BOP Procedure Standard Operating Procedure

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
BLOWOUT PREVENTION
BOP Procedure/J.Keemink/2010
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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. GENERAL
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SECTION I GENERAL
1.1 HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE
Hydrostatic Pressure is the weight of the column of fluid at the bottom of the well and is normally referred to in psi (pound per square inch). To calculate the hydrostatic pressure only use the vertical depth of the well and not the measured depth since wells do not have to be, and rarely are, truly vertical. A column of fluid one foot on each side exerts a downward force equal to the weight of the fluid in it. If we would fill the cube with fresh water, for instance, the weight would be 62.36 pounds. To calculate the pressure we would have to divide the weight by the area, in this case 62.36 / 12 x 12 = 0.433 psi/foot (pound per square inch per foot), also called the pressure gradient. This would be the pressure of water standing still or the hydrostatic pressure. If we wish to find the pressure exerted by a column of water 10 foot high we would have to multiply the hydrostatic pressure of a 1 foot column by the height or: 0.433 x 10 = 4.33 psi. If the column of water would be 100 feet high the pressure would be 43.3 psi. With a column (vertical well depth) of 1000 feet the hydrostatic pressure would be 433 psi. Notice here that the actual volume of water is not important, only the vertical depth of the well determines the hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the well. Please remember this when working with deviated wells were using the measured well depth would result in large errors when calculating the hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the well. It is not customary however to measure fluids in the oil and gas industry in psi/foot but in pounds/gallon. To calculate the pressure gradient of fluids measured in pounds/gallon we can use the conversion factor of 0.052, where psi/foot = 0.052 x ponds/gallon. For instance, fresh water weighs 8.33 pounds/gallon, so 8.33 x 0.052 = 0.433 psi/ft. Pressure can also be measured using different units such as kilograms/square centimeter, Newton/square centimeter or kilopascals. Density, or weight of fluid per unit volume can be measured in ponds per gallon (ppg), pounds/cubic foot, kilogram/cubic meter and grams/liter. Density can also be measured as specific gravity, a way of measuring without units. Specific gravity is comparing the unit weight of a liquid compared to the density of fresh water where the density of fresh water is set as 1. In case of gasses the density is compared to that of air where the density of air is set as 1. Conversion factors can be found in many engineering handbooks and tables. Some of the most common ones are: 1 kg/sq. cm = 14.22 psi 1 Newton/sq. cm = 1.45 psi 1 kPa = 0.145 psi Pound/gallon = 0.13368 pound/cu. Feet Pound/gallon = 0.0238 pound/barrel Pond/Gallon = 0.00834 kilogram/cu. meter Pound/Gallon = 0.00834 grams/liter Pound/Gallon = 8.336 s.g (water=1)
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1.2
PRESSURE AND FLOW
Pressure on a gauge does not include the pressure exerted by the atmosphere, which extends upwards from sea level to some ------- miles. Atmospheric pressure varies with the elevation, humidity and weather conditions but 14.7 psi is often used as a standard. Gauges as normally set to zero when only exposed to the atmosphere. The true, or absolute pressure would be the gauge pressure plus 14.7 psi. If we use the term psia (pressure per square inch absolute) it shows that the atmospheric pressure has been added to the gauge pressure. Since our main concern here will be differential pressures, and since atmospheric pressures acts on all points in any system, we can in general ignore it. In addition to static pressures there are dynamic pressures caused by the movement of fluid. This dynamic pressure, also referred to as circulating pressure is actually the pressure required to overcome friction, i.e. of fluid rubbing against a pipe surface, and the friction of fluid rubbing against itself (turbulence). Commonly the circulating pressure (CP) is the difference between the drill pipe pressure and the casing pressure. Circulating pressure decreases as it passes through a system. It is the highest at the point of fluid entry and the lowest, often zero, at the point of fluid exit. In most drilling circulating systems the circulating pressure at the bottom of the drill string is normally 10 percent (10%) of the circulating pressure at the surface. If we assume that the circulating pressure is 250 psi than the circulating pressure at the bit will be: CP (bit) = 0.1 x CP CP (bit) = 0.1 x 250 CP (bit) = 25 psi
If the well depth is 1000 feet and we use fresh water as drilling fluid than the bottom hole pressure will be: BHP BHP BHP = HP + CP = 433 + 25 = 458 psi
One additional form of pressure is called the back pressure (BP) caused by a restriction, such as a choke, in the system or by pumping into a shut-in well. If we see pressure at the surface after stopping pumping this is caused by the formation pressure being higher than the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the well bore. If we refer to Fig. 1, with a CP of 435 psi and a BP of 185 psi using fresh water in a 1000 ft well, than the bottom hole pressure will be: BHP = HP + Atm + CPbit + BP BHP = (1000 x 0.052 x 8.336) + 14.7 + (0.1 x 435-185) + 185 BHP = 433 + 14.7 + 25 + 185 BHP = 657.7 psia
BOP Procedure/J.Keemink/2010 Page 4
Pressure is required for flow and all equipment exposed to it must be able to withstand anticipated pressures. When we want to move mud, or other fluids, down the drill pipe and up the annulus we must apply a certain amount of pressure to overcome friction before we can establish flow, The required pressures depend on the size of the piping, characteristics of the fluid and velocity (speed). If we are drilling there is a difference in mud weight between the annulus and the drill pipe. The drill pipe will contain clean mud while the mud weight in the annulus will be higher due to suspended cuttings. While the pump is running the mud will travel down the drill pipe and up the annulus, but when we stop the pump the flow will be reversed due to the difference in hydrostatic pressure. HPdp = 0.052 x 10.0 x 8,000 = 4160 psig HPan = 0.052 x 10.2 x 8,000 = 4243 psig P = HPannulus HP dp = 4243 4160 = 83 psi This reverse flow would be unsatisfactory since with a flow from the annulus to the DP solids and cuttings in the mud would settle at the bottom of the well and could plug the nozzles in the drill bit. To calculate how much the fluid level in the annulus would drop, the HP in both the drill pipe and the annulus should be the same so the annulus pressure has to be reduced to 4160 psi, With a HP annulus of 4160 psi and a mud weight of 10.2 lb/gallon the column of fluid in the annulus would be: HP / (0.052 x 10.2) = 7843 Meaning, the fluid level in the annulus would drop 8,000 7,843 = 157 foot.
If we would reverse Fig. 2, with 10.2 lb/gallon mud in the drill pipe and the mud in the annulus would be cut by pore gas to 10.0 lb/gallon than the same 83 psi pressure difference would apply. However in this case the annulus pressure would be lower than the DP pressure and the difference in HP would help or accelerate the flow up the annulus. Back Pressure is another form of resistance to flow, as the choke in Fig. 1. As the restriction gets bigger, meaning the choke gets smaller, the resistance or back pressure increases until the circulating pressure is overcome and the flow stops. Generally this would mean that a valve is closed.
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SECTION II FRACTURING AND LEAK-OFF TESTING The pressure at which a formation can split or crack so that fluid can flow through these cracks is called the fracture pressure. If a combination or hydrostatic pressure and surface pressure exceeds the fracture pressure of the formation the formation will take fluid and returns to the surface will be reduced or lost completely. The fracture pressure, for any formation, depends on: The compressive strength of the formation Poissons ratio of the rock Permeability Bottom hole (pore) pressure Characteristics of the fracturing fluid. A clean fluid will penetrate the formation at a lower pressure than a fluid with a high solid content such as drilling mud. The fracture pressure gradient is the equivalent of the pressure gradient at which the formation will fracture. The equivalent pressure gradient includes fluid density and circulating pressure. The fracture gradient for the US Gulf Coast region, below 1,500 feet for clean fluid can be calculated as: FG = 0.45 + ((0.55 x BHP) / Depth in Feet) With a normal pressure gradient of 0.465 psi/ft, in the Gulf region, we would expect the BHP at 7,000 feet to be 3255 psig. To fracture this reservoir we would calculate the required fracture gradient as follows: FG = 0.35 + ((0.55 x 3255) / 7,000) FG = 0.45 + 0.26 FG = 0.71 psi/ft (using clean fluid) The fracture pressure would be: FP = FG x Depth (ft) FP = 0.71 x 7,000 FP = 4,970 psi After many years of drilling in one area, such as the Gulf Coast, data can be collected to establish empirical fracture gradient graphs, such as in Fig. 3.. From this graph we can determine that at 7,000 feet the required pressure gradient using drilling mud would be 0.79 psi/ft providing a fracture pressure of: 0.79 x 7,000 = 5.530 psi. Please note the difference between the fracture pressure using clean fluid and drilling mud of 560 psi. This is very important when circulating out a kick using clean fluid.
Fig. 3 Pressure Gradient using Mud
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The fracture gradient for clean fluids is derived from field experience and will be different from area to area depending on the geology of the area. The pressure, or overburden, gradient can be as low as 0.25 psi/foot or as high as 0.7 psi/foot. For wells shallower than 1,500 feet the equation is not valid because of shallower fractures with different characteristics. The pressure at which a formation will fracture controls the maximum allowable surface pressure. Using the above case for a depth of 10,000 feet with a mud weight of 9.4 lb/gallon we find that: HP (mud) = 0.052 x 9.4 x 10,000 = 4,888 psig FP = 0.89 x 10,000 = 8,900 psig (gradient from Fig.3)
The maximum allowable surface shut in pressure, with mud in the hole, would be: MASIP = 8,900 4,888 = 4,012 psig. If the hole was filled with salt water, of the same weight, the maximum allowable surface pressure would be reduced because the formation fractures more easily with a clean fluid. FG FP = 0.45 + ((0.55 x 4,888) / 10,000) = 0.72 psi/ft. = 0.72 x 10,000 = 7,200 psi.
In this case the maximum allowable surface pressure, with clean salt water in the hole, would be: MASIP = 7,200 4,888 = 2,312 psig. If this is not taken into account, the difference between using mud and clean fluid can result in serious lost circulation problems. Although many papers have been written regarding fracture gradients and how much pressure a well can take before a formation breaks down and lost circulation occurs, the best way to determine the fracture pressure is to conduct a so-called bleed-off or leak-off test. These tests are carried out after drilling approximately one DP joint after drilling out of set casing. Many agencies require that such a test is performed not more than 15 meters (49 feet) after drilling out of the surface casing and all subsequent casing strings. A successful leak-off test will provide invaluable data for control of kicks and design of casing string setting depths. Leak-off tests should be properly supervised and correctly entered into the Drillers log and included in daily drilling reports. Leak-off test should be carried out with the DP pulled back into the casing to avoid sticking problems. The pump(s) used for a leak-off test must be able to pump slowly at rates of 1/3 to barrel per minute without surges. A mud pump might be used but normally a cementing unit pump, providing higher pressures at lower volumes, is used. Leak-off test procedures require that the stand-pipe pressure is recorded every minute or so along with the cumulative strokes or volumes pumped. The following is normally recommended: 1. Make a short trip into the casing 2. Close annular preventer on DP 3. Install a full opening safety valve in the drill pipe 4. Rig up lines to the drill pipe and fill the lines with drilling fluid.
5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Start pumping at 1/3 to pm Record stand-pipe pressure and volumes pumped continuously. Test to predetermined pressure (MACP) or till pressure drops and does not rise back again. Stop pump, record stabilized pressure, bleed pressure of annulus. Check that the well is dead. Plot data on standard graph paper as pressure versus volume or strokes pumped.
The typical leak-off test curve will be almost a straight line until leak-off starts. If pumping continues the pressure will continue to increase until the rupture, or fracture, pressure is reached. The pressure will then decrease until the pressure to hold open and spread the fracture (propagation pressure) is reached. When the pump is shut down the pressure will bleed down until the fracture closes and the formation heals. Leak-off tests do not weaken the formation with respect to holding pressure. Repeated tests will result in identical leak-off, propagation and bleed-off pressures as were reached during the first test. As the well is drilled deeper, mud cake continues to age, the rotating DP will pack the cake and plaster the wall, filtration will move deeper into the formation so that leak-off tests carried out later in the life of the well show a higher leak-off, propagation and bleed-off pressures. Rupture pressure is the true (surface) fracture pressure, however here we have no room for operator error, faulty or un-calibrated gauges and therefore should not be used during drilling and kick killing operations. Bleed-off pressure, or the maximum pressure at which the reservoir will heal itself, is conservative and would be a hindrance to efficient drilling operations. Propagation pressure is just a little higher than the bleed off pressure and suffers from the same problems. The leak-off fracture pressure is reasonably conservative and realistic and is normally used when calculating fracture gradients and pressures when selecting casing setting depths. Surface pressures are normally the information required during drilling operation. The surface pressure can be calculated by determining the reservoir fracture pressure and deducting the hydrostatic weight of the fluid column. If the mud weight is changed we have to adjust the surface pressures allowable to compensate for the changed hydrostatic pressure. At all times make sure that vertical depths are used and not measured depths. Example: Rupture Pressure Leak-off Pressure Propagation Bleed-off Old Mud Weight New Mud weight TVD TVD casing seat = 1310 psi = 1200 psi = 1010 psi = 970 psi = 9.4 lb/gallon = 9.7 lb/gallon = 10,000 feet = 8,200 feet.
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Calculate: New (adjusted) Leak Off Pressure = Leak-off Test [(0.052) x (Present Old Mud) x TVD casing seat] = 1200 [(0.052 x (9.7 9.4) x 8400] = 1200 128 = 1072 psi In the above case we are drilling with 9.7 lb/gallon mud and the calculated fracture equivalent mud weight is 11.7 lb/gallon. Such a well could take a 2.0 lb/gallon kick but a 2.1 lb/gallon kick would be pushing our luck and a 2.2 lb/gallon kick would probably cause lost returns. When drilling out of the surface conductor, and in general in formations shallower than 1,500 feet, and sometimes deeper depending on the geology, the nature of fracturing is different. The fractures tend to form horizontal lines, like pancakes, lifting the formation above them. If there is a lot of vertical movement the earth is shifted relative to the casing and a channel can be created that allow fluids to travel to the surface outside the casing. This is extremely dangerous and, especially in marine environments. In shallow depths the fracture gradient of 0.71 psi/foot cannot be relied upon. After setting conductor pipe the pressure at the casing seat must not be allowed to exceed 0.5 x casing depth (in feet). Surface pressures allowed are further reduced by the weight of mud in the hole. Fracturing a formation when the well is shut-in to control a kick causes loss of circulation and may lead to total loss of control and extreme danger to personnel, equipment and the environment.
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SECTION III BLOWOUT PREVENTER TESTING The purpose of Blowout Preventers is to allow the annulus of the well to be closed during kicks to prevent the well from unloading and causing a blowout. Annular preventers are normally of the spherical rubber seal type but can also be RAM type. The annular preventer must be designed to withstand the maximum shut-in pressure expected. If the well is allowed to blow fluid from the hole and we then shut in the well the maximum possible pressure would be the reservoir pressure minus the hydrostatic head of gas. WP bop = Formation Pressure 0.1 x depth Spherical BOPs are normally tested to 70% of their working pressure. RAM type preventers can be either single or double type. The single type is normally fitted with pipe rams where a seal is created around the outside of the drill pipe. Double rams come with a (lower) pipe ram and a (upper) blind ram. A blind ram is a set of shears designed to be able to cut drill pipe cleanly and create a seal at the same time. Annular, or spherical rams, are normally only tested to 70% of their working pressure. Ram type preventers are normally tested to 100% of their working pressure. However, in all cases blowout preventers shall only be tested to a maximum of 70% of the burst strength of the casing, whichever is higher. The working pressure of BOPs, as for all other equipment, is the maximum pressure that the equipment is expected to operate during its normal lifetime. The design test pressure is the maximum pressure that the body of the preventer is capable of withstanding and is normally twice (2x) the maximum allowable working pressure. The term tested pressure might cause confusion. The tested pressure is the pressure to which a certain stack has been tested to recently. Normally this is the pressure rating of the flange seals. If a stack is tested to 3,000 psi, rated to 5,000 psi WP and has a 10,000 psi design test the maximum allowable pressure on the stack is 3,000 psi. If possible stacks should be tested to above the maximum SICP (Shut-in Casing Pressure) anticipated.
