Actions upon taking a kick

Shut in procedures
Secondary Well Control
Schlumberger Policies: I.2
It is the Driller’s responsibility to close the well in if a kick is indicated or
suspected.

Early recognition of the warning signals and rapid shut-in are the key to
effective well control.

By taking action quickly, the amount of formation fluid that enters

the wellbore (Kick) is minimized.

Relevant step by step procedure to shut the well in or divert, as

applicable, must be posted in the vicinity of the Driller’s panel.
 Kick Size and Severity Lower Choke or Annulus pressure
On initial closure and later when
the Kick is on Surface
Minimizing kick size is Less Stress on Equipment
fundamental for the safety of Smaller Kicks
Lower Pressure On Formations in
a Well Control operation. Open hole, at initial closure and
during Killing Process
Less Stress on OH Formations
RISK Bigger Kicks could result in Formation Breakdown
or Equipment Failure or Both

Controllable Parameters Controlled by

Degree of underbalance Mud Weight Maximize (Other concerns)
Length of reservoir exposed ROP & Kick Detection Time
Time well remains underbalanced Kick Detection & Shut In time
Wellbore diameter Hole size Plan Pilot holes in Hi Risk wells

Non-controllable Parameters Formation permeability

and type of influx
 Kick Size Measures to Minimize Kick Size

Maintain State Good Hole

of Readiness. Monitoring
Practice Good During All
quality Drills to Operations
continuously
improve proficiency

Early Detection
and Shut In
Equipment Tested, Awareness, Training,
Functional and Behavior of Crews.
Correctly Lined Up. Leadership
Space outs known
If in Doubt: Shut In Empowerment.
 Actions When Well is Kicking (Underbalanced)

Hard Shut-in
Depending
Shut In OR On Policy

Notify
Soft Shut-in
MIC

Ensure that The Well is Secure. Check for Leaks on Surface, BOPE, Joints etc
Crew will Assist the Driller in Doing This. Direct Flow line to Trip Tank to monitor

Record Pressures (DP and Casing, with Elapsing Time . Keep a Pr build up Record with Time)

Record Pit Gain . Estimate Height and Gradient of a Kick (When Stabilized)

Estimate Migration Rate If Gas is Migrating. Implement Corrective Action

(Driller to implement actions as Directed)
 Used When Fragile, Low strength
Formations are Exposed

Soft Shut-in To Minimize the Surge Pressure on

Formation is Primary Concern(Low MAASP)

Mostly Used under Known Conditions, Is a

method of choice in Specific Conditions

Used When Shutting Quickly and

Minimizing the Influx is a Primary concern
Hard Shut-in Used When Formations are strong and
competent, Deep Hi pr area

It’s the Method of Choice in Most

Conditions
Equipment Line up Procedure: For SOFT SHUT- IN

At The Time of Drilling, All BOP’s are Open

and Kill line & Choke HCR’s Closed

Choke Line Down stream of HCR is Kept

Open Via Remote Choke, Going to MGS

Remote Choke is Kept Open

SOFT SHUT- IN Procedure Imp To Keep
Running the Pump
After a positive flow check or alarm,
When Pick up
Stop rotation to Space out
To Minimize
Pick up the drill string to shut-in position Underbalance
(APL) working
Stop the pump

Open remote control choke line valve (HCR)

Flow is Diverted thru the
Close annular Choke line , Remote choke
to Open line going to MGS
Close choke on manifold

Notify Tool Pusher (supervisor)

Well is Now Closed
Line up well on Trip Tank and monitor (Shut In)
Record time, SIDPP, SICP and pit gain.
Ensure the Well is secure and there are no
leaks
Soft Shut-in
Schlumberger Policies: I.19
The Driller will check all choke manifold, diverter and overboard valves
for proper setting at beginning of each tour.
Open HCR Close Annular Close Remote Choke

SICP
Equipment Line up Procedure: For HARD SHUT- IN

At The Time of Drilling, All BOP’s are Open

and Kill line & Choke HCR’s Closed

Choke Line Down stream of HCR is Kept

Open Via Remote Choke, Going to MGS

Remote Choke is Kept Closed

HARD SHUT- IN Procedure Imp To Keep
Running the Pump
After a Positive Flow check or alarm,
When Pick up
Stop Rotation to Space out
To Minimize
Pick up the Drill string to Shut-in position Underbalance
(APL) working
Stop the pump

Close Pipe Rams or Annular (as policy)

Well is Now Closed
Open Remote control choke line valve (HCR)
(Shut In)

