STUFFING BOX

Mechanical vs Hydrostatic Barriers

Mechanical Barriers
Advantage:
DEAD WELL
Eliminate formation damage LUBRICATOR

Cost effective
WELL PRESSURE
BOP
Disadvantage:
XMAS TREE

Working under pressure.

TUBING
MUD
Hydrostatic Barrier SCSSV
Advantage:
CASING

Working in dead well.

LIVE WELL
Disadvantage:

High potential of formation damage. PACKER

WL PLUG
FORMATION FLUID
 Barrier Integrity

Mechanical Closed Barrier

Must be “Tested From Direction of Flow”

Must be “Leak Tight”

Mechanical Closable Barrier

API leakage criteria “400 cc/min or 900 scf/hr”, only if it used as secondary
barrier not primary barrier.

Hydrostatic Barrier
Must be diligently monitored for a period of time to ensure Thermal
expansion and contraction effects have ceased and must be observable at all
time.
 Barrier Classifications
How is a primary well barrier defined?
A Fluid Barrier or Closed barrier, used during normal operations

How is a secondary well barrier defined?

A Closable or Closed Barrier, if the Primary Barrier fails

How is a tertiary well barrier defined?

A Closable Barrier, if Primary and Secondary Barriers fails, usually a
Shear/Seal System

During well intervention operations, we must always have more

than one barrier active/passive in place.

Barriers can be combined such as Mechanical and Fluid Barrier.

Worldwide petroleum industrial acceptance :

Drilling and Workover – Double Barriers Protection

Well Intervention – Triple Barriers Protection
 Effect of Bleeding off Pressure at Surface
The figure below shows the effect of bleeding off the pressure at surface to keep
BHP as much as possible constant at 5, 800 psi, while the gas bubble is slowly
migrating, but allowed to expand in accordance with ideal gas law principles
 Effect of not Bleeding off Pressure at Surface
• The figure below shows the effect of not bleeding off the pressure at surface,
while the gas bubble is slowly migrating, and not allowed to expand.

• The result is that BHP and pressure at surface increase to very high values, thus
increasing risk to casing burst or formation fracture
Effect of Bleeding off with Constant Pressure at Surface

• The figure below shows the effect of bleeding off at surface, but keeping
surface pressure constant.
• The gas bubble is migrating fast, and allowed to expand too much, because
BHP is kept too low!
• The result is that we will invite more influx into the well and ultimately
higher pressures if not controlled
Gas Cap Effect
• Following a well shut-in, gas and liquid in the completion tubing will start to
segregate, with the lower-density gas rising to the top to form a Gas cap
• Under those circumstances, the Shut-In Tubing Head Pressure , SITHP, rises
much higher than Flowing Tubing Head Pressure , FTHP, and this could carry a
risk.
• The whole system, i.e. pipe work and fluids, cools to surface temperature.
• The immediate increase in SITHP pressure , when closing the well is due to
the immediate rise in the BHP, which increases to the reservoir pressure.
• The thereafter slower rise in SITHP is due to the migrating gas, gas/oil
separation, forming a gas cap, until the SITHP finally stabilizes
• As the well fluids cool after an extended shut-in period, the SIWHP may drop
slightly over time after the initial SIWHP stabilization.
• When the tubing pressure increases, it will balloon and thereby increase the
A; annulus pressure, which can reach dangerous levels..
• It is therefore important to monitor both tubing and A annulus pressures to
prevent , that tubing/casing burst or collapse pressure limits are not exceeded
 Blockages

Blockage Mechanism in wells may occur by:

• Formation Sand from the well

• Scales, Paraffin, Wax
• Mechanical blockages - collapsed casing/liner, straddle
• Packers, jammed SCSSV
• Burst Failure of Completion string

Removing Blockages:
• By mechanical methods- Jars/Accelerators, Gauge Cutter, Milling
• By chemical methods - Acidizing
• By thermal methods - Heating

Hydraulic jars
Gauge cutters

Carbonate scale Sulphate scale

 Scale Blockages

Deposition of mineral scales depends on many variables, such as:

• The wide variety of formation water chemistry
• Change in pressure, temperature and pH,
• Presence of impurities.
We usually recognize two major types of scales, namely:
Carbonate Scale - CaCO3 , that we find in limestone/dolomites formations
Sulphate Scale - BaSO4 - a substance we find in barites
The deposition and precipitation of these inorganic salts take place across
the perforations, productions string and its components, chokes, surface
flowlines, separators, and control valves.

