TAMU - Pemex

Well Control

Lesson 7B
Other Abnormal Pressure
Detection Methods
 Contents
 Moore’s Equation - Drilling rate
 Gas in the Drilling Fluid
 Rock Sample Characteristics
 Use of Surge and Swab Pressure to
determine Overbalance
 Changes in Drilling Fluid Properties
 Temperature Indications
 Hole Conditions
2
 Moore’s Equation
Moore proposed a practical method for
maintaining pore pressure overbalance
while drilling into a transition.

If drilling parameters are kept constant

while drilling into an abnormal pressure
zone, the drilling rate will increase.

3
 Moore’s Equation
Moore suggests that we increase the
mud weight sufficiently to keep the
drilling rate from increasing.

The increase in mud weight will then be

a measure of the abnormal pore
pressure.

 But how much do we increase the mud

weight?
4
 Moore’s
Equation

Transition zone
Begin weighting up
Weight up complete

5
Ex.
2.10

6
 Example 2.10
Bit parameters prior to transition were

Bit Weight = 4,700 lbf/in

Rotary Speed = 80 rpm

Transition detected at 9,100 ft and the

operator immediately reduced the bit
weight to 2,900 lbf/in
7
 Example 2.10
Determine the extrapolated “normal”
penetration rate at a depth of 9,250 ft
if the bit weight is reduced from its
current value of 4,700 to 2,900 lbf.

Use the data in Fig. 2.46 and

Moore’s penetration rate model.

8
 Fig. 2.46
Solution
 The extrapolated
“normal” penetration
rate at 9,250’ is 15.7
ft/hr, at 4,700 lbf bit
weight.
 This would have been
the target rate had the
bit weight remained
constant. 9,250

15.7 9
 Solution – cont’d
 The target penetration rate at the reduced bit
weight of 2,900 lbf is calculated below:

 W  aN Moore' s Eq. 2.23

R = K   N
 db  (assumes R α W)
aN
 2,900   80 
R = 15.7   
 4,700   80 

R = 9.7 ft/hr
 The target rate would revert back to 15.7 ft/hr if
the operator resumes drilling at 4,700 lbf/in.
10
 Example 2.11 - Fig. 2.46
How much should we increase the mud weight? (Moore)

At 8,300 ft (under normal conditions);

increase the ECD from 9.6 to 10.1 ppg.
In response, the drilling rate decreases from
20.5 ft/hr to 18.5 ft/hr
What is the shale compaction coefficient, c?

c c
ρ log R 1 = ρ 2 log R 2
1
Eq. 2.24

11
 c c
ρ1 log R 1 = ρ 2 log R 2
Solution
 ECD changes from ρ 1 = 9.6 to ρ 2 = 10.1 ppg
 Calculate c, the shale compaction coefficient
 (9.6)c log 20.5 = (10.1)c log 18.5
 (10.1/9.6)c = log 20.5 / log 18.5 = 1.035
 c * log 1.052 = log 1.035
Now use Eq. 2.24 to calculate the
c = 0.679 required change in mud weight
1
c 1.47
 ρ2  log R 1  log R 1  c  log R 1 
= 10.1
lb
  = ρ 2 = ρ1  ρ 2 = ρ1 
gal
 ρ1  log R 2  log R 2   log R 2  12
13
 Example 2.12 Fig. 2.46
 At 9,090 ft the “normal”
penetration rate is 16.5
ft/hr
 Actual penetration rate is
18.0 ft/hr, using a mud
weight of 9.6 ppg
 “Normal” MW = 8.3 ppg
1.47
 log R 1 
ρ 2 = ρ1 
 log R 2 

1.47
9,090
 log 18.0 
ρ 2 = 9.6  = 10.0 ppg
 log 16 . 5 

∆ ρ = (10.0 - 9.6) = 0.4 ppg

ρ p = 8.3 + 0.4 = 8.7 ppg 16.5 14
 Other predictors of
abnormal pressure
Drilling rate is not the only available
predictor of abnormal pressure.

Properties of shale cuttings can be

used:

15
16
 Shale density
Offshore
Nigeria

∆ _shale
Transition density
from Boatman

Density - g/cm3 3
ρ n – ρ o - g/cm 17
 Example
2.15
pp_14,000 =?

