KILL SHEET

Please use the following information for next 8 questions

Well Data

Hole Dimensions
Depth (MD/TVD) 9,800 feet
9 5/8" Casing shoe 7,950 feet
Hole size 8 1/2 inch
Current mud weight 11.3 ppg
Internal Capacities
6 1/2" Drill collars (length 600 feet) 0.00768 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - capacity 0.01776 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - metal displacement 0.00650 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - closed end displacement 0.02426 bbl foot
5" HWDP (length 500feet) - capacity 0.0088 bbl foot
Annular Capacities
Open hole / Drill collar 0.0292 bbl foot
Open hole / Drill collar 0.0459 bbl foot
Casing / Drill pipe 0.0505 bbl foot
LOT
Shoe test mud weight 10.5 ppg
Leak off pressure 1,950 psi
Pump Details
Pump Output 0.119 bblstk
SCR at 40 spm 450 psi
Shut in data
SIDPP 500 psi
SICP 700 psi
Pit gain 13 bbls

Calculate:
Maximum allowable mud weight before kick
A. ________________ ppg (15.2)

MAASP before kick

A. ________________ psi (1612)

Strokes from surface to bit

A. ________________ strokes (1374)

Kill mud weight

A. ________________ ppg (12.3)
KILL SHEET

Initial circulating pressure

A. ________________ psi (950)

Final circulating pressure

A. ________________ psi (490)

MAASP after well has been killed

A. ________________ psi (1198)

Pressure drop per step (one-tenth of strokes to Bit)

A. ________________ psi/step (46)
KILL SHEET

Please use the following information for next 8 questions

Well Data

Hole Dimensions
Depth (MD/TVD) 12,090 feet
9 5/8" Casing shoe 8,800 feet
Hole size 8½ inch
Current mud weight 13.5 ppg
Internal Capacities
6 1/2" Drill collars (length 900 feet) 0.00468 bbl/foot
5" Drill pipe - capacity 0.01776 bbl/foot
5" Drill pipe - metal displacement 0.00650 bbl/foot
5" Drill pipe - closed end displacement 0.02426 bbl/foot
Annular Capacities
Open hole / Drill collar 0.0292 bbl/foot
Open hole / Drill pipe 0.0459 bbl/foot
Casing / Drill pipe 0.0505 bbl/foot
LOT
Shoe test mud weight 12 ppg
Leak off pressure 2725 psi
Pump Details
Pump Output 0.109 bbl/stk
SCR at 40 spm 550 psi
Shut in data
SIDPP 200 psi
SICP 600 psi
Pit gain 15 bbls
Calculate:
Maximum allowable mud weight before kick
A. ________________ ppg (17.9)

MAASP before kick

A. ________________ psi (2013)

Strokes from surface to bit

A. ________________ strokes (1887)

Kill mud weight

A. ________________ ppg (13.9)

Initial circulating pressure

KILL SHEET

A. ________________ psi (750)

Final circulating pressure

A. ________________ psi (567)

MAASP after well has been killed

A. ________________ psi (1830)

Pressure drop per step (one-tenth of strokes to Bit)

A. ________________ psi/step (18)

KILL SHEET

Please use the following information for next 8 questions

Well Data

Hole Dimensions
Depth MD 7,850 feet : TVD 7,000 feet
13 3/8" Casing shoe 5,505 feet
Hole size 12 1/4 inch
Current mud weight 12 ppg
Internal Capacities
8" Drill collars (length 620 feet) 0.00768 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - capacity 0.01776 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - metal displacement 0.00650 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - closed end displacement 0.02426 bbl foot
5" HWDP (length 500feet) - capacity 0.0088 bbl foot
Annular Capacities
Open hole / Drill collar 0.0836 bbl foot
Open hole / Drill pipe 0.1215 bbl foot
Casing / Drill pipe 0.1279 bbl foot
Fracture Data
Fracture gradient at shoe 0.79 psi/foot
Pump Details
Pump Output 0.119 bblstk
SCR at 30 spm 350 psi
Shut in data
SIDPP 350 psi
SICP 475 psi
Pit gain 20 bbls
Calculate:
Maximum allowable mud weight before kick
A. ________________ ppg (15.1)

MAASP before kick

A. ________________ psi (887)

Strokes from surface to bit

A. ________________ strokes (1080)

Kill mud weight

A. ________________ ppg (13)

Initial circulating pressure

A. ________________ psi (700)
KILL SHEET

Final circulating pressure

A. ________________ psi (379)

MAASP after well has been killed

A. ________________ psi (601)

Pressure drop per step (one-tenth of strokes to Bit)

A. ________________ psi/step (32)
KILL SHEET

Please use the following information for next 8 questions

Well Data

Hole Dimensions
Depth MD 12400 feet TVD 11,960 feet
9 5/8" Casing shoe 8,850 feet
Hole size 8 1/2 inch
Current mud weight 10 ppg
Internal Capacities
6 1/2" Drill collars (length 600 feet) 0.0077 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - capacity 0.01776 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - metal displacement 0.0065 bbl foot
5" Drill pipe - closed end displacement 0.0246 bbl foot
5" HWDP (length 650feet) - capacity 0.0086 bbl foot
Annular Capacities
Open hole / Drill collar 0.0292 bbl foot
Open hole / Drill pipe 0.0459 bbl foot
Casing / Drill pipe 0.0489 bbl foot
LOT
Mud weight 10 ppg
Leak off pressure
Pump Details
Pump Output 0.119 bblstk
SCR at 40 spm 695 psi
Shut in data
SIDPP 580 psi
SICP 840 psi
Pit gain 20 bbls
Calculate:
Maximum allowable mud weight before kick
A. ________________ ppg (12.5)

MAASP before kick

A. ________________ psi (1150)

Strokes from surface to bit

A. ________________ strokes (1750)

Kill mud weight

A. ________________ ppg (11.0)

Initial circulating pressure

KILL SHEET

A. ________________ psi (1275)

Final circulating pressure

A. ________________ psi (765)

MAASP after well has been killed

A. ________________ psi (710)

Pressure drop per step (one-tenth of strokes to Bit)

A. ________________ psi/100 stk (29)
IADC DRILLING

1. Why is it important to inform the Driller when starting or stopping the degasser or desilter?
A. Pit volume will change
B. Shakers will need to be by-passed
C. Mud viscosity will be reduced
D. Flow rate will increase from the wall

2. What is the correct practice when carrying out the second circulation of the Driller’s Method?
(there is no influx remaining in the well)
A. Bring the pump up to the speed holding drill pipe pressure constant
B. Once kill fluid at the bit, shut in the well and check that drill pipe and casing pressures are
equal
C. Maintain the drill pipe pressure constant once kill fluid is at the bit
D. Maintain the drill pipe pressure constant during the entire second circulation

3. The Driller has successfully shut-in on a kick. Which one of the following would you delegate to
a crew member?
A. Instructions to crew if you get Gas Migration
B. Checking kill-sheet for accuracy
C. Checking for leaks at the pumps, pipework and pit areas
D. Communicating kill plan to crew members

4. A well kicks with the bit off bottom and you shut it in. a decision is made to strip back into the
hole. What equipment needs to be on top of the drill string before stripping in the hole?
A. A full opening safety valve (open) with an inside BOP installed on top
B. A full opening safety valve (closed)
C. An inside BOP
D. An inside BOP with a full opening safety valve (closed) on top

5. During the Wait & Weight procedure, how can bottom hole pressure be controlled when kill
weight mud is being pumped down the drill string?
A. Hold casing pressure is constant
B. Follow a casing pressure schedule
C. Hold drill pipe pressure constant
D. Follow a drill pipe pressure schedule

6. When the well kicks, what operating practice would lead to a bigger influx when you are
shutting-in the well?
A. Testing stab in valves during BOP test
B. Regular pit drills for the drill crew
C. Calling the Toolpusher to the floor before shutting in the well
D. Regular training for the Derickman on the duties for monitoring pit level
IADC DRILLING

7. You have a set of liner and are now circulating the well to clean mud before drilling out the Liner
Shoe. Where are potential leak paths to allow formation fluid to enter the well?
A. BOP operating chamber
B. Leaking Liner Lap or Shoe
C. Drill string
D. BOP closing chamber

8. When bringing the pumps up to kill speed the casing pressure is allowed to increase above Shut
In Casing Pressure, what will happen to bottom hole pressure?
A. Bottom hole pressure would decrease and possibly cause more influx to enter the wellbore
B. No change to downhole pressure
C. Bottom hole pressure would increase and may exceed formation fracture

9. Which of the following practices could result in the influx of a shallow hazard?
A. Keeping the hole full with continuous trip tank
B. Not filling the hole properly while tripping out
C. Pumping a cement slurry with short transition time
D. Pumping out of the hole

10. You are out of the hole changing the Bit when the well starts flowing. What action must you
take to secure the well?
A. Close the diverter and bullhead kill mud through the kill line
B. Run one stand of drill pipe or heavy weight drill pipe and close the pipe rams
C. Close the Blind or Blind/Shear rams
D. Run one stand of collars into the well and close the Annular

11. During the second circulation of the Driller’s method, the pump is shut down when the kill
weight mud has been circulated to the bit. What should the casing pressure read if there is no
trapped pressure in the well?
A. Original SICP
B. The difference in hydrostatic pressure between KMW and OMW plus SICP
C. Original SIDPP
D. The difference in hydrostatic pressure between KMW and OMW minus SICP

12. The equivalent circulating density (ECD) determines the actual bottom hole pressure while
circulating down the drillstring and back up the annulus. Which part of the system pressure
losses is used to calculate ECD?
A. The pressure loss in the open hole section only
B. The pressure loss in the drill string
C. The pressure loss in the annulus
D. The pressure loss across the nozzles
IADC DRILLING

13. What is a ‘safety-margin’ in a kill operation?

A. A margin that reduces the risk of losses during the kill
B. Extra pressure applied in the well to reduce the risk of going underbalanced
C. A margin that compensates for the choke operator closing the choke too quickly
D. A 1 ppg increase in calculated kill mud weight to maintain hydrostatic if mud weight increase
is not maintained during the circulation

14. During the trip out, the well kicks due to swabbing. The pipe is tripped back to bottom. What
mud weight will control the well?
A. Kill Mud weight based on SICP before stripping
B. Kill Mud weight based on SIDPP before stripping
C. Kill Mud weight based on difference between SIDPP and SICP before stripping
D. The original mud weight

15. How do you know that a self-fill float is plugged?

A. Trip monitoring returns will decrease
B. Running time increases
C. The normal increase in hook load with depth will slow down due to the buoyancy effect
D. No returns back to trip tank
E. Trip monitoring returns will increase to closed end displacement

16. The flow sensor shows a total loss of returns and the mud level cannot be seen in the annulus.
What immediate action should be taken?
A. Pump at reduced rate adding lost circulation material
B. Shut the well in and pump lost circulation material
C. Prepare to top-fill the annulus with water (or lightest mud available) and or record volume
D. Continue drilling ahead cautiously

17. A well is shut in after taking a 25 bbl kick with 300 psi SIDPP and 650 psi SICP. If the well had
been shut in on a 10 bbls kick, how would shut in pressure be affected?
A. SIDPP would be higher
B. SICP would be higher
C. SIDPP would be lower
D. SICP would be lower

18. Calculate the equivalent mud weight that will fracture the casing shoe using the leak-off plot
below
IADC DRILLING

A. 14.2 ppg
B. 13.7 ppg
C. 13.9 ppg
D. 14.1 ppg

19. What is the common cause of abnormal; high formation pressures worldwide?
A. Trapped fluid in shale
B. Carbonate layers
C. Depleted sands
D. Limestone fractures

20. A gas kick is being circulated along a horizontal hole section. What should happen to mud pit
volume if the correct kill procedure is being followed?
A. Increase at first as the gas begins to move then gradually decrease
B. Decrease as the kill mud fills the horizontal; section
C. Remain approximately constant
D. Increase as the gas expands

21. What is the purpose of the High Pressure By-Pass valve on the surface BOP control unit?
A. To enable full accumulator pressure to be placed on the Ram Manifold
B. To bleed the accumulator pressure to reservoir
C. To enable full accumulator pressure to be placed on the Annular BOP
D. To by-pass the Annular three-position four-way valve

22. During the first circulation of the Driller’s method. As a gas bubble approaches the casing shoe,
what happens to shoe pressure if the BHP was correctly held constant?
A. Increase
B. Remains constant
IADC DRILLING

C. Decreases

23. You are running a slick non-shearable tool in the hole on a surface stack rig. The well flows when
the tool is across the BOP stack. What is the best action the Driller can take to shut in the well?
A. Drop the string in the hole
B. Make up safety valve in string and close the annular
C. Pick up a joint or stand of shearable pipe, run into position and install a safety valve
D. Start circulating to use ECD to stop the kick

24. While killing the well using the Wait and Weight method, circulation is stopped holding bottom
hole pressure constant and the wellbore is isolated. What pressure should be on the Drill Pipe
gauge if the proper Kill Weight Mud (KMW) was used and there is no trapped pressure?
A. The drill pipe gauge should read 0 psi due to the drill string being full of kill weight mud
B. The drill pipe gauge will read more than the original shut in drill pipe pressure due to gas
height
C. The drill pipe gauge will read the same pressure as the original Shut in Pressure
D. The drill pipe gauge will read the difference between the original shut in pressures

25. While conduction the first circulation of the Driller’s Method, the Derrickman states that the
barite supply is plugged. What action should be taken?
A. Inform supervisor that crew is fixing the blockage but continue circulating
B. Wait until first circulation is complete then fix blockage
C. Instruct crew to add Bentonite to increase the mud weight
D. Inform supervisor to shut in well, as the problem will reduce bottom hole pressure during the
first circulation

26. Which statement about ring gasket is correct?

A. R & RX ring gaskets are the same shape
B. Lot of grease should be applied while fitting the ring gasket
C. Ring gaskets are designed to be used many times
D. RX and BX ring gaskets provide pressure energized seal

27. You run back to the shoe and carry out a slip-and-cut on the drilling line. The operation normally
takes 60 minutes. What is the best way to monitor the well?
A. Shut in well and record pressure every 15 minutes
B. Install a safety valve in the drill string, line up to the Trip Tank and set the alarm
C. Line up to mud pits and inform Mud Logger to monitor for gains
D. Line up to trip tank and set the Trip Tank alarm

28. What is the function of Blind/Shear Rams?

A. As a back-up to the Annular
B. To cut the drill string and seal off the hole
IADC DRILLING

C. To close in the well in the Diverter fails

D. To hang-off the drillstring during a kill

29. Ballooning formations happen when the bottom-hole pressure is slightly greater than the
formation fracture pressure. What causes this increased bottom-hole pressure?
A. Low formation permeability and porosity
B. Failure to fill up when tripping out
C. Abnormal formation pressure
D. Annular friction while circulating

30. What is a typical Slow Circulating Rate (SCR)?

A. 75% of drilling pump rate
B. Between 1 and 5 barrels per minute
C. Between 75 and 96 strokes per minute (SPM)
D. Same as drilling pump rate

31. How does increasing wellbore temperature affect will control when using non-aqueous (oil-
based) mud?
A. No significant effect on hydrostatic pressure in wellbore
B. Increases hydrostatic pressure in wellbore
C. Decreases hydrostatic pressure in wellbore

32. What is the correct definition of Porosity?

A. The amount of void space in the rock, expressed as percent
B. The ability of formation fluids to move through the rock
C. The percentage of solid rock I the formation
D. The pressure of the fluid in the pore space

33. In an exploratory (wildcat) well, how is the formation strength below the casing shoe normally
measured?
A. Drill Stem Test
B. Leak Off Test
C. Sheen Test
D. Formation Integrity Test

34. You take a kick when you cross a fault while you are drilling and shut in the well. Calculate the
mud weight you need to kill the well using the following information:
Well data: MD TVD
Depth at start of horizontal 7,690 feet 6,200 feet
Depth at time of kick 11,000 feet 6,000 feet
Length of horizontal section 3,310 feet
Mud weight 11 ppg
IADC DRILLING

Kick data:
SIDPP 150 psi
SICP 170 psi
A. 11.5 ppg
B. 11.4 ppg
C. 12 ppg
D. 11 ppg

35. You are drilling a section of well with a low kick tolerance. What action could be implemented?
A. Pull out at increased trip speed and carry out 15 minute flow checks at all drilling breaks
B. Increase vigilance of kick indicators
C. Take slow circulating rate pressures at faster strokes per minute (SPM) than normal
D. Increase the mud viscosity to reduce the chance of a kick

36. What happen to the mud pit volume as gas is circulated up the hole when killing a well?
A. The volume stays the same
B. The volume decreases
C. The volume increases

37. What is the only function of a diverter?

A. To act as a backup system if the annular preventer fails
B. To create a back pressure sufficient to stop formation fluids entering the wellbore
C. To direct formation fluids away from the rig floor
D. To shut in a shallow kick

38. A function has been operated from the remote panel. The open light goes out and the close light
illuminates, but pressure gauge did not drop. What is the problem cause of the problem?
A. Air pressure too low
B. Leak in the system
C. Close line is blocked
D. Pressure switch is faulty

39. Why must you leave spare capacity in the active pit system when circulating out a kick?
A. To store the kick fluid as it is circulated from the well
B. If the kick is oil it will expand and pit level will increase
C. If the kick is salt water it will expand and pit level will increase
D. If the kick is gas it will expand and pit level will increase

40. At what stage during a kill operation can the choke pressure reading exceed MAASP without
breaking down the formation at the shoe?
A. When the influx is above the casing shoe
B. When the influx is in open hole section
IADC DRILLING

C. When the kill mud is at the bit

D. When the influx is on bottom

41. What is the main reason for a pit drill?

A. To ensure the crew is able to effectively recognize and react to a kick while tripping pipe
B. To ensure the crew is trained to kill the well
C. To see how fast the Driller can line up on the choke manifold
D. To test the pit flow and trip tank alarms

42. If a kick is shut in and the slow circulating rate pressure is not known. What procedure should be
used to obtain the correct Initial Circulating Pressure?
A. Check the records and choose the kill rate circulating pressure taken with the last BHA in the
hole nearest to the depth where the kick took place. Add 100 psi as a safety margin
B. Use the SIDPP as the circulating pressure
C. Contact the mud logger and request the best possible calculating of the Initial Circulating
Pressure
D. Follow correct start-up procedure. Read the pressure on the drillpipe gauge, subtracting any
overbalance/safety margin pressure

43. You have pumped cement inside the casing and are displacing the cement into position with
mud. What should happen to active pit level during this stage of operation?
A. Pit level stay constant
B. Pit level will decrease
C. Pit level will increase

