LEAK OFF TEST

• PROCEDURE
• MAASP
• MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE MUD WEIGHT
 LEAK OFF TEST

WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND CONDUCTING A LEAK OFF TEST

• A Leak Off Test (LOT) will determine the pressure at which a formation will begin
to take fluid below any casing string intended for pressure containment.

• It will establish the strength of the formation at the casing shoe and also the
integrity of the cement job around the shoe.

• It will determine the maximum mud weight that the open hole can withstand.
 LEAK OFF TEST PROCEDURE

Circulate and condition Line up on high pressure low

Drill out shoe and 10
- 15 ft of new hole. mud until uniform and volume pump. Close the BOP.
pull bit inside shoe. Hang off on floating units


Pump down drillpipe
or annulus. Plot the
STOP when a change in
the pressure curve is

Volume vs Pressure. noticed

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 LEAK OFF TEST CALCULATIONS

Shoe TVD = 5495 ft Hydrostatic Pressure of Test Mud to the Shoe:

Test Mud = 10.5 ppg 10.5 x .052 x 5495 = 3000 psi

1200
1100  Surface Leak Off Pressure = 1000 psi
1000
900

Formation Fracture Pressure:
800
700
600
3000 + 1000 = 4000 psi
500 Stop Pumping
400
300
200
100

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bbls
 FIT (Formation Integrity Test)
The principle is to test the shoe to a pre-determined limit.

Formation fracture pressure if exceeded may cause a

propagation fracture in which severe losses could occur.
1200
1100 
1000
900
800
700
 Shoe TVD = 5495 ft
600
500 Test Mud = 10.5 ppg
400
300
Stop Pumping
200
100 Test Pressure = 800 psi

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bbls

The shoe has been tested to a 13.3 ppg mud weight.