Basra University For Oil And Gas (BUOG)

Principles of Well Control

Pressure Overview

26th October ,2021,

Lecturer: Najah Saeed Abdulridha

[email protected] w w w. b u og. e du. iq

Well Control definitions
 Well control
is the technique used in oil and gas operations such as drilling , well workover and well completion for maintaining
the hydrostatic pressure and formation pressure to prevent the influx of formation fluids into the wellbore
• This technique involves the estimation of formation fluid pressures, the strength of the subsurface formations
and the use of casing and mud density to offset those pressures in a predictable fashion

 Well-control
means methods used to minimize the potential for the well to flow or kick and to maintain control of the well in
the event of flow or a kick.
• Well-control applies to drilling, well-completion, well-workover, abandonment, and well-servicing operations.
• It includes measures, practices, procedures and equipment, such as fluid flow monitoring, to ensure safe and
environmentally protective drilling, completion, abandonment, and workover operations as well as the
installation, repair, maintenance, and operation of surface and subsea well-control equipment

 Well Control
is the management of the dangerous effect caused by the unexpected release of
formation fluid in all stages of well life’s , drilling, well-completion, well-
workover, abandonment, and well-servicing operations
 Some definitions
Kick: Influx of formation liquids or gas that results in an increase in pit volume. It is physically observed by the
well flowing (i.e. kick) as a result of insufficient overbalance. Without corrective measure, this condition can result
in a blowout.
Blowout: An uncontrolled flow of well fluids and/or formation fluids from the wellbore or into lower pressured subsurface
zones (underground blowout)
Primary well control :
The use of the drilling/completion fluid’s weight to provide sufficient hydrostatic pressure to prevent an influx.

Mud hydrostatic pressure is greater than formation pressure

Secondary well control:
When primary well control is lost, BOPs are closed and a kick control method (using a kill mud weight) is
implemented to kill the well.

Mud hydrostatic pressure is less than formation pressure and BOP’s are required
 Some definitions
“Tertiary” well control:
Relying on the formations’ strength below surface to contain the wellbore fluids(Gunk) plugs, barite plugs,
cement plugs may be used, and ultimately well capping and / or a relief well.

When we come to discuss well control definitions, strictly speaking tertiary well control
describes the third line of defense, where the formation cannot be controlled by primary or
secondary well control (hydrostatic and equipment), an underground blowout for example.
However in well control tertiary is not always used as a qualitative term.

Tertiary Well Control (SLB Definition):

Induce an underground blowout to avoid the occurrence of an imminent surface blowout. Afterwards, apply special
techniques and procedures to stop the resulting subsurface cross flow and regain well control.
Examples of Operator Blowout Costs (1976-89)

1,764,000,000

Deep Water Horizon-BP:

$30 Billion Blowout
 Tertiary well control Examples

1. Macondo well blowout –Deep Water Horizon-BP: $30 Billion Blowout

https://youtu.be/szwdgughGLE

2. Nuclear bombs to stop gas well blowouts

Stopping a 1,074 Day (Three Years) Fire with a Nuclear Bomb!
https://youtu.be/QlVmo_jvBQE
https://youtu.be/UHXsv8zxgC8
 Barriers
Typically, where drilling is in progress, the following barrier status will normally
exist:
 A (primary) barrier consisting of a homogenous mud
column with a hydrostatic overbalance on the pore
pressure.
 A (secondary) barrier consisting of a cemented
casing, wellhead, pipe ram or annular preventer and
drill string with Kelly valve or check valve.

During testing, completion, workover operations (Plugging and

Abandonment), the principle of a double barrier remains similarly
applicable.
 Porosity & Permeability

The essential properties of reservoir rocks are: porosity and permeability

Q:Explain the effect of these two parameters on Well Control ?

 Porosity & Permeability

• The POROSITY provides the storage space for fluids and gases.

• The formation PERMEABILITY is a measure of how easy the fluid will flow through the rock.

These properties will determine how much and how quick a kick will enter into the well.

Kicks will enter a wellbore faster from rocks having high permeability.
Porosity & Permeability

Tiny openings in rock = Porosity Connection of these holes = Permeability

 The “U” Tube Model
The U-Tube
A U-tube is a combination of two vertical tubes, column A and column B, connected at the
bottom such that the pressure at the bottom of each tube is the same.

