WELL CONTROL

New dynamic low choke method kills wells

at balance point using surface-applied pressure
By Javed Shah, Well Control Group
2400

IN A WELL control situation when Leak-off at 2,234 kPa

the casing pressure reaches the maxi- 2200

mum allowable casing pressure (MACP), 2000

the choke operator reacts by opening the Surface Pressure to Pumps Off
choke to keep casing pressure at MACP, 1800 Reach Leak off (6 min)

thus reducing the bottomhole pressure 1600

(BHP) and inducing a bigger kick. Even

Pressure Applied (kPa)

when the gas is at surface, the casing 1400

pressure is kept at MACP, making the 1200

situation worse.
1000
The low choke method of well control
— used in killing wells where the cas- 800

ing pressure is at MACP — has major 600

shortcomings, such as what shut-in drill
pipe pressure (SIDPP) is being killed by 400

pumping heavier-density mud and what

200
is happening to the hydrostatic pressure
in the wellbore. 0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
A new approach to well control has been Volume Pumped (litres)
developed to address the situation when
the casing pressure reaches MACP while If a formation leak off test, shown in graph above, is required in the drilling program, the
circulating a gas kick. It allows opera- wellbore is pressured up to the point of breakdown.
tors to control the well and kill the well
at a balance point — exactly increase total depth of the well and pressure pre- surface around the conductor, and all
the mud density in the well to balance diction of the formations to be drilled. well control would be lost. Therefore, the
the SIDPP after the kick has been circu- The rig selection process ensures that well is never shut in, wellbore fluids are
lated out of the wellbore. This method the rig will be capable of drilling the well diverted away from the rig, and the well
was developed to utilize surface-applied safely and efficiently. The pressure rat- is circulated over to heavier drilling mud
pressure to control bottomhole pressure. ing of the well control equipment, such to control the formation pressure and
as blowout preventers and choke mani- kill the well.
This article describes the sequence of fold, deployed, while drilling the well,
pressures being applied to the wellbore is capable of containing the expected Pumping of the kill mud takes place at
as the drilling continues and after the formation pressures. The well control a high rate of circulation to outrun the
kick is taken. The pressure applied at the equipment installed should be able to unwanted influx entering the well. The
casing shoe and the bottomhole pressure shut in the well and contain the well shallow gas zones are limited in extent
are presented during the kick circula- pressures with or without the drill string and usually deplete soon. Most operators
tion. Details will be provided on the well in the hole. avoid drilling in areas that are prone to
control method as applied to circulate shallow gas-bearing zones.
the kick out and control bottomhole pres- A well-trained drilling crew will recog-
nize the kick warning signs and be able Surface hole drilling continues to the
sure by exceeding the MACP (with gas at
to shut in the well in case an influx of surface casing setting point. At this
surface) without losing control of the well
the formation fluid enters the wellbore. time, surface casing is run into the hole
or compromising wellbore integrity.
and cemented in place. The program-
recommended BOP stack arrangement
DRILLING, PLANNING SHALLOW GAS ZONES, is rigged up and pressure-tested as per
When the drilling of a well is undertaken, DIVERTER PROCEDURES regulatory standards. The stack will usu-
certain guidelines must be established in The surface hole is drilled using a con- ally contain an annular BOP, one or two
order to drill the well without setbacks ductor set and cemented at a depth of 20 sets of pipe ram BOPs (to close in the
that can lead to the total loss of the well. m (±60 ft) to 30 m (±100 ft). There is no well around the drill pipe to be used),
The drilling program specifies the casing well control equipment installed at this and one ram BOP having blind rams (to
setting points, the drilling fluids to use, time. If shallow gas zones are expected, close in on the open hole) when the drill
the types of bits to be used, well head a diverter is installed to divert the string is out of the hole.
equipment and the desired pressure rat- unwanted influx from shallow gas zones
ing of the well control equipment. away from the rig. The well is never shut TESTING
in to avoid gas broaching around the After the surface casing shoe is drilled
The drilling rig and well control equip-
conductor. If the integrity of the conduc- out and 5-10 m (15-30 ft) of new hole is
ment selection is based on expected
tor shoe is lost, the gas would broach to drilled, the drill cuttings are circulated