44. A 500-foot long cement plug is set inside the casing shoe. The mud in the hole is to be displaced
to a new mud density. Mud density below the cement plug = 11.8 ppg.
New mud density = 12.8 ppg
Top of cement plug = 8200 feet
If the plug failed and allowed pressure to pass between the top and the bottom of the plug,
what would happen to the bottom hole pressure?
A. BHP would Increase
B. BHP would stay the same
C. BHP would decrease

45. Which of the following affect the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure?
A. Size of influx in the annulus
B. Formation fluid pressure
C. Annular volume from Bit to Shoe
D. Influx gradient
IADC DRILLING

46. What would be the effect of fitting a 7-1/16 inch x 5,000 psi flange to a working 10,000 psi rated
BOP stack?
A. The rating would become 7,500 psi
B. The rating would become 5,000 psi
C. The rating would become 2,500 psi
D. The rating would remain at 10,000 psi

47. You pump a 30 bbl slug with the following parameters:

5 inch Drillpipe capacity: 0.01776 bbls/foot
Slug Weight: 16.2 ppg
Mud Weight: 15.2 ppg
Well Depth: 12,335 feet MD and 12,121 feet TVD
Calculate how much mud, in addition to the slug volume, would u-tube from the well?
A. 30 bbls
B. 2 bbls
C. 45 bbls
D. 5 bbls

48. Which of the following may be a lagging indicator of an increase in formation pressure?
A. Change in ROP
B. Change in rotary torque
C. Change in RPM
D. Change in background gas

49. You are drilling ahead in a zone that has experienced ballooning for other wells in the area. You
have experienced losses of 8 barrels over the last stand. When you shut down to make a
connection, the well continues to flow greater than the 8 barrels lost. What should the Driller
do?
A. Nothing because you are sure it is ballooning
B. Shut in the well and call the Supervisor
C. Call the Company Representative and discuss options
D. Make up Top Drive and start circulation

50. Severe losses occurred while driving. The pumps were stopped and the mud in the well could
not be seen. The well was then filled to the top with water and remained static.
Mud weight: 12 ppg
Brine water height: 8.6 ppg
Height of water column in the annulus: 150 feet
What is the reduction in bottom hole pressure with the 150 feet of water compared to the
pressure before the losses?
A. 94 psi
B. 30 psi
IADC DRILLING

C. 27 psi
D. 67 psi

51. For most operations it is recommended that two independent barriers are in place. From the list
below, which pair of barriers are NOT independent of each other?
A. Kill weight mud in the well and the blow out preventer
B. A cemented shoe track over a non-hydrocarbon bearing zone and a casing bridge plug
C. An Annular and a Ram on a BOP stack
D. A tubing plug set downhole and a backpressure valve in the hanger

52. While making a connection, the Driller closed the well in due to an abnormally long flowback
time. The stabilized surface pressures were equal at 150 psi on the Drill Pipe and Annulus. You
suspect the well has been ballooning. After bleeding the pressure to zero (0) in increments of 50
psi, the pressure stayed at zero. Oil-based mud is in the hole. What instruction would you give
the Driller?
A. Open the BOP and drill ahead
B. Open the choke and flow check. If negative, open the BOP and circulate while raising the mud
weight by 0.5 ppg and drill ahead
C. Open the BOP, raise mud weight by 1 ppg and drill ahead
D. Flow check through the choke. If negative , open the BOP and circulate bottoms up through
the choke

53. Why must the well kill be started using the correct start-up procedure?
A. To maintain a constant bottom hole pressure as pump speed is increased to kill rate
B. To allow shut in casing pressure to be increased by the low circulating rate pressure
C. To hold correct pump pressure as kill mud is pumped to the rig floor
D. To get the calculated Final Circulating Pressure on the pump pressure gauge

54. After shutting in on a kick the SIDPP and SICP have been stable for 15 minutes, they then both
start slowly rising by the same amount. Which one of the following is the probable cause?
A. The BOP stack is leaking
B. The influx is migrating up the wellbore
C. Another influx is entering the wellbore
D. The gauges are faulty

55. You have a plugged nozzle and the pump pressure has increased by 250 psi. what will happen to
Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) if you adjust the choke to reduce pump pressure by 250 psi?
A. BHP will decrease
B. BHP will stay the same
C. BJP will increase
IADC DRILLING

56. What is the minimum number of barriers normally required to be in place for any phase of
operation?
A. Three
B. Two
C. Four
D. One

57. When drilling in the transition zone to an abnormally pressured formation, what changes may
you expect to see with the formation returning at the shakers?
A. Reduction in size of each cutting
B. Increase in the density of Shale cuttings
C. Decrease in the density of Shale cuttings
D. Decrease in the amount of cavings
E. Decrease in the measured bulk density of Shale cuttings

58. What action should a Driller take if a sudden increase in mud gas level is recorded?
A. Check for flow and call Supervisor
B. Stop drilling, circulate bottoms-up, record gas levels and inform your supervisor
C. Request Mud Engineer to increase mud weight by 0.3 ppg
D. Increase rate of penetration to minimize the warning signs

59. Well has kicked when 30 stands off bottom. Shut-in pressure both equal 150 psi. which of the
following is the best action to take to restore primary control?
A. Strip to bottom and circulating well using Driller’s Method – 1st circulating
B. Circulate kick out while 30 stands off bottom using the Driller’s Method
C. Raise mud weight by 150 psi and circulate out using Wait and Weight Method

60. What is the function of the choke in the choke manifold?

A. To create a back-pressure when killing the well
B. To bleed high volume of formation fluid
C. To close the well softly

61. Which of the following actions should be taken when drilling through a transition zone?
A. Increase Weight on Bit
B. Increase time between mud weight checks
C. Reduce Revolutions per Minute (RPM)
D. Monitor cuttings and cavings at the Shakers
E. Fingerprint connections for flowback trends

62. After the well is shut-in, what key data should be recorded?
A. Weight on bit
B. Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP)
C. Hook load
IADC DRILLING

D. Rotary torque
E. Pit gain
F. Casing pressure

63. While running casing, the string became hung up. The operator has made the decision to pull
the casing. You have advised the Driller to go slow and watch his fill-up volumes as he pulls the
casing string. What is the reason for this?
A. Potential surging due to tight wellbore to casing geometry
B. Potential down time for not being ready to trip back in the hole
C. Potential swabbing due to tight wellbore-to-casing geometry
D. Potential damage to the casing string and cost to the Operator

64. In a well with the Bit to Shoe volume greater than drill string volume, which of the following kill
methods will minimize the risk of losses?
A. Bullheading Method
B. Wait and Weight Method
C. Driller’s Method
D. Volumetric Method

65. When running in the hole with casing, what is a benefit of routine fill-ups?
A. To provide hydrostatic support to the casing and related components
B. To prevent casing burst due to high internal pressure
C. To minimize surge pressure when running in
D. To reduce Hook Load and wear on the drilling line

66. The Derrickman states that there has been a 10 bbl increase in the pits over the last 15 minutes.
What is the safest action to take?
A. Carry out a flow check
B. Inform the Mud Engineer
C. Ask the Derrickman to check for any mud transfers
D. Call the Toolpusher for advice

67. Which statement about the annular preventer is true?

A. Will prevent tool joints from being stripped into the well
B. Hydraulic closing pressure can be adjusted depending on the operation
C. Will not seal on a square or hexagonal Kelly
D. Is designed to seal around any shape of tubular or tool in the well bore

68. Which of the following may be a lagging indicator of an increase in formation pressure?
A. Change in ROP
B. Change in RPM
C. Change in rotary torque
D. Change in background gas
IADC DRILLING

69. When testing a surface BOP stack with a test plug, why must the side outlet valves below the
plug be kept in the open position?
A. Otherwise reverse circulation will be needed to release test plug
B. Because the test will create extreme hook loads
C. Because of potential damage to wellhead/casing/open hole
D. To prevent a pressure lock
E. To check for a leaking test plug

70. You are successfully conducting the first circulation of the Driller’s method. Drill pipe pressure
has been maintained at Initial Circulating Pressure of 560 psi. Choke pressure has been holding
around 460 psi for the last 15 minutes. You notice a sudden drop in Drill pipe pressure to 500
psi. Choke pressure stays the same at 460 psi. What type of complication has most likely
occurred?
A. A bit nozzle has plugged
B. A bit nozzle has washed out
C. The choke is plugged up
D. You a washout above BOP

71. You are stripping in the well through the annular and bleeding off closed ended displacement.
How do you check the integrity of the annular during the stripping process?
A. Rotate slowly as you strip into the hole to reduce Annular wear
B. Run Wiper rubber below rotary table to act as back up to the Annular
C. Monitor the flowline on the trip tank to check for leaks through the Annular
D. Have crew member look down the hole to check for leaks when moving the pipe

72. After the well is shut-in, what key data should be recorded?
A. Rotary Torque
B. Weight on Bit
C. Hook Load
D. Pit gain

73. You pump a 30 bbl slug with the following parameters:

5 inch Drillpipe capacity: 0.01776 bbls/foot
Slug Weight: 16.2 ppg
Mud Weight: 15.2 ppg
Well Depth: 12335 feet MD and 12121 feet TVD
Calculate how much mud, in addition to the slug volume, would u-tube from the well?
A. 45 bbls
B. 5 bbls
C. 30 bbls
D. 2 bbls
IADC DRILLING

74. Severe losses occurred while drilling. The pumps were stopped and the mud in the well could
not be seen. The well was then filled to the top with water and remained static.
Mud weight: 12 ppg
Brine water height: 8.6 ppg
Height of water column in the annulus: 150 feet
What is the reduction in bottom hole pressure with the 150 feet of water compared to the
pressure before the losses?
A. 67 psi
B. 27 psi
C. 94 psi
D. 33 psi

75. You have completed the first circulation of the Driller Method and decide that the annulus is not
clean of influx. You decide to start the second circulation. How would you maintain correct
bottom hole pressure when circulating kill mud to the Bit?
A. Add safety margin to drill pipe pressure equal to the slow circulating rate pressure
B. Maintain casing pressure constant
C. Follow a Wait and Weight step-down chart or graph
D. Start up the well correctly and hold the initial circulating pressure constant till kill mud is at
the Bit

76. Why is it important to monitor the pit volume during a well control operation?
A. To know when to adjust the pump speed
B. To keep the bottom hole pressure constant
C. To know when to adjust the drill pipe pressure
D. To monitor the gas expansion and monitor for losses

77. In a well with the bit to shoe volume greater than drill string capacity, which of the following kill
methods will minimize the risk of losses?
A. Volumetric Method
B. Driller’s Method
C. Wait and Weight Method
D. Bullheading Method

78. The Driller is pulling 5 inch drill pipe out of the hole and monitoring the well on the trip tank.
Over the last 5 stands the trip tank has increased by 3 barrels. What should the Driller do?
A. Flow check. This could be a kick that has been swabbed in
B. Keep pulling pipe. The Derrickhand probably transferred some mud
C. Flow check. You have possibly surged the well causing losses
D. Keep pulling pipe. 3 barrels is the correct displacement for 5 inch
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79. What will happen to the Casing pressure when a gas influx in being circulated from the
horizontal section into the vertical section?
A. Casing pressure will stay the same
B. Casing pressure will increase
C. Casing pressure will decrease

80. When running casing, the string became hung up. The Operator has made the decision to pull
the casing. You have advised the Driller to go slow and watch his fill-up volumes as he pull the
casing string. What is the reason for this?
A. Potential down time for not being ready to trip back in the hole
B. Potential damage to the casing string and cost to the operator
C. Potential swabbing due to tight wellbore-to-casing geometry
D. Potential surging due to tight wellbore to casing geometry

81. If total losses occurred while drilling with water based mud, what should be done?
A. Pump lost circulation material immediately
B. Drill blind
C. Stop drilling, shut the well in, and see what happens
D. Stop drilling, fill the annulus from the top with water, and monitor

82. Why is it important for the Driller to know when mud is being transferred into or out of the
active system?
A. To know when to operate the pit agitators to prevent Barite falling out of the mud
B. To recognize if there are gains and losses due to a kick or lost circulation
C. To start bottoms-up circulation to clean the hole before new mud is pumped
D. To line up returns through the Desilters to improve mud mixing

83. The Derrickman states that there has been a 10 bbl increase in the pits over the last 15 minutes.
What is the safest action to take?
A. Carry out a flow check
B. Ask the Derrickman to check for any mud transfers
C. Inform the Mud Engineer
D. Call the Toolpusher for advice

84. What effect does increasing temperature have on fluid density?

A. It will increase the fluid density
B. It will reduce the fluid density
C. There is no effect on fluid density

85. How does drilling into an abnormal pressure formation affect primary well control?
A. Reduces the hydrostatic pressure overbalance
B. Increases the hydrostatic pressure overbalance
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C. Will make kick detection more difficult

D. Increases surge pressure when tripping

86. A 500-foot long cement plug is set inside the casing across the shoe. The mud above the plug is
to be displaced with brine. Formation pressure below the plug is balanced by 10.7 ppg mud.
Brine density = 9.5 ppg
Top of cement plug = 8200 feet
If the plug failed and the well is open, what would happen to the well?
A. Well will flow
B. Well will remain static
C. Formation will fracture
D. Casing will collapse

87. What is the main reason for a Diverter drill?

A. To ensure the crew is able to effectively recognize and react to a surface kick by diverting
fluids away from the rig
B. To see how fast the Driller can line up from the vent line to the mud gas separator
C. To ensure the crew are able to close in the well and prepare the kill mud
D. To test pit, flow and trip tank alarms

88. Casing shoe depth = 11,000 feet TVD, MD = 12,250 feet.,

Test Mud Weight = 14.0 ppg
Leak – Off Test Pressure = 1950 psi
Calculate the Maximum Allowable Mud Weight.
A. 17.3 ppg
B. 17.5 ppg
C. 17.4 ppg
D. 17.2 ppg

89. What is the correct definition of Permeability?

A. The pressure of the fluid in the pore space
B. The density of the formation fluids
C. The ability of formation fluids to move through the rock
D. The amount of solid rock in the formation

90. On a surface stack rig, The Driller brings the pump slowly on-line at the start of the kill
operation. What pressure must the choke operator hold constant during this operation?
A. Casing pressure
B. Slow circulating rate pressure
C. Maximum allowable annular surface pressure
D. Shut in Drill Pipe Pressure
IADC DRILLING

91. You have shut-in on a well and are planning to kill the well. The Mud Engineer estimates it will
take 3200 sacks of barite to weight up the fluid system to kill weight. The rig has 2500 sacks of
barite onsite and more will not arrive for 3 days. Shut on pressure have increased since the well
was shut in indicating gas migration. The shoe strength is a concern if pressures continue to
build. Which Kill Method would be the best to implement?
A. Begin to Lubricate and Bleed
B. Kill the well with Reverse Circulation
C. Driller’s Method of Well Control
D. Wait and Weight Method of Well Control

92. During a kill operation the choke is adjusted to increase drill pipe pressure by 100 psi. SPM is
held constant. What will happen to the bottom hole pressure?
A. It will increase
B. It will decrease
C. It will remain constant

93. Which of the following is a “physical barrier”?

A. Periodic well control drills
B. A cement plug
C. Proper BOP shut in procedure
D. Monitoring the trip tank

94. Which of the following affect the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure?
A. Mud weight in drillstring
B. Annular volume from Bit to Shoe
C. Influx gradient
D. Size of influx in the annulus

95. While drilling ahead at a constant rate of penetration (ROP), the cutting load across the shakers
increased and the shale shakers cannot handle the amount of cutting returning from the well.
What is the safest thing to do?
A. Check for flow – if there is none, continue drilling at the same ROP
B. Check for flow – if there is none, circulate bottoms up at a reduced rate so that the shakers
can handle the cutting volume
C. Check for flow –if there is none, continue at the same ROP. Allow half of the mud returns to
by-pass the shakers
D. Slow down the mud pump until the shakers can handle the amount of cuttings in the returns
and continue drilling

96. What is a ‘negative’ pressure test?

A. A test where the barrier is made to fail
B. A test where a barrier is tested until there is leak-off
IADC DRILLING

C. A test on a barrier where pressure on top of a barrier is increased to a valve higher than the
pressure below the barrier
D. A test on a barrier where pressure on top of a barrier is reduced to a value lower than the
pressure below the barrier

97. How does increasing wellbore temperature affect non-aqueous (oil-based) mud density?
A. No effect on density
B. Decreases density
C. Increases density

98. What is the primary reason for stripping in the well?

A. To reduce ECD when you start pumping
B. To get below the influx to circulate it out
C. To improve performance of the Annular packing element
D. To allow more time to mix mud before doing the Wait & Weight Method

99. What happens to bottom hole pressure (BHP) when circulation is stopped during connections?
Disregard Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD)
A. The BHP will decrease
B. The BHP increases by ECD then decreases
C. The BHP will stay the same

100. Why is it important for crew members to immediately inform their Driller if they see any
potential well control problems?
A. To allow the Driller to switch on the pit and flow alarms
B. To help Driller identify and act to minimize the size of a kick
C. To inform the Driller to increase tripping speed
D. To inform the Driller to increase rate of penetration
E. To help Driller recognize kick warning signs

101. Why is it important to detect a kick as early as possible?

A. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a higher SICP
B. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a lower SIDPP
C. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a higher SIDPP
D. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a lower SICP

102. What is the objective of the Wait and Weight Method?

A. Only displace the drill string with kill mud weight
B. Displace drill string and annulus with original mud weight
C. Only displace the annulus with original mud weight
D. Displace drill string and annulus with kill mud weight and displace influx in a single circulation
IADC DRILLING

103. You are losing mud while circulating, but gaining mud when the pumps are off. The well is shut
in and you suspect the well is ballooning. It is decided to bleed-off 20 barrels of mud back to the
pits. What is the potential danger of this bleed-off?
A. Formation will collapse into wellbore and restrict circulation
B. Additional formation fluid may flow into the wellbore
C. Wellbore will become washed-out
D. Bleeding back too much will decrease chance of losses

104. Which of the following statements is a good operating practice in a top-hole section that has the
risk of gas bearing formations?
A. Never use a drill pipe float
B. Maintain high ROP
C. Control the rate of penetration
D. Regularly pump light sweeps

105. Increasing flowback time has been documented for the last five connections. The Driller
believed that the flowback time was too long and closed the well in. there is 150 psi on the Drill
Pipe and the Annulus. The Driller has bled off 50 psi. SIDPP returned to 150 psi. SICP is 175 psi.
the bleed-off was repeated and SIDPP returned to 150 psi and SICP is 200 psi. what is your
assessment of the current situation?
A. This is a kick. Prepare to carry out a kill operation
B. This is mud compressibility. Bleed off and drill ahead
C. This is ballooning. Bleed off and drill ahead
D. This is the result of gas migration. Start the Volumetric Method

