SPE-209945-MS

A New Real Time Prediction of Equivalent Circulation Density from Drilling

Surface Parameters Without using PWD Tool

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Mohammed Murif Al-Rubaii, Fawaz Y Al-Nassar, and Saleh Al-Harbi, Saudi Aramco, D&W

Copyright 2022, Society of Petroleum Engineers DOI 10.2118/209945-MS

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Symposium: Unconventionals in the Middle East - From Exploration to Development Optimisation held in Manama,
Bahrain, 23 – 24 March 2022. The official proceedings were published online on 29 April 2022.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect
any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written
consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may
not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract
Equivalent circulating density for the used drilling fluids while drilling operations should meet the
requirements such as stability of hole section, generated drilling cuttings carrying, mud lubrication &
damage of hole section control. The hydrostatic column of mud have to be higher than the pressure of drilled
formation, however, must be manipulated to be less than the estimated fracture value of wall of drilled hole
section. Thin window while drilling can lead to hole problems such as well control incident (influx, kick
and blowout) if the used ECD profile cannot be kept below the margin of fracture gradient and above sand
face gradient drilling window margin. Also, could cause damage for drilling formation of hole section and
loss of circulation during drilling operations. Obtaining down-hole values for mud properties like density
and rheology, contributes to have precise prediction of real time ECD. Evaluation of real time observation
of ECD and drop in pressure will allow operators to have more control over annular pressure throughout
the wellbore. Which will reduce the risk of kicks, and loss circulation. In this paper, a new models of
automated or effective density of drilling mud (EMW) and equivalent density of circulating mud (ECD)
while drilling were developed to empower drilling team to closely monitor, optimize and allow immediate
interventions. Drilling parameters and fluid rheology of same drilling fluid, hole section were collected
for this development. The resulted EMW and ECD were benchmarked against commercial packages with
advanced sensors and with strong agreement with absolute average error of (AAE) less than 2%. The
developed drilling fluids models of EMW and ECD were applied, automated for time operating center
(RTOC). The real time application will allow drilling team to optimize monitoring for performance and
mitigate any potential risks for many drilling rigs without the need of using advanced commercial sensors.

Introduction
Understanding the improvement of drilling performance and recognized drilling problems of hole sections,
required a better evaluation for EMW and ECD. That means drilling mud weight is main cause to control
well, hole section stability and cleaning of drilled hole section. Several functions for using drilling mud such
as drilling string and casing weights support, providing drilling bit hydraulics energy, drilling bit & pipe
string cooling and lubrication, damage of formation reduction. Drilling mud identify hydrostatic column
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pressure at any drilled depth. Density of mud also balance or overbalance the drilled hole section. Drilling
mud can be designed to be equal to pressure of sand face of drilled formation and this case is always
represented by kill mud weight while drilling killing operation as shown in fig – 1.

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Figure – 1—mud weight pressure and formation sand face pressures once are equal.

Balanced drilling, in addition can be applied in case of fully awareness of sand face pressure values and
very less well control incidents zones. Usually in hard formation that has less permeable formation and
high ultimate compressive strength, Oil Company could use even drilling of underbalance methodologies,
see fig – 2 to know underbalanced drilling meaning. Balanced or underbalanced drilling can result in low
penetration rates if used drilling mud while drilling is high and that because of high ECD that can cause
erratic differential pressure between EMW & ECD and formation sand face pressure, see figure – 3. Usually
while drilling EMW always is greater than formation pore pressure as seen in fig – 4.

Figure -2—mud weight pressure is less than formatioj sand face pressure.

Figure – 3—infulences of differential pressure on ROP (ft/hr).

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Figure – 4—mud weight pressure is greater than formation sand face pressure.

Overbalanced drilling can contribute massively to control well during operation even in a very hard
circumstances drilling scenarios. On other hands, several related problems can be generated such as low
drilling rate, more additives of mud chemicals and that can cause more cost. Formation damage induction
especially in reservoir section and having probability to be stuck differentially. Figuring out the desired mud
weight overbalance during drilling hole section has several benefits.
Hole section formation fracture gradient is upper value that the mud gradient can reach to induce fractures.
It is related to lithostatic gradient that is composed of rock matrix gradient with formation sand face
gradient. In the past several conducted results of done researchers have predicted the fracture gradient such
a. Matthews and Kelly (1967) used work of Hubbert and Willis (1957), to build theoretical relationship for
rocks of sedimentations like fig – 5.

