General Well Control Methods
The objective of the various kill methods is to circulate out any invading fluid and circulate a
satisfactory weight of kill mud into the well without allowing further fluid into the hole. Ideally,
this should be done with the minimum of damage to the well.
If this can be done, then once the kill mud has been fully circulated around the well, it is possible
to open up the well and restart normal operations. Generally, a kill mud that just provides
hydrostatic balance for formation pressure is circulated.
This allows approximately constant bottom hole pressure which is slightly greater than formation
pressure to be maintained as the kill circulation proceeds because of the additional small
circulating friction pressure loss.
After circulation, the well is opened up again and the mud weight may be further increased to
provide a safety or trip margin (Check also: Kill Mud Weight)
There are three Constant Bottom hole Pressure Kill Methods methods in common use today
which are:
DRILLER’S METHOD
WAIT AND WEIGHT METHOD (also known as the Engineer’s Method)
VOLUMETRIC WELL CONTROL
Driller’s Method
In Driller’s Method, the kill is split into two circulations to fully control the well.
During the first, the Kick fluid is circulated without changing the mud weight.
During the second, once the Kick is out, the mud is weighted up and pumped around the well on
the second circulation.
This method is mostly used on small land rigs where the Driller may have little help and limited
equipment. It is also used on highly deviated and horizontal wells, where the influx is likely to be
a swabbed Kick. In addition, the simplicity of Driller’s Method makes it useful when only
limited information is available about the well control conditions.
Killing Procedure (Drillers Method)
In this method the well is killed in two circulations.
1) First Circulation
The well is closed in with hard shut in procedure or soft shut in procedures and the information
recorded.
b). Bring the pump up to kill speed in steps of 5 SPM, gradually opening the choke holding
casing pressure constant.
c). When the pump is up to kill speed, maintain drill pipe pressure constant.
d). Circulate out the influx from the well maintaining drill pipe pressure constant.
E). When the influx is out, stop the pump reducing the pump speed in steps of 5 SPM, gradually
closing the choke, maintaining casing pressure constant.
F). Record pressure, SIDPP and SICP should be equal to original SIDPP.
Note: In case recorded SIDPP & SICP are equal but more than original SIDPP value, it indicates
trapped pressure in well bore. Whereas if SICP is more than original SIDPP, it indicates that
some influx is still in the well bore.
2) Second Circulation
a). Line up suction with kill mud.
b). Bring the pump up to kill speed in steps of 5 SPM, gradually opening the choke holding
casing pressure constant.
c). When the pump is at kill speed, pump kill mud from surface to bit, maintaining casing
pressure const.
d). Pump kill mud from bit to surface, maintaining drill pipe pressure constant equal to FCP.
e). When the kill mud reaches surface, stop the pump reducing the pump in steps of 5 SPM,
gradually closing the choke maintaining casing pressure constant. Record pressures, SIDPP and
SICP both should be equal to zero.
Pressure Profile:
1st Cycle of Driller’s Method Pressure profile of drill pipe pressure and casing pressure in first
cycle of Drillers method is:
Casing Pipe Pressure Graph
i). A - B Casing pressure rises as influx expands in drill collar annulus.
ii). B - C Casing pressure decreases as influx crosses over from drill collar annulus to drill pipe
annulus & losses height.
iii). C – D Casing pressure again rises as influx now expands in drill pipe and it becomes
maximum when influx reaches surface at point ‘D’ on the graph.
iv). D - E Casing pressure reduces sharply as influx is removed from the wellbore.
Drill Pipe Pressure Graph
i). I - J Drill pipe pressure is held constant till the influx is removed from the well bore.
2nd Cycle of Driller’s Method Pressure profile:
Casing Pressure Graph
i). F - G Casing pressure is held constant till kill mud is pumped from surface to bit
ii). G - H Casing pressure reduces to zero as kill mud is pumped from bit to surface.
Drill Pipe Graph
a). L - M Drill pipe pressure reduces as kill mud is pumped from surface to bit.
During this period SIDPP drops & becomes zero whereas KRP increases to FCP value. On the
whole drill pipe pressure reduces from ICP to FCP.
b). M - N Drill pipe pressure is held constant as the kill mud is pumped from bit to surface.
