Lesson 23
Special Well Control
Applications
Underbalanced Drilling
(UBD)
ATM
Special Well Control Applications
Underbalanced Drilling
Well Control in Unconventional Hole
Programs
Casing and Cementing Operations
ATM 2
Special Well Control Applications
Homework # 12
On the Web
Due Dec 02, 2002
ATM 3
Underbalanced Drilling (UBD)
In drilling UBD wells the ECD is
intentionally kept below the
formation pore pressure.
ATM 4
Reasons for UBD
Minimize formation damage
Faster penetration rates
Longer bit life and fewer trips
Eliminating one or more casing strings
ATM 5
Reasons for UBD
Reduced risk of lost circulation
Reduced risk of differential sticking
Lower mud costs
Earlier oil sales
ATM 6
Drilling Fluids used in
Underbalanced Drilling
Air and Natural Gas Drilling
Mist and Foam Drilling
Underbalanced Drilling w/Mud
ATM 7
Air and Natural
Gas Drilling
ATM 8
BOP
System for
Air and
Natural Gas
Drilling
ATM 9
Rotating
Head
ATM 10
Air and Natural Gas Drilling
Casing gauge is
Compressor at used to predict
surface BHP
Drillpipe Float
Gas in drillstring
gD
p p pcs e 53.3 zT
All make DP
gauge unreliable
for BHP Pore Casing
Pressure Head
Pressure
ATM 11
Example 7.1
Excessive gas rates from a sandstone at 7,200 ft
threaten a blowout on an air-drilled hole in the Arcoma
Basin. The well is shut-in and, after wellbore
temperatures reach equilibrium, the casing pressure
gauge reads 1,250 psig.
Estimate the kill-mud density requirement.
What is the maximum pressure at the 1,500-ft shoe
depth before and during the kill procedure?
Assume the average temperature in the annulus is 160
o
F and use a 0.70 specific gravity gas in the
calculations (ignore the effect of the air mixed in with
the hydrocarbons).
ATM 12
Example 7.1 - Solution
Use Eq. 7.1 and iterate by first assuming the
compressibility factor is 1.00
gD
p p pcs e 53.3 zT
( 0.70 )( 7,200 )
pp 1,250 14 e 53.3(1)( 620 )
Pore pressure, pp = 1,472 psia
ATM 13
Example 7.1 - Solution - cont’d
Take the pseudoreduced properties on wellbore
averages to determine the average z factor
ppr = (1,264 + 1,472) / (2 * 666) = 2.05
Tpr = 620 / 389 = 1.59
z = 0.855
ATM 14
Example 7.1 - Solution - cont’d
Substitute this z-factor value into Eq. 7.1 and,
after one more iteration, obtain pp = 1,512 psia.
The density equivalent at 7,200 ft is
p (psig)
kwm = (1,512 - 14) / (0.052 * 7,200) KWM
0.052 * Depth
kwm = 4.0 lbm/gal
The result is invalid if a substantial liquid
column is above the kick zone, but it should be
apparent that a low-solids mud will be
satisfactory.
ATM 15
Example 7.1 - Solution - cont’d
The maximum shoe pressure will be the
shut-in pressure if the casing side is held
constant until the string is filled with mud.
The preceding calculations are repeated
for the 1,500-ft depth:
gD ( 0.70 )(1,500 )
pSHOE pcsge 53.3 zT p shoe 1,264 e 53.3(1.00 )( 620 )
Shoe pressure, pshoe = 1,305 psia
ATM 16
Example 7.1 - Solution - cont’d
Also,
ppr = (1,264 + 1,305) / (2 * 666) = 1.93
Tpr = 620 / 389 = 1.59 (same as before)
z = 0.860
Ultimately we obtain pshoe = 1,298 psig
which gives a pressure gradient of 0.865 psi/ft.
( 1,298 / 1,500 = 0.865 )
The fracture integrity is obviously higher or
control would have been lost when the
preventer was closed.
ATM 17
Mist and Foam Drilling
Mist drilling may be used when small
water flows would cause mud rings
with air or natural gas drilling.
Water is injected downstream of the
compressors until the air is nearly
saturated with water vapor.
ATM 18
Mist and Foam Drilling
Foam drilling can tolerate still more
water than mist.
Foams are generated by shearing
water and gas together with a
foaming surfactant and bentonite or
polymers added for better hole
cleaning.
ATM 19
Underbalanced Drilling with Mud
Air can be injected into the mud stream
to lighten the mud column.
