Indications of Kick

Principle & Procedure

Content
2.1 Understanding the Causes of Kick
2.2 Early Warning Signs of Kick
2.3 Positive Signs of Kick
2.4 Kick While Drilling
2.5 Kick While Tripping

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2.1 Understanding the Causes of Kick
Kick occurs when the formation pressure in the wellbore exceeds the mud
hydrostatic pressure being exerted.

Formation Pressure > Hydrostatic Pressure of Mud Column

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2.1 Understanding the Causes of Kick
Factors while leads hydrostatic pressure to fall below formation pressure:

• Improper hole fill up during trips

• Swab
• Surge
• Abnormal formation pressure
• Insufficient mud density
• Lost circulation
• Gas cut mud
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2.1.1 Improper hole fill up during trips

When the drill string is pulled

out of hole, the mud volume
decreases by volume
equivalent to steel volume of
the drill string pulled out.

The volume of mud equivalent

to the steel volume is to be
filled in the hole.

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2.1.1 Improper hole fill up during trips

If the hole is not filled at regular

intervals, the level of fluid
column in the wellbore reduces
and thus reduces the
hydrostatic pressure.

If the hydrostatic pressure falls

below the formation pressure,
the formation fluid will enter the
wellbore. KICK

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2.1.2 Swab

Swab is generally created during POOH.

A kind of vacuum is created which leads to

reduction in mud hydrostatic pressure.

If in any situation, the hydrostatic pressure

of mud column falls below the formation
pressure, there are chances of well to take
a kick.

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2.1.3 Surge
Surging is caused during RIH.

If the string is run too fast, a surge pressure is

produced.

The total pressure acting downwards equals the sum

of mud hydrostatic pressure and the surge pressure.

If in any case, the total downward force exceeds the

formation fracture pressure, it may lead to formation
fracture and the mud in the wellbore may entre the
fractured the fractured region.
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2.1.3 Surge
This may lead to reduction in height of much column,
which may ultimately lead to drop in mud hydrostatic
pressure.

If the mud hydrostatic pressure falls below the

formation pressure, there are chances of well to take
kick.

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2.1.4 Abnormal Formation Pressure

If the formation pressure gradient is above 0.465 psi per feet, we call the
formation to be abnormally pressured.

If an abnormal formation is drilled, the available mud hydrostatic pressure

falls below the unexpected formation pressure.

The well takes a kick.

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2.1.5 Insufficient Mud Density

If the mud density of the drilling fluid in use is not in accordance to the
formation pressure, the pressure exerted by the drilling fluid column will be
less than the formation pressure.

The well will take a kick.

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2.1.6 Lost Circulation

In case of lost circulation, the height of mud column in the annulus

decreases and ultimately the BHP reduces.

This may invite the kick to enter the wellbore.

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2.1.7 Gas Cut Mud

Gas cut mud occurs due to one the following three actions:
a. Drilling a gas bearing formation with correct mud density (drilled gas)
b. Trip or connection gas
c. Influx of gas from formation having higher pore pressure than the
pressure exerted by drilling fluid column.

The presence of gas in mud reduced the overall density of mud, which
may lead to reduction in hydrostatic pressure.

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2.2 Early Warning Signs of Kick

The early warning signs are indications which suggests that the well may
have taken a kick.

It does not assure that the well has taken a kick.

The Driller is required to make a flow check if any early warning

sign is observed.

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2.2 Early Warning Signs of Kick

Following are the early warning signs of kick:

a. ROP Trends
b. Drilling Break
c. Increase in torque or drag
d. Change in cutting size or shape
e. Change in mud property
f. Increase in flow-line temperature

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2.2.1 ROP Trend

When an abnormal formation or a

formation containing fluid is drilled, the
ROP increases.

On closely monitoring the ROP trend, one

may get informed of the change in
formation being drilled.

An abnormal formation may lead to a kick.

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2.2.1 ROP Trend

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2.2.2 Drilling Break

Reservoir fluids are trapped in permeable sections of reservoir rocks.

When a permeable rock is drilled, there is an increase in ROP.

A 200% to 300% increase in ROP is termed as drilling break.

It indicated that a soft formation has been drilled.

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2.2.3 Increase in Torque & Drag

As the difference between the mud hydrostatic pressure and the

formation pressure decreases (due to increase in formation pressure), bit
generated large amount of cutting and the hole starts getting packed.

This may increase the torque while drilling and the drag during picking up
the string.

The may be other reasons for increase in torque and drag too, eg: higher
dogleg, poor hole cleaning, caving etc.

