TIME ZONE 1

SCHOOL OF ENERGY, GEOSCIENCES, INFRASTRUCTURE & SOCIETY

Institute of Petroleum Engineering

G10DR

DRILLING ENGINEERING

Semester 1 – 2015/16

Duration: 2 Hours

1. This is a closed book examination

1. This paper contains two sections – A and B.

2. Answer ALL QUESTIONS from SECTION A and SECTION B.

3. This examination is marked out of 60 and represents 100% of the assessment.

4. State clearly any assumptions used and intermediate calculations made in

numerical questions. No marks can be given for an incorrect answer if the
method of calculation is not presented.

5. The allocation of marks within each question is shown in brackets in the right
hand margin.

6. Please attach the exam paper to the completed answer books using the treasury
tag provided.

Attachments: Volumetric capacities

Unit Conversion Tables

DO NOT REMOVE THIS PAPER FROM THE EXAM HALL

Heriot-Watt University Drilling Engineering G10DR – 2015/16

SECTION A

A1. Draw and label a sketch of the component parts of the circulating system on a
conventional land drilling rig.
(4)

A2. Describe two reasons why stabilisers are used in the drillstring.
(2)

A3 Briefly describe the design features of the teeth on a roller cone bit which would be
suitable for a hard shale formation.
(4)

A4. Show (using a P-Z diagram) how the strength of the formation just below a casing shoe
is calculated when a Leak-Off Test is performed.
(4)

A5. Describe one of the most important functions of a drilling fluid, the properties of the
fluid that help fulfil this function and the additive which is used to control the property.
(2)

A6. Draw and label a shear stress/shear rate diagram showing the properties of a Bingham
plastic drilling fluid.
(2)

A7. State the main functions of a wellhead.

(2)

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Heriot-Watt University Drilling Engineering G10DR – 2015/16

SECTION B

B1. Whilst drilling the 12 1/4" hole section of a vertical well with a mudweight of 11.5 ppg the
driller detects a kick. The well is shut in and the following information is gathered

Surface Readings :

Shut in Drillpipe Pressure : 800 psi

Shut in Annulus Pressure : 1070 psi
Pit Gain : 40 bbls

Hole / Drillstring Data :

Hole Size : 12 1/4 "

Depth of kick : 7700 ft. TVD
Previous Casing Shoe : 13 3/8", 72 lb/ft
Depth 13 3/8" shoe : 3600 ft. TVD
LOT at Previous shoe : 2880 psi (0.80 psi/ft Equivalent Mudweight)

SCR Test : Pc1 = 280 psi @ 2bpm

BHA : Bit : 12 1/4"

Drillcollars : 480 ft of 9" x 2 13/16"
Drillpipe : 5", 19.5 lb/ft

a) Calculate and discuss the following :

i. The mudweight required to kill the well.

ii. The type of fluid that has entered the wellbore
iii. The time taken to complete stage 1 of the well killing operation (assuming
that the 'one circulation method' is to be used and a kill rate of 2bpm is to be
used).

(10)

b) How would the above calculations be affected if this well was a deviated well and the
kick was taken whilst drilling in the tangent section of the well?
(2)

c) When a blowout occurs then another well is drilled to intercept the blowing well so that
heavy mud can be pumped into the bottom of the blowing well from the bottom. This
well will be drilled with a rotary steerable system (RSS). Describe how the non-rotating
Steerable Stabiliser on the rotary steering system works and what concerns we might
have about using this device.
(4)

d) Describe the radius of curvature model for calculating the position of a survey station
and suggest why it is considered to be more accurate than the average angle model.
(4)

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Heriot-Watt University Drilling Engineering G10DR – 2015/16

B2. The 9 5/8" production casing of a well is to be cemented in place using a single stage
cementation procedure. The details of the job are as follows:

Mechanical Configuration :
12 1/4" Hole Depth : 9730 ft.
9 5/8" Casing Shoe : 9700 ft.
Previous Casing Shoe (13 3/8" 72 lb/ft) : 3600 ft.
Shoetrack : 80 ft.
Mudweight in hole during cement operation : 14 ppg

Cement Details :
Top of Cement : 3100 ft.
Class of Cement : class 'G'
Density : 15.8 ppg
Yield : 1.15 ft3/sk
Mixwater Requirements : 5.0 gal./sk
Additives retarder : 0.2%D13R

Use 20% excess volume on open hole:

a) Calculate :

i) The number of sacks of cement required for the job.

ii) The volume of mixwater required.
iii) The required displacement volume.
v) Pressure on the bottom of the hole at the end of the displacement
(12)

b) Why would the Driller want to know the displacement volume in the above calculation?
Why would the Driller be concerned if the volume actually pumped during the operation
was greater than or less than that calculated above?
(4)

c) Describe (with the aid of diagrams) how the internal pressures would be determined
when calculating the maximum burst load on the above casing?
(4)

END OF PAPER

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Heriot-Watt University Drilling Engineering G10DR – 2015/16

Attachment I

VOLUMETRIC CAPACITIES

bbls/ft ft3/ft

Casing
9 5/8" 40 lb/ft Casing: 0.0758 0.4257

Drillpipe
5" drillpipe : 0.01776 0.0997

Drillcollars
9" x 2 13/16" Drill collar: 0.0077 0.0431

Open Hole
12 ¼" Hole 0.1458 0.8185

Annular Spaces
12 ¼" hole x 5" drillpipe 0.1215 0.6822
12 ¼" hole x 9" drillcollars: 0.0671 0.3767
12 ¼" hole x 9 5/8" Casing: 0.0558 0.3132
13 3/8" Casing x 9 5/8" Casing: 0.0581 0.3262

