Well Design Rules

All training facilities conducting IWCF Practical Assessment Exercises are required to follow the
IWCF well design rules and will be audited against these during the initial or four yearly audit
conducted by IWCF.

NB. The wells used for assessment must be different from those used for training and practice
sessions.

NB. At least three different wells for each BOP stack type (surface and subsea) must be available
at each training centre to ensure that resit candidates can be assessed on a different well to any
they fail on.
Well Design
Well depth at the time of the kick must be at least 5250 feet (1600m)
Well Depth
T.V.D.
The length of the cased hole section must not be more than 70% of
Cased Hole Section
the measured depth of the well.
The length of the open hole section must be at least 30% of the
Open Hole Section
measured depth of the well.

Hole Diameter The hole diameter (bit size) must be at least 8.5 inches (216 mm).
The drill-string must include a conventional bottom hole assembly
Drill-string (i.e. drill collars and HWDP). The nominal size of the drill-pipe must
be at least 4.5 inches (114 mm).
The choke line/kill line must be at least 500 feet (152m), but less
than 20% of the total well depth.
Subsea Well Operations
Choke-line friction losses must be at least 200 psi (14 bar/1400
kPa/14 kg/cm2) at the selected Kill Rate.

Equipment
Pump output should not be more than 0.12 barrels (19lt/0.019 m3)
Pump Output per stroke. Pump flow rate must be 5.0 barrels (795lt/0.795m3) per
minute or less at the selected kill rate.
The surface lines should have a volume of at least 10 barrels
Surface Lines
(1590lt/1.59m3).

Formation Parameters
Fracture pressure at the shoe (shoe breakdown pressure/formation
strength at the shoe) should be set such that when shut in on a ten
Shoe Fracture Pressure
barrel kick the initial stabilised safety margin (MAASP – SICP) is
between 500 – 700 psi (35 – 48 bar/3500 – 4800 kPa/35-49 kg/cm2)
At least 8 feet (2.4 m) must be drilled prior to taking the kick. During
Formations this period of drilling there must be at least one significant change in
Rate of Penetration (drilling break).
Formation pressure must be set to give a stabilised SIDPP of at least
Formation Pressure
400 psi (28bar/2800 kPa/28kg/cm2).
Influx The influx must be gas
The permeability must be set to ensure an initial inflow rate of not
Permeability
less than 5 barrels (795lt/0.795m3) per minute.

The following pages contain four example well models that accredited centres can use as a
guidance to help them develop sufficient appropriate well models of their own for use during IWCF
Practical Assessments.

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 Well Design Rules

Surface BOP Stack

Example No. 1 – API Units

Length
Casing 9-5/8 inch (47lbs/ft) Grade N80 3900 ft
Open Hole 8-1/2 inch O.D. 1677 ft
Bit 8-1/2 inch O.D. Nozzle Size 3 x 12/32 inch
Drill pipe 5 inch (19.5lbs/ft) Grade S135/Threads NC50 4977 ft
Drill Collars 6-1/4 inch O.D. x 2-1/2 inch I.D. 600 ft
Vertical depth 5577 ft
Measured depth 5577 ft

Drill Fluid Pumps Specification:

Liner Size Stroke Type Efficiency Output Max. Pressure
Pump 1 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 98% 0.103 bbls/stroke 4670 psi
Pump 2 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 98% 0.103 bbls/stroke 4670 psi

Drilling Fluid Properties:

Water based drilling fluid Density: 10.43 ppg Viscosity: 12.0 cP Yield Point 8.00
Leak off equivalent Density: 15.53 ppg

Formation Characteristics:
Formation Formation Formation
Zone Drill- Formation
Thickness Depth Pressure Fluid Permeability
No. ability Fluid
Range Equivalent Density
1 5577 ft 0 – 5577 ft High Water 10.26 ppg 8.60 ppg 0 md
5577 –
2 4 ft Low Water 10.35 ppg 8.60 ppg 0 md
5581 ft
5581 –
3 1 ft High Water 10.43 ppg 8.60 ppg 0 md
5582 ft
5582 –
4 3 ft High Water 10.60 ppg 8.60 ppg 0 md
5585 ft
5585 – *200 – 300
5 656 ft High Gas 11.98 ppg 1.92 ppg
6241 ft md

* The formation permeability may be adjusted to make the well produce approximately 10 bbls of
gas during a two minute period before shutting in the well.

