WELL CONTROL

BLOWOUT

INTRODUCTION
In Oilfield Activity, the Blowout is the worst event
that can happen in Drilling Operations. It causes
casualties, environmental damage and economic
losses.
To prevent blowout, the drillers must be able to
detect warning signs of kick in order to take the well
under control.
A kick can occur when :

BHP < PF
Bottom Hole Pressure < Formation Pressure
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Evolution of Kick

Blowout
No Need
Kick

Equipments

Indicators
Warning Signs
PF > PH
Causes of Kick
PH < PF

Kill Methods
Shut In Well
Control here

Fundamental Aspects
The primary control

The Bottom Hole Pressure exerted by the drilling fluid must be

maintained equal or slightly higher than the Pore Pressure.
However, it must not exceed the Fracturing Pressure.
In the primary control, the mud weight or mud density is the most
important factor.
The primary control is the best way to prevent kicks.
The secondary control
As the Bottom Hole Pressure becomes less than the Pore pressure,
a kick occurs from the formation to the hole. Closing the well is
absolutely required. The BOP are therefore used in the secondary
control
To circulate the kick, different control methods are used.
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CAUSES OF KICKS

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CAUSES OF KICKS

The main causes of kicks are :

q Failure in Filling the hole while tripping
RIH : Running Into the Hole drill strings, casings..
POOH : Pulling Out Of The Hole

q Swabbing during movement

q Loss of circulation

q Insufficient mud weight

q Abnormal pressured formations
q Particular situations such as
DST : Drill Stem Testing
Excessive drilling rate through a formation containing gas

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q Swabbing

The swabbing occurs while tripping out of the hole and

produces a reduction of the bottom hole pressure.
This reduction is more important when :
Tripping too fast
The density and the rheological properties are important
The bit is balled (balling up)
Small clearance between the hole and the BHA

The swabbing may be detected by checking continuously the

volume in the trip tank.
To minimize the swabbing :
Treat the drilling fluid
Sufficient trip margin before starting the trip
Control the trip speed
Circulate while tripping if necessary
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q Surging
The surgging occurs while running in hole and produces an over
pressure on the bottom.
This over pressure could be greater than the fracture pressure and
accordingly loss circulation occurs. The level of the fluid in the hole
drops and the condition is favorable for kick to invade into the well.

q Loss

Circulation

If a loss circulation occurs, the hydrostatic pressure drops and could

be less than the pore pressure. Kick can easily invade the hole.
The maximum tolerated length of drop level is given as below :
H (ft) =

DP (psi)
0.052 d (ppg)

or

H (ft) =

DP (psi)
0.0069 d (pcf)

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q Insufficient

Mud Density

The mud density is the most important factor to the primary

control.
Kick occurs if this density is less than the equivalent density
required to the pore pressure.
Insufficient density is due to :
under estimation of the pore pressure
contamination by formation fluid
contamination by water in surface equipment

q Abnormal

Pressured formations

A formation is called Abnormal pressured formation when the

pressure gradient is greater than the normal pressure gradient.
Normal Gradient = 0.465 psi/ft
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Abnormal pressured formations are generally detected by

seismic operations before starting drilling. Informations
are included in the drilling program.
These formations can be detected while drilling recording
the following parameters :
Rate Of Penetration ROP
Torque and drag

Shale density
Temperature in and temperature out
d- exponent
gas contamination
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Shale Porosity Log

Shale Density Log

Transition zone

Depth

Depth

Abnormal
pressured zone

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Torque and Drag

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36

Temperature Logs

SIGNS OF KICKS

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SIGNS OF KICKS
q Warning signs
Some signs or indications should be taken into account to
prevent kicks. However, detecting only one sign can not be
really a sign of a kick. Thus, it is important and
recommended to observe all significant changes of
parameters :

Abrupt increase of ROP or Drilling Break

Practically, the ROP depends on several parameters :
Weight On Bit WOB
RPM
Hydraulic
Type of formation
Type of bit
Porosity of the formation
Differential pressure
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A drilling break while drilling through an abnormal

pressured formation is essentially due to the reduction of
the differential pressure and the porosity.

The reduction of the differential pressure facilitates the

destruction of the rock and the hydraulic aspect and
accordingly affects the Rate Of Penetration.
In case of detecting a drilling break, it is necessarily
recommended to check the hole stability.
The next figure shows the effect of the rate of penetration in
relation with the differential pressure

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 Increase in Torque and Drag

The significant changes of torque and drag could indicate

drilling through an abnormal pressured formation.
Torque and drag is a sign of well bore stability due to the
reduction of the differential pressure.
Shale density
The shale density increases regularly in relation to the
depth due to the compaction effect.
The increase of the porosity while drilling through an
abnormal pressured formation is a sign of a diminution of
shale density.
Logs shale density and porosity are means used to detect
an abnormal pressured formation.
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 Size of the cuttings

The cuttings with large size could be provided from an
abnormal pressured zone due to the negative differential
pressure.
The continuous control of the cuttings in the mud logging
cabin permits to detect an abnormal pressured zone.

Variation of mud properties

An entry of a fluid from the formation to the hole decreases
the mud density and affects the viscosity depending on the
mud type and the intrusion fluid.
Example :
An intrusion of water formation in an oil base mud increases
the viscosity.
The variation of the concentration of chloride is a sign of an
intrusion of a fluid.
The duty of the mud man is to observe and detect any change
in the mud properties.

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 Variation
temperature
These logs of
variation
temperature
penetration
abnormal
zone.

of

the

an abrupt
of
the
show the
in
an
pressured

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 Diminution of d-exponent
The d-exponent method is introduced to normalize the
rate of penetration in order to eliminate the effect of the
drilling parameters variation. Thus provides the best
informations about the rock characteristics.

ROP
1.26 - Log

RPM

d=
WOB
1.58 - Log

D
d : d-exponent
ROP : (m/h)
RPM
WOB : weight on bit (ton)
D : bit diameter (inch)

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 Signs of gas in the mud

while drilling, the gas can be issued from a permeable
zone containing gas. If the mud density is insufficient, the
gas in presence in the drilled rock, is liberated and
contaminates accordingly the mud. It is called Gas Cut
Mud
The percentage of gas in the mud depends on :
the bit diameter
the rate flow
the rate of penetration
the pore pressure
the porosity of the formation
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Making Connection

An intrusion of gas can occur while making connection if

the bottom hole pressure is less than the pore pressure due
to the elimination of the annular pressure losses or due to
swabbing effect.
This gas is called Gas Connection.

Positive signs
Positive sign means that an influx is entered in the well;
the shut in well must be proceeded.
While drilling, the positive signs are :
increase flow rate at the return line
increase level pits
flow with pump off
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While tripping the positives signs are :

Difference between the filled volume and the equivalent
of steel displacement of pulled pipes
Difference between the steel displacement run in hole
and the volume of fluid recuperated in the trip tank.

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