Scale Prevention/removal:

We use Scale Inhibitor injection, jetting, acidizing or bullhead solvents into

perforations and this will work well for Carbonate Scales, but it may also
involve milling and hydro-jetting , in particular when we encounter Sulphate
Scales, deep in the well
 Paraffin- Asphaltenes - Wax
• Paraffin are saturated hydrocarbons, and white or colorless] and
feel waxy.
• Asphaltenes are also saturated with hydrocarbons, but appear and
feel like asphalt.
• Waxes, being of the same family of paraffin which typically become
a solid substance when temperature drops below a ‘pour point’
value.

Al of the above will show up as a ‘deposition’, usually on the wall of the

completion string and its components like the SCSSV, or they create
such a high viscous crude oil substance, that may be hard to move up as
a result of the very high friction it develops.
Paraffin Asphaltene Waxy crude
 What are Hydrates?

Water Molecule “Cage” –Guest

Gas Molecule like

Methane – Host
Naturally Occurring Gas Hydrates
 Gas Hydrates
Hydrates are solid, ice-like crystals, which will form when ‘free’ water in the well
is accompanied by relatively low temperatures, small molecule gases like
methane/ethane, H2S, CO2 and relatively high pressure or high pressure drop.
In particular when gas flows through restrictions like a a choke or small orifice ,
the gas pressure and temperature will rapidly drop and is known as the Joule–
Thompson’ effect - irreversible heat exchange-lowering of pressure lowers
temperature..

What are the consequences?

• Hydrate can damage well intervention equipment and tools, causing
brittleness in valve parts and aluminum.
• Hydrates, when released, can cause damage because trapped pressure may
move them at high speed and hit e.g. to an intervention tool string above it
• Because of its ‘blockage’ potential, may jeopardize functioning of SCSSV of
chokes, of pressure relief valves and of emergency blow-down lines
Elements Necessary for Hydrate Formation

Natural
Gas
High Low
Press. Temp.
 Hydrates vs No-Hydrates Graph

Higher Pressure Hydrate forms

Hydrate does not form

Lower Temperature
 Areas Effected by Hydrates

In the well at surface

Tubing hanger
• SCSSV, if set to shallow Hydrates
• Leaking Stuffing Box SCSSV could
• Needle Valve, when could be occur at
in stuffing
bleeding off lubricators hydrate box
• BPV or TWCV, when zone
Nipple
trapped gas is bled off
• Chokes and Flow Lines SPM
• Relief Valves Nipple
• Any other Pressure Packer
Hydrates
Reducing Tool, Line or ssd could
Equipment production zone-2 occur
Blast joint
when
• Shallow wireline plug, Packer bleeding
when equalizing pressure Nipple off
• Xmas tree or Lubricator, WL entry guide Pressure
when opening well and Production zone-1 or
equalizing
equalizing pressure pressure
into
lubricator
Precaution when Testing PCE with 50/50 % Glycol/Water Mixture

Watch out !

Glycol and water has

separated after several
hours have passed and
the hydrate prevention
effect is drastically
lowered
Hydrate Remedies
 Hydrate Prevention
• Use of glycol, Mono Ethylene Glycol, MEG, as an anti- Glycol or
freeze liquid. widely used during well intervention Methanol pump
activities, either pure or as a 50/50 % mixture with fresh
water for testing purposes or injection.
• Use of heat tracing , primarily induction heating, or other
means of ‘raising ambient temperatures’ such as hot oil,
steam heater, etc.]. this can also be used to resolve an
already occurring hydrate problem.

