Well Control
Well Control
OIL FIELD TRIVA
Safety
Name the associated WSP
100

What is the term for the pressure at which formation fluids enter the wellbore?

Formation pressure or pore pressure.

100

What type of ram in a BOP can seal the wellbore when no drill pipe is present?

What is Blind rams

100

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).

100

What kind of fire extinguisher is best for electrical fires?

What is Class C— specifically designed for use on energized electrical equipment. 

100

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

200

What component of the BOP stack is designed to seal around the drill pipe?

Ram preventers (specifically pipe rams).                                           

200

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.

200

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.

200

What is the purpose of a SDS?

To provide information on the hazards and safe handling of chemicals used on site.

200

Inspect and maintain rig floor equipment including ST-80, Drawworks, PS-21 and Top Drive. 

What is General Motorman work. 

300

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.

300

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

300

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.  

300

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.

300

Operate automated valves

What is General pit operations

400

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.

400

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.


400

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!

400

Why is good housekeeping critical to rig safety?

what is It prevents slips, trips, and falls — and ensures access to emergency equipment.

400

Close lower valve at the loading station and the bleeder valve on the manifold. 

What is Transferring drilling fluid. 

500

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

500

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.  

500

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.

500

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.

500

Check sprockets on TSL motors outside for ice buildup. 

What is Loading and unloading the pipe shed.