Wait and Weight Method
In Wait and Weight method well is killed in one circulation using kill mud.
In this method, operations are delayed (wait) once the well is shut in, while a sufficient volume
of kill (weight) mud is being prepared. As the kill mud moves from surface to the bit the
hydrostatic pressure in the Drill Pipe increases, this causes the drill pipe pressure to fall. At the
same time, influx which is on its way up the annulus expands continuously and gains volume /
height, thereby causing the hydrostatic pressure in annulus to fall and casing pressure to rise.
Because of this, for maintaining BHP constant a calculated step down plan for the drill pipe
pressure must be used while pumping the kill mud from surface to the bit
Killing Procedure (Wait and Weight Method)
i). Line up suction with kill mud.
ii). Bring the pump up to kill speed in steps of 5 SPM, gradually opening the choke, holding
casing pressure constant.
iii). When the pump is at kill speed, pump kill mud from surface to bit, maintaining drill pipe
pressure as per step down schedule (during this step drill pipe pressure will fall from ICP to
FCP).
iv). Pump kill mud from bit to surface, maintaining drill pipe pressure constant equal to FCP.
v). When the kill mud reaches surface, stop the pump reducing the pump speed in steps of 5
SPM, gradually closing the choke maintaining casing pressure constant.
vi). Record pressures, SIDPP and SICP both should be equal to zero. In the case SICP exceeds
the original SIDPP, it indicates that some influx is still in the well bore.
vii). Open & observe the well. Add trip margin before resuming normal operation.
Comparison of methods
Casing Pressure Graph
i). A - B Casing pressure rises as influx expands in drill collar annulus.
ii). B- C Casing pressure decreases as influx crosses over from drill collar annulus to drill pipe
annulus & losses height.
iii). C- D Casing pressure again rises as influx now expands in drill pipe annulus.
iv). D- E Casing pressure continues to increase but initially at a slower rate as at this stage kill
mud starts entering the annulus, later on casing pressure increases at a faster due to rapid
expansion of gas.
v). E- F Casing pressure reduces sharply as influx is removed from the well bore.
vi). F- G Casing pressure further reduces as original mud is replaced by kill mud.
Drill Pipe Pressure Graph
i). H- I Drill pipe reduces from ICP to FCP as kill mud is pumped from surface to bit.
ii). I- J Drill pipe pressure is held constant at FCP as kill mud is pumped from bit to surface.
Formulas required:
The pressure required on the Drill Pipe for the first circulation of the well. This is:
Initial Circulating Pressure (ICP) = SIDPP (psi) + SCP (psi)
𝑆𝐶𝑃 = 𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒
The kill mud weight required:
𝑺𝑰𝑫𝑷𝑷 (𝒑𝒔𝒊)
𝑲𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑴𝒖𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚(𝒑𝒑𝒈) = 𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒖𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 (𝒑𝒑𝒈) +
𝑻𝑽𝑫 (𝒇𝒕) ∗ 𝟎. 𝟎𝟓𝟐
Once the Kill mud reaches the bit, the Drill Pipe pressure is held at the final circulating pressure
by controlled opening of the choke, as the Kill mud moves up the annulus.
FCP: This is the slow circulating rate pressure, increased slightly for the extra mud weight.
𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒖𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 (𝒑𝒑𝒈)∗𝑺𝑪𝑷(𝒑𝒔𝒊)
Final Circulating Pressure (FCP)=
𝑶𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒖𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 (𝒑𝒑𝒈)
𝑆𝐶𝑃 = 𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒
Surface to Bit = Drill string volume (bbl) ÷ Pump output (bbl/stroke)
Bit to Shoe = Open hole annulus volume (bbl) ÷ Pump output (bbl/stroke)
Bit to Surface = Annulus volume (bbl) ÷ Pump output (bbl/stroke)
Volumetric Method
The volumetric method is a non-circulating killing method used for removing gas influx when
there is little or no drill pipe in the hole, a wash out in the string or when the hole can not be
circulated. It works equally well for a situation where the well is closed-in and waiting on orders
or equipment or for stripping in or out of hole. In this method the influx is brought up to the
surface by means of migration & controlled expansion. This process involves bleeding of
calculated volume of mud at the surface till the influx reaches the surface, thereby allowing the
casing pressure to increase to maintain BHP constant. After the gas influx is brought to the
surface in this manner of controlled expansion, the calculated volume of mud is pumped in to the
well & gas influx is bled thereby allowing the casing pressure to decrease while
maintaining BHP constant.
