Fundamentals
of
Drilling
Engineering
&
Rotary
Drilling
Process
Kanad
Kulkarni
04
10
2013
Formation Pressures
Knowledge of formation pressures is vital to the safe planning of a well. Accurate values of formation pressures are used to design safe mud weights to overcome fracturing the formation and prevent well kicks. The process of designing and selection of casing weights/grades is predominately dependent on the utilization of accurate values of formation pressure. Cementing design, kick control, selection of wellhead and Xmas trees and even the rig rating are dependent on the formation pressures encountered in the well.
Hydrostatic pressure is defined as the pressure exerted by a column of fluid. The pressure is a function of the average fluid density and the vertical height or depth of the fluid column.
Mathematically, hydrostatic pressure is expressed as: HP = g x f x D where:
HP = hydrostatic pressure g = gravitational acceleration f = average fluid density D = true vertical depth or height of the column
In field operations, the fluid density is usually expressed in pounds per gallon (ppg), psi per foot, pounds per cubic foot (ppf) or as specific gravity (SG). In the Imperial system of units, when fluid density is expressed in ppg (pounds/gallon) and depth in feet, the hydrostatic pressure is expressed in psi (lb/in2): HP (psi) = 0.052 x f (ppg) x D (ft)
For the purposes of interpretation, all wellbore pressures, such as formation pressure, fracture pressure, fluid density and overburden pressure, are measured in terms of hydrostatic pressure. When planning or drilling a well it is often more convenient to refer to hydrostatic pressures in terms of a pressure gradient. A pressure gradient is the rate of increase in pressure per unit vertical depth i.e., psi per foot (psi/ft). It should be noted that fluid densities, measured in ppg or SG, are also gradients.
Hydrostatic pressures can easily be converted to equivalent mud weights and pressure gradients. Hydrostatic pressure gradient is given by: HG = HP / D (psi/ft)
Calculate the hydrostatic pressure for the following wells: a. mud weight = 9 ppg, hole depth = 10100 ft MD (measured depth), 9900 ft TVD (truevertical depth) Solution: HP (psi) = 0.052 x f (ppg) x D (ft) = 0.052 x 9 x 9900 = 4632 psi
b. mud gradient = 0.468 psi / ft, hole depth = 10100 ft MD (measured depth), 9900 ft TVD (true vertical depth) Solution = 0.468 (psi /ft) x 9900(ft) = 4633 psi
Overburden Pressure
The overburden pressure is defined as the pressure exerted by the total weight of overlying formations above the point of interest. The total weight is the combined weight of both the formation solids (rock matrix) and formation fluids in the pore space. The density of the combined weight is referred to as the bulk density (b).
The overburden pressure can therefore be expressed as the hydrostatic pressure exerted by all materials overlying the depth of interest: ov = 0.052 x b x D where
ov = overburden pressure (psi) b = formation bulk density (ppg) D = true vertical depth (ft)
And similarly as a gradient (EMW) in ppg: ov= 0.433xb/0.052
Where, ovg = overburden gradient, ppg b = formation bulk density (gm/cc) (the factor 0.433 converts bulk density from gm/cc to psi/ ft)
A useful equation for calculating the overburden gradient under field conditions of varying lithological and pore fluid density is given by:
ovg= 0.433[(1 )ma + (xf)]
where ovg= overburden gradient, psi/ft = porosity expressed as a fraction f= formation fluid density, gm/cc ma= matrix density, gm/cc
Rotary
Drilling
Rotary
drilling
is
a
method
used
to
drill
deep
boreholes
in
rock
forma7ons
of
the
Earths
crust.
The
method
was
ini7ally
used
to
drill
water
wells
using
fresh
water
as
the
circula7on
uid.