106. If the mud pump pop-off valve opened during a well kill, what action below is best to secure the
well?
A. Drop the drill string, close blind/shear rams, close the choke
B. Stop the pump, close the IBOP or Kelly Cock, and close the choke
C. Stop the pump and close the choke
D. Close the shear rams, close the choke

107. What is the best description of the term “Figerprinting the Well”?
A. Recording block name and field number for the location of the well
B. Sampling the formation fluid for grade, quality and contaminants
C. Recording azimuth and elevation of the wellbore from logging
D. Recording baseline drilling data that can be analyzed against current data to help recognize
downhole problems

108. What can cause a kick when running casing in the hole?
A. Keeping the casing full of mud
B. Conditioning mud before running casing
IADC DRILLING

C. Swabbing the formation

D. Surging induced losses causing a drop in mud level

109. Which of the following actions should be taken when drilling through a transition zone?
A. Increase time between mud weight checks
B. Fingerprint connections for flowback trends
C. Increase Weight on Bit
D. Reduce Revolutions per Minute (RPM)

110. Which abnormal pressure detection tool or technique measures pressure downhole?
A. Gyro compass
B. Shale Density test
C. Methylene Blue test
D. Pressure while drilling tool

111. As you drill the open hole deeper, what happens to the maximum allowable volume of gas kick
that can be taken on-bottom and circulated out without breaking down the formation? (Assume
all other drilling and formation parameters stay the same)
A. Increases
B. Stays the same
C. Decreases

112. When pumping the first circulation of the Driller’s Method, what will happen to the mud pit
volume as the gas is circulated up the hole?
A. It will increase
B. It will stay the same
C. It will decrease

113. When drilling in the transition zone to an abnormally pressured formation, what changes will
you expect to see in the mud?
A. Increasing mud weight
B. Decrease in gas content
C. Increase in gas content
D. Decrease in mud filtrate

114. At what stage during a kill operation can the choke pressure reading exceed MAASP without
breaking down the formation at the shoe?
A. When the kill mud is at the bit
B. When the influx is above the casing shoe
C. When the influx is on bottom
D. When the influx is in open hole section
IADC DRILLING

115. A well is shut in after taking a 25 bbl kick with 300 psi SIDPP and 650 psi SICP. If the well had
been shut in on a 10 bbls kick, how would shut in pressure be affected?
A. SICP would be higher
B. SIDPP would be higher
C. SICP would be lower
D. SIDPP would be lower

116. What gauge is used to record the Slow Circulating Rate (SCR) pressure?
A. The casing pressure gauge on the Choke Control panel
B. The drill pipe pressure gauge on the Choke Control panel
C. The casing pressure gauge at the Standpipe Manifold
D. The pump pressure gauge at the mud pump

117. A well has been shut-in on a kick and the kill operation has not been started.
Shut-in drill pipe pressure 400 psi
Shut-in casing pressure 600 psi
After stabilization, both pressures start rising due to gas migration. If the casing pressure is held
constant at 600 psi, what will happen to the bottom hole pressure?
A. Increase
B. Decrease
C. Stay the same

118. The kill weight fluid has just been pumped to the bit during the Wait and Weight method. The
pumps are shut down and the following pressures are observed.
Current drill pipe pressure (DPP) 150 psi
Current casing pressure (CP) 630 psi
Which of the following should be done?
A. Check to see if correct mud weight and surface to bit strokes were pumped
B. Bleed casing pressure to zero psi and confirm well is dead
C. Recalculate kill weight mud based in 150 psi SIDPP and circulate surface to bit
D. Resume circulation by holding drill pipe pressure constant at 150 psi

119. When do Drill string safety valves have to be tested?

A. Only after setting casing
B. Each time the BOP is tested
C. To the same rated working pressure as the Kelly/top drive
D. 50% of the Ram test pressure

120. For most operations it is recommended that two independent barriers are in place. From the list
below, which pair of barriers are NOT independent of each other?
A. Kill weight mud in the well and the blow out preventer
B. A tubing plug set downhole and a backpressure valve in the hanger
IADC DRILLING

C. A cemented shoe track over a non-hydrocarbon bearing zone and a casing bridge plug
D. An Annular and a Ram on a BOP stack

121. You shut in a kick but do not know the slow circulating rate pressure. What procedure should
you use to obtain the correct initial circulating pressure (ICP)?
A. Contact the Mud Logger and request the best possible of the Initial Circulating Pressure to use
during the well kill
B. Follow correct start-up procedure. Read the pressure on the drillpipe gauge, subtracting any
overbalance/safety margin pressure
C. Choose the kill rate circulating pressure you took with the last BHA in the hole nearest to the
depth where the kick took place. Add 100 psi to this value as a safety margin
D. Use the SIDPP as the circulating pressure

122. The Driller’s Method is used to circulate out a salt-water influx. What will happen to the casing
pressure as the influx moves up the annulus?
A. Salt water will behave in the same way as a gas influx
B. Casing pressure will only change due to changes in annular size
C. Casing pressure will slowly decrease as influx moves up the annulus
D. As influx expands Casing Pressure will increase

123. What is needed to calculate an accurate formation strength at the shoe?

A. To install a retrievable packer approximately 1,000 ft. below the rig floor
B. An accurate hole capacity
C. A constant mud weight throughout the well
D. An accurate stroke counter
E. The exact vertical depth of the casing shoe
F. A calibrated pressure gauge
IADC DRILLING

124. The well is shut-in with the following pressure readings:

Shut-in casing pressure: 0 psi
Shut in drill pipe pressure: 435 psi
The annulus is observed through the choke, and there is no flow
What could be the problem?
A. The choke gauge failed
B. The drill string has twisted off
C. The hole is packed off around BHA
D. The formation at the shoe has been fractured

125. You are circulating a gas kick out of the well using the Driller’s method. What would normally
happen to active pit level during the circulation?
A. Pit level would decrease due to gas expansion then stay constant as gas exits the choke
B. Pit level would decrease due to gas expansion then increase as gas exits the choke
C. Pit level would increase due to gas expansion then decrease as gas exits the choke
D. Pit level would increase due to gas expansion then stay constant as gas exits the choke

126. You have shut in on a kick and completed the first circulation of the Driller’s Method. Pumps
were shut down and well closed, while waiting to start up the second circulation. The following
was documented:
Shut In Drill Pipe (SIDPP) Shut in Casing (SICP)
Original Shut In Pressure 260 psi 320 psi
After First Circulation 285 psi 285 psi
What is the current status of the well?
A. The Kill Weight Mud (KMW) has been pumped and was not sufficient to kill the well
B. There is still a kick in the well, providing less hydrostatic on the annulus side of the well
C. There is trapped pressure that can be kept as a safety margin or bled off upon startup
D. Kill Weight Mud is causing a U-tube effect between the Drill String and the Annulus

127. What is the safest and most reliable method for monitoring leaks through the BOP?
A. Close the diverter and monitor the vent line
B. Visually check by looking through rotary table
C. Monitor for changes in the flow rate indicator
D. Line up the trip tank to monitor for flow above the closed BOP

128. What would happen if a self-fill (autofill-tube type) failed to convert to a check valve?
A. Cement cannot be pumped down inside the casing
B. Fluids from the annulus or the formation can enter the casing
C. Cement would have to be reversed circulated
D. Pressure would have to be held on the annulus to prevent u-tubing
IADC DRILLING

129. What is the purpose of the High Pressure By-Pass button or handle on the Driller’s remote BOP
control panel on a surface BOP installation?
A. To increase the accumulator pressure to 3000 psi
B. To increase the hydraulic annular pressure to the existing accumulator pressure
C. To increase the manifold pressure to 2000 psi
D. To increase the hydraulic manifold pressure to the existing accumulator pressure

130. What is the primary objective when circulating out a kick?

A. To have an overbalance pressure as close to the fracture pressure as possible
B. To use the highest pump rate possible
C. To maintain constant bottom hole pressure at least equal to the formation pressure
D. To reverse circulate to remove the influx faster

131. After successfully shutting in on a kick, what is a typical duty of the derrickhand.
A. Calculate surface to bit strokes
B. Check the pressures on choke gauge
C. Measure mud weight in the active system
D. Come to rig floor and line up manifold

132. The Mud Engineer starts the vacuum degasser and the desilter. What will normally happen to
pit level?
A. Pit level will increase
B. Pit level will stay the same
C. Pit level will decrease

133. An attempt is made to close a pipe ram from the Driller’s remote panel. What has happened if
the open light stays on, the close light does not illuminate and the manifold pressures remains
static?
A. There is a leak in the hydraulic open line to the BOP
B. The light bulb has blown
C. There is a leak in the hydraulic close line to the BOP
D. The 3-position/4-way valve on the hydraulic BOP control unit failed to operate

134. You are killing a well on a surface stack rig. Before shutting the pump down after completing the
1st Circulation of the Driller’s Method, what is one indication that the gas has been successfully
removed from the wellbore? No safety factor was held.
A. The circulating casing pressure has decreased to the original SICP
B. The SICP is zero
C. The SIDPP is zero
D. The circulating casing pressure has decreased to the original SIDPP

135. What are the basic steps of the Weight and Wait Method?
IADC DRILLING

A. Circulate kill weight fluid from surface to surface following a drillpipe pressure schedule
B. Circulate kill weight fluid to bit holding Drillpipe Pressure constant, then circulate the kill
weight fluid to surface following a Drillpipe Pressure schedule
C. Circulate kill weight fluid to bit holding Casing Pressure constant, then circulate the kill weight
fluid to surface holding Drillpipe Pressure constant
D. Circulate kill weight fluid to bit following a drillpipe pressure schedule, then circulate the kill
weight fluid to surface holding Drillpipe Pressure constant

136. A well has been shut-in on a kick.

 Shut-in drill pipe pressure is 400 psi
 Shut in casing pressure is 600 psi
 Both pressures start rising due to gas migration
If drill pipe pressure is held constant at 400 psi, what will happen to the bottom hole pressure?
A. Increase
B. Decrease
C. Stay the same

137. What is meant by abnormal pressure?

A. The excess pressure due to circulating mud at high rates
B. The excess pressure that needs to be applied to cause leak-off
C. The formation pressure is greater than formation water hydrostatic pressure
D. Heavy weight mud used to give an overbalance

138. What is the function of the master “push to operator” button or handle on the remote BOP
panel?
A. To activate power to control unit charge pumps
B. To activate the lights
C. To adjust pipe ram operating pressure
D. To allow the function on the Driller’s remote panel to become active

139. What data is important to know if a Shear Ram is in the BOP Stack?
A. Opening pressure
B. Hang-off weight
C. Size and strength of tubulars the ram can shear

140. Measuring flow back volumes and times at connections, pit level changes at connections, and
loss rates while drilling help to fingerprint wellbore behavior. How can this information assist
the Driller?
A. It can help identify when to run another mud check
B. It can help determine when to increase pump rate
C. It can help identify stuck pipe problems
IADC DRILLING

D. It can help identify if the well is ‘kicking’ or ‘ballooning’

141. While drilling, the well is losing mud at 20 bbls per hour. At the connection the well is flowing.
When the pumps are restarted you begin to lose mud again. The driller decides to flow check
and the well is flowing. What is the safest action to take?
A. Flow check for 5 more minutes to see if the flow rate stops
B. Continue drilling because the well is ballooning
C. Shut the well in, monitor pressures, and notify the appropriate people
D. Shut in the well and bleed-off all pressure from the well

142. Why kill the well at a reduced pump rate?

A. To kill the well in a short time
B. To determine pump rate to displace cement
C. To allow choke operator time to react during a well kill
D. To prevent bursting the casing
E. To minimize the potential of overloading the mud/gas separator

143. While making a connection, the Driller closed the well in due to an abnormally long flowback
time. The stabilized surface pressures were equal at 150 psi on the Drill Pipe and Annulus. You
suspect the situation is the result of a ballooning formation. How will you verify it is ballooning?
A. Continue drilling and monitor for decreasing trend in flow back times
B. Open the BOP and observe the flow line for a decrease in flow
C. Circulate bottoms-up at a reduced rate through the remote choke
D. Open the BOP and drill ahead, but watch the pit volume closely

144. What is the correct procedure to check for trapped pressure after the completion of a well kill
operation?
A. Fully open choke manifold and bleed off all pressure. Watch for flow at the pit. If the well is
static, the bled pressure was trapped
B. Open the BOP preventer, look down through the rotary table, and see if the well is flowing
C. Bleed a small amount of pressure from the choke and shut the well back in. Then watch the
pressure gauge. If the well is underbalanced, pressure will climb; if the pressure was trapped it
will remain steady
D. Open the well on the choke manifold, bleed all pressure to 0 psi, shut the well back in, and
watch pressure response. If the well is underbalanced, pressure will climb; if the pressure that
was bled off was trapped, pressure will remain steady

145. Why is it important to reduce the regulated hydraulic closing pressure for the annular BOP
before running large sized casing?
A. To avoid collapsing the casing during closure
B. To prepare for a soft shut-in
C. To reduce closing time
IADC DRILLING

146. During a kill operation the choke is adjusted to increase drill pipe pressure by 100 psi. SPM is
held constant. What will happen to the casing shoe pressure?
A. It will decrease
B. It will remain constant
C. It will increase

147. What would happen if a self-fill float collar (autofill-tube type) failed to convert to a check
valve? (Assume cement is heavier than the displacement mud)
A. Cement cannot be pumped down inside the casing
B. Pressure would have to be held on the annulus to prevent u-tubing
C. Cement would have to be reversed circulated
D. Cement could u-tube back up inside the casing when pumps were stopped

148. You current Mud Weight is 11.5 ppg. You were instructed to pump a 35 bbl slug weighing 13.5
ppg. Your Drill Pipe capacity is 0.0178 bbls/foot. What is the total volume returned to surface?
A. 62 bbl
B. 70 bbl
C. 30 bbl
D. 41 bbl

149. When using the Volumetric Method, dry gas begins to exit the choke during a bleed cycle. The
well is shut in and monitored and it is noted that the casing pressure continues to increase.
What should be done?
A. Bleed all the gas from the well
B. Continue with the volumetric procedure
C. Begin the lube and bleed procedure
D. Bullhead original mud to push the gas back into formation

150. You shut-in the well after a kick when you are drilling. The drill pipe pressure and casing
pressure both start to increase but drop rapidly before they stabilize. What is the possible
cause?
A. Both gauges malfunctioned
B. A weak formation broke down
C. Gas is migrating up the well
D. The bottom hole assembly packed-off

151. You have shut in on a kick and completed the first circulation of the Driller’s Method. Pumps
were shut down and well closed, while waiting to start up the second circulation. The following
pressures were recorded:
Shut In Drill Pipe (SIDPP) Shut In Casing (SICP)
Original Shut in Pressures 250 psi 320 psi
IADC DRILLING

After First Circulation 250 psi 300 psi

What is the current status of the well?
A. The Kill Weight Mud (KMW) has been pumped but was not sufficient to kill the well
B. There is trapped pressure on the annulus side that can be bled off once pumps are started
C. Kill Weight Mud is causing a U-tube effect between the Drill String and the Annulus
D. There is still a kick in the well, providing less hydrostatic on the annulus side of the well

152. You are drilling ahead. Other wells in the area have experienced ballooning formations. When
you shut down to make a connection the well flows.
 You shut the well in with a 6 barrel gain
 Shut-in pressures have stabilized SIDPP=120psi SICP=180psi
 You bleed off 2 barrels of fluid through the choke and shut the well back in
 SIDPP = 120 psi and SICP = 200 psi
What is most likely happening downhole?
A. Lost circulation
B. Ballooning well
C. Formation fluid influx
D. Hydrates in the choke

153. What is the fluid pressure within the pore spaces of the rock known as?
A. Fracture Pressure
B. Formation Pressure
C. Hydrostatic Pressure
D. Total Wellbore Pressure

154. There is only one inside BOP with an NC50 pin connection on the rig. The drill string consist of:
5-inch Heavy Weight drill pipe (NC50)
8-inch (6-5/8 Reg.) drill collars
Which of the following crossover must be on the rig floor while tripping?
A. 6-5/8 inch Reg. Box x 7-5/8 inch Reg. Pin
B. NC50 Box x 7-5/8 inch Reg. pin
C. NC50 Box x 6-5/8 inch Reg. box
D. NC50 Box x 6-5/8 inch Reg. pin

155. When running casing with a self-fill float assembly, what would indicate that the self-fill
assembly is working correctly?
A. The hook load decreases by the buoyed weight of steel run in the hole
B. Returns from the well equal the closed end volume of the casing run in the hole
C. When reverse circulating, the number of strokes pumped before mud flows out of the casing
does not match calculated values
D. Returns from the well equal the volume of steel run
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156. What is the definition of “Shut In Casing Pressure (SICP)”?

A. The total pressure in the drillstring minus the bottom hole pressure
B. The difference between fluid hydrostatic pressure in the drill string and the formation
pressure
C. The difference between fluid hydrostatic pressure in the annulus and the formation pressure

157. A well is shut-in with stabilized SICP of 500psi and 0psi on the drill pipe gauge. To obtain the
SIDPP, the Driller pumped at 5 SPM until the float was bumped and pump shut down. The
gauges are now reading the following pressures. What is the actual SIDPP?

