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Contents
Why Study Well Control?
Types of influx
Ideal Gases
Real Gases
Critical Temperature & Pressure
Pseudo-Critical Temp. and Press.
Gas Compressibility
Problems
C
Melting Point Curve
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
Solid
Gas
Liquid
Temperature
12
Tc
Critical
Temperature
Some Definitions
The critical temperature of a gas is the highest
temperature at which a fluid can exist as a liquid or vapor.
Above this temperature the fluid is a gas, at any pressure.
The critical pressure is the pressure needed to
condense a vapor at its critical temperature
The reduced pressure of a pure gas is the ratio of the
gas pressure to the critical pressure of the gas, p/pc
The reduced temperature of a pure gas is the ratio of the
gas temperature to its critical temperature, T/Tc
Use absolute units, e.g., oR and psia
13
Types of Influx
Influx into wellbore may be gas, oil, and/or water
All well control methods:
Maintain a constant BHP
Consider the behavior of gas under changing wellbore conditions
Are designed to move gas up a wellbore to the surface whenever
possible
Must allow gas, if present, to expand
Different well control methods may result in different wellbore
pressures
Accurate pressure predictions require knowledge of the influx
composition, temperature, and pressure
Influx phase changes can and do occur in the process of killing a well
14
Pressure
Solid
Gas
Liquid
Temperature
Tc
Critical
Temperature 15
Some Definitions
The critical temperature of a gas is the highest
temperature at which a fluid can exist as a liquid or
vapor. Above this temperature the fluid is a gas, at any
pressure.
The critical pressure is the pressure needed to
condense a vapor at its critical temperature
The reduced pressure of a pure gas is the ratio of the
gas pressure to the critical pressure of the gas, p/pc
The reduced temperature of a pure gas is the ratio of
the gas temperature to its critical temperature, T/Tc
Use absolute units, e.g., oR and psia
16
17
18
Ideal Gases
Boyles Law:
T constant
Charles Law:
V constant
pV
p2V2 constant
1 1
p1 p2
constant
T1 T2
pV
p2V2
1 1
constant
T1
T2
pV nRT
19
psia
psia
psia
kPa
kPa
ft3
gal
bbl
m3
m3
R
R
R
K
K
lbm mole
lbm mole
lbm mole
g mole
kg mole
10.732
80.275
1.911
0.0083145
8.3145
pV=ZnRT
20
Problem 1
A 20 bbl gas influx has entered a well at
bottom hole pressure of 3,500 psia.
Determine the gas volume when the kick
exits the well.
a. Assume atmospheric pressure of 14.4 psia
and no change in the gas temperature.
o
b. Assume initial gas temperature of 150 F
o
and surface temperature of 65 F.
21
Solution
(a) Using Boyles law:
p1V1 p 2 V2
p1V1
V2
p2
V2 = 4,861 bbl
(243x expansion!)
22
Solution
(b) Using the Ideal Gas law:
p1V1T2
V2
p 2 T1
p1V1 p 2 V2
T1
T2
3,500 * 20 * ( 65 460 )
V2 = 4,148 bbl
(207x expansion!)
Problem 2
What is the density of the gas from the
previous example if it contains 90% methane
and 10% ethane.
a. Under bottomhole conditions?
a. Under the specified atmospheric conditions?
24
Solution
Weighted molecular weight:
MWgas = 0.9 * 16.0 + 0.1 * 30.1 = 17.41
MW g
MWa
17 .41
g
0 .600
29
25
Solution
(a) Under bottomhole conditions the gas density
(assume Z = 1):
g ,bottom
29 g p
29 (0.600)(3,500)
ZRT
1 * 80.28 (150 460)
Solution
(b) Under the specified atmospheric
conditions:
29 g p
g
g ,surface
ZRT
29 (0.600)(14.4)
Mol.
Wt.
16.0
30.1
Specific
gravity
0.55
1.04
Critical
Temp F
343
550
Critical
Press psia
668
708
Propane, C3H8
n-Butane, C4H10
Nitrogen, N2
Carbon Dioxide, CO4
Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S
Water, H2O
44.1
58.1
28,0
44.0
34.1
18.0
1.52
2.00
0.97
1.25
1.18
0.62
666
765
227
448
673
1166
616
551
439
1071
1306
3208
28
Real Gases
The Equation of State (EOS) for a non-ideal gas is:
pV = ZnRT
The Z-factor, or compressibility factor, is an
empirical adjustment for the non-ideal behavior
of a real gas
29
Real Gases
Z, the compressibility factor, is 1 at atmospheric
conditions, decreases as the pressure increases (min.
value ~ 0.25) and then increases again, reaching a
value of 1 or more at pseudo reduced pressures in
excess of 9.
