Technology Focus: Well Control (January 2012)
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Technology FocusProcrastination: Is it too many things going on at once that causes us to rush to meet deadlines, or makes us forget to complete important tasks in a timely manner, or even try to do too many things at once, resulting in nothing getting done correctly? You probably are wondering how this relates to well control. In our work schedules, we all are faced with situations in which we are required to complete multiple concur-rent tasks. This often is the case when we rush to finish drilling a problem well so that we can get the drilling rig moved to the next location and turn this well over to the completions team. Multiple activities must be completed concurrently that, individually, are relatively simple, but each activity requires the attention of the driller, tool pusher, company man, and others on the crew. When one of these tasks begins to go awry, our attention may be on something else, and we can miss important warnings until it is too late to avoid a disaster.What is the point? Once again, I will use the Macondo blowout as an example. To leave the well in a position to be completed by another crew, mud had to be removed from the riser and top of the well and be replaced with seawater. A spacer was pumped between the mud and seawater to prevent mixing of the seawater and mud. This is a simple enough operation, it seems, but when seawater is being pumped into the well, mud has to be pumped onto a workboat to prevent the pits from running over, and the spacer is being dumped overboard; keeping track of how much of each fluid is going where becomes a daunting task. Could this have been a contributing factor in not recognizing the beginning of the kick?Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.SPE 138465 Qualification of Well-Barrier ElementsTest Medium, Test Temperatures, and Long-Term Integrity. By Birgit Vignes, SPE, University of Stavanger.SPE 142076 Well-Integrity Analysis in Gulf of Mexico Wells Using Passive Ultrasonic Leak-Detection Method. By J.E. Johns, Seawell, et al.SPE 140255 Development of an Automated System for the Rapid Detection of Drilling Anomalies Using Standpipe and Discharge Pressure. By Don Reitsma, SPE, @balance-A Schlumberger Company.SPE 143101 A Proposed Method for Planning the Best Response to Kicks Taken During Managed-Pressure-Drilling Operations. By J.R Smith, SPE, Louisiana State University, et al.
