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Blowouts: "Blowouts Continue To Occur at About A Constant Rate... "

The document describes the causes and prevention of blowouts during drilling operations. It provides the following key points: 1) Blowouts can occur when higher than expected formation pressures are encountered, fluids are swabbed into the wellbore during trips, or mud weight is too high causing formation breakdown. 2) The four principal causes of well kicks are swabbing, insufficient mud weight, losses of drilling fluid, and failure to properly fill the hole. 3) Around 20-40% of blowouts result from kicks taken during trips due to human error. Immediate closure of the well is critical to prevent escalation. 4) Prevention involves conducting flow checks, reacting to warning signs like drilling

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Muhammad Shahrukh
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153 views18 pages

Blowouts: "Blowouts Continue To Occur at About A Constant Rate... "

The document describes the causes and prevention of blowouts during drilling operations. It provides the following key points: 1) Blowouts can occur when higher than expected formation pressures are encountered, fluids are swabbed into the wellbore during trips, or mud weight is too high causing formation breakdown. 2) The four principal causes of well kicks are swabbing, insufficient mud weight, losses of drilling fluid, and failure to properly fill the hole. 3) Around 20-40% of blowouts result from kicks taken during trips due to human error. Immediate closure of the well is critical to prevent escalation. 4) Prevention involves conducting flow checks, reacting to warning signs like drilling

Uploaded by

Muhammad Shahrukh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Blowouts

“Blowouts continue to • Formation with a higher


occur at about a than expected pressure
was penetrated
constant rate...”
• Formation fluids were
swabbed in during a trip
• Formation breakdown
and lost circulation
occurred because
– the crew lowered the
drill-string to fast
– mud weight was too high
Four Principal Causes Causes of
Well Kicks
• Swabbing • Swabbing (30 - 60 %)
• Insufficient mud weight
– pore pressure higher than • Insufficient fluid density
expected (40 - 50%)
– reduction of hydrostatic
pressure
» watering back • Losses (15 - 25 %)
» rain water
» gas cut mud • Failure to fill hole (5 - 10%)
• Losses
• Failure to fill the hole
properly
Causes of Blowouts
• Between 20 - 40 % of • Contributing factors
all recorded blowouts – misinterpretation of hole
are the result of kicks condition
taken during round – misinterpretation of mud
tripping condition
– the well was initially – pipe pulling speed
under hydrostatic control – incorrect interpretation of trip
when the drilling phase tank data / failure to observe
was concluded well
– human error is main – Incorrect fill-up procedures
cause of kicks taken – simultaneous unmonitored
during round trips operations
– Unclear instructions to crew
Swabbing
• Swabbing • Increased chance of
– due to the drillstring swabbing
“dragging” mud and – pulling pipe too fast
causing a negative – poor mud properties
pressure below the • high gel strength
bit (low volume • thick mud cake
swabbing)
– balled-up bit
– due to piston effect
– tight annular clearance
(high volume
swabbing)
Closing-in procedure for kicks
during round trips
• At the very first sign • install the RHKC and
of flow, however close it.
insignificant, the well • close the ram preventer
(hard close-in)
should be closed-in
• open the HCR (choke
closed)
• read and record
annulus pressures at 5
minute intervals
• record influx volume
Kick Prevention
• Size and severity depend • Prevention
on: – Conduct regular flow checks
• degree of underbalance – React to warning signs
• formation permeability / • drilling breaks
porosity
• shale sloughing
• reaction time to close-in
• gas cut mud
– decision to close in the
Well is responsibility of the • increased salinity
Driller React to positive
– no hesitation in closing in indications
the well » flow check
– after closing in - » close in well
EVALUATE
Loss of Primary Control