In the picture above, although the tubes contain fluids of different densities and different height, the pressure at
point ‘A’ is same as the pressure at point ‘B’. This must be the case because they are connected to each other.
Basic Concepts: Static “U” Tube
Concept one:
The sum of pressures on the bottom of one pipe of the “U” tube is exactly equal to the sum
of pressures on the bottom of the second pipe

Concept two:
In any static “U” tube, the sum of pressures exerted above a given point or depth in either of
the two pipes, is exactly equal to the sum of pressures exerted below the same point or
depth
Static - U - Tube Concept two

= 0.052
U-Tube in a Wellbore
A wellbore is similar to a U-tube. The fluid column inside the drill string can be considered
column A, and the fluid column inside the annulus can be considered Column B. The bottom-
hole pressures exerted by these two separate columns will be the same.
Wellbore in Static Condition
In static conditions, the bottomhole pressure in the wellbore is the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid column inside
the drill string and the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid column inside the annulus

Using the U-tube principle,

 Example_1: Calculating the Hydrostatic Pressure of a Fluid Column with Two Fluids Of
Different Densities

A:If the drill string in the schematic is full of 11.0 ppg density fluid,
and the true vertical depth of the drill string is 4000 feet, then:

B:If the same drill string is full of two different-density fluids such
that the vertical height of fluid 'A' is 1500 feet and the vertical height
of fluid 'B' is 2500 feet (see schematic below), then:
 Static Wellbore With External Pressure
In some instances (including well control situations), the wellbore is under external pressures.

External Pressure May Originate Either:

(a) by applying surface pressure on the fluid column in the drill string and annulus, or
(b) due to the formation pressure applied on the fluid columns when the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid is
less than formation pressure and the well is closed at the surface (well control situation).

In both situations, the external pressure on the fluid column can be read using pressure gauges at the surface connected to
the drill string and annulus.

 Closing the well at the surface prevents these pressures from escaping. This situation is called a 'shut-in well condition'.

In a shut-in well condition, the bottom-hole pressure is the sum of the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid column inside
the drill string and the pressure indicated by the surface pressure gauge connected to the drill string.
The reading of the pressure gauge is called Shut-In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP).
Bottom Hole Pressure Calculations (BHP).
In shut-in well conditions, the BHP can be calculated using the following equation:

Also, the bottom-hole pressure in a shut-in well situation is the sum of the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid column inside
the annulus and the pressure indicated by the surface pressure gauge connected to the annulus.

The reading of this pressure gauge is called Shut-In Casing Pressure (SICP).
Bottom Hole Pressure Calculations (BHP).

Using the principles of the U-tube, the bottom-hole pressures applied through the drill string and annulus will be the same.
Therefore,
Shut-In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP) & Shut-In Casing Pressure (SICP).

Shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) is the surface pressure on drill string side when an influx has taken
place and the well is shut. From the SIDPP one can calculate the increase in mud weight needed to kill the well
While Shut-in casing pressure (SICP) is the surface pressure on casing side.
There is a assumption in well-control calculation, When the kick takes place formation fluid flows into annulus
and not inside the drill-pipe . Which is generally true, as the general direction of fluid flow is from drill pipe to
annulus side.
Interpretation of Pressures-SIDPP

Well shut in and stabilized

Once the well has been shut in i.e. circulation has been stopped and the BOP closed, and
allowed to stabilize, there are two pressures which can be observed: -

 Shut in drill pipe pressure - SIDPP

 Shut in casing pressure - SICP

What do these pressures represent?

SIDPP = FP - Mud hydrostatic in drill pipe

SIDPP shows how much underbalance the well is, i.e. SIDPP is the difference between the
formation pressure (FP) and the hydrostatic pressure of the mud in the drill pipe.
 Now calculate the formation pressure;
FP = SIDPP + DP Mud hydrostatic
=5200+500
= 5700 psi
What mud weight is required to balance this formation pressure?