Notify Tool Pusher (supervisor)

Line up well on Trip Tank and monitor Open HCR to Read the
Annulus Pressure
Record time, SIDPP, SICP and pit gain.
Ensure the Well is secure and there are no
leaks
Hard Shut-in
Schlumberger Policies: I.19
The Driller will check all choke manifold, diverter and overboard valves
for proper setting at beginning of each tour.
Open Upstream Valve before
Close Rams Open HCR starting to circulate (if closed)

SICP
Recording Pressures: After shut in (Stabilization)

Step No Time DP Pressure Casing Pressure

1 1020 120 130
2 1022 130 145
3 1025 140 160

Readable step changes should be Recorded and Plotted on a

time Vs Pressure Chart

More Accurate Records will Lead to more Accurate Evaluation

of Stabilization point

When there is a float in String, DP pressure will Not increase,

So float will have to be pumped open to read DP Pressure
Change
 Well Shut on a Kick
SICP + H + Hi = SIDP + H +HDP
SIDP
SICP – SIDP =HDP - Hi
HDP = Mg x hi
SICP

Gradient Of Mud = Mg Hi = IG x hi

Hyd Mud above influx in DP = H SICP – SIDP = Mg x hi - IG x hi

Hyd Mud above influx in Annl = H
Gradient of Influx Fluid = IG

SICP SIDP = (Mg - IG )

hi
Hyd influx in Annl = Hi
Height of Influx = hi
Hyd Mud in DP for influx height = HDP

BHP= CP + Hyd of Fluid in Annulus =SICP + H +Hi

BHP = SIDP = Hyd of fluid in DP =SIDP + H + HDP

IG = Mg - (SICP-SIDP)÷ hi
 Well Shut on a Kick
SIDP
IG = Mg - (SICP-SIDP)÷ hi

SICP SICP - SIDP = hi x (Mg –Ig)

Gradient Of Mud = Mg
In Almost all Conditions Mg > Ig
››› SICP > SIDP
Gradient of Influx Fluid = IG
In Some Conditions….SICP<SIDP
Lighter Mud in String /Heavy Mud In annulus
Height of Influx = hi
Annulus loaded with Too Much Cuttings
Mud Lighter than Influx (Mg <Ig)
Kick Fluid (Influx) Entered String
Kick Fluid (Influx) Gradient

Kick fluid gradient is not required for kill procedure.

It can be useful to determine the magnitude of Max surface

pressures (Annulus) expected.

It will help with the planning and Readiness for safe Handling
and Disposal of the Influx (Kick Fluids) when it arrives on surface.

Influx Type Influx Gradient

Gas 0.05 - 0.2 psi/ft
Oil 0.3 - 0.4 psi/ft
Water > 0.4 psi/ft
 Gas Migration Rate ?
ft/hr Source Date Document

1000 Louis Records 1960’s

2000-5760 LSU/Conoco/IADC 1975 SPE 4552
3543 Center for Industry of skinning 1987 “All About Blowouts”
6372-vert Schlumberger Cambridge 1990 SPE 20431
5760 Schlumberger Cambridge 1991 SPE Drilling, Dec ‘91
3183 Rogaland Research 1992 SPE 24580
5900-7200 Schlumberger Cambridge 1993 SPE 26331
6000 Schlumberger Cambridge 1994 SPE 27499
7396-10000 BP Exploration 1995 IADC Euro WCC
4132 Mining U. Leoben, Austria 1995 SPE 27878

Average: 4,000 to 6,000 feet per hour

 Gas Migration Rate
The MAIN Factors affecting gas migration rate:

1. Size of gas bubble (depend of permeability)

2. Hole Angle
• fastest between 15 and 30 degrees
• after 45 degrees slows down
• zero gas migration in 90° wells
3. Geometry
• S-shaped, Horizontal
• small deviations in wellbore can keep gas trapped
4. Rheology
• solubility of gas into either mud type is affected by the rheology
of the mud
Surface Pressures After Shut-in
Water Base Mud & Vertical Well

Pressure Build-Up Gas migration (Constant volume)

SICP
Pressure

SIDPP

The angle of the Pressure Build-Up is a

valuable information regarding pressure and
permeability of the reservoir.