A. 280 psi
B. 500 psi
C. 360 psi
D. 580 psi

158. After the first circulation of the Driller’s method the well is shut in. casing pressure is 150 higher
than drill pipe pressure. What is this telling you?
A. Kill mud was not heavy enough to kill the well
B. Increase mud hydrostatic by 150 psi
C. There is still some influx in the well
D. All is OK to start the second circulation

159. A loss of Equivalent Circulating Density may be an indication that the well has become
underbalanced. What downhole tool would be the best choice to measure ECD while drilling?
A. A rotary steerable tool
B. An Adjustable Gauge Stabilizer (AGS) Tool
C. Any “Memory” type tool
D. A Pressure While Drilling (PWD) Tool
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160. On the Driller’s air operated panel for a surface BOP, the ram is closed and the following was
seen:
 Open light went out
 Close light came on
 Annular pressure did not change
 Manifold pressure decreased and later returned to the original position
 Accumulator pressure decreased to 2500 psi and remained steady
What is the most probable cause of the problem?
A. The pressure switch or the pumps on the BOP control unit did not work
B. Electric position switches are malfunctioning
C. There is a blockage in the hydraulic line connecting the BOP to the BOP control unit
D. The selector valve (3 position/4 way valve) is stuck in the open position

161. What is a well kill plan?

A. Document stating kill method to use and barite stock levels
B. Final report to town on the completed kill operation with update chemical stock levels
C. Document stating duties, procedures, lines of communication and safety requirements for the
kill operation
D. A completed Kill Sheet

162. a well kill operation is in progress. The Driller is coming to the end of the ‘Tour’. What would the
Driller do to give the most effective handover?
A. Think about what you will tell your relief at the end of the shift
B. Instruct your relief to work with the derrickhand in the pit room
C. Instruct your relief to write down the key points of the handover and to discuss each point
D. Instruct your relief to write down the key points of the handover and file properly

163. A kick was detected while drilling ahead and the well shut in
Open-hole annular volume = 200 bbls
Drill string volume = 100 bbls
The open-hole section has a number of formations that are potential lost circulation zones.
Which of the following well control methods should be used to minimize the well bore pressure
in the open hole?
A. Bullheading
B. Wait and Weight Method
C. Driller’s Method
D. Volumetric Method

164. While circulating out a kick, you were instructed to decrease the pump rate from 25 SPM to 20
SPM. The final Circulating Pressure (FCP) is 320 psi at 25 SPM. What will be the new
approximate Final Circulating Pressure (FCP) at 20 SPM?
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A. 205 psi
B. 500 psi
C. 485 psi
D. 256 psi

165. What action should a Driller take after a drilling break?

A. Check for flow
B. Reduce pump speed
C. Reduce weight on bit
D. Circulate bottoms up

166. What is the main reason for measuring the weight and viscosity at the suction pit?
A. It provides data on the mud before it is pumped into the wellbore
B. It ensures compliance with company policy
C. It makes sure the well plan’s mud program is followed
D. It keep the man in charge of the pits busy mixing products during his tour

167. Which one of the following is LEAST likely to cause you to exceed the MAASP during the well kill
operation?
A. Long waiting period to prepare kill mud weight
B. Small difference between formation fracture pressure and drilling fluid hydrostatic pressure
C. Short open hole section
D. Large pit gain

168. You take a gas kick when drilling a horizontal section of a well. What will the SIDPP and SICP be
if the influx is in the horizontal section? (No float valve in the drill string)
A. The SIDPP will be zero
B. Both will be about the same
C. The SICP will be much higher than the SIDPP
D. The SIDPP will be much higher than the SICP

169. Why is casing pressure usually higher than the shut-in drill pipe pressure?
A. Choke line is larger in diameter than kill line
B. The hydrostatic in the drill pipe is greater than the hydrostatic in the annulus
C. Cuttings in the annulus help to reduce the hydrostatic pressure
D. The choke line is longer than the kill line

170. You are losing mud while circulating, but gaining mud when the pumps are off. The well is shut
in and you suspect the well is ballooning. It is decided to bleed-off 20 barrels of mud back to the
pits. What is the potential danger of this bleed-off?
A. Wellbore will become washed-out
B. Additional formation fluid may flow into the wellbore
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C. Bleeding back too much decrease chance of losses

D. Formation will collapse into wellbore and restrict circulation

171. Which of the following best describes fracture pressure?

A. The pressure that will cause the formation to fail
B. The maximum bottom hole pressure allowed during a kill operation
C. The surface pressure that is likely to cause losses at the casing shoe
D. The maximum pressure allowed on the drillpipe gauge during a kill operation

172. While drilling ahead, your rig has experienced increasing flowback times during connections for
the last five stands. You make another connection and the flow from the well is not decreasing.
You have measured a five barrels pit gain over the last 3 minutes. The Mud Engineer tells you
that the pit gain is the result of a ballooning formation. What is your analysis of the situation?
A. Continue to watch the flowback till it stops
B. It is probably a kick. Close in the well and monitor pressures
C. It is ballooning. Continue tripping out, as before
D. It is the result of U tubing due to a large amount of cuttings in the annulus. Pump a high
viscosity sweep before drilling ahead

173. How does unexpected abnormal pressure affect primary well control?
A. Increases the ‘trip-margin’
B. Decreases the overbalance
C. Allows Driller to increase tripping speed per stand
D. Increase surge pressure when tripping

174. You have taken a gas kick with the bit 15 stands off-bottom. While preparing to strip to bottom
the shut in pressure have been slowly increasing. If you strip the pipe into the well holding the
Casing Pressure constant, what is the volume recovered in the trip tank due to?
A. Gas expansion if influx is migrating plus closed end pipe displacement
B. Closed end pipe displacement only
C. Gas expansion only
D. The trip yank pump left running

175. The pop-off valve on the pump blows while circulating out a kick, what will you see:
A. Rapid drop in casing pressure with no change to drill pipe pressure
B. Slow drop in drill pipe pressure and an increase in casing pressure
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C. Rapid drop in drill pipe pressure with no change to casing pressure

D. Rapid drop in drill pipe pressure and a drop in casing pressure

176. If a kick is swabbed in when tripping, which type of barrier has been compromised?
A. Temporary mechanical barrier
B. Primary (hydrostatic) barrier
C. Cement barrier
D. Permanent mechanical barrier

177. You have taken a kick but the mud engineer informs you that there is not enough barite to kill
the well. The shut in pressure have stabilized. While waiting on new stocks of barite the shut in
pressures are slowly increasing by 100 psi every 30 minutes. What course of action would you
take?
A. Bleed off mud by holding Casing pressure constant at SICP
B. Increase mud weight as much as possible and circulate to the Bit to reduce SIDPP
C. Use the first circulation of the Driller’s Method
D. Bullhead with current mud weight to push gas formation fluids back into the formation

178. After you closed an annular preventer, the accumulator pressure dropped but did not return to
the normal operating pressure. The BOP has closed and you can see no leaks. What could be the
problem?
A. The Annular regulator needs to be adjusted to bring accumulator pressure back up to correct
pressure
B. The accumulator charge pump has not started up to return accumulator pressure correct
pressure
C. The 3-position annular valve has not moved
D. The Annular regulator is leaking back to the reservoir tank

179. Which of the following parameters will affect the value of the Shut In Casing Pressure?
A. Choke line length
B. Annulus capacity per foot
C. Drill string capacity per foot
D. Slow circulating rate pressure

180. Select the true statement for the master (“push to operate”) button or lever on the remote BOP
panel
A. The master control valve or button must be operated continuously while attempting to
function a component on the remote BOP panel
B. The valve is held for 5 seconds then released to allow functions to operate
C. When the valve is operated it moves the 3-position valve to close
D. When the valve is operated all panel lights illuminate
IADC DRILLING

181. During a well kill operation what pressure do we want to keep the bottom hole pressure at least
equal to?
A. At least equal to Shut In Casing Pressure
B. At least equal to slow circulating rate
C. At least equal to formation fluid pressure
D. At least equal to Drill Pipe Pressure

182. What has to be checked before the installation of any annular packing element?
A. Type of mud to be used
B. Type of ‘hard-banding’ used
C. Desired hydraulic closing pressure
D. Maximum pipe outside diameter

183. When would you consider taking a new Slow Circulation Rate (SCR)?
A. After you recharge the mud pump pulsation dampener
B. After each connection that you drill with a top drive
C. Before and after a leak-off test
D. When you drill long section of hole rapidly
E. When the mud weight changes

184. What will happen to Maximum Allowable Annular Surface Pressure (MAASP) if Mud Weight is
increased?
A. MAASP will decrease
B. MAASP will stay the same
C. MAASP will increase

185. If the 1st Circulation of the Driller’s Method has been successful, what should the pressure
gauges read after shut-in? no safety factor was held
A. The SIDPP will be lower than the SICP
B. The SIDPP will be higher than the SICP
C. SICP and SIDPP will be equal to the original SIDPP
D. SICP and SIDPP will be equal to the original SICP

186. What is the term used to describe the highest pressure that could be seen at the surface if the
well was full of formation fluid (usually assumed to be gas)?
A. Maximum Allowable Annular Surface Pressure
B. Worst Assumed Surface Pipe Pressure
C. Maximum Allowable Casing Pressure
D. Maximum Anticipated Surface Pressure

187. The pump was shut down part way through the first circulation of the Driller’s Method. The drill
pipe pressure (DPP) now reads 525 psi and the casing pressure (CP) now reads 700 psi.
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Well Information:
Shut in drill pipe pressure = 450 psi
Shut in casing pressure = 600 psi
Initial Circulating Pressure = 800 psi
Mud Weight = 11.2 ppg
How much overbalance is currently on the well?
A. 75 psi
B. 175 psi
C. 100 psi
D. 150 psi

188. If the Rotary hose split during a kill operation, what would be the first action to take?
A. Close the choke
B. Stop pump, close the full opening safety valve on the drill string and close the choke
C. Prepare to reverse circulate
D. Close the Shear Rams

189. If the flow sensor suddenly showed a complete loss of returns, what would be the best action to
take?
A. Fill the annulus from the top with base fluid and monitor
B. Pump at an increased rate while mixing lost circulation material
C. Close the well in and check for pressure
D. Stop all pumping and wait for orders

190. Ballooning happens when, while circulating, the bottom-hole pressure approaches the
formation fracture pressure. What causes this increased bottom-hole pressure?
A. Low formation permeability and porosity
B. Failure to fill up when tripping out
C. Annular friction while circulating
D. Abnormal formation pressure

191. The drill string is slowly washing out below the BOP, and the choke is closed to maintain correct
drill pipe pressure. What is happening to the bottom hole pressure?
A. It will decrease
B. It will increase
C. It will remain constant

192. Kill mud is being circulated down the drill string in a horizontal well. The pumps are stopped and
the well is shut in as the kill reaches the start of the horizontal section (2000 feet. long). What
would you expect the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP) to be? (Assume no float valve in
drillstring)
A. The same as the original SIDPP
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B. Zero
C. Original SIDPP minus the hydrostatic pressure of 2000 feet of mud
D. The same as the Shut In Casing Pressure

193. In the figure below, which dimension determines the maximum pressure inside the separator
before the potential for formation gas to ‘blow through’ into the shaker area?

A. The length and the inside diameter (D3) of the inlet pipe from the buffer tank to the choke
manifold
B. The vent line length (H4) and inside diameter (D2)
C. The body height (H1) and the body inside diameter (D1)
D. The dip tube height (H2)

194. While drilling, the well is losing mud at 15 bbls per hour. At the connection, the well is flowing.
When the pumps are restarted mud losses occur again. What could be happening downhole?
A. The mud is u-tubing due to different weights in the string and annulus
B. The well is overbalanced while drilling and underbalanced at the connection
C. Swabbing is occurring when making the connection
D. The formation is definitely not ballooning

195. A rig crew shut in on a 2.5 ppg kick with a 20 bbl gain. Using the kick tolerance window below,
can the crew successfully circulate the kick out of the well without fracturing the well’s weak
point?
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A. No
B. Yes

196. The Driller’s Method is used to kill a salt-water kick. What will happen to the casing pressure
when the influx moves up the annulus? (Assume Mud weight in the hole is greater than the
influx weight)
A. Casing pressure will slowly decrease as influx is circulated up the annulus
B. Salt water will behave in the same way as a gas influx
C. As influx expands Casing Pressure will increase
D. Casing pressure will only change due to changes in annular size

197. You are drilling ahead. Over the last stand you have lost 8 barrels. When you shut down to make
a connection the well flows. You shut the well in with a 6 barrel gain and shut-in pressures have
stabilized SIDPP=120 SICP=110. The Rig Superintendent bleeds off 1 barrel of fluid through the
choke and shuts the well back in. SIDPP now is 100 and SICP is now 90. The Rig Superintendent
bleeds off another 1 barrel and shuts the well back in. SIDPP is now 50 and SICP is now 35 and
stable. What is most likely occurring?
A. A salt water kick occurred
B. The well is ballooning
C. A gas influx has occurred
D. Hydrates in the choke line
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198. Symptoms of ballooning have occurred, and the decision is made to bleed 10 bbls of mud back
into the trip tank. What potential negative consequences of this decision could result?
A. Formation fracture gradient would decrease
B. If the problem was a kick and not ballooning, the kick would become larger
C. No negative consequence to this action would result because the bleed volume is small
D. The intensity of the ballooning is increased

199. What is defined by “the force acting on an area”?

A. Pressure
B. Mud Weight
C. Density
D. Formation Integrity Test

200. While circulating out an influx, no increase in casing pressure or pit volume is observed. What
could potentially be occurring?
A. Choke is washing out
B. A liquid influx is in the well
C. Pumps are failing
D. This is a normal occurrence with a gas influx

201. A well is shut in with the bit 300 feet off-bottom and all the influx is assumed to be below the
bit. SIDPP is 250 psi. What would be the expected SICP?
A. The same as SIDPP
B. Lower than SIDPP
C. Higher than SIDPP

202. When testing a surface stack set of rams at a weekly BOP test, you are informed that the weep-
hole is leaking wellbore fluid. What action would you take?
A. Leave it until next maintenance schedule
B. Energize the emergency piston rod packing
C. Ram top seals are leaking and should be replaced
D. Piston mod seal is leaking and should be replaced and re-tested

203. When waiting for kill mud to be mixed, both drillpipe and annulus pressures started to rise,
what type of influx does this indicate?
A. Oil
B. Fresh water
C. Gas
D. Salt water
IADC DRILLING

204. During normal drilling operations 30 bbls of light mud is pumped into the string followed by
original mud. The Driller shuts down the pump to observe the well with light mud still inside the
drillpipe.
TVD of Light Mud = 4,000 feet
Drill pipe capacity = 0.01776 bbls/ft
Original mud weight = 12 ppg
Light mud weight = 10 ppg
How does this operation affect bottom hole pressure?
A. Bottom hole pressure will increase 416 psi
B. Bottom hole pressure will decrease by 146 psi
C. Bottom hole pressure will remain the same

205. What affects the MAASP?

A. The maximum pump pressure
B. The gel strength of the mud
C. The fracture pressure of the formation
D. The viscosity and water loss of the mud

206. Why are Bit to Shoe strokes calculated on the kill sheet?
A. Tells you that casing shoe pressure will start increasing till gas is at the choke
B. Indicates when casing shoe pressure should stop increasing while holding constant BHP
C. Confirms when you can add a safety margin to the casing pressure
D. Confirms that kill mud is now in the annulus

207. What is true regarding the Driller’s and Wait and Weight Methods?
A. The Driller’s Method involves circulating out the influx while pumping kill weight fluid to the
bit
B. The Driller’s Method requires more circulating time than the Wait and Weight Method
C. The Wait and Weight Method should result in lower casing shoe pressures than the Driller’s
Method
D. The Wait and Weight Method involves circulating out the influx while pumping original fluid
weight

208. You are stripping into the hole. How can you maintain a constant bottom hole pressure?
(Assume there is no influx migration)
A. Pump a volume of mud into the well equal to the drill pipe steel displacement while stripping
each stand
B. Pump a volume of mud into the well equal to the drill pipe closed end displacement while
stripping each stand
C. Bleed off the drill pipe steel displacement while stripping each stand
D. Bleed off the drill pipe closed-end displacement while stripping each stand
IADC DRILLING

209. You have been drilling ahead at an average of 20 feet/hr. the bit is a quarter of the way through
the expected number of drilling hours. The MWD tool fails and you POOH. It is decided to
replace the MWD and run the same bit back in the hole. On return to bottom the ROP for the
same WOB is averaging 64 feet/hr. what action could you take?
A. Carry out a flow check and consider circulating bottoms up through the choke line
B. Decrease WOB to get an average ROP of 20 feet/hr
C. Shut-in the well and circulate bottoms-up
D. Carry on drilling, the increase is due to the new MWD tool

The well is full of 12.2 ppg mud. A 500-foot cement plug is set and tested. If the mud above the
plug is replaced with 10.2 ppg brine, what will happen to the differential pressure between the
top and bottom of the cement plug?
A. Pressure differential will be zero
B. Pressure differential will increase
C. Pressure differential will decrease

210. You are killing a well. What is the best action to take for a pump failure?
A. Close the choke to increase casing pressure
B. Shut the well in
C. Switch immediately to a cement pump
D. Open the choke to decrease casing pressure

211. When pumping at 80 SPM the pump pressure = 4000 psi. what would be approximate pump
pressure if pumps were slowed to 40 SPM?
A. 800 psi
B. 1000 psi
C. 500 psi
D. 2000 psi

212. At which location should the initial surface be read after shutting in on a kick?
A. The Driller’s console
B. The choke manifold
C. The standpipe manifold
D. The remote choke control panel

213. What effect does increasing pressure have on fluid density?

A. It decreases the fluid density
B. It increases the fluid density
C. It does not affect the fluid density
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214. While tripping out of the hole, the Assistant Driller (AD) has noted improper hole fill. The bit is
900 feet off bottom. The AD is informs the Driller of the problem. Positive flow was noted and
the BOP was closed. Pressures have stabilized. What would you ask the Driller to do next?
A. Prepare to strip back to bottom to perform a kill operation
B. Line up on the choke prepare for the Wait and Weight Method
C. Line up on the choke prepare for the Driller’s Method
D. Strip five more stands out and re-evaluate the situation

215. Which statement about ring gasket is correct?

A. Lot of grease should be applied while fitting the ring gaskets
B. Only BX gaskets can be used for 6 BX flanges
C. Ring gaskets are designed to be used many times
D. R & RX ring gaskets are the same shape

216. Why is there little or no difference between the SIDPP and the SICP if a kick happens when
drilling a horizontal well? (Assume no float valve in drillstring and that the influx is still in the
horizontal section)
A. The vertical height of the influx when in the horizontal section has little effect on the
hydrostatic pressure
B. Mud density and formation fluid density are the same when you are drilling horizontal wells
C. The volume inside the drill string is the same as the volume in the annulus
D. In horizontal wells, the influx is not able to migrate

217. You shut in a well on a kick and the pressures stabilize. The kill operation is delayed because of
equipment problems and the Shut in Drill Pipe and Shut In Casing Pressure start increasing. Why
is this happening?
A. The formation that kicked has a high permeability
B. The mud in the hole is heating up and it is causing the volume to decrease
C. The influx is gas and is migrating
D. There is a non-return valve in the BHA

218. Which of the following is a best practice when obtaining Slow Circulation Rate (SCR) pressures?
A. Record pressure at the mud pump gauge
B. Obtain SCRs for a minimum of two mud pumps
C. Circulate with the bit inside the Casing Shoe
D. Circulate at drilling rate through the Choke Manifold with a fully open choke

219. Casing is run in the hole with a non-return float assembly. The casing is not being filled. With the
shoe at 3000 feet, the float assembly fails and mud u-tubes up inside the casing. What will
happen to the bottom hole pressure (BHP)?
A. Bottom hole pressure will remain the same since the mud volume in the hole has not changed
B. Bottom hole pressure will stay the same due to the u-tube effect
 IADC DRILLING

