Well Control in the 21st Century

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Well Control in the 21st Century
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History

• Myron Kinley
• Firefighting only at first
• Capping came later
• Relief well in Venezuela
• Red Adair, Boots Hansen, Coots Matthews
• Well Control Contractors are publicly owned

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Well Control Services

• 40 of jobs are blowouts
• 60 of jobs are well control
• Special services
• Hot tap
• Valve drill
• Freeze
• CWC 350 jobs in 2006

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Well Control Engineering

• Emergency Response Plans
• Rig Inspections
• Drilling Plan Reviews
• Kick Simulations
• Dynamic Kill
• Relief Wells

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Modern Day Well Control

• Blowouts
• 60 Drilling
• 30 Workover
• 10 Production
• Fire is small percentage
• Capping
• Killing

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Modern Day Well Control

• Team formation is critical
• Large number of personnel needed
• Equipment needs can be extensive
• Logistics

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Case History

• UGBO
• Rig shut in on kick
• 5 wells blowing out.
• Fire at 5 acre broach near abandoned well.
• Remove rig, remove BOP, cap and divert.
• RU snubbing unit, snub in casing.
• Dynamic kill.

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Case History

• Well blowing out washed out flowline.
• Exit point 10' from well.
• Power swivel stuck in rod basket.
• 3 days with no action
• Closed casing valve to control the blowout as per
  original recommendation.

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Case History

• Gas lift well on pad.
• 30' conductor casing.
• Operator attempted to control well.
• Well caught fire.
• CWC called.
• RU pump line to kelly.
• Killed well.

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Modern Day Well Control

• Pre-event planning
• Well kills
• Momentum kill
• Dynamic kill
• Special fluids
• Blowout recovery
• Brute force element will remain.
• Kill well with pipe on bottom is a constant.

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• Questions?