IADC/SPE 81645

Little Known Lubrication Method: Great Tool for UB Work

Gary W. Nance, Randy Smith Training Solutions
Copyright 2003, IADC/SPE Underbalanced Technology Conference and Exhibition
This paper was prepared for presentation at the IADC/SPE Underbalanced Technology
Conference and Exhibition held in Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 2526 March 2003.
This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE Program Committee following
review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the
paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling
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purpose but a simple and little known procedure (pressure

method) should be used in many instances. Either method has
application and limitations but the pressure method is the only
accurate technique for wells experiencing downhole fluid
losses.

Drillpipe Pressure
Trip Tank
Casing Pressure

Abstract
Underbalanced drilling is defined as drilling with the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid intentionally less than that of the
formation pore pressure. The IADC classifies UBD wells
according to the drilling fluid used to achieve underbalanced
conditions.

Gas at Surface
(Annulus)

IADC UBD Well Classification by Fluid Design

1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

Gas Drilling using only gas as the drilling

medium. No intentional fluid added.
Mist Drilling drilling with liquid entrained in a
continuous gaseous phase. Typical, <2.5% liquid
content.
Foam Drilling drilling with a two phase fluid with
a continuous liquid phase generated from the
addition of liquid, surfactant, and gas. Typical foams
range from 55% to 97.5% gas.
Gasified Liquid Drilling drilling with a gas
entrained in a liquid phase.
Liquid Drilling drilling with a single liquid phase.

For well classifications 1-4, gas is used to reduce the

hydrostatic head of the fluid column to the desired value. Gas
accumulations due to separation from the 2-phase state can at
times accumulate at the surface of the well and may require
removal via a lubrication technique. The reason may be to kill
the well prior to tripping or, that the gas cannot be circulated
from the well in a conventional sense.
Lubricating Gas From the Surface of a Well
Gas accumulated beneath the BOPs can represent a potential
safety risk and may need to be lubricated from the well. The
volume method of lubrication is most often used for this

Hydrostatic of
Mud in Annulus
(Hpa)

IADC/SPE 81645

Volume Method
The volume method of lubrication is a pump-measure-waitcalculate-and bleed process. Mud is pumped into the closedin annulus, the volume measured via a trip tank, time is
allowed for the mud to lubricate through the gas, the hydrostatic pressure equivalent of that volume of mud is calculated,
and the casing pressure bled down based on the hydrostatic of
the mud added. Lubrication requires several cycles to remove

gas from a well as an incremental volume is removed by each

lubrication cycle.
The volume method works best on wells with no fluid
being lost downhole during the lubrication process. But should
not be used on wells losing fluid to permeable reservoir zones,
or wells experiencing loss of circulation, conditions common
to many UB wells.

The Typical Lubrication Cycle

Casing Pressure = P1

Hpg1

Casing Pressure = P2

Hpg2

P1,V1,Z1,T1

Casing Pressure = P3

P2,V2,Z2,T2

Hpg3

P3,V3,Z3,T3

Vl, Volume Injected

Beginning of a
lubrication cycle.

End of cycle, and after bleeding a

quantity of dry gas, BHP3=BHP1.

After injecting a
quantity of lube mud.

Hpm1

(Assuming the change in the hydrostatic

of the gas is negligible).
Hpm2

Hpm3

Assume: Since gas at surface and no large changes in pressure (per lubrication
increment) that T1=T2=T3 and Z1=Z2=Z3.

BHP increases by Hpm

added + (P2 - P1))

BHP is equal
Formation Pressure

BHP1 = Hpm1 + Hpg1 + P1

BHP2 = Hpm2+ Hpg2 + P2

The Pressure Method

A simplified mathematical description can be obtained by
using the ideal gas law relating the pressure, volume, and
temperature of the gas at the beginning and end of a
lubrication cycle.
Ideal Gas Law

P1 V1 = P2 V2

(1)

BHP3 = Hpm3 + Hpg3 + P3

P1 = k

V1
Where, K = 0.052 MW
A

At the end of a lubrication cycle the relationship between P1

and P3 can be written in terms of the hydrostatic pressure of
the mud injected for that cycle (after bleeding gas from the
annulus).

