Well Control
What is the term for the pressure at which formation fluids enter the wellbore?
Formation pressure or pore pressure.
What type of ram in a BOP can seal the wellbore when no drill pipe is present?
What is Blind rams
What year was the first commercial oil well drilled in Alaska?
Katalla oil field, which was the first discovery of commercial quantities of oil in Alaska (1902).
What kind of fire extinguisher is best for electrical fires?
What is Class C— specifically designed for use on energized electrical equipment.
Minimum number of personnel to complete the task safely is 4 floor hands. 1 derrickman, the driller and 1 pipe cat operator in the pipe shed. 2 floor hands will trip the pipe and two will break down the stands.
What is Tripping out and breaking down stands
What component of the BOP stack is designed to seal around the drill pipe?
Ram preventers (specifically pipe rams).
What is the difference between a “kick” and a “blowout”?
A kick is an initial influx of formation fluids; a blowout is an uncontrolled release due to failure to control the kick.
What was sometimes added to drilling mud in the early 1900s to “make it thicker”
What is Horse manure, sawdust, or corncobs — early mud engineering was very… experimental.
What is the purpose of a SDS?
To provide information on the hazards and safe handling of chemicals used on site.
Inspect and maintain rig floor equipment including ST-80, Drawworks, PS-21 and Top Drive.
What is General Motorman work.
What is the danger of a “lost circulation” situation during drilling?
Drilling mud is lost into formation fractures, reducing hydrostatic pressure and risking a kick.
What does SIDPP stand for and what is it?
Shut-in drill pipe pressure. The pressure measured on the drill pipe when the well is shut-in during a kick
What was the first oil well in the U.S. drilled for commercial production called
what is the Drake Well — drilled by Edwin Drake in 1859, Pennsylvania.
What is the key hazard of using a grinder or cut-off wheel?
What is Flying debris or shattering disks — always use face shields and guards.
Operate automated valves
What is General pit operations
What is the “MAASP” and why is it critical during kill operations?
MAASP stands for Maximum Allowable Annular Surface Pressure. It’s the highest surface pressure that can be applied without fracturing the formation at the casing shoe. Exceeding MAASP risks a loss of well integrity.
During well control operations, why is it important to monitor the pit volume totalizer (PVT) system closely?
An unexpected increase in pit volume may indicate a kick, while a decrease could suggest lost circulation. Accurate monitoring helps detect well control issues early.
What’s the record for the deepest oil well ever drilled?
The Z-44 Chayvo well in Russia — over 40,000 feet (12+ km) deep and almost 7 miles horizontally!
Why is good housekeeping critical to rig safety?
what is It prevents slips, trips, and falls — and ensures access to emergency equipment.
Close lower valve at the loading station and the bleeder valve on the manifold.
What is Transferring drilling fluid.
In the Wait and Weight method, how is the kill mud weight calculated?
Kill mud weight is calculated using the formula:
KMW = Current MW + (SIDPP ÷ 0.052 × TVD)
Where:
KMW = Kill Mud Weight
SIDPP = Shut-In Drill Pipe Pressure
TVD = True Vertical Depth
0.052 = conversion factor
What role does the formation integrity test (FIT) play in determining well control strategy?
An FIT determines the fracture pressure at the casing shoe. This value helps set the upper pressure limit (MAASP) during well control, ensuring that formation breakdown does not occur during kill procedures.
What unusual method was once used in the Soviet Union to stop runaway oil well fires?
Nuclear explosions — they used underground nukes to collapse the well and seal it off. It actually worked.
What is the goal of a Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) program
To encourage safe work habits and reduce incidents through peer observation and positive reinforcement.
Check sprockets on TSL motors outside for ice buildup.
What is Loading and unloading the pipe shed.