Empowering First Class Education & Engineering skills to O & G Industry

MANAGING DRILLING RISKS

USING
MANAGED PRESSURE DRILLING (MPD)
(A comprehensive course on MPD engineering, design & operations)

Conducted for: Pakistan Petroleum Limited

Dated: 20th Feb – 25th Feb 2012
 Intro to MPD

• Introduction to Compressed Air Drilling

• Drilling which involves the use of atmospheric air or N2
• Dust Drilling
• Companies like Air Drilling (1957), Tesco were prevalent at
one time in Canada & internationally
• Original reason was to increase ROP & counteract LC
• UBD kicked off officially in the year 2000. Shell SNS project
• Northland Energy became the first UBD Engineering Co.
• In Canada, major operators for UBD became CNRL, Encana &
Husky
• Most UBD was conducted in Jean Marie formations
 Intro to MPD

• To date, the industry has seen

• Air Drilling (Canada, Yemen, Oman)
• Simply pumping in atmospheric air using compressors
• Boosters are deployed for pressuring up
• Angels velocity curves are followed for hole cleaning etc
• N2 Drilling (Jordan, Canada )
• Where there is a danger of HC influx
• Works in the same way as Air Drilling
• Only difference is NPU
• Mist Drilling (Yemen, AbuDhabi)
• Where there is a danger of water influx but not a lot
• Used to avoid any mud ring formation
• Easy and straightforward
 Intro to MPD

• Aerated Mud Drilling (AbuDhabi, Syria)

• Very common in AbuDhabi
• Used mainly for top hole sections
• Careful with HP top-hole formations
• Do not use in H2S zones
• N2 is simply pumped with OBM
• Air is used with WBM
• Shiransh Syria, Nikanassin Suncor Panther wells
• Foam Drilling (Canada, Oman, US, Sharjah)
• Same like N2 but added on is a surfactant
• Foam has been used in depleted UBD wells in Jean Marie
• Excellent carrying capacity
• Only problem is Foam Models are not reliable
• Need more research on this
35 MMscf/d
1800 psi WHP
BHCP (est): 6200 psi
 Intro to MPD

• Methane Gas / Associated Gas Drilling (Shell Oman)

• Technologically challenging
• Zero emission concept
• NPU out of equation so AFE is now < $5000/Day
• Blackoil simulation needs to be used when doing MP Modeling
• Shell championed it with WFD in Nimr Field
 Market Trend & Services

• In todays market, you will hear

• Performance Drilling
• Air, Mist, Aerated Mud, N2 Drilling
• Reservoir Drilling
• UBD or Foam Drilling
• ECD Controlled Drilling
• MPD
• Mud Cap Drilling
• Specific cannot be applied everywhere
• Some formations in Pakistan are prone for MCD
• DGD Technology
• Purely offshore type
• AGR is currently patenting it
 Market Trend & Services

• Major players (Vendors) are

• Weatherford such as their Wheel Concept
• Sonic Energy Services (based out of AD)
• Strata Energy Services
• Ensign Canada
• MI Swaco and Schlumberger JV
• Halliburtion MPD & UBD product line
• MPO

• Very few consulting companies who truly know these

techniques so ensure to do your homework well
 Market Trend & Services

• Most vendors claim to have engineering but very few have

championed it
• UBD Software was a long process (Arun Field in Indonesia)
• Wellflo 7 today is the most used software for UBD & MPD
• HUBS by Signa engineering
• Maurer Engineering also has 2Phase flow model
• Shell is currently looking into drilling UBD Sour wells
• Current research involves sour gas drillpipes at UoC
• No IRP available today for sour gas MPD wells
• IRP 22, IRP 6 are the only regulatory documents in Canada
• For US & Internationally you can simply check
• http://www.iadc.org/committees/ubo_mpd/completed_documents.html
 MPD Hierarchy

Managed Pressure Drilling

(MPD)

