Well Control

Module 9
Gas Behavior

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Gas Characteristic and Behavior

o Gas is the lowest density  will M I G R A T E

o While migration can be expanded or NOT expanded
o Pressure – Volume relationship (Boyle’s Law)

PV
= Constant
T

1
 Type of Gas
Connection Gas: That is associated with stopping pumps and pick up for
a connection.
The Solutions are (If it is impossible to increase mud weight)
 Keep connection time to minimum
 Control ROP so only one slug of gas is in the hole.

Trip Gas: That is associated with stopping pumps during trips.

The good drilling practice is to:
 Pump out of the hole.

Background Gas: Gas in shale that forms a baseline for continuous gas
levels. That is not connected with either bottoms up gas or drilled gas.

Drilled Gas: When a formation containing gas is drilled, cuttings

containing gas are circulated up the hole. As hydrostatic pressure is
reduced, gas in cuttings expands and releases to the mud system and
cutting the mud weight.
The good drilling practice is to:
 Increase mud weight
 Stop drilling and attempt to circulate gas until it reaches to an
acceptable level prior to drilling ahead

Continued...

Gas-Cut Mud: The situation when gas from formation or well bore
mixed with mud causes a reduction of mud hydrostatic pressure in
well

Exercise 7.1.
A well is shut in. What is the casing pressure in
this static u-tube?
Well Information :
• Drill Pipe pressure read 0 psi
• Well depth : 12,000 ft TVD / 12,225 MD ft
• Drill String of 8.3 ppg water
• Annulus full of 6.0 ppg gas/water mixture

Answer :

2
 Top Hole Drilling
o Shallow gas hazards.
o Some of the gases are trapped due to an impermeable formation
forming pocket of gases closed surface.
o Drilling into these pockets of gas is very dangerous situation.
o Many rigs that are burned up and lose the hole.
Normal practice to avoid shallow gas kick:
 Drill with pilot hole
 Increase pump rate
 Control drilling rates
 Pumping while tripping out
 Control mud weight as margin is less
 Use regular sweep
 Use of Float in String
Principle of the handling shallow gas :
 Activate the diverter system
 Increase the pump speed with maximum rate to keep much fluid
in the well as possible and let gas through the diverter
 If the mud finisihed, pump sea water on offshore rigs
 Do not close the BOP, only diverter to be used in order to avoid
any formation and losses

Gas Influx Behavior in Open Well

(Uncontrolled Gas Expansion)

1250
0

No Float Valve

Annulus
Capacity
0.0505 bbl/ft 10,000 ft

Mud Weight
10 ppg

P1
@ 10,000 ft, 10 bbl
Volume kick 10 bbl
P1 = HP = 0.052x10x10,000 = 5,200 psi

3
 Gas Influx Behavior in Open Well
(Uncontrolled Gas Expansion)

1250
0

No Float Valve
7,500 ft
Annulus
Capacity
0.0505 bbl/ft P2
Mud Weight
10 ppg @ 7,500 ft
257.4 ft P2 = HP = 0.052x10x7,500 = 3,900 psi
P1 V1 = P2 V2  5,200x10 = 3,900xV2V2 = 13.3 bbl
2,242.6 ft Height of Gas = . = 257.4 ft
BHP = Gas + HP = 3,900 + 0.052x10x2,242.6 = 5,066 psi

Volume kick = 10 bbl

BHP = 5,200 psi

Gas Influx Behavior in Open Well

(Uncontrolled Gas Expansion)

1250
0

No Float Valve

Annulus
P@3000
Capacity V3 = ?
0.0505 bbl/ft

Mud Weight
10 ppg

Volume kick = 10 bbl

BHP Decrease

4
 Gas Influx Behavior in Open Well
(Uncontrolled Gas Expansion)

1250
0 P@ surface
0 V=?
@surface, P = 1 atm = 14.7 psi
P1 V1 = P2 V2  5,200x10 = 14.7xV  V2 = 3,537 bbl