At low temperatures and a pseudo-reduced pressure
in excess of 25, the value of Z can be as high as 2.0,
or even higher .
30
31
Problem 3
Repeat Problem 2 taking into consideration
the variation in Z-factor with changes in
temperature and pressure.
From Problem 2, g = 0.600
From Fig. 1.5, the Pseudo-critical pressure,
Ppc = 671 psig
and the pseudo-critical temperature
Tpc = 358 oR
32
Tpc (oR)
ppc (psia)
Fig. 1.5
671
358
33
Problem 3
The psuedo-reduced pressure,
ppr = p / ppc
At Bottomhole conditions,
ppr = 3,500 / 671 = 5.22
At the surface,
ppr = 14.7 / 671 = .022
The pseudo-reduced pressure of a gas mixture is the ratio p/ppc
34
Problem 3
The psuedo-reduced Temperature,
Tpr = T / Tpc
At Bottomhole conditions,
Tpr = 610 / 358 = 1.70
At the surface,
Tpr = 525 / 358 = 1.47
The pseudo-reduced temperature is the ratio T/Tpc
35
Problem 3
The Z-factors can now be determined.
Under bottomhole conditions,
Z = 0.886
Under surface conditions,
Z = .995 ~ 1
36
Surface
0.995
0.886
Bottomhole
37
Determination of Z-factor
If a computer is available, Z factors can be
calculated:
ppr = 756.8 - 131g - 3.6 g2
Tpr = 169.2 + 349.5 g 74 g2
Z can be taken from chart or calculated on
spreadsheet
38
Determination of Z-factor
39
Problem 3
At bottomhole conditions, the density of
the gas is:
g ,bottom
29 g P
29(0.6)(3,500)
ZRT
(0.886)(80.28)(610)
Problem 3
Under surface conditions, with a Z - factor
near 1, the density is still ~ 0.0059 ppg.
Note: At a pressure of 10,000 psia and
temperature of 200 OF
ppr = 10,000 / 671 = 14.9
Tpr = 660 / 358 = 1.84
Z = 1.41
and
g = 2.33 ppg
41
500 psi
Problem 4
A 12,000 vertical well is shut in
with a single-phase, 0.6 gravity gas
influx on bottom.
SICP = 500 psia. The initial influx
height is determined to be 400 ft.
Mud density = 11.5 ppg.
Determine the BHP
BHT = 205 deg F
if
400 ft
42
Solution
The pressure at the top of the kick is:
p = SICP + HSPmud
= 500 + 0.052*11.5*(12,000-400)
p = 7,437 psia
pr = p/ppr = 7,437/671 = 11.08, and
Solution
29 g p
29 (0.6) (7,437)
g
ZRT
(1.195) (80.27) (665)
Problem 5
Consider the same well. What would the
SICP be if all the drilling fluid had been
unloaded from the hole prior to shut-in?
Assume BHP = 7,479 psia as calculated in
problem 4. Also assume that the average
wellbore temperature is 160 deg F.
45
Solution
Solve by trial and error.
First assume that Z = 1
g ( D D0 )
p po e
53.3 ZT
7,479 po e
0.6(12,000 0 )
53.3(1.0 )( 620 )
1.243 po
po 6,009 psia
7,479 6,009
ppr
/ 671 10.05
2
Solution
Thus, Z = 1.132, Then:
7,479 po e
0.6(12,0000 )
53.3(1.132 )( 620 )
po 6,164 psia
7,479 6,164
ppr
/ 671 10.17
2
Solution
Now, Z = 1.140, Then:
7,479 poe
0.6(12,0000 )
53.3(1.14 )( 620 )
po 6,173 psia
Close enough
48
6,173 psia
12,000
7,472 psia
49
Problem 6
For the same well, determine the equivalent
density at depths of 6,000 and 12,000.
50
Solution
Recall that:
p = 0.052 * MW * Depth
Solution
At 6,000
p = 500 + 0.052*11.5*6,000 = 4,048 psia
equiv = (4,048-14.4)/(0.052*6,000)
= 13.0 ppg
52
Solution
What is the equivalent density at 1,000?
p = 500 + 0.052*11.5*1,000 = 1,098 psia
equiv = (1,098-14.4)/(0.052*1,000)
= 20.8 ppg
Note how the equivalent density increases as
depth decreases.
53
Depth, ft
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
0
10
15
20
25
EMW, ppg
54
End
55