PETE 411

Well Drilling

Lesson 23
Gas Cut Mud

1
 What is Gas Cut Mud?

After drilling through a

formation containing
gas, this drilled gas
will show up in the mud
returns at the surface.
Gas cut mud is mud
containing some gas -
from any source.
2
 Lesson 23 - Gas Cut Mud

Effect of Drilling Rate

Effect of Circulation Rate
Mud/Gas Ratio at the bottom of the Hole
Mud/Gas Ratio at the Surface
Density of Gas Cut Mud
Reduction of Bottom Hole Pressure
due to Gas Cut Mud
Safe Drilling Practices
3
 Read:
Applied Drilling Engineering, Ch. 6

HW #12 Csg. Design - due Nov. 1

HW #13 dc - Exponent - due Nov. 6

4
 How Critical is Gas Cut Mud?

(1) Most people tend to overreact when

gas reaches the surface.

It is at this time one should be calm and

determine where the gas units came
from.
Monitor the gas units response before
reacting.

5
How Critical is Gas Cut Mud? contd

(2) It is true that gas at the surface will

tend to cut the mud weight substantially.
This cut can be as much as 5 to 7 PPG.
But, it should be further realized that
these cuts occur mainly in the top 200
feet of the hole with the worst cuts
occurring in the top 50 feet.
Therefore, the overall hydrostatic head is
only reduced by a small margin.
6
How Critical is Gas Cut Mud? contd

(3) Many times when large volumes of

gas reach the surface the well will
appear to be flowing.
This is not necessarily due to a
formation flowing or a kick, but may
represent the extreme expansion of
the gas near and at the surface.

7
How Critical is Gas Cut Mud? contd

(4) The following example problem

gives an indication of the effect of
reduction of mud weight at the
surface
on
the reduction of hydrostatic head
at the botton of the hole.

8
 How Critical is Gas Cut Mud?

Example Problem
Well depth = 15,000 ft
Hole size = 7 7/8
Drill pipe size = 4 1/2
Mud weight = 15 ppg
Drilling Rate = 20 ft/hr
Circ. rate = 7.0 bbl/min

9
 How Critical is Gas Cut Mud?
Formation Properties

Sand gas saturation 70%

Sand Porosity 25%
ZS 1
ZB 1.35
TB 250 F
TS 100 F

10
 Bottom-Hole
Ratio of Mud Volume to Gas Volume:

7 bbl 60 min
*
Mud min hr
2
Gas 7
7 in
8 20 ft bbl
* * 0.25 porosity * 0.7 gs
4 12 in/ft hr 5.61 cu.ft

420
bbl This indicates there are
Mud hr 1990 1990 volumes of mud to

Gas bbl 1 volume of gas at the
0.2110
hr bottom of the hole.
11
 Ratio of surface volume of gas to
bottom-hole volume of gas:
(PV = ZnRT)
VS PB ZS TS
(gas law)
VB PS Z B TB

(11,700 psi)(1)(56 0 R )

465
(14.7 psi)(1.35) (710 R )

This shows there are 465 volumes of gas at the

surface per volume of gas at the bottom of the hole
12
Mud/gas Volume Ratio at the Surface:

Mud Volume
At Bottom : 1,990
Gas Volume

Gas at Surface
Expansion : 465
Gas at Bottom

Mud Volume 1990

At surface : 4.279
Gas Volume 465
13
 Mud Density at the Surface:

( Mud vol/gas vol @ surface)(M ud Density)

surf
Total Volume

(4.279) *15 ppg (1* 0) ppg

12.16 ppg
4.279 1

So the mud weight has been cut 2.84 ppg

(from 15 to 12.16) ppg
14
 Mud Density at the Surface:

It should be noted that in actual situations the

mud cut would probably be less because we
have assumed all gas stays in the mud-gas
mixture. A certain amount of gas will break out.