No Float Valve

Annulus
Capacity
0.0505 bbl/ft

Mud Weight
10 ppg

Volume kick = 10 bbl

BHP Decrease

Gas Influx Behavior in Open Well

(Uncontrolled Gas Expansion)

1. Bottom hole pressure reduces

2. Gas bubble pressure reduces
3. Pressure below the bubble reduces
4. Pressure above the bubble remains constant

Gas Volume
10 ppg 4
(Pressure)

2
Well Depth

5
 Gas Influx Behavior in Close Well
(No Expansion but Migrating Upward)

300 psi
1250

500 psi

No Float Valve

Annulus
Capacity
0.0505 bbl/ft

Mud Weight
10 ppg

TVD
10,000 ft

@10,000 ft, 10 bbl

Volume kick 10 bbl
Gas = BHP = HP + SIDP
= 0.052x10x10,000+300 = 5,500 psi

Gas Influx Behavior in Close Well

(No Expansion but Migrating Upward)

300 psi
1250
SIDP = Gas – HP = 5,500 - 3,900 =1,600
500 psi

No Float Valve

Annulus
Capacity HP=0.052x10x7,500=3,900
0.0505 bbl/ft

Mud Weight Gas

10 ppg

TVD (5,500)
10,000 ft
2,500 ft HP = 0.052x10x2,500=1,300

Volume kick = 10 bbl

BHP = 5,500 psi
BHP = Gas + HP = 5,500+1,300 = 6,800

6
 Gas Influx Behavior in Close Well
(No Expansion but Migrating Upward)

1,600
1250psi
Gas SIDP = Gas = 5,500
1,800 psi

(5,500)

No Float Valve

Annulus
Capacity
0.0505 bbl/ft
HP = 0.052x10x10,000=5,200
Mud Weight
10 ppg

TVD
10,000 ft

Volume kick = 10 bbl

BHP = 6,800 psi
BHP = Gas + HP = 5,500+5,200 = 10,700

Gas Influx Behavior in Close Well

(No Expansion but Migrating Upward)

1250
3

1. Bottom hole pressure increase

2. Gas bubble pressure remains same
3. Pressure at any point below or above gas
influx increase, and increase by same
amount (BHP, SIDPP & SICP)

7
 Gas Influx Behavior
(Migrating Upward by Maintanced SIDP Constant)

300 psi
1250

500 psi

No Float Valve

Annulus
Capacity
0.0505 bbl/ft

Mud Weight
10 ppg

TVD
10,000 ft

Volume kick 10 bbl

Gas Influx Behavior

(Migrating Upward by Maintanced SIDP Constant)

Hold constant at 1250

SIDP

SCIP increase

 Gas migrate by hold Drill Pipe pressure constant

 Expantion of gas volume by controlled
 Bottom Hole Pressure constant
No Float Valve  SICP increase
Annulus
Capacity
0.0505 bbl/ft

Mud Weight
10 ppg

TVD
10,000 ft

Volume Expansion - Control

BHP Constant

8
 Percolation / Migration Rate
(While Shut-In)
The speed of migration will depend on:
o Mud Properties
o Weight And Viscosity
o Hole Angle

Exercise 9.1.
Well was shut-in due to kick and Shut in pressures had been recorded.
During the next 30 minutes of monitoring it is recorded that pressure on
both SIDPP and SICP has increased by 250 psi. If the present mud
weight = 10 ppg and well depth is 8,500’TVD,
Calculate the rate of Influx migration in feet per hour.

Answer :

HYDRATES

Hydrates:
 Presence of free water
 Presence of light gas molecules
 Relatively high pressure
 Relatively low temperature
o Risk: hydrate plug slips & gas
above it, the plug may blow up
o In the subsea environment,
hydrates can plug kill and choke
lines or prevent the functioning of
BOP with deep cold water
Removing Hydrates
 Reduce pressure
 Raise temperature
 Use inhibitor (glycol, methanol )