Figure – 5—matrix gradient correlation and depth (ft).

During drilling operations, the fracture gradient or wall integrity of drilling hole section can be predicted
by using formation integrity test or test to value and leak-off test as follows:

• Shut BOPE (blowout preventer equipment).

• Build up pressure in little volume amounts by using cementing unit until induce small fracture or
reach to designed pressure limit selected to be used as equivalent mud weight test.
• Make diagram of pressure and pumped volumes till the deviation in line of generated graph can
be noticed as shown in fig – 6.
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Figure – 6—FIT test for fracture gradient prediction.

Drilling fluid rheology is important to be considered as well for estimating EMW and ECD and that
will help to clean the hole section properly without inducing hole problems and optimize the drilling
performance, see fig – 7. Regimes of flow of EMW & ECD can be used to contribute to carry the generated
drilling cuttings by used rate of penetration (ROP) while drilling to performance effective agitation for
drilling cuttings under the drilling bit to move them if the flow regime is purely turbulent as shown in fig –
8. The generated drilling cuttings density and size are more weighted than drilling mud and that will issue
improper hole cleaning efficiency if the slipping velocity of them cannot be maintained, see fig – 9.

Figure – 7—flow regime profile of lamination.

Figure – 8—Turbulent flow.

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Figure – 9—slip velocity of drilling cuttings.

Drilling Fluid Densities

The optimization of hole cleaning in drilling operations is critical to enhance the drilling rate of penetration
(ROP) and minimize hole problems. Achieving optimum hole cleaning, however, remains a major challenge
as it must be carefully monitored and engineered. Insufficient hole cleaning can cause stuck pipes, loss of
circulation, slower ROP, and increased torque and drag. These effects can have a significant impact on the
duration of the operations and ultimately increase the cumulative cost of drilling operations.
These consequences necessitate continuous monitoring of hole cleaning efficiency to ensure the well
is drilled safely and efficiently. Effective mud weight provides the drilling team with a quick assessment
of the volume of cuttings carried by the drilling fluid while drilling. Best of knowledge of drilling fluid
density and ECD while drilling help to optimize drilling efficiency and increase drilling performance. They
can be used as indicators to minimize drilling troubles such as stuck pipes, well control incidents and lost
circulation depth.
Three important drilling fluid densities are critical such as equivalent mud weight (EMW), equivalent
drilling fluid static density (ESD) and equivalent circulating density (ECD). Two of them are extremely
important which are equivalent mud weight (EMW) and equivalent circulating density (ECD). Therefore,
if automated or real time EMW while drilling is estimated, it provide a quick assessment of the cuttings
volume carried by the drilling fluid and ECD. This will allow the drilling team to monitor and evaluate hole
cleaning efficiency in real time.
Marsh (1931) explained the understanding and concept of drilling fluid properties such as weight,
consistency, mechanical analysis, and characteristic of desired drilling fluid, treatment of drilling fluid
and chemical agents or additives. Baranthol (1995) did field sampling measurements and validated his
measurements with computer model for prediction of EMD and ECD were made and applied in drilling high
pressure high temperature wells (HPHT) hole sections. Osman and Aggour (2003) developed a correlation
by using Artificial Intelligence by using artificial neural network (ANN) to estimate mud density as function
of drilling fluid type, different pressures at different temperatures with correlation coefficient of 0.9998.
Osisanya and Harris (2005) did a study about the ECD under high pressure and high temperature conditions
to evaluate the ECD while drilling.
They used DD-Simulator that is used for simulating circulation of the wellbore and they used Crank-
Nicolson numerical discretizing scheme that was employed in the DD-Simulator to come up with
temperature profile. Ahmed et al (2010) developed a model to predict the effect of drill-string rotation on
ECD. They found that with more rotation and flow rate of pumping, the ECD would be more. Elzenar et
al (2018) found a correlation to predict the ECD while drilling by using artificial intelligent tools such as
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artificial neural network (ANN) and fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). They compared the predicted results
with field measurements and the error factor was less than 0.22%.

Validation and Results

This is the first time to come up with Cutting Concentration in Annulus (CCA) techniques for estimating
drilling fluid density in real time. The developed methodology has been validated using field data of real
time of challenging hole sections. It can give clear idea about the maximum limit of rate of penetration to
avoid fracturing of formation. The developed models have several advantageous and beneficial values.

