Tutorial – Drilling

Engineering
Have a go at the questions. If you do not understand something please
ask and we can revisit the material.

This session is all about ensuring you cement your knowledge!

Hydrostatic Pressure
Calculate the following Hydrostatic pressures
• Mud Weight = 9.7 ppg, Hole depth = 15,650ft TVD.
• Mud Weight = 16.5 ppg, Hole depth 10,000 ft MD, 8,700 ft TVD

• ANS: 7894 psi

• ANS: 7465 psi
 Pore pressure line – the
pressure from the spaces
Explain this Diagram in between the rock. The
pore pressure can be
hydrostatic, abnormal or
subnormal.

Mud Gradient – the mud

weight in either psi/ft or
ppg of the drilling fluid. It
is important that the MW
is greater than the pore
pressure but less than the
fracture gradient

Fracture Gradient – the

point at which the rock will
fail.
 Fracture Gradient
Calculate the fracture gradient from the following test results:

LOT pressure = 1200 psi

Casing shoe (TVD) = 4000 ft
Casing shoe (MD) = 4400 ft
Mud Weight = 11.3 ppg

𝐿𝑂𝑇 (𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒)
𝐹𝐺 = 𝜌𝑚 +
0.052𝑥𝐷

ANS:
1200 𝐹𝐺 = 17.07 𝑝𝑝𝑔𝑒
𝐹𝐺 = 11.3 +
0.052𝑥4000
 Formation Gradient - Theoretical
Given that formation pressure at 6000ft is 2400 psi and the overburden stress is 1psi/ft,
estimate the formation fracture gradient at 6000ft.
Poisons ration =0.3
𝑉 𝜎𝑣 − 𝑃𝑓 𝑃𝑓
𝐹𝐺 = +
1−𝑉 𝐷 𝐷

Where:
FG = formation gradient (psi/ft)
V = Poisons ratio 0.3 6000−2400 2400
0.657 psi/ft= + 6000
σv = vertical stress (overburden) 1−0.3 6000

D = depth (feet)
Pf = formation pressure (psi)
Burst Calculation

• Design a 9 5/8” Csg String to 13,000 ft.

• Pore pressure gradient = 0.45 psi/ft

• Design factor, Ni=1.2

• Design for burst only.

 Burst Calculation
1. Calculate probable reservoir pressure.
psi
pres  0.45 *13,000 ft  5,850 psi
ft

2. Calculate required pipe internal yield pressure rating

pi  pres * N i  5,850 * 1.1  6,435 psi

Ni = API Design Factor for BURST = 1.1

 Burst Calculation
• 3. Select the appropriate csg. grade and wt. from the tables:

• Burst Pressure required = 6,435 psi

• 7”, J-55, 26 lb/ft has BURST Rating of 4,980 psi
• 7”, N-80, 23 lb/ft has BURST Rating of 6,340 psi
• 7”, N-80, 26 lb/ft has BURST Rating of 7,249 psi

Use N-80 Csg., 26 lb/ft

Elastic Collapse
Elastic Collapse

It will burst at this

value

But lets apply a DSF

to limit what the
casing is exposed to
 Buoyancy Factor (BF)
• Calculate the buoyancy factor for the following mud weights (MW)
• 8.6ppg, 9.0 ppg, 12.5 ppg, 15.8 ppg, 19.0 ppg

• Where
65.5 − 𝑀𝑊
𝐵𝐹 =
65.5

Comment on the BF range across different mud weights

ANS: 0.8687, 0.8092, 0.7588, 0.7099. BF value decreases with mud weight because the mud acts as a force
“pushing” upwards.
Casing Design Graph
• Can you explain this graph?
Tension
Tension
Depth
Burst
Collapse
Collapse
STRESS
• Burst: Assume full reservoir pressure all along the wellbore.
Burst
Collapse Hydrostatic pressure increases with depth
Tension Tensile stress due to weight of string is highest at top
Cementing
• What are the primary functions of cement?
1. Provide zonal isolation
2. Support axial load of casing strings
3. Provide casing protection against corrosive fluids
4. Support the wellbore
5. Protect water zones

What is the most common class(es) of cement - Class G & H

 Thickening Time
The thickening time of the cement must be greater than the time
required to perform the cementing job.
An estimation of the required thickening time could be calculated from
the following method:
Thickening Time
 Thickening Time
Example-1
A cement job is to be performed in a well with 7’’ casing set
at 11,950 ft. The casing is run in 9 5/8” intermediate casing string
set at 8,943 ft and 8 ½ inch hole. Assume 30 min surface time and
30 min safety time, calculate the required thickening time.

•The volume of cement = 1734.85 ft3 (1285 sack).

•Pumping rate = 450 Gal/min
•Mixing rate = 25 sack/min
•Time for Plug Release = 15 min
•Displacement volume = 2658 ft3
Thickening Time
1285
𝑚𝑖𝑥𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = = 51.4 min
25

𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

2658 × 7.48
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = = 44.2 𝑚𝑖𝑛
450
𝑃𝑙𝑢𝑔 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 15 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑆𝑎𝑓𝑒𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 51.4 + 30 + 44.2 + 15 + 30 = 𝟏𝟕𝟎. 𝟔 𝒎𝒊𝒏

Drill Sting Design
• Name 5 different components in the drill string, briefly describe their use.
1. Drill pipe – provides a conduit for fluid to the bit, provides a physical
connection to the BHA,
2. Drill Collars –provide weight to the bit, stiffen the BHA which can reduce
buckling. Come in slick and spiral
3. HWDP – provide weight to the bit, however, are more flexible and
smaller OD than drill collars. The OD is the same as DP and therefore,
can reduce differential sticking
4. Stabilisers – help control well deviation, prevent differential sticking,
keep BHA in centre of hole, can reduce vibration, can add stiffness to the
BHA
5. Jar – provide powerful upward and downward force when the drill string
is stuck.
6. There are many many other components – can you think of any?
Directional drilling
• Why do we drill directional wells? Are vertical wells considered a
directional well? – sidetracking, restricted surface location, reaching
multiple targets, reduce number of offshore platforms, horizontal
drilling, salt dome

• What is a relief well and why are they important?

Directional Drilling
• Explain the following terms:
• Inclination (Inc)
• Azimuth (Azi)
• True Vertical Depth (TVD)
• Measured Depth (MD)
• Dog Leg Severity (DLS)
Well Control
• What happens if the mud weight is less than the pore pressure?
• The MW is unable to provide sufficient pressure to hold back the pore
pressure. This may result in formation fluid entering the well under
pressure and migrating to surface. If this migration process happens
well is taking a kick
Completions
• Name four (4) different types of completions.
• Perforated liner
• Sand screen
• Slotted liner
• Multilateral
• Can you think of any more?
Completions
• What are completion fluids and why do we need to use them?