Well Kick
– size and severity depend on:
• degree of underbalance
• formation permeability / porosity
• reaction time to close-in
– immediate decision to close in the Well is the
responsibility of the Driller
– there should be no hesitation in closing in the well
– after closing in - EVALUATE
Kick Indications
• Kick Warning Signs • Positive Indications
– Well flows with pump – increase in flow rate.
shut down – Increase in pit level
– Drilling break (fast or
– Decrease in
slow)
circulating pressure &
– Increase in rotary
increase of pump
torque
speed
– Change of cuttings
size / density – Hole does not take
proper amount of
– Gas / Water cut mud
mud
False Alarms
Balooning
• The plastic behavior of shales in the
overbalanced mode
• Characterized by:
– gas shows from recently drilled sand layers
– loss of drilling fluid when circulation is started
– gain of fluid after circulation is stopped
– CIDPP equal to the ECD value
Shallow Gas
• Most Dangerous Kick!! • Primary defense
– virtually no warning – early identification
before well unloads – avoidance
– rapid increase in flow • Shallow gas exists
followed by gas at
surface when a shallow sealing
formation exists
• Hidden dangers
– flow after circulation • Identification
stopped (ECD) – Seismic Surveys
– flow when hole circulated – soil boring surveys
clean – Pilot hole drilling with
– High volume swabbing LWD
whilst tripping
High Volume Swabbing

POOH Formation packing off -


High volume swabbing taking place

Martin-Dekker

Conditions
• Formation packing off
• fluid not draining around bit
• pulling fluid column up (MD >)
• Bottom hole pressure (BHP) Dropping
(inside dp & below bit))
• BHP dropping = formation pressure (Po).

Bottom Hole Pressure


High Volume Swabbing

Internal blowout underway

Martin-Dekker

Conditions
• Formation packing off
• fluid not draining around bit
• pulling fluid column up (MD >)
• BHP < formation pressure (Po).
•Formation fluid entering DP

Bottom Hole Pressure


High Volume Swabbing
Precautions:
• Run a float sub
• Do not pump a trip pill
• Pump out of hole*
Martin-Dekker
• POOH slowly
* If not
• Use trip tank
• Check dp level during R/T

BIT PACKING OFF AGAINST


FORMATION.

INDICATIONS:
• Overpull
• Excessive returns
• Drillpipe level drops
• Bottom hole pressure drops below Bottom Hole Pressure
Shallow Gas reservoir pressure
Development of a Swab kick
into a near Blow-out: Stage 1 0

Situation
2000
• 8 3/8” bit at 11500 ft ready
to POOH 4000

• Overbalance on gas 6000


bearing formation at bottom
= 680 psi 8000

• Mud gradient = 0.774 psi/ft 10000

• Form. gradient = 0.72 psi/ft 11500 ft

12000
• Gas gradient +/- 0.13 psi/ft
14000
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Development of a Swab kick
into a near Blow-out: Stage 2
0

Situation
• During trip out to 5900 ft 2000

swabbing has occurred 4000


• Slight flow is detected POOH to 5900 ft
• Overbalance on gas 6000

bearing formation at bottom


8000
now = 480 psi
• Gain at surface +/- 12.5 bbl 10000

• Open hole filled with gas 11500 ft


12000
cut mud (shown as bubble)
14000
2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Development of a Swab Kick
Into a Near Blow-out: Stage 3
0

Situation.
2000
• Bit and drillcollars are run
into hole - well flowing 4000
slightly.
• Influx is displaced behind 6000

BHA and sharp reduction of 8000 RIH to 9100 ft


BHP occurs.
• Gain at surface +/- 32 bbl. 10000
11500 ft
• Overbalance on gas 12000
bearing formation at bottom
now = 0 psi. 14000
2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Development of a Swab kick
into a near Blow-out: Stage 4
0

Situation
2000
• Well flowing strongly, driller
continues to RIH 4000

• Overbalance lost
6000
• Producing from reservoir
• Gain at surface +/- 60 bbl 8000 RIH to 9200 ft

• Gas bearing formation at


10000
bottom now severely 11500 ft
underbalanced 12000

14000
2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Development of a Swab kick
into a near Blow-out: Stage 5
0

Situation
2000
• Well closed-in
• Total influx vol. = 120 bbl 4000

• Closed-in annulus pressure


6000
1450 psi
• Well control was lost 8000 RIH to 9200 ft

• Bit is still 2300 ft off bottom


10000
• Well control operation to 11500 ft
recover situation difficult 12000

and risky
14000
2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

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