WELL CONTROL

Equations Charts & Tables

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS 1. Pressure (psi) Force (lb) = psi Area (in 2 ) 2. Pressure Gradient (psi/ft)
P.G.( psi ) = 0.052 Mud Weight (ppg) ft

3.

Hydrostatic Pressure (psi) a. H. P.(psi) = 0.052 Mud Weight (ppg) True Vertical Depth, TVD (ft) b. Mud Weight (ppg) =
Hydrostatic Pressure (psi) 0.052 True Vertical Depth, TVD (ft) Hydrostatic Pressure (psi) 0.052 Mud Weight (ppg)

c. True Vertical Depth, TVD (ft) = 4. Equivalent Density (ppg)

Eq. Density (ppg) =

Pressure (psi) 0.052 TVD (ft)

5.

Formation Pressure (psi)

Formation Pressure (psi) = Hydrostatic Pressure in Drill Pipe (psi) + SIDPP (psi)

assuming shut-in well with BHP equalized with formation pressure 6. Density to Balance Formation (ppg)
Kill Mud Weight, KMW (ppg) = SIDPP (psi) + Original Mud Weight (ppg) 0.052 TVD (ft)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS 7. Equivalent Mud Weight, EMW (ppg)

EMW(ppg) = Leak - Off Pressure (psi) + Leak - Off Mud Wt (ppg) 0.052 Casing Shoe TVD (ft)

8.

Maximum Allowable Surface Pressure, MASP (psi)

MASP(psi) = Casing Internal Yield (psi) .80 (safety factor)

Based on Casing Burst.

9.

Maximum Initial Shut-In Casing Pressure, MISICP (psi) Upon initial closure only--Based on formation breakdown @ shoe. For IWCF, written as initial MAASP.
MISICP(psi) =

[ EMW (ppg)

- Present Mud Wt (ppg)] 0.052 Shoe TVD (ft)

10.

Initial Circulating Pressure (psi)

ENGINEER'S & DRILLER'S METHODS.

ICP (psi) = SIDPP(psi) + Slow Pump Rate Pressure, SPRP (psi)

11.

Final Circulating Pressure (psi)

FCP(psi) = SPRP (psi)

ENGINEER'S METHOD.

Kill Mud Wt (ppg) Original Mud Wt (ppg)

12.

Equivalent Circulating Density, ECD (ppg)

ECD(psi) = Annular Pressure Loss (psi) + Mud Wt (ppg) 0.052 TVD Bit (ft)

13.

Gas Pressure and Volume Relationship -- Boyle's Law P1V1 = P 2 V 2

P1V1 V2

The Pressure (psi) of a gas bubble times its Volume (bbl) in one part of the hole equals its Pressure times its Volume in another. Disregards effects of Temperature (T) and gas compressibility (z) or
V2 = P1V1 P2

P2 =

14.

Pump Output (bbl/min)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

Pump Output(bbl / min) =

bbl strokes stroke min

15.

100% Triplex Pump Output (bbl/stroke)

Pump Output(bbl / stk) =

[ Liner ID (in)]
1029

Stroke Length (in) 3 12

16.

Surface To Bit Strokes (strokes)

Strokes = Drill String Internal Volume (bbl) bbl / stroke

17.

Circulating Time (min)

Min = Volume (bbl) Pump Output (bbl / min)

18.

Open Hole Capacity Factor (bbl/ft)

Capacity(bbl / ft) =

[ Open Hole Diameter (in)]

1029

19.

Pipe Capacity Factor (bbl/ft)

Capacity(bbl / ft) =

[ Pipe Inside Diameter ( in )]

1029

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS 20. Annulus Capacity Factor, ACF (bbl/ft)

Capacity(bbl/ft) =

[Open Hole Diameter (in)]2 - [ Pipe Outside Diameter (in)]2

1029

or

Capacity(bbl/ft) =

[Casing Inside Diameter (in)]2 - [ Pipe Outside Diameter (in)]2

1029

21.

Pipe Displacement (bbl/ft)

Disregarding tool joints.

- [ Pipe Inside Diameter (in)] 1029
2 2

Displacement(bbl / ft) =

[ Pipe Outside Diameter (in)]

22.

Total Pipe Displacement Including Capacity (bbl/ft)

Displacement(bbl / ft) =

Disregarding tool joints.

