Page 277 - Drilling Technology in Nontechnical Language

268 Drilling Technology in Nontechnical Language Second Edition

Kick Detection Equipment

When a kick occurs, there are warning signs in advance of the actual
kick, and if the drillers (backed up by the mud loggers) are alert, they
will be ready to take immediate action to close the well once a kick
is recognized.

There are two main kick detection systems that give a direct indication
of a kick:

1. The pit volume totalizer. As described in chapter 5, this system
provides a readout showing the total volume of drilling fluid held

on the surface. If this total increases, and the increase is not due
to the mud engineer adding chemicals or fresh mud to the system,
a kick is occurring.

2. The flow indicator. This system consists of an instrument

attached to a paddle that sits in the flowline from the annulus.

This paddle is pushed up by the returning mud stream; the
amount it is pushed depends on the flow rate, among other

things. If the flow rate should increase, an alarm will sound. If

the flow rate out increases but the mud pump speed has not been

increased, it is possible that the extra flow out is due to an influx

entering the wellbore.
Generally the flow indicator will give the first positive indication of a

kick, followed by an increase in the active volume. However, the paddle-
type flow indicator is prone to false alarms because of cuttings and other

debris that may stick to the paddle or build up underneath it.
If the surface instruments indicate that a kick is in progress while
drilling, normally the driller will stop drilling, pick up the drillstring so
that the bit is above the bottom of the hole, and stop the pumps. A visual
check is then made by looking down through the rotary table, into the bell
nipple, at the level of mud in the annulus. If the well is in fact kicking, the
mud in the annulus will still be moving upwards even though the pumps
are shut down. Having confirmed a kick, the driller will then close the

BOP as quickly as possible and will then notify the toolpusher and drilling
supervisor in charge of the rig. (Toolpushers and drilling supervisors are

the people involved in drilling operations, both on the rig and in the office.
A typical organizational setup is described in chapter 12.)

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