Well Control Example 2, 2015 Answers

Well data

Vertical Depth 10,000 ft.

Inclination:
Surface to TD. Vertical

Last casing: 9 5/8” @ 8,000ft.

Assume that Casing ID = Open hole ID = 8.5 in. (and assume that the hole is in gauge)

Mud weight 10.0 ppg

Last LOT at casing shoe 6000 psi
SIDPP 200 psi
SICP 300 psi
Volume of influx 10 bbl.

Drill stem

5" 19.5lb/ft, Grade S, Premium, Range 2 drill pipe to surface

(each stand 3 x 31’)

6¼" x 2 13/16" DC + bit (Treat as slick drill collars) 5 stands each 3 x 30’
Bit is on bottom (ignore pick up distance for calculation purposes)

Volumetric Data
Capacity Open End Closed End Units
Displacement Displacement
DP 0.722 0.345 1.067 gal/ft
DC 0.323 1.271 1.594 Gal/ft

Mud Pumps
NOV A-1700PT mud pump output (6" x 12") 4.41 US gal/stroke
SPL @ slow circ. rate 250 psi @ 30 spm

Conversion Factors
1 cu.ft = 7.481 US gal
Pressure psi = Depth ft. x 0.052 x Fluid density (MW) ppg
Fresh water is 1 SG, 8.34 lbs/USgal, 0.433 psi/ft, 62.4 lbs/cu ft.

You are expected to know :-

US gal/bbl, in/ft
How to calculate the volume of a cylinder.
How to answer the following questions.
The well is to be killed using the Engineers’ Method. Calculate:
1. Kill mud weight.
2. Pump strokes from surface to bit.
3. Pump strokes for bottom of influx to be at shoe.
4. Pump strokes to surface.
5. MAASP after kill.
6. ICP & FCP
7. Initial height of influx
8. Density of influx – what do you think it is?
9. If the APL during drilling is equivalent to 0.5 ppg, can you
continue drilling the well safely?
Well Control Example 2 (2015) - Answers

Note ; First draw a diagram.

Volumes

When working volumes and capacities , a useful approximation is -

D2 ÷ 1029.4 = capacity in bbl/ft.
Or for an annulus : D2 - d2 ÷ 1029.4 = capacity in bbl/ft.

DP/OH and DP/Csg = (8.52 - 52) ÷ 1029 = 0.0459 bbl/ft

DC/OH = (8.52 – 6.252) ÷ 1029 = 0.0323 bbl/ft

Drillstem Capacity
DP : 0.01719 bbl/ft x 9550 ft = 164.2 bbl
DC : 0.00769 bbl/ft x 450 ft = 3.5 bbl
Total = 167.7 bbl

Converting volume to pump strokes

167.7 bbl ÷ 0.105 = 1597 strokes

(Pump output of 4.41 US gal/stroke ÷ 42 = 0.105 bbl/stroke. Use figures as given. No need to
allow for swept volume efficiency.)

Annular Capacity
DC - open hole volume : 450 x 0.0323 = 14.5 bbl
DP - open hole volume : 1550 x 0.0459 = 71.1 bbl
DP - casing volume : 8000 x 0.0459 = 367.2 bbl
Total annular volume = 452.8 bbl
Converted to pump strokes : 452.8 ÷ 0.105 = 4313 strokes
This is also called the 'Bottoms up strokes' figure.

This figure has been worked out using a simple annulus of 8.5” x 5”.

Note that a slightly different value for annular capacity, of 4212 strokes, is found if the values
quoted on the sheet for CED (closed end displacement) of drillpipe are used in the calculation.
This is because DP has upsets at every tooljoint, which increases their effective volume slightly.
The calculation above did not allow for that. In practice the difference (2.4%) is effectively
irrelevant, since real wells tend to have some, often unknown, oversize or over gauge hole
sections.
At the end of these answers, since one of you asked, I have repeated the volume calculation using
the values from the data sheet.

Answers-

(1) Kill mud weight (ppg) = original mud weight + (SIDPP ÷ TVD ÷ 0.052)
= 10.0 + (200 ÷ 10000 ÷ 0.052) = 10.4 ppg
Value is rounded up for safety.

