Quartz School for Well Site Supervisors

Module – 6
Drilling Problems
& Solutions

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Section – 5
Well Control Procedures
II
 Well Control Methods for Special Conditions:

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Pipe off bottom / out of hole. No circulation possible

BHP Constant

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 Contents

• Volumetric Method (Static) – Gas migration from bottom to surface

• Lubricate and Bleed (2nd stage of Volumetric) – Gas Evacuation

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• Stripping (Conventional) – Driving pipe to bottom (no gas migration)

• Combined Volumetric and Stripping - Driving pipe to bottom and

simultaneous gas migration from bottom to surface

• Bullheading – Reversing fluids back to the formation (BHP MAY NOT BE

KEPT CONSTANT)
• Bullheading H2S

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 Volumetric Method
• Applicable only when migration of a gas kick is detected
• Brings the gas influx to surface without circulation from bottom
• Assumes the gas influx ascends as a bubble in water base fluids

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• Cannot be applied in Oil Base Mud, OBM, as the influx of gas is
mixed (dissolved) with the fluid in the well bore and does not
migrate.
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 Volumetric Method
Used only when circulating methods cannot be applied and gas kick is
migrating (i.e. casing pressure is increasing above the initial SICP)

1. As gas migrates, keep the well shut in allowing the SICP to increase a selected
amount, P (50 to 200 psi as per well conditions). BHP will increase also in P

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2. Use the choke to hold the new casing pressure constant until bleeding a volume
of mud that exerted in annulus a hydrostatic pressure equal to the pressure increase
in Step 1. It permits the expansion of the gas kick while migrates and BHP is
reduced in P and returned to its original value (i.e. BHP = constant)

Volume to bleed = SICP increase (psi) x Annulus DP to Casing capacity

(bbls/ft) Mud gradient
(barrels) (psi/ft)

3. Shut well in again and repeat steps 1 & 2 as necessary until gas is at surface or
above the bit and can be circulated out
Do not Bleed Gas..!
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 Volumetric Method
Bleed V
900
Choke open
CP - psi

800
Bleed V Choke closed
Choke open

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700
Choke closed
600
BHP – psi

bleeding
5800
bleeding
5700

5600
0 100 200
6 300 Elapsed time - minutes
 Volumetric Method

Volumetric method Constant BHP circulating

(W&W or Driller’s)

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Casing pressure

Casing pressure

Time BBLS pumped (time)

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 Volumetric Method
Additional Notes:
• When gas is in the annulus at surface,

• Stop the bleeding process. If gas is bled at this point it will reduce BHP

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thus allowing further influx. If gas is bleed from the annulus at this
point without pumping mud in the well, the BHP will drop below
formation pressure and another influx will result.

• It is time to finish off the volumetric method utilizing the Lubricate and
Bleed method which replaces the gas pressure bled off with hydrostatic
provided by a mud column.

• However, it might still have pressure in the annulus when all the gas is
removed due to underbalance in the mud column.

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 Lubricate and Bleed Method (2ª stage of Volumetric)
- Controlled evacuation of gas at surface -
No communication DP/ casing: Sequentially pump mud and bleed gas

1. Pump (lubricate) a given volume of mud, V, into the annulus through the
kill line (it could be the same V bled in each step of Volumetric
Method). BHP is then increased in a hydrostatic P due to V in the

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annulus

2. Close the well in and wait enough time to allow gravitational segregation of
mud through the gas cap

3. Open the choke to bleed gas relocated on top of the annulus in the amount
necessary to reduce the SICP in the value P increased by the mud volume
pumped in 1. BHP is also reduced in P and returns to its original value

4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 until all gas has been bled off or the desired annular
surface pressure is reached

9 Do not bleed mud..!

 Volumetric Method (special case)
There is communication Drill Pipe / Annulus. Gas migration detected
Drill String is near bottom but no circulation is possible

1. Keep the choke closed to allow the initial SIDPP to be increased in a

given value (from 50 to 200 psi, as per well conditions) as a safety

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factor over the BHP to avoid additional kicks into the well bore

2. Keep constant the new SIDPP by continuously bleeding mud from

the annulus, via choke manifold, until the gas kick reaches the
surface and locates in the top section of annulus

Do not bleed Gas..!

3. Evacuate the gas out of the well bore by applying the Lubricate and
Bleed Method already discussed.
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Conventional Stripping Procedure (Stripping Simple)
Drill Pipe is returned to bottom by its own weight through BOP closed
No Gas Migration or Gas Kick already evacuated using Volumetric Method

Drill pipe is forced through annular BOP when SICP < 500:

1. Make up an Inside BOP above the Full Opening Safety Valve already

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installed in the Drill String in the hole. Open the safety valve
2. Check that the force from below the string due to the well pressure can be
over come by the weight of the string in the mud. Take in consideration
the frictional force due to the closed packing element of BOP against the
pipe
3. Reduce the closing pressure on the annular BOP to the point of observing
light leak and boiling of fluids around the pipe
4. Use BOP pressure regulator or a “surge bottle” pre-charged with 750 psi
of nitrogen directly connected to the close line of the annular BOP
5. Take off rubber protectors installed in the DP, grind all marks of tongs and
11 slips and polish hard banding on tool joints
Conventional Stripping Procedure (Stripping Simple)
Drill Pipe is returned to bottom by its own weight through BOP closed
No Gas Migration or Gas Kick already evacuated using Volumetric Method

Drill pipe is forced through annular BOP when SICP < 500:

