Horizontal Well Control

Technology Transfer
Horizontal Well Control
Horizontal
Well
Control
Research & Engineering

Slide No.1 Sedco Forex Jul93
Sedco Forex is now drilling several development

wells a year in which the final section is horizontal.
As one of the aims for the operators is to enhance the
final production of their reservoirs it is probable that
the numbers of such wells will continue to increase.
To date the procedure has been to drill the wells with
the standard policies and practices laid out in the well
control manual.
Is this adequate ?
What are the differences between horizontal and
vertical wells, or even deviated wells and vertical
wells which could give us problems ?
1 V1.0C
Technology Transfer

We will consider the similarities and differences
in the four main areas of well control ;
Kick Avoidance
Kick Detection
Shut-in
Kick Control
- Drilled Kicks
- Swabbed Kicks

If we look at the four main areas of well control we

can ask three questions
What, if any, are the differences ?
How, if at all, will it effect us ?
What should we do about it ?
2 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Kick Avoidance
Known Formations
Fewer Appraisal Wells
Drilled Kick
Mud Weight Drop
Sealing Fault to Higher Pressure Zone
Loss Circulation
Large Section of Reservoir Exposed
Cuttings Bed on Low Side

Whilst a horizontal well is being drilled it is normally

for development purposes. This means that there is
previous experience in the area and the formation
pressures should be well known. This should help in
choosing the correct mud weight.
We must not be complacent as there is a growing
tendency towards early production with fewer
appraisal wells being drilled.
The main dangers for a kick whilst drilling come from
allowing the mud weight to drop,mud going into loss
circulation zones, or drilling across a fault to a high
pressure zone.
As you are tripping in a known producing zone then it
is always possible to swab the well in. If the well is
swabbed, the production zone could be very
extensive leading to large influx volumes.
There is also the problem of cuttings build up on the
low side of the well, which may increase the tendency
to swab by reducing the annular clearance.
3 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Kick Detection
Influx In = Mud Out

Early Detection Best
Flow Rate Increase From Well
Pit Volume Gain
Good Trip Monitoring Essential

The geometry of the well does not alter the fact that
formation fluid coming into the well will displace
drilling fluid from the well.
We need to continue to emphasise the need for
control of the mud pits to ensure that gains are not
disguised by mud transfers. A reliable flow paddle
system will assist in faster detection of kicks.
As we saw in earlier work unless the formation goes
under balance then it is very unlikely that a flow check
will be positive especially in OBM. Any influx
swabbed into the horizontal section is unable to
migrate and will produce a negative flow check.
A negative flow check does not mean there is no
influx
Again it comes back to proper control of the trip tank
whilst coming out of the well.
4 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Shut-In
If the influx is in the horizontal section

SIDPP SICP
Influx Type Unknown
Assume a Worst Case, Gas

If the influx remains in the horizontal section then the

influx will not reduce the hydrostatic pressure in the
annulus. The SIDPP and the SICP will then remain
very similar.
Currently these pressures are used to help estimate
the influx density. This estimate will not work in a
horizontal well
We do not need to know the influx type for successful
well control. We can always assume a worst case of
gas.
The new MDS system will allow influx typing in WBM
from a measure of system compressibility during
shut-in.
5 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Kick Control
Once we have shutin on a horizontal
well what do we do next ;
How do we fill our kick sheet ?
OR
How do we get back to bottom ?
Lets look at both in turn.