C. Bottom hole pressure will increase

D. Bottom hole pressure will decrease

220. If your company policy states; “when killing a well you will always attempt to kill the well using
the method that minimizes the pressure on the stack and upper casing”. Which method would
you choose?
A. Bullheading
B. Driller’s
C. Volumetric Method
D. Wait and Weight

221. When should the Volumetric Method be used?

A. When the influx is saltwater
B. When the gas is migrating, and circulation cannot be established below the influx
C. When circulation can be established below the influx
D. When gas is at surface, the SICP is stabilized, and circulation cannot be established below the
influx

222. What best describe the effect of gas migration on shut-in drill pipe pressure (no float valve in
the drill string)?
A. Decrease
B. Stay the same
C. Increase

223. How can you tell the difference between a kick and a ballooning formation?
A. You can’t tell the difference between the two until you pump bottoms up
B. A ballooning formation will always result in a pit gain but not for a kick
C. If you bleed-off some shut-in pressure then shut the well back in, the pressure will build back
up with a kick, but not with ballooning
D. There will be shut in pressures for a kick, no pressure for ballooning

224. Which tool is run as part of the Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) and allows the well to be logged
and monitored during drilling operations?
A. Rotating Steerable Drilling Tool
B. Single Shot Survey Tool
C. Hydraulic Mud Motor
D. Logging While Drilling Tool

225. Pump pressure is 355 psi at 42 Strokes per Minute (SPM). What is the approximate new pump
pressure at 35 SPM?
A. Bullheading
B. Driller’s
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C. Volumetric Method
D. Wait and Weight
E. 247 psi

226. When drilling in the transition zone to an abnormally pressured formation, what changes may
you expect to see in drilling data?
A. Reduced drag on connections
B. Reduction in drill string torque by more than 50%
C. Increase in WOB to maintain same ROP
D. Gradual increase in ROP

227. What term means “an uncontrolled flow of formation fluids at surface or mud line”?
A. Blowout
B. Fractured Formation
C. Kick
D. Lost Circulation

228. Why kill the well at a reduced pump rate?

A. To determine pump rate to displace cement
B. To prevent bursting the casing
C. To stop downhole mud motor rotating during a well kill operation
D. To manage mud density while circulating kill weight mud

229. You have pumped Kill Weight Mud (KMW) to the bit during the beginning of the wait and
weight method. It is decided to shut the pumps down and check pressures. You notice there is
still pressure on the Drill Pipe gauge. What could you do?
A. Continue pumping, the KWM has not reached surface, therefore the SIDPP will not read zero
B. Nothing, due to KWM there is a U-tube effect causing increased Drill Pipe Pressure
C. Check for trapped pressure
D. KWM has caused an overbalance in the well, trapping excess pressure

230. What is the most common use of Vacuum Degasser?

A. It is used to remove gas after the mud has been circulated across the shakers
B. It is mainly used to separate gas from liquids while testing
C. It is only used while circulating out a kick
D. It is used as a standby in the event of the “Mud/Gas Separator (Poor Boy)” failing

231. During a kill procedure, kill weight mud is pumped to the bit while holding drill pipe pressure
constant. What is the effect on bottom hole pressure?
A. Stay the same
B. Decrease
C. Increase
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232. A well is shut in on a kick and the pressures have stabilized. Due to equipment problems the kill
operation is delayed. Shut in Drill Pipe Pressure and Shut In Casing Pressure are both slowly
rising after stabilization. What is the most likely cause of this?
A. The mud in the hole is heating up and it is causing the volume to decrease
B. The influx is gas and it is migrating
C. The formation that kicked has high permeability
D. There is a non-return valve in the BHA

233. The drilling program requires a formation integrity test (FIT) to 15.2 ppg Equivalent Mud Weight
(EMW) at the casing shoe.
Shoe Depth = 4,000 feet (TVD); 5,500 feet (MD)
Test Mud Weight = 9.5 ppg
What surface pressure is required to test the shoe to the 15.2 ppg EMW?
A. 2,382 psi
B. 1,186 psi
C. 1,630 psi
D. 1,976 psi

234. What abnormal pressure data does the Mud Logger normally measure?
A. Hook Load
B. Weight on Bit
C. Strokes per minute
D. Gas level in the mud

235. How is Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) affected when soft shales break down in the mud and
increase viscosity and/or cuttings load?
A. The BHP will increase
B. The BHP will stay the same
C. The BHP will decrease

236. The well is full of 12.2 ppg mud. A 500-foot cement plug is set and tested. If the mud above the
plug is replaced with 10.2 ppg brine, what will happen to the differential pressure between the
top and bottom of the cement plug?
A. Pressure differential will increase
B. Pressure differential will decrease
C. Pressure differential will be zero

237. As a gas kick is being circulated up the casing, what will normally happen to the surface pit
volume?
A. Stay the same
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B. Increase
C. Decrease

238. What pressure must be kept in the annular BOP closing chamber during stripping operation?
A. 300 psi less that the Pipe Ram closing pressure
B. The minimum pressure that allows the toll joint to go through the packing with a loss of
30.000lbs of hook load
C. Minimum 500 psi
D. The minimum pressure to maintain a seal

239. Which of the following is the definition of kick tolerance?

A. The minimum kick intensity, for a given gas kick volume that can be successfully shut in and
circulated out without exceeding the well’s weak point fracture pressure
B. The maximum gas kick volume, at a particular depth that can be successfully shut in and
circulated out without exceeding the well’s weak point fracture pressure
C. The maximum gas kick volume, for a given kick intensity at a particular depth, that can be
successfully shut in and circulated out without exceeding the well’s weak point fracture
pressure

240. During a trip out, the well kicks due to swabbing. The pipe is stripped back to bottom. What
mud weight will control the well?
A. Kill Mud weight based on SIDPP before stripping
B. Kill Mud weight based on SICP before stripping
C. Kill Mud weight based on difference between SIDPP and SICP before stripping
D. The original mud weight

241. You have to run back to the float shoe after a casing and cement job. The instructions are to
circulate the hole clean before drilling out the shoe. Why should you monitor the pit and flow
levels during this operation?
A. To determine when bottoms-up circulation is complete
B. To check that the float shoe is not leaking
C. To monitor the thermal expansion of the cement
D. To monitor for losses as any extra cement is cleaned out of the well

242. Kill mud is being circulated down the string in a horizontal well. The pumps are stopped and the
well is shut in as the kill mud reached the start of the horizontal section(2000 feet. Long). What
would you expect the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP) to be? (Assume no float valve in
drillstring)
A. Original SIDPP minus the hydrostatic pressure of 2000 feet of mud
B. The same as the Shut In Casing Pressure
C. The same as the original SIDPP
D. Zero
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243. After tripping in the hole, what can be done to ensure an accurate Slow Circulating Rate (SCR)
reading?
A. Break circulation
B. Variable mud weight around the well
C. Recording the pressure at the Driller’s panel
D. To circulate enough to break static gel strength

244. For a well with bit to shoe volume greater than drill string capacity, what is the disadvantage of
the Driller’s Method when compared to the Wait and Weight method?
A. Shoe pressure will be higher in the Driller’s Method when compared to the Wait and Weight
Method
B. There is no disadvantage, shoe pressures are the same for both methods
C. Shoe pressure will be lower in the Driller’s Method when compared to the Wait and Weight
Method

245. You are circulating a gas kick out of the wellbore. What do you expect the pit level to do?
A. Stay constant throughout the operation
B. Decrease as the gas gets close to surface, then increase back to normal as the gas is circulated
out
C. Decrease and stay at the new level when the kick is out
D. Increase as the gas gets closer to surface, then decrease back to normal as the gas is circulated
out

246. At what point while managing a gas kick would you expect the highest pressure at the casing
shoe?
A. Only at initial shut in
B. When the top of the influx reaches the shoe
C. When the top of the gas reaches the surface

247. The driller is tripping in the hole and monitoring the well on the trip tank. Over the last 5 stands
the trip tank has gained 3 barrels more than the calculated volume. What should the Driller do?
A. Alert the crew and perform a flow check
B. Trip 5 more stands and see if the numbers even out
C. Continue tripping to bottom so the well can be killed
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D. Keep pulling but check for leaking Trip tank valves

248. Under which circumstance would the Wait and Weight Method provide lower equivalent
pressure at the casing shoe than the Driller’s Method?
A. When the drill string capacity is greater than the annulus open hole volume
B. When the drill string volume is less than the casing volume
C. When the drill string capacity is less than the open hole volume
D. The pressure at the casing are the same regardless of the hole geometry

249. How can wellbore total pressure affect non-aqueous (oil-based) mud density downhole?
A. Increasing hydrostatic pressure downhole can increase effective mud density in the well
B. Well depth will increase viscosity downhole and reduce ECD
C. Well depth will not affect the mud density downhole
D. Increasing hydrostatic pressure downhole can decrease effective mud density in the well

250. What is a negative test?

A. A test on a barrier where the pressure on the formation side of the barrier is equal to the
pressure on the surface side of the barrier
B. A test on a barrier where the pressure on the formation side of the barrier is less than the
pressure on the surface side of the barrier
C. A test on a barrier where the pressure on the formation side of the barrier is greater than the
pressure on the surface side of the barrier

251. When would you expect dissolved gas in an oil-based mud to break out of solution?
A. As it is enters the wellbore at very high pressures
B. As it is passes through the casing shoe
C. As it moves around the bottom hole assembly (BHA)
D. As it gets closer to the surface

252. During the Wait and Weight procedure, how can bottom hole pressure be controlled once Kill
Weight Mud (KMW) is in the annulus?
A. Hold casing pressure content
B. Follow a casing pressure schedule
C. Maintain barrel in and barrel out
D. Hold drill pipe pressure constant at Final Circulating Pressure (FCP)

253. While killing a well using the Driller’s method, the pressure in the mud gas separator starts to
increase. The drill pipe pressure is 680 psi @ 40 SPM. The pump rate is decreased while
maintaining 680 psi on the standpipe. What effect will this have on bottom hole pressure?
A. Bottom hole pressure will decrease
B. Bottom hole pressure will stay the same
C. Bottom hole pressure will increase at first and then decrease
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D. Bottom hole pressure will increase

254. When drilling a horizontal section of a well a gas kick is taken and the well shut in. if the influx is
in the horizontal section what would the SIDPP and SICP read? (no float valve in the drill string)
A. Both are approximately the same
B. SICP is much greater than the SIDPP
C. SIDPP is much greater than the SICP
D. SIDPP will be zero

255. A well is shut-in with stabilized SICP = 500 psi. The Driller pumped at 5 SPM until the float valve
was bumped and the pump shut down. The Casing pressure gauge now reads 575 psi and the
drill pipe gauge = 380 psi. What is the SIDPP?
A. 200 psi
B. 75 psi
C. 305 psi
D. 380 psi

256. What is the correct definition of Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD)?

A. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the shoe at the Leak Off Test
B. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the well bore by the mud hydrostatic plus annular
friction loss
C. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the well bore by the mud hydrostatic minus annular
friction loss
D. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the well bore by the mud hydrostatic

257. The following statements relate to an air operated Driller’s remote panel. Which one of the
following is a FALSE statement?
A. If you operate a function without the master valve that function will not work
B. The master valve supplies air to the panel valves
C. If the ram close light on the panel illuminates you know the ram is closing
D. The master valve must be operated while all other functions are operated

258. What is a key element of Bullheading?

A. Circulating formation fluids out of a well using a choke and circulating system
B. Forcing pipe into a hole under pressure using hydraulic jacks
C. Pumping into a shut-in well to force formation fluids back into the formation
D. Pumping fluid into the top of a well and bleeding gas in a step by step fashion

259. When should you recalculate the Maximum Allowable Annular Surface Pressure (MAASP)?
A. After every 300 to 500 feet drilled
B. After a mud weight change
C. After a bit change
D. Every tour

260. The well was shut in before the pumps were fully shut off. You suspect that some pressure may
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be trapped in the well. What effect will this have on the wellbore?
A. There will be no effect on downhole pressures
B. Bottom hole pressure will be higher but shoe pressure will be normal
C. Gas influx would be bullheaded back into the formation so pressures will be lower than
normal
D. All pressures in the well bore will have additional overbalance

261. What is the basic principle involved in all constant Bottomhole Pressure (BHP) methods of well
control?
A. Maintain a pressure at least equal to formation pressure
B. Maintain a pressure at least equal to slow circulating rate pressure
C. Maintain a pressure that is equal to the Annulus Friction Pressure
D. Maintain a pressure that is at least equal to Shut-in Drillpipe Pressure

262. During a circulating well kill the pump speed was reduced from 40 SPM to 20 SPM while holding
drillpipe pressure constant using the choke. What happens to bottom hole pressure?
A. Increases
B. Stays the same
C. Decreases

263. The casing pressure gauge on the remote choke panel reads 350 psi. the casing pressure gauge
on the choke manifold reads 650 psi. what action should be taken?
A. Start the kill using 650 psi because overbalance is needed for the well kill operation
B. Start the kill using 350 psi because the remote choke will be used during kill operation
C. Use the average pressure of 500 psi to start the kill
D. Investigate the reason for the difference

264. After pulling 33 stands, the well starts flowing and shut-in. assume that the influx is at the
bottom of the hole and there is no gas migration. What will happen to bottom hole pressure if
too much mud is bled off while stripping back to bottom?
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A. Stay the same

B. Decrease
C. Increase

265. While doing your daily rounds during drilling operations you notice the gauges on the BOP
accumulator system show the following readings. What do you think?

A. The pressure switch controlling the pump has not shut the pump down
B. Everything is ok
C. Annular pressure regulator is set too high
D. A malfunction in the annular regulator

266. If you hold Final Circulating Pressure constant as kill mud is circulated up the annulus what will
happen to Bottom Hole Pressure?
A. Stay the same
B. Increase
C. Decrease

267. Which statement about the annular preventer is true?

A. Will not allow tool joints to pass through
B. Is designed to seal around any object in the well bore
C. Designed to close on a wider range of the drill string than the pipe rams
D. It is not designed to seal on a square or hexagonal Kelly

268. While conducting the Wait and Weight Method, the Derrickman states that the barite supply is
plugged and kill weight mud cannot be maintained while pumping. What action should be
taken?
A. Inform crew to fix blockage, then inform supervisor once kill mud is at the Bit
B. Inform supervisor that crew is fixing the blockage but continue circulating
C. Instruct crew to add Bentonite to increase the mud weight
D. Inform supervisor of problem and recommend to shut-in well while blockage is fixed
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269. During the Wait and Weight procedure, how can bottom hole pressure be controlled once KMW
is in the annulus?
A. Hold casing pressure constant
B. Maintain barrel in and barrel out
C. Hold drill pipe pressure constant at Final Circulating Pressure
D. Follow a casing pressure schedule

270. If the BHP was held constant during the first circulation of the Driller’s method, what happens to
casing shoe pressure once the bottom of the gas bubble has passed the casing shoe (all of the
gas is inside the casing)?
A. Decreases
B. Remains constant
C. Increases

271. What should you do after connecting the control lines to the stack?
A. Function test all items on the stack
B. Bleed down the accumulator bottles and check the pre-charge
C. Place all functions in block position to charge up the hoses
D. Take slow circulating rates

272. During a well kill operation, the choke operator notices that both drill pipe and casing pressures
are slowly decreasing. He reacts by adjusting the choke to maintain the original pump pressure.
Pump speed is held constant. What effect does this choke adjustment have on the bottom hole
pressure?
A. Bottom hole pressure is returned to correct value
B. Bottom hole pressure decreases
C. Bottom hole pressure is not affected by choke adjustment

273. A kick has been taken at TD and will be circulated out using the Driller’s Method. You have one
active pit (10 feet deep) with 180 bbls capacity.
Kick size = 10 bbls
TD/TVD = 4800feet
Mud weight in well = 9.9 ppg
SIDPP = 250 psi
SICP = 350 psi
Formation Pressure 2721 psi
Maximum predicted surface casing pressure during kill = 500 psi
After the initial 10 barrel increase, what additional pit gain is anticipated? Disregard
temperature effects and mud compressibility factor.
A. 44 barrels
B. 78 barrels
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C. 1851 barrels
D. 109 barrels

274. What type of mud makes it more difficult to determine the size of the influx downhole?
A. Salt based muds
B. Water based muds
C. Brines
D. Oil based muds

275. From the graph below, determine the maximum volume of gas that can be swabbed into the
well (0 ppg Kick Intensity), shut-in and circulated out without breaking down the shoe?