(2) Surface to bit strokes = 1597 strokes (say 1600) (see above)
(3) Bottom of kick will arrive at shoe after open hole volume has been pumped. :
85.6 ÷ 0.105 = 816 strokes.

So, kick is well past the shoe before kill mud has arrived at bit. It is still worthwhile to use the
Engineer’s method. Overall, annular pressures will be lower, and the kick killed sooner, than with
the Driller’s method. This reduces risk and improves safety.

(4) Strokes to surface (‘bottoms up’) = 4313 strokes.

By this point, in theory, all the kick should be out.

(5) MAASP at time of kill = 6000 – (10.0 x 0.052 x 8000) = 1840 psi.
MAASP after kill = 6000 – (10.4 x 0.052 x 8000) = 1673 psi (say 1670 psi)

Note that formation breakdown pressure, Pfb was described in this instance as LOT. More
commonly, the LOT value is the surface pressure, which when added to the head of mud to the
shoe, determines the formation breakdown pressure figure.

The MAASP is normally calculated when drilling, each time the mud weight is changed. If the
MAASP value has reduced to an unacceptably low value, drilling must stop and the plan altered.
Typically, a further casing or liner will have to be set to allow drilling to continue.
Many companies will use an estimated maximum allowable kick volume, the ‘kick tolerance’ as
another way of evaluating this.

(6) ICP = SIDPP + ScrP = 200 + 250 = 450 psi

FCP = ScrP x (kill mud wt / original mud weight) = 200 x (10.4/10.0) = 260 psi

The standpipe (drillpipe) pressure should drop from 450 psi to 260 psi over the first 1597 strokes
of kill mud pumped down the string.

(7) Initial height of influx. Influx is assumed to be at bottom, around DCs in the open hole.
10 ÷ 0.0323 = 310 ft. Note this is less than the length of the DC/OH section. (450ft)

(8) Ginflux = GMud – [(SICP – SIDPP) ÷ Height of influx] = 0.52 - (300-200) ÷ 310
= 0.197 psi /ft
= Gas condensate or a gas/oil mix

Note that in practice this calculation is seldom of use, or practical to do.

Always assume a kick is gas. That is the most dangerous case.

(9) If Annual Pressure Loss (APL) is 0.5 ppg, this increases the loading on the casing shoe by 0.5
ppg equivalent.
So, Effective MAASP is = 6000 – (10.4 + 0.5) x 0.052 x 8000 = 1465 psi.

This is still adequate to allow drilling to continue

Volume calculations using Volumetric Data table figures :

Drillstem

DP : 0.722 x 9550 = 6,895 gals ÷ 42 = 164.1 bbl

DC : 0.323 x 450 = 145.4 gals ÷ 42 = 3.5 bbl

164.1 + .5 = 167.7 ÷ 0.105 = 1,597 strokes

Annulus

Open hole capacity : 8.52 x  x 12 x 7.48 = 2.9476 gal/ft

4 x 1728

(note that there are 7.48 US gals in I cubic foot)

Open hole annulus capacity ,

DC / OH : 2.9476 - 1.594 = 1.3536 x 450 = 609 gal ÷ 42 = 14.5 bbl

DP / OH : 2.9476 - 1.067 = 1.8806 x 1550 = 2,915 gal ÷ 42 = 69.4 bbl

Total open hole annulus cap : 609 + 2,915 = 3,524 ÷ 4.41 = 799 strokes
Or 14.5 + 69.4 = 83.9 ÷ 0.105 = 799 strokes

Casing annulus capacity

Csg / DP : 1.8806 x 8000 = 15,045 ÷ 4.41 = 3.412 strokes

Or 15.045 ÷ 42 = 358.2 ÷ 0.105 = 3,412 strokes

Total bottoms up strokes : 799 + 3,412 = 4,211 strokes

As you can see, using the volumetric data sheet information has no effect on the drillstem
strokes, since the volume differences concerned are too small.
There is a small difference, some 100 strokes or so, in the calculated annular volumes or bottoms
up strokes. In practice this is of no significance. For test purposes use the values you are given.