2

[ Pipe Outside Diameter (in)]

1029

23.

Height of Influx (ft)

Height(ft) = Pit Gain (bbl) Annulus Capacity Factor (bbl / ft)

24. 25.

Pressure Gradient of Influx (psi/ft)

Bit on bottom.

SICP (psi) - SIDPP (psi) Influx Gradient(psi / ft) = Pressure Gradient of Mud (psi / ft) - Height of Influx (ft)

26.

Rate of Kick Rise (ft/hr)

R.O. R.(ft / hr) =

Well Shut-In.

Change in SICP (psi) 0.052 Mud Wt (ppg) Elapsed Time for Change in SICP (hr)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS 27. Weight per Foot of Drill Collars (lb/ft)
lbs / ft = 2.67 [ OD(in)] [ ID(in)]
2

28.

Force (lb)
Force(lbs) = Pressure (psi) Area (in 2 )

29.

Area (in2)
[ Diameter (in)] Area(in ) = , 3.142 4
2 2

30.

Degrees API (@ 60oF)

O

API =

141. 5 - 131. 5 Specific Gravity

31.

Specific Gravity (@ 60oF) Specific Gravity =

O

141. 5 API + 131. 5

32.

Mud Weight from Specific Gravity (ppg)

Mud Weight(ppg) = Specific Gravity 8.33 ppg

(Fresh Water weighs 8.33 ppg)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS 33. Hang Off Weight (lb) Weight of Block + Kelly Weight + Weight of Compensator + Air Weight of Drill Pipe (KB to Hang - Off Ram) + 10, 000 lbs Weight on Indicator after hangoff (lb) 34. Barite Requirement For Weight-up (100 lb sxs)
15 Increase in MW Barite (sxs) = Volume to weight up (bbls) 35.0 - KWM

35.

Cutting Back or Weighting Up One Fluid with Another to Obtain Desired Fluid Density

Volume of Mixing Fluid to Add (bbls) = Starting Fluid Wt (ppg) Desired Fluid Wt (ppg) Vol of Starting Fluid (bbls) Desired Fluid Wt (ppg) Mixing Fluid Wt (ppg)
36. Final Density of a Mixture of Fluids, (ppg)

Final Fluid Wt (ppg) =

[ Fluid Wt 1 (ppg) Volume Fluid 1 (gals)] + [ Fluid Wt 2 (ppg) Volume Fluid 2 (gals)]
Volume Fluid 1 (gals) + Volume Fluid 2 (gals)
37. Final Density of a Mixture of a Fluid and a Solid, (ppg)

Final Fluid Density (ppg) =

[ Fluid Density (ppg) Volume Fluid (gals)] + Weight of Solid Added (lb)
Weight of Solid Added (lb) Volume Fluid (gals) + True Density of Solid (ppg)
38. Weight of Solid to Add to a Fluid to Obtain Desired Fluid Weight , (lb)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

Weight of Solid to Add (lb) = Volume of Starting Fluid (gals) True Density of Solid (ppg) Desired Fluid Wt (ppg) Starting Fluid Wt (ppg) True Density of Solid (ppg) Desired Fluid Wt (ppg)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS VOLUMETRIC CONTROL EQUATIONS 39. Pressure Increment, PI (psi)

PI =
40.

Safety Factor (psi) = psi 3

Fluid Increment, MI (bbl) MI = PI (psi) Annulus Capacity Factor (bbl / ft) = bbl 0. 052 Mud Wt (ppg) See Equation 25 above.
= ft hr

41.

Rate of Bubble Rise, ROR (ft/hr)

ROR =

Change in Casing Pressure (psi) 0.052 Mud Wt (ppg) Elapsed Time for Change (hr)

42.

Time to Bubble Penetration, BPT (hr)

BPT = Depth of Bubble (ft) - Depth of Bit (ft) = hr ROR (ft / hr) + Stripping Speed (ft / hr)

LUBRICATE AND BLEED 43. Pressure that can be bled off after lubricating in a given volume of fluid , (psi)
Volume Lubricated (bbl) 0.052 Fluid Wt (ppg) = psi Capacity Factor (bbl / ft)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

STRIPPING AND SNUBBING EQUATIONS

STRIPPING
[ OD (in)] 4
2

44.

Pressure-Area Force, Fp (lb)

Fp =

Well Head Pressure (psi)

45.