ρ = 2.44 ρ n=
o
2.54

18
 Solution
 At 14,000’, ρ n = 2.54 and ρ o = 2.44 g/cm3

so, ∆ ρ = 0.1 g/cm3

From Fig. 2.48:

p14,000 = 0.052*14.6*14,000

p14,000 = 10,629 psig

19
∆ shale density
from Boatman

20
Shale density measurement
1. Fill a standard API
mud balance with 8.33
shale cuttings (wash
and dry with a towel)
until balance reads
8.33 ppg. Calculate S.G. of shale
2. Fill the cup to top cuttings:
with water and
S.G. = 8.33/(16.66 - 13.3)
record reading
(e.g. 13.3 ppg). S.G. = 2.48
21
Possible Sources
of Gas in a
Drilling Fluid

• Drilled gas,
• Produced gas
• Recycled gas
• Contamination gas

22
Possible Sources of Gas in a Drilling Fluid

• Drilled gas, cuttings gas, or liberated gas refers to

gas released from rock cuttings generated by the bit.
Usually small volumes. Increasing MW will not help.
• Produced gas refers to gas which enters the wellbore
from the walls of the hole. Increasing MW will reduce
the quantity.
• Recycled gas is any wellbore gas that remains in the
mud after at least one pass through the surface
equipment.
• Contamination gas is gas released from any volatile
hydrocarbons intentionally added to the system (mud
additives). 23
 Gas in Mud
Connection gas - gas that has entered
the wellbore when pumps are shut down
to make a connection, can be detected in
a gas trap.

Trip gas - gas that entered the wellbore

during a trip; can also be detected.

Background gas - gas baseline

concentration in the mud – usually small.
24
 Example 2.17
Determine the density of the gas-cut
mud returns from a well at a depth of 2 ft
below flowline outlet if:
 Clean MW = 12.0 ppg
 Flowline MW = 7.0 ppg
 Atmospheric press = 14.7 psia
 Sample temperature = 100 deg F
 Gas gravity = 0.6
25
 Solution – At the Surface
 From Eq. 1.22,
ρ g =γ g * p/(2.77 * Z * T)

ρ g,surface = 0.6*14.7/(2.77*1*560)

ρ g,surface = 0.00569 ppg

26
 Solution – At the Surface
From Eq. 2.26,

ρ gm =ρ m (1 - fg) + ρ g fg

 fg = (ρ m - ρ gm)/ (ρ m - ρ g)

= (12.0 – 7.0/(12.0 - 0.00569) = 0.417

This is the gas fraction at the surface, but

fg varies with depth.
27
 Solution – cont’d
 By definition, fg = Vg /(1+Vg)

so, Vg = fg / (1- fg), but, pV = ZnRT

 n = fg *p / [ ZRT(1- fg )]

n = 0.000234 lb-moles/gal of mud

This parameter stays constant with depth
provided the downhole gas entry rate
remains constant.
28
 Solution – 2 ft down
Assuming the density of the mud-gas
mixture does not change appreciably
over two ft of depth.

 p2ft = 14.7 + 0.052 * 7.0 * 2

= 15.43 psia

 ρ g,2ft = 0.6 * 15.43 / (2.77 * 1 * 560)

= .00597 lbm/gal
29
 Example 2.17 – cont’d
 fg,2ft = [(1 * 0.000234 * 80.275 * 560) / 15.43]

[1+(1 * 0.000234 * 80.275 * 560) / 15.43]

fg,2ft = 0.405 (down from 0.417 at the surface)

 ρ 2ft = 12 * (1 - 0.405) + 0.00597 * 0.405

ρ 2ft = 7.14 ppg

 This is an increase of 0.14 ppg in just 2’.

 See Fig. 2.51 for plot of entire range
30
Clearly most of the
gas expansion is
near the top of the
wellbore.
At 10,000’,
MW = 11.9+ ppg.
What is the
resulting reduction
in BHP due to the
gas?

31
 Example 2.18
What is the total change in HSP at the
bottom of the well described in Ex. 2.17?
Average temperature is 150 deg F.
From Eq. 2.28
__ __
fgp s Z T  p gm + p s 
∆preduc = ln  
(1 − fg ) Z sTs  ps 


32
 Example 2.18 – cont’d
 In the annulus, without, gas

 BHP = 12 * 10,000 / 19.25

= 6,233.8 psig
 BHP = 6,248 psia

 Average pressure = (14.7 + 6,248) / 2

= 3,131 psia
 From Fig. 1.6, Zavg = 0.868
33
 Example 2.18 – __ __
fgp s Z T  p gm + p s 
∆preduc = ln  
cont’d (1 − fg ) Z sTs  ps 


If pgm = 6,248 psia, then

0.417 * 14.7 * 0.868 * 610  6,248 + 14.7 
∆p reduc = ln  
( 1 − 0.417 ) * 1 * 560 s  14.7 

∆ pred = 60 psi

 pgm = 6,248 - 60 = 6,188 psia

 EMW = (6,188 – 14.7) / (0.052 * 10,000)

= 11.87 ppg
34
 Gas cut mud
A second iteration is generally not
necessary if the assumed value for pgm is
reasonably close to the calculated
value.
Furthermore, adding gas to a drilling
fluid will increase viscosity, so the
annular friction drop will increase,
partially off-setting any reduction in BHP
due to gas.
35
 Gas cut mud
Another factor that will tend to offset the
reduction in mud density is drilled
cuttings.