Time
 Surface Pressures After Shut-in
Water Base Mud & Vertical Well

b
Pressure

b depends on :
Gas Migration Rate

 depends on :
Degree of Under balance (FP – Hydrostatic Pressure)
Permeability

Time
 DP Pressures After Shut-in
Water Base Mud & Vertical Well
Pressure

Pressure
Time Time

High Imbalance Low permeability Low Imbalance Low permeability

Pressure

Time Pressure
Time

High Imbalance High permeability

Low Imbalance High permeability
 Surface Pressures After Shut-in
Horizontal Well (Gain in horizontal section)

No migration, gas is trapped

Pressure Build-Up in the horizontal section and
cannot migrate.
Pressure

SIDPP & SICP


Time
Determining S.I.D.P.P. Pump Open Float
With a Float valve into the string: (Or Bump the Float)

Pump into the Drill Pipe When the rate of

increase of the DP Shut off the
at a Slow & Steady rate pressure changes pump and
and Closely monitor significantly, or the CSG Record the
Drill pipe and Casing pressure just begins DP pressure
Pressure to rise……..

SIDP CsgP
STOP

DP Pressure
Pressure

Volume Pumped

This value will be the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDP)

Increase Casing Pressure by a Readable +ve Value(20-40 Psi)
Excessive increase will lead to Equivalent Hi SIDP (Over)
Controlling BHP increase due to Gas Migration
Bit On Bottom, No Float In String: Simple Case

SIDP
SIDP
+ ∆P

SICP SICP
+ ∆P

∆P = H X Mgr

SIDP2 = SIDP + ∆P

SICP2 = SICP + ∆P
H BHP2 = BHP + ∆P

Gas On Bottom Gas Migrated

BHP = FP BHP = FP + ∆P
 BHP Has Increased By ∆P To Restore the BHP to Original
due to Gas Migration Value…..??
Safety
Sm: Margin DP Pressure can be Reduced to
SIDP Original SIDP By Bleeding Mud
+ ∆P From Annulus (Keep SAFETY Margin)
∆P = H X Mgr
SICP
+ ∆P Casing Pressure will not come back
SIDP2 = SIDP + ∆P to Original value After Bleed
SICP2 = SICP + ∆P Because… The Hydrostatic head of
Fluid in Annulus has Unloaded…….
BHP2 = BHP + ∆P
……..Equal to the Hydrostatic Head
To Maintain BHP which the Bled Mud provided when
= FP + Sm it was in hole
H Maintain DP Pressure Hydrostatic Head of Fluid In DP is
= SIDP + Sm(50-100 Psi) Not Changing
Gas Migrated
Warning
BHP = FP + ∆P Attempt to Maintain Casing Pressure will lead
to Underbalance, more and More Influx, Higher
Csg pressures.. …Hi Pressure on formations …
Determining I.C.P.

without SCR’s or SIDPP:

 Bring pump to speed holding a constant casing pressure

 When the pump is at kill rate speed
 Switch to the DP pressure gauge

 Read the Initial Circulating Pressure : ICP

Trapped Pressure
Pressure In Excess of The BHP Required to Balance the FP ( With slight overbalance) is
Called Trapped Pressure which can arise while Killing due to.. Plugging etc
Can Have Potential to cause Damage to Formations, well bore integrity and result in
Lost Control

Any time the circulation is stopped and the choke is closed during a kill operation, there
is a risk to dynamically trap pressure in the well. To restart, it is important to relieve this
extra pressure to ensure that the BHP is equal to the Formation Pressure (FP )
So that no additional unnecessary pressure is maintained on bottom over FP

Find out the Remaining SIDP at the time well is shut (Kill mud going in string) Any pr in
excess of this RSIDP is the trapped Pressure. After Kill @ bit, RSIDP=Zero

Bleed the pressure in stages (100 Psi) Record bled Vol and obs for Build back, DP and
Csg both should drop by same value . Trapped pr will not come back
 Exercise
500 Annular Cap. OH/DC = 0.03 bbl/ft
630 SCR @ 40 spm = 600 psi

- Formation Pressure ?
500 + 0,052 x 10 x 10000 = 5700 psi
- Kill Mud Weight ?
10 5700
11 ppg
10,000 ft ppg 0,052 x 10000 =
-ICP?
TVD 500 + 600 = 1100 psi
-FCP?
11
x 600 = 660 psi
10
- Initial casing pressure ?
500 ft TVD 630 psi
- Height of influx ?
10
= 333 ft
0,03
Pit Gain = 10 bbl Gradient of Influx ?

500 - 630 + 173

500 + 0,052 x 10 x 333 = 630 + 333 x gG >>> = 0,13 psi/ft >>> GAS
333
To circulate the influx we will add a margin of about 100 psi.
Valérie