The well is shut in. If it was a drilled kick we would

normally work out our pumping pressure schedule
and proceed from there. Can we just use the
standard kick sheet ?
If we are off bottom we need to get back to bottom
before trying to circulate out the kick. The well was in
control before we started tripping so we need to get
rid of the influx to regain control.
6 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Exaggerated Horizontal Well
M D 10,000 ft
T V D 5,000 ft
OMW = 10 ppg
SCRP = 500 psi @ 4 bbl/min
SIDPP = 1000 psi
10,000 ft of 5" Drill Pipe @ 0.017224 bbl/ft

If we look at an extreme horizontal well we could

envisage some thing like this.
A 10,000 ft measured depth well with a true vertical
depth of 5,000 ft and a horizontal displacement of
5,000 ft. Even though it is unrealistic it allows us to
make some points
Suppose that we shut in a kick with a drill pipe
pressure of 1000 psi and that the original mud weight
was 10 ppg
The pre-recorded SCRP was 500 psi at a pumping
rate of 4bbl/min
The drill string is comprised solely of 5" drill pipe with
a capacity of 0.017224 bbl/ft.
7 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Standard Wait & Weight

KMW = SIDPP 0.052 TVD + OMW
KMW = 1000 0.052 5000 + 10
KMW = 13.85 ppg
ICP = SCRP + SIDPP
ICP = 500 + 1000 = 1500 psi
FCP = SCRP x ( KMW OMW )
FCP = 500 x ( 13.85 10.00 ) = 692 psi
String Volume = 10,000 x 0.017722 = 172.2 bbl

Time to Bit = 172.2 bbls 4 bbls/min = 43 mins
BHP @ Shutin = 1000 + ( 10 x 0.052 x 5000 ) = 3600 psi

Suppose we now apply the standard well control

manual wait and weight method.
We can find our required kill mud weight from the
SIDPP and the TVD of the well.
This will also enable us to work out our initial and final
circulating pressures.
We then need to find the time taken for the kill mud to
reach the bit. For this we must use the measured
depth of the well to calculate our string volume. This
gives us a time of 43 minutes to kill the drillstring.
As a final calculation we could work out our bottom
hole pressure prior to starting the well kill operation.
From the SIDPP and the hydrostatic pressure we get
3600 psi
8 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Pumping Pressure Schedule

1600 1600
Initial Circulating Pressure
1400 1400
Final Circulating Pressure

1200 1200
1000 1000
800 800
600 600
400 400
200 200
0 0
0 43
Time

From all the preceding work we can now plot our

pumping pressure schedule and use that to kill the
drillstring and eventually the well.
This is probably the procedure that would be
employed today on any Sedco Forex rig that took a
kick in a horizontal well.
9 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
BHP During Well Kill

4000
Perfect Kill
3900 W&W Kill
BHP ( psi )
3800
3700
3600
3500
3400
0 21.5 43
TIme ( Mins )

But the aim of any well control operation is to

maintain a constant bottom hole pressure which is
equal to the formation pressure.
We previously saw that the bottom hole pressure
when the well was shut in was 3600 psi so any well
control method we use should maintain this pressure.
However if we look at the bottom hole pressure we
would impose by following the normal vertical well
wait and weight method we can see that it peaks at
21 1/2 minutes and is about 300 psi above that which
is required for well control.
At this point the kill mud has reached the TVD of the
well. If we were to stop the pumps and record the
SIDPP it would be zero. The standard kick sheet
assumes that as the kill mud is half way to the bit
then the SIDPP would be halved. It requires that a
back pressure is held on the choke to control the
BHP, and allow for the remaining SIDPP, whilst
circulating.
10 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Two Questions
We can see there is a need for a better approach to

the Kick Sheet. We need to decide two things ;
How to divide the well up by depth ?
How to find the pressure at each depth ?
There is more than one answer to each question.

11 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Four Section Methods

Rather than consider the well as one continually
varying profile from the vertical to the horizontal two
methods have been proposed which split the well into
four sections.
Vertical Section
30 Section
60 Section
Horizontal Section

The idea of both of these methods is to simplify the

well into straight line segments that make it easier to
find the TVD at certain MDs.
Both methods require that the end point of each
section is defined with a measured depth and a
vertical depth. Both use different approximations to
define these points. Once these points have been
found the TVD at any measured depth can be found
from simple trigonometry.
12 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Four Section - TVD Method
Vertical section
KOP
30 30 Section
60 KOP + 0.5( TVD - KOP )
60 Section
TVD
Horizontal Section

