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Circulating Well Control

Methods
ExxonMobil Development Company
Norman Archibald
International Drilling Schools

1 Circulating Well Control Methods

Circulating the Kick

Goal is to safely remove the influx


Problem is that gas can expand
follows Gas Law
expansion must be controlled
Control achieved by
circulating through choke at
low pump rate
use drill pipe pressure gauge
to:

Cameron Hydraulic Choke

keep BHP constant


manipulate choke as necessary
2 Circulating Well Control Methods

Drilling Choke Control Panel

The Control Station


during kick circulation

Operator must know:

casing surface press


drill pipe pressure
choke position
mud pump rate
volume pumped
3 Circulating Well Control Methods

Planning the Circulation


WELL

EPMI #1

DATE

WELL KILL WORKSHEET

TIME

Complete a Kill Sheet

15 BBLS

1. PIT GAIN

175 PSI

2. DP PRESS

Choke line ID "

0.00

15. MW OPTION surf press of weakest DH failure mode

RKB

300 PSI

3. ANNULUS PR.

2195 PSI

(A) CASING
(B) FORMATION

662 PSI

(C) FORM. & KILL WT

162 PSI

0
4. MUD WT

Pick a kill method

Drillers method

MUD WT CHOICES

OUTSIDE CSG

9.0 PPG

INSIDE CSG

9.6 PPG

5. LAST CSG
10.75

OD

40.50

#/FT

0.00

K55

GR.

0.00

2600

FT.

3130

BURST PSI

Wait & Weight method

17. KILL WT (BALANCE)

10.3 PPG

18. KILL WT (OVERBALANCE)

11.1 PPG

OVERBALANCE PRESS

(A) D.C.

2600 FT MD

Assign responsibilities

pump controller
choke operator

BBL/FT

FT

BBLS

STROKES

0.0079

180

1.4

13

0.0087

500

4.4

39

0.0175

4120

72.3

640

0.0000

20. TOTAL DS VOL


7. PIT TEST EQUIV

0
692

BBLS

STROKES

14.50 PPG
21. CAPACITIES ANN
TD to BOP

5.07

OD

0.00

19.50

#/FT

0.00

XH

TJ

0.00

4120

FT

4.250

ID

0.000

(A) D.C.
(B) D.P.
(C) C.L.

9. DRILL COLLARS

BBL/FT

FT

0.0326

180

5.9

52

0.0698

500

34.9

309

0.0698

4120

287.4

2546

0.0000

0.0

0.0000

0.0

0.0326

180

5.9

52

0.0698

500

34.9

309

0.0698

1520

106.0

939

0.0000

0.0

328

2907

OPEN HOLE

8.00

OD

5.07

2.85

ID

3.00

180

FT

500

(A) D.C.
(B) D.P.

10. TOTAL DEPTH


4800 FT MD

4800 FT TVD

22. TOTAL ANN VOL

78

692

24. TOTAL DS & ANN VOL

406

3599

25. ACTIVE SURFACE VOL AND RISER

800 BBL

23. TOTAL DS VOL


11. BIT

HOLE ANGLE

9.88 " OD

0 DEG

1206 BBL

26. TOTAL ACTIVE VOLUME

Traditional
Paper Kill Sheet

0.0
78.1

2600 FT TVD

8. DRILL PIPE

200 PSI

19. CAPACITIES INSIDE

(B) D.P.
6. CSG SEAT

9.6 PPG

16. ORIGNAL

27. BARITE FACTOR

BAL+O.BAL

0.41

0.1129 BBLS/STR

28. BARITE REQUIRED

BAL+O.BAL

499

6.50 "LINERS

VOL. INCREASE

BAL+O.BAL

33

12. PUMP
11.00 "STROKE
3 TYPE (2or3)

0.0000 ROD SIZE FOR DUPLEX

14. INFLUX GRADIANT

590 SX
39 BBL

29. INITIAL DP CIRC. PRESS


290

13. INFLUX HT

0.49 SX/BBL

PSI @

311 FT TVD

30. INITIAL FRIC PRESS

311 FT LONG

31. FINAL CIRC PRESS

20

SPM &

2.26 BPM
115 PSI

BAL/O.BAL

124

133 PSI

0.095 PSI/FT

4 Circulating Well Control Methods

Kill Sheet

New EMDC Kill Sheet - Version 2.0


Organized guide to plan a kick circulation
Helps with decision making
circulation method
establish drill pipe pressure reduction schedule
for wait and weight method

Partially filled out in-advance


Daily updates
KIK can be utilized for additional data
5 Circulating Well Control Methods

Circulating Well Control Methods

1. Wait & Weight Method


One circulation:
Wait until kill fluid is ready then circulate kill fluid down
the drill pipe while kick is circulated up casing annulus.
2. Drillers Method
Two circulations:
a. Using original fluid in well and pit - circulate out kick.
b. Displace original fluid in well with kill fluid.
3. Concurrent Method
[Mix & Circulate]
Several circulations - increasing fluid weight in stages until
well is killed.

6 Circulating Well Control Methods

Wait & Weight - Using MW to


Balance Formation Pressure

Results in lowest possible casing seat pressure if


uncased hole annular volume is greater than the drill
string volume

Keeps BHP constant at all times


requires adjustment to drill pipe pressure as heavier kill
mud fills the drill string

Kick migration can occur during preparation

Requires an additional circulation of the well to


displace balanced-weight mud with the desired
overbalance for drilling ahead or trip margin
7 Circulating Well Control Methods

Wait and Weight Method


(DP)
Drill Pipe

(DP)
Drill Pipe

Casing

Drill Pipe Pressure

ICP

FCP

ICP

Casing

(DP)
Drill Pipe

Casing

FCP

Drill Pipe
Strokes Pressure
0

ICP

Drill Pipe
Strokes

FCP

FCP Constant

Strokes

8 Circulating Well Control Methods

Surface Casing Pressure profile while


circulating out a GAS kick

Top of kick @ BOP

Casing Pressure

Kick above collars


Kill mud starts
into annulus

Kick removed

Strokes or Time
9 Circulating Well Control Methods

Pit Gain - circulating out a 10 Bbl. GAS kick

Relative Pit Volumn, BBLs

Relative Pit Volume While Circulating Out A Gas Kick


Gas bubble reaches surface

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

0
Figure 5.4

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

BBLs Pumped
10 Circulating Well Control Methods

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