Performance Underbalanced ECD Controlled Mud Cap Dual

Drilling Drilling Drilling Drilling Gradient
Drilling

Foam Pseudo MW Zero

Air Drilling
Drilling Drilling Returns

Mist Drilling N2 Drilling

Aerated
Mud Drilling Need to understand this hierarchy to
appreciate screening and to understand
N2 Drilling vendor’s language.
 Intro to MPD

• UBD
• A Drilling technique which allows a light weight drilling fluid to
be used in order to allow reservoir fluid to invade the wellbore
• A blow out well = UBD
• Production while drilling
• MPD
• A drilling technique in which a light drilling fluid is used and the
ECD is controlled via a surface choke. The technique ensures
that the system is @ Balanced or slightly above the formation
pressure
• Cannot afford a blow out here
• No influx is encouraged here unless induced
From the industry perspective;

Managed Pressure Drilling is an adaptive drilling process used to

precisely control the annular pressure profile throughout the
wellbore. The objectives are to ascertain the downhole pressure
environment limits and to manage the annular hydraulic
pressure profile accordingly. The intention of MPD is to avoid
continuous influx of formation fluids to the surface. Any influx
incidental to the operation will be safely contained using an
appropriate process
 MPD Maths
PHyd + PAF = PBH
• During connections, influx is controlled either by imposing
backpressure or by trapping pressure in the wellbore

PHyd + PBack = PBH

or
PHyd + PTrap = PBH
• In each of these cases the desire is to maintain the
bottomhole pressure constant by replacing the annular
friction pressure with an equivalent backpressure or annular
trapped pressure.
PAF = PBack = PTrap
 Intro to MPD

• MPD due to its very nature

• Works to reduce NPT such as
• Stuck Pipe
• Loss Circulation
• Unwanted kicks
• Nuisance zone
• ROP is simply a Bonus here
MPD – Figuritively Speaking
 NPT Impact of Increasing Mud Weight
Reference: Drilling Practices Manual 2nd Ed, Preston Moore, 1986

ROP Reduction = -0.526 Ln(Solids Content) + 0.5613

48% reduction in ROP with

4% increase in solids content
MPD vs UBD
UBD
Footprints difference b/w
UBD & MPD Operation

MPD
 MPD vs UBD

• To finish this section off;

• So how now UBD is different from MPD
• In order to understand this
• MPD is the mother ship for all these technologies
• It is wrong to say that MPD is UBD (confusion in the industry)
• But it is correct to say that UBD is MPD
• In both cases pressure is managed through a device on surface
• Even Mud Cap is also Dual Gradient Technology
• DGD is simply Dual MW too but only offshore based
 Screening for MPD
• What makes MPD so different
– Multi-disciplined team approach
– Drilling Engineer (DE) cannot only think like a DE
– How RE and PE concepts align into MPD
– Language of all other faculties in an operator environment
– You have no choice
– Why is it likely to be called a Rocket Science
– MPD Amnesia
– Keep all of the above in mind
• Screening makes Sense
 Screening for MPD
– Currently available screening sheets (not detailed)
– Sole reason is experience limitation
– Drilling Engineer vs Reservoir vs Production Engineering
– DE not experienced to take MPD task
– Vendor too experience to take MPD task but then liability issues
– Vendor not experienced on engineering side
– Communication failure
– Screening vs Planning go hand in hand (No Short Cuts Please!!)
– Example of Red Rock SPE 137428 (Months of Planning)
 Your Role

Production C WT

Design Opns Drilling

MPD Reservoir IPR PP
Engineer

G&G WBS FG
 Variables in Screening Form
• Variables related to Reservoir Engineering
– Permeability (very important)
– Porosity
– Water content or saturation
– Reservoir Pressure (Must be Accurate or Close approx.)
– IPR (reservoir property strictly – Why need to know this)
– Top hole or Target section

