Example 5.1 Use Fig. 5-2a to determine the proper setting depth for intermediate pipe. Assume a 0.

3-lb/gal factor for

swab and surge and a 0.2-lb/gal safety factor. Use an arbitrary maximum limit of 2,200 psi differential pressure for
normal pressure zones.

Solution:

1. Evaluate the maximum pressures (equivalent mud weights) at the total depth of the well.

Amount, Ib/gal Purpose Type of Pressure

15.6 Formation pressure Actual mud weigh
0.3 Trip margin Actual mud weigh
0.3 Surge pressure Equivalent mud weight
0.2 Safety factor Equivalent mud weight
16.4
2. Determine the formations that cannot withstand 16.4-lb/gal pressures, Le., those formations that must be
protected with casing. Construct a vertical line from 16.4 lb/gal to an intersection of the fracture gradient line (Fig. 5-
2b). The depth of intersection is the tentative intermediate casing setting depth, or 8,600 ft in this example.

3. Check the tentative depth to determine if differential pipe sticking will be a problem when running the casing to
8,600 ft. The mud required to reach 8,600 ft is:

10.4 lb/gal Formation pressure

0.3 lb/gal Trip margin
10.7 lb/gal Total required mud weight
Differential sticking potential is evaluated at the deepest normal pressure (9.0 Ib/gal) zone, 8,000 ft

(10.71b/gal - 9.0 Ib/gal)(0.052)(8,000 ft) =707 psi

707 psi < 2,200 psi

Since the pipe can be run to 8,600 ft without differential sticking, the depth becomes the actual intermediate setting
depth rather than the tentative depth, as defined in step 2.

4. Check the interval from 8,600-12,000 ft to determine if the differential pressure exceeds the 3,000-3,300-psi range.
In this case, pressure = 2,700 psi @ 8,600 ft.

Example 5.2

Use Fig. 5-3 to select liner and intermediate setting depths. Assume a differential pressure limit of 2,200psi. Use the
following design factors:

Swab = 0.3 lb/gal

Surge = 0.3 lb/gal

Safety = 0.2 lb/gal

Solution: l.

From Fig. 5-3, the maximum equivalent mud weight that will be seen at the bottom of the well can be calculated.

Amount, Ib/gal Purpose

17.2 Formation pressure
0.3 Trip margin
0.3 Surge pressure
0.2 Safety factor
18 Formation pressure
2. Construct a vertical line to intersect the fracture gradient curve (Fig. 5.3a). The depth of intersection, 13,000 ft, is
the tentative intennediate casing setting depth. All shallower fonnations must be protected with casing because their
respective fracture gradients are less than the maximum projected requirements (18.0 Ib/gal) at the bottom of the
well.

3. Evaluate the tentative depth for differential sticking by assuming that 14.3- Ib/gal mud will be required to drill the
formation at 13,000 ft:

(9,000 ft)(O.052)(14.3 - 9) = 2,480 psi

Since 2,480 psi> 2,200 psi, intermediate pipe cannot safely be run to 13,000 ft. The depth of 13,000 ft is redefined as
the shallowest liner depth.

4. The intermediate pipe depth is defined with Eqs. 5.1 and 5.2:

P = (MW - 9)(0.052)(D) (5.1)

2,200 psi = (MW - 9)(0.052)(9,000 ft)

MW = 13.7 Ib/gal

And:

MW-TM=P

13.7Ib/gal - 0.3 Ib/gal = P

P = 13.4Ib/gal

From Fig. 5.3b, a 13.4-lb/gal formation pressure occurs at 10,900 ft.

5. The deepest possible setting depth for the liner is determined by evaluating the fracture gradient at 10,900 ft.
What is the maximum formation pressure below 10,900 ft that can be safely controlled with a fracture gradient of
17.1 Ib/gal?

Amount, Ib/gal Purpose

17.1 Fracture gradient
-0.3 Swab pressure
-0.3 Surge factor
-0.2 Safety factor
16.3 Formation pressure
From Fig. 5.3c, a 16.3-lb/gal formation pressure occurs at 16,300 ft. The depth is defined as the deepest allowable
depth for setting the liner.