One suggestion has been to split the well into four

sections using the TVD and the kick off point, KOP.
The thick black line shows the actual well and the
grey shading shows the effect of using the
approximation.
The attractive idea of this proposal was that the driller
only need know his KOP and TVD to work out the
vertical depth at any measured depth. Unfortunately
there are so many different geometries that this would
not work in all cases. For example the 60 projection
in this slide would underestimate the bottom hole
pressure for that section by making you think that
your TVD was less than it actually was.
13 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Four Section - Geometric Fit
Vertical section
30
30 Section
60
60 Section
Horizontal Section

The other method of splitting the well into four

sections is more complex. This time the sections are
chosen by drawing tangents to the well profile. The
transition from one section to another is thus assured
to fit the well profile and a close estimate of TVD
could be found.
The main problem with this method is that the
simplest direct way to do it is to physically draw
tangents on a well profile plot. The method requires
that you already have access to a full set of well
deviation data which you then try to simplify.
14 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
TVD Data Sheet
BOREHOLE DRILL STRING DATA MEASURED TRUE VERTICAL DEPTH

SECTION DETAIL CAPACITIES bbls/ft DEPTH DEV OF COSINE MD X COSINE DEV
No. D/STRING ANNULUS D/STRING ANNULUS SECTION CUM ANGLE OF DEV SECTION CUM
1 RISER C/L 0.01746 0.0087 450 0 1 450
2 5" DP 9 5/8 CSG 0.01746 0.0489 2300 2750 0 1 2300 2750
3 5" HW 9 5/8 CSG 0.0087 0.0489 450 3200 0 1 450 3200
4 5" DP 9 5/8 CSG 0.01746 0.0489 1128 4328 0 1 1128 4328
5 5" DP 9 5/8 CSG 0.01746 0.0489 1287 5615 30 0.866 1115 5443
6 5" DP 9 5/8 CSG 0.01746 0.0489 911 6526 60 0.4985 459 5902
7 5" DP 8 1/2 OH 0.01746 0.046 756 7282 60 0.4985 377 6279
8 5" DP 8 1/2 OH 0.01746 0.046 4000 11282 90 0 6279
9 5" HW 8 1/2 OH 0.0087 0.046 270 11552 90 0 6279
10 6 1/2" DC 8 1/2 OH 0.0087 0.046 120 11672 90 0 6279
11
12
TOTAL MD 11672 TVD 6279
( After Drilling And Production Training Centre, Horizontal Well Control Course )

Irrespective of which of the four section proposals is

used the next step is similar. Once the well is split the
methods then go on to use the cosine of the angles to
find the TVD at the end of each section of measured
depth. As only two angles, 30 and 60 are used, the
cosine could be simply considered as a multiplication
factor.
The above example shows one way of finding the
required information. This could be considered as the
same as filling out the pre kick data sheet.
The reality is that whilst drilling a horizontal well the
information linking TVD to MD will be readily
available. The use of some intermediate step such as
drawing tangents only adds to the complication and is
another potential source of error.
15 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
10 Section - Measured Depth

The simplest way to split the well up is to do it by

measured depth, as is done with the current kick
sheet.
The well can be split into ten convenient sections of
measured depth and then the TVD found for the end
of each section of measured depth.
This information is easily found from the directional
driller, survey personnel or from any survey program.
There will always be several sources of this
information on the rig whilst a horizontal well is drilled.
The time to find out about this is before it is required
not after. It should be regarded as part of your pre-
recorded data.
16 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Pumping Pressure
Calculations remain the same for :
Initial Circulating Pressure, ICP
Final Circulating Pressure, FCP
But how do we reduce ICP to FCP as the
kill mud is pumped :
Measured Depth of Kill Mud ?
Vertical Depth of Kill Mud ?
We have seen that the measured depth
approach gives a bad answer.