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SECTION V CASING SIZE AND STRENGTH LIMITATION Seamless casing is fabricated by extrusion of a solid billed of steel into a tube using a mandrel and outside rollers. Seamless pipe, such as casing, is manufactured by the extrusion of a solid billet of steel into a tube using an internal mandrel and external rollers. The grade, or type, of steel (metallurgy) and the thickness and diameter determine the strength of the casing pipe. All casing has a failure or rupture pressure at which the pipe will burst and an external pressure at which it will collapse.
Steel grades, by the API system, start a low carbon steel F-25 (mild steel) to V-150 (high tensile steel). Grades C-75 and lower are used in H2S service since higher grades of steel will become brittle and crack in the presence of H2S. The strengths listed in casing tables are design strengths for new casing and do not include any safety margins. The casing pipe is designed to be able to reach the stated pressure once before failure. Therefore, new casing pipe is only exposed to a maximum of 80% of the design strength to provide for a margin of safety. As the casing deteriorates from abrasion, corrosion and erosion its strength is reduces and failures may occur at pressures as low as 10% of the original design pressure. The burst strength of casing must be designed so that a kick can be controlled by shutting the well at surface without failure of the casing. Here we must keep in mind that the highest pressures are encountered during a kick when a gas bubble travels from the bottom of the well to the surface without expanding. In such a case the full reservoir pressure, minus the hydrostatic weight of the gas column, is than placed on the surface equipment.. The unexpanded, and therefore unreduced, gas pressure is than exerted together with the hydrostatic pressure of the mud on the formation. If this would be allowed to happen than fracture pressures would be exceeded resulting in loss of mud into the formation. In reality this is not likely to happen since the gas would be vented to atmosphere through a choke.
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The most likely event would be that all mud would be lost into the formation and that the well would be filled with gas only. In such a case the surface pressure would be the formation pressure minus the hydrostatic weight of the gas column (approx. o.1 psi/ft) giving: CP = BHP 10,000 x 0.1 psi/ft = 4304 psi In all cases, never allow the surface pressure to exceed the bursting pressure of the casing. If we allow the surface pressure to approach the bursting strength of the casing the casing will probably burst resulting in a uncontrollable blowout. Maximum casing pressure for new casing should never be allowed to exceed 80% of the listed burst strength of the casing. Old casing should be evaluated and more severe limitations should be set. Collapse resistance is the external pressure, in psi, that is needed to collapse or crush the casing from the outside without any pressure inside the casing. Any internal pressure will assist in holding the casing open. However many combinations of external pressures with only gas or light fluids inside the casing can lead to collapse and failed casing.
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SECTION VII MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SHUT-IN CASING PRESSURE MACP When a kick is suspected, the first action to be taken is to shut-in the well and record shut-in casing pressure (SICP) and shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP). If the SICP will exceed the burst strength of the casing the casing will fail resulting in uncontrollable flow just below the wellhead. The surface casing pressure may never be allowed to exceed the actual bursting strength of the casing. The pressure that can be handle by the BOP stack further limits the maximum allowable SICP. If the BOP stack is exposed to a pressure higher than previously tested the preventers or the seals may begin to leak or burst altogether. The BOP stack should always be tested to a pressure higher than the maximum SICP expected and pressures may never exceed the latest pressure test of the BOP. The leak-off test will provide the maximum allowable surface pressure that the open hole can take without fracturing the formation resulting in lost returns. The maximum pressure seen on the formation during kick-killing occurs just as the kick-kill fluid reaches the zone and a still undiluted column of fluid exists between the formation and the surface. The first permeable zone below the casing shoe is almost always the weakest fracture point. The surface casing pressure must never exceed the (surface) leak-off test pressure adjusted for any changes in mud weight. EXAMPLE From casing data tables we find that 7 N-80 casing with a weight of 29 ppf has a design burst pressure of 8160 psi. Using a safety factor of 20% we find a maximum allowable surface casing pressure of 6528 psi (with new casing) without fear of casing bursting. The BOP stack has been tested to 3500 psi. The formation at 3500 feet will fracture at 1200 psi surface pressure using 10 lb/gallon mud in the hole. We can hold 1200 [(0.052 x (10.2-10) X 3500] = 1164 psi without losing circulation. The maximum allowable casing pressure (MACP) is the maximum pressure that still ensures integrity of the casing, BOPs and the open hole. In Fig. 7, the casing is good for 6528 psi, the BOP stack is good for 3500 psi and the open hole is good for 1164 psi. The maximum allowable MACP, to ensure the integrity of the casing, BOP and formation, would be 1164 psi. After the MACP has been determined it should be posted clearly at the drillers station and the choke panel. The MACP cannot be exceeded; pressures must be relieved rather than allow the SICP to exceed the MACP.
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Fig 7.
When only surface pipe has been set a pressure of no more than 0.5 x Depth (casing seat) HPmud should be allowed on the casing. Drive pipe, conductor and surface casing require large diameter diverter lines that allow the kick to flow safely rather than to shut-in. Conductor MACP = (0.5 psi/ft x TVD Casing Shoe) HP Mud If we drill through a fractured zone, gas might rise slightly in the well bore causing the BP to rise slightly (see Fig. 8). Without causing any further problems.
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SECTION X KICK DETECTION The first step to be able to handle a kick is early recognition that a kick is in progress. Warning signs of a kick in progress may include any or all of the following symptoms:
1. Increase in fluid volume in the mud tanks (trip tank) 2. Increase in penetration rate. 3. Circulating pressure decreases and/or pump rate increases. 4. Flow from casing or DP with the pumps shut off. 5. Partial returns (lost circulation) 6. Hole takes less fluid than it should when pulling the DP out of the hole. 7. Hole gives up to much fluid when running the DP in the hole. 8. Return flow rate increases. 9. Mud weight changes. 10. Salinity changes. 11. Show of oil and/or gas in returns. 12. Presence of shale in the returns.
When drilling into a very permeable formation, that is under balanced, the kick will start immediately upon penetration and will usually be concurrent (happening at the same time) with a drilling break. A gas kick expands as it nears the surface and the rate of unloading mud will increase. A salt water or oil kick will not expand and the increase in pressure at the surface will be steady (linear) rather than sharply increasing (exponential) as is the case with a gas kick. When a kick has gas associated with the kicking fluid, the shut n casing will continue to rise as the gas migrates up the hole. In the case of a salt water or oil kick with no gas, there is no increase in shut-in pressure with time.
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KICK KILLING PROCEDURES Response to a kick will depend on when and where the kick takes place, i.e. when close to bottom or surface, onshore, offshore etc. Drilling or circulating near bottom 1. Pick up the kelly to above rotary Pipe rams and annular bop will not seal on kelly 2. Stop pumps. Note: The pumps may continue to coast after being shut down and care should be taken that circulating pressure is not trapped. 3. Open HCR valve to an open choke. Prior to closing the BOP annular and/or rams, we must provide a circuit of flow from the annulus or we could damage the seals in the BOP as we close against the flow. Monitor DP and annulus Pressures. 4. Close annular BOP To seal off the annulus, RAM type BOPs could be closed by a spherical annular BOP is preferable. Monitor DP and Annulus pressures. 5. Close Choke Close choke quickly but carefully monitoring DP and annular pressures. Do not close choke to quickly to avoid hydraulic shock to the system. Do not allow pressures to exceed maximum allowable limits. Relief excess pressure rather than to exceed the allowable maximum pressure. If the well cannot be shut in without exceeding maximum allowable limits immediately circulate heavier mud while holding the annular pressure just below allowable limits. 6. Record Data Record the volume of the kick, SICP and SIDPP. Calculate the required mud weight increase to kill the well. 7. Circulate Circulate kick out using the constant bottom hole pressure, technique. Use an adjustable choke to maintain allowable annular pressure. TRIPPING 1. Stab Safety Valve Stab in fully opened drill pipe safety valve. 2. Open HCR Valve Open HCR valve to choke. 3. Close annular BOP If only drill collars are in the hole it might be required to chain these down to prevent them from being blown out of the hole. Drill collar clamps, in good condition, and chains should be readily available at all times. If extreme flow is encountered it might be necessary to drop the string so that the rams can be closed. 4. Close DP safety valve. 5. Close adjustable choke Close choke with care, do not exceed maximum allowable pressures. 6. Record Data 7. Strip back pipe into the hole. Do not allow casing pressure to exceed allowable limits. (see Chapter on Stripping and Snubbing) 8. Circulate kick out using constant bottom hole pressure method.
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WHAT IS A KICK
A kick is an uncontrolled flow of formation fluids into the well bore. If the kick flows uncontrolled from the formation to the surface it is called a blowout. If a kick flows uncontrolled from a high pressure formation to a lower pressured formation it is called an underground or sub-surface blowout.
A kick occurs when the formation pressure is higher than the effective mud weight in the well bore and the circulation pressure. The pressure at the bottom of the hole is calculated using the mud weight, the vertical depth of the well plus any circulating pressure at surface. As long as the formation pressure does not exceed the HP (hydrostatic pressure) at the formation fluids can enter the well bore.
When the well is being circulated the annular pressure drop is added to the static hydrostatic pressure which gives a more accurate hydrostatic equivalent pressure then when we only consider static pressures. SPP = Pressure Loss Through DP, Collars and Bit Annular Pressure Drop = Zero (0) Therefore, if we are circulating the Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) is equal to the static hydrostatic pressure, from the mud weight, plus the annular pressure drop. If we are drilling balanced and the pumps are stopped the formation, if there is any permeability, will give up some fluid into the well bore. The pressure drop from bit to surface can be calculated using the power law equation or estimated using any of the slide rule equations available. However, since the annular flow is almost always laminar we can estimate the pressure drop in the annulus to be equal to 10% of the circulating pressure (SPP) Kicks are cause by: Insufficient mud weight. Swabbing Balled or plugged bit Improper hole fill-up or failure to keep hole full Lost circulation (Fractured formation) Core gas or Drill Stem Test Mechanical failure of tubular goods.
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Insufficient Mud Weight The drilling of a well through impermeable rock can be done with mud weights far below the equivalent pore pressure gradient of the formation. In a impermeable formation fluids are trapped in their pore space and cannot move freely into the well bore. Drilling in impermeable formations the only fluid that can enter the well bore is the fluid actually trapped in the drilled volume. This volume is insufficient to cause a kick by itself. Drilling under-balanced can be done safely trough zones of no or very low permeability. By using a low density, low-solids drilling fluid the rate of penetration can be increased and drilling cost reduced. Under-balanced drilling in permeable rocks causes surprise kicks, heaving shale and increased drilling cost. Normally mud weight should be about 0.3 ppg heavier than the calculated bottom hole pressure equivalent to allow for mud weight variations and swabbing while tripping pipe. The trip margin is a management decision and equal concern shall be given for it being to large or to small. A to large trip margin could cause fracture of a zone and lost circulation. A to small margin may allow the well to kick. Accidental mud weight reduction can be caused by an inaccurate mud balance, excessive fresh water at the shale shaker(s), switching to the wrong tank or failure to communicate between crew members. While drilling, or circulating out, the mud will be laden with cuttings and the returns will be heavier than the conditioned (clean) mud pumped down the hole. Therefore when the pumps are stopped the well will be unbalanced and flow back through the work string. Good drilling practice calls for circulating clean and to check carefully for flow, from either the DP or the annulus, prior to pulling out of the hole.
Swabbing The hydrostatic bottom hole pressure can be reduced by the movement of the pipe in the hole. When pulling put the drill string acts like a long pump by the fluid in the hole dragging against the pipe. Thick, high gel fluids and rapid acceleration and speed of the pipe cause the largest swabbing pressures. The closer the tolerances (clearance between work string and wall) the greater the swabbing action will be. Swabbing pressure is also increased if the bit is plugged. Swabbing pressures for a 15,000 feet well pulling out of the hole at 270 feet/min with a plugged bit can be as high as 1,080 psi while with an un-plugged (open) bit the swabbing pressure would only be 620 psi. Regardless of the actual swabbing pressure the bottom-hole pressure will be reduced. In this case by 1.4 ppg for a plugged bit and 0.8 ppg with an open bit, in both cases much larger than the normal 0.3 ppg trip margin.
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While running into the hole the swab pressure becomes a surge pressure, or additional pressure to the normal hydrostatic pressure and can cause fracture of the formation and lost circulation. Note that there are also swab pressures induced when running into the hole. The swabbing action is caused by lifting the string to pull the slips so it is important to pull the slips slowly with minimum movement of the string. When running in the hole it reaches a maximum speed when the brakes are applied but the drill collars continue due to inertia, the string stretches downward and then re-bounces upwards. Swabbing can be reduced by running in the hole smoothly with soft gradual braking action at the end of each stand. Special consideration should be given to: Pulling out of the hole with a plugged bit causes severe swabbing action. Rapid acceleration and stopping causes high swab and surge pressures, Deep, high temperature wells, may require high gel strengths and surge pressures are stored in the mud, breaking circulation a few times when running in the hole and re-starting circulatin while slowly pulling up the kelly will reduce pressure put n the formation. Slow down when running in the hole with weak formations to avoid fracturing.
Balled or Plugged Bit A special case of swabbing is pulling of a balled or plugged bit. When a drill bit becomes balled with shale and clay, the rate of penetration (ROP) drops to near zero it will be necessary to pull the string to replace the bit. With a balled bit the clearance between the bit/drill collars and the hole is reduced to almost zero, in that case the string effectively will act like a pump plunger with only the mud inside the string able to fill the hole below the bit to fill the void when pulling out of the hole. As the mud level in the string drops the bottom hole pressure is reduced and the well can kick on the drill pipe side. If the drill string has mud and shale produced into it is possible that it will plug up. A plugged bit can occur in conjunction with balling or may happen due to solids dropping out of the mud and plugging up the nozzles of the bit from the inside. A special case of plugging can occur when a barite pill is allowed to settle inside the drill string when attempting to plug a kicking zone. When a plugged bit is pulled the hole cannot be filled through the drill pipe and swabbing action increases. If, in such a case, he well must be circulated the drill string may have to be perforated. The effect of a plugged and balled bit is that of a nearly perfect swab. It will become necessary to either perforate the pipe to establish circulation or to pull very slowly while filling up the annulus. Pulling the pipe slowly and rotating it may assist in removing or reducing the ball and allow slow, but safe, pulling of the drill string.