• Variables related to Well Testing

– Isochronal or Single point production tests
– Skin (not completion skin)
– Darcy & non Darcy skin factor (if any)
What if you don’t have any WT Data???? Your Approach
 Variables in Screening Form
• Variables related to Geology & Geophysics
– Wellbore stability
– Fracture network (natural or depleted style)
– Stress distribution (min and max stress)
– No of nuisance zones (if any)
– Weak zones (if any)
Be a pain to the G & G folks, Don’t leave them alone

• Variables related to Drilling

– No. of years of experience with MPD
– Space below the RT
– Drilling program and operations planning
– Training (the most important !!!!)
What if you yourself have less experience let alone the Vendor?
 Screening – Summary
• What you need to be looking in a Screening Form
• Quick look screening only when you have enough experience
• Don’t do quick look Prefer detailed screening until confident
1. Loss Circulation (surf, intd. or production zones)
 2. Increased MW slowing down the ROP
3. ROP enhancement
4. Formation Damage mitigation
5. More control is needed on the well regarding MW
6. Production Enhancement
8. Loss circulation zones followed by HP Gas zone at bottom
9. HP gas zones or nuisance zones
10. HP gas, oil or water zones - conventional kick circulation methods are
meticulous rig time is effecting
11. Casing string to be reduced in a well to reduce AFE
 Screening for MPD
12. Monobore application
13. Wellbore stability issues
14. Fracture gradient window too close to the pore pressure - cant control
it with MW alone (walking the line philosophy)
15. Real time formation evaluation
16. Sour sections - risk of taking influx and jeopardising the well
17. Disposal problems for kicked in fluid such as formation water but have
a good fractured system on top of it
18. Offshore application - when MW controllability is an issue in deeper
wells - DGD technology
19. Zero returns to surface - Mud Cap Drilling
 Screening for MPD

20. Knocking out gas only with higher than usual connection gas
21. Wellbore breathing phenomenon
22. Avoid killing the well using heavy mud or enhance tripping
speed – use of DDV/DIV valves

Few other screening tips;

–WFD’s SURE Screening tool
–Mainly tools are available on MC Simulation
–YE auto-screening form under development
–Need to have a tool that can explain the Risks etc
–Vedanda Norwegian Arm and YE ongoing talks
 Screening for MPD

Exercise – 1

•Work on the Screening Form given to you

•Ask Questions about variables in the Screening Form
•From the question given, plug in the info to the screening form
•Evaluate what technique should be feasible for your well section
•Do you see the importance of RE and PE concepts in screening
 Well Engineering & MPD
• What to look for when designing MPD wells
• Where do you start?
• Most important variable is the ECD
• ECD = Annular Pressure Loss/TVD
• All work is done in the Annulus
• Pore pressure = Reservoir pressure
• Fracture Gradient, FG = The pressure where formation is
susceptible to wellbore stability issues
• Pseudo Mud Weights = Simply the MW with ECD added into it
• Static MW = Hydrostatic head of the MW when pumps are off
 Well Engineering & MPD

• Static MW
• ECD profile
• Fracture Gradient
• Pore pressure profile
 Well Engineering & MPD
• Casing Seat Selection
– Conventional way of selecting Casing
– Conventional casing seat selection is very much dependent on
pore pressure or any nuisance zone
– To date in conventional casing design casing is generally landed
• Due to loss circulation
• High pressure kick zones
• Put shales behind casing
• Nusiance zones that cannot be controlled while drilling
– In the MPD world this is not the case
• You can have all these problems yet you don’t land casing
 Well Engineering & MPD
Casing Design – An example
 Well Engineering & MPD
• Taking into account any Gas influx but we are not UBD
– Ensuring IPR is looked at
– Ensuring flow modeling using gas influx is conducted
– Backpressure calculations using the software
– Backpressure vs MACP **
– Backpressure would dictate the rating of the RCD

• From the flow modeling design ensure to take values of ECD

at critical points
• Always draw a Fountain Curve (makes life easy for everyone in
the team)
 Well Engineering & MPD
Inflow Performance Relationship
 Well Engineering & MPD
• Flow Correlations (see handout)
– Beggs and Brill
– Hagedorn and Brown
– OLGAS
– Aziz & Govier

• MACP vs WHP vs Dynamic Pressure rating of RCD

• Making of Fountain Curve
– What does Fountain Curve tell you
– Why make Fountain Curve
Fountain Curve
• FG line
• LC zone on top & HP zone at bottom
• Very difficult to manage with MW
• Conventionally not possible
• Where do you land casing ??

