Assessment of Application of Dynamic Kill for the Control of Middle-East Surface Blowouts

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents some results from research work1. The purpose of this work was to investigate and assess the potential of dynamic kill as a method for controlling blowouts from producing gas and oil wells. Only scattered and little previous work was done on dynamic kill, particularly in the areas of gas kicks and blowouts during drilling. Blowouts of oil and gas wells after completion and starting production have received much less investigation. In this work, a new dynamic kill model was developed for controlling surface induced blowouts of oil and gas wells. The model simulates multiphase flow in a blowout and relief wells. Dynamic simulation is performed for both kill through a relief well and through in-well surface injection. The simulator makes use of proven multiphase flow models. Several assumptions and improvements are added or included in these models to account for flow geometry, temperature variation in the flow conduits and the effect of sonic flow closer to the surface. The simulator predicts and links the expected reservoir performance with wellbore hydraulics. The effects of introducing the kill fluid into the well stream are also simulated. Relief well dynamic kill simulations can predict the minimum injection flow rate into the relief and blowout wells, initial and final kill fluid densities, size and type of drilling string requirement for achieving the required kill rate(s) in the relief well(s), and horse power requirements. Simulations can also check for ability to inject at the desired rate through the formation. In the case of in-well kill, the model can be used to determine the optimum location of the point of kill fluid injection. The model results were in agreement with data presented in the literature and from Kuwait field measurements. The simulator leads to a much better level of understanding of blowout behavior and the potential of dynamic kill to bring gas and oil blowouts under control.