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Well Control System

The well control system uses multiple components to detect kicks, circulate out formation fluids, and close off the well in the event of a blowout. Key components include detectors to identify kicks during drilling or tripping, blowout preventers with ram and annular preventers to close the well, accumulators to power the preventers, and chokes to control returning fluid flow. The system aims to safely detect and address kicks before they become uncontrolled blowouts that can endanger personnel, equipment and the environment.

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87 views

Well Control System

The well control system uses multiple components to detect kicks, circulate out formation fluids, and close off the well in the event of a blowout. Key components include detectors to identify kicks during drilling or tripping, blowout preventers with ram and annular preventers to close the well, accumulators to power the preventers, and chokes to control returning fluid flow. The system aims to safely detect and address kicks before they become uncontrolled blowouts that can endanger personnel, equipment and the environment.

Uploaded by

Kulodip
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Well Control System

The well control system prevents the uncontrolled flow of formation fluids from the well bore.
When the bit penetrates a permeable formation that has a fluid pressure in excess of the hydrostatic
pressure exerted by the drilling fluid, formation fluids will begin displacing the drilling fluid from
the well. The flow of formation fluids into the well in the presence of drilling fluid is called a kick.

Objectives
- The well control system permits,
- Detecting the kick.
- Closing the well at the surface.
- Circulating the well under pressure to remove the formation fluids and increase the mud
density.
- Moving the drillstring under pressure &
- Diverting flow away from rig personnel and equipment.

Blowout
Failure of the well control system results in an uncontrolled flow of formation fluids and is called
a blowout.
Reasons of Blowout
- Swabbing.
- Depleted reservoir &
- Tripping.
Problems arising from blowout
Blowout is perhaps the worst disaster that can occur during drilling operations. It can cause
- Fatalities of personal.
- Release of toxic gas.
- Damage to drilling equipment.
- Well damage.
- Loss of oil and gas reserves.
- Damage to the environment near the well etc.

Components of well control system

Fig: Kick detection during drilling operation


1. Detectors
Detectors in well control system are basically used for the detection of kick. Normally two types
of detectors are used, kick detection during drilling operations usually is achieved by use of a pit-
volume indicator or a flow indicator.
i) Pit volume indicator
- The recording device indicates the volume of all active pits.
- An increase in surface mud volume indicates that formation fluids may be entering the
well.
- A decrease indicates that drilling fluid is being lost to an underground formation.

ii) Mud flow indicator


- Mud flow indicators are used to help detect a kick more quickly.
- A paddle-type fluid level sensor is used in the flowline.
- If the rates are appreciably different, a gain or loss warning will be given.

iii) Hole fill-up indicator


- While making a trip, circulation is stopped and a significant volume of pipe is removed
from the hole. Thus, to keep the hole full, mud must be pumped into the hole to replace the
volume of pipe removed.
- Kick detection during tripping operations is accomplished through use of a hole fill -up
indicator.
- The purpose of the hole fill -up indicator is to measure accurately the mud volume required
to fill the hole.
- If the volume required to fill the hole is less than the volume of pipe removed, a kick may
be in progress.

2. Blowout Preventers (BOP’s)


The flow of fluid from the well caused by a kick is stopped by use of special pack-off devices
called blowout preventers (BOP's).
Multiple BOP's used in a series are referred to collectively as a BOP stack.
Objectives of BOP
- The BOP must be capable of terminating flow from the well under all drilling conditions.
- When the drillstring is in the hole, movement of the pipe without releasing well pressure
should be allowed to occur.
- The BOP stack should allow fluid circulation through the well annulus under pressure.

These objectives usually are accomplished by using following


preventers,
- Ram Preventers &
- Annular Preventer.

Ram Preventers
- Ram preventers have two packing elements on opposite sides that
close by moving toward each other.
- Each element of the ram-type preventer consists of three parts
1. Rubber (elastomer)
2. Steel block &
3. Ram holder
Fig: BOP
- Ram preventers are available for working pressures of 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 15,000
psig.

Ram preventers are of following types


i) Pipe Rams
➢ Pipe rams have semicircular openings which match the
diameter of pipe sizes for which they are designed
i) Blind Ram
➢ Rams designed to close when no pipe is in the hole are
called blind rams.
➢ Shear rams are blind rams designed to shear the
drillstring when closed. This will cause the drillstring
to drop in the hole and will stop flow from the well.
Annular Preventers
- Annular preventers, sometimes called bag-type preventers, stop
flow from the well using a ring of synthetic rubber that contracts
in the fluid passage.
- It is located at the top of the BOP stack.
- Annular preventers are available for working pressures of 2,000,
5,000, and 10,000 psig.

3. Accumulators

- Modem hydraulic systems used for closing BOP's are high-pressure fluid accumulators
similar to those developed for aircraft fluid control systems.
- The accumulator is capable of supplying sufficient high-pressure fluid to close all of the
units in the BOP stack at least once and still have a reserve.
- The accumulator is maintained by a small pump at all times.
- Accumulators with fluid capacities of 40, 80, or 120 gal and maximum operating pressures
of 1,500 or 3,000 psig are common.
- The accumulator fluid usually is a noncorrosive hydraulic oil with a low freezing point
with good lubricating characteristics.

4. Drilling Spool

- Space between ram preventers used for stripping operations is provided by a drilling spool.
- Drilling spools also are used to permit attachment of high-pressure flowlines to a given
point in the stack.
- These high-pressure flowlines make it possible to pump into the annulus or release fluid
from the annulus with the BOP closed.
- A conduit used to pump into the annulus is called a kill line.
5. Internal BOP’s

- An internal BOP is a valve that can be placed in the drillstring if the well
begins flowing during tripping operations.
- It protects the rotary swivel, drilling hose, standpipe and mud pumps when
a kick occurs through the drill string.
- Internal BOP's are installed when needed by screwing into the top of an
open drillstring with the valve or dart in the open position.
- Once the BOP is installed, the valve can be closed or the dart released.

Fig: Internal BOP

6. Choke Manifold

- The choke line directs the returning fluid to a


manifold of valves and chokes called choke
manifold.
- It allows to control the flow pressure at the top
of the annular adjusting the flow area open to
flow.
- Choke manifold also direct the flow to
➢ A flare (in case of a gas kick)
Fig: Choke Manifold
➢ The pits (if mud) &
➢ To special tanks (if oil)
- API presents several recommended choke manifold arrangements for 2,000, 3,000, 5,000,
10,000, and 15,000 psig working pressure systems.
7. Valves
The valve(s) should be equipped to screw into any drill string member in use. Following types of
valves are generally used,
- Kelly Valves (Kelly cocks).
- Drill string safety valves.
- Drill string float valves.
- Flapper-type float valve.
- Spring-loaded float valves.

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