One way is to inject at the standpipe
ATM 20
ATM 21
Used to determine volume of air to inject A = 9 lb/gal
D = 5 lb/gal
A - D = 4
Desired MW
= 5 lb/gal
( not always very accurate ) 22
ATM
ATM 23
Example 7.2
A well has been drilled to 9,500 ft with aerated mud and
the decision is made to shut-in and pump a kill. Air rate
at the standpipe was 1,500 scfm and an 8.7 lbm/gal
mud was being pumped at 250 gal/min.
Estimate the kill-mud density if the SIDPP is 800 psig.
Assume the average temperature in the drillstring is
150 oF and use the compressibility factors given in Fig.
7.7.
KWM = ??
What is the BHP?
Fig. 7.7 - Compressibility chart for Air
ATM 24
Example 7.2 - Solution
We chose to solve this problem by
numerically integrating the mixture densities
and pressures with depth.
Eq. 2.20 gives the air density underneath the
drillpipe gauge :
g p
g
2.77 z gT
(1.00 )(800 14 )
g 0.48 lbm / gal
2.77 (1.002 )(150 460 )
Fig. 7.7 - Compressibility chart for Air
ATM 25
o
150 F
814 psig
ATM 26
Example 7.2 - Solution - cont’d
pV=ZnRT
z g pS Tg
Vg VS
z S p g TS
gm m fm g fg
ATM 27
Example 7.2 - Solution - cont’d
ATM 28
UBD with Weighted Mud
ATM 29
UBD with Weighted Mud
ATM 30
Tripping
in UBD
ATM 31
Well Control in
Unconventional Hole
Situations
Horizontal and ERD Wells
Slim-Hole Applications
Coil-Tubing Operations
ATM 32
Horizontal and ERD Wells
For Horizontal and ERD Wells the window for
acceptable mud weights narrows.
The high angle reduces fracture pressure,
lowering the maximum mud weight allowed
Hole collapse increases the minimum
mud weight.
Mud weight may limit the length of the lateral
ATM 33
Fig. 7.12
ATM 34
Heel
Terminus
ATM 35
Additional Pressure Concerns
Cuttings beds require high annular
velocity
Surge and Swab pressures higher
ATM 36
Less overbalance during trip
Swab
Pressure
ATM 37
Additional Pressure Concerns
ERD wells are more prone to kicks
and lost circulation
SICP lower for ERD
(for given kick size)
Gas migration less of a problem
ATM 38
ATM 39
Gas trapped
in washouts
reduces
migration
ATM 40
Vertical height remains
constant in lateral section
ATM 41
DrillPipe Pressure During Well Control
while kill mud is filling drillstring
ATM 42
Slim-Hole Applications
High annular friction during circulation
Small pit gains yield long vertical height
of kick fluid resulting in high SICP
ATM 43
Coil-Tubing Operations
Continuous, non-jointed pipe
which is stored on a reel
and transported to a wellsite
to perform a specific operation
ATM 44
ATM 45
ATM 46
ATM 47
ATM 48
4. Lift tubing
5. Close blind rams
3. Close shear rams
1. Close slip rams
2. Close pipe rams
ATM 49
CT growth with time
ATM 50
Casing and Cementing
Operations
Running the Casing
Cementing the Casing
The Annular Flow Problem
Liner Top Tests
ATM 51
Running the Casing
Operator should replace upper DP
rams with casing rams.
SIP could result in large upward forces
on the large diameter casing.
Large diameter casing results in high
surge and swab pressures.
ATM 52
Comparison of
surge/swab pressures
for casing vs. DP
ATM 53
Cementing the Casing
pbh = pch + ph + pf +- pss + pa
pbh = BHP
pch = choke backpressure
ph = HSP
pf = circulating friction pressure
pss = surge or swab pressures
pa = pressure resulting from fluid
acceleration
ATM 54
ATM 55
Cementing Consideration
Spacer density and volume
High viscosities
U-tubing of cement slurries
Freefall of cement
Flash setting of cement
ATM 56
Effect of cement
flash setting
ATM 57
Cement
Channeling
ATM 58
The Annular Flow Problem
The transition period between
development of gel strength and
“setting” sometimes allows flow
High gel strength of cement can
support the HSP of mud column
above and allow flow of gas into the
cement
Gas may then percolate upward
ATM 59
Gas percolation
may be possible
ATM 60
ATM 61
Liner Top Tests
Getting good cement job on liner can
be difficult.
Inadequate liner isolation can cause
well control problems
Liner top needs to be tested
ATM 62
Liner Top Tests
Casing cleaned out to liner top.
Pressure applied to liner top to test for
leak
Differential pressure test should be
conducted by decreasing the HSP
above the liner top.
If liner leaks during differential test, a
liner-top-isolation, LTI packer may
need to be installed
ATM 63
