DRLG 451 - Assignment #3

Well Control
1. In an area where you have little information, and you have decided to set surface casing
at 350 m, what would you estimate the fracture pressure at the shoe to be? (10 marks)
The fracture gradient of 22.62kPa/m would be used

Therefore, at 350m, the fracture pressure at the shoe would be: 22.62kPa/m * 350m

Fracture pressure at the shoe = 7,917kP

a

DRLG 451, Assignment 3 Page 1

2. You are drilling a well with the target zone at 1870 m and the expected target zone pressure of
18,974 kPa. What density of mud would you use when drilling this well if the desired trip
margin is 1,500 kPa? Would this be considered heavy weight mud? (10 marks)

The equivalent mud density (EMD) = BHP / (0.00981 x D)

Expected target zone pressure = 18,974kPa

D = depth = 1870m

The required static BHP = 18,974kPa.

Fluid density = Pressure/Depth * g = (18974 +1500) /1870*9.81* 10-3

EMD = 1,116.07 kg/m3

Heavy Mud since it is at the bottom. Light mud is at the top.

1,870m

18,974 kPa

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 3. You are drilling a well in the foothills with a target depth of 3000m. While drilling at
1,650m you detect a kick, so you stop circulating and monitor trip tank level. The well flows so
you shut in the BOPs and measure the shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) and the shut-in casing
pressure (SICP). The SIDPP is 1,250 kPa and the SICP is 1400 kPa. The mud weight you were
using was 1,150 kg/m3. (10 marks)

a) Calculate the bottom hole pressure and the mud density to balance this pressure.
1250 kPa 1400 kPa

SIDPP SICP

3,000m 1,650m

a. The equivalent mud density: 1150 kg/m3

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = depth x density x 0.00981
= 1650 *1150*0.00981

= 18,614 kPa

BHP = HP + Trip Margin = 18,614 +1400 = 20,014 kPa

Kill mud density = MD + SIDPP / (0.00981 x TD) = 1150 +1250(0.00981*1650)

Mud density = 1227 kg/m3

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 b) Calculate the required mud density to have a 1,400 kPa trip margin.

Mud Density =HSP (kPa) / 9.81 / TVD (m)

= (1400+ 20014) / (0.00981*1650) = 1323 kg/m3

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4. Given the following information from a leak-off test you just conducted: (20 marks)
Casing Seat 300m
Fluid Density 1,000 kg/m3
Surface Pressure Applied 3,000 kPa

a) What is the leak-off pressure at the shoe?

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = depth x density x 0.00981

=300*1000*0.00981 = 2943 kPa

LOP = Surface pressure + HP

LOP = 3000 +2943 = 5943 kPa

b) Calculate Maximum Allowable Casing Pressure

MACP = leak-off pressure (LOP) – hydrostatic pressure (HP)

= 5943 - 2943 = 3000 kPa

c) Calculate leak-off gradient

LOG = LOP /D

= 5943 /300 = 19.81 kPa/m

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 d) Calculate EMD

EMD = LOG / 0.00981

Therefore, the EMD = 19.81 / 0.00981

EMD = 2019 kg/m3

DRLG 451, Assignment 3 Page 6