104 July/August 2007 D R I L L I N G CONTRACTOR

WELL CONTROL

out of the well. Using a high- soon as the drilling continues

pressure, low-volume pump, further, the open hole section
the formation strength exposed below the shoe does
(of the formation exposed not get tested to more than
below the casing shoe) is the annular pressure loss
established by carrying out and the hydrostatic pres-
a formation integrity test sure unless open hole leak
(the pressure being applied off tests are done and MACP
at the casing seat is pre- adjusted accordingly to a
determined, usually in the higher or lower value.
range of 18.1 kPa/m (0.8 psi
/ft), and the pump is stopped Choices for well control
when this pressure gradient methods, under normal con-
is reached). ditions, have been:

If the drilling program calls 1. DRILLER’S

for a formation leak off test,
the wellbore is pressured up METHOD
to the point of breakdown. The driller’s method is sim-
The pressure applied at ple and done in two steps.
the casing shoe at this time First, the gas influx is circu-
is the sum of hydrostatic In Pressure Test #3 on the wellbore, with circulation started, the lated out. Second, the well is
pressure (HP) (at the cas- displaced to kill mud density
pressure applied to the open hole during kick circulation is SIDPP +
ing seat) and the surface- to balance the shut-in drill
HP + APL + overkill. pipe pressure. This method’s
applied pressure.
Hydrostatic Pressure + Shut In Drill big advantage is that the
Leak Off Pressure (LOP at casing shoe) Pipe Pressure. circulation can start as soon as the well
= Surface Applied Pressure (from the shut-in pressures have stabilized.
graph) + HP (at the casing seat). This test is like a reverse leak off test.
Pressure is applied by the formation
These pressure tests are used to estab- instead of a high-pressure pump. If the
2. WAIT AND WEIGHT
lish the MACP by using the following wellbore integrity is lost at this time, the The wait and weight method applies
equation: drill pipe pressure would drop from a when the casing shoe is set deep in the
higher pressure to a lower pressure. well. There is no concern with the casing
MACP = LOP – HP (at the casing seat of
pressure reaching MACP. Usually the for-
the drilling mud in use). The industry, as a general rule, empha- mations exposed below the casing shoe
The MACP information is updated for sizes not exceeding MACP while circulat- have high fracture pressure. If the well is
the drilling crew as the drilling densi- ing the kick out of the well. This leads a high-pressure, high-temperature pros-
ties change with the wellbore depth. A to the problem of not even exceeding pect, the drilling fluid density is quite
new leak off pressure is only established the MACP with the gas at surface, as no close to the maximum fluid densities that
after the intermediate casing string is guidelines are available. can be used in the well. Therefore, there
installed/cemented in the well and the is still a chance that the formation might
Usually a MACP number with gas at
intermediate casing shoe is drilled out. break down. Since the well is deep, there
surface is posted at the drilling rig on
is no chance for the fracture to broach to
When a unwanted influx enters the well, the assumption that all mud from the
surface. Loss of circulation can be treat-
the appropriate BOP is closed to contain annulus has been displaced by gas.
ed with loss-circulation material. As the
the wellbore pressures and to prevent This would be possible if the well were
well is deep, the kick will be circulated
the wellbore fluids from venting at the opened up completely and all the well-
out and the well displaced to kill fluid at
rig floor. The release of the fluids (under bore fluid is blown out of the well. The
the same time.
pressure) is facilitated using the choke new MACP is calculated (with gas at sur-
at the choke manifold, which is located face) by multiplying the leak off gradient
usually about 25m (75 ft) away from the with the shoe depth. In this approach, 3. CONCURRENT METHOD
drilling rig and the well centre. gas density is ignored, with no consid- The concurrent method of well control
eration being given to the amount of gas is designed to circulate the kick out and
in the returning mud, giving a very high partially kill the well in the first circula-
PRESSURE TESTS number for MACP. tion. In subsequent circulations, the well
Pressure test #1: Until the well experi- can be balanced and mud system evened
ences a kick, the only pressure test on In reality, after setting the casing, usu-
out. As the weight material is added to
the well is hydrostatic pressure and the ally a leak off test is not done, and all
the mud being pumped down the drill
annular pressure loss (friction pressure the MACP calculated numbers are based
pipe, the mud properties have to be con-
lost while pumping the drilling mud from on assumed leak off gradient. Usually
ditioned for the drilling to continue.
total depth to surface). the leak off gradient is 18.1 kPa/m (0.8
psi /ft). The formation may or may not Choice of the well control method
Pressure Test #2: After the kick is hold this equivalent leak off gradient. In depends on the surface casing setting
taken, the well is shut in, and the pres- the absence of a leak off test, the casing depth, the surface shut-in pressures,
sures are allowed to stabilize. The pres- cement job integrity is also questionable. migration rate of the gas influx, and bar-
sure test at this time on the well is: Even if a leak off test is conducted, as ite mixing capabilities of the rig.

