Category Archives: Well Control

Determine Correct Initial Circulating Pressure (ICP)

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Correct initial circulating pressure is very important for well control operation because the correct ICP figure will tell you about the balance point while circulating the influx out using Driller’s method. Many people get confused when they try to get the right ICP because they tend to forget about a safety factor that is added while bring the pump to speed. Hence, the ICP with unintentionally added safety margin may fracture formations downhole because people will tend to add more safety factor while circulating. It means that excessive safety factor added into the system will make the well control operation worse.

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Brine Density with Temperature Correction Calculation

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Temperature has an effect on brine density so it is very critical to compensate loss of density due to temperature. Higher wellbore temperature will reduce the brine density more.  The calculation below demonstrates how to determine brine weight to mix on surface in order to get required brine density at a wellbore condition.

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Stripping with Volumetric Control Steps and Example Calculations

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This example demonstrates the calculations and the steps of the stripping with volumetric control so it will help you understand about what calculations required are and how to perform the stripping with volumetric control.

stripping with volumetric well control

Gas kick at the bottom but the drillstring is out of bottom. The kick is introduced while pulling out of hole and the following information below is the well information. Continue reading →

Practical Considerations for Stripping Well Control Operation

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This section will discuss some practical stand points of the stripping operation with and without volumetric control. Additionally, this will summarize some key points for both methods of stripping for off bottom well control.

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General Practical Considerations

Stripping operation requires accurate measurement of fluid bled off therefore it is very critical to have a small trip tank or a stripping tank for the operation. Furthermore, when the drillstring is stripped deeper, you might need to fill the pipe. You need to ensure that the volume filled up will not create any confusion with the bleed of volume. There are some cases when personnel don’t track the volume properly and finally the kick is unintentionally introduced into the wellbore. Continue reading →

Stripping Procedure with Volumetric Control For Migrating Kick

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With gas kick in the well, the conventional stripping method is not application because it won’t account for the gas migration and expansion; therefore, the special stripping procedure, Stripping with Volumetric Control, will be utilized for this case. This procedure is designed to strip the drill string back into the well with gas influx while the bottom hold pressure is maintained nearly constant.

Figure 1 - Stripping With Volumetric Control

 Figure 1 – Stripping With Volumetric Control

 

The Stripping with Volumetric Control procedures are as follows;

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