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Heriot-Watt University Drilling Engineering G10DR – 2015/16

Unit Conversion Tables

1. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF UNITS

To convert from To Multiply by

acre meter2(m2) 4.046873E+03
atm MPa 1.013250E-01
atmosphere pascal (Pa) 1.013250E+05
bar pascal (Pa) 1.000000E+05
bar MPa 1.000000E-01
barrel meter3 1.589873E-01
bbl/day meter3/day 1.589873E-01
centimeter of mercury (0C) pascal (Pa) 1.333220E+03
centimeter of water (4C) pascal (Pa) 9.806380E+01
centipoise pascal second (Pas) 1.000000E-03
centistokes meter2 per second (m 2/s) 1.000000E-06
cp Pas 1.000000E-03
cSt mm2/s 1.000000E+00
cu in meter3(m3) 1.638706E-05
cubic yard meter3(m3) 7.645549E-01
darcy m2 9.869233E-13
degree (angle) radian (rad) 1.745329E-02
degree API g/cm3 141.5/(131.5+˚API)
degree Celsius kelvin (K) Tk = Tc + 273.15
degree Fahrenheit degree Celsius Tc = (TF -32)/1.8
degree Fahrenheit kelvin (K) Tk = (TF + 459.67)/1.8
degree Rankine kelvin (K) Tk = TR /1.8
dyne newton (N) 1.000000E-05
dyne cm newton meter (Nm) 1.000000E-07
dyne/cm2 pascal (Pa) 1.000000E-01
foot in (inch) 1.200000E+01
foot meter 3.048000E-01
foot of water (39.2F) pascal (Pa) 2.988980E+03
ft lbf joule (J) 1.355818E+00
ft lbf/hr watt(W) 3.766161E-04
ft lbf/min watt(W) 2.259697E-02
ft lbf/s watt(W) 1.355818E+00
ft/hr meter per second (m/s) 8.466667E-05
ft/min meter per second (m/s) 5.080000E-03
ft/s meter per second (m/s) 3.048000E-01
ft/s2 meter per second2 (m/s2) 3.048000E-01
ft2 meter2(m2) 9.290304E-02
ft3 meter3(m3) 2.831685E-02
g/cm3 kilogram per meter3 (kg/m3) 1.000000E+03
gallon (U.K.Liquid) meter3 (m3) 4.546092E-03
gallon (U.S.Liquid) meter3 (m3) 3.785412E-03
hour second 3.600000E+03
hydraulic horsepower hhp kW 7.460430E-01
inch meter 2.540000E-02
inch meter (m) 2.540000E-02
inch of mercury (32F) pascal (Pa) 3.386380E+03
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Heriot-Watt University Drilling Engineering G10DR – 2015/16

inch of mercury (60F) pascal (Pa) 3.376850E+03

inch of water (39.2F) pascal (Pa) 2.490820E+02
inch of water (60F) pascal (Pa) 2.488400E+02
kelvin degree Celsius Tc = Tk - 273.15
kgf m newton meter (Nm) 9.806650E+00
kgf s2/m (mass) kilogram (kg) 9.806650E+00
kgf/cm2 pascal (Pa) 9.806650E+04
kgf/m2 pascal (Pa) 9.806650E+00
kgf/mm2 pascal (Pa) 9.806650E+06
kilogram force (kgf) newton (N) 9.806650E+00
kilogram mass (kgm) lbm 4.420751E-02
kilowatthour (kW hr) joule(J) 3.600000E+06
km/hr meter per second (m/s) 2.777778E-01
lbf N 4.448222E+00
lbf/in2 GPa 6.894757E-06
lbm kilogram (kg) 4.535924E-01
lbm kg 4.535924E-01
lbm/ft3 kg/m3 1.601846E+01
litre meter3(m3) 1.000000E-03
micron meter (m) 1.000000E-06
mile meter (m) 1.609300E+03
millibar pascal (Pa) 1.000000E+02
millidarcy m2 9.869233E-16
s/ft s/m 3.280840E+00
ohm centimeter ohm meter (m) 1.000000E-02
pascal (Pa) psi 1.451000E-04
poise pascal second (Pas) 1.000000E-01
pound force (lbf) newton (N) 4.448222E+00
ppg psi/ft 5.200000E-02
psi MPa 6.894757E-03
psi/ft kPa/m 2.262059E+01
psi-1 Pa-1 1.450377E-04
scf/bbl standard m3/m3 1.801175E-01
sq in meter2(m2) 6.451600E-04
stokes meter2 per second (m 2/s) 1.000000E-04
tonne kilogram (kg) 1.000000E+03
ton (UK) kilogram (kg) 1.016047E+03
watt Js-1 1.000000E+00
yard foot 3.000000E+00

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Heriot-Watt University Drilling Engineering G10DR – 2015/16

2. SI UNIT PREFIXES

multiplication factor SI prefix Symbol

1018 exa E
1015 peta P
1012 tera T
109 giga G
106 mega M
103 kilo k
102 hecto h
10 deka da
10-1 deci d
10-2 centi c
10-3 milli m
10-6 micro 
10-9 nano n
10-12 pico p
10-15 femto f
10-18 atto a

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