08 Well Control in Cased Hole

Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors
Module – 13
Well Intervention
& Work Over
Schlumberger Private
S ti – 8
Section
Well Control in Cased Hole
1/37
C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 2/42

Special Conditions of Operations in Cased Hole
1. Clean fluids (solids free) and continue fluid loss to the formation.
2. Many operations begins by killing the well.
3. Formation gas present both in the annular and the tubing.
4
4. Several trips are made during workover operations.
operations
5. Kicks due to under balance are not frequent.
6. Different procedures for well control.
6. Tubulars in bad condition (corrosion, mechanical damage, etc).
7. In general, little or no open hole section.
8
8. SCR are nott recorded.
d d
9. There is hydrocarbon presence.
10. q p
Well control equipment can change
g depending
p g on the operation.
p

Operations in Cased Hole that may Cause Kicks
• Retrieving packers.
• Perforating
P f i new intervals.
i l
• Tripping whilst loosing circulation.
• Cleaning
Cl i sediments
di or residues
id above
b perforations.
f i
• Formation tests (DST).
• Fishing
Fi hi operations
ti (i(increase in
i ttrip
i ffrequency).)
• Sub-surface equipment failure (SSSV).
• A
Accidental
id t l communication
i ti between
b t tubing
t bi andd annulus:
l U-tube
Ut b
flow due to differences in densities or heights

Guidelines to Maintain Primary Well Control
Whil Conducting
While C d i Operations
O i in
i Cased
C d Hole
H l
• Verify tubing and casing pressures before re-entering in the well

• Know in detail the well mechanical status
• Pre-agree the kill method to use
• Shut off injection wells nearby
• Install back-pressure valve (BPV) and/or mechanical plug in the
tubing before retrieving the xmas tree
• Install and test BOP & perform function and pressure tests
• Flow checks
• Have ready available a full opening safety valve with the proper
Cross-over for the string in the hole
• Perform BOP drills

Guidelines to Maintain Primary Well Control
Whil Conducting
While C d i Operations
O i in
i Cased
C d Hole
H l
• Circulate well before retrieving packers. Be aware of trapped

pressures below
b l packersk or bridge
b id plugs
l
• Control tripping speed (swabbing/surging)
• Detection equipment for fluid gain / loss,
loss installed and tested
• Install lubricator (hydraulic head and seals) to conduct wire
line operations with the well flowing or under pressure
• Have a detailed perforating procedure
• Be aware of condition of tubulars and accessories
(corrosion leaks,
(corrosion, leaks etc)
• Apply specific well control methods for cased holes:
bullheading, volumetric method, lubricate and bleed, reverse
circulation, etc.
Types of WC in Cased Hole Operations
Primary Well Control:
• Use of a fluid column with enough density and height to have:
Phydrostatic > Pformation.
• Install mechanical barriers prior to retrieving the “X-mas” tree and
install the BOP stack
Secondary Well Control:
• Use of additional mechanical barriers such as BOPs,BOPs valves,
valves pumps
to circulate fluid to re-establish primary control, by mean of:
– Circulating formation fluids outside the well
– “Bullheading”
While avoids additional flow of formation fluids and high surface or
downhole pressures

Well Control Equipment for Cased Hole Operations
Key points:
• Well is killed and barriers are installed and tested
• Xmas tree is removed.
• BOP
O equipment is nipple up and tested.
• Tubing is used regularly as the “work string”
Well control equipment:

• Annular BOP,
BOP Pipe rams,
rams choke manifold,
manifold Closing unit,
unit Full
Opening Safety valves (FOSV), Trip Tank.

Well Control Equipment for Concentric Workover
Key points:
• Workover is done through xmas tree and tubing bore
• Small OD tubing or coiled tubing is commonly used
• Well may or may not have pressure
• BOPs are installed on the top of “X-mas” tree

• Pipe Stripper or annular BOP,
BOP Pipe Rams (hydraulic or manual),
manual)
Choke Manifold or “Chicksan” lines, Closing Unit and Manual
pumps, FOSV

Well Control Equipment for Coiled Tubing Operations
Key points:
• Workover is completed through “x-mas” tree
• Wireline is used instead of work string
• Well may or may not have pressure
• Lubricator is installed

• Pack
Pack-off
off assembly,
assembly lubricator assembly,
assembly special wireline BOPs,
BOPs
Manual/Hydraulic Pump, FOSV.

