Development and assessment of electronic manual for well control and blowout containment

Abstract

DEA ?? 63, Floating Vessel Blowout Control is a blowout containment study which was completed in 1990, and it did not include discussions about operations in the water depths we currently operate in. As offshore drilling is continuously moving into deeper and deeper waters, a need to further investigate well control and blowout containment in ultradeep water has arisen. This project describes the development and assessment of an electronic cross-reference tool for well control and blowout containment, with added focus on ultradeep water operations. The approach of this manual is fully electronic, thus being able to serve the needs of the engineer/driller with greater ease in both pre-planning and in a stressful onthe- job setting. The cross-reference is a manual for the state of the art in well control and blowout containment methodology. It provides easy-to-use topical organization by categories and subcategories, and aims at providing clear links between symptoms, causes, and solutions. Clear explanations to complicated issues are provided, and confirmation of applicable blowout intervention procedures, be it conventional or unconventional, are discussed. Human error and equipment failure are the causes of blowouts, and they are bound to happen in an ultradeep water environment. Well control events are harder to detect andhandle in ultradeep water, and quick reaction time is essential. After detection and shutin, the Driller??s method is the preferred circulation method in ultradeep water, due to its responsiveness and simplicity. In case kick handling is unsuccessful, contingency plans should be in place to handle a potential blowout. If a blowout does occur, and the blowing well does not self-kill through bridging, a dynamic kill through relief well intervention is likely to be necessary, as underwater intervention is difficult in ultradeep water. With new ultradeep water drilling technologies providing potential for increased performance, alternative well control methods might be necessary. Along with these new technologies follow new unfamiliar procedures, and proper education and training is essential.