Dissolving hydrates

• Lower the pressure upstream and downstream of the

affected area - only applicable to surface equipment Heat tracing
• Injecting heated oil around affected area or heat external
areas with Steam Jenny.
• Injecting methanol , very effective or brine , which is less
effective as either inhibitor or to dissolve.
• Sometimes is just necessary to wait

Note: Do not inject steam, as this has distilled = free water.

Thermodynamic Inhibitors Summary
Remove one of the Components needed for the
Hydrates to Dissolve

Hydrate

Natural
Water
Gas
High Low
Press. Temp.
 Well Killing
• A well kill is the operation of placing a column of heavy fluid into a
well bore in order to prevent the flow of reservoir fluids without the
need for pressure control equipment at the surface.

• It works on the principle that the hydrostatic head of the "kill fluid"
or "kill mud" will be enough to suppress the pressure of the
formation fluids.

• Well kills may be planned in the case of advanced interventions such

as workovers, or be contingency operations. The situation calling for a
well kill will dictate the method taken.

• Not all well kills are deliberate. Sometimes, the unintended buildup
of fluids, either from injection of chemicals like methanol from
surface, or from liquids produced from the reservoir, can be enough
to kill the well, particularly gas wells, which are notoriously easy to
kill.
Maximum Pressures During Well Kill
The Wellhead and Xmas Tree Rating.
This rating must satisfy all high pressure
activities, such as a well kill by bull heading
Casing Burst.
The casing must resist max. pressure resulting
from a Tubing Leak, during a well kill by bull
heading
Tubing Collapse and Tubing Burst.
The tubing must resist max. pressures on burst
during bull heading, fracking and injection and
collapse like the pressure drawdown from
production.
Formation Pore Pressure/Fracture Pressure. The
formation pressures will vary over its lifetime.
Fracture pressures are critical during well kill by
bull heading
Corrosion, blockages and wear will also
influence maximum pressure that can be applied
 Well Killing

Well Intervention Well Kill Methods

• Forward Circulation - Minimize formation damage.

• Reverse Circulation - Best planned kill method.

• Bull heading - The most preferable method in case of emergency.

• Lubricate and Bleed - Last resort .

 Completion versus Drilling Forward Circulations

In
• Friction pressures may limit the pump rate; this
Out additional friction may be a result of hydrocarbon
fluid viscosity, flow path in the tubing like scale and
narrow casing/tubing annulus.
• There is also no certainty that the flow path remains
accessible.
• Integrity of the tubing may be compromised, as a
Open SSD result of leaking connections, split tubing by
corrosion effects and other leaking valves.
Packer • Well fluids and brine densities and their location is
WL plug more difficult to establish
 Reverse Circulation
Killing the well by reverse circulation is accomplished by displacing the tubing
and annulus fluids by pumping a kill fluid down the ‘A’ annulus and returning
fluids through a choke on the tubing side.

Advantages

• It utilizes natural U tubing effect resulting in lower circulating

pressures,
• Lesser chances of mixing of gas and oil, that are lighter and
remain above the completion and fluid during reverse circulation.
• More predictable as every thing comes out in order. Hence
strokes for different points of circulation can be calculated
• Little risk of accidentally fracturing formation like in bull heading.
• Little or no damage to formation by contaminants from tubing or
annulus.

It is therefore the most preferred method. If not mentioned, it must

be presumed that killing method is reverse circulation.

Disadvantages
Slower than bull heading
 Reverse Circulation
• Connect the pump to the side outlet of
tubing head spool and choke manifold to the
production side outlet of Xmas tree.
• Method requires a circulation path to be
STAGE -1 opened by operating a circulation device, SSD or
INITIAL CONDITIONS
SPM, or punching hole using explosive tubing
OUT
perforators or punch.
IN
• This depth is used for all volume calculations
• Higher pressure on the ‘A’ annulus differential
pressure may blow up wire line tool string
Circulating device • Lower pressure on the ‘A’ annulus may make
(closed)
.
shifting of the SSD or pulling gas lift dummy
valve difficult.
PACKER
KILL
• It is important to install a wire line set plug
below the packer like the packer tail pipe to
isolate formation from completion and kill fluid
In case a plug is not installed, maintain 200
psi over- balanced pressure from surface
through choke as per IWCF requirement .
 Reverse Circulation
STAGE - 2
GAS IS OUT, OIL AT SURFACE
• Pump is started slowly to approx 2 BPM keeping
OUT
tubing pressure constant (or increasing by 200 psi,
IN
if mentioned) with the help of choke .

