08 Well Problems

WELL PROBLEMS
WELL PROBLEMS
I. Well kicks.
II. Stuck pipe
III. Lost circulation.
IV. Restriction in the drilling string.
V. Washout of the drilling string.
I.Well Kicks
It is the entering of the formation
fluid to the wellbore.
• this occur when the formation
pressure exceeds the hydrostatic
pressure.
• A blowout is uncontrolled kick.
Well Kicks
• Overbalance.
• Underbalance.
• Factors controlling the kicks sevirity:-
1. permeability.
2. underbalance.
Reasons for Kicks
1. Insufficient Mud Weight.
2. Swabbing.
3. Gas cut mud.
4. Failure to keep the hole full.
5. Lost circulation.
.Insufficient Mud Weight.1
The formation pressure is higher than the

hydrostatic pressure.
2.Swabbing
A negative hydrostatic pressure

causing reducing bottom hole
pressure
 The speed of the drill pipe pulling.
 Mud flow properties; yp, gel.
 Hole geometry.
 Balled up string.
3.Gas cut mud
4.Failure to keep the hole full.
5.Lost circulation
Indications of Kicks
 Changes in mud gas.
 Drilling breaks.
 Improper hole fillups in trips.
 Pump pressure decrease and pump
strokes increase
 Flow out rate increase.
 Pit Volume Increase.
 String weight change.
 Well flowing with pumps off.
WELL CONTROL
Early kick recognition &

prompt execution of correct
shut-in procedures is the key
to successful kick control.
Objectives
1. Kell safely.
2. Minimize borehole stresses.
A. Shut-in Procedures
 Hard Shut-in:
the adjustable
choke is closed
before taking a kick.
 Soft Shut-in:
the adjustable
choke is opened
before taking a kick.
In order to kill a well the bottom
hole pressure must be maintained
constant at a level greater than or
equal to the formation pressure.
B. U – tube Theory
1. No influx, no
Imposed pressure.
2. BHP = HP + IP +
PL
BHP=5200+0+0=5200psi
No Influx, with imposed pressure .2
FP=HP+IP+PL
=5200+800+0=6000psi
.No influx, Unbalanced tube sides .3
FP=HP+IP+PL
FPdp=5200+0+0=5200psi
FPan=4680+520+0=5200psi
.Influx, Unbalanced tube sides .4
The drill pipe side is always used for

calculation due to its homogeneity rather
than the contaminated casing side
Balancing while circulation.5
• System PL = 2500psi
• Annulus PL = 100psi.
• MW = 10.0ppg
• Influx length=3000’
• Hole depth = 10000’.
• Fm pressure=6000psi.
• What should be the
imposed pressure on
both sides while
circulation?
Answer
A. FP=BHPan=BHPdp
BHPan=HP+APL+IP
6000=3640+100+IP
IPan=2260psi
B. BHPdp=HP+IP
6000=5200+IP
IP=800psi
Cir.P.=2500+800=3300psi
The pump rate at which the system
pressure loss is recorded for purpose
of well control is called:-
 Reduced circulating pressure,
 Kill rate,
 Reduced pump rate,
 Slow pump pressure,
 Slow pump rate.
Shut-in Pressure
The shut-in drill pipe

pressure is the amount by
which the formation
pressures exceeds the
hydrostatic head of the mud
in drill pipe
Influx Gradient
Influx grad. = mud grad – (sicp-sidpp)
length of
influx
- Gas 1-3 ppg
- Mix gas & water 3 -5 ppg
- Oil, water or mix. 5 -7 ppg
Kill Weight Mud
KWM = SIDPP + OMW

0.052xTVD
OMW: Original mud weight.
C. Killing Procedures
1. Wait and Weight Method.
2. Driller’s Method.
3. Concurrent Method.
1.Wait and Weight Method.
The well is shut-in, the surface mud is
weighted and the kill weight mud is
pumped in one cycle.
• Initial circulating pressure=SIDPP+SPR
• Final circ. Pressure= SPRx (KWM/OMW)
2. The Driller Method.
1.The influx is pumped out first,

