ATM PETE 625 ATM

ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Lesson 14
Air, Gas, and Mist Drilling

Read: UDM Chapter 2.1 - 2.4
pages 2.1-2.74
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Air, Gas, and Mist Drilling

Circulating Pressures
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Circulating Pressures
Calculating
standpipe pressure
starts with
predicting the
pressure just below
the bit, and working
your way back to
the surface
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Bit Pressure Drop
As air flows through the jets, it expands in
response to the decrease in pressure and its
velocity increases
Once the pressure drop exceeds a certain
level, the air velocity reaches the prevailing
speed of sound.
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Bit Pressure Drop
At this point, the air cannot expand any
faster and the upstream pressure becomes
independent of the downstream pressure.
This implies that under sonic discharge
conditions the standpipe pressure is
independent of the annular pressure
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Bit Pressure Drop
b
k
k
b
a
P
k P
P
89 . 1 P and
1.4 k air, For
olume constant v at that to pressure
constant at heat specific of ratio k
pressure downstream P
psia flow, sonic of onset
at the pressure upstream P
1
2
: is gases ideal in flow sonic of onset for the condition The
a
b
a
1
=
=
=
=
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=

ATM PETE 625 ATM

ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Bit Pressure Drop
If the upstream pressure is more than 1.89
times the annulus pressure beneath the bit,
flow through the bit will be sonic.
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Upstream bit pressure - sonic
flow
2
a
n
5 . 0
1
1
ft/s 32.17 constant, nal gravitatio g
air) for (1 gravity gas S
air for R lbf/lbm - ft 53.3 constant, gas universal the R
R bit, the above ature air temper T
sq.in. nozzles, bit the of area total A
lbm/s in air of rate flow mass G
1
2
=
=
=
=
=
=

)

|
.
|

\
|
+
=

+
k
k
a
n
a
k Sgk
R T
A
G
P
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Upstream bit pressure - sonic
flow
(scfm) rate flow air
00239 . 0 88 . 1 P
: to reduces
equation above the lbm/cu.ft. 0.0764 is conditions
standard under air of density that the Noting
5 . 0 5 . 0
a
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Q
A
QT
A
GT
n
a
n
a
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Upstream bit pressure
sub-sonic flow
( )
1
2 2
2
a
2
1
1 P
: by bit e beneath th pressure annulus
the and rate flow mass the to related is bit
the above pressure the sonic, - sub remains
jets e through th velocity flow air the If

)
`

+ =
k
k
b n
b
b
P gkSA
T G k R
P
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Upstream bit pressure
sub-sonic flow
lbm/cu.ft. STP, at 0.0764
lbm/cu.ft STP, at density gas
R bit, the below re temperatu
60
236 . 0
1 P
: becomes air this for
air
g
5 . 3
2 2
2
a
=
=
=
=
)
`

+ =

b
g
b n
b
b
T
Q
G
P A
T G
P
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Upstream bit pressure
sub-sonic flow
sonic is jets the
through flow if bit the above that lower than
17% ely approximat be bit will the benow
ature air temper absolute that the Indicating
T
: from estimated be can decrease
re temperatu the behavior, ideal Assuming bit. the
through expands it as cools air g circulatin The
1
b
k
k
a
b
a
P
P
T

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Standpipe pressure
( )
ft. g, drillstrin the of diameter internal
10 625 . 1
3 . 53
1
333 . 5
2 6
/ 2
/ 2 2 2
=

=
=
+
=

i
i
T h
T h
av a
s
D
D
Q
S
e
e T P
P
av
av
|
o
|
o
o
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Steps to predicting standpipe
pressure
Assess whether flow through bit is sonic or
sub-sonic
If sonic, the pressure above the bit is
determined with equation 2.21
This value is used in equation 2.25 to
predict standpipe pressure
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Steps to predicting standpipe
pressure
If flow is sub-sonic, the annulus pressure
below the bit must be first predicted
(Angels analysis, etc) using equation 2.12.
The pressure above the bit is determined by
equation 2.23
This value is used in Equation 2.25 to
determine standpipe pressure

ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Important point
When air drilling, large changes in annulus
pressure may result in smaller changes in
standpipe pressure, or in the case of sonic
flow through the bit, no change in standpipe
pressure at all.
Hole problems that lead to an increase in
annulus pressure may be indicated by small
changes in standpipe pressure.
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Important point
It is very important to monitor the standpipe
pressure closely and react promptly to
unanticipated changes.
It is important to know if flow through the bit
is sonic or not.
If flow is sonic, standpipe pressure will not
change with changes in annulus pressure
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering
Example
8.1/2 hole at 6000 drilled with 4 1/2
drillpipe air rate is 1400 scfm. Penetration
rate ranges up to 300 ft/hr. Bit has no
nozzles in one example and 3- 14s in the
other.
ATM PETE 625 ATM
ATM ATM
Harold Vance Department of
Petroleum Engineering