Kill Procedures

Pressure Control
Kill Procedures
Well Kill Procedures
Driller’s Method
 The Driller’s Method of controlling a

kick requires two circulations.
 The intruding formation fluid (gas, oil

or salt water) is circulated out of the
hole during the first circulation while
holding a constant pressure against the
formation to prevent further intrusion.
Driller’s Method
 Holding a constant pressure against

the formation while circulating out the
intruding formation fluid is achieved by
maintaining a constant drill pipe
pressure while circulating at a
constant, predetermined rate through
an adjustable choke.
Driller’s Method
 This constant drill pipe pressure is

controlled by pumping at a constant
rate while varying the size of the
opening in the choke.
 The drill pipe pressure is the sum of the

shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) and
the circulating pressure previously
measured at a slow circulating rate.
Driller’s Method
 The well is shut in again after

circulating the intruding fluid out of the
hole.
 While the well is shut in, the weight of

the surface mud is increased to the kill
weight.
Driller’s Method
 After the weight of the surface mud has

been increased to the kill weight, the
kill weight mud is circulated throughout
the well while holding a constant
pressure on the formation.
 This constant pressure on the

formation is controlled as follows:
Driller’s Method
 This constant pressure on the formation is
maintained while pumping the kill weight
mud down the drill string by maintaining
the same constant circulating rate while
using the adjustable choke to maintain a
constant casing pressure.
 This pressure should be the sum of the

shut-in casing pressure (SICP)+ 100 psi
(the 100psi is a safety margin and is optional)
Driller’s Method
 After the kill mud reaches the bit, the

constant pressure on the formation is
maintained by maintaining a constant drill
pipe pressure.
 This constant drill pipe pressure is

maintained by adjusting the choke while
maintaining a constant flow rate while.
Driller’s Method
 The constant drill pipe pressure at this

point is the new circulating pressure.
 The new slow circulating rate pressure

is the slow circulating rate pressure
increased due to the higher pressure
losses resulting from the higher
density of the kill weight mud.
Driller’s Method
 The new slow circulating rate pressure

is calculated as follows:
Mud Wt K
PN  PO 
Mud WtO
Driller’s Method
 New Slow Circulating Rate Pressure

(continued)
 Where:
 PN = New Slow Circulating Rate Press.
 PO = Original Slow Circ. Rate Press.
 Mud WtK = Kill Mud Weight
 Mud WtO = Original Mud Weight
Driller’s Method
 After the mud in the hole is displaced

by the kill weight mud, the hydrostatic
pressure (PHYD) should balance the
formation pressure (PFORM) and the well
should be dead.
Driller’s Method
 Advantages of the Driller’s Method are:

 The procedure is very simple to use.
 After the intruding fluid has been
displaced on the first circulation, the

well can be shut in for an indefinite
period of time if necessary
Driller’s Method
 The only disadvantage of using the

Drillers Method is that the pressure at
the casing seat is usually higher than
when using other procedures.
Wait & Weight Method
 The Wait & Weight method of

controlling a kick requires only one
circulation.
 In this procedure, the well remains shut

in until the weight of the mud in the
surface pits is increased to the kill
weight.
 After the surface mud is increased to

the kill mud weight, the mud in the hole
and the intruding formation fluid is
displaced by the kill weight mud in only
one circulation while maintaining a
constant pressure on the formation.
 The constant pressure on the formation

is maintained by circulating at a
constant slow circulating rate while
maintaining the proper drill pipe
pressure by adjusting the choke.
 The initial circulating pressure is the sum
of the slow circulating rate pressure and
the shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP).
 As the kill weight mud is pumped down

the drill pipe, the hydrostatic pressure
(PHYD) in the drill string increases. To
maintain a constant pressure on the
formation, the drill pipe pressure must be
reduced by adjusting the choke.
 The proper drill pipe pressure versus

time and/or pump strokes must be
determined by calculations and strictly
adhered to.
 Failure to do so would result in letting

more fluid into the well (not enough
pressure) or fracturing the formation
(too much pressure).
 Specific instructions for kill procedures

and necessary calculations are
provided on the pressure control work
sheets.
 Other pressure control definitions and

calculations are covered in
“PRESSIndicators.ppt”
 Advantages of using the Wait & Weight

method are:
 Only one circulation is required to kill
the well.
 The pressure at the casing seat is
usually lower when using this

method.
 Disadvantages when using the Wait &

Weight method are:
 The method is more complicated to
use than the Driller’s Method

 An extended time to increase the
density of the mud in the surface pits

will result in migration of the
intruding formation fluid up the hole.
Mixing Requirements
 As the kill weight mud is pumped into

the hole, the lighter mud returns into
the surface pits.
 Therefore, the mud density in the pits

will be reduced unless maintained with
additions of weight material.

Kill Procedures

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Kill Procedures

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Pressure Control

 The Driller’s Method of controlling a

 The intruding formation fluid (gas, oil

 Holding a constant pressure against

 This constant drill pipe pressure is

 The drill pipe pressure is the sum of the

 The well is shut in again after

 While the well is shut in, the weight of

 After the weight of the surface mud has

 This constant pressure on the

 This pressure should be the sum of the

 After the kill mud reaches the bit, the

 This constant drill pipe pressure is

 The constant drill pipe pressure at this

 The new slow circulating rate pressure

 The new slow circulating rate pressure

 New Slow Circulating Rate Pressure

 After the mud in the hole is displaced

 Advantages of the Driller’s Method are:

 After the intruding fluid has been

displaced on the first circulation, the

 The only disadvantage of using the

 The Wait & Weight method of

 In this procedure, the well remains shut

 After the surface mud is increased to

 The constant pressure on the formation

 As the kill weight mud is pumped down

 The proper drill pipe pressure versus

 Failure to do so would result in letting

 Specific instructions for kill procedures

 Other pressure control definitions and

 Advantages of using the Wait & Weight

usually lower when using this

 Disadvantages when using the Wait &

use than the Driller’s Method

density of the mud in the surface pits

 As the kill weight mud is pumped into

 Therefore, the mud density in the pits

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