Fundamental

Well Control Formulas

Employee Name:

Employee Number:

Revised: July 17, 2008

1. Total Pressure (psi):

Surface Pressure + Hydrostatic Pressure + Frictional Pressure Losses = ……………………...………...(psi)

2. Hydrostatic Pressure (psi):

a. Mud Weight ppg x 0.052 x TVD ft =……………………………………..…………………..………...(psi)

b. Pressure Gradient psi/ft x TVD ft =………………………………………...…………………..………...(psi)

3. Pressure Gradient (psi/ft):

a. Mud Weight ppg x 0.052 =……………………………………..…………………………………......(psi/ft)

Or for a single density fluid column with no surface pressure

b. Hydrostatic Pressure psi ÷ TVD ft =………………………………...……………..……………..…...(psi/ft)

4. Pressure Gradient (psi/ft) to Mud Weight (ppg):

Pressure Gradient psi/ft ÷ 0.052 =………………………………………...…………………..………....(ppg)

5. True Vertical Depth (TVD) of interest based on hydrostatic pressure:

Hydrostatic Pressure psi ÷ 0.052 ÷ Mud Weight ppg =……………………………………….....….(ft TVD)

6. Mud Weight (MW) based on hydrostatic pressure and TVD:

Hydrostatic Pressure psi ÷ 0.052 ÷ TVD of Interest ft =……………………………..………...……....(ppg)

7. Capacity (bbl/ft): Tool joints are not considered

ID in2 ÷ 1029 =………………………………………...………………………………………..…....(bbl/ft)

8. Annular Capacity (bbl/ft): Example – casing with drill pipe

(ID of casing in2 - OD of pipe in2 ) ÷ 1029 =………………………………………...……..................(bbl/ft)

9. Displacement: Dry Pipe (or no float installed):

(OD in2 - ID in2 ) ÷ 1029 =……………………………………………...…………...……..................(bbl/ft)

10. Displacement: Wet pipe (or float is installed):

OD in2 ÷ 1029 =…………………………………………………...………………...……..................(bbl/ft)

11. Number of strokes to pump:

a. Capacity bbl/ft x Length ft ÷ Pump Displacement (bbl / stroke) = …..…………………..……………… (strokes)

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 Kill Sheet Formulas

12. Kill Weight Mud (ppg): Round up to nearest 0.1-ppg

SIDPP psi ÷ 0.052 ÷ Bit Depth TVD ft + Mud Weight ppg = …………………..…...……………...…...(ppg↑)

13. Overbalance Pressure (psi):

(Kill Weight Mud ppg - Mud Weight ppg) x 0.052 x Bit Depth TVD ft – SIDPP psi =…………….............(psi)

14. Initial Circulating Pressure or ICP (psi):

SIDPP psi + Reduced Pump Pressure psi =……………………..………………...……............................(psi)

15. Final Circulating Pressure or FCP (psi):

Kill Weight Mud ppg ÷ Mud Weight ppg x Reduced Pump Pressure psi .……………...……......................(psi)

16. Pressure Drop per Step (While killing the drill string):

(ICP – FCP) ÷ 10 =……………...…….........................................................................................................(psi)

17. Strokes Increase per Step (While killing the drill string):

Drill String Strokes ÷ 10 =……………...…….......................................................................................(strokes)

18. Equivalent Mud Weight (ppg): Well shut-in and stabilized

Surface Pressure psi ÷ 0.052 ÷ TVD ft + Mud Weight ppg =……………...……..........................................(ppg)

19. Equivalent Circulating Density or ECD (ppg):

Annular Pressure Losses psi ÷ 0.052 ÷ TVD of Interest ft + Mud Weight ppg =……………...……...........(ppg)

20. Leak-Off Test or LOT (ppg):

Shoe Test EMW ppg (Round down to nearest 0.1-ppg)

a. Leak-Off Test psi ÷ 0.052 ÷ Shoe Depth TVD ft + Test MW ppg =………………………………….(ppg↓)

Total Shoe Leak-Off Pressure

b. Leak-Off Test Pressure psi + Test MW ppg x 0.052 x Shoe Depth TVD ft =…...……………………...(psi)

Shoe Test EMW ppg (Round down to nearest 0.1-ppg)

c. Total Shoe Leak-Off Pressure psi ÷ 0.052 ÷ Shoe Depth TVD ft =………………………………….(ppg↓)

21. Maximum Allowable Choke Pressure or MACP (psi):

(Shoe Test EMW ppg – Mud Weight ppg) x 0.052 x Shoe Depth TVD ft =................................................(psi)

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 Other Well Control Related Formulas

22. Bottom Hole Pressure or Formation Pressure (psi): Well shut-in and stabilized

SIDPP psi + Mud Weight in Drill Pipe ppg x 0.052 x Bit Depth TVD ft =...................................................(psi)

Assumes stabilized bottom hole pressure equal to formation pressure

23. SICP (psi): Well shut-in and stabilized

(Mud Pressure Gradient – Influx Pressure Gradient) x Height of Influx + SIDPP =................................(psi)

24. SIDPP Estimate with the Well Shut-in and Stabilized (psi):

Formation Pressure psi – Mud Weight ppg x 0.052 x Bit Depth TVD ft =...................................................(psi)

25. Pressure Change Estimate due to Pump Rate change (psi):

(New Strokes Per Minute ÷ Old Strokes Per Minute)2 x Old Pressure Loss =............................................(psi)

