Publications

The well kick is a special problem that does not commonly occur. However, the penalty for failure to control the well is the loss of the hole and occasionally the loss of the rig and the lives of the crew. The hidden costs of a blowout may be even higher. Unreasonable procedures and laws can, in themselves, cause hazardous conditions that severely penalize the development of the oilfield. Blowouts are a disaster from the viewpoint of economics, people, and politics. Fortunately blowout control procedures have been developed that make it possible to control a well. The Constant Drill Pipe Pressure technique was first presented in 1960 and simplicity and accuracy make it the best method of control. The basis of,the Constant Drill Pipe Pressure technique is that a circulating well under choke control resembles a sealed system. Pressure changes in the system will be reflected in the surface gauges so it is possible to control bottom hole pressures by controlling surface pressures.