Once the well has been split up we then need to find

the standpipe pressure required to keep the bottom
hole pressure constant as the kill mud is pumped.
The basic calculation of the initial and final circulating
pressures remains the same. We need to find some
means of calculating the pump pressure at the points
in between.
The initial look at the exaggerated right angle well
showed us that the use of the measured depth of the
kill mud gave a bad answer. The obvious next step is
to look at reducing the pressure uniformly with the
vertical depth position of the kill mud
17 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
TVD Kick Sheet

INITIAL CIRC FINAL CIRC INCREMENTAL
TVD
[ ]
PRESSURE PRESSURE KILL GRADIENT
2026 - 1877
1877 6279
6279 == 0.022
0.022
SECTION PRESSURE PRESSURES DRILL STRING ANNULUS

DECREMENT =
BORE SECTION TVD X INITIAL CIRC PRESSURE
HOLE INCREMENTAL KILL MINUS CUMULATIVE BBLS STROKES BBLS STROKES
SECTION SECTION GRADIENT CUMULATIVE DECREMENT
No. TVD DECREMENT SECTION CUM SECTION CUM

1 450 11 11 2015 8 69 69
2 2300 55 66 1960 40 341 410
3 450 11 77 1949 4 34 444
4 1128 26 103 1923 20 168 612
5 1115 26 129 1897 22 188 800
6 450 11 140 1886 16 136 936
7 377 9 149 1877 13 113 1049
8 70 597 1646
9 2 20 1666
10 1 12 1678
11
12
( After Drilling And Production Training Centre, Horizontal Well Control Course )

The required kill mud weight and the initial and final
circulating pressures are all found as normal.
There is then one new item that has to be found. The
Incremental Kill Gradient. This finds the reduction in
standpipe pressure as the kill mud is pumped down
each foot of the vertical depth.
The reduction along each component of the drill
string can then be found from its vertical depth times
the kill gradient. This can then be taken from the
initial circulating pressure to find the circulating
pressure at the end of each of the drill string
components.
In this case the final circulating pressure is reached
when the kill mud reaches the TVD of the well
irrespective of whether it has reached the bit.
18 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
TVD Vs Standard
Kick Sheet
2050
TVD Kick Sheet

Circulating Pressure ( psi )
2000 Standard Kick Sheet
1950
1900
1850
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Total Strokes

The standpipe pressure graphs produced from the

standard kick sheet and the TVD kick sheet are
compared above.
We can see that the TVD kick sheet reaches the final
circulating pressure after about 1050 strokes. The
circulating pressure is then held constant as the kill
mud is pumped along the horizontal section.
This method has allowed us to reduce the standpipe
pressure by about 50 psi as the kill mud starts into
the horizontal section.
But if we consider how we find our final circulating
pressure there is something odd. The final circulating
pressure is the amount by which the slow circulating
rate pressure will INCREASE because of the kill mud
in the string. As the string is not yet full of kill mud
there must be some pressure increase still to come
as it enters the horizontal section. Yet the final
circulating pressure has been reached and we cannot
allow any further increase for risk of breaking down
the formation
19 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Split the Pressure

The calculation can be greatly improved at the expense of
a slight complication. Instead of finding a single
circulating pressure. We find its two components ;
Static Pressure
the SIDPP during the drillstring kill
Dynamic Pressure
the pump pressure whilst killing the drillstring
The circulating pressure becomes the sum of the two.

From the previous slide we can see there is a

problem. The circulating pressure should not remain
constant as the kill mud is pumped along the
horizontal section. It should increase and yet we
cannot increase the final circulating pressure. We can
improve the calculation if we consider the circulating
pressure to have two parts.
The first, the static pressure reflects the reduction in
the SIDPP as the kill mud is pumped down the
drillstring.
The second, the dynamic pressure reflects the
increase in the pump pressure as the kill weight mud
is pumped along the string.
The actual circulating pressure comes from the
combination of these two effects.
20 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Static Pressure
The STATIC pressure at any time in the kill is
related to the TVD of the kill mud. The STATIC
pressure will DECREASE the further the kill mud is
pumped.
The STATIC pressure can be found at any time in
the kill from ;
TVD P
Static Pressure = SIDPP - SIDPP x
TVD T
Where TVDP is the vertical depth of the kill mud at

