™ prudently executed operations

9
 Why study well control?
™ Advanced well control can offer the
largest impact in the following areas:
™ proper engineering design of wells, such
as proper casing setting depths and
proper materials
™ operational planning, and
™ the execution of the drilling process

10
 Why study well control?
™ Costs may be higher in the short term,
but future profits will not be spent
cleaning up and litigating past
mistakes

11
 Why study well control?
™ Influx into wellbore may be gas, oil,
and/or water
™ All well control methods:
™ maintain a constant BHP
™ consider the behavior of gas under
changing wellbore conditions
™ are designed to move gas up a wellbore to
the surface – whenever possible
™ must allow gas, if present, to expand
12
 Why study well control?

™ Different well control methods may

result in different wellbore pressures
™ Accurate pressure predictions require
knowledge of the influx composition,
temperature, and pressure
™ Influx phase changes can and do occur
in the process of killing a well
13
Pressure-temperature phase
diagram for a pure substance
Pc C
Melting Point Curve
P Gas
r Solid Liquid
e
s
s
u Vapor Pressure Curve
r
e Temperature Tc
Critical
Temperature 14
 Some Definitions
The critical temperature of a gas is the highest
temperature at which a fluid can exist as a liquid or vapor.
Above this temperature the fluid is a gas, at any pressure.

The critical pressure is the pressure needed to

condense a vapor at its critical temperature

The reduced pressure of a pure gas is the ratio of the

gas pressure to the critical pressure of the gas, p/pc

The reduced temperature of a pure gas is the ratio of the

gas temperature to its critical temperature, T/Tc

Use absolute units, e.g., oR and psia

15
 Physical Properties of
Natural Gas Constituents

16
 Universal Gas Constant
Values
p V T n R
psia ft3 oR lbm mole 10.732
psia gal oR lbm mole 80.275
psia bbl oR lbm mole 1.911

kPa m3 oK g mole 0.0083145

kPa m3 oK kg mole 8.3145

pV=ZnRT 17
Typical phase diagram for mixtures

Bubble point curve

Dew point curve

18
 Ideal Gases

™ Boyle’s Law: p1V1 = p 2 V2 = cons tan t

(T = constant )

p1 p 2
™ Charles Law: = = cons tan t
(V = constant ) T1 T2

p1V1 p 2 V2
™ Ideal Gas Law: = = cons tan t
T1 T2

or pV = nRT
19
 Problem 1
A 20 bbl gas influx has entered a well at
bottomhole pressure of 3,500 psia.
Determine the gas volume when the kick
exits the well.
(a) Assume atmospheric pressure of 14.4
psia and no change in the gas
temperature.
(b) Assume initial gas temperature of 150
o o
F and surface temperature of 65 F.
20
 Solution
(a) Using Boyle’s law: p1V1 = p 2 V2

p1V1
V2 =
p2

3,500 psia * 20 bbl

V2 =
14.4 psia

V2 = 4,861 bbl (243x expansion!)

21
 Solution
p1V1 p 2 V2
(b) Using the Ideal Gas law: =
T1 T2

p1V1T2 3,500 * 20 * (65 + 460 )

V2 = =
p 2 T1 14.4 * (150 + 460)

V2 = 4,148 bbl (207x expansion!)

Note: If a real change in temperature is ignored (in this

example) the predicted volume is high by approx. 17%
22
 Problem 2
What is the density of the gas from the
previous example if it contains 90%
methane and 10% ethane.

(a) Under bottomhole conditions?

