Annulus pressure while drilling

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Annulus pressure while drilling (APWD)

What is annulus pressure while drilling Annular pressure while drilling (APWD) is measurement of the mud pressure between the drill collar and the bore hole wall. The pressure can be provided both in real time using mud pulse telemetry to the surface and in downhole recorded mode. Advantages Advantages with annular pressure while drilling are: Keep the drilling fluid within the wellbore stability pressure window In deepwater wells, there normally is a narrow window between pore pressure and formation fracture pressure. Annular pressure measurement may be used to keep the annular pressure in the stable area between the pore pressure and the formation fracture pressure. Right use of the response from the annular pressure sensor requires knowledge about the mechanisms having influence on the pressure. Downhole annular pressure consists of static and dynamic pressure. The effective mud density and the height of the vertical mud column decide static pressure. Factors having influence on the effective mud density are: Temperature Pressure Cuttings Factors having influence on the dynamic pressure includes effects from pipe velocity like: Swabbing (when tripping) Inertial pressure from drillstring acceleration and deceleration (when tripping) Drillpipe rotation Natural pressure losses in annulus (dependent on laminar or turbulent flow) Additional pressure losses in annulus due to cutting beds Swelling formations and changes in hole geometry Influxes and effluxes Annulus pressure loss increases with increased drillpipe rotation rate at high flow rate. Annular pressure should theoretically be reduced with increased drillpipe rotation rate at low flow rates, but this has not been observed in real fields, only in the laboratory. The response from the downhole annular pressure sensor is: Real annular pressure (complex calculations are thus avoided) Effective mud weight at a given depth created by the static pressure (called ESD) Effective mud weight at a given depth created by both hydrostatic and dynamic pressure (called ECD) ESD is the shortening for equivalent static density and ECD isw the shortening for equivalent circulating density. High level of total understanding is required to understand and act on the annulus pressure response. Improved hole cleaning In extended reach drilling (ERD), efficient hole cleaning is essential in preventing stuck drillpipe and pack-off events, that may damage the formation and lead to expensive fluid loss. Annular pressure measurement, in combination with torque and weight on bit, may detect poor hole cleaning and help the operator to modify fluid properties and drilling practices to optimise hole cleaning.

http://www.exprobase.com/Default.aspx?page=947

8/30/2011

Annulus pressure while drilling

Page 2 of 3

http://www.exprobase.com/Default.aspx?page=947

8/30/2011

Annulus pressure while drilling

Page 3 of 3

http://www.exprobase.com/Default.aspx?page=947

8/30/2011