the time and TVDT is the total vertical depth of the
well

If we first consider how the static pressure will

change. As the kill mud is pumped the heavy weight
mud will counteract the SIDPP and it will decrease.
If we were to stop the pumps when the kill mud is at
the TVD of the well then the SIDPP would be zero.
At any time whilst the kill mud is being pumped the
remaining SIDPP, if we stopped the pumps, would
depend only on how close the kill mud was to the
TVD.
In the equation we can see that when TVDP equals
TVDT , kill mud at TVD, then the division is one and
the static pressure is zero. Conversely when TVDP is
small and the kill mud close to surface then the static
pressure is close to the original SIDPP.
21 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Dynamic Pressure
The DYNAMIC pressure at any time in the kill is related

to the MD of the kill mud. The DYNAMIC pressure will
INCREASE as the mud is pumped.
It can be found at any time in the kill from ;
MDP
Dynamic Pressure = SCRP + ( FCP - SCRP )
MD T
Where MDP is the measured depth of the kill mud at

that time and MDT is the total measured depth of the
well

On the other hand as the kill mud is pumped along

the pipe the heavier mud will increase the dynamic
pressure.
This should increase from the initially recorded slow
circulating pressure to the calculated final circulating
pressure.
This depends only upon how far along the drill pipe
the kill mud is. The FCP - SCRP is effectively the
calculated increase in pump pressure.
When MDP equals MDT , kill mud at bit, then the
dynamic pressure is the same as the FCP. When
MDP is small then the dynamic pressure is similar to
the SCRP
22 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Circulating Pressure
The CIRCULATING PRESSURE at any time is then :
STATIC PRESSURE + DYNAMIC PRESSURE
The pressures must be calculated with the kill mud at the

same place in the string.

The circulating pressure whilst the kill mud is being

pumped to the bit is simply the sum of the static and
dynamic pressures. The main thing to ensure when
summing up the Dynamic and the Static pressure in
the well is that both calculations were done for the
same physical point in the string.
23 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Horizontal Well Control Horizontal Kick Sheet
WELL CONTROL KICK SHEET
( Horizontal Extension )
Complete the standard Sedco Forex kick sheet up to Section G 1. You should then fill out this sheet to allow you to calculate your pumping pressure graph. You need to
transfer the following information to this sheet.
Measured Depth = ........................ ft

True Vertical Depth = ........................ ft
Slow Circ Rate Press = ........................ psi
SIDPP = ........................ psi
Final Circ Pressure = ........................ psi
Strokes To Bit = ........................ stks
You can then find the Pressure Increase :
Pressure Increase = F.C.P. - S.C.R.P. = ........................ psi
You should then break the well up into ten sections of measured depth, ensure the well profile is adequately described, and place the values in Row A of the table
below. You should then proceed through the calculations line by line until the table is full. Once the table is full the values can be used to draw your pressure against
strokes graph as normal. The rest of the kick sheet is then filled out as usual.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A M.D. 0
B M.D. Ratio Row A Measured Depth 0
C Strokes Strokes To Bit x Row B
D D y n a m i c P r e s s u r eS C R P + ( P r e s s u r e I n c x R o w B )
E T.V.D. at M.D. in Row A 0
F T.V.D. Ratio Row E True Vertical Depth 0
G Static Pressure SIDPP - ( SIDPP x Row F )
H C i r c u l a t i n g P r e s s .Row D + Row G