At a moderate to high drilling rate, the

quantity of cuttings present in the mud
at any time, may be significant.

36
 Gas in mud
Gas in mud is monitored as the mud
exits the flowline. A gas trap is placed
to sample the gas before the mud
passes over the shale shaker.

The gas concentration is recorded in

arbitrary “gas units”.

Look for relative changes.

37
Gas detection unit
Gas detector located in
the shale shaker’s
possum belly.

BBG = Background gas

This is the baseline gas
concentration in the mud,
and is usually in the order
of a few gas units.
CG = Connection Gas
38
39
CG = constant CG increases CG increases CG increases
BGG = constant BGG increases BGG constant BGG increases
Overbalanced Underbalanced ? Transition zone 40
 Measuring Surge Pressure

Swab pressure is
Flowline
hard to measure, but
Mud Level
surge is not.

Closed Safety Valve Run one stand of pipe

in hole at constant
Pressure Recorder Sub velocity.
Repeat at different
Drillpipe velocities.
Plot surge pressure
vs. pipe velocity.
41
 Measuring Surge Pressure
By assuming
Surge/Swab Pressure, psi

surge = swab,
we can predict
the swab
pressure at
different pipe
pulling speeds.

42
Pipe Velocity, ft/sec
 Example

67 sec/std 452 min-units

59 sec/std 1,036 min-units

48 sec/std 2,132 min-units

43
 Example
 Estimate the pore pressure at TD if
MW = 11.7 ppg
The length of each stand is 90 ft.

 V1 = 90 ft / 48 sec = 1.88 ft/sec

 V2 = 90 / 59 = 1.53 ft/sec

 V3 = 90 / 67 = 1.34 ft/sec
44
 Example
From Figure:

Surge/Swab Pressure, psi

∆ p1 = 405 psi

∆ p2 = 300 psi

∆ p3 = 242 psi

Pipe Velocity, ft/sec 45

 Example

From Figure, plot

of gas units vs.
swab pressure,

Gas Units
when line is
extrapolated to
zero velocity (zero
gas), overbalance
is found to be 197
psi

0
197 Pressure, psi 46
 Example
 With an overbalance of 197 psi:

 Pore pressure = MW - (overbalance)

0.052 * TD

Pore pressure = 11.7 - (197 / 0.052 * 13,600)

pp = 11.4 ppg.

47
Changes in drilling fluid properties

 Gas in mud
 reduced density

 increased viscosity

 Salt water inflow

 chloride content

48
Changes in drilling fluid properties
 Salt water inflow
 Chloride content
 Flocculation of sodium bentonite clay
 increases yield point
 increases gel strength
 increases water loss
 poor filter cake
 pH change
49
Changes in drilling fluid properties

 Drilled rock salt can have similar effect

 CO2 and H2S may reduce pH

 H2S is very poisonous and is corrosive

 Raise pH and precipitate out any soluble

sulfides using scavengers.

50
 Temperature and abnormal press.

Geothermal Poor conductivity

temperature requires higher
vs. depth temperature
gradient to maintain
constant heat flux.

Undercompacted rock
Lower thermal conductivity

Rock conducts heat better

than pore fluid

51
 Temperature indicators
Temperature gradient tends to increase
within a pore pressure transition
Rock grains have a much higher
thermal conductivity than pore fluids
Well planning predictions may be
assisted by downhole temperature
measurements in offset wells
52
 Temperature indicators
 Note that wellbore
circulation of fluids will
distort the true
temperature profile.
 The drilling fluid
temperature increases as
the fluid moves down the
drillpipe.
 As fluid enters the annulus
it’s temperature increases
for a short while.
 Higher up the annulus
temperature decreases
53
Flowline temperature from a North Sea well

Predictable increase in
temperature of mud returns as
depth increases

Important tool if
A deviation from no shales are
the normal present
temperature trend
may signal
abnormal pore
pressure
54
 Hole Conditions
Drilling torque when rotating pipe, and
drag during trips or connections, result
from friction between the drillstring or bit
and the walls of the hole.

Torque and drag (T&D) will generally

increase with depth, gradually.

55
 Hole Conditions
A sudden increase in T&D may be
caused by hole instability.
Circulate bottoms up and observe
samples.
If abnormal pressure caused an
increase in T&D, the rock samples will
help to tell the story.
56
 Sample Shale Cuttings

Normally pressured shales Abnormally pressured shales

57