6. Build a line from choke manifold to the trip tank (or from MGS to trip tank)

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7. Put plenty grease on external surface of DP and pour heavy oil on the top of
annular BOP closed against DP
8. Make up one DP stand and slowly run in hole forced by its own weight
through the closed annular Bop (+/- 2 pies/seg)
9. While the DP is being run, simultaneously bleed mud out the annulus
via choke manifold so that SICP is held constant
10. Fill each stand run in the hole
11. The mud volume bled can be measured in the trip tank and must be equal to
the solid string volume (check)
12. Continue running pipe and bleeding mud with SICP constant until pipe
reaches bottom or finds resistance to go
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 “Combined Stripping and Volumetric Method”
DP is returned to bottom with simultaneous gas migration
Migrating gas is allowed to expand / DP is run while keeping BHP constant

Drill pipe is forced through annular BOP when SICP < 500:
Record SICP and estimate volume of influx
While preparing for stripping pipe to bottom, the SICP will increase until a
value given by:

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Pchoke = SICP + Pseg + Pstep
Where,

SICP = Initial Shut-In Casing Pressure

Pseg = Safety factor on BHP to compensate loss of hydrostatic pressure due to the more
length of the influx when located around the BHA

Pseg = (Vinf/Cap OH/DC - Vinf/Cap OH) x (Gmud – Ginf)

Pstep = Pressure increase in each stage of the process, P (from 50 to 200 psi)
Vinf = Volume of Influx. Cap OH/DC = Annular capacity between OH and DCs
Cap OH = Volume of Open Hole. Gmud = Mud Gradient.
Ginf = Influx Gradient
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 “Combined Stripping and Volumetric Method”
DP is returned to bottom with simultaneous gas migration
Migrating gas is allowed to expand / DP is run while keeping BHP constant

Stripping in through annular BOP – Procedure:

1. With choke closed, allow the annular pressure to reach the value Pchoke

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2. Strip pipe trough annular BOP and simultaneously bleed off mud
from the annulus via choke manifold, holding constant Pchoke
Notes:
– Pressure in excess is reduced by bleeding off mud to the trip tank
(or to the stripping tank if installed) via choke line
– If the influx is liquid, the mud volume to bleed must be equal to the
displacement of the stripped pipe with its end closed (“solid string”)
– If the influx is gas or a mixture liquid-gas, the volume to bleed
should be higher than the closed end pipe stripped due to the gas
expansion and migration
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 “Combined Stripping and Volumetric Method”
DP is returned to bottom with simultaneous gas migration
Migrating gas is allowed to expand / DP is run while keeping BHP constant

3. Continue stripping the string keeping constant Pchoke until the volume bled
is higher than the string volume in the value of Vstep, as per:

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Vstep = Pstep x Cap OH/DC / Gmud

4. When the bled volume exceeds the solid string volume in Vstep, close the
choke and keep running string in the hole to increase the casing pressure to:
Pchoke2 = Pchoke1 + Pstep
Notes:
– In this step DO NOT bleed the displacement volume of the string run
– It is recommended to strip the whole stand in each step (either when the
pressure is increased to Pstep or when the pressure is kept at Pchoke)
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 “Combined Stripping and Volumetric Method”
DP is returned to bottom with simultaneous gas migration
Migrating gas is allowed to expand / DP is run while keeping BHP constant

5. Repeat steps 3. and 4. as many times as necessary to reach one of the

following conditions:

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– Bit or string is on bottom
– Gas influx is at surface
– It is not possible to continue stripping due to high annular pressure, well
bore resistance, BOPs problems, equipment damage, etc)

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 “Combined Stripping and Volumetric Method”
DP is returned to bottom with simultaneous gas migration
Migrating gas is allowed to expand / DP is run while keeping BHP constant
Additional Notes:
• When finish stripping to bottom or tight spot, attempt a conventional
control circulating from tubing to annular

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• While stripping pipe in the hole bleed mud-gas via the mud-gas
separator to the trip tank. Then, from this tank bleed the displacement
volume for each stand stripped in the hole to the auxiliary tank (or
stripping tank). The remainder volume is kept in the trip tank to
control the pressure Pstep, or vice versa

Ram to Ram Stripping

• Only allowed for surface BOPs stacks (not for sub-sea stacks)
• NOT to be performed if there are only two (2) pipe rams in the BOP
stack
• The position of the tool joint inside the BOPs must be known at all
times
•
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Closing pressure on rams should be reduced to the minimum allowed
 Bullheading Considerations

Apart form the small chance of successfully squeezing the influx back
into the formation, bullheading has other crucial disadvantages:

• Fluid will go to the weakest formation which may not be the formation

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where the influx came from.
• There is a potential risk of fracturing formation anywhere along the
open hole section which can lead to an underground blowout situation.
• High pressures will have to be applied to surface equipment.
• Even if squeezing is possible, it may not be possible to kill the well
completely. Different well control methods will then have to be used.

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 Bullheading Procedure
In general, bullheading procedures can only be conducted bearing in
mind each specific situation. For drilling operations, bullheading
procedure should take in consideration the following factors:

1. Calculate the surface pressure that will cause formation fracturing

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during the bullheading operation.

2. Calculate the drill pipe and casing burst pressure.

3. Calculate static drill pipe and annulus head pressure during bullheading

4. Slowly pump fluid down the drill pipe and annulus. Monitor pump and
casing pressure during the operation.

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 Bullheading Operational Considerations

Operational considerations for bull heading include the following:

1. When high pressures need to be applied, the cementing unit should be

used for better control and adequate pressure rating.

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2. Large mud volumes and LCM pills should be available in case major
losses are experienced during bull heading.

3. A kill line connection above the bottom pipe rams of BOP stack should
be used to be able to isolate the annulus in case of kill line failure.

4. A check valve should be installed in the kill line.

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