Well Control Equipment for Pumping Operations
Key points:
• Workover is completed through “x-mas” tree
• Well generally has pressure
• Existing tubing is used as work string
• Workover unit is used primarily to kill producing wells

• Pump Truck,
Truck Pump and prime mover,
mover Pressure Relief Valve,
Valve
Pump Lines, Pumping Manifold, “chicksans”

Shut-in procedures in Cased Hole
Shut-In Method:
• For Workover operations there is no difference between Hard Shut-in and Soft
Shut-in
Shut in (no concerns regarding “Kick
Kick Tolerance
Tolerance”))
• Close the well ‘diligently’ in order to avoid a big kick volume
Shut-in, on bottom, circulating:
Line up: kill BOP valves closed, choke line route open, choke closed
– With p
pump(s)
p( ) on,, p
pick up
p work string
g and space
p it in the rotaryy table
– Shut down pump(s) and watch for flow (if there is enough time)
– If well is flowing, close work string valve with its closing tool
– Close
Cl annular
l BOPs.
BOP If there
th i no annular,
is l use the
th pipe
i rams
– Open choke line valves on the stack to gain access to casing pressure
– Notify PIC (Person In Charge)
– Monitor and record Shut-in pressures and pit gain.

Shut-in procedures in Cased Hole
Shut-in, while tripping:
Line up: kill BOP valves closed, choke line route open, choke closed (work
string safety valve in open position is available on rig floor)
Check for flow; if the well is flowing then:
– Position a connection for stabbing above rotary table (or rig floor)
– Install open work string safety valve and close same
– Close annular BOP. If there is no annular BOP, use the pipe rams.
– If there are only a few joints of pipe in the hole,
hole close rams.
rams
– If the work string is less than 3,000 ft long or there is a packer on the
tubing string, space out the work string and close and lock a pipe ram.
– Open choke line valves on the stack to gain access to casing pressure.
– Notify PIC (Person In Charge).
– Monitor and record Shut
Shut-in
in pressures and pit gain.

Types of WC Procedures in Cased Hole
Well control when circulation is possible:
• There is communication to circulate fluids in direct or in reverse. An
adjustable choke is installed in the back-flow line to create a back-pressure
in order to keep the bottom hole pressure constant
– Constant pump pressure method - direct circulation (BHP constant)
– Reverse
R circulation
i l ti method th d (keeping
(k i BHP constant) t t)
– Wait and Weight method (less used)
Well control when no circulation is possible:

• No flow communication between tubing and casing
• Pipe off bottom or out of the hole:
– Reversing the influx to the formation (Bullheading)
– Controlled gas migration (Volumetric Method)
– Gas
G evacuation ti att surface
f (L b i ti and
(Lubrication d Bleed)
Bl d)

Well Control Procedures
Direct Circulation
- Constant pump pressure:
- Wait and Weight
(pumping schedule):

Reverse Circulation
The reverse circulation method, or “reversing out” a kick, involves pumping
down the annulus and taking returns from the tubing. Reversing is fairly
common in workover operations for a variety of reasons:
– Time can be saved if only a “bottoms up” circulation is required.
Bottoms up through the tubing is usually a much smaller volume
than bottoms up through the annulus.
– Reversing is sometimes called the “short way” and normal
circulation the “long
long way
way” because of this fact.
fact
– Since the tubing bore is smaller, fluid velocities are higher, and
the capacity of the fluids to carry solids, scale, and debris is
improved.
improved
– Due to the circulation path, the high pressures due to gas
expansion are exposed to he tubing rather than the casing. The
tubing is usually better equipped to handle these pressures.
pressures

Reverse Circulation
Reverse Circulation: pump through casing, returns through tubing
• Line up manifold and pump to circulate fluid down annulus and take
returns from tubing.
• Bring pump to kill rate while holding tubing pressure constant with choke.
This establishes ICP on casing gauge
• Continue to circulate, using choke to keep casing pressure constant
Notes:
• Be aware of high pressure losses inside the tubing, which are reflected
on bottom and may cause fracture to the formation
• Use low circulation rate to reduce ECD
• If the influx is gas, there is a rapid change in surface pressures whilst the
gas is circulated out of the well; be prepared for it!
N t example
Next l compares di directt and
d reverse circulation
i l ti methods
th d

Well Control Procedures in Cased Hole
Direct and Reverse Circulation Comparison
p
p
p
30.78 bbl

p
p
p
p
Pressure Profile for reversing a Gas Kick
3500
3000
Reverse Circulation - Tubing Pressure
Direct Circulation - Tubing Pressure
2500 Pumping through Annular
Pumping through Tubing
sure (psi)
2000
Press
1500
1000
500
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Barrels pumped (bbls)

