WELL CONTROL

Primary Control
Normally:
Kicks Occur When

Mud Hydrostatic

Formation Pressure

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Causes Of Kicks

Kicks Occur When

“ Under Balance ”

Under Balance Is Caused by :

1. Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.

2. Increase in Formation Pressure.

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What Causes Mud Hydrostatic To Drop?

Pressure = Mud Wt X Constant X TVD

Reduce Mud Weight Reduce Length

Of Mud Column
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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.
Running Into Bubbles

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Example

Hole TVD10,000ft (81/2”)

Hole cap.0.0772 bbl/ft
Dc / hole cap. 0.03 bbl/ft
Mud wt. 11 ppg
Formation gradient. 0.56 psi/ft
Influx size 10 bbls while POOH (Swabbing)
Gas gradient 0.1 psi/ft
What is effect on BHP when run back to the bottom

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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.

Circulating Hole Clean

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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.
Gas in the Well Bore

Drilled Gas

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Effect of Gas Expansion
Example:-
well depth 7000’
mud wt. 11 ppg
influx (gas) volume 1 cu. Ft
Calculate vol. Of gas @ 6000’, 5000’, 4000’, 3000’,
2000’, 1000’, 500’, 250’ and @ surface
gas Pressure @7000’ = 11 X .052 X 7000=4000 psi
Vol. Of gas @6000’ =1.16 cu.ft
@5000’ = 1.39 cu.ft @4000’ = 1.75 cu.ft
@3000’ = 2.33 cu.ft @2000’ = 3.5 cu.ft
@1000’ = 7.00 cu.ft @500’ = 14.0 cu.ft
@250’ = 28.0 cu.ft @125’ = 56.0 cu.ft
@surface = 272 cu.ft

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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.
Swabbing

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Swabbing
Momentary reduction in BHP due to reduction in
hydrostatic force cased by the upward suction action
of the drill string, which can allow a small invasion
into well bore.
Main Causes:
1. Pulling Pipe Too Fast
2. High Viscosity Mud
3. Small Collar to Hole Wall Clearance
4. Balled-Up' Bit

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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.
Pumping Light Mud

psi

Bottom Hole Pressures

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What Can Reduce Mud Weight ?

Loss of Barite

Centrifuge
Shakers
Desilters
Poor Mud/Settling

Pit
Hole
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Losses

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Losses

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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.
Pull Out Without Filling The Hole

Rig Floor

Flowline

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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.
Pull Out of The Hole Dry

Rig Floor

Flowline

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Mud Hydrostatic Reduction.
Pull Out of The Hole Wet

Rig Floor

Flowline

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Pressure or Level Drop Per Foot Pulled

Mud Grad X Metal Displacement

Dry Pipe =
( Casing Cap - Metal Displacement)

Mud Grad X Metal Disp. + pipe Cap

Wet Pipe =
Casing Cap - Metal Disp. + Pipe Cap

Casing Cap = Annular Cap + Pipe Cap + Metal Disp.

** All Capacities In bbls/ ft.

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Example
Mud Weight = 12 ppg
Metal Disp = .0075 bbls / ft.
Pipe Cap = .0177 bbls / ft.
Casing Cap = .076 bbls / ft.
Stand Length = 93 ft.

Calculate Pressure Drop When

A) Pulling One Stand Dry.
B) Pulling One Stand Wet.

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Answer
Mud Grad X Metal Displacement
Dry Pipe =
( Casing Cap - Metal Displacement)

=
12 X 0.052 X 0.0075
(0.076 - 0.0075)
= 6.8 psi

Mud Grad X Metal Disp. + pipe Cap

Wet Pipe =
Casing Cap - Metal Disp. + Pipe Cap

12 X 0.052 X (0.075 + 0.0177)

=
0.076 - (0.075 + 0.0177)
= 28.78 psi

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Pulling Collars

Rig Floor

Flowline

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Example
720 Ft Of 8” Drill Collars.
D.C. Capacity = .0077 bbls / ft.
D.C. Displacement = .0546 bbls / ft.
Mud Weight = 15 ppg.
Casing Capacity = .1497 bbls / ft.

