PETE 661

Drilling Engineering

Lesson 19
Kick Detection and Control

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 Kick Detection and Control

 Primary and Secondary Well Control

 What Constitutes a Kick

 Why Kicks Occur

 Kick Detection Methods

 Kicks while Tripping

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 Kick Detection and Control

 Shut-in Procedures

 Soft Shut-in

 Hard Shut-in

 Water Hammer

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 Kick Detection and Control

 Read: ADE Ch. 6

 Reference: Advanced Well Control

Manual, SPE Textbook, ~2003...

 Homework # 11 - due November 25

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 Kick Detection and Control
 The focus of well control theory is to
contain and manage formation
pressure.
 Primary well control involves efforts at
preventing formation fluid influx into
the wellbore.
 Secondary well control involves
detecting an influx and bringing it to
the surface safely.
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 Kicks

 A kick may be defined as an unscheduled

influx of formation fluids.

 Fluids produced during underbalanced

drilling are not considered kicks

 Fluids produced during a DST are not

considered kicks

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 Kicks

 For a kick to occur, we need:

 Wellbore pressure < pore pressure

 A reasonable level of permeability

 A fluid that can flow

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 Kicks
 Kicks may occur while:
 Drilling
 Tripping
 Making a connection
 Logging
 Running Casing
 Cementing
 N/U or N/D BOP, etc.
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 Causes of Kicks
 Insufficient wellbore fluid density
 Low drilling or completion fluid density
 Reducing MW too much
 Drilling into abnormally pressured
formations
 Temperature expansion of fluid
 Excessive gas cutting

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 Causes of Kicks - cont’d

 Reduction of height of mud column

 Lost circulation because of excess
static or dynamic wellbore pressure

 Fluid removal because of swabbing

 Tripping pipe without filling the hole

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 Causes of Kicks - cont’d

 Excessive swab friction pressure

while moving pipe

 Wellbore collision between a

drilling and producing well

 Cement hydration

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 Kick indicators
 Indicator  Significance

 Drilling break  Medium

 Increase in mud  High
return rate
 Pit gain  High

 Flow w/ pumps off  Definitive

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 Kick indicators
 Indicator  Significance
 Pump pressure
 Low
decrease / rate
increase
 Increase in  Low
drillstring weight
 Gas cutting or
 Low
salinity change
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 Kick Influx Rate
kh pe  pw 
q
 ln re rw   This equation would
where rarely be strictly
q  influx flow rate, applicable in the
k  formation permeability event of a kick since
h  formation thickness, fluid compressibility
p e  pore pressure at the drainage radius is not considered
p w  pore pressure at the wellbore
and transient
relationships better
  influx viscosity
describe influx flow
re  drainage radius
behavior.
rw  wellbore radius
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 Kick Influx Rate

 Extremely important to detect a

kick early, to minimize its size.

 If a kick is suspected,

run a flow check!!!

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 Circulation
path for
Drilling
Fluid

What goes
in Must As drilling
come out proceeds, mud
level in pit drops
slowly.
unless a Why?
kick
occurs…or…
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 Mud Return Rate

Set alarm for high

or low flow rate

If a kick occurs, flow

rate from the well
increases - an early
indicator

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 Pit Volume
Totalizer, PVT
shows pit gain
or loss.
Pit level is a
good kick
indicator

System should detect a 10 bbl kick

under most conditions onshore
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 Kick size
 Under most conditions a 10 bbl kick
can be handled safely.
 An exception is slimhole drilling, where
even a small kick occupies a large
height in the annulus.
 In floating drilling, where the vessel
moves, small kicks are more difficult to
detect

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 Mud pulse telemetry - pressure pulses
detected at the surface
High
amplitude
positive pulse

Compare
signals
from
drillpipe
and
annulus

Low amplitude
negative pulse

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 Acoustic kick detection

Gas in the annulus will attenuate a pressure signal,

and will reduce the velocity of sound in the mud
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 Minimum kick size that can be
detected by an acoustic system
Temperature = 212 degrees F.
Mud density = 16.7 lbm/gal
Kick volume, bbl

Influx rate = 32 gal/min

Pump rate = 317 gal/min
Collar diameter = 6 inches
Hole diameter = 8-1/2 inches

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Pressure, psi 22
 Delta
flow
indicator

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 Delta flow indicator
Delta flow = qout - qin
Delta Flow Indicator

Upper Alarm Kick

Threshold detected

Lower Alarm
Threshold

Time
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 Delta flow indicator
Field Examples of Kick Detection and Final
Containment Volumes using the Delta
Flow Method

Hole Depth Influx Volume Volume

Size ft. Rate Detected Contained
in. gal/min bbl bbl

5 7/8 15,770 35 0.72 2.0

5 7/8 14,005 7 0.70 1.5
5 7/8 17,152 60 1.00 5.0
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 BOP
stack