6. The shallow and deep liner depths are based on formation pressure-fracture gradient considerations at the bottom
of the hole (18,000 ft) and the intermediate pipe depth (10,900 ft), respectively. Any depth between the 13,000-
16,000-ft range is satisfactory. An arbitrary selection of a depth can be based on 1) minimizing small-diameter
sections below the liner, 2) minimizing the open hole length and thereby reducing pipe costs, or 3) other
considerations as specified by the operator. As an example, assume that a depth of 15,000 ft is selected. It reduces
the small-diameter hole to a 3,000-ft segment (15,000-18,000 ft) while allowing only 4,100 ftof open hole (10,900-
15,000 ft) (Fig. 5-3d).

Examples 5.1 and 5.2 illustrated the cases in which the initial formation pressure-fracture gradient consideration at
the bottom of the well selected pipe depths in the abnormal pressure regions. Different techniques must be used if
the tentative pipe setting depth is in a normal pressure region. The initial step is to evaluate the differential sticking
possibilities at the deepest normal pressure zone. If the mud weight required at the bottom of the well does not
create differential pressures in excess of some limit (2,000-2,300 psi), a deep surface casing string is satisfactory. Eqs.
5.1 and 5.2 must be used when the differential pressures exceed the allowable limit.
Example 5.3

Using Fig. 5-5a, select a surface casing depth and, if necessary, setting depths for deeper strings. Use the following
design factors:

0.3 = swab, surgefactor,lb/gal

0.2 = safety factor, Ib/gal

0.5 = kick factor, Ib/gal

2,200 = maximum allowable differential pressure, psi

Solution:

1. Evaluate the maximum pressures anticipated at the bottom of the well.

Amount, Ib/gal Purpose

12.0 Formation pressure
0.3 Trip (swab) margin
0.3 Surge factor
0.2 Safety factor
12.8
A vertical line from 12.8'lb/gal intersects the fracture gradient in a normal region, which indicates intermediate casing
will not be required unless differential sticking is a problem.

2. Assume that 12.3 Ib/gal will be used at the bottom of the well and determine if differential sticking may occur:

(12.3 - 9.0 Ib/gal)(0.052)(9,000ft) = 1,544psi

Since 1,544 psi is less than the arbitrary limit of 2,200 psi, intermediate casing will not be used for pipe-sticking
considerations. Therefore, only surface casing is required.

3. Use Eq. 5.3 and the fracture gradient curve to determine the depth at which the fracture gradient exceeds
the kick loading mud weight. Perform a first trial calculation at 1,000 feet.

The fracture gradient at 1,000 feet is 12.0 Ib/gal. Since the kick loading is greater than the rock strength, a deeper
trial depth must be chosen.

Results from several iterations are given below and plotted on Fig. 5-5b.

Depth, ft EMWkick,Ib/gal
1,000 18.3
2,000 15.3
3,000 14.3
3,500 14.0
4,000 13.8
4,500 13.6
5,000 13.5
6,000 13.3
7,000 13.2
4. A setting depth of 3,600 ft is selected

Example 6.1

Using the hole geometries in Fig. 6-1, determine the flow rate required to achieve an annular velocity of 75
ft/min. In addition, determine the surface horsepower required if the pump pressure is limited to 2,500 psi. Use
5-in. drillpipe for a and c and 4Y2-in.pipe for b.

Solution: 1.From Fig. 6-1, the annular geometries in the large sthole sections are:

Fig. 6-1 dH. in dDE in

a 17.5 5
b 14.75 4.5
c 26 5

2. Use Eq. 6.1 to determine the required pump rate for a:

Likewise, for b, Q = 604 gal/min

for c, Q = 1,992 gal/min

3. Determine the surface horsepower requirements if the pressure is limited

to 2,500 psi. For a:

Likewise, for b, HP = 880

for c, HP = 2,905

Based on the results from Example 6.2, hole geometry c will be difficult to clean because most rigs will not be
capable of delivering 2,905 hp under continuous service. This type of poor hole cleaning is a common cause of
annular solids buildup, plugging, and lost circulation. Most rigs are horsepower limited when drilling surface hole.
Even though a pump may be rated to 3,000 psi, the maximum flow rate usually will be reached before achieving
3,000-psi surface pressure. Typical pump pressuresfor surface hole may be 600-1,500 psi even when using two
pumps operating in parallel.