Leak off Test

This test is done to determine the maximum pressure the formation can stands, and thus determine the
maximum mud weight above which the formation will break down.(NB: differ from one area to another).
eak off test onl! recommended for exploration wells, not important for production wells.
"s the maximum mud weight for production areas are alread! known from exploration wells drilled before in
that area.
This is done as follows:
#rill cement, wash pocket and then drill $% m or &% ft of new hole, circulate for a few minutes.
'ull to shoe, circulate and condition mud. (ake sure that the s!stem is in balance and accuratel! measure
the mud weight, make sure that the hole is filled up. then close the pipe rams.
'ump mud slowl!, using the cementing unit until the pressure builds up. measure the volume pumped. )se a
calibrated pressure gauge for pressure.
'ump * or $+, bbls and wait for one minute or the time re-uired for the pressure to stabili.e.
'lot on a graph, the commulative mud volume pumped to the final static pressure. /epeat this for each
volume increment.
0ontinue the procedure until the plotted graph starts to bend off.
1eep well closed to verif! that a constant pressure has indeed been obtained.
Bleed off at slow and constant rate, still plotting
volumes and pressures, and establish volume of mud lost in the formation.
2tart circulation.
eak off pressure
(aximum allowed (.wt(''3) 4 4 (''3).
%.%5$67 8T9#(ft) 7 Test (.wt
'ressure
(psi)
'umped volume
(bbl)
Pressure Integrity Test
This is a pressure test same as leak off test. But in this case we do not need to break formation .
:.;: <e test the maximum re-uired mud weight we are intending to work with following the same steps as leak
off test, and when reading this value we stop the test and do not continue until breaking formation. This
re-uired mud weight is determined from previous tests in the previous explorator! wells done in this area.