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 BOP
Control
Panel

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 Choke
Manifold

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 Choke
panel

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 If a kick is suspected

 Lift the drillstring until a tool joint is

just above the rotary table

 Shut down the mud pumps

 Check for flow

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 If a kick is suspected
 If flowing - shut the annular, open the
HCR valve, and close the choke

 Record SIDPP and SICP

 Record pit gain and depth

(MD and TVD)

 Note the time

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 Hard Shut-In
1. Assure beforehand the choke manifold
line is open to preferred choke and
choke is in closed position.
2. After a kick is indicated, hoist the
string and position tool joint above
rotary table.
3. Shut off pump
4. Observe flowline for flow.
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 Hard Shut-In
5. If flow is verified, shut the well in by
using annular preventer and open the
remote-actuated valve to the choke
manifold.
6. Notify supervisor (company drilling
supervisor, toolpusher or rig manager).
7. Read and record shut-in drillpipe
pressure (SIDPP).

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 Hard Shut-In
8. Read and record shut-in casing
pressure (SICP).
9. Rotate the drillstring though the
closed annular preventer if feasible.
10. Measure and record pit gain.

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 Hard Shut-In

Water hammer ?

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 Soft Shut-In

1. Assure beforehand choke manifold

line is open to preferred choke and
choke in in open position.
2. After kick is indicated, hoist string &
position tool joint above rotary table.
3. Shut off pump.

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 Soft Shut-In

4. Observe flowline for flow.

5. If flow is verified, open remote-
actuated valve to choke manifold and
close annular preventer.
6. Shut well in by closing choke.
7. Notify supervisor (company drilling
supervisor, toolpusher, rig manager).

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 Soft Shut-In

8. Read and record SIDPP.

9. Read and record SICP.
10. Rotate drillstring through closed
annular preventer if feasible.
11. Measure and record pit gain.

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 Soft Shut-In

Larger Kick !

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 Example 5.1
 A kick is detected while drilling at 13,000 ft.
 The well is shut-in by the ram preventer in
5 seconds.

1. Determine water hammer load at surface if

 influx flow rate is 3.0 bbl/min,
 the mud’s acoustic velocity is 4,800 ft/s and
 mud density is 10.5 lbm/gal

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 Example 5.1, continued

 For the same conditions:

2. Compute velocity assuming the annulus flow

area corresponds to 5.0 in. drillpipe inside
8.921 in. inner diameter casing.
Ignore effect of influx properties on wave travel
time and amplitude.

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 Example 5.1, continued
 v a v
p c  ……………………. (5.2)
gc

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 Example 5.1, continued
 The relationship is only valid if valve is fully
closed before the shock wave has time to
make the round trip from surface to total
depth. If this condition is not met, closure is
defined as “slow” as opposed to “rapid” and
resultant pressure surge will be lower.
 Regardless of method, some pressure
increase, however minor, cannot be avoided
and the soft shut-in procedure may in fact
be considered rapid in some cases. 43
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  v a v
pc 
gc
Example 5.1, cont’d

Solution: The time for the pressure wave to

traverse the system is

t = dist/vel = (2)(13,000)/4,800 = 5.4 sec

Hence this would be characterized as a

rapid shut-in and Equation 5.2 is
appropriate.
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  v a v
pc 
gc
Example 5.1 cont’d

2. The velocity change in the annulus is

computed as:
q (3.0 bbl/min)(5.615 ft /bbl)(144 in /ft )
3 2 2
  
 
(60 s/min) /4(8.921 - 5 ) in
2 2 2


v = 0.94 ft/s

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  v a v
pc 
gc
Example 5.1 cont’d
The surface pressure increase is given by
equation 5.2

 10.5 lbm/gal   7.48 gal/ft 3  4,800 ft/s 0.94 ft/s

c 
32.17 lbm - ft / lbf - s2

c  11,015 lbf/ft  76 psi.

2

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 Off Bottom Kicks
 Slugging of drillpipe
 Hole fill during trips
 Surge and Swab pressures
 Kick detection during trips
 Shut-In Procedures
 Blowout Case History
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 Pbh = g1h1 + g2h2
Off Bottom
= g2h3 Kicks
When stopping
circulation, ECD is
Hydrostatic
lost. Always check for
Balance
flow.

“Slugging” of Drillpipe
to prevent “Wet Trip”
… AFTER Flow Check

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 Failure to keep
the hole full

When pipe if removed

from the wellbore the
fluid level drops
resulting in loss of
HSP.
To prevent kicks the
hole must be re-filled
with mud.
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 Nominal Dimensions-Displacement
Factors for API Drillpipe
Outside Nominal Nominal Average Displacement Diameter
Inside Weight Approximate Factor
in. Diameter, in. lbm/ft Weight bbl/ft

2-3/8 1.995 4.85 5.02 0.00182

1.815 6.65 6.80 0.00247

2-7/8 2.441 6.85 7.09 0.00258

2.151 10.40 10.53 0.00383

3-1/2 2.992 9.50 10.15 0.00369

2.764 13.30 13.86 0.00504
2.602 15.50 16.39 0.00596

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 Nominal Dimensions-
Displacement factors for API
Drillpipe
Outside Nominal Nominal Average Displacement Diameter
Inside Weight Approximate Factor
in. Diameter, in. lbm/ft Weight bbl/ft