106 July/August 2007 D R I L L I N G CONTRACTOR

 WELL CONTROL

All these methods can be implemented • What happens to the hydrostatic pres- earlier in the circulation. If the wellbore
if there is a big difference between the sure in the well when the crew adds integrity was there earlier, why should it
SICP (shut-in casing pressure) and the ±2 sacks of barite in the mud system not be there a few hours later?
posted MACP. Most often the room to through the hopper?
MACP (difference between SICP and In a situation where the operator is
MACP) is a function of kick volume in • The barite-carrying capabilities of the already at MACP as soon as an attempt
the well and not a function of abnor- mud is not even considered, so it could is made to shut in the well, the same
mal formation pressure. The volume of settle out as soon as the circulation is approach can be taken and casing pres-
kick in the annulus dictates the SICP. stopped. sure can be increased gradually.
Therefore the larger the kick volume in Initially when the addition of barite If the drill pipe pressure keeps increas-
the annulus, the more chances that cas- is started, the differential pressure ing along with a reduction in the
ing pressure will reach MACP during between the drill pipe and annulus pit volume, the wellbore integrity is
the circulation. During the initial start increases, forcing the casing pressure to apparent under dynamic conditions.
of circulation of the kick, the well is sub- increase. The choke operator is trying to If while increasing the casing pres-
jected to Pressure Test #3, in which the keep the casing pressure at MACP, there- sure, no increase in drill pipe pressure
pressure applied to the open hole during fore the choke has to be opened more to is observed, partial loss circulation is
kick circulation is SIDPP + HP + APL + control the pressure. As the choke open- indicated and the casing pressure can
overkill. ing is increased, the bottomhole pres- be backed off to cut down on the partial
Once the initial circulation pressure is sure reduces, increasing the chances losses. Using the pressure approach is
established, with no drop in the drill pipe of letting more influx into the well until better to establish the true SIDPP before
pressure, it can be said that the open the heavy mud turns the corner at the increasing the density. After the kick has
hole is capable of handling this applied bottom of the drill pipe. Whenever the been circulated out, the well can be shut
pressure. low choke method is applied, sooner or in and the overkill bled off to establish a
later both chokes are wide open and true shut in drill pipe pressure.
Established pressure is RSPP + SIDPP the straight thru line in the manifold is
Javed Shah is a professional engineer and
+ APL + Overkill (if any is used). opened. All the mud is circulated to the has 24 years of experience with well control
flare pit, and the mud volume has to be operations and training.
There have been no guidelines for the rebuilt before well control operations
operators to follow when the casing can continue. This article is based on a presentation sched-
pressure is close to MACP or is going uled for the IADC Well Control Conference of
to exceed MACP on initial shutting-in The dynamic low choke method was the Americas, 28-29 August 2007, Galveston,
Texas.
of the well. All established well control developed to give an alternate method
procedures emphasize not exceeding the to apply when the shut-in casing pres-
posted MACP, when the casing pressure sure is close to MACP on initial shut-in
reaches this pressure. This could happen or the shut-in casing pressure is going to
on initial shutting in of the well or during exceed the posted MACP and the gas is
the circulation of the initial kick. While at surface.
circulating the influx out of the wellbore,
if the MACP is reached, the rig crew con- The method utilizes surface applied
trols the casing pressure at the MACP by pressure to control bottomhole pressure,
keeping the casing pressure constant. without barite addition. After the gas has
been circulated out of hole, the mud den-
The only available method of well control sity can be increased exactly to kill the
has been the low choke method of well well at a balance point as it can be based
control. This method calls for increas- on the shut-in drill pipe pressure.
ing the pump speed to drilling rate, hold
casing pressure at the posted MACP and It is common knowledge that the hydro-
start adding barite to increase the den- static pressure at the casing shoe
sity of the mud in the well. reduces drastically once the gas is at
surface. With gas at surface, if the choke
is closed instead of being opened (to
LOW CHOKE METHOD keep the casing pressure at MACP), the
The method calls for opening the choke, casing pressure starts to rise and MACP
holding casing pressure at MACP, start- is exceeded. The bottomhole pressure
ing pump at drilling rate and adding bar- also starts to increase, and the entry of
ite at ±2 sacks of barite per minute. It the second kick starts to slow down and
further calls for the crew to keep pump- eventually stops. As soon as the drill
ing the heavy fluid into the well until the pipe pressure reaches the original estab-
well is killed. lished initial circulating drill pipe pres-
sure (Pressure Test #3), the operator
Draw back to this approach has been: can maintain the circulating drill pipe
• Barite should be available on location. pressure.

