LAB#3

TO CALCULATE FORMATION TEMPERATURE

Importance of formation temperature
The knowledge of down hole and surrounding the wellbore formations temperature is an essential
factor during drilling operations, The down hole temperatures while drilling affects the viscosity
of the drilling mud and, subsequently, the frictional pressure losses; the performance of drilling
bits in hot wells; the density of drilling fluids. In deep and hot wells, the densities of water/oil
muds and brines can be significantly different from those measured at surface conditions.
For this reason determining the density of drilling mud under down hole conditions is needed for
calculating the actual hydrostatic pressure in a well. It is very important to estimate the effect of
pressure and temperature on the density of the formation fluid. This will permit a more accurate
prediction of differential pressure at the bottom-hole and will help to reduce the fluid losses
resulting from miscalculated pressure differentials. In areas with high geothermal gradients, the
thermal expansion of drilling muds can lead to unintentional underbalance, and a kick may occur.
The effect of the borehole temperature recovery process (disturbed by drilling operations) affects
the technology of the casing cementing operations. The design of cement slurries becomes more
critical when a casing liner is used because the performance requirements should be
simultaneously satisfied at the top and at the bottom of the liner. For these reasons it is logical to
assume that the bottom hole shut-in temperature should be considered as parameter in the cement
slurry design

Methods of calculating Formation temperature

1) Through bore hole temperature
Tf = (BHT Ts) Df / TD + Ts
2) Through time factor and temperature

Observations and calculation

Calculate the formation temperature with help of given data if:
Ts= 160C Through bore hole temperature

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LAB#3

Serial #

B.H.T

A
B
C

67
97
103

Formation
depth
1700
2900
3300

Total depth
3600
4000
4400

Average
temp
16
16
16

Formation
temperature
44.9
74.7
81.25

Calculation through temperature and time factor

Bore hole drilled to a bottom hole depth of 4200m was logged with three suits of logs after mud
had been circulated for well conditioning from 02 00 hr to 07 00 hr. DIL suit started logging at 13
00 hr . FDC and CNL suit at 17 00 hr and sonic log at 22 00 hr. Determine the true BHT measured
at each of suits was pulled off bottom were DIL 120 C, FDC 132C and Sonic 139C.
First of all find time factor using formula t1/ (t1+t)
Serial #
1
2
3

t
05 00 hr.
05 00 hr.
05 00 hr.

t1
06 00 hr.
10 00 hr.
15 00 hr.

Time factor
0.54
0.66
0.75

temperature
1200
1320
1390

temp vs time factor

140

temp C

135
130
125
120
115
0.4

0.45

0.5

0.55

0.6

0.65

0.7

0.75

0.8

time factor

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LAB#3
200
180
160

temp C

140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0.1

10

100

time factot
Temp

Log. (Temp)

Result:
Formation Temperature =158 C

References:

https://pangea.stanford.edu/ERE/pdf/IGAstandard/SGW/2011/tekin.pdf

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