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Improper Hole Filling When pulling the string out of the hole it is necessary to replace the volume of the steel pipe removed, including any fluid therein, with the exact same volume by filling the annulus. For deeper wells the volume per joint might increase as we pull out of the hole as reduced tensile loads (weight) will cause the hole to take more fluid per joint. As we pull out of the hole the fluid level in the annulus will drop causing a reduction in bottom hole pressure. The annulus must be filled often enough, at least every ten stands or every stand of collars, to avoid kicks. The fill-up volume should be carefully noted every time to determine if the well is coming in. Avoid dropping the fluid level in the annulus to more than 100 feet bellow surface, as measured from the bell nipple. The fill volume required should be calculated using displacement tables, as provided in cement service handbooks, and then compared to the actual fill volume when coming out of the hole. Knowing that the hole is taking too much or too little fluid is very important to identify lost circulation or kicks. When it is identified that a well is not taking enough fluid while pulling out of the hole, the drill string shall be run to bottom and the hole shall be circulated clean under positive control (pressure and volume) until the cause and type of formation fluid influx is determined and the hole is stabilized.
Lost Circulation Lost circulation is the loss of drilling fluid (mud) into the formation. Control of the well is lost when the density of the fluid in the drill string cannot be controlled. If part of the returns are lost to a formation the reserve volume in the surface mud tanks will be depleted. If the returns are totally lost, the fluid level in the annulus will drop and the BHP reduced resulting in a kick.
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Lost circulation is caused by fracturing of a low pressured zone. Reduction of the pressure will allow it to close and heal, if an underground blow out does not occur. Lost circulation material may be circulated down to bridge the fracture to regain control of the well. If an underground blowout is occurring the lost circulation material may not be effective because the BHP will remain above the fracture pressure of the weak formation and the lost circulation material, and produced reservoir fluids from the stronger formation, are lost to continuous opening new fractures. It may be necessary to temporarily plug the flowing zone to regain control of an underground blowout. The use of a pumpable plug made of barite and fresh water, bentonite and diesel, or cement and diesel, may allow isolating the kicking zone from the thief zone. The plug is made up of bentonite (fresh water gel) and diesel and will not swell or thicken until in contact with water. The lost circulation plug is made by mixing 3 sacks of bentonite with one (1) barrel of diesel oil at a rate of 2-4 sacks per minute. A 300 foot column is most often used. The plug is preceded and followed by a 10 barrel diesel spacer. Using cement mixed in diesel allows for pumping a plug that can develop compressive strength when coming in contact with water. Class H or A, where H class cement will result in slower settling times and lower compressive strength. Cement is mixed at the ration of 5 gallons of diesel per 98 lbs sack of cement resulting in a slurry density of approximately 15 lbs/gallon. Extreme caution must be exercised to ensure that no water is mixed with the cement until setting is required. Mixing tanks, lines, pumps, the diesel fuel, etc. must be free of water. A barite plug is one of the best ways to plug of the borehole against a kick. It requires no fresh water to set and the high density and impermeable nature provide a plug that is tough and heavy but can be easily drilled out. A 15 lbs/gallon slurry of barite and clean fresh water will give the best performance. If the mud weight is higher than 14 lbs/gallon adjust the barite slurry density to 1 lbs/gallon above that of the mud. Mud thinner is added to the fresh water prior to starting mixing and the ph is adjusted with caustic soda (Na OH0 to 9.0. Enough plug material should be mixed to cover a 300 foot interval. The plugs are pumped down the drill string and allowed to set between the lost circulation zone and the kicking zone. If the vertical cross flow channels though the plug the procedure might have to be repeated. Lost circulation is a very serious matter and sufficient mud material must be on location to be able to fight a kick with lost circulation. Minimum stockage levels should be established and maintained.
Core Gas, DST, Pore Volume Gas When in interval of gas sand is cored the gas will remain in the core as it is cut. After coring, the core bit and barrel are pulled out of the hole to recover the core. The gas that is present in the core will expand, with reduced hydrostatic pressure, and is released from the core. This core gas can cause a kick in the drill pipe, together with swabbing action this could reduce the bottom hole pressure enough to allow the formation to flow and a more serious kick is initiated. Kicks caused by core gas can be prevented by conditioning the mud prior to puling of bottom and by pulling slowly while keeping the hole full on the annulus.
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Fast drilling of permeable gas sands may cause a kick on the annulus side. As the formations are drilled the gas in the pore space is liberated and is circulated back to surface. As this gas reaches the surface it expands and reduces the effective density of the mud. I we drill balanced this reduction cam be sufficient to start a movement of formation fluid into the well bore. Circulating the well clean before we make a bit trip is the best way to prevent pore gas from initiating a kick. Reduce drilling rates in gas sands may be required. During DSTs (Drill Stem Tests) the well is produced using the drill pipe and retrievable packers to determine the productivity of a particular formation. In open hole DSTs the well is not cased and the DST tool must provide a seal against the formation.. In cased holes DSTs can be performed using hook wall packers and the casing is perforated using either TCPs (Tubing Conveyed Perforating) or wire line perforating techniques. With TCP the hook wall packers are set prior to perforating. When perforating using TCPs, it is important to monitor the fluid level in the annulus to determine that the packers or not leaking allowing the well to flow on the annulus. When using wire line logging the annulus fluid level should be observed to ensure that the well is not taking any fluid or is kicking. After completion of the production test the well is reversed out (down the annulus and up the work string) to remove all oil and gas from the work string and to kill the well. After reverse circulation the well should be circulated (down the work string and up the annulus) clean before pulling the string out of the hole. Circulating and reversing pressures can be higher than normal due to gelling of the mud during the test period, a dose of water and additives may be required to condition returns.
Mechanical Failure of Tubular Goods The drill string, or working string, and casing string conduct the fluid movement from the surface to the bottom and back to surface. They allow for positive knowledge of volumes and flow paths. If tubular goods fail it is possible to lose control of the well. The abrasion of tool joints on the protective casing can cause a hole. If the equivalent mud weight at that depth exceeds the fracture pressure of the reservoir a fracture will occur resulting in lost circulation. Drill pipe rubbers protect against casing wear but they also increase swabbing and surge pressures. Tool joints can fail due to fluid cutting through the sealing surfaces of the joint, it is also possible that a hole develops in the drill pipe or work string due to erosion. When a washout occurs only part of the fluid will go to and through the bit, a portion of the fluid is able to make a short cut through the hole, or washout, back to the surface. If this is the case we should note an immediate drop I circulating pressure at the surface. However, in many cases, the washout will start as a small leak and gradually develop progressively reducing the surface circulating pressure. In severe cases it is possible that the washout will progress to the point where the string will twist off and is lost in the hole.
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In case of a washout the penetration rate will normally decrease because full jetting ans cleaning action is not available at the bit. If a higher pressure zone is penetrated, or if swabbing induces a kick, the killing of the kick will become very difficult since we are not able to get full circulation at the bottom of the string. Washouts of tool joints are best avoided by using proper stabbing and handling techniques and close inspection of the tool joints and proper application of API grade tool compounds. Pipe should be carefully inspected for wear and tear regularly and any damaged or suspected joints replaced immediately.
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MUD DENSITY INCREASE When a kick is detected shut in the well by raising the kelly, shut down the pumps, open the HCR valve against an open choke, close the annular (spherical) BOP and close the choke carefully to avoid hydraulic shock and/or to exceed casing and formation pressure limitations. After the well is shut-in, the shut0in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) and the shut-in casing pressure (SICP) will raise from zero to a stabilized pressure, the time required depending on the nature and strength of the kick but normally anywhere from 0.5 to 5 minutes. If there is the question if the well is actually kicking or if there is trapped pump pressure present, release a small quantity of fluid (0.25 to 0.5 barrel) from the casing side. If the pressure decreases while bleeding but builds back up to the original shut-in pressure after the kick, do not bleed off any more pressure/fluid. Do not bleed-off any pressure from the drill pipe, this may cause gas-cut mud to enter the drill pipe causing problems when calculating the required kill weight mud. It could also lead to a plugged bit since contaminated mud can enter the drill pipe and solids can settle out to bridge across the bit jets. The static shut-in casing pressure (SICP) and shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) must be accurately recorded. Pressure accuracy should be within +/- 25 psi to allow for accurate calculation of the required kill mud weight. The rigs standpipe pressure, pump pressure, casing pressure and choke panel gauges may never give the same readings due to daily shocks in normal operations. The choke panel gauges are often the best source and most accurate but provisions should be in place to install more accurate gauges, normally stored in the company mans office. The SIDPP will show the amount of additional pressure that is required to hold and control the formation pressure causing the kick. If an inside BOP or float (BPV) is installed in the drill string, the SIDPP must be determined by slowly pumping into the DP until the BPV opens and allows a small amount of fluid to pass through the valve. The pump in pressure will approximate the true SIDPP. To calculate the required mud weight to control the well we add the required additional mud weight to the mud weight in the DP.
Assume: Mud Weight = 9.5 lbs/gallon True vertical depth = 8,000 feet SIDPP = 75 psi BHP = 0.52 x Mud weight x depth BHP = 0.52 x 9.5 x 8,000 BHP = 3,952 psi Add. Mud weight = 75 / (0.52 x 8,000) Add Mud Weight = 0.18 Kill Mud Weight = 9.5 + 0.18 Kill Mud Weight = 9.68 lbs/gallon Kill Mud Weight = 9.7 lbs/gallon
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The additional required additional mud weight should be round up to the nearest tenth of a lbs/gallon meaning that in this case the required kill mud weight should be 9.7 lbs/gallon. In this case the actual BHP (kick) = 0.52 x 9.18 x 8,000 = 4.027 psi. The actual hydrostatic mud weight after the kill would be 0.52 x 9.7 x 8,000 = 4,035 psi. The additional 8 psi provides no operating margin to allow for drill pipe movement, choke variations, mud weight variations etc. that could cause the BHP to drop below the minimum value required to control the formation. To properly kill the kick and control the formation we should first circulate with the calculated required mud weight without operating margin. If the kick is controlled we circulate again using 200-300 psi over pressure to create a operating margin before we proceed with drilling. The additional mud weight to provide for an operating margin would be: 300/ (0.52 x 8,000) = 0.57. Rounding up the required additional mud weight to the nearest tenth of a pound per gallon we would have to establish a mud weight of 9.7 + 0.6 = 10.3 lbs/gallon before we can safely proceed with drilling.
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KICK CIRCULATION Methods used to circulate kicks vary from constant pit volume technique, which violated basic gas behavior laws, to elaborate constant bottom hole pressure methods that require many pre-recorded well data and numerous calculations, graphs, and sometime broad assumptions. The desire for a simple, field applicable, accurate method has provided many systems following the same basic principle, namely if the BHP is held constant and slightly above the pore pressure of the kicking formation no further kicks will be introduced by the formation. The most common techniques using the constant bottom hole pressure technique are called the drillers method, engineers method, wait and weight, simplex and Constant Bottom Hole Pressure method. PT Kasadasa Perkasa uses the Wait and Weight method because it is safe, simple and proven. The name comes from the basic waiting, while the mud is being weighted up to the mud weight to balance the formation pressure. The kill mud is circulated to the bit while maintaining a constant pump rate by allowing the circulating drill pipe pressure to decline on a calculated schedule. After the kill mud weight (KMW) clears the bit, the circulating drill pipe pressure is maintained constant until the kick fluid is totally displaced from the well. The Wait and Weight ,method required certain data to circulate out a kick successfully: 1. Drill String I.D and volume capacity from surface to bit. 2. True vertical depth of the bit, casing seats and formation. 3. Actual length of the drill pipe in the hole. 4. Density of the fluid pumped down the work string. 5. Kill rate circulating drill pipe pressure, if possible but not required. If the above is not know, certain estimates can be made from hung string weight, rental tickets, surface pipe counts and mud density in the pits, etc. The first step after safely closing in the well is to record the time of the kick, the volume of the kick, the SICP and the SIDPP to be able to calculate the required kill mud weight (KMW) KMW = DMW + [SIDPP / (0.52 x TVD)] After the well is shut in we normally will observe a continuing increase in drill pipe and casing pressures if there is a gas bubble migrating up the annulus. In such a case it will be necessary to bleed of annulus pressure to prevent the SICP from exceeding the maximum allowable casing pressure. The SIDPP continues to be a pressure gauge for the BHP. The BHP must continue to be equal or greater than the pore pressure of the formation, if not another kick will be introduced into the well bore. It is possible to bring a kick to surface using only gravity segregation and casing bleeding techniques. Gas will migrate (segregate) through 10 14 ppg mud at 7 to 15 feet per minute. During kill operations we pick a reduced circulating rate in order to reduce the pressure drop in the annulus. By reducing the friction pressure we reduce the risk of fracturing the formation. A kill rate of 1/3 the normal circulating rate is common but lower rates may be desirable. When the kill mud starts down the drill pipe the initial CDPP (circulating drill pipe pressure) will be equal to the sum of SIDPP (shut in drill pipe pressure) plus KRCDPP (kill rate circulating drill pipe pressure. After the kill mud gets to bottom, the SIDPP should be zero if the kill mud weight was correctly calculated.
The KRCDPP (kill rate circulating drill pipe pressure) will increase because the kill mud is heavier than the normal mud and will have a higher viscosity so higher pressures are required to move it through the drill pipe, collars and bit. The kill operation is started by holding the casing pressure at 25 50 psi higher than the SICP (shut in casing pressure) while bringing the pumps up to the kill rate pumping the KM down the DP. Be careful not to hold to much back pressure on the annulus with the choke since this could cause formation fracture and lost circulation. As soon as the kill rate has been achieved note the CDPP (circulating drill pipe pressure). Initial CDPP = SIDPP + KRCDPP + 25 to 50 psi. When the KM reaches the bit, the final DPP will equal the KRCDPP corrected for increased velocity. Final CDPP = KRCDPP x (KMW/DMW) To maintain constant bottom hole pressure, the back pressure on the casing must be regulated so that the initial CDPP declines to the final CDPP as the kill mud clears the bit. As the KMW is pumped down the DP, the CDPP will decline from the ICDPP to the FCDPP, this decline can be graphed as a straight line.
Preparing a writing schedule or a plot of the circulating drill pipe pressure versus pump volume (strokes) is helpful in obtaining a uniform decline of the CDPP to the FCDPP. ( ICDPP FCDPP) / Strokes (Pipe Volume to bit) = psi/stroke Cum. Strokes 100 200 300 400 500 Etc. DP Capacity CDPP ICDPP ----------------------------------------FCDPP
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While pumping certain conditions can cause additional changes in friction pressure such as a plugged bit, lost nozzle(s) or a annular bridge. If anything happens that would cause a change in the basic KRCDPP the casing pressure should be immediately noted and held constant while establishing a new CDPP. The new CDPP can, again, be adjusted as required while the well is circulated with KMW. Normally, during circulation of kill mud the casing pressure required to maintain a constant BHP increases very little. After the kill mud has reached the bit, the SIDPP should be zero if the KMW has been calculated correctly. However, it is best not to stop circulating but to continue until the kill mud is back to the surface and full circulation has been established. When full circulation has been established, stop the pump and close the choke. If pressure remains on the DP or the Casing either the KMW was incorrect (to low) or pressure is trapped. If there is any trapped pressure this can be bled off. If the pressure is not trapped the SIDPP and SICP will remain the same after bleed-off. If pressure remains on the DP the correct KMW can be calculated again and circulation can be repeated. The Wait and Weight method requires no complicated graphs or math or any unusual equipment. It does require a cool head and practice in applying this method.
STRIPPING AND SNUBBING OPERATIONS

