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Leak-off test: fracture gradient at the shoe and MAASP

Fracture (leak-off) equivalent density and pressure at the shoe from a LOT or FIT, and the maximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAASP) for the current mud weight.

Formula
ρ_fr = ρ_t + P_lo / (g · H_sh)P_fr = P_lo + ρ_t · g · H_shMAASP = (ρ_fr − ρ) · g · H_sh

Recalculate MAASP after every change of mud weight. The Kazakhstan industrial safety rules (item 1000) also limit the pressure at the closed-in wellhead to 80 % of the casing test pressure; take the smaller of the two. The result is for the shoe; check weaker zones in the open hole separately.

Source: IWCF/IADC well control: MAASP from a leak-off test; Kazakhstan industrial safety rules for the oil and gas industries (order No. 355 of 30.12.2014), item 1000

Inputs

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

ρ_t
P_lo

Where the pressure–volume plot leaves the straight line; for a FIT, the test pressure.

H_sh
ρ
Unit converter for this formulaDensity and °API · Pressure · Length · Pressure gradient and equivalent density
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_frFracture equivalent density at the shoe
Fill in all fields
  • P_frFracture pressure at the shoe
  • MAASPMaximum allowable annular surface 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.