• Read SPE 137428 by Hassan Malik

• Homework for tomorrow
Fountain Curve
 Well Engineering & MPD
• Critical points in a well
– BHA or at the Toe of the well
– Where OD is the highest
– Casing shoe
– Curve section if any (hole cleaning)

• Sometimes need to watch out the pump rates in the well to

ensure ECD is not crossing the limit
• You can draw your own ECD curves to clarify
Fountain Curve
Day 2
 Flow Modeling
• History of Flow Modeling
• ARUN Field in Indonesia, Neotec & WFD / Field Trials
• Why need a software for an MPD/UBD operation
• OLGAS Correlation evaluation (features)
• Main variable (Backpressure)
• Fountain Curve (SPE 137428)
• Why Fountain Curve? Applications
• UBD Operating Envelope
• Comfort of Pressure Calculations in a MP environment
• PIWD
• Demo of Neotec
 Exercise 3 – WELL DESIGN

1.Conduct Backpressure Calculations

2.Show variation in ECD calculations
3.Slot in Gas influx and show difference in backpressure
4.Create Fountain Curve for a given well
 Equipment Selection
• How flow modeling assist in choosing equipment
• Variables that need to be looked at
• General equipment suite for an MPD operation
– RCD
– Piping
– Choke (Auto one)
– P tank (optional but preferred by most operators)
– Accessories
• EKDS
• Microflux
• Carbon Tracker
 Equipment Selection
RCD – Rotating Control Device (not Diverter)

8000
3500kPa Operating
IP 1000
7000kPa Operating
7000
10,500kPa Operating 7100
17,500kPa Operating
 Equipment Selection

Rotating Working Pressure: 2,500 PSI

Static Pressure: 5,000 PSI
Shell (Housing) capable: 10,000 PSI
Maximum Operating RPM: 150 RPM
Operating Temperature: - 28 °C to + 121 °C
(-20 °F to +250 °F)
Fluid Rating: H2S Service
 Bearing Assembly
Rotating Control Device

Rig Up Mode
 RCD – Operational Issues
• Alignment with the well head or BOP
• Watch out for Hard banding
• Analine point of OBMs
• Wrong usage of choke (pressurisation & depressurisation)
• Wrong ODs
• Watch out for BHAs
• Wrong pressure rating of the RCD
• Bearing seal failure (very common for longer usage)
• How often to you change the RCD element
• RCD Tracking sheet
• 2” bleed off line – keep a gauge there too (accurate WHP)
 Choke Manifold
• Think about a well testing fixed choke
• Why do you need a choke in an MPD operation
• Why do you need an Auto choke in an MPD operation
• Why do you need a variable choke in a UBD operation
• Keep piping as straight as possible except in a foam operation
• Need to check out the choke lines vs the hole OD
• Ensure to keep a data header on the choke
– Temp
– Pressure
Auto chokes by MI
 MPD Choke Manifold
(Fully Automatic)