When a kick is suspected during tripping, in or out of the hole, the well must be immediately shut-in using the soft closure method and pressure must be monitored. Stripping is running the drill pipe, or work string, into or out of the hole through closed BOP preventers while there is pressure on the well bore. Stripping is necessary to get back to bottom when wells kick during tripping or when it is necessary to pull out the drill string under pressure. When the spherical preventer, and/or the pipe ram preventer, is closed on the work string there will be pressure under the preventer. If the work string is plugged or closed off with a DP safety valve, inside BOP or float valve, there is an upward hydraulic force that will tend to try to push the work string out of the hole. The upward pressure caused by the well bore pressure is equal to the sectional area (in the preventer) times the pressure in lbs. Upward force in pounds = Sectional area (square inch) x pressure (psi) The cross sectional area of the work string included the entire area not closed by the preventer. If the preventer is closed on the DP, and we assume the DP is 5.5 and the pressure is 1,000 psi then the upward force would be: /4 x d x P (3.14 / 4) x 5.5 x 1,000 = 23,746 pounds If the preventer is closed on the tool joint, with a diameter of 7-3/8 we find an upward force off: (3.14/4 x 7-3/4 x 1,000 = 42,697 pounds It is clear that the larger the area of the tool joint in the preventer the larger the upward force will be.
The weight of the work string in the hole will create a downward force that is equivalent to the weight of the string in the hole multiplied by a buoyancy factor. The buoyancy factor can be calculated as follows:
BF = (65.5 x MW ppg) / 65.5