The basis of the volumetric method is that each barrel of mud contributes a certain pressure to
the bottom of the hole. This may be measured as psi/bbl. This term of psi/bbl must be co-
ordinated with pit volume or trip tank volume so that the number of barrels can be read directly.
A record of casing pressure is kept, if the casing pressure rises mud can be bled from the well
according to the psi/bbl value calculated to maintain a constant bottom hole pressure. The
volumetric method works by bleeding off (or adding) mud because the BHP is the sum of the
casing pressure & the pressure exerted by the mud column.
The Volumetric method of well control should not be equated with classic well killing methods.
Volumetric method is used to control BHP within limits by coordinating the increase (because of
gas migration) or decrease (because of bleeding of gas ) in annulus surface pressure with the
corresponding decrease or increase in annular hydrostatic pressure (by decreasing or increasing
height / weight of mud column in the annulus).
Volumetric method is implemented mainly in two steps namely the bleeding” and “lubrication”
process. In the bleeding process the gas influx is allowed to migrate in the annulus and thereby
causing an increase in the annular surface pressure as well as the BHP. The goal of maintaining
the BHP constant is achieved through corresponding reduction in annular hydrostatic pressure by
bleeding calculated volume of mud, which in turns reduces the mud column height in the annulus
and allows the gas to expand. The bleeding process has to be repeated several times till the gas
reaches the surface.
Once the gas reaches at the surface, the process of lubrication is starts. In lubrication process
annular hydrostatic pressure is increased by injecting a calculated volume of same or heavy mud
through kill line while the BHP is maintained constant by bleeding gas through choke and
reducing surface pressure by the same amount. The process may be repeated several times till all
the gas influx is fully removed from the annulus and the annular surface pressure is brought
down to zero or at a level wherein tripping /stripping of the bit to the bottom or removing/
replacing of choked or damaged string becomes feasible. Once the bit is at the bottom, the well
can be killed / circulated with appropriate kill weight mud.
Bleeding
a) Allow the casing pressure to increase to 650 psi, this causes the BHP to increase by 150 psi,
don’t start bleeding now (this 150 psi may be kept as safety margin).
b) Allow the Casing pressure to increase by another 100 psi to 750 psi, this causes the BHP to
increase by 250psi. Since it is planned to keep only 150 psi extra pressure at the bottom as safety
margin, we can now reduce 100 psi of BHP by bleeding 6.46 bbl of mud. While bleeding mud
the surface casing pressure should not be allowed to reduce more than 100 psi which may require
the bleeding to be completed in number of steps.
c) Allow the pressure to increase by another 100 psi to 850 psi and bleed 6.46 bbl of mud in the
same way.
d) This procedure should be repeated until gas reaches surface. Thereafter, Lubrication technique
is to be used for reducing the casing pressure.
Lubrication
The lubrication technique is used to Kill the well / reduce the casing pressure when gas is at the
surface so that other operation such as tripping / stripping can be performed.
a) Slowly pump the calculated volume of mud (6.46 bbl) which shall give 100 psi equivalent
hydrostatic pressure into the annulus. Allow the mud to fall through the gas. This is a slow
process, but can be speeded up by using a low yield point mud.
b) Bleed gas from the annulus until the surface pressure is reduced by 100 psi or the amount
equal to the hydrostatic pressure of the mud pumped in. In no case mud is to be bled off.
c) Repeat the process until all of the gas has been bled off and the well is killed or the desired
surface pressure is reached.
Note: During the pumping and gas bleeding process, it will usually be necessary to decrease the
volume of mud pumped before gas is bled off particularly near the end of the operation. This is
because the annular volume occupied by the gas decreases with each pump & bleed sequence.
Watch the pumping pressure closely and when it reaches 50-100 psi above the shut in casing
pressure, stop pumping. Measure the volume of mud pumped, calculate the hydrostatic pressure
of that volume in the annulus and bleed sufficient gas to drop the casing pressure by the amount
of hydrostatic pressure plus any increment of trapped pressure because of pumping operation.