Reversingg fluids to the formation: “Bullheading”
g
Preliminary considerations:
• Formation pressure known
• Perforated casing condition
– Perforations total or partially plugged
– Sand or junk blocking admission
– Zones p plug
g with cement,, than can be fracture or limited the
injection pressure
• Tubular conditions, wear, communication with annular, etc.
• Wellhead conditions and working pressures
• Fluid in annular
• Formation compatibility with kill fluid

g
Preliminary information:
• Formation ppressure,, preferably
p y from a recent BHP logg
• Desired overbalance provided by kill fluid
• Perforation depth, measured and vertical
• Fracture pressure, measured or estimated
• Tubing specifications and wear conditions
• Annular Fluid – presence and weight
• “Rat hole”
• Pump specifications
• Shut-in pressures, tubing and casing(s)
• Wellhead working
g pressure
p

g
Calculations:
• Volume to pump - Tubing, annular and below the packer
• Kill weight fluid - Include 100 – 300 psi overbalance safety margin
• Fracture pressure - To define surface pressure limits
• Working tubing Burst pressure - use 80% of published tubing burst pressure.
pressure If
wear or corrosion is higher than 20% use a lower value. Run caliper log
• Maximum tubing burst pressure (mechanical limits) before and after operation
and with/without annular fluid,
fluid using next equations:
Max. Init.Pres. (no annular fluid) = Pburst – HPtubing
= Pburst – (Pform– Ptubshut -inin)
Max. Final Press. (no annular fluid) = Pburst – HP with kill fluid
Max. Initial Press. (annular fluid) = Pburst – Pform + HP annular
Max. Final Press. (annular fluid) = Pburst – HP con kill fluid+ HPannular

g
Calculations:
• Maximum tubing pressure (limited by formation) to avoid fracture
fracture, using next
equations:
Max. Tub Pres. (formation Fracture Pressure limit)
= 0.052 * [FP (ppg) – MWD before_bullheading (ppg)] * TVD
= 0.052 * [FP (ppg) – KMWD after_bullheading (ppg)] * TVD
• The limited pressure value to reverse circulation is defined by the maximum

tubing pressure (either mechanical or formation limits).
The next figure shows the mechanical and the formation limits Vs strokes to
fill up the tubing.

g
g
Volumetric Method - Controlled Gas Migration
g
• Indications of gas migration:
– Uniform increase in tubing and casing shut-in pressures
– If ignored, these increased pressures can can cause formation
damage and loss of whole fluid into the perforations.
– Migration at high rates (4,000 – 6,000 ft/hr)
• Methods to control migration:
1. Control expansion of bubble while migrating from bottom to surface:

1a. Constant Tubing Pressure (tubing/casing communication; tubing
ppressure can be read))
1b. Volumetric Method (no casing/tubing communication)
2. Removing gas from top of casing: Lubricate and Bleed Method:
2a.
a Lubricate
ub cate aandd Bleed,
eed, volume
o u e method
et od
2b. Lubricate and Bleed, pressure method

g
1a. Constant Tubing Pressure (casing & tubing communicated; pipe on bottom)
1. Allow SITP
S to increase by a safety margin 50 – 100 psi, lower limit = SITP1
S
2. Allow SITP to increase an additional 50 – 100 psi, upper limit = SITP2
3. Using the choke, bleed mud from the annular until tubing pres drops to SITP1
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3, holding tubing pressure between SITP1 and SITP2 either
until the gas in the annular reaches surface or until another procedure is
implemented
Note: be aware of the time lag between opening the choke and seeing the
pressure drop on the tubing gauge. The recommended procedure is to open
the choke until the desired drop is seen on the casing gauge, then close the
choke
h k andd wait
it until
til the
th change
h appears on the
th tubing
t bi gauge

g
1b. Static Volumetric Method (no casing/tubing communication)

1
1. Select a safety margin (increment) for the annular pressure Psafety
f t and a
range Pstep.. Recommended values for each, 100 psi.
2. Calculate hydrostatic pressure per barrel fluid in the upper annular:
HP per barrel = Fluid gradient / Annular capacity [psi /bbl]
3. Calculate the volume to bleed each step, Vstep
Vstep = Pstep / HP per barrel = (P step / Glodo) x Cann
4. Allow SICP (Pchoke) to increase by safety margin Psafety without bleeding
fluid.
5. All
Allow SICP (Pchoke) to increase
i b range Pstep without
by ih bl di fluid.
bleeding fl id
6. Maintaining Pchoke bleed Vstep into tank.
7. p
Repeat steps
p 5 and 6 until the g
gas in the annular reaches surface

g
1b. Static Volumetric Method (no tubing/casing communication).
Lubricate & Bleed – Controlled Gas Evacuation at Surface
2a. Lubricate and Bleed (Volumetric Control)
1. Well shut-in. Pump through annular a fluid volume, Vstep to

increment the annular pressure to Pstep (from 50 to 200 psi).
2. Wait for fluid segregation in the annulus (fluid falling through the
gas).
3. Measure the volume p pumped
p and calculate the equivalent
q
hydrostatic pressure increase in the annular:
HP = (volume pumped to annulus) x (HP per barrel), psi
HP per barrel
b l = Mud
M d Gradient
G di / Annular
A l capacity
i = psii / bbl
4. Open choke and bleed dry gas to reduce pressure by Pstep + HP
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 until all gas is removed from the well bore