Calculate.
A. Drop in Mud Level when all collars are pulled
from the hole without filling the annulus.
B. Drop in Bottom Hole Pressure.

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Answer

Metal Displacement = 720 X 0.0546 = 39.31 bbl

Level drop for pulling collar out of hole =
Length of collar X Metal disp.
Casing capacity
720 X 0.0546
=
0.1497
= 262.6 ft

BHP drop = 15 X 0.052 X 262.6 = 204.8 psi

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Failure of Float collar

Rig Floor

Flowline

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Example
A13 3/8 String Casing Is Run Into The Hole With Conventional Float. The
Driller Did Not Fill The Casing For Fourteen 40 ft Joints. If Float Were To
Fail At This Point, And Mud U-tubes Up Inside The Casing, Calculate The
Effect On Bottom Hole Pressure.
Data:-
Casing Capacity = 0.152 bbls/ft
Annular Capacity = 0.1238 bbls/ft
Mud Weight = 12.6 ppg
Answer
Hydrostatic Pressure Loss If Casing Float Fail =
Mud Gradient X Casing Capacity X Differential Height
(Casing Capacity + Annular Capacity)

0.665 X 0.152 X 14 X40

= 205 psi
( 0.152 + 0.1238)

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Key Prevention Practices.

Do Not RIH Too Fast.

Monitor Trip Tank.
Always Fill Hole With Correct Mud.
Monitor ECD.
Keep Viscosity Down To Acceptable Level.
Keep Casing Full.
Know What Mud Is In Hole.

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Causes Of Abnormal Pressure

Under Compaction
Faulting
Sand Lens
Salt Dome
Artesian
Gas Cap
Leaks Around Casing

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Under Compaction (Trapped Water)

Permeable Layers Trap Water.

Fluid Pressure Rises Steeply

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Sand Lens

+ + +
+ + +

+
+ + +
+ +

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Example

• A gas pocket depth @1000’

• Pressure of the reservoir = 800 psi
• E.M.W =800/1000/.052 =15.4 ppg
• From this slide illustrate what happen if we
drilling well through this formation (use next
slide)

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Faulting

Sand A
0 0

Sand A
0

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Salt Domes

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Artesian Effects
Rain

Underground
Water Level

Spring 1000’

0’

500’

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Artesian Effects
Rain

Underground
water level

Spring 1000’

0’

500’

Calculate Mud Weight To Balance?

Formation Water = .433 psi/ft

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Artesian Effects
Rain

Underground
water level

Spring 1000’

0’

500’

Calculate Mud Weight To Balance?

Formation Water = .433 psi/ft

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Gas Cap Effect

7000’

8000’

.465 psi/ft
Normal Pressure
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Example
Calculate the pressure at top of the reservoir
Pressure at 8000’ = 8000 X .465 = 3720 psi
Height of reservoir = 8000 – 7000 = 1000’
Ph of the reservoir = 1000 X 0.1 = 100 psi
Pr at 7000’ = 3720 – 100 = 3620 psi
E.M.W. at 8000’ = 3720 / .052 / 8000/ = 8.94 ppg
E.M.W. at 7000’ = 3620 / .052 / 7000 = 9.94 ppg
In trapped gas reservoir, the highest point of the reservoir
usually has the highest pressure. Due to gas less dense
than formation water.

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Leaks Around Casing

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Causes Of Kicks
Revision:
KICKS OCCUR WHEN
“ UNDERBALANCE ”

UNDERBALANCE IS CAUSED BY :

MUD WEIGHT REDUCTION.

DROP IN MUD LEVEL.
INCREASE IN FORMATION PRESSURE.

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Kick Prevention
Monitor Trips - In And Out
Circulate Bottoms Up If In Doubt Of Hole Condition
Monitor Well At All Times
Trip Carefully In And Out
Pump Out If Tight Hole
Circulate Through Choke If A Lot Of Gas Is Expected
Keep Mud In Good Shape
Always Keep Hole Full
Double Check Effect Of Lightweight Mud/Pills
Pump Good Cement

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