(b) Under the specified atmospheric

conditions?
23
 Solution
™ Weighted molecular weight:
MWgas = 0.9 * 16.0 + 0.1 * 30.1
= 17.41

MWg
™ Gas Specific gravity: γg =
MWa

17.41
γg = = 0.600
29
24
 Solution
(a) Under bottomhole conditions the gas
density (assume Z = 1):

29 γ g p29 (0.600)(3,500)
ρ g ,bottom = =
ZRT 1 * 80.28 (150 + 460)

ρg,bottom = 1.24 ppg

25
 Solution
(b) Under the specified
atmospheric conditions: 29 γ g p
ρg =
ZRT

29 (0.600)(14.4)
ρ g ,surface =
1 * 80.28 (65 + 460)

ρg,surface = 0.00594 ppg

26
 Properties of H-C gases
Mol. Specific Critical Critical
Wt. gravity Temp Press
oR psia
Methane, CH4 16.0 0.55 343 668
Ethane, C2H6 30.1 1.04 550 708
Propane, C3H8 44.1 1.52 666 616
n-Butane, C4H10 58.1 2.00 765 551
Nitrogen, N2 28.0 0.97 227 493
Carbon Dioxide, CO4 44.0 1.52 548 1,071
Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S 34.1 1.18 673 1,306
Water, H2O 18.0 0.62 1,166 3,208

27
 Real Gases

™ The Equation of State, EOS

for a non-ideal gas is:

pV = ZnRT

The Z-factor, or compressibility factor,

is an empirical adjustment for the
non-ideal behavior of a real gas
28
 Real Gases
Z, the compressibility factor, is 1 at atmospheric
conditions, decreases as the pressure
increases (min. value ~ 0.25) and then
increases again, reaching a value of 1 or
more at pseudo reduced pressures in excess
of 9.

At low temperatures and a pseudo-reduced

pressure in excess of 25, the value of Z can
be as high as 2.0, or even higher
29
 Problem 3
Repeat Problem 2 taking into consideration the
variation in Z-factor with changes in
temperature and pressure.

™ From Problem 2, γg = 0.600

™ From coming figure, the Pseudo-critical pressure,
Ppc = 671 psig
™ and the pseudo-critical temperature
Tpc = 358 oR

30
 ppc (psia)
Tpc (oR) 671

358

Gas Specific Gravity (air = 1) 31

 Problem 3

™The psuedo-reduced pressure,

ppr = p / ppc
At Bottomhole conditions,
ppr = 3,500 / 671 = 5.22
At the surface,
ppr = 14.7 / 671 = .022

The pseudo-reduced pressure of a gas mixture is the ratio p/ppc

32
 Problem 3
™The psuedo-reduced Temperature,
Tpr = T / Tpc
™At Bottomhole conditions,
Tpr = 610 / 358 = 1.70
™At the surface,
Tpr = 525 / 358 = 1.47

The pseudo-reduced temperature is the ratio T/Tpc 33

 Problem 3
From coming figure, the Z-factors can
now be determined.
™Under bottomhole conditions,
Z = 0.886
™Under surface conditions,
Z = .995 ~ 1

34
 Surface
0.995

0.886
Bottomhole

Compressibility factors of natural gases (Standing & Kate,

35
Trans., AIME, 146, 140. Copyright 1942 SPE-AIME
 Determination of Z-factor
™ If a computer is available, Z factors can
be calculated:
ppr = 756.8 - 131γg - 3.6 γg2
Tpr = 169.2 + 349.5 γg – 74 γg2

™ Z can be taken from chart or calculated

on spreadsheet
36
 Z Factor Equation
A 2 A3 A 4 A5 A 7 A8 2
Z = 1 + (A1 + + 3 + 4 + 5 ) ρ r + (A 6 + + 2 ) ρr
T pr T pr T pr T pr T pr T pr
A 7 A8 5 ρ 2
− A9 ( + 2 ) ρ r + A10 (1 + A11 ρ r2 ) r3 exp(− A11 ρ r2 )
T pr T pr T pr
W here
A1 = 0.3265, A 2 = −1.0700, A 3 = −0.5339, A 4 = −0.01569,
A 5 = −0.05165, A 6 = −0.7361, A 7 = −0.7361, A8 = 0.1844,
A 9 = 0.1056, A10 = 0.6134, A11 = 0.7210, and
0.27 Ppr
ρr =
ZT pr
37
 Problem 3
At bottomhole conditions, the density of
the gas is:
29 γ g P 29(0.6)(3,500)
ρ g ,bottom = =
ZRT (0.886)(80.28)(610)

ρ g ,bottom = 1.4 ppg

This is 13% above the value obtained

for an ideal gas
38
 Problem 3
™ Under surface conditions, with a
Z - factor near 1, the density is still
~ 0.0059 ppg.