In practice we would round this up to an accuracy of one decimal place giving a mud weight of 11.0 ppg
 Example_2: Continued– SIDPP

2.While drilling with a mud weight of 12 ppg a new formation is penetrated at 10000 feet. The formation pressure is 7040 psi.
• Is the well underbalance or overbalance?

Firstly calculate the mud hydrostatic

Mud hydrostatic (psi) = Mud weight (ppg) x 0.052 x TVD (ft)
= 12 x 0.052 x 10000
=6240 As this is less than the formation pressure the well is underbalance.

When the well is shut in and stabilized what would the SIDPP be?
The SIDPP would show the amount of underbalance or the difference between the formation pressure and the mud
hydrostatic.

SIDPP = FP – Mud hydrostatic

= 7040-6240
= 800 psi The SIDPP gauge would now show 800 psi
HW_1
Interpretation of Pressures-SICP
SICP also indicates the amount of underbalance i.e. SICP is the difference between the formation pressure and
they hydrostatic pressure in the annulus.

• We must remember however that the annulus is not a full column of clean mud, but also contains the influx.

The SICP will vary depending on the size of the influx i.e. the larger the influx, the higher the
SICP.

SICP will also vary depending on the type of influx. For example a 10 barrel gas kick
would result in a higher SICP than a 10 barrel water kick because the gas has a
lower density.
To Recap:

SIDPP shows the amount of underbalance and depends only on the formation pressure and
the mud hydrostatic in the Annulus.
To Recap:

SICP is also indicative of the amount of underbalance but will vary depending on the size of
the influx and the type of influx.

e.g. a bigger influx = higher SICP

a lighter influx = higher SICP
HW_2:

1. Which of the following determine the SIDPP? (Two answers)

a. Influx density.
b. Influx size.
c. Mud density inside the drill string.
d. Formation fluid pressure.
e. Volume of cuttings in the annulus.
2. Which pressure gauge readings could be used to calculate formation pressure? (Two answers)
a. Accumulator gauge.
b. Casing pressure gauge on choke panel.
c. Drill pipe pressure gauge at Driller's console.
d. Drill pipe pressure gauge on choke panel.
3.In a shut in well, why is the SICP usually higher than the SIDPP?
a. The gauges are at different levels.
b. The influx is in the annulus and is lighter than the mud.
c. The influx is in the annulus and is heavier than the mud.
d. The annulus is loaded with cuttings
HW_2:

4.What would be the difference in SIDPP and SICP for a water kick and a gas kick of the same volume?
a. Difference between shut in pressures are greater for a water kick
b. Difference between shut in pressures are greater for a gas kick
c. Influx type does not contribute to a difference between shut in pressure

5. When a kick occurs, it is important to get the well shut in as soon as possible to minimize size of influx ,
because:

a. A larger pit gain will result in a higher SIDPP resulting in a heavier kill mud weight?

True / False

b. A larger pit gain will result in higher SICP but SIDPP will stay the same.

True / False
Example_3: Calculating the Density of the Formation Fluid Influx
A well with 5000 feet of true vertical depth is closed in at the surface. The drill pipe pressure gauge reads 300 psi and the
casing pressure gauge reads 500 psi. If we know that the density of the fluid inside the drill string is 12.0 ppg, then we can
calculate bottom-hole pressure using the following equation:

Using the U-tube principle, the bottom-hole pressure should be the same when calculated from the annulus side.
Therefore,

So,
Now, if the annulus contains a normal drilling fluid column and a formation fluid column of known height, the density of the
formation fluid can be calculated using the following procedure:

Say that the vertical height of the drilling fluid column in the annulus is 4500 feet and that of the formation fluid column is
500 feet,
Then,
Continue
So,

And,
Example 4:
Example 4:
Solution
HW-3:
HW-4:

What is the physical meaning of SIDPP?

Why the SIDPP reading is currently used for well control calculations
instead of SICP?

Your are taking a kick:

 In which cases do you have SIDPP = SICP?
 What does it mean when SIDPP = 0 and SICP has a
value?
 What does it mean when SIDPP=SICP=0?
Remember
Educational Course- Online

Texas Tech University

1. Introduction to Well Control By Dr . Hussein Emadi- Piopetro

 Part 1-4
https://youtu.be/DDoq7mXiHXM