MPD Rig Up Offshore

 Choke Manifold – Rules of Thumb
• Constant wellhead pressure as you have calculated
• Monitor data header as often as possible
• Check to ensure that pressures are read in same units all over
• Wash out of choke is rare in an MPD operation
• Wash out of choke in a UBD operation is fairly common (more
complex SOPs than in an MPD mode)
• Choke operator has to be an experienced one
• Ensure that HMI panel at the choke is working
• Ensure that stroke counter on the floor matches the HMI
panel on the choke
• If possible, keep two choke operators avoid only One
 Choke Manifold – Rules of Thumb
• In a UBD operation, choke operator has to collect samples too
• In an MPD operation, samples are collected at the shaker
• Slb now offers LPAC manifolds – very accurate
• Pressure gauge at the 2” RCD bleed off line should not match
the gauge at the upstream of the choke (reason Why)
• In the event if one choke is plugged, divert the flow
• Always order two auto chokes
• Even though auto choke recognises pump shut off still ensure
that the choke operator is on the choke and communicating
• Pricing of auto chokes
 Piping
• Critical in an MPD operation
• Ensure you choose the right piping as per the hole size
• Harweel program in Oman had 6” piping from RCD to choke
• Suncor Panther well in Canada had 4” piping for a 12 ¼” hole
became a disaster for the operation (Why ??)
• Always conduct “Finger Printing” on the rig
• Note the pressure in your tally book
• HPHT wells offshore Techlocks were introduced
• Ask for piping servicing document on each job
• Ensure that most pipes are either premium or slightly lower to
withstand the backpressure that will be utilised
 MPD Pump
• Why need an MPD pump
• Shell @ Balance Patent for flowing across the wellhead
• Why pump across the wellhead
• A LP mist pump capable of pumping around 100 lpm of fluid
• Connected to a separate line at the BOP spool
• While making connections or POOH pump is kicked off
• Circulation across the wellhead keeps the ECD below
• Has limitations (may not work with severe stability issues)
• Low FG window
MPD Backpressure Pump
 MPD Pump – Rules of Thumb
• Ensure that the calculations for pressure and flow rates is
done in advance and is explained to the operator onsite
• MPD pump needs to be kicked off once mud pumps are
almost about to shut down
• This needs to be done to ensure that the pump is working
• A step by step approach needs to be developed for shutting
the choke in and kicking the pump in
• Too much pressure needs to be avoided or else ECD would
increase
• Use of low torque valves are recommended in pump line
 P tank
• A pressurised vessel normally used for UBD type drilling
• For MPD depending on application it varies
• New operators would prefer a P tank
• WFD’s P tank is way too huge
• MI Swaco’s – pop valve set at 125 psi – works OK
• Why cant you use Atmospheric P tank for MPD operations?
• Where can you use Atmospheric P tank?
• All separators work on the same theme
• WFD calls their separator a 4 phase one (works well for UBD)
• 4 phase separators are great for Foam type drilling
• For MPD you can get by with a well test type separator too
 P tank
• At a minimum 25 MMscfd of gas can be handled
• At a maximum 65 MMscfd of gas can be handled
• What would be your reaction if you see lots of gas during an
MPD operation
• What would be your reaction if you see lots of gas during a
UBD operation
• Canada has very stringent regulations on gas flows
• IRP 22 is geared towards the risk of handling gas flow
• To date no sour well MPD IRP is out there
 P tank

Sieves

Slurry line

Shipping lines

• Retention time is only 6 mins . Pop valve setting at 220 psi

• Foam needs to be at a minimum of 6 inches in level 1 to be shipped out
• Normally comes with Daniel meter for gas flow rate metering
• In a UBD operation, preference is always given for pressure shipping
• Keep roughly 50 psi pressure in the separator for pressure shipping
• For MPD there is only one line that comes into the separator
• For UBD operation there is also a Secondary line
P tank

125 psi pressure rated

Works well in an MPD

environment

May not work well for a foam

based UBD operation

Outside flange are 8 inches

Also comes with a Carbon

Tracker
 Kick Detection Systems
• EKDS – Early kick detection System
– Halliburton tool
– Coil based goes at the shaker line
– Fairly cumbersome to rig up but does the job