Buoyed Weight of Tubulars, W (lb)

65 .4 Mud Wt (ppg) W = WAIR (lb) 65 .4

2 OD (in)] [ BBL / Stand =

46. 47.

Barrels to Bleed per Stand, (bbls/stand) Volumetric Control Considerations

1029

Stand Length (ft)

Pressure Increment, PI (psi) Fluid Increment, MI (bbl)

See Equation 37 above. See Equation 38 above.

Surface Pressure Increase due to Penetration of the Bubble, SPINCR (psi)

( L K ( DP OH ) L K ( OH ) ) ( PG MUD PG GAS ) = psi

Open Hole Kick Length, LK(OH) (ft)
L K ( OH ) = Kick Volume at penetration (bbl) ACFOH (bbl / ft)

DP by Hole Kick Length, LK(DPOH) (ft)

L K ( DP OH ) = Kick Volume at penetration (bbl) ACFDP OH (bbl / ft)

Rate of Bubble Rise, ROR (ft/hr) Time of Bubble Penetration, BPT (hrs)

See Equation 40 above. See Equation 41 above.

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS SNUBBING 48. 49. Snub Force, SF (lb) Neutral Point
SF = Fp + Friction Force W

SF = 0;

Fp = W

50.

Effective String Weight, WE (lb/ft)

WE (lb / ft) =

W (lb) L (ft)

51. a)

Calculating Effective String Weight and Change in Effective String Weight after Filling Effective String Weight with no fluid in the workstring:

WE (Effective String Wt, lb / ft) =

Air Wt (lb / ft)

[ OD(in)] 2

Fluid Wt WELL (ppg) 24.5

Note that WE and Air Wt both have units of lb/ft. For example, the air weight of 2-7/8 tubing normally would be 6.5 lb/ft. b) Increase in the Effective String Weight after the pipe is filled with the same Fluid Weight that is in the well:
WE (lb / ft) =

[ ID ( in)] 2

Fluid Wt WELL (ppg) 24 .5

c)

Increase in the Effective String Weight after the pipe is filled with a different Fluid Weight than the Fluid Weight that is in the well:
WE (lb / ft) =

[ ID ( in)] 2

Fluid Wt FILL (ppg) 24 .5

d)

After filling the pipe, the Effective String Weight will be:

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS

WE (AFTER FILLING) (lb / ft) = WE + WE

= Air Wt (lb / ft)

[ OD (in)]

Fluid Wt WELL (ppg) [ ID (in)] Fluid Wt FILL (ppg) + 24.5 24.5

2

In this case, note that Fluid WtFILL in the last term above will be Fluid WtWELL if filled with the same fluid. NOTE: This the GENERAL EQUATION for the Effective Buoyed Weight of the String. It works regardless of the fluid that is inside or outside the pipe. If the fluid is gas at fairly low pressure, use 0 lbs/gal for the fluid wt. 52. Predicting the Neutral Point Combining Equations 47 and 48 above gives an equation for the length L (ft) of pipe that must be run into the well to reach the Neutral Point:

Fp (lb) = W (lb) L (ft) = Fp (lb) WE (lb / ft)

and

WE (lb / ft) =

W (lb) L (ft)

a)

The Neutral Point occurs in unfilled pipe when the length of pipe run into the well is: L (ft) = AIR Wt (lb / ft)

[ OD (in )]

Fp (lb)
2

Fluid Wt WELL (ppg) 24.5

b)

The Neutral Point occurs in filled pipe when the length of pipe run into the well is:

L (ft) = AIR Wt (lb / ft)

[ OD (in)] 2

Fluid Wt WELL (ppg) [ ID (in)] Fluid Wt FILL (ppg) + 24.5 24.5

2

Fp (lb)

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Revised 5/2/13

WELL CONTROL EQUATIONS Accumulator Sizing 52. Bottle Capacity Required (gals)
Bottle Volume (gals) = Volume Fluid Required(gals) Precharge Pressure Precharge Pressure Minimum Operating Pressure Maximum Operating Pressure

53. Volume Useable Fluid Available (gals)

Volume Useable Fluid (gals) Precharge Pressure Precharge Pressure = Bottle Volume (gals) Minimum Operating Pressure Maximum Operating Pressure

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Revised 5/2/13