2a. Lubricate and Bleed (Volumetric Control)
2b. Lubricate and Bleed (Pressure Control)
The process is the same: pump, wait, calculate and bleed.
The process is based on pressure reading both before pumping
and after, as shown in the following equation:
P1 = Annular pressure before pumping
P2 = Stabilized annular pressure after pumping
P3 = Pressure to bleed off
P3 = (P1)2 / (P2)

2b. Lubricate and Bleed (Pressure Control)
Notes:
1. The procedure is valid only if annular pressure is due to gas swabbed
and not due to under balance
2. After removing the gas from the annular, the pressure must fall to zero

Well Control Methods in Cased Hole – Summary
Bullheading
• Simple
• Early pressure reduction on the tubing
• It forces the contents of the tubing (hydrocarbons) back into their
source
• It should not cause reservoir damage providing pressure limits
are respected
The following conditions limit or prohibit bullheading:

• Plugged perforations
• Plugged tubing (sand, scale, paraffin)
• Damaged tubing
• Unexplained, unbleedable annulus pressure (indicating a possible
Unexplained
tubing or packer leak)
Well Control Methods in Workover – Summary
Direct Circulation (long way circulation)

• Common method of killing the well before W.O. interventions
• It exposes the formation to less friction pressure than reverse
circulation (at the same pump rate)
• It will
ill nott expose the
th formation
f ti tot ‘heavy’
‘h ’ or ‘dirty’
‘di t ’ packer
k fluids
fl id
However:
• It may be inefficient and require more circulation time if it involves
the displacing of heavy, dirty packer fluid with lighter, clean
completion
l ti fluid.
fl id
• It will create pressure on the upper casing if circulating up any
residual ggas (e.g.
g ggas below ppacker or residual tubing g g
gas). This
pressure could be a problem if the casing is deteriorated

Well Control Methods in Workover - Summary
Reverse circulation (short way)

• It p
produces lower p
pressures on upper
pp casing
g than long-way
g y
circulation
• It displaces fluids more efficiently due to higher tubing velocity
However:
• It exposes the formation to more friction pressure than long-way
circulation (at the same pump rate)
• It is acceptable with ‘bad’
bad packer fluid in the annulus if an isolation
plug can be set downhole to block fluid loss into perforations
• It requires ‘spearheading’ or leading the tubing displacement with
a viscous pill to reduce fluid losses later during reversing.

Well Control Methods in Workover - Summary
Lubricate and Bleed Methods (volume and pressure control)

• These methods are better than bullheading for killing large-bore
tubing on high-volume gas wells. Much of the fluid can channel
pastt the
th gas when
h trying
t i to
t bullhead
b llh d in
i large
l t bi
tubing
• The Lubricate and Bleed pressure method is better for high-volume
gas wells as it uses pressure as a control and not volume pumped.
pumped
• A portion of the volume may have been lost into perforations.
• The Lubricate and Bleed methods are applicable for example in a
well with parted tubing and gas at surface

08 Well Control in Cased Hole

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Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 2/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 3/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 4/42

• Verify tubing and casing pressures before re-entering in the well

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 5/42

• Circulate well before retrieving packers. Be aware of trapped

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 7/42

Well control equipment:

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 8/42

Well control equipment:

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 9/42

Well control equipment:

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 10/42

Well control equipment:

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 11/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 12/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 13/42

Well control when no circulation is possible:

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 14/42

- Constant pump pressure:

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 15/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 16/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 17/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 20/42

Pressure Profile for reversing a Gas Kick

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 24/42

• Tubular conditions, wear, communication with annular, etc.

• Wellhead conditions and working pressures

• Formation compatibility with kill fluid

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 26/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 27/42

• The limited pressure value to reverse circulation is defined by the maximum

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 28/42

• Methods to control migration:

1. Control expansion of bubble while migrating from bottom to surface:

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 31/42

2. Allow SITP to increase an additional 50 – 100 psi, upper limit = SITP2

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 32/42

1b. Static Volumetric Method (no casing/tubing communication)

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 33/42

1. Well shut-in. Pump through annular a fluid volume, Vstep to

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 35/42

2b. Lubricate and Bleed (Pressure Control)

The process is the same: pump, wait, calculate and bleed.

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 37/42

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 38/42

The following conditions limit or prohibit bullheading:

Direct Circulation (long way circulation)

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 40/42

Reverse circulation (short way)

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 41/42

Lubricate and Bleed Methods (volume and pressure control)

C. Alvarez Quartz School for IPM Well Site Supervisors 42/42

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