• Microflux – By Weatherford
– Recent most tool by WFD
– Can detect less than ½ bbl gain or loss
– Fix at the upstream of the choke
– Hydraulics by WFD has been improved on it
 Kick Detection Systems
• Carbon Tracker by Schlumberger
– Recently used by Shell and Conoco
on their operations
– Works great
– Can detect gas velocity at 1 fps
– Has a built chromotograph so can
tell the type of gas
– Works well for MPD operation
– Ensure the gas line is liquid free for
the tool to work properly
– Currently being used in AP region in
abundance
– Can also detect sweet spots in a
reservoir if used properly
 Kick Detection Systems
• The CarbonTracker Flareline Gas Meter offers opportunity
to ...
• Learn more while drilling
• Plan and execute better with cost effective appraisal and/or
development plans
• Deliver wells that are better placed, more efficient ... and
perhaps fewer wells in total
• Make “drill-ins” (drilling with casing/tubing) more realistic for
the Operators
• In some areas there will be no choice but to drill-in casing ...
due to costs, depletion....
 Downhole Deployment Valve DDV
• A brilliant tool by WFD (NASA scientist)
• Works like a downhole safety valve
• Flapper based therefore may not be reliable at times
• Temperature rating is very important
– Dubai incident
• Currently being used by many operators
• Available in sizes of 9 5/8, 7” and 4 ½” Casing
• Installed with the casing
• Two control lines Open & Close
• Control lines are cemented in place
• Not to set DDV valve at an angle
• BOP configuration need to be changed for control lines
 Downhole Deployment Valve DDV
• No need to pump down Heavy MW
• Close the DDV valve as the bit comes on top of it
• Trip with normal speed no need to worry about swabbing
• While RIH trip in until the top of DDV
• Ensure RCD is installed before opening the valve
• Trip in easily and commence drilling
• Flapper rated at 5 to 10 K psi
• Main champions sit in Canada and the US
 Drillstring Design

Flapper Plunger
 Drillstring Design
• Placement of Collars
• Placement of HWDP
• Use WellPlan to check torque and drag prediction
• Use Neotec to draw your ECD profile
• Put the combo together and see if it matches the rig
 Operational Challenges
• Chain of Command
– Driller
– MPD Field Engineer
– Co Man or Foreman on the Rig
– Equipment operators
– Rig Crew
– Rig Manager
– All other services such as DD, MWD, Mud etc

• Who is the Focal point in an MPD operation?

 Operational Challenges
• Operator’s Challenge
– Generally lacking these days
– MPD is a very specialised field & is Rocket Science
– You think you understand and yet we have failures
– Old timers do not like change
– Challenge of convincing
– “I have done it this way for the last 30 years” so why Change?
– MPD Amnesia (term introduced by Hassan Malik)
– Rig Crew Competency level
– Rig crew not comfortable with added equipment
– Change is not welcome by anyone
 Operational Challenges
• Vendors Challenge
– Their limited exposure or too much exposure
– Failed to define the applications of MPD to the operator
– Training plan for rig crew not sufficient
– Not enough safety meetings or toolbox talks
– Everyone thinks
• Just get a RCD and Manifold to conduct an MPD operation
– Vendors good with equipment but personnel experience is ?
– MI currently working on reducing personnel on rig site
 Operational Challenges
• Rig Crew and Vendor Personnel
– Not comfy with added equipment on location
– Why do I need to listen to someone else
– Rig Manager is not in the equation now
– Foreman or Co Man has to work with the MPD Engineer on site
– Driller is the focal point in an MPD operation
– When shutting pumps off inform the choke operator
– MPD Engineer works out pressures and other variables
– 24 hr DSS from MPD vendor is the incharge of equipment only
– All other vendor operators report to 24 hr DSS
– MPD engineer report to Foreman and gives his recommendation
– Office based staff is in touch with the MPD engineer
 Operational Challenges
• Once the equipment is sourced out then draw the PFDs
• PFD = Process Flow Diagrams
• PFD is approx. same as P&IDs in an EPC environment
• What is the difference b/w PFD & P&ID
• PFD
– Should show clearly flow paths
– Should show clearly valve numbering
– Should be laminated on each job
– Walk with the PFD on the rig site after the rig up
– Confirm all details from PFD to the actual rig up
 Operational Challenges
• Rig Training
– See separate sheet given for rig training
– Must be communicated at all levels on the Rig
– Foreman should attend all meetings
– When tours break, ensure to run training once again
– If rig crew does not change then one or two sessions are ample
– Radio Etiquettes (very crucial)
– Purpose of operation
– Ensure that everyone knows their roles & responsibilities
– Encourage questions and answers sessions onsite
– Rig crew is not comfy with added equipment onsite
 Operational Hierarchy
• 4 main people onsite
– MPD Engineer / Consultant
– Company Man
– Driller (the most important person)
– Choke operator
• In terms of ranking
– Driller
– MPD Engineer
– Choke Operator
– Company Man
• Therefore in an MPD operation Co Man goes down the list – I
am sure he is not going to be happy about it
 Operational Hierarchy
• In terms of reporting
– MPD engineer reports to both downtown office & foreman
– Driller fills his daily reports as usual
– Choke operator reports to both MPD engineer & 24 hr DSS
– 24 hr DSS reports back to MPD Vendor operations manager