™ Note: At a pressure of 10,000 psia and

temperature of 200 OF
ppr = 10,000 / 671 = 14.9
Tpr = 660 / 358 = 1.84
Z = 1.41 and ρg = 2.33 ppg
39
 500 psi
Problem 4
A 12,000’ vertical well is shut in
with a single-phase, 0.6 gravity
gas influx on bottom. SICP =
500 psia. The initial influx height
is determined to be 400 ft. Mud
density = 11.5 ppg.

Determine the BHP

400 ft
if BHT = 205 deg F
40
 Solution
™ The pressure at the top of the kick is:
p = SICP + HSPmud
= 500 + 0.052*11.5*(12,000-400)
p = 7,437 psia
™ pr = p/ppr = 7,437/671 = 11.08, and
™ Tr = T/Tpr = 665/358 = 1.86
™ Z = 1.195 from Figure
41
 Solution

29 γ g p 29 (0.6) (7,437 )
ρg = =
ZRT (1.195 ) (80.27 ) (665 )

ρ g ,bottom = 2.03 ppg

BHP = 7,437 + 0.052 * 2.03 * 400

= 7,479 psia
42
 Problem 5
Consider the same well. What would the
SICP be if all the drilling fluid had been
unloaded from the hole prior to shut-in?

Assume BHP = 7,479 psia as calculated

in problem 4. Also assume that the
average wellbore temperature is 160
deg F.

43
 Solution
™ Solve by trial and error.
™ First assume that Z = 1
γ g ( D −D0 )

p = po e 53.3 ZT

0.6 (12,000 −0 )

7,479 = po e 53.3 (1.0 )( 620 )

= 1.243 po
po = 6,009 psia
⎛ 7,479 + 6,009 ⎞
ppr = ⎜ ⎟ / 671 = 10.05
⎝ 2 ⎠
Tpr = 620 / 358 = 1.73
44
 Solution
Thus, Z = 1.132 Then:

0.6(12,000 −0 )

7,479 = po e 53.3 (1.132 )( 620 )

po = 6,164 psia
⎛ 7,479 + 6,164 ⎞
ppr = ⎜ ⎟ / 671 = 10.17
⎝ 2 ⎠
Tpr = 620 / 358 = 1.73
45
 Solution

Now, Z = 1.140 Then:

0.6(12,000 −0 )

7,479 = po e 53.3(1.14 )( 620 )

po = 6,173 psia

Close enough
46
6,173 psia

12,000’ 7,472 psia 47

 Problem 6
For the same well, determine the
equivalent density at depths of 6,000’
and 12,000’.

Assume the average temperature from

o
the surface to 6,000’ is 120 F for the
case where the hole is filled with gas.

48
 Solution
™ Recall that: p = 0.052 * MW * Depth

so, MW = p / (0.052 * Depth)

™ At TD,

ρequiv = (7,479-14.4) / (0.052*12,000)

= 12.0 ppg
49
 Solution
™ At 6,000’

p = 500 + 0.052*11.5*6,000 = 4,048 psia

ρequiv = (4,048-14.4)/(0.052*6,000)

= 13.0 ppg

50
 Solution
™ What is the equivalent density at 1,000’?

p = 500 + 0.052*11.5*1,000 = 1,098 psia

ρequiv = (1,098-14.4)/(0.052*1,000)
= 20.8 ppg

™ Note how the equivalent density

increases as depth decreases.
51
 Equivalent Mud Weight
0

2,000

4,000
Depth, ft

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000
0 5 10 15 20 25
EM W, ppg

52