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• Reduce from the amount of fluid of dilution.

• Control drilling rate to avoid loss circulation incident.

• Clear estimation of cuttings weight of formation.

• Improve the well drilling performance since the limit of rate of penetration can be defined.

• Mitigated stuck pipe incidents, by avoiding cuttings accumulation due to drilling cuttings increase.

• Ensure smooth drilling rate with generated drilling cuttings.

• The developed automated drilling fluid density methodology is an effective tool to ensure
automated drilling fluid density.
• It can be applied in all challenging hole sections with different mud systems.

• It achieves perfect drilling fluid density automation and well drilling performance that lead to cost
effectiveness.
• It can replace software packages and Pressure While Drilling (PWD) real time mud rheology and
mud density.
The study is about calculated Cutting Concentration in annulus (CCA) from real time drilling parameters
that were calculated from real time input parameters for finding or figuring out drilling fluid density measure.
Such method, approach and process is new because CCA was never used before to find drilling fluid
systemically or automated in real time. In addition, it was never used with real input data, which makes
such work automated to be run real time for the first time in the industry.
The developed model strongly can provide an automated effective mud weight for the evaluation of
cuttings volumes in real-time. The model allows the drilling team to assess the volume of the generated
cuttings and whether the drilling fluid can effectively and safely lift the cuttings to the surface. Monitoring
the effective mud weight assists engineers in making critical decisions related to drilling ROP, flow rates,
and drilling fluid properties to optimize drilling performance.
The model also allows for the immediate intervention when the cuttings’ volume exceeds the drilling
fluid's ability to clean the wellbore. The model automatically calculates the effective mud weight, which
accounts for the density of the drilling fluid as well as the cuttings being lifted by the fluid. An increase in
effective mud weight values indicates an increase in the cuttings being lifted by the fluid. The model takes in
account the drilling fluid density, flowrate, and drilling ROP as inputs in addition to some general well data
to display the effective mud weight as a real-time curve for the drilling team assessment and intervention
as can be seen in fig – 10.
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Figure – 10—A real-time effective mud weight allows the drilling
team to monitor the cuttings’ volumes generated while drilling.

However, about utilizing Cutting concentration in annulus (CCA) to estimate Equivalent Circulating
Density (ECD) of drilling fluid while drilling in real time that utilize real time input parameters for
measuring of equaivalent circulating density of drilling fluid. Such development of model is new because
CCA were never utilized before to estimate equivalent circulating density of drilling fluid and taken effective
mud weight into cinsideration. In addition, they were never calculated by real time drilling parameters with
real input data. The developed model can provide an automated Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD) for
the evaluation of hole cleaning efficiency in real-time.
The model allows the drilling team to assess the cuttings accumulated in the annulus while drilling. The
continuous monitoring and evaluation of hole cleaning efficiency assist drilling engineers to avoid hole
problems and to optimize well drilling performance. The developed software also allow for the immediate
intervention when the wellbore is not cleaned properly or there is predictibale hole problems during drilling
operation. An increase in ECD values indicates a possible accumulation of cuttings in the wellbore. The
model takes in the drilling fluid density, rheology, flowrate, cuttings’ concentration in the annulus (CCA) as
inputs in addition to some general well data to display the ECD as a real-time curve for the drilling team's
assessment and intervention as can be shown in fig – 11.
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Figure – 11—A real-time equivalent Circulating density allows the
drilling team to monitor the cuttings’ volumes generated while drilling.

The developed models have several advantageous and beneficial values. This is the first time to come
up with CCA technique for estimating ECD of drilling fluid in real time. The developed methodology has
been validated using field data of real time of challenging hole sections. It can give clear idea about the
maximum limit of rate of penetration to avoid fracturing of formation. It can reduce from the amount of
fluid of dilution (reducing density and treatment), control-drilling rate to avoid lost circulation incident due
to cuttings accumulation volume while drilling.
It can improve well drilling performance since the limit of rate of penetration can be defined. It strongly
help to mitigated stuck pipe incidents, by avoiding cuttings accumulation due to drilling cuttings increase.
It can avoid lost circulation due to controlling ECD not to exceed fracture gradient of drilled formation. The
developed automated ECD model of drilling fluid methodology is an effective tool to ensure automated ECD
of drilling fluid. It can be applied in all challenging hole sections with different mud systems. Finally, it can
also, replace software packages and PWD tool and mitigate tools or softwares failures. The validations were
performed against commercialized software for automated mud weight or real time drilling fluid density as
can be shown in fig – 12 and fig – 13 respectively.