• Everything else remains the same

• Do not create any other position during this operation
• Be cautious about the overall operation and don’t mess up
 Roles & Responsibilities
MPD Engineer
– conduct flow modeling on site
– Calculate backpressure
– Write SOPs such as changing RCD, POOH etc
– Conduct survey on the rigsite about operations
– Training for rig crew and company’s personnel
– Writing of DDR
– Attending morning calls with downtown office
 Roles & Responsibilities
24 hrs DSS
– Ensuring all operators are working as per schedule
– Ensuring all equipment working
– Ensuring to raise work orders if any malfunction
– Raising daily tickets and submit to Company man
– Work with MPD Engineer, Rig Crew & Company man
– Ensuring Choke hand knows exactly what to do in the event of
any malfunction or communication breakdown
– Report daily operations to vendor’s operations manager
– Answer ?s related to equipment to interested parties
 Roles & Responsibilities
Driller & Choke Operator
– The most important wedding of the world
– This relationship has to be very smooth
– Radio communication cannot be risked between these two
– If driller is shutting pumps he MUST inform the Choke operator
– Any malfunction in choke, choke operator MUST inform driller
– Any anomalies must be discussed between each of them
– Choke operator to keep a close eye on HMI panel
– Choke operator to keep an eye on PVT with the Derrick man
PFD – MPD Rig Up
PFD – While Drilling – No influx
PFD – While Drilling – influx
PFD – While Tripping
PFD – While Changing BA
Well Control in an MPD Opn
 Equipment Selection
Relationship of WHP vs Qg vs BHCP at MW: 1100 Kg/m3

47 40

45

BHCP (x1000) kPa

WHP (x100) kPa

39
43 Well Head Pressure
from Autochoke
41
38

39

37 37

BHCP profile as
35
compared to WHP from
AutoChoke 36
33

31
35

29

27 34
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4
Gas Flow (MMscfd) from IPR
MW MACP

Fracture Pr ROP Enhancement

HH @ BS Delta P @
(kg/m3) (kPa) BS (kPa) (kPa) (kPa)
950 25768 12232 7849 24721 Significant

Significant
1000 27125 10875 7546 24721

Good
1100 29837 8163 6938 24721

Fair
1200 32550 5450 6331 24721

Gas Rate (MMscfd)