If we assume that we have 800 feet of 21.9 lbs/ft DP in the hole, below the preventer, with a mud weight of 10.2 ppg, than the weight of the pipe would be: 21.90 x 800 = 17,540 lbs. The downward force would be the weight of the pipe x BF or: 17,540 x (65.5 x 10.2) / 65.5 = 14,792 lbs If the downward force would be less than the upward force than the pipe would continue out of the hole unless it is chained down or otherwise arrested. To strip the pipe we must overcome the frictional force of sealing rubber of the preventer closed on the pipe. The frictional force will depend on the preventer type, condition and fluid lubricity. To strip the pipe into the hole the floated string weight should be at least 10,000 lbs heavier than the upward force. If we use the above assumed data than we find:
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a) Upward force, DP in the preventer b) Upward force, Tool joint in the preventer c) Downward force
= 23,746 lbs = 42,697 lbs = 14,792 lbs
If we assume that there is no frictional force than we find: d) Chain Down force DP in the preventer = 23,746 14,792 = 8,954 e) Chain Down force Tool joint in the preventer = 42,697 14,792 = 27,905
lbs lbs
In this example we cannot get back into the hole unless we were to overcome the upward force and the frictional force. If additional force is needed to push the pipe back into the hole the act of stripping is called snubbing. Originally blocks and tackles where used to snub the pipe in or out of the hole. Present day the power of the draw works or hydraulic cylinders is used to provide the additional force downward when there is not enough string weight to overcome the vertical force caused by the well bore pressure and the frictional force. Stripping and snubbing are operations that must be carefully planned and prepared and use the correct equipment. The simplest stripping operations are those where the string weight is sufficient to allow the running of tool joints through the annular BOP. The more complicated RAM to RAM stripping operations require that two sets of RAMs are used, allowing the tool joint to pass through one open set of RAMs while the pipe body strips through the second set of closed RAMs. Annular preventer stripping requires as a minimum the following equipment:
The annular preventer is closed with the minimum required force to stop the flow, the use of higher forces will only increase the friction and reduce the life of the sealing element. Ram to ram stripping requires that there will be sufficient space between the rams for the combined length of tool joints and other oversized bodies, such as inside BOPs, DP safety valves, etc.
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All dimensions of the BOP stack, drill string components etc. must be accurately known. The stripping operation will only be successful with careful planning, a program carefully designed around the available equipment and personnel and competent supervision. Snubbing operations can be practiced safely after cementing casing while tripping into the hole before drilling the cement plug, pressure can be artificially introduced and maintained while moving the pipe through the preventers. Practice is expensive but the result of a botched (failed) snubbing job is often fatal. During stripping or snubbing operations, as with all other kill procedures, it is important not to exceed maximum allowable surface pressures. Some wells will take fluid during the trips and when stripping into a well. It may be required to pump additional fluids into the well to prevent the SICP from dropping to much to avoid additional influx of formation fluids into the well bore. Stripping operations require accurate measurement of volumes pumped and displaced. A accurately calibrated trip tank will allow the correct displaced volume to be bled-off from the casing. The volume to be bled-off is equivalent to the length times the displacement volume of the pipe stripped into the hole. Tool joint displacement in this case is normally ignored. Volume (barrel) = (3.14 x radius in ft x length in feet) / 5.61 cu.ft/bbl For example, the volume of 90 feet of 5-1/2 OD DP would be: Area = 3.14 x (5.5/2 x 12) = 0.165 square feet Volume (barrel) = (0.165 x 90) / 5.61 = 2.64 barrel. The principle consideration for subbing and stripping operations is to maintain a BHP greater than the formation pressure and to maintain a surface pressure which is less than the formation fracture pressure or bursting pipe and/or equipment. When running into the hole the exact displacement volume of the pipe must be removed from the well to maintain constant pressures. Please note that during normal snubbing and stripping operations that some leakage will take place past the BOP elements, gas migration can occur and non-uniform fluid densities can occur plus a host of other variable conditions which should all be taken into account.
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STRIPPING / SNUBBING PROCEDURE