The effects of gas cut mud on the hydrostatic

head:
CPS ZA TA PB PS
Pred.gas ln
(100 C)ZSTS PS
15
 CPS ZA TA PB PS
Pred.gas ln
(100 C)ZSTS PS
PB - Hydrostati c pressure at bottom of well
C - Gas % of total fluid at the surface
PS - Surface pressure, psi
Z A - Average compressib ility factor

TA - Average temperatu re, R
ZS - Surface compressib ility factor

TS - Surface temperatu re, R
16
 Hydrostatic Pressure and C

PB 0.052 *15 ppg *15000 ft 11,700 psi

C
Vol. of gas *100%
Vol. of gas vol. of mud

1*100%
18.94%
1 4.279
17
 Average T and Z

710 560
TA 635 R

1 1.35
ZA 1.175
2

18
 Reduction in BHP

CPS ZA TA PB PS
Pred.gas ln
(100 C)ZSTS PS

(18.94)(14 .7)(1.175)(635) 11,700 14.7

Pred.gas ln
(100 18.94)(1)( 560) 14.7

Pred.gas 30.57 psi

19
 Reduction in BHP

This means the gas reduced the hydrostatic

head by only 30.57 psi!

The resulting bottom hole pressure

will be
p = 11,700 - 30.57

BHP = 11,669 psi

20
 Conclusion

It can be seen that the surface gas cut of

approx. 3 PPG resulted in a bottom hole
pressure reduction of less than 31 psi.

There is one other factor that reduces the

effect of gas cut mud even further and that
is the effect of drilled solids in the mud.
Drilled solids will tend to raise the overall
density of the mud.
21
Drilled Cuttings Effect on Hydrostatic head:

Vol. of solids cut per unit time

D 2
* ROP * solid fraction * conversion factors
4

(7.875) 2
20 ft/hr gal 1 ft 3
* * 0.75 * 7.481 3 * 2
4 60 min/hr ft 144 in

Rate of drilled solids generation 0.632 gpm

22
Drilled Cuttings Effect on Hydrostatic head:

weight of solids weight of mud

Average mud wt.
total volume

0.632 gpm * 22.1 ppg 294 gpm *15 ppg

0.632 gpm 294 gpm

AVG 15.015 ppg DBHP = 12 psi

23
Drilled Cuttings Effect on Hydrostatic head:

In this problem, the cuttings had very little

effect on the hydrostatic head.

But, if the rate of penetration were higher,

the additional density added due to the drill
solids could become significant.

24
Summary of Gas-Cut Mud Problem

At bottom:
mud circulatio n rate
1,990
gas generation rate

Gas expansion:
volume at surface
465
volume at bottom
25
Summary of Gas-Cut Mud Problem

At surface:

mud circulatio n 1,990

4.279
gas circulatio n rate 465

i.e. At the surface, the mud mix contains one part

of gas (by volume) for each 4.279 parts of good
mud.
26
Summary of Gas-Cut Mud Problem
total weight
Density of mix
total volume

( 4.279 * 15) (1 * 0)

4.279 1

Density of Mud at surface = 12.16 #/gal

(-2.84 lb/gal)
27
Summary of Gas-Cut Mud Problem

A reduction in the mud

density at the surface by 2.84
lb/gal resulted in a reduction
in BHP of:

CPS Z A TA PB PS
Dp ln
(100 C) ZSTS PS

31 psi
28
 Note:

It is very important in any drilling

operation:

To recognize the symptoms of

increasing pore pressure
To be able to estimate the magnitude
of the pore pressure

29
 Note contd:

To know the fracture gradients of the

exposed formations
To maintain the drilling practices within
controllable limits
To keep in mind that any one symptom of
increasing pore pressure may not be
sufficient to provide the basis for
precise conclusions
Look at all the indicators...
30
ROP F.L.Temp DCl - MUD Dt
d Gas Units SH YP

31
 What should be done when gas
cut mud is encountered?

(1) Establish if there is any fire hazard.

If there is a fire hazard, divert flow
through mud-gas separation facilities.

(a) Notify any welder in area

(b) Notify all rig personnel of the
pending danger

32
 What should be done when gas
cut mud is encountered?

(2) Determine where the gas came from.

If the casing seat fracture gradient is being
approached, and there is some concern about
raising the mud weight:

Stop drilling and circulate, and observe the

gas response. If source is drilled gas, the gas
rate will decrease.
33
What should be done when gas
cut mud is encountered?

(a) If the gas units completely return to

the original background gas, it
would probably be safe to resume
drilling.

34
 What should be done when gas
cut mud is encountered?

(b) If there has been ample circulation

time and the gas units do not drop
back to the original background level,
but stay at a higher value, this
indicates that the mud weight is
approaching the pore pressure and
consideration should be given to
increasing the mud weight.
35
 What should be done when gas
cut mud is encountered?

