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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.
3
Moore’s Equation
Moore suggests that we increase the
mud weight sufficiently to keep the
drilling rate from increasing.
Transition zone
Begin weighting up
Weight up complete
5
Ex.
2.10
6
Example 2.10
Bit parameters prior to transition were
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:
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)
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
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
p14,000 = 0.052*14.6*14,000
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
ρ g,surface = 0.6*14.7/(2.77*1*560)
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)
n = fg *p / [ ZRT(1- fg )]
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
∆ pred = 60 psi
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.
37
Gas detection unit
Gas detector located in
the shale shaker’s
possum belly.
Swab pressure is
Flowline
hard to measure, but
Mud Level
surge is not.
surge = swab,
we can predict
the swab
pressure at
different pipe
pulling speeds.
42
Pipe Velocity, ft/sec
Example
43
Example
Estimate the pore pressure at TD if
MW = 11.7 ppg
The length of each stand is 90 ft.
V2 = 90 / 59 = 1.53 ft/sec
V3 = 90 / 67 = 1.34 ft/sec
44
Example
From Figure:
∆ p2 = 300 psi
∆ p3 = 242 psi
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:
pp = 11.4 ppg.
47
Changes in drilling fluid properties
Gas in mud
reduced density
increased viscosity
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
50
Temperature and abnormal press.
Undercompacted rock
Lower thermal conductivity
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.
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
57