1. Shut well I using the soft closure procedure. 2. Install inside BOP above the drill pipe safety valve, open drill pipe safety valve to check the functioning of the inside BOP. 3. Calculate the upward force on the drill string caused by the SICP, determine whether the spherical (annual) preventer, stripping or snubbing is to be used. 4. Go In hole with pipe, allow casing pressure to build to within 150 psi of the Maximum Allowable Shut-in Casing Pressure, do not allow the SICP to drop below the initial shut-in pressure plus 50 psi. Running speed should not exceed 15-20 feet per minute. a) As casing pressure comes within 150 psi of the MASICP (Maximum Allowable Shutin Casing Pressure), bleed-off the exact volume of the total displacement of the pipe being put into the hole (Note: NOT the volume of the pipe already in the hole) and continue bleeding-off the exact volume of each joint of pipe being run into the hole. b) If the SICP drops below the initial SICP plus 50 psi, than mud should be pumped into the casing to maintain pressure in the well bore to prevent another kick. c) Casing pressure should be maintained between 50 psi above SICP and 150 psi below the Maximum Allowable Shut-in Casing Pressure until the gas flow has migrated to the upper portion of the hole, or at least to above the casing shoe. 5. As the gas nears the surface, bleeding the exact volume of the joint displacement being run may result in the casing pressure continuing to rise above Maximum Allowable Shut-in Casing Pressure as determined by the leak-off test. If so, let the pressure increase to within 150 psi of the Maximum Allowable Casing Burst Pressure or the BOP testing pressure (whichever is lower), while continuing to bleed-off the volume of the pipe being run into the hole. 6. Note all volumes and times accurately. Some well will take large amounts of fluids during trips and this fluid loss may result in a decline of the BHP which would allow another kick to enter the well bore. 7. Continue going into the hole with pipe, check for trapped pressure to ensure that the mud weight is only increased to kill the well. a) Pressure up the drill pipe until the Inside BOP opens, shut-down the pump and record pressure. b) Bleed barrel from the annulus, if pressure drops on both the casing and the drill pipe, pump slowly into the drill pipe until the Inside BOP opens, shut-down pump and record pressure. If the new SIDPP is lower, continue to bleed-off. If the new SIDPP is stable calculate the mud weight increase required based on the stable SIDPP. 8. Circulate the well with KWM. Ensure that the kill rate is low enough to prevent the annulus pressure to increase due to wall cake that has been removed during the stripping operation.
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KICK KILLING
KICK DATA: Gain SIDPP SICP Depth Original Mud DP Volume Annular Volume Kill Rate SOLUTION 1. Calculate the Kill Weight Mud (KMW) KMW = OMW + MWI MWI = SIDPP / (0.052 x Depth) KMW = 12.9 + [350 / (0.052 x 13,500)] KMW = 13.4 ppg 2. Calculate the initial DP pressure when starting to pump. ICDPP = KRCDPP + SICP + 25 psi ICDPP = 700 + 350 + 25 ICDPP = 1,075 psi 3. Check for trapped pressure after circulating. With well shut-in, bleed up to 0.5 bbl from the casing. Close choke and wait for SICP to stabilize. If SICP is lower, repeat the procedure. If not, no pressure was trapped. 4. Kill well procedure. 1. Shut-in the well. a) Pick Up Kelly. b) Shut-down the pump(s) c) Open HCR valve to a small choke. d) Close annular (spherical) BOP e) Close choke slowly to avoid hydraulic shock. 2. Collect and record data required. a) Check for trapped pressure. b) Record SIDPP, SICP and pit gain. c) Collect well data: casing depth and ID, DP ID and length, DC ID and length True vertical depth. Unknown 350 psi 525 psi 13,500 feet 12.9 ppg 200 barrels Unknown 32 SPM (1.5 BPM at 700 psi
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d) Collect safety data: Leak-off test BOP test Adjusted Casing strength c) Collect other required data: Pump capacities Mud Weight 3. Calculate a) b) c) d) e) MWI = SIDPP / (0.052 x depth) KWM = OMW + MWI DP capacity to bit = DP cap + DC Cap Strokes to Bit MACP, last BOP test, Leak-off test and Casing Burst
4. Weigh up mud and circulate a) Open choke and bring pump up to kill rate slowly and hold 25-50 psi over pressure on casing. b) Read ICDPP c) KRCDPP = (ICDPP SIDPP) Safety Factor d) FCDPP = KRCDPP / (KMW / OMW) e) Pressure drop per stroke : psi/srk = (ICDPP FCDPP) / strokes to bit f) Prepare scheduled pressure drop table and/or graph. g) Circulate mud to bit adjusting the choke to maintain CDPP as scheduled. h) Complete circulation holding FCDPP constant i) Once well has been circulated check that the well is dead. If well is dead, add trip margin and circulate. If well is not dead, repeat procedure.
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PORE PRESSURE
The weight of the overburden rock is partially supported by the trapped fluid in the pore space of the rock or sand. The pressure in the pore space of the reservoir is called the Pore Pressure. In many places the pore pressure gradient can be estimated at 0.465 psi/ft. However, it is best to use historical data from the area where you are drilling. Pressure = 0.052 x MW ppg x Depth in feet. Gradient = 0.052 x MW ppg A normal pore pressure gradient of 0.465 psi/ft is equal to a mud weight 0f 8.94 ppg. So, if only normal gradients are encountered we would never need a mud weight of more than 9.3 ppg (8.94 + 0.36 margin) However, in most cases the gradient will be very different; it can be as low as 7 ppg, in depleted sands, to 16 ppg in over pressured zones. The pore pressure also depends on the elevation of the well and the elevation of aquifer source. CONDITION OF ABNORMAL LOW PRESSURE
As is shown in the above illustration, in that case the pore pressure could only be equivalent to a 200 foot water column. BHP = 0.052 x Water (ppg) x Depth (feet) BHP = 0.052 x 8.33 x 200 BHP = 86.6 psi The equivalent mud weight would be: 86.6 = 0.052 x MW x Depth MW 1.19 ppg Meaning this well could only be drilled with air.
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CONDITION OF ABNORMAL HIGH PRESSURE An example where we could encounter over pressure is a situation where the aquifer source has a much higher elevation than the reservoir and the drilling elevation is much lower than the aquifer source.
If we assume the sand is filled with 8.33 ppg water again, the over pressure would be: Formation Pressure = 0.052 x 8.33 x 1500 = 650 psi. The expected BHP would be: Expected BHP = 0.052 x 8.33 x 1000 = 433 psi If we would use mud with a weight of 9.3 ppg, the BHP, before entering the reservoir: BHP (drill) = 0.052 x 9,3 x 1000 = 484 psi Meaning we would encounter a 650 484 = 166 psi kick. CONDITION OF ABBORMAL PRESSURE COASTAL AREAS
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In coastal areas we can find enclosed reservoirs with pressures higher than expected. These lenses are often formed originally at a greater depth and have moved upwards due to tectonic movements or erosion are now closer to the surface. The pressures in these lenses can be far greater than can be expected from the existing overburden. However, these zones can often be recognized when some intermediate zone will start to flow before we reach the zone with the greatest pressures. The distance over which the pressure increases from normal to abnormal is called the pore pressure transition zone. In the illustrated case we would expect a BHP of 0.052 x .465 or 4650 psi, however actual reservoir pressures could be much higher.
SHALLOW GAS SANDS Abnormal pore pressures occur in thick gas sands. When drilling into a shallow thick gas sand with normal mud weight kicks are often difficult to control since the gas will reach the surface by the time a trip tank level increase is noted.
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In shallow low pressure reservoirs the pressure at the top of the reservoir would be almost equal to the pressure at the bottom, the BHP at 2,000 feet, using 9.3 ppg mud, can be estimated as : 0.465 x 2,000 = 930 psig which would be the pressure we encounter as we drill into the reservoir. However at 1,500 feet we would expect a pressure of 0.465 x 1,500 = 698 psi resulting in a kick of 232 psi. This means also that the KWM can be estimated at: Pressure = 0.052 x MW (ppg) x Depth (feet) KMW = 930 / (0.052 x 1500) KMW = 11.3 ppg This shows that drilling in areas with suspected gas sands should be done very, very carefully. If a kick occurs the well should be shut in as quickly as possible and before gas can reach the surface. If gas is allowed to reach surface, catastrophic destruction of the rig, and possible loss of life, can occur easily.
BLOWOUT PREVENTER
The purpose of a blowout preventer is to allow us to close in the well, with the drill pipe in the hole, during kicks to prevent the well from unloading and causing a blowout. Types of blowout preventers are spherical, or annular, preventers, Pipe Ram Preventers and Blind or shear RAM preventers. The BOP stack must be designed to withstand the maximum shut-in pressure expected. During drilling operations the maximum surface shut-in pressure will be limited by the lowest fracture pressure of a formation below the casing shoe. If we allow a well to blow out and unload all the fluid in the well before we shut the well in, than the maximum surface pressure will be the formation pressure minus the hydrostatic pressure of gas, and the BOP stack should be designed for this pressure. ANNULAR PREVENTER An annular, or spherical preventer can be closed around any round shape, such as DP, DC, HWDP, etc. by forcing a rubber ring against and around the shape, or even close an open hole.
Spherical, or annular, preventers should have a design working pressure equal to the rest of the surface stack, however, due to the stress placed on the rubber element, they are normally only tested to 70% of their rated working pressure. When drilling surface pipe, the next string after conductor pipe is set, only a annular preventer is installed, with diverter lines, to allow the diversion of a kick away from the rig. When drilling shallow depths the hole cannot be shut-in during kicks due to the low fracture pressure of the soil. The diverter system should have two fully opening valves on two separate lines, normally 6 or larger. After drilling through the surface pipe a full BOP stack is installed.
RAM PREVENTERS RAM type preventers work by forcing two rams inward. Blind Rams are designed to close against themselves and will not seal when there is pipe in the hole. Shear rams are designed to cut the pipe to create a seal. Pipe rams will seal around a pipe, note however that special rams are required for every different pipe size although variable rams are available which will seal against a limited range of diameters. RAM preventers are normally tested to 100% of their rated working pressure. RAM preventers should be operated at least once every working shift and tested at least once every week..
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Blind RAM
Shear RAM
Casing RAM
Pipe RAM
ACCUMULATOR SYSTEMS
An accumulator is a device that, by means of accumulating, or storing, hydraulic energy, is used to open and closed the components of the BOP stack, such as the annular preventer, RAM preventers, HCR valves, etc. The use of an accumulator is essential to be able to operate the BOP stack components if all power sources on the rig fail. An accumulator should be able to:
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1. Close and open, or open and close, a minimum of three (3) preventer members without recharging. 2. Should have at least a 50% reserve volume after closing and opening, or opening and closing, after Point 1. 3. Have a minimum of 1,200 psi remaining pressure after Point 1.
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Conventional Panel
Electronic Panel
All accumulator systems should be tested prior to use to ensure that the capacity, regardless of manufacturers claims, is sufficient to operate the BOP components as required. The hydraulic fluid from the accumulator is stored under high pressure and passes through a number of pressure regulators before it reaches the BOP components. Each component has a minimum and maximum allowable pressure for the hydraulic fluids and each component shall have its own regulator.
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The hydraulic pump that recharges the accumulator bottles should be capable of re-charging the system to full capacity within 10 minutes. The pumps should be located and powered so that they do not create an explosive hazard. Hydraulic recharge should be possible during a kick, kick drilling and threatened blowout.
EQUIPMENT
INSIDE BOP A drill pipe inside blowout preventer is a one-way, or back pressure, valve that is installed in the drill string to prevent the well from flowing back through the drill pipe during kicks. The Inside BOP is normally the same OD as the drill pipe tool joints so it can be stripped in and out of the hole. When the Inside BOP is installed the true DP pressure can only be measured when the valve is in the open position and this requires that a small volume of mud is pumped down the drill string. To get a true pressure reading the pump rate should be very low or frictional losses will add significant errors. An Inside BOP should be kept ready for use on the drill floor at all times, ready to be installed in the drill string. A drill pipe safety valve should be stabbed before the Inside BOP is installed to allow removal of the Inside BOP. The use of an Inside BOP is required for stripping and snubbing operations.
DRILL PIPE SAFETY VALVE The Drill Pipe Safety Valve, or TIW valve, is a full opening ball valve, or almost full opening, that is installed in the drill string. The outside dimensions are equal to the tool joint dimensions so that the valve can be stripped in and out of the hole. The valve is designed to hold pressure from below and is opened and closed using a large Allen-head wrench. A DP safety valve, of the proper OD and type of connection, is kept, in the open position, at all times near the drillers station. The valve handle should be hung from the draw works and should be ringed, often with a used ring gasket, to prevent it from falling down the hole when dropped. Unless specially designed, a DP safety valve will only hold pressure from below and should never be pressured from above. If pressured from above it will leak and the seals can be cut out.
LOWER AND UPPER KELLY COCK