26. Pressure Change Estimate due to a Mud Weight Change (psi):

New Mud Weight ppg ÷ Old Mud Weight ppg x Old Pressure Loss psi =........................................................(psi)

Subsea Stack Well Control Related Formulas

27. Kill Line Monitor (psi): Pressure Gauge Estimate

BOP Stack Pressure psi – MW in Kill Line ppg x 0.052 x Length of Kill Line ft =......................................(psi)

28. Choke Pressure Immediately After Pump Start-up (Subsea Stack) (psi): Pressure Gauge Estimate

SICP psi – CLF psi = ......................................................................... .............................................................(psi)

29. Choke Line Friction Calculations:

a. (Open Hole Established): If pumping down the choke and/or kill line:

Pump Pressure psi = CLF psi ............................................................................................................................(psi)

b. If pumping down the kill line, across an isolated BOP (closed annular and bottom ram), up the choke line
and through a wide open choke:

(Pump Pressure psi – Choke Pressure psi) ÷ 2 = .............................................................................................(psi)

c. (Well Cemented and Not Drilled Out): If pumping down the drill pipe, up the annulus, up the choke line
and/or kill line, and through a wide open choke:

Pump Pressure psi – RPP psi – Choke Pressure psi = ......................................................................................(psi)

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 Volume Calculations

30. Pit Volume calculations (bbl, bbl/in, bbl):

Pit volume in barrels

a. Length ft x Width ft x Height ft ÷ 5.615 cubic ft/bbl =……………………………..…………………….(bbl)

Pit volume in barrels per inch

b. Volume bbl ÷ Height ft ÷ 12 in/ft =…...……………………………………………………………....(bbl/in)

Gained or Lost Pit volume in barrels per inch

c. Capacity bbl/in x Inches Gained or Lost in =…………………………………………………….……….(bbl)

31. Pipe Slugging Calculations (bbl):

Total volume returned to surface after slugging the pipe

Dry pipe or Fluid level drop in the drill pipe created by slugging the pipe
b. (Volume Returned bbl - Slug Volume bbl) ÷ Drill Pipe Capacity bbl/ft =…...…………………………….(ft)

32. Barite Weight-Up Calculations:

Sacks (100-lb barite each) required to weight-up a 100-bbl fluid volume

a. (New Mud Weight ppg - Mud Weight ppg) x 1470 ÷ (35 - New Mud Weight ppg) =……..….(sxs/100 bbl)

Total 100-lb sacks of barite required to weight-up

b. (Total Fluid Volume to be Weighted-Up bbl ÷ 100) x (Sacks per 100-bbl) =…...…………....(Total Sacks)

Pounds of bulk barite required to weight-up

c. Total Sacks x 100 =…………………………………………………………………………….……….(lb)

Total volume increase due to weight-up

d. Total Sacks x 0.068 =……….……………………………………………………………………………(bbl)

33. Triplex Pump Displacement (bbl):

Liner size 2 in x Stroke Length in ÷ 4118 =............................................................(bbl/stk @ 100% efficiency)

34. Flow Rate (bbl/min):

Strokes Per Minute stk/min x Pump Displacement bbl/stk =......................................................................(bbl/min)

35. Circulation Time (min):

Total Strokes stk ÷ Strokes per Minute stk/min =............................................................................................(min)

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36. Boyle’s Law (bbl, psi):

Note: P1 = Original or Known Pressure V1 = Original or Known Volume

P2 = New Gas Pressure V2 = New Gas volume

To determine the new gas volume

a. P1 psi x V1 bbl ÷ P2 psi = V2 bbl…………………………………………...…………………………..(bbl)

To determine the new gas pressure

b. P1 psi x V1 bbl ÷ V2 bbl = P2 psi =…...…………………………………………………………...…….(psi)

Workover Formulas

37. Bottom Hole Pressure or Formation Pressure (psi):

Formation Pressure Gradient psi/ft x Top of Perfs TVD ft =.........................................................................(psi)

38. Fracture Pressure (psi):

Fracture Pressure Gradient psi/ft x Top of Perfs TVD ft =.............................................................................(psi)

39. Pressure Required to Kill a Well in Workover Activities (ppg):

Formation Pressure + Overbalance Pressure =............................................................................................(psi)

40. Kill Fluid Density (ppg):

(Formation Pressure + Overbalance Pressure) ÷ 0.052 ÷ Top of Perfs TVD =..................................(ppg↑)

41. Overbalance Pressure (psi):

Kill Fluid Density ppg x 0.052 x Top of Perfs TVD ft - Formation Pressure psi =....................................(psi)

42. Bullheading Operations (psi):

Maximum Tubing Pressure Initial (psi)

a. (Fracture Pressure psi - Formation Pressure psi) + SITP psi =…………………………………………..(psi)

Maximum Tubing Pressure Final (psi)

Fracture Pressure psi - Kill Fluid Density ppg x 0.052 x Top of Perfs TVD ft =…...………...………….(psi)

43. Average Fluid Density in the Tubing (ppg):

(Formation Pressure psi - SITP) ÷ 0.052 ÷ Top of Perfs TVDft =..........................................................(ppg)

44. SITP Estimate with the Well Shut-in and Stabilized (psi):

a. (Formation Pressure psi - Tubing Fluid Pressure Gradient) x Top of Perfs TVD = …….…………..(psi)
b. Formation Pressure - Tubing Fluid Density x 0.052 x Top of Perfs TVD = …....……………. (psi)