• At higher rates of pumping, what is the Although the MACP has been exceeded,
probability to wash out the choke or sur- the well has not seen any extra pres-
face equipment? sure than what was already applied to it

D R I L L I N G CONTRACTOR July/August 2007 107

WELL CONTROL

Dynamic Low Choke Method

Well is shut in and shut-in pressures are established, but the SICP 2. Hold casing pressure at MACP.
is close to MACP (100 kPa or ±30 psi below MACP): No gas at Establish the circulating DP.
surface.
3. As circulation continues, close
1. Open the choke and bring pump to reduced speed (allows better the choke and increase the CP by
control of choke and reduces chance of washing out surface equip- 200 kPa (30 psi or one gauge divi-
ment). sion) each time.

2. Hold casing pressure at MACP. Observe the DP pressure for an

Record the circulating drill pipe identical increase (indication of well-
pressure. bore integrity).

As the kick is circulated to surface, 4. Keep increasing the casing pres-

the drill pipe pressure will drop and sure until the pit gain stabilizes
there will be a continuous feed of (pit gain should stop increasing
formation fluids into the well, mak- at a rapid rate as formation stops
ing it impossible to keep bottom- feeding gas into the well, and pit
hole pressure above the formation gain starts to drop, with drill pipe
pressure. circulating pressure staying stable).
Record the circulating DP pressure.
3. Once the kick is at surface, cal-
culate the drop in circulating drill 5. Now keep the DP pressure con-
pipe pressure. stant till all the kick is circulated out
2 - circulating with and the well can be shut in.
2 - Circulating kick (casing 4. Start closing the choke to
CP at MACP
pressure at MACP) exceed the MACP by the amount of
drop in drill pipe pressure
until the drill pipe pressure
is at the original circulating
drill pipe pressure (recorded
in step 2).

As the gas entry at the bot-

tom of the well is stopped,
the pit volume will start to
reduce. This indicates that
the bottomhole pressure is
now higher than the forma-
4 - Gas at surface tion pressure.

5. Keep the drill pipe pres-

sure constant at this pres-
sure until all the kick is
circulated from the well.

6. Stop pump and shut in

the well. Check pressures.
Shut-in drill pipe pressure
5- MACP exceeded by 1,200 kPa and shut-in casing pressure
should be equal. 4 - Exceeding MACP 5 - Well shut in with CP
below MACP
Kill mud can be now
mixed to the correct
density and step 2
of the driller’s meth-
od used to displace
the well to kill mud.

6 - Gas circulated out and well shut in

Now the kill mud density can be mixed
and well circulated over to kill mud,
using step 2 of the driller’s method.

Unable to shut in the well: Gas at sur-

face.

1. Open the choke and bring pump to

reduced speed.
Dynamic low choke - with gas at surface and
1 - Kick taken, CP at MACP CP at MACP

108 July/August 2007 D R I L L I N G CONTRACTOR