A. 14 bbls
B. 22 bbls
C. 25 bbls
D. 19 bbls

276. The first circulation of the Driller’s method has been completed and the pumps shut down. The
Shut-in Casing Pressure (SICP) reads 300 psi higher than the Shut-in Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP).
What action should you take?
A. Resume circulation and continue until all the influx is out of hole and SICP and SIDPP are equal
B. Continue circulating and increase pump pressure by 300 psi with the choke
C. Pump kill mud to the bit holding Casing pressure constant
D. Bleed the SICP back until it equals the SIDPP

277. What can affect the choice of the kill pump rate?
A. The effect of equivalent circulating density (ECD)
B. The screen size on the Shakers
C. The type of drilling fluid (oil or water based)
D. The rate of salt-water expansion
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278. During a kill start-up operation the pump pressure at kill rate is greater than the calculated ICP.
What could be a reason for this?
A. The slow circulating rate pressure will be different because the hole is deeper since it was
recorded
B. A salt water influx in the well will increase the circulating pressure
C. Kill mud weight calculation is wrong
D. The slow circulating rate pressure was taken up the well to the flowline. During the kill you are
circulating through the choke line

279. Why can a pressure build-up in the Mud Gas Separator be dangerous?
A. Will affect Drill Pipe pressure
B. May force gas to enter shale shaker area
C. Will allow gas to be blown along the Vent Line
D. Will increase risk of lost circulation

280. What is a kick tolerance?

A. The maximum volume of influx that can be taken at a certain depth without exceeding
fracture pressure
B. The maximum volume of influx for a given kick intensity that can be taken at given depth and
circulated out without exceeding fracture pressure
C. The maximum tolerable surface pressure for a particular casing string
D. The required pressure rating of a blowout preventer

281. When on a surface stack, when is the Volumetric Method complete?

A. When all gas has been bleed from the well
B. When casing pressures equals SIDPP
C. When gas reaches surface and casing pressure stops increasing
D. When gas reaches surface
E. Casing pressure stops increasing and gas reaches surface

282. What is a good practice if there is a significant increase in connection gas?

A. Continue drilling with reduced rate of penetration
B. Add viscosifiers to increase gel strength
C. Consider increasing the mud weight
D. Consider reducing mud weight
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283. During the second circulation of the Driller’s Method with kill fluid circulating up the annulus,
the drillpipe pressure starts to rise and does not respond to choke adjustment. Casing pressure
begins falling. What is the most likely cause of this?
A. A bit nozzle has plugged
B. The annulus is packing off
C. Annular friction has increased with the kill mud
D. The pump speed has increased

284. What gauge is used to record the Slow Circulating Rate (SCR) pressure?
A. The same drill pipe gauge that is used to kill the well
B. The casing pressure gauge at the Standpipe Manifold
C. The pump pressure gauge at the Standpipe Manifold
D. The pump pressure gauge at the mud pump

285. While pumping at 50 Strokes Per Minute (SPM) the standpipe pressure reads 1250 psi. what is
the approximate standpipe pressure if you increase the pump speed to 60 SPM?
A. 1500 psi
B. 868 psi
C. 1800 psi
D. 575 psi

286. What is the definition of “Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP)”?

A. The difference between fluid hydrostatic pressure in the drill string and the formation
pressure
B. The total pressure in the annulus minus the bottom hole pressure
C. The difference between fluid hydrostatic pressure in the annulus and the formation pressure

287. Which of the following is a possible sign of an increasing formation fluid pressure?
A. Increasing Shale Density
B. Gradual decrease in Rate of Penetration (ROP)
C. Decreasing background gas
D. Increasing connection gas

288. What will influence the test pressure recorded during a leak-off test?
A. Mud density in the well
B. Maximum pressure rating of mud pump
C. The sloe circulating rate
D. Volume of mud in the well

289. You have one inside BOP with an NC38 pin/box connection. The drill string consist of 3-1/2 inch
drill pipe (NC38). 4-3/4 inch drill collars (NC35). Which of the following crossovers must be on
the rig floor while tripping?
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A. NC46 box x NC38 pin

B. NC38 box x NC50 pin
C. NC46 box x NC35 pin
D. NC38 box x NC35 pin

290. You have successfully shut-in on a kick. Which of the following would not be the responsibility
of the Derrickhand?
A. Record pit levels and check measuring devices
B. Measure mud weight in all pits
C. Check for leaks at the pump or lines
D. Communicate the kill plan to crew members

291. What drilling practice might be considered when an increase in connection gas is recorded?
A. Reduce mud weight
B. Increase the mud viscosity
C. Increase mud weight
D. Pull out of hole and change the Bit

292. When pumping kill mud down the drill pipe during the second circulation of the Driller’s
method, what pressure do we hold constant? (Assume the annulus is clean of influx)
A. Hold MAASP constant
B. Hold drill pipe pressure constant
C. Hold casing pressure constant

293. What best describes a kick tolerance of 25 barrels?

A. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a gas kick of 25 bbls is the maximum that can be shut-in and
circulated out without fracture at the weak point of the well
B. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a salt-water kick of 25 bbls is the maximum that can be shut-
in and bullheaded
C. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a gas kick of 25 bbls is the maximum that can be circulated
out without bursting the casing at surface
D. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a salt-water kick of a 25 bbls is the maximum that can be
circulated out without bursting the casing at surface

294. A kick is:

A. An influx of formation fluids downhole
B. The increase in pressure on bottom when the pumps are started
C. The increase in shut on pressure due to gas migration
D. An uncontrolled flow of formation fluids at the surface

295. When making a connection, the well was still flowing after 3 minutes. The well is shut in and the
shut-in pressures have stabilized as follows:
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Shut-In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP): 200 psi Pit gain: 5 bbl
Shut-In Casing Pressure (SICP): 350 psi
What was happened? (Assume no float valve in the drill string)
A. This indicates an influx in the well
B. This is trapped pump pressure
C. This is a ballooning formation
D. This is normal. Resume drilling

296. What should you do if the choke line fails during a well kill operation?
A. Stop the pumps and close a valve upstream of failure
B. Stop the pumps and shear the pipe
C. Stop the pumps and close the choke
D. Continue to kill the well if the influx is past the shoe

297. You are running a non-shearable tool in the hole on a surface stack rig. What option is available
to the Driller if the well flows when the tool is across the BOP stack?
A. Make up safety valve in string and close the annular
B. Close the Diverter and pump kill mud
C. Continue running in hole and use surging effect to stop the kick
D. Circulate to create and ECD effect6 on the bottom of the hole

298. During a well kill on a surface BOP installation, the pump rate is reduced while holding drillpipe
pressure constant. How will this affect Bottomhole Pressure (BHP)?
A. BHP will decrease
B. There is no way to know what will happen to BHP
C. BHP will stay constant
D. BHP will increase

299. Which of the following actions should be taken when drilling through a transition zone?
A. Increased crew awareness of the warning sign
B. Reduce Revolution per Minute (RPM)
C. Reduce Weight on Bit
D. Increase time between mud weight checks

300. Why take and record Slow Circulation Rates (SCRs)?

A. To calculate Maximum Allowable Annular Surface Pressure (MAASP)
B. To stop downhole mud motor rotating during a well kill operation
C. To calculate Initial and Final Circulating Pressures (ICP/FCP)
D. To determine pump rate to displace a cement plug
IADC DRILLING

301. The formation permeability, and the differential pressure between mud hydrostatic and
formation pressure, will affect the speed of the influx into the well. Which of the condition
below are likely to give the largest influx over the same period of time?
A. Low permeability formation with a low differential pressure
B. High permeability formation with a low differential pressure
C. High permeability formation with a high differential pressure
D. Influx size is not affected by permeability and differential pressure

302. You are drilling ahead with a 12¼-inch bit with an average ROP of 95 feet/hour. For the last 60
minutes there has been no change to the pit level. What action would you take?
A. Prepare to mix LCM as you may be losing some mud to the formation
B. Continue drilling all is good
C. Increase WOB now that ROP is stable
D. Make a flow check to check why pit volume is stable

303. While drilling at 14877’ TVD a 25 bbl gas kick was taken. SIDPP = 500 psi SICP = 660 psi. The
driller’s method is used to kill the well. During the first circulation the rig experienced total
pump failure.
The well is shut down and pressures are: SIDPP = 500 psi SICP = 750 psi. While shut down the
drill pipe and casing pressures start to increase due to gas migration. If the choke is used to keep
casing pressure at original SICP of 660 psi, what would happen to BHP?
A. Increase
B. Decrease
C. Stay the same

304. To what pressure must the Drill string safety valves be tested?
A. To the current bottom hole pressure
B. 50% of the Ram test pressure
C. To the same rated working pressure as the Kelly/top drive
D. To the same pressure as the BOP

305. The pump is shut down, the well is flowing, and there is a gain in the mud pit. The pump is
restarted and the gain in the mud pit stops. Why does the mud pit stop gaining when the pump
is running?
A. Mud hydrostatic pressure is greater than formation pressure
B. Mud weight inside the drill string is creating an overbalance against formation pressure
C. Annular pressure loss is creating an overbalance against formation pressure
D. Pump pressure is greater than mud hydrostatic pressure

306. After pulling 33 stands, the well starts flowing and is shut-in. Assume that the influx is at the
bottom of the hole and there is no gas migration. What will happen to casing pressure as the
drill string is stripped into the influx?
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A. Stay the same

B. Increase
C. Decrease

307. What is the definition of abnormal formation pressure?

A. Pressure that is greater than the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of formation
water
B. Pressure that differs from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of formation oil
C. Pressure that equals the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of fresh water
D. Pressure that differs from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of formation gas

308. A well is being killed using the Wait and Weight method of well control. At what point during
the operation should the final circulating pressure be held on the drill pipe pressure gauge?
A. Once kill mud has been circulated to the bit
B. After waiting for the kill mud to be mixed and ready
C. Once kill mud has reached the casing shoe
D. When kill mud returns to surface

309. What statement is true if a non-return valve is stabbed into the string?
A. Has potential to leak through the open/close key
B. Easier to stab if strong flow is encountered up the drill string
C. Will not allow wireline to be run inside the drill string
D. Must not be run in the hole in the closed position

310. You are killing a well with the Wait and Weight method. After 150 strokes a bit nozzle plugs.
What is the correct response to maintain correct bottom hole pressure?
A. Subtract the Drill Pipe pressure increase from each value on the drill pipe pressure schedule
and continue circulating
B. Open the choke to hold drill pipe pressure constant
C. Note the increase in Drill Pipe pressure, shut down, and recalculate SCR pressure, FCP, and the
drill pipe pressure schedule
D. Continue to follow the drill pipe pressure schedule with no modification

311. Which of the methods below could be used to find the SIDPP if a kick is taken with a non-ported
float valve in the drill string?
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A. Start the pump very slowly. When the drillpipe gauge begins to move, stop pumping. That is
the SIDPP
B. The SIDPP is not needed; use the casing pressure to determine kill weight mud
C. Pump slowly down drill pipe until SICP starts to increase, then stop pumping. The SIDPP is drill
pipe pressure reading minus current trapped pressure
D. Bring the pump to 30 SPM while holding the casing pressure constant with the choke. When
the pump rate and the casing pressure are stable, the circulating pressure will be the SIDPP

312. Which gauges on a remote BOP control panel will show a reduction in pressure when you close
the pipe rams?
A. The manifold pressure gauge and annular pressure gauge
B. The accumulator pressure gauge and manifold pressure gauge
C. The annular pressure gauge
D. The air pressure gauge and annular pressure gauge

313. Pump pressure is 355 psi at 42 Strokes per Minute (SPM). What is the approximate new pump
pressure at 35 SPM?
A. 243 psi
B. 511 psi
C. 247 psi
D. 296 psi

314. A kill operation is ready to start. The Wait and Weight Method is to be used. Kill mud is ready to
be pumped, but it takes 10 bbls to fill the surface lines. What is the correct procedure?
A. Re-zero stroke counter when kill mud reaches the drill pipe
B. Open choke fully and pump the 10 bbls, then adjust drill pipe pressure to initial circulating
pressure
C. Subtract the 10 bbls (converted to pump strokes) from the total strokes to be pumped
D. Ignore it. Start the kill operation. It will not affect your drill pipe pressure schedule

315. Which method removes the influx from the hole before pumping the kill mud?
A. Volumetric Method
B. Driller’s Method
C. Wait and Weight Method
D. Bullheading Method

316. What is the objective of the lube and bleed method?

A. Reduce surface pressure by increasing hydrostatic pressure and removing gas
B. Reduce surface pressure by increasing hydrostatic pressure
C. Reduce surface pressure by removing gas

317. Which function on BOP stack receive their operating fluid from the ram manifold?
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A. Rams and HCRs’

B. All stack functions
C. Rams and Annular Preventer
D. Rams only
318. When development drilling in an established field, what type of pressure test is commonly used
to determine the formation strength?
A. Drill Stem Test
B. Sheen Test
C. Formation Integrity Test
D. BOP Function Test

319. While tripping into the hole at 6,000 feet, a flow check is positive. The rig procedure is to shut
the well in using the soft shut in procedure. What is the correct procedure to shut in?
A. Stab full opening safety valve, Open HCR valve and choke, Close BOP, Close Choke, Close
Safety valve, Record pressure
B. Close the BOP, Stab full opening safety valve, Close the safety valve, Open choke, Close choke,
Record pressure
C. Stab a full opening safety valve, Close the safety valve, Open HCR valve, Close BOP, Close
choke
D. Open HCR valve and choke, Close bop, Stab full opening safety valve, Close safety valve, Close
choke

320. You close a ram preventer using the remote BOP panel. The ram opening light goes out and the
close light illuminates but you notice that the accumulator pressure has remained static. What
has happened?
A. No air pressure at the panel
B. Master valve not held down for 5 seconds
C. The 3-position ram valve on the accumulator has not moved
D. Possible blockage in the line between the accumulator unit BOP stack

321. Slow circulating rate pressure = 300 psi at 30 SPM

The well has been shut in after a kick :
Shut in Drill Pipe Pressure 600 psi
Shut in Casing Pressure 750 psi
Before starting to kill the well, there is a complete power failure at the pumps.
Assuming no float valve in the drill string which pressure should be kept constain in order to
maintain the correct bottom hole pressure if the influx migrates?
A. 1050 psi casing pressure
B. 900 psi drill pipe pressure
C. 750 psi casing pressure
D. 600 psi drill pipe pressure
IADC DRILLING

322. What is good practice when increasing connection gas is observed?

A. Increase WOB and RPM to reduce gas level in the mud
B. Reduce the mud viscosity to minimize swabbing
C. Increase the mud viscosity
D. Control ROP to keep a minimum number of connection gas events in the hole at a time

323. What does the SIDPP tell you when the well is shut-in on a kick?
A. The difference between formation pressure and the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the
drill pipe
B. The difference between formation pressure and the hydrostatic pressure that causes leakoff
C. The maximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAASP)
D. The trapped pressure causes by shutting in the well

324. Which of the following would increase the risk of surging the well while running casing?
A. Low gel strength mud
B. Lower Casing grade
C. Tighter casing to wellbore clearance
D. Slower running speed

325. What is a hydrostatic barrier?

A. pressure of fluid in a Pipe Ram closing chamber that maintains a seal on a shut in well
B. Cement located in the open-hole or casing to isolate different zones
C. A column of fluid that exerts a greater pressure that the formation pressure
D. A mechanical seal inside the casing or wellbore to isolate potential flow

326. A written record of strokes pumped, surface pressures, choke position and other information
useful for effective handover to relief crew during a well kill operation, is best defined as what?
A. Drill pipe pressure schedule
B. Trip sheet
C. Pipe tally
D. Kill log

327. A well is shut in. what is the casing pressure in this static u-tube?
Well information:
Drill Pipe pressure reads 0 psi (not float in the string)
Well Depth = 7,000 TVD/ 7,225 MD
Drill String full of 9.7 ppg mud
Annulus full of 0.6 ppg gas/mud mixture
A. 4920 psi
B. 3530 psi
C. 1390 psi
D. 1347 psi
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328. Which of the following situations make it more difficult to detect a kick with the PVT?
A. When you keep active mud system transfers to a minimum while drilling ahead
B. When you allow mud to overflow the shakers
C. When you reduce the pit level alarm settings from 10 bbls to 5 bbls
D. When you by-pass the solids control pits

329. What is the most common cause of abnormally high formation pressure worldwide?
A. Trapped fluid under an impermeable shale
B. Limestone fractures
C. Depleted sands
D. Carbonate layer

330. Why should the well be shut in quickly after a kick has been detected?
A. To minimize kill mud weight requires
B. To minimize the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure (SIDPP)
C. To reduce the migration speed of the influx
D. To minimize the size of the influx

331. When preparing for a tour change during a well kill operation, what would be the best practice
when conducting the handover?
A. Request Mud Engineer discusses duties with each of the crew members
B. All parties involved should stay on duty for a sufficient time to allow for thorough
communication of current actives
C. Immediately take over from current crew and work with supervisor to help kill the well
D. Once current crew have left location, call crew to rig floor for a meeting to discuss duties

332. What is the best description of the term “Fingerprinting the Well”?
A. Sampling the formation fluid for grade quality, and contaminants
B. Recording block name and field number for the location of the well
C. Recording baseline drilling data that can be analyzed against current data to hel recognize
down hole problems
D. Recording azimuth and elevation of the wellbore from logging

333. If the drill string washes out at a constant pump speed, during a kill operation, which of the
following pressure would remain constant?
A. Drill pipe pressure
B. Casing pressure
C. Initial circulating pressure
D. Show circulating rate pressure
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334. On a surface stack rig what pressure is maintained constant as the pump rate is increased to kill
rate?
A. Drill pipe pressure
B. Final circulating pressure
C. Casing pressure
D. Fracture pressure

335. While tripping out of the hole, The Assistant Drilling (AD) has noted improper hole fill: after
pulling five stands, the hole has taken no fluid from the trip tank. It should have taken three
barrels. The AD informs the driller of the problem. What action should the Driller take?
A. Connect Kelly or top drive and circulate bottoms-up
B. Perform a flow check immediately and shut in if required
C. Close the diverter and line up to the degasser
D. Pull five more stands and re-evaluate the situation

336. What best describes the effect of gas migration on wellbore pressure?
A. All the pressure increase
B. All the pressure decrease
C. All the pressure stay the same

337. You are drilling vertical well on a surface stack rig. The well kicks and you shut-in. the pressure
readings are: Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure 350 psi Shut In Casing Pressure 450 psi Why is there a
difference in the two readings?
A. Because the influx is in the annulus and has a lower density than the mud
B. Because the influx is inside the drill string and has a lower density than themud
C. Because the BOP was closed to fast causing trapped pressure
D. Because the influx has a higher density than the mud

338. Which gas do you use to pre-charge the accumulator bottles on a BOP hydraulic control unit?
A. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
B. Nitrogen
C. Air
D. Oxygen

339. A kick was taken with the bit off bottom. Based on the differential between the shut- in
Drillpipe Pressure and shut-in casing pressure, it believed that the influx is salt water. What is
the best course of action?
A. Strip with volumetric control – this method world regardless of influx type, migration, or
expansion
B. Bullhead the influx away
C. Strip using the barrel in / barrel out method assuming that influx really salt water
D. Execute the first circulation of the Driller’s method off bottom
IADC DRILLING

340. Which of the following is NOT a method of wellbore barrier verification?

A. Positive pressure test
B. Leak off test
C. Monitoring fluid level
D. Inflow test (negative test)

341. Part of the way through the 1st Circulating of the Driller’s Method, the pump was shut down and
the well was shut in. what is the overbalance in the well?

