BASIC CONCEPTS

Drilling Well Control Guide-Section 1 Chevron

Well Control Starts With The Basics

This can be prevented if we have a clear understanding of:

• Well planning
• Kick prevention
• Kick detection
• Shut in procedures and considerations
• Kick evacuation
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Basic Concepts
• Pressure
– Formation Pressure
– Hydrostatic Pressure
– Friction Pressure
– Bottomhole Pressure
– ECD

• U-tube Principle
• Gas Behavior

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Force (F)

1 lb 1 lb 1 lb

3 lb

The total force felt downward is 3 lbs

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 Pressure (P)
Force
1 lb P = Area
3 lbs
1 lb P = 1 in2 = 3 psi

1 lb
1”
1”

3 lb

The force felt downward is still 3 lbs but it is felt over a total
surface area of 1 square inch.
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Formation Pressure (FP)
(Pressure in the pore spaces of a rock)

Subnormal Normal Abnormal

These categories are in reference to the water gradient for a specific area

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Hydrostatic Pressure (HP)
(Pressure exerted by a column of fluid)

HP = Constant  FD  TVD
HP (psi) = 0.052 FD
 (ppg) TVD
 (ft)

HP (psi) = 0.007 FD

 (pcf) TVD
 (ft)

HP (kPa) = 0.00981 FD

 (kg/m ) TVD
 3
(m)

Hydrostatic Pressure is not a function of hole size / MD

Pressure Gradient: Hydrostatic pressure per foot of fluid

G (psi/ft) = 0.052 X MW
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Friction Pressure (FrP)
(Pressure that opposes flow)

• Geometry
– Length (MD)
– Flow Area (size and shape)

• Fluid Properties
– Rheology
– Density (Approximate Linear Relationship)
FD2
FrP2 = FrP1
FD1

• Flow Rate (Approximate Squared Relationship)

(Q2)2
FrP2 = FrP1
(Q1)2

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 Bottomhole Pressure (BHP)
(Sum of all the pressures acting on the bottom hole)

Surface Pressure

Annulus • If BHP > FP Overbalance

Friction Hydrostatic Pressure • If BHP = FP At Balance
• If BHP < FP Underbalance

TVD

BHP = SP + HP + FrPannulus
BHP produced by the HP is the Primary Well Control in Drilling

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 Effect of FrP on BHP (ECD)
(ECD is the expression of BHP in Equivalent FD)
Pump Static Conditions:
Pressure
BHP = HP
FrPsurf Dynamic Conditions (Forward Circulation):
ON
• Pump Pressure = FrPsurf + FrPws + FrPbit + FrPann
• BHP will increase by the FrPann
BHP = HP + FrPann
FrPann
• BHP expressed in ECD will be:

FrPann
FrPws
ECD = FD +
0.052 x TVD

FrPbit
MD/TVD
BHP
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 Effect of FrP on BHP (ECD)
(ECD is the expression of BHP in Equivalent FD)
Pump Static Conditions:
Pressure
BHP = HP
Dynamic Conditions (Reverse Circulation):
ON
• Pump Pressure = FrPsurf + FrPann + FrPbit + FrPws
• BHP will increase by the FrPbit + FrPws
FrPsurf
BHP = HP + FrPbit + FrPws
FrPann
• BHP expressed in ECD will be:

FrPbit + FrPws
FrPws ECD = FD +
0.052 x TVD

FrPbit
MD/TVD
BHP
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 Fracture Pressure
(Pressure at which whole mud is lost to the formation)

Leak Off Test

Pump

4 5
3
6
Maximum SP 2 7 8
• MISICP

Casing Pressure
1
(Static MAASP)
Beyond point #4 the
rock integrity may be
affected

Volume Pumped
Fracture Pressure = HP + SP
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Relationship of BHP, SP and HP
0 psi 1150 psi 3650 psi

0.465 0.350 0.100

(psi/ft) (psi/ft) (psi/ft)
GAS
WATER OIL GAS

10,000'
Formation Pressure = 4650 psi
At balance FP = BHP

SP = BHP - HP
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The U-Tube Principle
Relationship between CP and DPP

3650 psi 0 psi 0 psi 3650 psi

Water Gas

(0.465 psi/ftx10,000’)+0 psi = 4650 psi = (0.1 psi/ftx10,000’)+3650 psi

10,000’ TVD
FP = 4650 psi

BHP = HP + SP

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Gas Law
Real Gas P = Pressure
V = Volume
PV = ZnRT Z = Compressibility
n = moles
R = Units constant
T = Temperature

Boyle’s Gas Law

Ignores changes in: mass of gas (n), gas compressibility (Z) and temperature (T).
Gas equation is minimized to:

P1V1 = P2V2

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 Boyle’s Gas Law
500 psi 3000 psi

P1V1 = P2V2

P2
10 bbls
5000psi
10 HP = 2500 psi
5000psi
bbls
BHP = 5000 psi BHP
BHP = ? psi
= 7500
If we do not allow the gas to expand, what will happen?

5000 psi x 10 bbls = P2 x 10 bbls

Gas will maintain the initial pressure!

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Boyle’s Gas Law (cont’d)
500psi 500psi

P1V1 = P2V2
10 bbl

20 bbls P2

5000psi 2500psi
10 bbls
BHP = 5,000 BHP = ?
If we allow the gas to expand, what will happen?
5000 psi x 10 bbls = P2 x 20 bbls
Gas pressure will be reduced proportionally to the expansion

BHP will be reduced, resulting in more influx

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Gas Behavior
500psi 580psi

8 bbl
18 bbls P2

5000psi
10 bbls
BHP = 5,000 BHPBHP =?
= Constant
If we control the gas expansion, BHP does what?
Assume 8 bbls of mud created 80 psi HP.
BHP = SP + HP
Controlled Gas Expansion while maintaining BHP constant is
the basis for all “constant BHP” methods
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Pressures in a well
Pressure at any depth in a static well is the sum of any HP and SP above
that point

SP
HP1

HP1 + SP

HP2

HP2 + HP1 + SP
HP3
HP3 + HP2 + HP1 + SP

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