Establish Where did the gas

come from?

(a) Drilled gas - no increase in mud

weight is required
(b) Increasing pore pressure
- (abnormal pore pressure)
- May have to increase mud weight
36
 Drilling Techniques

I. Balanced Drilling
Balanced drilling by definition is when
the hydrostatic head is equal to the
pore pressure in the formation being
drilled
In the Gulf Coast area, if the
hydrostatic head is 0 - 0.4 ppg over the
actual pore pressure it is usually
considered to be balanced drilling.
37
Drilling Techniques - Balanced Drilling

Advantages to balanced drilling conditions

Optimizes the drilling rate

Lithology changes can be detected

immediately from the ROP curve

Transition zones can be detected

sooner

38
Drilling Techniques - Balanced Drilling

Disadvantages

There is no room for error

The wellbore must be carefully and

continuously monitored for the
first sign of formation pressure
increase

39
Drilling Techniques - Balanced Drilling

Application of balanced drilling

Balanced drilling is generally used

for wildcat or exploratory drilling

It is often used in hard rock formation

drilling to optimize the rate of
penetration

40
 Drilling Techniques

II. Overbalanced drilling

Overbalanced drilling by definition is
when the pressure exerted by the
hydrostatic head exceeds the formation
pore pressure
In the Gulf Coast region, if the mud
weight is 0.4 ppg or more above the
pore pressure, it is considered
overbalanced drilling
41
Drilling Techniques - Overbalanced

Advantages to drilling overbalanced

Reduces the chance of swabbing a

well in or taking a kick

Disadvantages
Overbalanced drilling reduces
the rate of penetration
substantially
42
 Drilling Techniques - Overbalanced

Disadvantages to drilling overbalanced -

contd
Drilling too far overbalanced can
disguise lithology changes and
transition zones
Differential sticking can be caused by
the excessive pressure differential
between the mud hydrostatic and the
pore pressure
43
 Drilling Technique - Overbalanced
Application of overbalanced drilling
This is most often used in areas of
development drilling. In such
areas, the pore pressures are
generally known and the mud weights
are maintained high enough to ensure
~ never taking a kick or swabbing a
well in. But, at the same time the mud
weights are maintained low enough so
as not to cause differential sticking
44
 Drilling Techniques - Underbalanced

III. Underbalanced drilling

Underbalanced drilling by definition is

when the pressure exerted by the
hydrostatic head of the mud is less than
the pore pressure

45
Drilling Techniques - Underbalanced

Advantages of underbalanced drilling

Increased rate of penetration

Less formation damage due to

mud filtrate or whole mud loss

46
Drilling Techniques - Underbalanced

Disadvantages of underbalanced drilling

Possible kicks

Wells can be swabbed in more

readily

Wellbore formation cave-ins

(wellbore stability)
47
 Drilling Techniques - Underbalanced

Application of underbalanced drilling

Underbalanced drilling is applied in

areas that are very hard to drill such as
some areas in West Texas. This is done
to increase the rate of penetration.
Note that this technique is used in areas
that have very tight and competent
formations. The tight formations reduce
the chance of taking a kick...
48
 Drilling Techniques - Underbalanced

Application of underbalanced drilling

contd
Competent formations have less
tendency to slough or cave-in to
the wellbore due to the absence
of a sufficient hydrostatic head to
hold it back.

Horizontal wells in the Austin Chalk

49
 Drilling Techniques - Controlled

IV. Controlled Drilling

Controlled drilling, by definition, is

when a constant rate of penetration is
maintained by fluctuating the weight
on bit

50
 Drilling Techniques - Controlled

Advantages of controlled drilling

Control of gumbo problems

Reduces cuttings generation rate
Reduces drilled gas problems

51
 Drilling Techniques - Controlled

Disadvantages of controlled drilling

This drilling technique disguises

lithology changes

Furthermore, and most importantly,

it disguises transition zones and
makes it almost impossible to
detect these from the penetration
rate curve.
52
 Drilling Techniques - Controlled
Application of controlled drilling
This should only be used when
necessary and prudent, such as in
troublesome gumbo sections where
the pore pressures are well known

Note: This drilling technique should never be

used when drilling in wildcat areas or areas
where the pore pressures are not known.
53