LOWER KELLY COCK Below the kelly and above the saver sub we normally install a kelly cock The Kelly Valve provides a closure to stop mud loss when the kelly is disconnected from the drilling string. Just close the valve before disconnecting and mud in the kelly and hoses stays there. With the cost of oil mud, biopolymers and other costly drilling fluids, the valve can pay for itself quickly. The rig floor and substructure stays much cleaner and safer as well. Its streamlined O.D. allows it to pass through the blowout preventer smoothly. UPPER KELLY COCK The Kelly Valve is also available with left-hand threads for use as an upper kelly cock. When used between the kelly and swivel, it provides a positive means for shutting off flow in the drill string at any time. The inline body design will not hang up on the cat-line or interfere with operations. Both valves are operated by an Allen type wrench. The Allen wrench has to be ringed to prevent it from falling into the well bore when dropped.
MUD PIT LEVEL INDICATOR The volume of mud at surface, in the mud tanks, must be continuously monitored to determine if a well is kicking or taking fluid. A pit totalizer uses floats in the each of the active pits to allow for calculation of the total mud volume and alarms will sound for losses and gains. A pit level indicator system is absolutely essential to the early detection of kicks or fluid losses. Pit volume totalizers can be set as sensitive to as little as 1 bbl variation in surface volume before alarms are sound. FLOW INDICATORS A flow indicator must be installed in the line from the bell nipple to the shale shaker(s) to provide a warning when flow starts from the annulus and to provide an indication of increases in flow while drilling or circulating. The flow meter is normally installed in conjunction with the stroke counters enabling the driller to monitor and control the volumes required to fill up the hole while pulling out with the drill string.
TRIP TANK
A trip tank may be used to measure the actual volume displaced by the string while running In the hole. The trip tank is often installed next to the bell nipple and the displacement caused by the string is caught and measured. When pulling out of the hole mud from this calibrated tank is used to fill the hole. Sudden rise of the fluid level in the trip tank is often the first indication of a kick, similarly, a sudden drop in the fluid level is often the first indication that the formation is taking fluid. CHOKE MANIFOLD The choke manifold is used to provide for controlled and safe handling of drilling fluids and pressures.
The manifold should be tested every week to the same pressures as the BOP stack. During the test the valves should be operated (opened and closed). After the test the system is to be flushed with clean water to ensure that all lines and chokes are open. Choke manifolds, during the circulation of kicks, are subject to severe pressure shocks and vibration loads so the choke should be securely installed on a base. Also, the erosion forces of fluids and gas through the bends of the manifold system are very high. Tees and crosses should be used instead of elbows so that the erosion forces d not act on the wall of the elbow but rather on the void space of the Tee or Cross.
ORGANIZING AND DIRECTION A WELL CONTROL OPERATION