If we look at how we can apply this concept to a kick

sheet we could produce a new kick sheet, instead we
have chosen to produce an extension to our existing
kick sheet.
The aim is to keep the process as consistent and
simple as possible. The standard Sedco Forex kick
sheet is filled out as normal to section G1. The
information required for the extension is then filled out
in the top section of the extension.
The ten sections of measured depth are then put in
the first row of the calculation sheet. The calculation
of the circulating pressure is then carried out line by
line.
The pump strokes vs pressure information can then
be plotted back on the original kick sheet.
24 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Horizontal Well Control Worked Example
WELL CONTROL KICK SHEET
( Horizontal Extension )
Complete the standard Sedco Forex kick sheet up to Section G 1. You should then fill out this sheet to allow you to calculate your pumping pressure graph. You need to
transfer the following information to this sheet.
Measured Depth = 11672 ft

True Vertical Depth = 6279 ft
Slow Circ Rate Press = 1700 psi
SIDPP = 326 psi
Final Circ Pressure = 1877 psi
Strokes To Bit = 1678 stks
You can then find the Pressure Increase :
Pressure Increase = F.C.P. - S.C.R.P. = 177 psi
You should then break the well up into ten sections of measured depth, ensure the well profile is adequately described, and place the values in Row A of the table
below. You should then proceed through the calculations line by line until the table is full. Once the table is full the values can be used to draw your pressure against
strokes graph as normal. The rest of the kick sheet is then filled out as usual.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A M.D.
0 1167 2234 3502 4669 5836 7003 8170 9338 10505 11672
B M.D. Ratio Row A Measured Depth
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
C Strokes Strokes To Bit x Row B
0 168 336 503 671 839 1007 1175 1342 1510 1678
D D y n a m i c P r e s s u r eS C R P + ( P r e s s u r e I n c x R o w B )
1700 1718 1735 1753 1771 1789 1806 1824 1842 1859 1877
E T.V.D. at M.D. in Row A

0 1167 2334 3502 4263 5554 6140 6279 6279 6279 6279
F T.V.D. Ratio Row E True Vertical Depth
0 0.186 0.372 0.558 0.736 0.885 0.978 1 1 1 1
G Static Pressure SIDPP - ( SIDPP x Row F )
326 265 205 144 86 38 7 0 0 0 0
H C i r c u l a t i n g P r e s s .Row D + Row G
2026 1983 1940 1897 1857 1827 1813 1824 1842 1859 1877

We can look at how this would work in practise with

the completed sheet above.
All the information has been transferred to the
extension sheet. The well has been broken into ten
uniform sections of measured depth. The vertical
depths corresponding to each of the measured
depths are put in row E. Remember this information
should be pre-recorded.
Although in this example the ten steps are exactly
equal this is not a requirement of the sheet. It would
work with any ten measured depth points. It is
probable that the most readily available points would
be at the survey depths. The ten surveys best
describing the well could be chosen.
Once the sheet is filled out we can plot our pumping
pressure schedule.
25 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
TVD Kick Sheet Vs Extension to Kick Sheet
2100
Circulating Pressure ( psi )
2050
TVD Kick Sheet
Extension
2000
1950
1900
1850
1800
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Total Strokes

We can now compare results from the extension to

the kick sheet with those from the the previously
examined TVD kick sheet. The most obvious
difference is that the extension sheet goes to a
minimum value before increasing to the final
circulating pressure. This increase comes about as
the heavy weight kill mud is pumped along the
horizontal section.
Another point to note is that the schedule is more
uniformly described by the ten points on the
extension than the ten points on the TVD sheet. This
would make it easier for the choke operator to follow.
26 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Comparison of
Bottom Hole Pressures
3600
Standard
Bottom Hole Pressure ( psi )
TVD Sheet
3550
Extension
3500
3450
3400
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Total Strokes

If we look at what is going on down hole during all

this then we can see several bottom hole pressures
depending upon which method is used.
Re-stating the goal of well control as maintaining a
constant bottom hole pressure we can see that only
one of the methods does this. The standard kick
sheet is the worst approximation. This gives an
excess pressure of about 125 psi in this case. The
TVD kick sheet is slightly better giving an excess of
about 75 psi.
They could be regarded as additional safety factors
but their potential size should be appreciated before
using them as such. Once a well geometry is decided
it is relatively simple to check on the possible extra
pressures incurred by using the standard kick sheet.
The formation breakdown is one obvious potential
problem with too high a pressure.
If a correction for deviation is required then the
extension to the kick sheet could be used
27 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Swabbed Influx
Trip sheet shows influx

