Bottom hole pressure change while performing well control operation with driller’s method

In the first circulation of driller’s method, driller circulates gas kick with 25 spm and the initial circulating pressure (ICP) is 1600 psi. The initial shut in drill pipe pressure is 450 psi. After shift change, another driller accidentally changes pump rate to 30 spm but he still holds drill pipe pressure constant.

What will happen to bottom hole pressure?

Continue reading

Kick Tolerance Calculation

This post will teach you how to calculate kick tolerance. This concept is very important to well design and will give you an idea how much kick you can take at particular parameters.

Firstly, I would like to be clear about the following terms;

Kick tolerance is the maximum gas influx volumes (bbl) for a designed kick intensity that can be successfully shut the well in and circulated out without breaking formation pressure at the casing shoe.

Kick intensity is the different between the maximum anticipated formation pressure and planned mud weight.

Secondly, learn how to determin kick tolerance by following steps below:

Continue reading

Formation Pressure from Kick Analysis

Once you shut in the well in and obtain shut in drill pipe pressure, you can estimate formation pressure by applying the hydrostatic pressure concept.

This following equation demonstrates you how to figure out formation pressure from the kick analysis.

Formation Pressure = SIDDP + (0.052 x Hole TVD x Current Mud Weight)

Continue reading