• As the kill fluid is pumped down the annulus,

tubing pressure is reduced in accordance with
Circulating device
(open) Reverse Circulation graph to keep BHP constant .

• STAGE 2 - Total gas has been pumped out.

STAGE - 3
OIL IS OUT, COMPLETION FLUID AT SURFACE
• Tubing pressure becomes zero when
OUT
completion fluid reaches surface.
IN

• Casing pressure value may or may not be

zero depending on the weight of kill fluid
Circulating device compared to the weight of completion fluid*.
(open)
(lower weight is required due to pressure
GAS
OIL regression).
PACKER

KILL

• STAGE 3 - Completion fluid reached surface.

 Reverse Circulation
STAGE - 4
ANNULUS FULL OF KILL FLUID

OUT Choke remains wide open as tubing pressure

IN continues to be 0 psi while kill fluid is
pumped down the annulus.
Circulating device
(open) STAGE 4 - Annulus is full of kill fluid.
GAS
OIL
PACKER

KILL

STAGE - 5
KILL FLUID AT SURFACE

OUT

IN
STAGE 5 - Kill fluid has reached the surface.

Circulating device
When kill fluid reaches surface well is
(open) completely killed.
GAS

OIL
PACKER

KILL
 Reverse Circulation Exercise 1
Find SITHP and SICP at different stages of reverse circulation. graphs. Draw Tubing and Casing
pressure

Tubing Capacity = 0.01458 bbl/ft Annulus Capacity = 0.0252 bbl/ft

Gas = 2,000 ft, 0.04 psi/ft Oil = 4,000 ft, 0.38 psi/ft
SSD = 6,000 ft TVD Pump output = 0.0157 bbl/stroke
Packer fluid = 0.6 psi/ft Kill fluid = 0.5 psi/ft

Gas 2000 ft, Kill fluid

0.04 psi/ft 0.5 psi/ft

Oil 4000 ft,

0.38 psi/ft
SSD Packer fluid
6000 ft 0.6 psi/ft

STAGE-1 STAGE-2 STAGE-3 STAGE-4

INITIAL STAGE GAS OUT OIL OUT ANN FULL OF KILL FLUID

OUT
IN Assuming Formation is initially balanced by Brine
Pressure = BHP = 6,000 ft x 0.6 psi/ft = 3,600 psi
Initial Tbg Pressure = Formation Pressure – Tbg hydrostatic press.

GAS
= 6,000 ft x 0.6 psi/ft – (2000 ft x 0.04 psi/ft + 4,000 ft x 0.38 psi/ft)=
OIL = 3600 psi – (80 psi + 1520 psi) = 2,000 psi
PACKER

KILL

STAGE-1 Initial Casing Pressure = 0 psi

INITIAL STAGE
 Reverse Circulation Exercise 1 contd.
OUT •Tubing Pressure when gas is out = Formation P – Tubing Hyd. P =
IN 6,000ft x 0.6 psi/ft – (4,000 ft x 0.38 psi/ft + 2,000 ft x 0.6 psi/ft) = 880 psi

• Kill fluid Vol Pumped in = gas vol. out = 2,000 ft x.01458 bbls/ft = 29.16 Bbls
•Kill fluid height = Kill fluid vol / Ann vol = 29.16 bbls /0.0252 bbls/ft= 1,157 ft

GAS •Completion fluid height t = 6,000 ft – 1157 ft = 4,843 ft

OIL

PACKER
•Casing Pressure when gas is out = Formation P – Casing Hydr. Press =
KILL
STAGE-2
= 3,600 psi – (1,157 ft x 0.5 psi/ft+ 4,843 ft x 0 .6 psi/ft) = 115.7 psi
GAS OUT