Negative flow check
Run back to bottom
At some point gas displaced to vertical
Well goes underbalance and flows

If we consider influxes off bottom we should

remember that the only way we will pick up the
swabbed influx is from the kick sheet.
The influx will not migrate out of the horizontal
section. It will not reduce the hydrostatic whilst it is in
the horizontal section. This means that the flow check
will be negative even with a large influx.
The danger is that when we run back to bottom the
influx may be displaced out of the horizontal section
by the BHA. Once in the vertical it could reduce the
hydrostatic enough for the well to flow. The horizontal
section could then produce very quickly.
This means that we have to be especially vigilant
whilst running back in and be ready to shut the well in
at the first signs of flow.
28 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Kicks Off Bottom

Controlled Volumetric Stripping
No gas expansion until gas out of the horizontal
section
Bottom hole pressure maintained by correct use
of Pstep and Vstep
Once on bottom use the kick sheet if required or
circulation to remove swabbed influx

The running back in of the drill string may eventually

force the influx out of the horizontal section into the
vertical.
If the well is shut in the correct sequence of the
volumetric stripping method will ensure that the
correct bottom hole pressure is maintained by
allowing controlled expansion of the influx on the way
up. You are assuming a worst case by allowing for
the gas expansion all to occur in a vertical section.
If you get back to bottom without seeing any flow
there is still the potential for the well to go
underbalance when the swabbed influx is circulated
out of the horizontal section.
29 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Summary 1
Kick Avoidance
- On the plus side the formation is known
- On the negative side the formation is a
productive one
Kick Detection
- Same as an equivalent TVD well
- Good trip monitoring essential
Shut-In
- SIDPP = SICP
- Influx type unknown

30 V1.0C
Technology Transfer
Summary 2
Drilled Kick
Change required to kick sheet
Proposal based on measured depth
Split static and dynamic components
Swabbed Kick
Displace influx to vertical and cause flow
Volumetric stripping
Worst case assumption for vertical section

31 V1.0C

Horizontal Well Control

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Horizontal Well Control

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Technology Transfer

Horizontal Well Control

Research & Engineering

Sedco Forex is now drilling several development

Horizontal Well Control

Research & Engineering

If we look at the four main areas of well control we

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Whilst a horizontal well is being drilled it is normally

Influx In = Mud Out

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If the influx is in the horizontal section

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If the influx remains in the horizontal section then the

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The well is shut in. If it was a drilled kick we would

Exaggerated Horizontal Well

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If we look at an extreme horizontal well we could

Standard Wait & Weight

String Volume = 10,000 x 0.017722 = 172.2 bbl

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Suppose we now apply the standard well control

Pumping Pressure Schedule

Final Circulating Pressure

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From all the preceding work we can now plot our

BHP During Well Kill

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But the aim of any well control operation is to

We can see there is a need for a better approach to

How to divide the well up by depth ?

How to find the pressure at each depth ?

There is more than one answer to each question.

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Four Section Methods

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The idea of both of these methods is to simplify the

Four Section - TVD Method

60 KOP + 0.5( TVD - KOP )

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One suggestion has been to split the well into four

Four Section - Geometric Fit

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The other method of splitting the well into four

TVD Data Sheet

BOREHOLE DRILL STRING DATA MEASURED TRUE VERTICAL DEPTH

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Irrespective of which of the four section proposals is

10 Section - Measured Depth

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The simplest way to split the well up is to do it by

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Once the well has been split up we then need to find

TVD Kick Sheet

SECTION PRESSURE PRESSURES DRILL STRING ANNULUS

No. TVD DECREMENT SECTION CUM SECTION CUM

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TVD Kick Sheet

2000 Standard Kick Sheet

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The standpipe pressure graphs produced from the

Split the Pressure

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