The control of a kick or the fighting of a wild well requires a high degree of technical and management skills. The organization and financing of a well control operation is normally the responsibility of the operator of the lease or block unless other more specific contractual obligations state otherwise. The operator must act immediately to protect personnel, equipment, the environment and the formation. Chain of Command is the most important factor to establish immediately because without responsibility of action even the simplest event will turn into complete chaos. Only one person can give orders, normally the company representative or his designated replacement. The company representative will issue orders to the senior contractors representative on site. The companys representative will take orders from his main office, but again only from one person. To often when a Chain of Command is not firmly established a well meaning staff engineer or geologist will offer recommendation which are then taken as firm orders by the driller or mud engineer. Communications is the second most important factor in successful well control operations. The individual in command must more than ever fully listen to and fully explain all orders. To assume that orders are fully understood automatically can be fatal. If an individual is not competent in an area, do not run over him or force him to perform at a level beyond his competence. Instead instruct him but if he does not understand the actions to be taken it is better to replace him/her. Record all data taken, orders issued, orders received, calculations, equipment measurements, materials on site, materials used etc. etc. together with the exact time and date. A well control operation can take weeks, even months in severe cases, and one cannot expect people to remember exactly or sort out what happened without full and complete records. Protect personnel by providing detailed briefings and re-training or refreshing as needed. Evacuate all non-essential personnel from the location and alert stand-by boats, if it happened offshore, and all other operations in the area. Protect equipment by not exceeding their design limitations. Many people hesitate to open a valve to relieve a dangerous pressure especially when this could cause environment pollution. However this could lead to equipment failure and uncontrolled pollution, together with injuries or loss of life, equipment damage and damage to the reservoir. Some pollution may be unavoidable to allow for safe operation and well control. It is better to pollute and to clean up than to exceed operating limits of equipment and total loss of control. Know your equipment, know your people, know your laws and protect everyone by taking command and control of your area of responsibility.
ORGANIZING AND DIRECTING A DIVERTER OPERATION

Formations may be too weak to kill conventionally or equipment may fail, leak or prove otherwise to be unsound, or operations may require that a kick cannot be shut-in. When a kicking well cannot be shut-in the annular flow is diverted by closing the spherical diverter ad allowing the well to flow through diverter lines while the rig pumps are pumping as fast as possible into the work string. Control of a diverted well is regained when sufficient mud has been pumped into the well to load the annulus sufficiently to allow the well to be shut-in, or a plug is pumped that plugs back the kicking zone. When the well cannot be shut-in on a kick the following actions should be taken: 1. Open the diverter valve, through a fully opened choke, to down-wind to allow flow to a flare, burner, reserve pit or other facility. 2. Close the spherical diverter. 3. Start pumping immediately down the work string as fast as possible. 4. When the annular flow rate decreased sufficiently to allow the well to be shut-in, pump at the determined kill rate and circulate clean.
BLOWOUT PREVENTION AND CONTROL

1. Bottom Hole Pressures Hydrostatic pressure of fluids. Can be more than one, especially on workovers. Hole not full. Internal pipe friction Drop at pipe end, i.e. bit etc. Annular friction Circulation back pressure Surges or swabbing due to pipe movement Rate of fluid circulation 2. Frequent causes of kicks or blowouts. Not keeping the hole full Swabbing when pulling the pipe out of the hole Lost circulation Communication with a zone behind the casing Insufficient fluid weight 3. Warning signs Increase in volume in surface tanks Flow back of completion fluid after stop pumping Lost circulation Hole takes less fluids than it should when POOH Shows of oil or gas In returns Hole repeatedly filling with shale or sands Change in mud characteristics 4. Basic First Instruction to Rig Crew Know that the most common first indication of a kick or blowout is the increase in surface fluid volume. Shut down the pump IMMEDIATELY close the annular (spherical) BOP Shut in casing and work string Read and record annular and DP pressures Measure the volume increase as volume of kick 5. Limits on Normal Decisions Do not exceed casing burst pressure After Stabbing the valve on a very big flow, close the valve slowly to avoid hydraulic shock. Volume and pressure of a large gas kick may make circulating difficult. Gas containing H2S is extremely hazardous to health, and can cause death, so extreme care must be taken when circulating gas containing H2S and proper procedures should be followed at all times. 6. Bringing a Kick Under Control With the string at or near the bottom of the well, constant bottom hole pressure is the only safe way to go. The Drillers Method of circulating out influx into the well followed by increasing mud weight is the easiest on field personnel. In workovers, increasing mud weight is seldom required. Use reverse circulating if possible,
Advantages: Gets kick fluid out in about 1/3 of the time. Often have a tree and choke at surface to control flow. Tubing or work string can handle high pressures. Disadvantages: May plug bit Pressure on casing is higher, especially if the bit is at bottom. Do not use reverse circulating if a bit, circulation ports, sliding sleeves or other limited orifices restrict flow at the bottom of the string. Always let the uncontaminated side of the U-tube call the play in keeping BHP constant. Gas bubbles inside the drill string are revered out by holding the aanular pressure constant. Do not over control and dont let bad habits result in mistakes. Delay between pitching the choke and pumping pressure will 0.5 to 1 second / 1000 feet of circulating path (well depth x 2). When pipe is off bottom the required mud weight will be higher if the fluid below the DP cannot be bullheaded into the formation. Shut-in pressures must be met with mud weight increases calculated to the depth of the work string, and not the total well depth. Remember that the mud weight must be reduced if we work the pipe back to bottom after controlling the kick. When pipe is out of the hole bullhead clean fluid into the hole at maximum allowable pressures. After displacing the well volume wait one hour (or longer if required) for pressures to stabilize. Bleed-off pressures slowly to ensure the well is dead. When stripping into the hole install a back pressure valve in the work string and keep the string full at all times. Allow annular pressure to leak a little to keep the rubber element in the annular BOP lubricated. Dont forget to bleed-off annular volume equal to the volume of the pipe stripped into the hole. With workovers the producing formation is almost always open to the well bore, RAM changes are frequent and mud is normally less over-balanced as during drilling operations inviting more frequent kicks and more pressure build-up when the pipe is out of the hole.
Common errors found on workover rigs:

Accumulator to small to close BOP more than once. Rented adaptor spools with cracks, damaged faces, etc. Re-use of ring gaskets. Hand wheels not attached to valves, BOP tracks etc. Only use dual rams without enough space between them to allow for stripping. Choke manifold inaccessible under the rig floor No back pressure valve available for stripping Sub structure to small to accommodate BOP stack Cement/mud etc. set up in flow lines, valves and manifolds. Only one (often manual) choke. Ells instead of Tees Lines and fittings too small to handle large volumes of flow. Piping not anchored against vibration. No support for flowlines with heavy valves installed.
Bad practices on workovers - Operate rams manually without setting hydraulic lever to close - Kelly cock wrench not readily available. - No information on casing burst rating and/or condition. - Failure to go to bottom when a kick is suspected. - Trying to circulate a kick out with constant pit level. - Failure to distinguish between TVD and actual well depth when calculating fluid weight effects. Special considerations when using clean fluids - Clean fluids mean 0 overbalance. - If weight exceeds formation pressure at all, fluid should drop. - Tripping out of the hole will easily create under balance due to swabbing. - Hole must be filled frequently. - Gas migrates up through water very quickly, much quicker than through mud. Special considerations when using concentric tubing (multiple strings) - Concentric tubing means a close fit inside the well, meaning that internal fluid volumes are relatively very small compared to normal completions. - Small annular volumes mean and that swabbing actions are severe and a quick response to changing bottom hole conditions. - If macaroni (small bore) tubing is used it will not be able to handle large flows and can be shot out of the hole. Published formation fracture gradient can be misleading. - Wells fracture at higher pressures with mud than when using clean fluid. - Fracture gradients are based on empirical data, actual conditions can vary greatly even in relative small areas.
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BOP Procedure Standard Operating Procedure

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BOP Procedure Standard Operating Procedure

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STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

PRESSURE AND FLOW

Fig. 3 Pressure Gradient using Mud

STRIPPING AND SNUBBING OPERATIONS

BF = (65.5 x MW ppg) / 65.5

= 23,746 lbs = 42,697 lbs = 14,792 lbs

STRIPPING / SNUBBING PROCEDURE

LOWER AND UPPER KELLY COCK

ORGANIZING AND DIRECTION A WELL CONTROL OPERATION

ORGANIZING AND DIRECTING A DIVERTER OPERATION

BLOWOUT PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Common errors found on workover rigs:

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