Well information:
Current drill pipe pressure = 625 psi
Current casing pressure = 975 psi
Initial Circulating Pressure = 1420 psi
Initial SIDPP = 600 psi
Initial SICP = 835 psi

A. 795 psi overbalanced

B. 445 psi overbalanced
C. 140 psi overbalanced
D. 25 psi overbalanced

342. What information from the well can help determine if the well is ballooning?
A. Gradual losses when pumps are on and gains when the pumps are off
B. Decreasing mud flow back rate at connections
C. No losses while drilling but gains at the connection
D. SICP greater that ECD

343. Surface Leak off pressure = 1000 psi

TVD of Casing shoe = 7,500
Test mud weight = 11 ppg
What is the fracture pressure at the casing shoe?
A. 4200 psi
B. 5425 psi
C. 5290 psi
D. 6100 psi

344. Using the Driller’s Method to circulate out the influx the circulating pressure = 1,000 psi. the
circulating pressure increases rapidly to 1,400 psi (pump speed remains constant). It is decided
that a bit nozzle has plugged. Which of the following will maintain constant bottom hole
pressure?
A. Maintain the circulating pressure at 1,400 psi and the pump speed constant
IADC DRILLING

B. Stop the pump and shut the well in. Re-calculate Initial Circulating Pressure and Final
Circulating Pressure adding 400 psi to the original SIDPP
C. Adjust the circulating pressure to 1,000 psi by changing the pump speed
D. Adjust the circulating pressure to 1,000 psi by adjusting the choke and maintaining constant
SPM

345. What is the main function of the “weep hole” on ram type BOP?
A. Indicate a leak from the primary mud seal on the piston rod
B. Release any overpressure that may occur during testing
C. Indicate a leak from the bonnet seal
D. Prevent damage to the closing chamber

346. You are drilling a section of well with a kick tolerance window indicating a maximum allowback
kick volume of less than the rig shown they can successfully detect and shut in. what action
could be taken?
A. Set cement plug and sidetrack
B. Pull bit into casing shoe as quickly as possible
C. Consider setting casing/liner
D. Continue drilling carefully, kick tolerance will improve with depth

347. How does an increase in mud weight affect the slow circulating rate pressure?
A. There is no change because the friction losses are all in the drill pipe
B. The friction pressure increases with higher mud weight
C. The friction pressure decreases with higher mud weight

348. At what pressure (at surface) does leak-off begin to take place in the graph below?

A. 650-800 psi
B. 1000-1100 psi
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C. 1300-1400 psi
D. 1150-1250 PSI

349. A well is shut on a swabbed kick while pulling out of the hole. SICP and SIDPP are both reading
250 psi with 25 stands off bottom. Which of the following would be the best course of action to
take in order to bring the well back under primary control?
A. Circulate the kick out at slow pump rate using the driller’s method while keeping drill pipe
pressures constant
B. Strip back to bottom and then circulate the influx out using Driller’s method
C. Raise the mud density to overcome 250 psi SICP& circulate using weight method
D. Set cement plug and sidetrack the well using increased mud weight

350. Figure below shows an API Type 6BX Flange

Which one of these gaskets matched the 6bx type flange shown above?
A. Type BX
B. Type R Oval
C. Type R Octagonal
D. Type RX

351. The first circulation of the Driller’s method was proceeding as planned. The drill pipe pressure
starts to decrease followed by a decrease in casing pressure. What could be the problem?
A. Pump is washing out
B. Choke plugged
C. Choke is washing-out
D. Drill string is washing out below the BOP
IADC DRILLING

352. What is the objective of the 1st Circulation of the Driller’s Method?
A. Displace the drill string and annulus with kill weight mud
B. Circulate out the influx while displacing the drill string and annulus with kill weight mud
C. Circulate out the influx using original mud weight

353. A gas kick is being circulated out. What will happen to the bottom hole pressure if drill pipe
pressure is held constant when kill mud is being pumped to the bit?
A. Increase
B. Stay the same
C. Decrease

354. What pump changes in pump pressure will be seen after one complete circulation if the mud
weights is increased?
A. The pump pressure will stay the same
B. The pump pressure will decrease
C. The pump pressure will increase

355. While maintaining FCP (Final Circulating Pressure) you make an adjustment to the choke. The
amount of time take see the pressure change on the drill pipe gauge is called?
A. Gas migration time
B. Bottoms-UP time
C. Annular velocity time
D. Lag time

356. Why are gas kicks more difficult to detect in oil-based fluids that in water-based fluids?
A. The mud in the well has no effect on detecting a gas kick
B. Gas is very soluble in oil-based fluids
C. Oil is more dense than water
D. Gas is very soluble in water-based fluids

357. A kill operation has just started when the hook load suddenly drops. Calculation show that the
string has parted approximately 200 feet above the BHA. During this downtime you observe gas
migration. What action can you take to restore primary control?
A. Increase the pump rate until the influx is above the washout. Then reduce the pump rate
B. Stop pumping. Control the well using the volumetric method until the influx is above the
washout. The resume pumping operation
C. Continue pump the kill fluid at the initial show circulating rate
D. Stop pumping and locate washout by pumping fluorescent fluid down the string

358. After successfully shutting-in on a kick, which of the following is a crucial responsibility of the
supervisor?
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A. Communicate plan to crew

B. Mix kill weight mud
C. Check pits levels and lineups
D. Measure weight in and out

359. How does gas migration affect your choice of bullheading pump speed?
A. Choose a pump speed that creates a fluid velocity greater than the speed of gas migration

360. A rig crew has just finished stripping a group of stands. The company realizes that the total
volume bled from the well minus the total closed end pipe displacement stripped into the well
is significantly greater than the calculated mud increment. What has happened to the
overbalance in the well as a result?
A. The overbalance has increased, adding to the safety factor that was being held on the well
B. The overbalance condition has not changed, continue with the stripping operation
C. The overbalance has decreased, potentially decreasing the desired safety factor that was
being held in the well

361. What is the maximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAASP)?

A. The maximum pressure allowed on the drill pipe gauge during a kill operation
B. The total surface pressure that will cause losses to the formation on top the mud hydrostatic
pressure
C. The maximum allowable hole pressure during a kill operation
D. The total pressure applied at the shoe that will cause losses

362. What is one of the dangers when a gas kick is circulated through the choke manifold?
The increased gas volume can overload the mud gas separator

363. Why is it important, as a minimum, to circulate a full bottoms-up before starting a cement job
on a deviated well?
A. You want to ensure you will not induce losses during the cement job
B. To eliminate the possibility of hydrate formation
C. To ensure a good clean column of mud in the annulus
D. The time taken to circulate bottom-up will replace the requirement to flow check the well

364. What determines the amount of pressure a formation will support before fracturing?
A. Underbalanced pressure
B. Bottom hole pressure
C. Hydrostatic pressure
D. Formation strength

365. In which of the following situations will the wait and weight method give lower casing shoe
pressure, compared to driller’s method?
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A. Annulus open hole capacity is less than drillstring capacity

B. Annulus open hole capacity is greater than drillingstring capacity
C. Wait and weight will always give lower casing shoe pressures

366. During a well kill, the pump rate is increased while holding drill pipe pressure constant. If you
ignore any ECD effects, how the pump rate increase affect bottomhole pressure (BHP)?
A. BHP will decrease, risking further influx
B. There is no way to know what will happen to BHP
C. BHP will stay constant
D. BHP will increase risking formation damage

367. A salt-water kick is circulated out using the driller’s method. When will the surface casing
pressure be at its maximum value? (assume mud weight in hole is greater than influx weight)
A. When the kick reaches the casing shoe
B. When kill mud is pumped onto the drill pipe
C. When the annular geometry causes the influx to have the maximum height
D. When the kick has been circulated to the surface

368. A pump pressure of 800 psi is recorded with 22 SPM. What will the approximate pressure be at
26 SPM?
A. 1000 psi
B. 945 psi
C. 882 psi
D. 1117 psi

369. During the 2nd circulation of the driller’s method. Kill weight mud is returning at the shakers. The
well is shut in correctly. What should the pressure gauges read assuming no trapped pressure in
the well?
A. SICP and SIDPP will be equal to the well’s original SIDPP
B. SICP will be higher than the SIDPP
C. SICP will be lower than the SIDPP
D. SICP and SIDPP gauges will both read 0 psi

370. While preparing to circulate kill weight mud, the gas bubble begins to migrate. If no action is
taken, what will happen to bottom-hole pressure?
A. Decrease
B. Increase

371. MAASP after well has been killed 170

Between 685 and 720
IADC DRILLING

372. You are drilling ahead and begin to experience partial losses. Which of the following is normal
action to consider?
A. Add barite to the mud
B. Consider changing the mud properties to increase friction losses or hydrostatic pressure
C. Circulate at a slower pump rate to reduce ECD
D. Shut in the well and convert mud system to brine

373. A well has been shut-in on a kick.

Shut-in drill pipe pressure 400 psi
Shut-in casing pressure 600 psi
After stabilization, both pressures start rising due to gas migration. If the casing pressure is held
constant at 400 psi, what will happen to the bottom hole pressure?
A. Increase
B. Decrease
C. Stay the same

374. What increases risk of surging when running casing in the hole?
A. Excessive casing running speed
B. Cleaning the hole cutting before running the casing
C. Reducing the casing running speed
D. Conditioning the mud before running the casing

375. During the first circulation of the driller’s method, casing pressure starts to increase and after
the lag time the drill pipe pressure starts to increase. What could be the problem?
A. Plugged bit nozzle
B. Choke plugging
C. Choke is washing out

376. You have pumped Kill Weight Mud (KMW) to the bit during the beginning of the wait and
weight method. It is decided to shut the pumps down and check pressures. You notice there is
still pressure on the Drill Pipe gauge. You confirm that there is no trapped pressure. What is the
current status of the well?
A. Nothing, due to KMW there is a U-tube effect causing increased Drill Pipe Pressure
B. The KMW has not reached surface yet so the drill pipe pressure should not equal 0 psi
C. KMW has caused an overbalanced in the well
D. The drill pipe is still underbalanced or the stroke count is not correct

377. When using the wait and weight method to circulate kill mud down to the bit, the drill pipe
pressure should:
A. Stay the same
B. Slowly decrease
C. Slowly increase
IADC DRILLING

378. When killing a well using the driller’s method the choke pressure suddenly increase by 200 psi.
after lag time the choke operator sees the same pressure increase on the drill pipe pressure
gauge. What is the most likely cause of this pressure increase?
A. The choke is party plugged
B. A plugged nozzle in the bit
C. A restriction in the rotary (Kelly) hose
D. A second influx has entered the well

379. While conducting the first circulation of the driller’s method, the Derrick man states that the
barite supply is plugged. What action should be taken?
A. Continue circulating even if current mud weight cannot be maintained
B. Continue circulating as long as current mud weight can be maintained
C. Inform supervisor to shut in well has the problem will reduce bottom hole pressure during
the first circulation
D. Instruct crew to add bentonite to increase the mud weight

380. What causes gas to break out of solution in an oil based mud (OBM)?
A. The increase in mud hydrostatic pressure at downhole conditions
B. The temperature of the mud as it gets cooler near surface
C. The reduction of mud compressibility and salinity at surface conditions
D. The decrease in hydrostatic pressure above the gas when it gets close to surface

381. The well is full of 12.2ppg mud. A 500-foot cement plug is set and tested. The mud above the
plug is replaced with 10.2ppg brine. If the cement plug failed, what direction would fluid move
across the cement plug?
A. Pressure from below would cause fluid to move up
B. Fluid would not move across the plug as the pressure differential is zero
C. Pressure from above would cause fluid to move down

382. Why is it important to monitor the pit volume during a well control operation?
A. To check for mud losses
B. To tell you when to adjust pump speed
C. To tell you when to adjust drill pipe pressure
D. To maintain bottom hole pressure constant

383. The choke has to be gradually closed due to a string washout below the BOP. What effect does
this have on bottom hole pressure?
A. Stay the same
B. Increase
C. Decrease
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384. While circulating out a kick, the mud pump fails. What is the first action to take?
A. Change over to a cement pump
B. Divert the well
C. Shut the well in
D. Fix pump as soon as possible

385. Which of the following gauges on the remote panel would you expect to see a reduction in
pressure when the annular preventer is being closed?
A. Manifold pressure gauge and annular pressure gauge
B. Air pressure gauge and annular pressure gauge
C. Annular pressure gauge only
D. Accumulator gauge and annular pressure gauge

386. When will the wait & weight method give lower shoe pressure than the driller’s method?
A. When the drill string capacity is greater than the open hole volume
B. When the drill string capacity is equal to the open hole volume
C. When the drill string capacity is less than open hole volume
D. The weight & wait method will always give lower shoe pressure

387. The well is full of 12.2ppg mud. A 500-foot cement plug is set and tested. The mud above the
plug is replaced with 10.2ppg brine. If the cement plug failed, what direction would fluid move
across the cement plug?
A. Fluid would not move across the plug as the differential is zero
B. Pressure from below would cause fluid to move up
C. Pressure from above cause fluid to move down

388. After successfully shutting in on kick, which of the following is a key task that the supervisor
must complete before starting to circulate out the influx?
A. Check pit levels and lineups
B. Mix kill weight mud
C. Measure mud weight and out
D. Discuss the well control plan and reinforce individual crew duties

389. Which of the following will be affected by a string washout during a well kill?
A. Pump pressure
B. MAASP
C. Casing pressure
D. Formation fracture pressure

390. What is the main function of a diverter?

A. To shut in a shallow kick
B. To act as backup system if the annular preventer fails
IADC DRILLING

C. To direct formation fluids a safe distance away from the rig floor
D. To create a back pressure sufficient to stop formation fluids entering the wellbore

391. A gas kick goes into solution in oil-based mud. At that time, what would you probably see on
surface?
A. A pit gain greater than the volume of the kick
B. A decreasing flow rate and decreasing pit level
C. A pit gain either equal to or smaller than the volume of the kick
D. An increasing flow rate decreasing pit level

392. After functioning the annular preventer control to the closed position, the open light goes out
but the close light does not illuminate. The annular pressure gauge drops then returns back to
the correct pressure. What has happened?
A. There is a leak in the hydraulic line to the BOP
B. The hydraulic closing line to the BOP is plugged
C. The close light circuit or bulb has failed
D. The 4-away valve on hydraulic closing failed to shift

393. A leak BOP element is identified as a risk to well integrity during a kill operation. What action
would you take to minimize this risk?
A. Monitor mud level above the BOPs the trip tank
B. Monitor the flow line flow rate sensor reading
C. Monitor active pit level increase
D. Place BOP 4-way valve in the neutral position

394. Which statement about ring gaskets is correct?

A. RX & BX ring gaskets provide pressure energized seal
B. R & RX ring gaskets are the same shape
C. Lot of grease should be applied while lifting the ring gaskets
D. Ring gaskets are designed to be use many time

395. What is true regarding the driller’s and wait and weight methods if a kick is taken after drilling
into an overpressure zone?
A. The driller’s method involves circulating out the influx while pumping kill weight fluid to
the bit
B. The drillers method requires 2 circulations but the wait and weight only requires one
circulation
C. The wait and weight method involves circulating out the influx while pumping original
mud weight
D. The wait and weight method will always result in lower casing shoe pressures the driller’s
method
IADC DRILLING

396. What is the objective of the volumetric method?

A. To maintain the bottom hole pressure equal to or greater than formation pressure while
the influx rises up the annulus
B. To maintain the shut in casing pressure on the surface constant while the influx rises up
the annulus
C. To maintain the pressure whiting an influx constants as it rises through the wellbore
D. To maintain the pressure at the casing shoe constant as the influx migrate through the
open hole

397. What should be done when stripping drill pipe through the annular preventer?
A. Close a pipe ram, open the annular and strip in hole until tool joint is below the annular
and repeat for each tool joint
B. Increase annular closing pressure to reduce leakage
C. Regulate annular closing pressure to the minimum hydraulic pressure that controls
wellbore pressure
D. Open choke to reduce well pressure as tool joint passes through the annular

398. Which of the following statement is true for a well kill start-up?
A. Maintain the drill pipe pressure constant when bringing the pumps up to kill speed
B. The surface line volume (pump to rig floor) does not need to be included in the kill plan
C. Open choke fully, increase pump speed to kill rate, and the adjust choke to get initial
circulating pressure
D. After pumping the surface line volume to the Kelly or top drive, zero the stroke counter
and follow the kill plan

399. When circulating an influx out, what will happen to choke pressure when gas breaks out of a
non-aqueous (oil-based) mud.
A. Increase rapidly
B. Decrease rapidly
C. Stay the same

400. The pump was brought up to kill rate for a wait and weight kill rate for a wait and weight kill.
The drill pipe gauge reading is 150 psi above calculated initial circulating pressure (ICP). What
action should be taken?
A. Open the choke to reduce drill pipe pressure back to the original calculated ICP
B. Shut down and clean out choke manifold or change to another choke
C. Use new ICP of 150 psi less than the original calculated ICP
D. Recalculate circulating press schedule based on actual drill pipe gauge reading

401. After function the annular preventer control to the closed position, the open light goes out but
the close light does not illuminate. The annular pressure gauge drops then returns to the correct
pressure. What has happened?
IADC DRILLING

A. The close light circuit or bulb has failed

B. The 4-way valve on hydraulic closing unit failed to shift
C. There is a leak in the hydraulic line to the BOP
D. The hydraulic closing line to the BOP is plugged

402. Formation strengths are generally weak when you drill top hole and you may have total losses,
how can you minimize this risk
By controlling the rate of penetration (ROP) to prevent loading the annulus with cuttings

403. During a drilling operation you are pumping a heavy mud pill into the drillstring. When will
bottom hole pressure start to increase (ignore dynamic pressure losses in the annulus)?
Once the pill starts to be displaced into the annulus

404. Why is it important to flow check after a drilling break?

The formation permeability or pressure may have increased

405. Why are the risk different when drilling into shallow gas zones with a diverter system compared
to taking a kick with the BOP installed?
You cannot contain the pressure, formation fluids are vented at surface close to the rig

406. We are drilling ahead with a mud weight of 10.5 ppg, and the fluid level drops by 100 ft.
calculate the decrease in bottom hole pressure?
55 psi

407. What happen to bottom hole pressure (BHP) when circulation is stopped during connections?
Disregard managed pressure drilling (MPD)
The BHP will decrease

408. Why is the driller given authority to shut in a well without waiting for permission?
The driller is most qualified to be empowered to shut the well without delay and consequently
minimize the kick size

409. On a trip out of the well, a kick was swabbed in with the bit inside the casing. A full-opening
safety valve (FOSV) was installed on the drill pipe and closed. There was no float in the drill
string. The well was shut in on the Annular BOP. What is the Driller’s next action before
commencing to strip back to bottom?
A. Install the inside blowout preventer above the FOSV and open the drill pipe safety valve
B. Keep the FOSV in the closed position
C. Open the FOSV and install the inside blowout preventer
D. Replace the FOSV with an inside blowout preventer
IADC DRILLING

410. If a 3000 psi BOP accumulator system is designed with a minimum operating pressure of 1200
psi, what should be the precharge pressure in each bottle?
A. 3000 psi
B. 1200 psi
C. 1000 psi
D. 200 psi

411. The wireline crew has informed the driller that they are pulling the wireline tools out of the
hole. A short time later the driller sees a gain in the trip tank. What has most likely occurred?
A. The gain from mud expansion due to the well being static for a long period of the time
while wirelining
B. The wireline tools may have been pulled too quickly causing swabbing
C. Nothing has occurred it is normal to see a gain due to displacement when pulling wireline
tools
D. The wireline operator has pumped a slug so the wireline can be pulled dry and save some
clean up time

412. Which of the following parameters will affect the value of the shut in casing pressure?
A. The kick volume
B. Drill string capacity per foot
C. Mud pH
D. Choke line length

