April 2011_Round II

      Pre Mock Exercise (WELL CONTROL)

Time Allowed (3­1/2 hours)

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS   WHERE INFORMATION IS NOT GIVEN DIRECTLY, USE GOOD JUDGEMENT.

Question 1:

Well Data

Hole size: 7” (cap = 0.0477 bbl/ft)

Hole depth: 7500 ft TVD
Mud Gradient: 0.74 psi/ft
Gas Gradient: 0.10 psi/ft
Drill Pipe: 3 ½” (CED = 0.0127 bbl/ft)
BHA: 6” DC’s (CED = 0.0350 bbl/ft)

In this exercise two wells with identical TVD and component sizes are compared.

An influx has been observed with the bit off bottom.

The well is to be controlled by the volumetric method.

Take Pw = 40 psi; the influx volume = 19 bbl

1. Calculate the Ps and ∆V (or Vw) for the vertical well.

2. If the well was deviated to 45o from 1500 ft onwards, with the other sizes/data the same, does this affect
the values of Pw, Ps and ∆V?
3. What is the loss of BHP in the worst case? (compare both wells)
4. What is the effect of adding Pw to the annular pressure after ∆V has been collected in the trip tank and the
deviation is not taken into account?
5. Would you adjust the value of ∆V in case of a deviated well? Why?

Question 2:

A deviated exploration well is being drilled to the top of a gas sand. An anomaly has been seen on seismic at
around 8500 ft TVD, however serious analysis carried out indicated that the anomaly is not serious and does
not in any way impact on the expected delivery, drilling and output over the life of the well, therefore, it was
adjudged to continue drilling. Surface casing has been set and next hole section drilled without serious
problems.

The well KOP is at 1000 ft, 1.5deg/100 ft BUR to a maximum inclination of 34.5 o at 3300 ftah and the well
drilled tangentially to TD.

The 9-5/8”, 47 lbs/ft, casing was set at 7,000 ftah. While drilling the 8-1/2” hole section, the mud pumps have
been giving serious problems. Circulating pressure was not affected.

The 8-1/2” hole was drilled successfully and 7” Liner set. While running the 7”, 20 lbs/ft, N80 liner, the crew
was unable to set the liner hanger and the liner was set and cemented on bottom with shoe at 11,500 ftah
with TOL at 6800 ftah.
The liner was cleaned out. Drilling continued with 5 7/8” hole to 12,500 ftah when the driller closed in the well
after a drilling break.

Drill string in use is.

DC’s = 4 ¾” x 2” x 650 ft
DP’s = 3 ½“ 15.5# ‘G105’ 6000 ft
5” 19.5# ‘G105 to surface

Well Data:

Tangent to TD 12500 ftah.

Mud weight = 0.495 psi/ft
Took 25 bbls influx, closed in: Pann = 1250 psi Pdp = 850 psi

1. What is the formation pressure?

2. What is the influx gradient?
3. Draw phase 1 kill graph, given that the slow circulating rate pressure at the start is 750 psi (Wait & Weight
Method)
4. What is Pchoke at the end of phase I?
5. Will the liner shoe break down while circulating out the influx, given that the shoe strength is 0.7 psi/ft?

Question 3:

While planning a vertical well, 244.48 mm casing is planned with the shoe at 2,191 m. The TD of the 215.90 mm
hole below the casing shoe is planned at 3,658 m.

The planned drilling assembly for the hole section will consist of; 137 m of DC (158.75 mm x 71.44 mm) and 127
mm, 29.02 kg/m NC50 Grade E DP to surface.

There is some uncertainty with respect to the pore pressure at the well TD as follows (17.53 to 18.31 kpa/m).
However the mud weight planned for the hole section is 17.92 Kpa/m

Other data:

Capacity of 215.90mm open hole = 0.0366 m3/m

215.9 OH/127 DP Ann. Capacity = 0.0239 m3/m
215.9 OH/158.75 DC Ann. Capacity = 0.0168 m3/m

Assuming an influx gradient of 2.25 Kpa/m, what is the minimum formation strength gradient required at shoe to
be able to handle an 8m3 influx taken at TD.

Question 4:

An exploration well Ukson-1X is being drilled onshore Nigeria. The 9-5/8” casing have just been run and cemented
at 13,200 ft. The plug was bumped at 1450 psi and the casing pressure tested as per program.

The wellhead was installed and while doing the BOP test, it was observed that mud was leaking out from the Side
outlet valve that gives access to the annulus between the casing that has just been run and the 13-3/8” casing.

On careful investigation, it is concluded that about 40 bbl of mud must have flowed out of the valve into the cellar.
The mud in use during the operation was 0.5 psi/ft.

The SOV is closed and a pressure gauge is successfully installed after about ½ hr. The gauge reads 210 psi. An
additional ½ hr later the pressure gauge is now reading 240 psi.

As part of the investigation to understand what is happening, it is discovered that the caliper data underestimated
the open hole volume by about 10% less than it should have actually been.

The cementing programme is as follows;

Spacer Ahead = 500 ft (Fresh Water)

Spacer Behind = 5 bbls
Slurry density = 0.8 psi/ft
Planned TOC = 450 ft into the previous casing shoe (13 3/8” casing shoe @ 6968 ft tvd BDF)

Additional Information: There is a permeable Hydrocarbon bearing sand at 7000 ft tvd BDF. The pressure in this
sand is estimated at 3417 psi.

a. Describe what happened and how it could happen.

b. Calculate the size and gradient of the influx based on your previous answer.
c. How can the problem be solved?
d. What will be the approximate maximum expected surface pressure during the killing procedure? Show in
calculations how you obtain this.

Question 5:

A vertical well has been drilled. An inflow test is to be performed. A retrievable packer is to be set in the casing 10m
above the plug. The plug is to be inflow tested, the differential pressure for the inflow test must be
3000 Kpa.

The well is first circulated to heavy mud S.G. 1.8 to kill the well. The plug is set at 3450m on wireline. A retrievable
packer test string is run and the packer set at 3440m. The circulating ports above the packer are
opened and fresh water is pumped down the drillstring to achieve the underbalance.

The following table lists the flow rates in litres/min that are measured during a period of time after the test begins.
What do the results indicate?

Time 00:15 00:30 00:45 01:00 01:15 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:15 02:30

Flow Rate 100 98 90 85 88 75 66 55 50 40