Kick Penetration For Stripping Operation

by DRILLINGFORMULAS.COM on MARCH 2, 2015

Height of influx will increase when the drillstring penetrates a kick;

therefore, hydrostatic pressure decreases and casing pressure increases in
order to compensate this situation.

If the casing is maintained constant while penetrating the kick, you

will have high chance to take more influx because of underbalance
situation (Figure 1). This article will teach you about how to determine
pressure increment while penetrating into the kick, what to look for, etc.

Figure 1 Height of Influx increases when the drillstring penetrates into

it.
However, if the constant surface pressure is utilized for the
stripping operation, you must account for pressure increment due to
height of influx change. The equation below is for calculating the increase
in casing pressure.
CP = H x (MG
KG)
Where:
CP = Increase in casing pressure, psi
H = Change in length of influx, ft
MG = Mud Gradient, psi/ft
KG = Kick Gradient, psi/ft

The example below demonstrates how to calculate casing pressure

increase.
Hole TD = 12,000MD/12,000TVD
Hole size =11.75
Drill pipe = 5
Drill collar = 6.5
Drill collar length = 800 ft
Pit gain = 35 bbl
Mud weight = 12.0 ppg
Kick gradient = 0.3 psi/ft

Figure 2 Calculation Example for This Situation

Hole capacity = 11.752 1029.4 = 0.134 bbl/ft

Kick Height in open hole = 35 0.134 = 261 ft
Hole and 6.5 drill collar capacity = (11.752 -6.52) 1029.4

= 0.0931 bbl/ft
Kick Height in annulus between hole and DC = 35 0.0931

= 376 ft
Mud gradient = 12.0 x 0.052 = 0.624 psi/ft
Kick gradient = 0.3 psi/ft
CP = H x (MG IG)
CP = (376 261) x (0.624 0.3)
CP = 37 psi

Figure 3 Casing Pressure Increase Due To Kick Penetration

The increase in casing pressure required for this scenario is 37 psi.

This figure tells you that you need to let casing pressure increase by 37
psi in order to compensate to hydrostatic loss.
Practically, you should have the safety factor which is greater than
casing pressure increase required for kick penetration and for this case,
the safety factor must be more than 37 psi. This will prevent the
underbalance situation when the influx is penetrated and you dont need
to worry about the time when the influx penetration will actually happens.
For gas kick, it is impossible to use either the constant pressure
method or the volume accounting method because gas will migrate. You
must have the method to control the bottom hole pressure and deal with
increase in surface pressure due to gas migration. For gas kick, the
volumetric control stripping technique must be used. This technique will
account for volume of pipe bled back and surface pressure increase. We
will discuss this technique separately in a next topic.