Advancing Deepwater Kick Detection

Abstract

Numerous developments in automation have made the modern mobile offshore drilling unit a marvel of engineering achievement and a model of efficiency. Yet, even with the surge in advancements, kick detection, which can be comparatively elementary for a fixed drilling unit, has proven significantly more difficult to master on a vessel which subject to wave motion and currents. A lack of consensus on universal standards and regulations have left kick detection largely ignored. But further, the lack of innovation has been coupled with drilling in greater water depths which are subject to the use of longer risers with greater volume and weight. Thus, in addition to the complications of dynamic environments are the material requirements to properly intervene during an influx event. Operators and shipyards have kept pace with these material issues by designing larger, smarter vessels with greater capacities and better controls systems to cope with the complexities of drilling in deepwater environments. Despite the best efforts and ballooning costs, influx events continue to occur because an operating envelope and a universal philosophy for deepwater kick detection have yet to be established.With the primary driver for deepwater and ultra-deepwater drilling being to access the most productive formations possible, a recipe is formed such that a slight variation between formation pressure and fluid pressure has the potential to draw a significant hydrocarbon volume into the well bore. When well control procedures are initiated, a series of checks take place which, though proven and reliable for detecting kicks, consume valuable response time and potentially aggravate the initial problem. After an influx has been confirmed, remedial work often takes days and sometimes weeks to recondition the well for drilling. Whether in terms of personnel, equipment, facility, environment, or finance, the risk presented to the drilling operation by influx and loss events is substantial. Therefore, an advanced approach should be adopted which views kick/loss detection as a safety critical measurement and incorporates a modern, control system based design philosophy with established methods to overcome shortcomings. This paper will describe experiences, challenges, and approaches to solving the problems related to creating an advanced early kick detection system suitable for floating mobile offshore drilling units. Necessary components, operational considerations, and design limitations will be discussed. Additionally, a discussion will offered on the current state of regulatory requirements related to kick detection and considerations for future standards.

Upstream Ultrasonic Level Based Soft Sensing of Volumetric Flow of Non-Newtonian Fluids in Open Venturi Channels

“…Different types of kick/loss detection methods 1.2. Early Kick/Loss Detection 5 used in both conventional drilling and managed pressure drilling (MPD) are presented in (Cayeux and Daireaux, 2013;Johnson et al, 2014;Ayesha, Venkatesan, and Khan, 2016). However, the focus of the study is on early kick/loss detection for conventional drilling operations.…”

How to recognise a kick: A cognitive task analysis of drillers’ situation awareness during well operations

“…Coupling the expansion of the drilling industry into increasingly hazardous high-pressure high-temperature and deep water wells, with a demographic shift of large numbers of experiencing drilling personnel retiring (Johnson, Leuchtenberg, Petrie & Cunningham, 2014), the importance of understanding the SA expertise required for kick detection becomes ever more important for maintaining safety. Cognitive task analysis methods have previously been used in other process industries (e.g.…”

Hydraulics and Well Control Complications in Unconventional Shale Laterals

“…In a floating offshore rig, kick observation is difficult due to currents and wave motions. In addition, this is coupled with long marine risers and deeper water depths (Johnson et al, 2014).…”