Today,
this
method
is
the
only
rock
drilling
technique
used
to
drill
deep
boreholes
(greater
than
3000
B,
or
900
m
and
up
to
20,
000
B,
or
6000
m)
Drilling Rig
Derrickmans platform
Cable
Mud hose Swivel Kelly Rotary table
EDrilling was performed by moving the drillstring up and down in reciprocating manner
was applicable for the well of depth less than 100 ft; and production rate was as low as 50 bbl/day
Mud pit
Engines & generators
ECurrent rotary drilling could drill more than 30000 (about 10 Km);
Mud pump
ECould drill vertically, Pipe ramp Blowout preventer Casing directional, fish-bone etc. Stacked drill
Cement
pipe
Drill bit
Rotary Drilling Bit
Tricon
Drilling
Bit
The
Three
Necessary
Components
for
Rotary
Drilling
Rotary
Drilling
Rig
Classica?on
Typical
Drilling
Rig
Organiza?ons
Steps
to
Drill
A
Gas/Oil
Well
1.
Complete
or
obtain
seismic,
log,
scou7ng
informa7on
or
other
data.
2.
Lease
the
land
or
obtain
concession.
3.
Calculate
reserves
or
es7mate
from
best
data
available.
4.
If
reserve
es7mates
show
payout,
proceed
with
well.
5.
Obtain
permits
from
conserva7on/
na7onal
authority.
Steps
to
Drill
a
Well
-
contd
6. Prepare
drilling
and
comple7on
program.
7.
Ask
for
bids
on
footage,
day
work,
or
combina7on
from
selected
drilling
contractors
based
on
drilling
program.
8.
If
necessary,
modify
program
to
t
selected
contractor
equipment.
Steps
to
Drill
a
Well
-
contd
9.
Construct
road,
loca7on/plaTorms
and
other
marine
equipment
necessary
for
access
to
site.
10.
Gather
all
personnel
concerned
for
mee7ng
prior
to
commencing
drilling
(pre- spud
mee7ng)
11.
If
necessary,
further
modify
program.
12.
Drill
well.
Steps
to
Drill
a
Well
-
contd
13.
Move
o
contractor
if
workover
unit
is
to
complete
the
well.
14.
Complete
well.
15.
Install
surface
facili7es.
16.
Analysis
of
opera7ons
with
concerned
personnel.
A
Typical
Onshore
Drilling
Rig
Basic
Drilling
Equipment
Power
system
Hois7ng
system
Fluid
circula7ng
system
Rotary
system
Well
control
system
Well
monitoring
system
Rig
Power
System
Most
of
the
power
the
hois7ng
and
uid
circula7ng
systems
(the
same
engines
can
power
both)
Total
power
requirements
for
most
rigs
are
from
1000
hp
and
3000
hp
The
power
of
rotary
rigs
is
generally
generated
by
diesel
or
gas-driven
engines.
The
power
is
transmi^ed
to
the
various
rig
systems
by
means
of
mechanical
or
electrical
drives
Power
System
Performance
Characteris?cs
Output
horse
power
Torque
Fuel
consump7on
for
various
engine
speeds
The
shaB
power,
P,
developed
by
an
engine
is
obtained
from
the
angular
velocity
of
the
shaB,
,
and
the
output
torque
T
Power
System
Performance
Characteris?cs
The
overall
power
eciency
determines
the
rate
of
fuel
consump7on,
wf,
at
a
given
speed.
The
hea7ng
value
of
a
fuel
for
internal
combus7on
is
H
The
input
power
is
expressed
in
terms
of
wf
and
H:
TABLE 1 - HEATING VALUE OF VARIOUS FUELS
Fuel Type Density (lbm/gal) Heating Value (Btu/lbm)
diesel gasoline butane methane
7.2 6.6 4.7 ---
19,000 20,000 21,000 24,000
Engine power output
Power = Ang.Vel. * Torque
P=F.V
Power = Force * Velocity
Power
System
Performance
Characteris?cs
The
overall
eciency
of
power-genera7ng
systems
may
be
dened
as
the
energy
output
per
energy
input:
Efficiency = (Power Out / Power in)
Example 1. A diesel engine gives an output
torque of 1,740 ft-lbf at an engine speed of 1,200 rpm. If the fuel consumption rate was 31.5 gal/hr, what is the output power and overall efficiency of the engine?
Solution:
The angular velocity, , is given by
= 2 (1,200) = 7,539.8 rad/min.
