API 59 : 2006

RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR WELL CONTROL OPERATIONS

American Petroleum Institute

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1 SCOPE
   1.1 Purpose
   1.2 BOP Installations
   1.3 Operations
   1.4 Furthering the Understanding of Well Control
   1.5 Deepwater
2 REFERENCES
   2.1 Standards
   2.2 Other References
3 GLOSSARY FOR WELL CONTROL OPERATIONS
   3.1 Definitions
   3.2 Acronyms and Abbreviations
4 PRINCIPLES OF WELL CONTROL
   4.1 General
   4.2 Conventions
   4.3 Primary Well Control
   4.4 The Flowing Well
   4.5 Drilling or Workover Fluid
   4.6 Influx Behavior
   4.7 Formation Integrity Tests
   4.8 Well Control Pressures
   4.9 Well Close-in Procedures
   4.10 Methods For Circulating Kicks At Constant
         Bottom-Hole Pressure
   4.11 Non-Circulation Kill Methods
   4.12 Comparison of Kill Methods
   4.13 Choke Line Pressure - Subsea Stacks
   4.14 Diverter Systems Applications
   4.15 Well Control Worksheets
5 CAUSES OF KICKS
   5.1 Conditions Necessary for a Kick
   5.2 Insufficient Hydrostatic Pressure
   5.3 Drilling Into an Adjacent Well
6 WELL CONTROL WARNING SIGNALS
   6.1 General
   6.2 Gain in Pit Volume
   6.3 Increased Flow from Annulus
   6.4 Volume of Drilling Fluid to Keep the Hole
         Full on a Trip is Less Than Calculated or
         Less Than Trip Book Record
   6.5 Sudden Increase in Bit Penetration Rate
   6.6 Change in Pump Speed or Pressure
   6.7 Flow After Pumps Stopped
   6.8 Gas-cut Drilling Fluid
   6.9 Liquid-cut Drilling Fluid
7 WELL PLANNING
   7.1 Introduction
   7.2 Data Availability and Gathering
   7.3 Shallow Flows
   7.4 Casing
   7.5 Cementing
   7.6 Blowout Prevention Equipment Selection
   7.7 Drilling Fluid
   7.8 Service Operations
   7.9 Kick Response Plans
   7.10 Riser Disconnect
   7.11 Simultaneous Operations
   7.12 Logistics
   7.13 Safety and Medical
   7.14 Communication
   7.15 Training and Instruction
8 WELL CONTROL PROCEDURES FOR SURFACE DIVERTER
   INSTALLATIONS
   8.1 Purpose
   8.2 Installation of Equipment
   8.3 Diverter Operation
   8.4 Diverter Stripping Operations
9 CONTROL PROCEDURES - SURFACE BOPS
   9.1 Pre-kick Planning
   9.2 Well Control Procedures
   9.3 Drill String Off-bottom
   9.4 High-Angle and Horizontal Well Bores
   9.5 Reference Notes For Section 9
10 WELL CONTROL PROCEDURES FOR SUBSEA BOPS
   10.1 General
   10.2 Additional Causes of Kicks Unique to Subsea
         Operations
   10.3 Subsea Exceptions to Control Procedures
   10.4 Special Subsea Procedures
11 WELL CONTROL PROCEDURES - RECOMMENDED RIG
   PRACTICES
   11.1 Well Control System Equipment Installation
   11.2 Well Control Equipment Installation Test
   11.3 Crew Drills
   11.4 Trip Tanks
   11.5 Gas-Cut Drilling Fluid
   11.6 Trip Book
   11.7 Pre-Kick Information
   11.8 Minimize Time Out of the Hole
   11.9 Trip Margin
   11.10 Short Trip
   11.11 Rig Practices for Handling Pressure
   11.12 Rig Practices for Pipe Handling
   11.13 Drill Stem Tests
12 PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH SPECIAL PROBLEMS
   12.1 Introduction
   12.2 Pump Failure in a Kick Situation
   12.3 Excessive Casing Pressure
   12.4 Pipe Problems with a Well Kick
   12.5 Procedures for Gas Bubble Migration
   12.6 Gas Influx In Cemented Annulus
   12.7 Drill Stem Testing
   12.8 Stripping Procedures
   12.9 Bullheading and Top Kill Methods
13 SLURRIES AND PLUGS TO DEAL WITH LOST CIRCULATION
   AND UNDERGROUND BLOWOUTS
   13.1 Introduction
   13.2 Lost Circulation
   13.3 Underground Blowouts
   13.4 Barite Plugs
   13.5 Squeeze Slurries
APPENDIX A KICK PRESSURE AND GRADIENT CALCULATIONS
APPENDIX B WELL CONTROL WORKSHEETS

Abstract

Provides information that can serve as a voluntary industry guide for safe well control operations. Also designed to serve as a direct field aid in well control and as a technical source for teaching well control principles.