2.The well is shut-in until the mud is
weighted,
3.The kill weight mud is then pumped.
.The Concurrent Method .3
1. Pumping is begun immediately and the

mud weight is raised while circulating the
kick out.
2. It needs several cycles of circulation.
Kill Sheet
The kill sheet includes
all the necessary data
for killing the well
including the drop
down pressure
against pumped
strokes.
Kick Tolerance
((Is the maximum allowable
pressure or its equivalent ppg that
the weakest point in a wellbore
can withstand))
• The weakest point is the casing shoe.
• No influx in the wellbore.
• Kick toleance= [Shoe depth * (FR – MW)]/Depth.
II. Stuck pipe
Drilling string
cannot be raised,
lowered or rotate.
Mechanisms of stuck pipe
A. Differential Stuck.
B. Wellbore Geometry.
C. Hole packing off.
A. Differential Stuck
Sticking of pipe against a permeable
formation as the result of the pressure of
the mud in the hole exceeding the bore
fluid pressure.
Differential sticking
 Stuck breadth = 4”
 Stuck length = 25’
 Fm pressure = 4000 psi
 H pressure = 5000 psi
 D. F=4*25*12*(5000-4000)
 1,200,000lbs
Differential sticking
• Cause:
• Drill string contacts a permeable zone.
• Developing of static filter cake.
• High differential force.
• Warning:
• Prognosed low pressure sands
• Long / unstabilized BHA.
• Increasing overpull, slack off weight or torque
to start string movement.
• First action:
• Apply torque and jar down with maximum trip
load.
• Spot a pipe releasing pill if the string does not
jar free.
Preventing Action
1. Maintain minimum required mud weight.
2. Keep string moving when BHA is
opposite suspected zones.
3. Minimize seepage loss in low pressure
zones.
4. Minimize unstabilized BHA & use spiral
DC.
5. Control drill suspected zones
B. Wellbore Geometry
Hole diameter and / or angle relative to BHA
geometry and / or stiffness will not allow
passage of the drill string
1. Key seat
2. Microdoglegs
3. Ledges
4. Stiff assembly
5. Mobile formation
6. Under gauge hole
Key Seat
Causes:
1. Abrupt change in
angle or direction in
soft formations.
2. High string tension
and pipe rotation
wears a slot into the
formation.
3. While POOH the drill
collars jam into the
slot.
Warning, indications, first action
Warning:
1. High angle doge leg in upper hole section.
2. Long drilling hours with no wiper trips through the
dogleged section
3. Cyclic over pull at tool joint intervals on trips.
Indications:
1. Occurs only while POOH.
2. Sudden over pull as BHA reaches dogleg depth.
3. Unrestricted circulation.
4. Free string movement below key seat depth.
First Action, Preventive Action
First action:
 Applay torque and jar down.
 Attempt to rotate with low over pull to work
through dogleg.
Preventive Action:
 Minimize dog leg severity to 3deg/100’ or less.
 Limit over pull through suspected intervals.
 Run string reamer or key seat wiper if
suspected.
C. Packing Off & Bridging
Formation cuttings cavings or medium to large
pieces of hard formation, cement or junk settle
around the drill string and pack off/bridging the
annulus.
1. Settled cuttings
2. Shale instability +
3. Unconsolidated formations
4. Fractured formations
5. Cement related.
6. Junk.
Settled Cutting Straight Hole
Causes:
• Low annular velocity
and/or poor mud
properties.
• When circulation is
stopped, the
cuttings fall back
down the hole and
pack off the drill
string.
Warning:
1. High ROP, low pump rate, little to no circulation
time at connections.
2. Torque, drag and pump pressure increase.
3. Over pull off slips, pump surge to break
circulation
4. Fill on bottom.
Indications:
1. Likely to occure on connections.
2. Possible during trips.
3. Circulation restricted or impossible.
First action:
 Applay low pump pressure (200-400psi).
 Apply torque and jar down.
 Circulate clean to avoid recurrence.
Preventive Action:
 Control ROP, maximize annular velocity.
 Maintain sufficient gel strength and YP.
 Circulate 5- 10 min before connections.
 Circulation clean before POOH.
Settled Cutting Deviated Hole
Causes:
• Drill cuttings settle on
the low side forming a
cutting bed.
• The cutting bed
builds and slide down
hole.
• While POOH the
cuttings is dragged
upward by the BHA
Warning:
1. Hole angle > 35deg..
2. Drilling with a down hole motor.
3. High ROP, low GPM, increase torque, increase
pump pressure.
Indications:
1. Likely to occure while POOH, possible while
drilling.
2. Increase overpull on trips.
3. Circulating pressure restricted or impossible
First action:
 Apply low pump pressure (100-400psi).
 Jar down & Apply torque with caution .
 Circulate clean to avoid recurrence.
Preventive Action:
 Record trend indicators for inadequate hole
cleaning.
 Control ROP, maintain mud properties, maximize
annular velocity, maximize string rotation.
 Circulation clean before POOH.
 Use low vis/high vis density sweps.

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WELL PROBLEMS

The formation pressure is higher than the

A negative hydrostatic pressure

Early kick recognition &

The drill pipe side is always used for

The shut-in drill pipe

KWM = SIDPP + OMW

1.The influx is pumped out first,

1. Pumping is begun immediately and the

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