CPA Well Control & Blowout Prevention 3

Question 1

What is the 'Driller's Method' for killing a well?

Accepted Answer

Circulating the kick fluid out with original mud weight, then circulating kill-weight mud

Answer

The Driller's Method uses two separate circulations: the first with original mud weight to remove the kick fluid, and the second with kill-weight mud to replace all drilling fluid in the system.

Question 2

What is the 'Wait and Weight Method' (also called the Engineer's Method) for killing a well?

Accepted Answer

Weighting up the mud to kill weight before starting circulation, then circulating in one step

Answer

The Wait and Weight Method involves first weighting up the drilling mud to kill weight at surface, then circulating it in one single circulation to simultaneously remove the kick and replace the mud.

Question 3

How is 'kill mud weight' calculated?

Accepted Answer

Current mud weight plus the mud weight equivalent of the SIDPP

Answer

Kill mud weight equals the current mud weight plus the additional weight needed to overcome the underbalance shown by SIDPP, calculated as: current MW + (SIDPP ÷ 0.052 ÷ TVD).

Question 4

What is a 'volumetric method' of well control typically used for?

Accepted Answer

Controlling a well when the drill string is off bottom or out of the hole

Answer

The volumetric method allows controlled migration of a gas kick to surface by incrementally bleeding small amounts of fluid from the annulus when pipe is off-bottom or pulled from the hole.

Question 5

What is a 'bullhead kill' in well control?

Accepted Answer

Forcibly pumping kill fluids back into the formation without circulating to surface

Answer

A bullhead kill forces kill-weight fluid down the wellbore against formation pressure, pushing the kick fluid back into the formation rather than circulating it to surface.

(CPA) Certified Petroleum Apprentice Practice Test

(CPA) Certified Petroleum Apprentice Practice Test

CPA Well Control & Blowout Prevention 3