Kick detection, well control, and formation "flow-back" interpretation now more effective

Pressure responses in both time and depth vary greatly from one well control situation to another. However,
similarities in the type of kick may result in a similar PWD (Pressure While Drilling trademark) log. For example, in a
typical salt-water kick, the influx occurs after the last connection is made and both a reduction in equivalent mud
weight (EMW) and an increase in the active pit totals are observed.
This kick is recognized, drilling activities are stopped, and the well is shut in. The wellbore becomes a closed system
and the downhole pressure sensor records a pressure buildup curve that reaches equilibrium at the pore pressure of
the invading formation.
This recorded data has been used to dissect well kill procedures and refine techniques used by rig crews. Normally
this information is not available in real time due to slow circulation rates. However, the complete record of the kill from
shut-in to circulating out of the kick is available when the downhole pressure sensor is retrieved.
Many times, determining well control problems from real-time, pumps-on, downhole pressure data is difficult in the
absence of other data. However, when these data are combined with conventional mud logging data, a clear picture
develops.

Pit volumes and gas-in-mud percentages indicate that the well

is underbalanced over the three historical connections. The
length of time taken to complete each of the first two
connections could account for the increase in flow-back pit
volumes and connection gas. Ambiguous surface data over
several connections are common, especially in loss/gain
situations. In fact, the rig crew did not raise the mud weight
until after the third connection produced a sustained pit gain of
approximately 10 bbl. An earlier response would have
prevented this influx.

Pumps off conditions

Downhole pressure sensing provides not only pumps-on data
but also three critical points during pumps-off conditions.
These points are the maximum, minimum, and average pressure
measurements, which provide solutions for missing data when
the pumps are off. It should be remembered that most
measurement-while-drilling (MWD) systems require some type
of fluid movement or pressure drop to transmit hydraulic
pressure pulses from the bottom hole assembly (BHA) to the
surface. By providing a limited amount of pumps-off
information, the downhole pressure service identifies the trend
of lower static EMW at each connection.
Well control issues can appear during any rig operation, but
especially dangerous is an influx while tripping. The
accompanying log example illustrates a kick occurring while
tripping out of the hole. After the incident, the pore pressure
measured 16.05 ppg. This value was taken after shut-in from the
stabilized downhole pressure build-up curve. Looking back,
both the circulating EMW and the static EMW just before the
short trip were greater than pore pressure. However, swab
pressures from the short trip lowered the EMW below pore
pressure and the well took a fluid influx. While tripping back in
the hole, a decrease was noted in the downhole pressure sensor as it entered the swabbed-in light gas.
The downhole pressure service only records these kinds of events. There is no circulation throughout the short trip
and none during the shut-in period of the well. Also, the slow pump rates required to kill wells normally are not great
enough to allow for real-time information to be transmitted. Future enhancements to this service will incorporate
solutions to acquiring real-time data throughout all rig operations, whether circulating or not.
Loss/gain

The phenomenon called borehole ballooning, breathing, or

loss/gain can result from drilling close to the fracture pressure.
Slow mud losses are observed while drilling ahead, followed by
mud returns after the pumps have been turned off, such as
during a connection or flow check. Usually any flows during
these periods are cause for concern because they may be
mistaken as an influx of formation water, liquid hydrocarbons,
or gas.
As noted previously, any influx from the formation can result in
a well control problem, the magnitude of which is dependent on
its volume and composition. However, if the flow is due to mud
returns, well control is not an issue. The question then is: "How
does one know unequivocally if it is an influx, or if it is mud that
was lost while drilling, flowing back into the wellbore?" If the
well is shut in, both situations typically show a pressure build
up (see Ward).
This loss/gain situation has often been mistaken in the field for
an influx of formation fluid. Misdiagnosis often leads to
unwarranted well control procedures that can be costly. One
way to identify such a situation is with downhole pressure
profile during pumps-off periods. A normal connection is
typically square shaped when the pumps are stopped and
started.
When the pumps are off, the EMW is equivalent to the mud
weight in the annular column, and in this case, about 14.5 ppg.
During circulation, the EMW is quickly established at a level
equivalent circulating density (ECD), in this examp le close to
15.5 ppg. As the loss/gain develops, the downhole pressure
connection profile changes. When the pumps are turned off,
the EMW slowly decays to the static mud weight as mud
bleeds back from the formation in a manner similar to an LOT.
When circulation is re-established, the EMW slowly builds up
to the ECD level as fractures are slowly re-filled.
Loss/gain is a relatively common problem in deepwater wells due to the low overburden. If a loss/gain situation is
misidentified as an influx, the normal response is to increase the mud weight. This soon leads to a total loss. The
correct response is to decrease the mud weight, decrease the ECD (reduce flow rate), or live with the losses and
gains.
Leak-off test

Normally, an LOT is performed at the start of each hole section

after drilling out a few feet below the casing shoe. The LOT is
designed to assess the cement and formation integrity. The
casing shoe is the weakest part of a gas-filled wellbore and is
essential in determining the kick tolerance for the next section.

The LOT can also give some information on the formation

strength as an upper limit for the ECD to prevent lost
circulation. However, casing shoes are often placed in relatively
strong formations, and much weaker zones can be drilled into
below. Occasionally open hole LOTs are performed after drilling
such zones.

A LOT is performed by shutting the well in and pumping at a

slow rate, normally with the cement pumps. The pressure is
allowed to increase until a slope-break in the pressure increase
curve is observed. Pumping is stopped and pressure held for a
few minutes to observe the fracture closure and then bled off.
A formation integrity test (FIT), in which the pressure is
increased until a set limit is reached, is sometimes preferred.
In most cases, the downhole and surface measurements differ.

The downhole EMW may be lower or higher, and differ by as

much as 0.5 ppg or more. The downhole pressure sensor
measures the LOT pressure at the formation and is as accurate
as the pressure gauge. LOT measurement errors at the surface
are due to a number of factors, including uneven annular mud
weight, pressure loss in surface lines, mud compressibility,
breaking gels, and poorly calibrated surface gauges.

In deepwater wells, the pressure and temperature effects on mud in the long cold riser usually mean that the
downhole mud density is higher than the surface mud weight. This often leads to an under-estimation of the LOT at
the surface, resulting in lower kick tolerances and shortened distances between casing strings. The downhole
pressure sensor records, and later transmits the pumps-off, LOT measurements upon circulation startup.
Traditionally, the well is circulated for an hour or more before each test to establish an even mud weight for the
surface test interpretation. Because the downhole pressure sensor measures the formation pressure directly, this
procedure is not necessary.;