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 Well Design Rules

Surface BOP Stack

Example No. 2 – SI Units

Length
Casing: 9-5/8 inch (47 lbs.ft) Grade N80 1190 m
Open Hole 8-1/2 inch O.D. 510 m
Bit: 8-1/2 inch O.D. Nozzle size 3 x 12/32 inch
Drill-pipe 5 inch (19.5 lbs/ft) Grade S135/Threads NC50 1517 m
Drill Collars 6-1/4 inch O.D. x 2-1/2 inch I.D. 183 m
Vertical depth 1700 m
Measured depth 1700 m

Drilling Fluid Pumps Specification:

Liner Size Stroke Type Efficiency Output Max. Pressure
Pump 1 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 98% 16.3l/stroke 32200 kPa
Pump 2 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 98% 16.3l/stroke 32200 kPa

Drilling Fluid Properties:

Water based drilling fluid: Density: 1.25 kg/l Viscosity: 12.0 cP Yield Point: 8.00
Leak off equivalent: Density: 1.86 kg/l

Formation Characteristics:
Formation Formation Formation
Zone Drill- Formation
Thickness Depth Pressure Fluid Permeability
No. ability Fluid
Range Equivalent density
1 1700 m 0-1700m High Water 1.23 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1700-
2 1.3 m Low Water 1.25 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1701.3 m
1701.3-
3 0.3 m High Water 1.25 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1701.6 m
1701.6 –
4 1.0 m High Water 1.27 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1702.6 m
1702.6- *200-300
5 200 m High Gas 1.44 kg/l 0.23 kg/l
1902.6 m md

* The formation permeability may be adjusted to make the well produce approximately 1.59m3 gas
during a two minute period before shutting in the well.

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 Well Design Rules

Subsea BOP Stack

Example No. 3 – API Units

Length
Casing: 9-5/8 inch (47 lbs/ft) Grade N80 3900 ft
Riser 22 inch O.D. (20.5 inch I.D.) 984 ft
Choke Line 3 inch I.D. 1017 ft
Open Hole 8-1/2 inch O.D. 1677 ft
Bit 8-1/2 inch O.D. Nozzle size 3x 12/32 inch
Drill-pipe 5 inch (19.5 lbs/ft) Grade S135/Threads NC50 4977 ft
Drill Collars 6-1/4 O.D. x 2-1/2 inch I.D. 600 ft
Vertical Depth 5577 ft
Measured depth 5577 ft

Drilling Fluid Pumps Specifications:

Liner Size Stroke Type Efficiency Output Max. Pressure
Pump 1 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 98% 0.103 bbls/stroke 4670 psi
Pump 2 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 98% 0.103 bbls/stroke 4670 psi

Drilling Fluid Properties:

Water based drilling fluid Density: 10.43 ppg Viscosity: 12.0 cP Yield Point: 8.00
Leak off equivalent: Density: 15.53 ppg

Formation Characteristics:
Formation Formation Formation
Zone Drill- Formation
Thickness Depth Pressure Fluid Permeability
No. ability Fluid
Range Equivalent density
1 5577 ft 0-5577ft High Water 10.26ppg 8.60ppg 0 md
5577 –
2 4 ft Low Water 10.35 ppg 8.60 ppg 0md
5581ft
5581 –
3 1 ft High Water 10.43 ppg 8.60 ppg 0md
5582 ft
5582-
4 3 ft High Water 10.60 ppg 8.60 ppg 0 md
5585 ft
5585 – *200-300
5 656 ft High Gas 11.98 ppg 1.92 ppg
6241 ft md

* The Formation permeability may be adjusted to make the well produce approximately 10 bbls of
gas during a two minute period before shutting in the well.

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 Well Design Rules

Subsea BOP Stack

Example No. 4 – SI Units

Length
Casing 9-5/8 inch (lbs/ft) Grade N80 1190 m
Riser 22 inch O.D. (20.5 inch I.D. 330 m
Choke Line 3 inch I.D 310 m
Open Hole 8-1/2 inch O.D. 510 m
Bit 8-1/2 inch O.D. Nozzle size 3 x 12/32 inch
Drill-pipe 5 inch (19.5 lbs/ft) Grade S135/Threads NC50 1517 m
Drill Collars 6-1/4 inch O.D. x 2-1/2 inch I.D. 183 m
Vertical Depth 1700 m
Measured depth 1700 m

Drilling Fluid Pumps Specifications:

Liner Size Stroke Type Efficiency Output Max Pressure
Pump 1 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 98% 16.3 l/stroke 32200 kPa
Pump 2 6 inch 12 inch Triplex 96% 16.3 l/stroke 32200 kPa

Drilling Fluid Properties:

Water based drilling fluid: Density: 1.25 kg/l Viscosity: 12.0 cP Yield Points: 8.00
Leak off equivalent: Density: 1.86 kg/l

Formation Characteristics:
Formation Formation Formation
Zone Drill- Formation
Thickness Depth Pressure Fluid Permeability
No. ability Fluid
Range Equivalent density
1 1700 m 0-1700 m High Water 1.23 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1700-
2 1.3 m Low Water 1.24 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1701.3m
1701.3-
3 0.3 m High Water 1.25 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1701.6m
1701.6-
4 1.0 m High Water 1.27 kg/l 1.03 kg/l 0 md
1702.6
1702.6- *200-300
5 200 m high gas 1.44 kg/l 0.23 kg/l
1902.6m md

* The formation permeability may be adjusted to make the well produce approximately 1.59 m3 gas
during a 2 minute period before shutting in the well.

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