•Tubing P when brine at surface= Formation P – Tubing Hyd. P =

OUT
6,000 ft x 0.6 psi/ft – 6,000 ft x 0.6 psi/ft = 0 psi
IN
•Kill fluid Vol Pumped in = Tubing vol= 6,000 ft x 0.01458 bbls/ft
= 87.48 Bbls
•Kill fluid height = Kill fluid vol / Ann vol =
GAS
= 87.48 bbls/0 .0252 bbls/ft = 3,471 ft
OIL

PACKER •Completion fluid height = 6,000 ft – 3471 ft = 2,529 ft

KILL

STAGE-3
OIL OUT
•Casing P when brine at surface = Formation P – Casing
Hyd. P = 3600 psi – (3471 ft x 0.5 psi/ft + 2529 ft x 0.6 psi/ft) =
347 psi
 Reverse Circulation Exercise 3
The figures below show a reverse circulation kill graph, that has been generated for a
constant ID/OD tubing containing gas and oil and a heavy completion fluid in the
annulus. The kill fluid has a lighter density than the completion fluid in the annulus.
2367 (A)
Tubing pressure Casing pressure

800 psi
P Oil is out
R (E)
E
S 571 psi (D)
S Annulus full of
U Kill fluid
R
E
(psi)

(B) (C) (F)

0 284 389 500 700 1200
VOLUME PUMPED (bbls)

Completion fluid is heavier than kill fluid

GAS
OIL
PACKER
KILL

INITIAL GAS GOING OUT OIL OUT KILL ENTERS TBG KILL AT SURFACE
(A) (B) (D) (E) (F)

2367 (A) Casing pressure Casing Pressure is

maximum as annulus is
Tubing pressure
lightest at this point
P Oil is out 800 psi
R (E)
E
571 psi
S (D)
S Annulus full of Kill fluid
U
R
E
(B) (C) (F)
0 284 389 500 700 1200
VOLUME PUMPED (bbls)
Reverse Circulation Exercise 3 contd.
a) What is the annulus volume at E? Answer: Volume at E (when annulus is filled with kill
fluid = 700 bbls
b) What is the annulus pressure after pumping 700 bbls of kill fluid ? Answer: 800 psi at
point E
c) At what point does the hydrostatic pressure of fluid in the tubing equal formation pore
pressure?
A B C
D E F
Answer: At point B when tubing pressure is 0 psi

d) At what point is the annulus filled with kill brine and the tubing with completion brine?

A B C
D E F
Answer: At E, when casing pressure is at maximum
 Formation Damage and Losses-Reverse Circulation
Although reverse circulation with
returns through the production tubing is
often preferred, we must always be aware
of potential to damage/fracture the
Sand
formation.
Example: if coiled tubing is run to clean
out scales/sands in a live well with open
with coiled tubing

perforations and with returns

Forward circulation

Reverse circulation
without packer

Coiled Tbg
through a small sized tubing, utmost
caution should be taken with pump speed,
because:-

• Annular friction loss will increase

• Pump pressure will increase
CT jet • Dynamic BHP will increase
nozzle
• And therefore severe losses may lead
Open
perforations
to fracture and/or formation damage
 Bull Heading
All tubing fluid pumped back
into formation
• Calculation must be made for, MASP, max
allowable surface pressure and tubing burst
IN
pressure.
• Pump rates must be restricted to keep
pressure below fracture point and the pressure
rating of the surface equipment.
GAS
• Annulus pressure must be monitored and bled
OIL
PACKER
down if required. To keep it below casing working
KILL
pressure.
Bull Heading Kill Graph
Tubing Burst Limit
IN IN

(A) Maximum Allowable

Tubing Pressure*
(to avoid fracture)

(A)
Tubing (A) Minimum Allowable
(A) (B)
Surface Tubing Pressure
(B)
Pressure (to avoid influx)
(psi) GAS
OIL
PACKER
KILL
(B)

