Hydrostatic Pressure Calculation

Hydrostatic pressure is pressure created by fluid column and two factors affecting hydrostatic pressure are mud weight and True Vertical Depth.

You can read full details about hydrostatic pressure from this article, Understand Hydrostatic Pressure.

In this article, it will demonstrate how to calculate hydrostatic pressure in different oilfield and metric unit.

1. Calculate hydrostatic pressure in psi by using mud weight  in pound per gallon (ppg) and feet as the units of True Vertical Depth.

Hydrostatic pressure equation:

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 0.052 × Mud Weight × True Vertical Depth (TVD) 

Where;

Mud Weight in ppg

True Vertical Depth in ft

Example;

Mud Weight = 12.0 ppg
True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 10,000 ft
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 0.052 × 12.0 × 10,000
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 6,240 psi

2. Calculate hydrostatic pressure in psi by using pressure gradient in psi/ft and feet as the units of True Vertical Depth.

Hydrostatic pressure equation:

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = Pressure gradient in psi/ft × True Vertical Depth (TVD)

Where;

Pressure gradient in psi/ft

True Vertical Depth in ft

Example;

Pressure Gradient = 0.5 psi/ft
True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 10,000 ft
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 0.5 psi/ft × 10,000 ft
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 5,000 psi

3. Calculate hydrostatic pressure in psi by using mud weight in lb/ft3 and feet as the units of True Vertical Depth.

Hydrostatic pressure equation:

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 0.006944 × Mud Weight × True Vertical Depth (TVD)

Where;

Mud Weight in lb/ft3

True Vertical Depth in ft

Example;

Mud Weight = 80 lb/ft3
True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 10,000 ft
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 0.006944 × 80 lb/ft3 × 10,000 ft
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 5,555 psi

4. Calculate hydrostatic pressure in psi by using mud weight in PPG and meters as unit of True Vertical Depth.

Hydrostatic pressure equation:

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = Mud Weight  × 0.052 × TVD in meters x 3.281

Where;

Mud Weight in ppg

True Vertical Depth in meter

Example:

Mud Weight = 12.0 ppg
True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 5000 meters
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 12.0 × 0.052 × 5000 × 3.281
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 10,237 psi

5. Calculate hydrostatic pressure in Pascal by using mud weight  in kg per cu-meter (kg/m3) and meter (m) as the units of True Vertical Depth.

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.81 × Mud Weight × True Vertical Depth (TVD) 

Where;

Mud Weight in kg/m3

True Vertical Depth in meter

Example;

Mud Weight = 1,000 kg/m3
True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 100 m
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.81 × 1,000 × 100
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 981,000 pascal

6. Calculate hydrostatic pressure in bar by using mud weight  in kg per cu-meter (kg/m3) and meter (m) as the units of True Vertical Depth.

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.81 × Mud Weight × True Vertical Depth (TVD) ÷ 100,000

Where;

Mud Weight in kg/m3

True Vertical Depth in meter

Example;

Mud Weight = 1,000 kg/m3
True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 100 m
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.81 × 1,000 × 100 ÷ 100,000
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.81 bar

7ุ. Calculate hydrostatic pressure in atm by using mud weight  in kg per cu-meter (kg/m3) and meter (m) as the units of True Vertical Depth.

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.81 × Mud Weight × True Vertical Depth (TVD)  × 9.8692 × 10-6

Where;

Mud Weight in kg/m3

True Vertical Depth in meter

Example;

Mud Weight = 1,000 kg/m3
True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 100 m
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.81 × 1,000 × 100 × 9.8692 × 10-6
Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = 9.6817 atm

Download Free Excel Spread Sheet

Download the Excel sheet for calculating hydrostatic pressure – This is 2020 update with Metric Unit

Ref books: 

Lapeyrouse, N.J., 2002. Formulas and calculations for drilling, production and workover, Boston: Gulf Professional publishing.

Bourgoyne, A.J.T., Chenevert , M.E. & Millheim, K.K., 1986. SPE Textbook Series, Volume 2: Applied Drilling Engineering, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Mitchell, R.F., Miska, S. & Aadny, B.S., 2011. Fundamentals of drilling engineering, Richardson, TX: Society of Petroleum Engineers.

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26 Responses to Hydrostatic Pressure Calculation

  1. hamza says:

    how to calculat hydrostatic pressure in kg/ltter
    thanks

  2. leslie says:

    i want know how i can calculate the pressure at casing shoe,1000 psi at surface test and tvd of csg shoe 7500 ft and 11.0 ppg for fluid test?

  3. magnus says:

    I love this site

  4. Cristi says:

    Leslie, what did you mean by surface pressure? The pumping pressure?

  5. Deni says:

    I like this site very much,

    Very simple and great explaination.
    Very helpful

  6. behzad says:

    hello , I need to how to calculate the hydrostatic pressure with softwares .is there any software which is able to calculate that?

  7. Mahmoud Nabil says:

    I like this site too much (very simple and great info explaination

  8. SB Mishra says:

    I like this site, very helpful

  9. Alan Jorge says:

    a little help to solve the problem …A well has been shot in at 10500 TVD, due to flow out increase. MW is 11.5 ppg and SIDPP reaches 600 psi.
    What will be the the final STAND PIPE PRESSURE with the kill mud if the initial circulation BEFORE the kick was 2300 psi ?

    • Hi Alan,

      This is the answer.

      ICP = SCR + SIDPP
      2300 = SCR +600
      SCR = 1700 psi

      KMW = OMW + SIDPP/(0.052 x TVD)
      KMW = 11.5 + 600 / (0.052 x 10,500)
      KWM = 12.6 ppg

      FCP = ICP x (KMW/OMW)
      FCP = 1,700 x(12.6/11.5)
      FCP = 1,863 psi

      Final circulating pressure = 1,863 psi.

  10. sss says:

    how to know hydrostatic pressure difference after cement column set

  11. Samuel Tobung says:

    This site is very helpful. Thanks

  12. Dear sir
    This is a v good information for new comers in this field.
    If you again start Quiez program it’s much better

  13. ibad shumali says:

    very thankful to this site….!

  14. Pingback: Cual es el Origen de la Constante 0,052 – Perfoblogger

  15. aziz says:

    Dear Sir,
    how to calculate the hydrostatic of brine in annulus, before perform annulus pressure test

  16. Motaram Bishnoi says:

    What is 0.052

  17. Neutron says:

    How can i prove this HP=0.052*tvd*mud density

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