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2.2.4 Change in cutting size and shape

Cuttings from normal pressured formations are small in size, with round
edges and flat.

Cuttings from abnormal pressured formations are long and splintery with
angular edges.

A proper evaluation of cutting received on shakers may determine the

formation characteristic.

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2.2.5 Change in Mud Property

When the formation pressure approaches the mud hydrostatic, the bit
generates large amount of cutting.

These cuttings may increase the mud viscosity.

Also, presence of salt water may increase the chloride content.

Presence of gas or oil may reduce the mud density.

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2.2.5 Increase in Flow Line Temperature

The temperature gradient of abnormally pressured formation is always

greater than that of normally pressured formation.

The continuous measurement of mud temperature at flowline gives an

indication of change in temperature gradient.

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2.3 Positive Signs of Kick

Positive signs of kick are different from the early warning signs.

They indicate that the kick has already been taken in wellbore.

It does not require a flow check to be made.

If any positive sign of kick is observed by the Driller, he should

immediately shut the well as per the company’s Shut-in Policy.

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2.3 Positive Signs of Kick

Following are the positive signs of kick:

a. Increase in return flow (pumps ON)

b. Flow from well (Pumps OFF)
c. Increase in pit volume
d. Decrease in pump pressure & increase in pump stroke

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2.3.1 Increase in Return Flow (Pumps ON)

When the pump is running a fixed rate, the return at surface is nearly
constant.

This can be monitored by driller at his console.

An increase in return flow indicates that some additional fluid has entered
the wellbore.

The decrease in return flow indicates the loss of drilling fluid in the
formation.

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2.3.2 Flow form Well (Pumps OFF)

When the pumps are off, the drilling mud in the well becomes static.

No drilling mud is observed at flowline.

The return flow sensor shows 0% reading.

If a return is observed at flowline in PUMP OFF situation, this indicates

that some fluid has entered the wellbore and is trying to come up the
wellbore, displacing the mud present in the well.

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2.3.3 Increase in Pit Volume

The volume of drilling fluid available in pits are known.

The active pits are lined up to the wellbore.

The mud from active pit enters the wellbore and exits through the flow
line, gets treated on solid control equipment and returns back to the
active pit.

There are chances of slight loss of mud in wellbore and on solid control
equipment.

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2.3.3 Increase in Pit Volume

These losses may slightly reduce the volume in active pit.

In no way the volume of active pit will increase until unless some
additional fluid is added into pit from surface or through wellbore.

Thus, increase in pit level indicates that some additional fluid has entered
the wellbore system.

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2.3.4 Decrease in Pump Pressure and
Increase in Pump SPM
When the wellbore takes a kick, the density of mud in the wellbore
reduces thus reducing the mud hydrostatic pressure.

The circulating pressure exerted on pumps reduces if the driller does not
make any throttle adjustment.

The old pump pressure can only be regained by increasing the pump
SPM.

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2.4 Kicks While Drilling

While Drilling:

a. Mud Pumps are ON.

b. Active pit is lined up to mud pumps, pumping the drilling fluid from
active pit to the wellbore through the drill string.
c. The mud return comes through flow line to the shakers.
d. BOPs are in open condition.

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2.4 Kicks While Drilling
The driller monitors the following parameters on his system:

a. Weight on Bit (WOB)

b. Bit Depth
c. Hole Depth
d. Stand Pipe Pressure (SPP)
e. Pump Rate (Pump SPM)
f. Return Flow %
g. ROP
h. RPM
i. Drilling Torque
j. Flow Rate
k. Gain/ Loss %
l. Pit Volume
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2.4 Kicks While Drilling
The Driller should immediately shut the well if at least two such
parameter trend is observed simultaneously during drilling:

• Increase in return flow

• Increase in pit volume
• Decrease in pump pressure & increase in pump SPM
• Gain alarm

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2.4 Kicks While Tripping
During Tripping:

a. Mud Pumps are OFF

b. Well is lined up through trip tank.
c. Trip Sheet is maintained to monitor the return (during RIH) or fill
(during POOH)

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2.4 Kicks While Tripping
The driller monitors the following parameters on his system:

• Hole Depth
• Trip tank volume

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2.4 Kicks While Tripping
During RIH, the driller should immediately make a flow check and
run the string to as bottom as possible if he observes an increase
in trip tank volume compared to the scheduled increase due to RIH.

During POOH, the driller should immediately make a flow check and
run the string to as bottom as possible if he observes an
inappropriate decrease trip tank volume compared to the scheduled
decrease due to POOH.

If a situation arises that the kick has reached the surface, he should
immediately close the BOP as the situation demands.

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