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Well kill: kill mud weight and circulating pressures

Kill mud weight from the shut-in drill pipe pressure, and the initial and final circulating pressures for the driller's and the wait-and-weight methods.

Formula
ρ_kill = ρ + P_dp / (g · H) + ΔρP_ic = P_scr + P_dpP_fc = P_scr · ρ_kill / ρ

The kill mud balances the formation pressure: ρ_kill · g · H = ρ · g · H + P_dp. Add the margin Δρ your rig's procedures require; the casing pressure is not part of the calculation.

Source: IWCF/IADC well control: driller's method, wait-and-weight method

Inputs

You can change a field's unit: the value is converted to the formula's units automatically.

ρ
P_dp

The stabilised standpipe pressure after the well is shut in.

H
P_scr

Recorded in advance at the kill rate (usually 1/3–1/2 of the drilling rate).

Δρ

As the well control plan requires; 0 balances the formation pressure exactly.

Unit converter for this formulaDensity and °API · Pressure · Length
Metric
  • kg/m³850
  • g/cm³0.85
  • t/m³0.85
  • rel. (water 4 °C)0.850024
US field units
  • lb/ft³53.0638
  • lb/gal (ppg)7.09359
  • SG (60/60 °F)0.850837
  • °API34.8068

°API and SG refer to the density at 60 °F (15.6 °C) relative to water at 60 °F, relative density to water at 4 °C. The oil's thermal expansion between the measurement temperatures is not included. °API = 141.5 / SG − 131.5.

All units
Result
ρ_killKill mud weight
Fill in all fields
  • P_icInitial circulating pressure (ICP)
  • P_fcFinal circulating pressure (FCP)
  • P_pFormation pressure

More in Pressures and drilling fluid

Results are engineering estimates from standard formulas; for design decisions check them against the codes, project documents and specialists' calculations. The formulas carried over from the original set are unchanged, and their errors are described in the notes.