The power output can be computed using Eq.1
7,539.8 (1,740) ft - lbf/min P = T = = 397.5hp (33,000 ft - lbf/min)/hp
Since the fuel type is diesel, the density is 7.2 lbm/gal and the heating value H is 19,000 Btu/ lbm (Table 1). Thus, the fuel consumption rate w f is:
1 hour w f = 31.5 gal/hr (7.2 lbm/gal) 60 minutes
wf = 3.78 lbm/min. The total heat energy consumed by the engine is given by Eq. 2:
Efficiency = (Power Out / Power in) Qi = w f H 3.78 lbm/min (19,000Btu/ lbm ) (779 ft - lbf/Btu ) Qi = 33,000 ft - lbf/min/hp
Thus, the overall efficiency of the engine at 1,200 RPM given by Eq. 3 is
P 397.5 Et = = = 0.234 or 23.4% Qi 1695.4
Hois?ng
System
The
func7on
of
the
hois7ng
system
is
to
provide
a
means
of
lowering
and
raising
drilling
strings,
case
strings
and
other
subsurface
equipment
into
or
out
of
the
hole
The
principal
components
of
the
hois7ng
system
are
the
(1)
the
derrick
and
substructure,
(2)
the
block
and
the
tackle,
and
(3)
the
drawwork
Hois?ng
system
Two
rou7ne
drilling
opera7ons
performed
with
the
hois7ng
system:
Making
a
connec5on
refers
to
the
periodic
process
of
adding
a
new
joint
of
drillpipe
as
the
hole
deepens
Making
a
trip
refers
to
the
process
of
remove
the
drilling
string
from
the
whole
to
change
a
por7on
of
the
downhole
assembly
and
thenlowering
the
drillingstring
back
to
the
hole
bo^om
Hois?ng
System
Making
a
connec?on
Pulling
out
of
the
Hole
Making a mouse hole connection
Moving Kelly to Single in Mousehole Stabbing the Pipe
Single Added. Ready to Drill
Making a mouse hole connection - contd
Making a trip
Why trip?
Put Kelly in Rathole
Use Elevators for tripping
Tripping one stand at a time 60-90 ft
Making a trip - contd
Derrick
or
Portable
Mast
The
func7on
of
the
derrick
is
to
provide
the
ver7cal
height
required
to
raise
sec7ons
of
pipe
from
or
lower
them
into
the
hole
The
greater
the
height,
the
longer
the
sec7on
of
pipe
that
can
be
handled
and
thus
the
faster
a
long
string
of
pipe
can
be
inserted
in
or
removed
from
the
hole.
The
most
commonly
used
drillpipe
is
between
27
and
30
B
long
Block
and
Tackle
The
crown
bock
The
traveling
block
The
drilling
line
The
principal
func7on
of
the
block
and
tackle
is
to
provide
a
mechanical
advantage,
which
permits
easier
handling
of
large
loads
The
drawworks
provide
the
hois7ng
and
braking
power
required
to
raise
and
lower
the
heavy
strings
of
pipe.
The
principla
parts
of
the
drawworks
are
(1)
the
drum,
(2)
the
brakes,
(3)
the
transmission,
and
(4)
the
catheads.
The
drum
transmits
the
torque
required
fpr
hois7ng
or
braking
and
it
also
stores
the
drilling
line
required
to
move
the
traveling
block
and
the
length
of
Derrick
Drawworks
Criteria for determining depth limitation
Derrick Drawworks Mud Pumps Drillstring Mud System Blowout Preventer Power Plant 1 m = 3.28084 ft 1 ft = 0.03048 m
Learning
Outcomes
Understand
the
rotary
drilling
processes
and
the
rigs
Understand
the
equipment
of
rotary
drilling
rig
and
the
func7ons
Understand
the
power
system
and
relevant
calcula7ons
Drawworks
Crown Block
Crown Block
Travelling Block
Deadline Anchor
Supply Reel
Drilling Line
Drilling Line
Swivel
Kelly
Top Drive
Kelly Bushing
Master Bushing
Rotary Table