0.0 1.0 - 2.0 >2.0
Continue to Flow Drill. Calculate Stop drilling & Keep circulating.
the BHCP & Qg. Avoid Calculate the BHCP & Qg. Avoid
Drill ahead thru Gut Line
Underbalanced (UB) conditions UB conditions at Falher
at Falher sequence sequence
Adjust CP using Fountain Chart,
Decision to rig out MPD package to Inform Calgary & Wait,
Do not exceed MACP at all
be made later. reciprocate drillstring
times
Without exceeding MACP, apply
Let well flow during connections, CP until gas influx is <2.0.
while maintaining WHP control Calculate new mud weight
procedures. required. Do not exceed up hole
  maximun pressures
Flow via Secondary line on RCD
Element or while bearing
change. AP Shut. Maintain WHP
control procedures and do not
  exceed MACP.  
 Well Control in an MPD Opn
• Conventional and MPD well control go hand in hand
• Every vendor has their own well control matrix
• Each quadrant in the well control matrix portraits RCD rating
• Watch carefully the WHP to what dynamic rating of RCD is
• In some cases, if an MPD operation is neglected then even
static rating of the RCD can also be exceeded
• Where is the Cut off then?
• If the dynamic rating of the RCD reaches 80% of the Max then
it is an Alarm bell
• Vendor would pass on to conventional well control if 80% of
dynamic rating is achieved
 Risk Matrix for an MPD Opn
• A detailed Risk matrix need to be developed
• A risk matrix will be given to each student
• Risk Matrix generally involves
– Operational Challenges such as discussed before
– Flow Modeling results & onsite accuracy
– RCD compatibility
– Working of the P tank
– Zoning in an MPD or UBD operation
– Lighting onsite
– HP flowlines
– Connections
 Case Histories
• Major Failures in an MPD Operation
– Main cause = Communication
– Secondary Cause = too much Ego
– Tertiary Cause = Not paying attention
• MPD operation is not a conventional type operation where
the HC are pushed into the reservoir
• There is always gas in the well
• How much can you flare in an MPD mode
• Would you like to see a big flare in an MPD mode
• Connection gas is normal in an MPD operation
 Case Histories
• Loss Circulation and MPD
– Loss circulation occurs due to natural fractures or highly
depleted zones with considerable permeability
– Stuck pipe is pretty common in severely under pressured zone
– MPD has been used successfully in LC zones
– Pore pressure value or threshold MW is worked out
– Flow Model to predict choke pressure that is @balanced or
lower than threshold MW
– Drill ahead keeping a close eye on PVT
 Case Histories
To date MPD has been used for;
• MPD and Ballooning / Nusiance Gas
• MPD & Wellbore stability
• MPD in a tight gas matrix reservoir
• MPD and High pressure gas floaters
• MPD & Loss Circulation
• MPD with low FG (walking the window)
• MPD & Fractures in target zone
• MPD with weak zone on top and High pressure at bottom
• MPD to bring MW lower to drill faster
• MPD to push the casing deeper not possible with single
 Tripping Procedures
• In any of the MPD method, tripping is conducted either
– With weighted pill at the bottom
– With Kill MW before POOH
– Or use of DDV valve
• What you need to watch out when tripping
– Do not swab or surge the well excessively
– Flow checks at casing point
– Flow check before pulling the BHA
– RCD should not be removed until well is balanced
– Do not pull the motor through the RCD element
– RCD element is more susceptible at the time of POOH due to
constant interaction with the mud and depressurisation
 Other MPD Techniques
• Mud Cap Drilling
– Floating Mud Cap
– Pressurised Mud Cap
 Mud Cap Drilling
Floating Mud Cap Drilling
• The hole is drilled until circulation is lost
• Wait until the hydrostatic head equals to the lowest fracture
pressure where LC is happening
• To reduce the volume of mud a heavy fluid is pumped from
backside to keep the well from flowing
• Cuttings are injected into the caverns of LC zone
• From time to time heavy MW is pumped to prevent well
control
 Mud Cap Drilling
Pressurised Mud Cap Drilling
• Generally used for deeper and HP wells
• Taking Floating MC as the starting point, pressurised mud cap
is implemented when well is drilled deeper
• Surface pressures fluctuations are monitored for
– Gas migration to the annulus
– Pore pressure increase
– Fracture plugging
 DGD Technology
• Primarily an offshore application
• Riser is filled with sea water, MW below riser is different
• A line is attached from the riser to a shipping pump
• The shipping pump sends all cuttings to shakers
• Therefore the riser never sees any cuttings thru it
• There will always be two densities for this operation
• Preferred for deep offshore horizons
• COP Troll field project
• AGR and Chevron working together on a consortium
• Upcoming DGD conference in Italy on March 13th