Tubing Volume
VOLUME PUMPED (Bbls)
 Lubricate and Bleed
Applications
• If we already have gas at surface and we want to replace gas with kill
fluid.
• If reverse circulation or bull heading methods are not possible then
lubricate pumping kill fluid and then bleed gas is another method to
kill the well. it brings well fluids in and influx out the wellbore while
maintaining a constant BHP constant by controlled influx expansion.
Advantages and Disadvantages
• Can be performed in case of an emergency and where a bull head is
preferred, but impossible to perform
• The Procedure is to pump small amounts of kill fluid like 5 bbls at a
time followed by bleeding off gas while maintaining BHP relatively
constant.
• However, it is a very time-consuming killing method i.
• This method is often used to reduce Shut-in Tubing Head Pressure ,
prior conducting well intervention activities particularly in high
pressure gas wells.

• Note: Chances of successfully killing the well increases if a wireline

plug is installed in lower packer tail pipe landing nipple.
Lubricate and Bleed Pressure Chart

Pressure
changes and
steps to be
taken during
Lubricate
and
Bleed
Of influx
arriving at
surface
Lubricate and Bleed
 Hydrostatic Pressure-HP
P HYDROSTATIC = TVD X D X 0.052

Where:

P is the pressure in PSI

TVD is the true vertical depth in feet
D is the density in ppg – lbs/gal
0.052 is the constant 1

Or

HP = TVD X PG
Where:
HP is the hydrostatic Pressure in PSI
TVD is the true vertical depth in feet
PG is the pressure gradient of the fluid in psi/ft
From equations 1 and 2 above we can find that: TVD v MD
PG = D X 0.052
Example
What is the Hydrostatic Pressure of a 500 ft TVD
column of fresh water?
HP = 0.433 psi/ft x 500 ft = 216.5 psi
 Pre-recorded Well Information
Tubing hanger
Top and Bottom Perforations. The
Pressures] and md [volumes pressure at Top Perforations will
represent the Formation Pressure
all depths are tvd

Production Packer will be above Top

Perforations, usually a few more than
the length of the Tail Pipe

Circulation Device ,SSD or other, will be

above Production Packer depth, usually
about one tubing joint, 30 feet or more
Circulation device
Production packer
All Hydrostatic Pressure will be based on
TVD -True Vertical Depth - and all
End of Tubing-EOT Volumes will be based on MD -
Top of perforations Measured Depth]
Bottom of perforations
 Calculations

Well Schematic for Calculation

 Volume in Bbls - Pump Strokes - Minutes to Pump
Internal Volume of Tubing in bbls = Tubing Capacity in bbls/ft x MD in feet

Internal Volume of Casing in bbls = Casing Capacity in bbls/ft] x MD in feet

Volume of Tubing Metal in bbls = Tubing metal displacement in bbls/ft x

x MD in feet

Minutes to pump: Volume pumped in bbls

Pump rate in bbls/min

Total Pump Strokes: Total volume pumped in bbls

Displacement rate in bbls/stroke
 Calculations
Exercise:
Well data:

Well Depth [including Sump]: 10,250 ft MD/TVD

Packer and SSD Depth: 9,600 ft MD/TVD
End of Tubing - EOT: 9,800 ft MD/TVD
Capacity of Tubing: 0.009 bbls/ft
Capacity of Casing: 0.037 bbls/ft
Capacity of Csg/Tbg Ann: 0.025 bbls/ft
Metal Displacement Tubing: 0.012 bbls/ft
Questions:
1. Calculate Circulation Volume -Annulus + Tubing capacities
2. Calculate Well Volume -Circ. Volume + Remaining Casing Volume
Solutions:

1. Volume in Casing/Tubing Annulus: 9,800 ft x 0.025 bbls/ft = 245

bbls
EOT 9,800’

2. Volume in Tubing: 9,800 ft 0.009 bbls/ft = 88.2 bbls

Total Volume to be circulated: 245 bbls + 88.2 bbls = 333.2 bbls
Well TD
Well Volume: 333.2 ft + [10,250ft – 9,800ft ] x0.037 bbls/ft = 349.85
10,250’ bbls: