IADC WellCAP Fundamental Level Written Examination

Principles & Procedures - 2006

Paper 1
DURATION – 2 HOURS

STUDENT NAME : _________________

DATE : ______________

This question paper is a controlled copy and is not to be used

on any other course.

OFFICE USE:

Possible score:
154

Actual score:

% = Actual x 100
Possible

ENTER COPY No OF TEST PAPER IN BOX

1
 SUBSEA KICK SHEET EXERCISE
WELL DATA :

WELL DEPTH from RKB. 7,346 ft. TVD 8120 ft. MD.

MARINE RISER . 460 ft.

CHOKELINE. 475 ft.

BIT SIZE. 12.25”

DRILL PIPE. 5” OD. 16.25 lbs/ft. Capacity = 0.01887 bbls/ft.

HWDP x 835 ft 5” OD. 49.3 lbs/ft. Capacity = 0.0087 bbls/ft.

DRILL COLLARS x 550 ft. 81/2”

Capacity = 0.0061 bbls/ft.

CASING. 133/8”, 61 lb/ft. P110 12.515” ID

100% Internal yield = 10,900 psi
Set at 5,780 ft. TVD, 5,910 ft. MD, RKB.

RISER PIPE. 201/4” OD. 191/4” ID. Capacity = 0.360 bbls/ft.

CHOKE LINE. 3” ID. Choke Line Capacity = .0087 bbls/ft.

MUD WEIGHT IN USE. 11.1 ppg.

PUMPS. National Triplex 12-P-160. With 71/2” Liners

Capacity = 0.159 bbls/stk.
PUMP PRESSURE
WHILE DRILLING. 3,125 psi at 85 spm (APL = 230 psi)

SLOW PUMP RATE. 520 psi at 30 spm (APL = 75 psi)

THROUGH RISER

SLOW PUMP RATE 720 psi at 30 spm.

THROUGH CHOKE LINE

LEAK OFF TEST DATA. 1920 psi with 10.1 ppg

ANNULAR VOLUMES. Riser - Drill pipe = 0.336 bbls/ft.

Drillpipe - Casing = 0.1279 bbls/ft.
Drillpipe - Open hole = 0.1215 bbls/ft.
Drill collars - Open hole = 0.0756 bbls/ft.

SURFACE LINE VOLUME 8 bbls (Pump to Rig Floor)

SHUT IN DATA. SIDPP = 470 psi.

SICP = 620 psi.
GAIN = 25 bbls.

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 ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. What is the maximum allowable mud weight based from the leak off test data?
(4 points)

A1

2. What is the maximum allowable surface pressure (MAASP) static conditions?

(4 points)

A2

3. Calculate the annular velocity around the drill collars while drilling.
(4 points)

A3

4. Calculate the formation pressure based on the shut in data.

(4 points)

A4

5. What kill mud weight is required?

(4 points)

A5

6. The ICP (Initial Circulating Pressure) at 30 spm will be approximately.

(4 points)

A6

7. The FCP (Final Circulating Pressure) at 30 spm will be approximately.

(4 points)

A7

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8. What will be the new MAASP once the well has been killed?
(4 points)
A8

9. What will be the reduction in drill pipe pressure in psi for every 100 strokes as kill
mud is pumped from surface and bit?
(4 points)
A9

10. How many strokes to get kill mud from pump to bit?
(4 points)
A10

11. What is the approximate length of the influx?

(4 points)

A11

12. The gradient of the influx is about.

(4 points)
A12

13. How many strokes will it require to go from bit to BOP?

(4 points)

A13

14. What is the ECD while drilling with 11.1 ppg mud weight? (2 decimal places)
(4 points)
A14

15. What will the casing pressure gauge read once the pump has been brought up to
kill rate speed?
(4 points)

A15

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16. Why is a kick circulated out from the well bore at a slow pump rate?
(3 points)

a) To reduce the jetting action of the bit.

b) To increase the amount of overbalance on the formation to make the kill
safer.
c) To prevent any gas expanding as it migrates up the well bore.
d) To keep excess pressure on the formation to a minimum.

A16

17. Which of the following will reduce the chances of swabbing on a trip out of the
hole?
(3 points)

a) Minimum annular clearance between string & hole wall.

b) A small overbalance in your mud weight.
A17
c) Pumping out of the hole.
d) Pulling pipe too fast.

18. While killing a well using a constant bottom hole pressure method, what will
happen to the pressure at the casing shoe once the influx has been circulated
inside the cased hole section?
(4 points)

a) The pressure should remain the same. A18

b) The pressure should decrease.
c) The pressure should increase.
d) There is not enough information to tell.

19. Which of the following statements most accurately describes the Soft Shut In
Method?
(5 points)

a) With the remote choke closed for normal operations, close the BOP and
open the failsafe valves on the BOP stack.

b) With the remote choke closed for normal operations, open the failsafe valves
on the BOP stack and close the BOP.

c) With the remote choke open for normal operations, close the BOP, open the
failsafe valves on the BOP stack and close the remote choke.

d) With the remote choke open for normal operations, open the failsafe valves
on the BOP stack, close the BOP and close the remote choke.

A19

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20. When should you consider re-taking your slow pump rate pressure losses ?
(4 answers required)
(4 points)

a) If practical at the beginning of every tour.

b) Immediately before tripping in the hole.
c) After a change in mud weight.
d) While slipping & cutting the drilling line.
e) After circulating bottoms up after a round trip
A20
f) At least every 1000 ft of new hole drilled.

21. If Gas Migration takes place in a shut in well then the pressure in the gas
bubble will remain constant as it moves up the well bore.
(3 points)

a) True
b) False A21

22. A leak off test was performed with 10.2 ppg test mud weight at a casing shoe
set at 9,732 ft M.D. / 9,355 ft T.V.D. Surface Leak Off Pressure at the test was
1550 psi. What pressure was actually applied to the casing shoe?
(5 points)

a) 1450 psi
b) 5064 psi
c) 6511 psi
A22
d) 7094 psi

23. Which of the following is an indication that the well may be flowing while you
are drilling?
(4 points)

a) A reduction in drill pipe pressure combined with a reduction in torque.

b) An increase in hook load combined with a reduction in connection time.
c) An increase in return flow combined with a decrease in pump pressure.
d) A reduction in pit volume combined with an increase in mud temperature.
e) Reduced ROP combined with an increase in cuttings recovered at surface.

A23

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24. From the following list place the statements in the order that best describes the
Wait & Weight Method – Surface Stack (3 incorrect statements)
(4 points)

a) The pump is brought up to kill rate speed while holding casing pressure
constant.
b) Kill Mud is pumped to the bit while following a calculated drill pipe pressure
drop schedule.
c) Drill pipe pressure is maintained constant as the influx is circulated from the
well.
d) Drill pipe pressure is held constant as kill mud is pumped up the annulus to
surface.
e) Casing pressure will remain constant as a gas influx is circulated from the
well.
f) With the well shut in and kill mud at surface both SIDPP & SICP should read
zero.
g) With kill mud back at surface your casing pressure gauge will read FCP.

A24 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ,

25. You have shut a well in on a kick with a float in the string. How can you
establish SIDPP?
(3 points)

a) SICP minus 150 psi.

b) Read it off the gauge – whatever it is showing is SIDPP.
c) Pump slowly down the string and watch for an increase in SICP.
d) You do not need SIDPP – simply increase your mud weight by 0.5 ppg and
use this as kill mud weight.
A25

26. Which of the following increase the chance of exceeding MAASP?

(2 answers required)
(2 points)

a) Long open hole section.

b) Salt water influx.
c) Large influx.
d) Small influx.
A26

&

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27. During a kill operation you decide to hold drill pipe pressure constant as kill
mud is circulated from surface to bit. What will happen to bottom hole pressure
as a result of your actions?
(4 points)

a) Bottom hole pressure will decrease.

b) Bottom hole pressure will remain constant.
c) There is not enough information to tell.
d) Bottom hole pressure will increase. A27

28. What will happen to the pit volume as a gas kick is circulated out of the well at
surface?
(3 points)

a) Pit volume will increase. A28

b) Pit volume will decrease.
c) Pit volume will remain constant.

29. From the following information calculate the approximate reduction in bottom
hole pressure if the first 25 stands are pulled dry from the well with no fill up?
(5 points)

Mud weight in use 11.8 ppg

Drill pipe capacity 0.01776 bbls/ft
Drill pipe metal displacement 0.00764 bbls/ft
Casing capacity 0.0732 bbls/ft
A29
Average stand length 93 ft

30. The Drillers Method of well control will give higher casing shoe pressures than
the Wait & Weight method if the string volume is more than the open hole
volume.
(3 points)

a) True
b) False A30

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31. From the following list select two methods that could be used to measure choke
line friction losses for a subsea BOP. (2 answers required)
(4 points)

a) Circulate down the kill line and up the choke line with both the well bore and
marine riser isolated. Pressure observed is double choke line friction.
b) Circulate down the kill line and up the choke line with both the well bore and
marine riser isolated. Pressure observed is half choke line friction.
c) Circulate up the choke line with the marine rise isolated. Pressure observed
is choke line friction.
d) Circulate down the choke line, taking returns up the marine riser. Pressure
observed is choke line friction.

A31

&

32. The fracture gradient at the shoe (4755 ft TVD) is 0.621 psi/ft. The mud weight
currently in use is 9.9 ppg. Approximately what is the current MAASP?
(5 points)

a) 398 psi
b) 505 psi
c) 2146 psi A32
d) 2642 psi

33. Based on the following data approximately how far will the mud level have to
fall to collapse the marine riser?
(5 points)

Well TVD 9.875 ft

Shoe TVD 5,435 ft
Sea water depth 1,785 ft
Air gap 45 ft
Mud weight in use 10.8 ppg
Sea water gradient 0.455 psi/ft
Riser collapse pressure 600 psi

a) 1,363 ft
b) 1,123 ft
c) 1,078 ft
d) 935 ft A33

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34. When starting up a kill operation with a subsea BOP, if casing pressure is
allowed to fall by an amount equal to choke line friction as the pump is brought
up to kill rate, how will the circulating pressure on the drill pipe pressure gauge
compare to that calculated?
(3 points)

a) It will be less than calculated by an amount equal to choke line friction.

b) It will be exactly as calculated.
c) It will be more than calculated by an amount equal to choke line friction.

A34

35. On a trip out the hole for a bit change the trip tank level falls from 50 bbls to 46
bbls as the first ten stands are pulled dry from the hole. The planned flow
check at ten stands indicates no flow. Based on the following well data choose
your next action.
(5 points)

Well TVD 12,565 ft

Mud weight in use 13.6 ppg
Drill pipe capacity 0.01776 bbls/ft
Drill Pipe metal displacement 0.00764 bbls/ft
Average stand length 93 ft

a) Continue with the trip everything is OK.

b) Run immediately & cautiously back to bottom and circulate bottoms up.
c) Flow check for another fifteen minutes and if still no flow continue with the
trip.
d) Circulated bottoms up at your current bit depth then continue with the trip.
A35

36. From the following well data calculate the number of stands that can be pulled
from the hole, without fill up, before the well starts to flow.

Well depth 11,320 MD/ 10,640 TVD

Current mud weight 10.5 ppg
Overbalance 362 psi
Casing capacity 0.0732 bbls/ft
Drill pipe capacity 0.01776 bbls/ft
Drill pipe metal displacement 0.00764 bbls/ft
Average stand length 92 ft
(4 points)

a) 60 stands
b) 61 stands
c) 62 stands
d) 63 stands A36

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37. While drilling at 9700’ the ROP increased from 40 to 60 feet an hour, the
torque
is on a slight increase and mud loggers have reported that the mud
temperature
has gradually increased over the last hour. No increase in flow or pit levels.
(3 Points)

A37

a. Has a kick occurred

b. How many warning signs are there

c. What would you do

38. What is one of the first reliable indicators that a well is possibly kicking. (4
Point)

a. Increase in ROP followed by Decrease in % flow

b. Decrease in ROP followed by Decrease in % flow
c. Increase in Pump Pressure followed by Decrease in Pump Strokes
d. Increase in % flow followed by pit level increase
e. Increase in Pump Strokes followed by Decrease in Pump Pressure

A38

39. It can be said that one of the most important rules in well control is:
(3 points)

a) To close the well in quickly & correctly with the least amount of gain.
b) To keep an accurate record of everything that goes on.
c) To always build a 100 psi safety margin into your kill mud weight.
d) To test your BOP stack as frequently as operations will permit.

A39

40. Prior to pulling out the hole a 13.6 ppg slug is pumped and the mud level in the
drill string falls some 130 ft. If the original mud weight was 12.4 ppg what has
been the drop in bottom hole pressure?
(3 points)

a) 92 psi
b) 0 psi
c) 84 psi A40
d) 10 psi

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