Well Control Equations

By Drillingformulas.com 2016

1|P age

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................... 4
Pressure (P) psi ........................................................................................ 5

Pressure Gradient (G) psi/ft ....................................................................... 5

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) psi ..................................................................... 5

Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) psi .................................................................. 5

Under static condition................................................................................ 5

Under dynamic condition ........................................................................... 5

Formation Pressure (FP) psi........................................................................ 6

Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD) , ppg ...................................................... 6

Leak-off Test Equivalent Mud Weight (LOT), ppg .............................................. 6

Maximum Initial Shut-In Casing Pressure (MISICP), psi ..................................... 6

Kill Mud Weight to Balance Formation (KMW), ppg ............................................ 6

Slow Circulation Rate (SCR), psi .................................................................... 7

Annulus Capacity Factor (ACF),bbl/ft .............................................................. 7

Final Circulating Pressure (FCP), psi ............................................................... 7

Surface To Bit Strokes, strokes ...................................................................... 7

Circulating Time, minutes ............................................................................. 7

Capacity Factor (CF), bbl/ft ........................................................................... 7
Opened End Pipe Displacement, bbl/ft ............................................................ 8

Closed end pipe displacement, bbl/ft .............................................................. 8

Height of Influx, ft ....................................................................................... 8

Approximate gas migration rate, ft/hr ............................................................. 8

Sacks of Barite Required For Weight-up, sx ..................................................... 8
Volume Gain From Slug, bbl .......................................................................... 8

Triplex Pump Output (volume), bbl/stroke ....................................................... 9

Pump Output, bbl/min .................................................................................. 9

New Pump Pressure With New Pump Strokes, psi ............................................. 9

Boyles Law Gas Pressure and Volume Relationship ........................................ 9

Mud Increment for Volumetric Method (MI), bbl ............................................... 9

Lube Increment for Lubricate and Bleed Method (LI), bbl ................................... 9

Bottle Capacity Required, gal ...................................................................... 10

2|P age

Volume of Usable Fluid, gal ......................................................................... 10

Snubbing force for snubbing operation .......................................................... 10

Buoyed Weight of Open Ended Tubular (Wb),lb .............................................. 10

Buoyed Weight of Closed Ended Tubular without fluid in the pipe (Wb),lb ........... 11
Buoyed Weight of Closed Ended Tubular after filling the pipe (Wb),lb -> in this
case, there is different fluid weight in pipe and annular ................................... 11

The Balance Point for closed ended and unfilled pipe is the point where the weight
of pipe in the fluid equates to force created by wellhead pressure. .................... 11
This is the second case for balance point calculation. The Balance Point for closed
ended pipe and the pipe is filled with fluid. ................................................... 12

Maximum Down Force on Jacks ................................................................... 12

Effective Area of Snubbing Jacks, square inch ................................................ 12

3|P age

Introduction
Well control is one of the important subjects that personnel in drilling should
know. Because of importance of well control, drillingformulas.com creates
this ebook Well Control Equations to help people solve problems in well
control easily. We wish you would have advantageous from our ebook.
If you want additional well control resources, please check out the following
links;
Well Control Quiz - http://www.wellcontrolquiz.com/

Well Control in One Page - http://www.drillingformulas.com/well-control/

Well Control Excel Spread Sheet - http://www.drillingformulas.com/freeuseful-well-control-spread-sheet-all-important-well-control-formulas-foroilfield-personnel/

4|P age

Pressure (P) psi

Pressure (psi) = Force (lb) / Area in Square Inch (in 2)

Pressure Gradient (G) psi/ft

Mud Gradient (Psi/ft ) = Mud weight ( PPG) x 0.052

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) psi

Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) = Mud weight (PPG) x 0.052 x TVD (ft)

Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) psi

Under static condition
Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) = Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) + Surface Pressure
(SP)

Under dynamic condition

Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) = Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) + Surface Pressure
(SP) + Frictional Pressure (FrP)
5|P age

Note: Frictional pressure acts opposite way of flow direction.

Formation Pressure (FP) psi

Formation Pressure (FP) = Hydrostatic Pressure (HP) + Shut-In Drill Pipe
Pressure (SIDPP)

Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD) , ppg

Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD) ,ppg = (annular pressure loss, psi)
0.052 true vertical depth (TVD), ft + (current mud weight, ppg)

Leak-off Test Equivalent Mud Weight (LOT), ppg

Leak off test (ppg) = (Leak off test pressure in psi) 0.052 (Casing Shoe
TVD in ft) + (Mud Weight used for LOT in ppg)

Maximum Initial Shut-In Casing Pressure (MISICP), psi

This calculation is based on shoe fracture which is equal to Leak Off Test
Pressure.
MISICP (psi) = [LOT (ppg) Current Mud Weight (ppg)] x 0.052 x Shoe TVD
(ft)

Kill Mud Weight to Balance Formation (KMW), ppg

KWM (ppg) = [Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDP), psi (0.052x True Vertical
Depth (TVD) of the well, ft)] + Original Mud Weight (ppg)

6|P age

Slow Circulation Rate (SCR), psi

SCR (psi) = Initial Circulating Pressure (psi) Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure
(psi)

Annulus Capacity Factor (ACF),bbl/ft

Final Circulating Pressure (FCP), psi

Surface To Bit Strokes, strokes

Circulating Time, minutes

Capacity Factor (CF), bbl/ft

7|P age

Opened End Pipe Displacement, bbl/ft

Closed end pipe displacement, bbl/ft

Height of Influx, ft

Approximate gas migration rate, ft/hr

Sacks of Barite Required For Weight-up, sx

Volume Gain From Slug, bbl

8|P age

Triplex Pump Output (volume), bbl/stroke

Pump Output, bbl/min

New Pump Pressure With New Pump Strokes, psi

Boyles Law Gas Pressure and Volume Relationship

Mud Increment for Volumetric Method (MI), bbl

Lube Increment for Lubricate and Bleed Method (LI), bbl

9|P age

Bottle Capacity Required, gal

Volume of Usable Fluid, gal

Snubbing force for snubbing operation

Snubbing Force (SF) = Force at wellhead (Fp) + Frictional Force Buoyed
weight of string (Wb)
Total force to overcome pressure at wellbore is a summation of force at
wellhead and frictional force minus buoyed weight of string.
Force at wellhead (Fp) can be determined by one of following equations.

OR

Buoyed Weight of Open Ended Tubular (Wb),lb

For this formula, you just use the buoyancy factor and multiply it with
weight of pipe in the air.

10 | P a g e

Buoyed Weight of Closed Ended Tubular without fluid in

the pipe (Wb),lb
This formula below is different from the 1st formula because it is used for
the closed ended pipe. Weight in the air will be subtracted with buoyancy
weight of pipe ran in hole.
Note: 24.5 is conversion factor to make the unit in gallon.

Buoyed Weight of Closed Ended Tubular after filling the

pipe (Wb),lb -> in this case, there is different fluid weight
in pipe and annular

The Balance Point for closed ended and unfilled pipe is the
point where the weight of pipe in the fluid equates to force
created by wellhead pressure.

Note:
OR

11 | P a g e

This is the second case for balance point calculation. The

Balance Point for closed ended pipe and the pipe is filled
with fluid.

Maximum Down Force on Jacks

Effective Area of Snubbing Jacks, square inch

Hydraulic Pressure to Snub, psi

12 | P a g e