Figure – 12—ECD Comparsions

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Figure – 13—Real time ECD and Software ECD VS Depth (ft)

The absolute average error is less than 1%. Similarly, ECD was validated with same software and
additional validation with PWD tool across same drilled hole section and the average error factor is 0.433
which is less than 1% as well. That means using developed models are acceptable, accurate and very
successful. ECD from PWD and ECD from the developed model were plotted in fig – 14.
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Figure – 14—Real time ECD (PCF) and PWD ECD (PCF) VS Depth (ft)

Summary
Automated or real time models of EMW and ECD while drilling were developed and validated with
commercialized software for predicting equivalent drilling fluid density and equivalent circulating density.
Additionally, the automated ECD was validated with PWD awith a good accuracy. Automated ECD model
consider cuttings weight, annular pressure drop based on rheology, flow rate and mud weight.
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Conclusion
• Understanding drilling pressures are critical and important.

• The developed models can be applied in real time environment.

• The real-time models were validated with real time data from used software and PWD tool.

• The developed models were validated in the field and minimized hole problems and optimized
drilling efficiency.

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• The developed models can be utilized to interpret the downhole conditions by utilizing surface
drilling parameters sensors and surface drilling fluid rheological parameters.
• The automated models can be linked and integrated with any other drilling advisory system.

Equations

With no liner:

With liner
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Abbreviations
SPP Stand pipe pressure or mud pump pressure(psi)
Psurface pressure loss across surfaces lines (psi)
PDS pressure loss across drill string (psi)
Pbit pressure loss across bit nozzles (psi)
APL annular pressure loss (psi)
BHCP Bottom Hole Circulating pressure (psi)
HP hydrostatic column pressure in hole (psi)
x, y&z are variables used in equations for solving.
Gpm mud pup flow rate (gallon/minute, gal/min)
IDd inner drill pipe diameter (inches, in)
IDc inner drill collar diameter (in)
OH open hole diameter or bit size (in)
OD outer diameter drill pipe (in)
ODc outer diameter drill collar (in)
Lcsg ID last casing size inner diameter (in)
LID liner inner diameter (in)
TFA total flow area of bit nozzles (in^2)
Dn bit nozzle size (in)
n number of bit nozzles
MW Mud Weight (PCF)
CCA cuttings concentrations in annulus
ROP rate of penetration(ft/hr)
TR transport ratio of drilling fluid efficiency
Θ hole angle (degrees)
Vannular Annular mud velocity, (feet per minute, fpm)
Vcr cuttings rise velocity, (feet per minute, fpm)
Dx change in depth (ft)
ECD Equivalent circulating density (PCF).

References
Osman, E. A., & Aggour, M. A. (2003, January 1). Determination of Drilling Mud Density Change with Pressure and
Temperature Made Simple and Accurate by ANN. Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/81422-MS.
Marsh, H. N. (1931, December 1). Properties and Treatment of Rotary Mud. Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi:
10.2118/931234-Gv
Baranthol, C., Alfenore, J., Cotterill, M. D., & Poux-Guillaume, G. (1995, January 1). Determination of Hydrostatic
Pressure and Dynamic ECD by Computer Models and Field Measurements on the Directional HPHT Well 22130C-13.
Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/29430-MS.
SPE-209945-MS 13

Osisanya, S. O., & Harris, O. O. (2005, January 1). Evaluation of Equivalent Circulating Density of Drilling Fluids Under
High Pressure/High Temperature Conditions. Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/97018-MS.
Ahmed, R. M., Enfis, M. S., El Kheir, H. M., Laget, M., & Saasen, A. (2010, January 1). The Effect of Drillstring Rotation
on Equivalent Circulation Density: Modeling and Analysis of Field Measurements. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
doi: 10.2118/135587-MS.
Elzenary, M., Elkatatny, S., Abdelgawad, K. Z., Abdulraheem, A., Mahmoud, M., & Al-Shehri, D. (2018, August 16).
New Technology to Evaluate Equivalent-Circulating Density While Drilling Using Artificial Intelligence. Society of
Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/192282-MS.

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