4 3.476 11.85 12.90 0.00469

3.340 14.00 15.14 0.00551
3.240 15.70 17.13 0.00623

4-1/2 3.958 13.75 14.75 0.00537

3.826 16.60 17.70 0.00644
3.640 20.00 21.74 0.00791
3.500 22.82 24.33 0.00885

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 Nominal Dimensions-
Displacement factors for API
Drillpipe
Outside Nominal Nominal Average Displacement Diameter
Inside Weight Approximate Factor
in. Diameter, in. lbm/ft Weight bbl/ft

5 4.276 19.50 21.58 0.00785

4.000 25.60 27.58 0.01003

5-1/2 4.778 21.90 23.77 0.00865

4.670 24.70 26.33 0.00958

6-6/8 5.965 25.20 27.15 0.00988

5.901 27.70 29.06 0.01057

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 Displacement Factors for
High Strength Drillpipe
Outside Nominal Average Displacement
Diameter Weight Approximate Factor
in. lbm/ft Weight, lbm/ft. bbl/ft
2-3/8 6.656.95 0.00253
2-7/8 10.40 11.01 0.00400
3-1/2 13.30 14.51 0.00528
15.5017.020.00619
4 14.00 15.85 0.00577
15.7017.500.00637
4-1/2 16.60 18.65 0.00678
20.0022.400.00815
22.8225.210.00917

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 Displacement Factors for High
Strength Drillpipe
Outside Nominal Average Displacement
Diameter Weight Approximate Factor
in. lbm/ft Weight, lbm/ft. bbl/ft

5 19.50 22.34 0.00813

25.6028.600.01040
5-1/2 21.90 25.14 0.00914
24.7028.130.01023
6-5/8 25.20 28.33 0.01031
27.7030.580.01112

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 Displacement Factors for
Heavy-Wall Drillpipe
Outside Nominal Connection Approx. Displacement
Diameter Inside Weight Factor
in. Diameter, in. lbm/ft bbl/ft

3-1/2 2.063 NC38 23.20 0.00844

2.250 NC38 25.30 0.00920

4 2.563 NC40 29.70 0.01080

4-1/2 2.750 NC46 41.00 0.01491

5 3.00 NC50 49.30 0.01793

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 Example 5.2
 Drill a well to 9,500 total depth with a 10.0
lbm/gal mud. 8.097 in. ID casing has been set
at 1,500 ft.

 Determine the hydrostatic pressure loss if ten

90 ft stands of 4 1/2 in., 16.60 lbm/ft Grade E
drillpipe are pulled without filling the hole.

 Also determine the losses after pulling ten

stands of drillpipe if the bit is plugged and after
pulling one stand of 6 1/4 x 2 1/2 in drill collars.
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 Example 5.2

 Solution
The displacement factor for open
drillpipe is obtained from Table 5.5 and
the displacement volume is computed
as:

Vd = (0.00644) (10) (90) = 5.80 bbl

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 Example 5.2
 To determine the drop in fluid level, we must
have capacity factors for the drillpipe and
annulus. These can be obtained directly from
a published table or by calculation.

Inside Drillpipe:
Ci = 3.8262/1,029.4 = 0.1422 bbl/ft. and

Inside Annulus:
Cc = (8.0972 - 4.52)/1,029.4 = 0.04402 bbl/ft.
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 Example 5.2
These values are only approximate since
the effect of the pipe upsets and tool joints are
not considered. The mud level will fall by

h = 5.80/(0.01422 + 0.04402) = 99.6 ft.

and the corresponding hydrostatic pressure
loss is
p = 99.6(10.0/19.25) = 52 psi.

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 Example 5.2
 Tripping out with a plugged bit implies the
string is pulled wet and, if no mud falls back in
the hole, the drillstring inner capacity is being
evacuated along with the steel. The volume
removed after pulling ten stands wet is
V = Vi + Vd = (0.00644 + 0.01422)(10)(90)
= 18.59 bbl
(inside drillpipe + steel in drillpipe)

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 Example 5.2
 The mud level drop in the annulus and
pressure loss are thus

h = 18.59/0.04402 = 422.3 ft.

and
p = (422.3)(0.519) = 219 psi.

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 Example 5.2
For drill collars, we compute the displacement
factor and displacement volume as

Cd = (6.252 - 2.52)/1,029.4 = 0.03188 bbl/ft.

and
Vd = (0.0318) (1)(90) = 2.87 bbl.

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 Example 5.2
The pressure loss is determined in the same
manner as the open drillpipe case.

Ci = 2.52/1,029.4 = 0.00607 bbl/ft

Ca = (8.0972- 6.252)/1,029.4 = 0.02574 bbl/ft
h = 2.87/(0.00607 + 0.02574) = 90.2 ft
and
p = (0.519) (90.2) = 47 psi
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