(Neglecting Temperature Changes)

For induced kicks where the MW balances formation pressure
(which is the case for most UB work) the initial casing
pressure due to gas breaking out of the drilling mud is
expressed by,

BHP is equal
Formation Pressure

and

(2) P3 = P1 - Hydro Added

(V1 - V2)
(3) Hydro Added = k
A

IADC/SPE 81645

LITTLE KNOWN LUBRICATION METHOD: GREAT TOOL FOR UB WORK

Limitations and Considerations

For the pressure method to work well its necessary that the
hydrostatic pressure of the wellbore full of drilling fluid will
kill (balance or overbalance) the pore pressure of any
formation exposed. Of course this will be the case for many, if
not most, wells requiring a gas lubrication technique.
Hole angle is neglected here but when considered the
result is the simple addition of the cosine of the hole
inclination. This rarely requires consideration since even
highly deviated wellbores start out vertical.
Gas compressibility can complicate the accuracy of the
procedure but gas compressibility curves are fairly flat for
most lubrication applications.
There is also a slight error due to neglecting the
hydrostatic pressure of the gas as it is bled from the well. This
can be offset by introducing a safety margin pressure into
the first pressure cycle if desired.

Casing Pressure = P1

P1 V1

Hpa

Manipulating equations (1), (2), and (3) results in a simple to

use relationship of the pressures P1, P2, and P3.

P1
P2
P3 = P1 Hydro Added
V2 = V1

k
(V1 V2)
A
k
P3 = P1 P1 +
V2
A
k
P1
P3 =
V1
A P2
k
P1 A
P1
P3 =
A P2 k
P3 = P1

P3 =

P1 2
P2

Summary
The Pressure Method of lubricating gas from a well was
discovered somewhat by accident while assisting a client with
planning a workover project. The workovers were for large
tubing diameter gas wells (7 tubing) that were being killed
by bullheading seawater. Formation damage due to the large
volumes of water required to push the gas back into the
reservoir led to lubrication being considered as an alternate
kill prior to the workover.
When attempting to lubricate the gas using the volume
method, again large quantities of water was being consumed
by the reservoir and the futility of the procedure became
apparent. This frustration led to the idea of using the gas law
to describe the process and the ultimate formulation of the P1,
P2, and P3 relationship.
Although not a cure-all, the procedure has been used
successfully in several well control incidents and when it has
applicability can be a great asset to your well control toolkit.

680 psi
600 psi

590 psi
510 psi
430 psi
300 psi
200 psi
125 psi

Cycle 3

Cycle 4

Cycle 5

Cycle 6

Cycle 7

Cycle 8

70 psi

125 psi

200 psi

300 psi

430 psi

510 psi

590 psi

P3

Diesel was then circulated across top of annulus and BOPs

opened with all gas bled off.

220 psi

320 psi

450 psi

620 psi

760 psi

670 psi

P2 (Stabilized)

Cycle 2

P1

30 bbls of 6.5 ppg lube fluid was pumped into closed in well via
kill line causing casing pressure to increase to 900 psi but then
bled down and stabilized at 840 psi. The correct casing pressure
was calculated to be: P3 = (750)2 / 840 = 670 psi

Cycle 1

Float failure caused plugged drillstring in N2/diesel injection UB

drilling operation. The decision was made to lubricate the
resulting N2 that accumulated in annular surface prior to tripping
the pipe.

Example - Pressure Method of Lubrication

Reservoir Pressure
= 4900 psi

Fluid Weight
= 6.5 ppg

Annular
Capacity
= 0.047 bbl/ft

156 bbl of
N2 Gas at
Surface

SICP = 750 psi

Drillpipe Pressure = NA

Reservoir TD = 15367 ft TVD / 16120 MD

Trip Tank
MW = 6.5 ppg
(diesel)

4
IADC/SPE 81645