413. Well has kicked when 30 stands off bottom. Shut-in pressures both equal 150 psi. which of the
following is the best action to take to restore primary control?
A. Create a plan to get to bottom and then circulate well using driller’s method – 1st
circulation
B. Circulate kick out while 30 stands off bottom using the driller’s method
C. Raise mud weight by 150 psi and circulate out using wait and weight method

414. You are successfully conducting the first circulation of the driller’s method. Drill pipe pressure
has been maintained at initial circulating pressure of 560 psi. Choke pressure has been holding
around pressure stays the same at 460 psi. what type of problem has most likely occurred?
A. A washout has occurred in the drill pipe
B. A bit nozzle has washed out
C. The choke is plugging up
D. A bit nozzle has plugged

415. During the first circulation of the driller’s method, a gas bubble is being circulated up the
annulus above the casing shoe. The drillpipe pressure is being held constant at the correct
pressure. What happens to the casing shoe pressure?
A. Casing shoe pressure decrease
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B. Casing shoe pressure increase

C. Casing shoe pressure stays constant

416. Which statement about slow circulating rates (CRSs) is correct?

A. SCRs should be taken through the choke manifold
B. SCRs should be taken with the bit at the shoe
C. SCRs are needed to calculate formation pressure
D. SCRs should be taken when mud properties have changed

417. What is needed to help calculate an accurate formation strength at the shoe?
A. To install a retrievable packer approximately 1,00 ft. below the rig floor
B. An accurate stroke counter
C. An accurate hole capacity
D. A calibrated pressure gauge

418. If a kick occurs while drilling a horizontal well, why is there little or no difference between SIDPP
and SICP? (Assume no float valve in the drillstring).
A. Because in horizontal wells the influx is not to migrate
B. Because the mud density and formation fluid density are the same when drilling
horizontal wells
C. Because the volume inside the string is the same as the volume in the annulus
D. Because the kick has no vertical height in the horizontal section to affect hydrostatic
pressure
419. The results of a flow check are inconclusive due to the small volume of returns from the well.
Which of the following is the most accurate way to determine if the well is flowing?
A. Line up to the trip tank and monitor for gains or losses
B. Pull 5 stand and watch the well to see if it fills up
C. Close in the well and line up through the mud-gas separator and monitor for flow at the
shakers
D. Shut the diverter and monitor for flow from the vent line

420. When a ram type BOP on surface stack is closed, what happens to the operating fluid displaced
from the opening chamber?
A. The fluid drains into the well bore
B. The fluid returned to the unit reservoir
C. The fluid is used to boost closing pressure

421. When circulating out a kick in a deep well, the casing pressure approaches the MAASP while the
influx is still in the open hole. Which is the MOST IMPORTANT action to take?
A. Keep the casing pressure at MAASP by opening the choke
B. Start pumping mud down the drillstring at 1 ppg higher than needed to kill
IADC DRILLING

C. Minimizing any extra pressure in the annulus without allowing bottom hole pressure to
fall below pore pressure

422. What is the most common of a vacuum degasser?

A. It is used to remove gas after the mud has been circulated across the shakers
B. It is used as a standby in the event of the “mud/gas separator (Poor Boy)” falling
C. It is mainly used to separate gas from liquids while testing
D. It is only used while circulating out a kick

423. A well is being killed using the driller’s method. Drill pipe pressure is 870 psi at SPM. Pressure
inside the mud gas separator is rising and a decision is made to reduce the pump rate to 20
SPM. What will happen To Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) if 870 psi is maintained on the DP gauge
while the pump is slowed down to the new rate?
A. BHP will not change
B. BHP will decrease
C. BHP will increase

424. Which of the following practices should be observed when running a leak-off test (L.O.T)?
A. Displace the drillstring to base oil or water, shut in the well and pump slowly until the
formation starts to take fluid
B. Establish an injection rate first, use known mud weight, and pump at a fast rate
C. Always use water, pump fast, and shut down when pressure-volume trend changes
D. Pump slowly, used known mud weight and shut down when pressure-volume trend
change

425. What is a reason for having stored fluid under pressure in the accumulator bottles on the
hydraulic BOP control until?
A. To operate the kill line valve
B. To operate the remote choke
C. To reduce the closing time of the BOP functions
D. To replace the drilling fluid WHEN performing the weekly BOP tests

426. Cement has been pumped inside the casing and is being displaced into position with mud. What
should happen to active pit level during this stage of the operation?
A. Pit level will decrease
B. Pit level will stay constant
C. Pit level will increase

427. While circulating out a kick the pressure response on the drill pipe becomes increasingly difficult
to maintain (regardless of choke position) and it appears that the pit volumes are going down.
What is happening downhole?
A. The kick is migrating faster than it is being circulated
IADC DRILLING

B. The drill pipe is becoming plugged

C. Lost circulation and possible underground flow is occurring
D. The choke is washed

428. A Pressure While Drilling (PWD) toll in the bottom hole assembly can provide information that
indicates a reduction in ECD during drilling operations. What might cause the reduction in ECD
while drilling?
A. A change in rate of penetration (ROP)
B. An increase in overbalance due to a formation pressure increase
C. A reduction of hydrostatic pressure with formation fluid contaminating the mud in the
annulus
D. A change in wellbore azimuth and elevation

429. What is the objective of the 2nd circulation of the driller’s method?
A. Circulated out the influx while displacing the drill string and annulus with kill weight mud
B. Circulate out the influx using original mud weight
C. Displace drill string and annulus with kill weight mud

430. What is a ‘flow-check’?

A. Monitoring the number of barrels that flow back to the pits at a connection
B. Observing the well for flow after the pumps have been shut down
C. Monitoring the time it takes for the flowline to drain back to the pits at a connection
D. Observing the number of barrels it takes to keep the hole full after pulling 10 stands

431. Which of the following statement about fixed bore ram type BOP is correct?
A. Fixed bore ram type BOP’s cannot be used to hang off the drill string
B. Fixed bore ram type BOP’s are designed to contain and seal rated working pressure from
above the closed ram as well as from below
C. Fixed bore ram type BOP’S can close and seal on various pipe size
D. Fixed bore ram type BOP’s are designed to contain rated working pressure only from
below the closed ram

432. What is bottom hole pressure (BHP)

A. The total pressure exerted on the bottom of the hole
B. The total pressure exerted by the pumps
C. The formation pressure at the bottom of the hole

433. When stripping into the hole which of the following will maintain a constant bottom hole
pressure? (Assume there is no influx migration).
A. Bleed off the drill pipe steel displacement while stripping each stand
B. Pump a volume of mud into the well equal to the drill steel displacement while stripping
each stand
IADC DRILLING

C. Pump a volume of mud into the well equal to the drill pipe closed end displacement while
stripping each stand
D. Bleed off the drill pipe closed end displacement while stripping each stand

434. A 500- foot long cement plug is set inside the casing shoe. All mud above the plug is to be
displaced with brine. Mud density below the cement plug = 11.8 ppg.
Brine = 8.6 ppg
Top of cement plug = 8200 feet
What is the pressure differential across the cement plug ?
A. 1407 psi
B. 1671 psi
C. 1364 psi
D. 1447 psi

435. What gauge is used to record The Slow Circulating Rate (SRC) pressure?
A. The casing pressure gauge on the choke control panel
B. The casing pressure gauge at the stand pipe manifold
C. The pump pressure gauge at the mud pump
D. The drill pipe pressure gauge on the choke control panel

436. A kill operation has just started when the hook load suddenly drops calculations show that the
string has parted approximately 2000 feet above the BHA. During this downtime you observe
gas migration. What action can you take to restore primary control?
A. Increase the pump rate until influx is above the washout. Then reduce the pump rate
B. Continue pumping the kill fluid at the initial slow circulating rate
C. Stop pumping and locate washout by pumping fluorescent fluid down the string
D. Stop pumping, control the well using the volumetric method until the influx is above the
washout. Then resume pumping operation

437. On surface tack rig, a salt-water kick with no associated gas was encountered and the well was
shut in. if drill string has drill pipe and drill collars, when will the surface casing pressure be
maximum during the well kill?
A. When the kick is in the portion of the annulus that maximizes its height
B. When kick reaches the surface
C. When kill mud reaches bit
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D. When kick is just below the shoes

438. Pump speed is increased during a kill and bottom hole pressure is kept constant. What should
happen to pump pressure?
A. Pump pressure should decrease
B. Pump pressure should stay the same
C. Pump pressure should increase

439. If the well is flowing during a connection and ballooning is suspected, what is the safest and
most conservative action the driller should take?
A. Stop further drilling and circulate bottoms-up at the slow circulating rate
B. Follow shut-in procedures, record pressures, pit gain, and then notify supervisor
C. Measure the time it takes for 5 bbls of mud to flow into the trip tank, and then shut in the
well
D. Complete the connection and resume drilling operations to stop the flow

440. What is the term for the total pressure felt at the bottom of the well bore when the well is being
circulated?
A. Pump pressure
B. Hydrostatic pressure
C. Total system pressure loss
D. Bottom hole pressure

441. When should you do a leak off test?

A. Before drilling out the casing shoe
B. After drilling out of the casing shoe and between 10 and 50 feet of new formation
C. Before running the casing
D. Immediately after running and cementing the casing

442. You are circulating down the drillstring and back up the annulus. Which of the following affects
bottom hole pressure?
A. Annular pressure loss
B. Drillstring pressure loss surface line pressure loss
C. Bit pressure loss

443. During a casing and cementing operation, the cement pump is pumping cement down the
casing. What should happen to the active pit level during this stage of the operation?
A. Pit level will increase
B. Pit level will stay constant
C. Pit level will decrease
IADC DRILLING

444. During the first circulation of the driller’s method, the casing pressure starts to decrease and
after the lag time the drill pipe pressure starts to decrease. What could be the problem?
A. Choke plugged
B. Drill string washout
C. Choke is washing-out
D. Plugged bit nozzle

445. When drilling in the transition zone to an abnormally pressured formation, what changes may
you expect to see in the mud when circulated to the surface?
A. Decrease in cuttings volume
B. Increase mud weight
C. Decrease mud weight
D. Decrease in gas content

446. Which of the following indicators may warn of an increase in formation pressure?
A. ROP
B. Rotary torque
C. RPM
D. All of the above

447. The 1st circulation of the driller’s method has been complicated correctly an the pumps shut
down. What should the shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) and shut-in casing pressure (SICP)
read? No safety as held.
A. SICP and SIDPP will both be equal to the original SIDPP
B. The SIDPP will be lower than the SICP
C. SICP and SIDPP will be equal to one another and equal to the well’s original SICP
D. The SIDPP will be higher than the SICP

448. On which two gauges on the remote BOP panel would you expect to see a pressure drop while
the annular preventer is closing?
A. Annular pressure and manifold pressure
B. Air pressure and manifold pressure
C. Manifold pressure and accumulator pressure
D. Accumulator pressure and annular pressure

449. Casing is run the hole with a non-return float assembly. What can happen if the casing is not
kept full?
A. Casing joint just above the float assembly will burst
B. Hook load will suddenly decrease
C. Float may full causing mud to u-tube up inside the casing
D. Casing close to surface will burst
 IADC DRILLING

450. Assuming no float valve in the string, if the shut-in pressure are 600 psi SIDPP and psi Sicp and
both start rising slowly while the kill mud is mixed for a wait and weight kill, what type of influx
is in the well?
A. Salt water
B. Oil
C. gas
D. Fresh water

451. What should a driller do after a drilling break?

A. Circulate bottom-up
B. Check for flow
C. Reduce the weight on the bit
D. Reduce the pump speed

452. A 30.0 bbl 14.5 ppg slug is pumped prior to stripping out of the hole. Mud weight is 12.3 ppg.
What mud volume, in addition to the slug volume, should we expect returned due to the slug
u-tubing into position?
A. 5.96 bbls
B. 6.35 bbls
C. 5.36 bbls
D. 7.35 bbls

453. Why is it important to detect a kick as early as possible?

A. To reduce kill weight mud required to kill the well
B. To prevent gas expansion as it is circulated up the annulus
C. To allow the volumetric method to be used
D. To reduce risk of formation breakdown during the kill
E. To minimize surface casing pressure during the kill

454. A rig drilled 1000 feet since a Slow Circulating Rate Pressure (SCR) was recorded. A kick was
taken and shut-in. the plan was to circulate the influx out with the Driller’s method. A correct
pump start up procedure was carried out. What would be the actual Initial Circulating Pressure
(ICP) be compared to a pre-calculated ICP?
A. Higher
B. The same
C. Lower

455. The 1st circulation of the driller’s method has been completed correctly and the pumps shut
down. What should the shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) and shut-in casing pressure (SICP)
read? No safety was held.
A. SICP and sidpp will both be equal to the original SIDPP
B. SICP and SIDPP will be equal to one another and equal to the well’s original SICP
IADC DRILLING

C. The SIDPP will be lower than the SICP

D. The SIDPP will be higher than the SICP

456. Based on the information below, what will happened to casing shoe pressure if the wait and
weight method is used instead of the driller’s method?
Well information

Hole depth – 10000 feet

Shoe depth – 8830 feet
Surface to bit strokes – 1630 strokes
Bit to shoe strokes – 1300 feet
Bit to surface strokes – 6480 stokes
SIDPP – 500 psi
SICP – 800 PSI
Current fluid weight – 10.3 ppg
Kill fluid density – 11.3 ppg
MAASP 1300 psi
Pit gain – 28 bbl
Shoe pressure will be the same

457. A washout in the drill string develops during a kill. What happens to the drill pipe pressure?
It decreases

458. You are drilling ahead with a 12¼-inch bit with an average ROP of 45 feet/hour. For the last 60
minutes there has been no change to the pit level. What may be happening downhole?
A. All is good as the pit level is constant
B. You may be losing some mud to the formation
C. You may be gaining some formation fluid

459. While doing your daily rounds during drilling operations you notice the gauges in the BOP
accumulator system show the following readings. What do you think?

A. The pressure switch controlling the pump has not shut the pump down
B. Everything is ok
IADC DRILLING

C. Annular pressure regulator is set too high

D. A malfunction in the annular regulator

460. What can happen if you exceed maximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAASP)?
Formation may fracture

461. What is a reason for having stored under pressure in the accumulator bottles on the hydraulic
BOP control unit?
To reduce the closing time of the BOP functions

462. What is the main reason for a pit drill?

To ensure the crew is able effectively recognize and react to a kick

463. While conducting a flow check after a drilling break, the trip tank increases by 2 barrels in 4
minute. What action should be taken?
Shut well in

464. The rig team ha sjust calculated kick tolerance for range of kick intensities, and the kick
tolerance window is provided below

The rig team predicts a maximum 1 ppg kick in this hole section. From the graph above
determine how many bbls they could close in on and successfully circulate out without breaking
down the shoe?
17 bbls
19 bbls

465. Who has the authority to shut in the well without waiting for permission?
IADC DRILLING

Driller

466. How is Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) affected when there are cuttings in the annulus?
A. The BHP will decrease
B. The BHP will increase
C. The BHP will stay the same

467. When killing a well why is a vacuum degasser not used in placed of a Mud/Gas Separator?
A. Because it has volume limitations
B. Because it can only remove gas in solution
C. Because it is not located in an explosion proof area
D. Because cuttings must be removed first

468. What happens to the gas volume in the well bore as a gas kick is circulated out properly from
the well?
A. Gas volume will stay the same
B. Gas volume will decrease
C. Gas volume will increase

469. Which is fundamental objective when circulating out a kick?

A. Pump at a kill rate equal to or greater than drilling rate
B. Reverse-circulate to remove influx faster
C. Hold formation fluid pressure as close to MAASP as possible
D. Maintain constant bottom hole pressure at least equal to formation pressure

470. Why is it important the pit volume during a well control operation?
A. To tell you when to adjust drill pipe pressure
B. To maintain bottom hole pressure constant
C. To tell you when to adjust pump speed
D. To check for mud losses

471. While drilling ahead and recording high connections gas levels, there is power failure that
eliminates the ability to circulate and rotate. What is the safest action to take?
A. Work pipe up and down to prevent stuck pipe
B. Space out and shut-in and monitor for pressure build-up in the well
C. Pull out to the casing shoe and work the pipe up and down
D. Line up to trip tank and monitor the well

472. What equipment is specific to a shut-in operation with casing?

A. A suitable crossover (swage)
B. Dart sub
C. Check valve
IADC DRILLING

D. Inside blow out preventer (IBOP)

473. Which of the following statements is true when starting to pump kill mud?
The surface line volume (pump to standpipe) needs to be accounted for in the kill plan

474. What changes in pump pressure will be seen after one complete circulation if the mud weight is
increased?
The pump pressure will increase

475. Which type of valve would be made up to the drilll pipe if the well kicks while tripping?
Full opening safety valve

476. Your current mud weight (MW) is 11.5 ppg You were instructed to pump a 33 bbl slug weighing
13.5 ppg. Your drill pipe capacity is 0.0178 bbls/ft. how many feet dry pipe will you have after
pumping?
342 feet

477. What type of drilling conditions can make kick detection more difficult for the driller?
Drilling low permeability formations with oil based muds

478. You are drilling ahead at 80 feet/hour.

Bit diameter = 12 ¼ inches
Open hole capacity = 0.1458 bbls/foot
Casing capacity = 0.152 bbls/foot
Drill pipe capacity = 0.0178 bbls/feet
Drill pipe displacement = 0.008 bbls/feet

Pit level has decreased 23 bbls in the last hour

What action would you take?
Inform supervisor that you have partial losses

479. Which of the following statements about ring gaskets is correct?

Type BX ring gaskets provides a pressure energized seal

480. A rig crew is stripping in the hole using the Volumetric technique. The company representative
decides to use the barrel-in/barrel-out stripping technique even though the influx is migrating.
What is one potential risk associated with using the barrel in/ barrel out stripping technique
when a migrating gas kick is in a well?
IADC DRILLING

A. This technique increases the hook load and may require snubbing of the drill string when close
to bottom
B. This technique allows gas to expand, and as a result, an underbalanced condition is created
that could lead to another influx
C. This technique does not allow gas to expand and will result in an overbalanced condition that
could fracture the well’s weak point

481. The drill pipe pressure gauge on the remote choke reads 450 psi. The drill pipe pressure gauge
on the standpipe manifold reads 640 psi. What gauge should be used to calculate kill mud
weight?
Neither gauge, investigate the difference first

482. What is the purpose of the recommended ‘start-up’ procedure on a surface stack rig?
To ensure correct bottom hole pressure is maintained

483. You shut in a well on a kick with the bit on-bottom. Which pressure gauge reading do you use to
calculate the formation pressure?
A. The casing pressure gauge on the choke panel
B. The drill pipe pressure gauge on the Driller’s panel
C. The drill pipe pressure gauge on the choke panel
D. The choke manifold pressure gauge

484. What will happen to the bottom hole pressure if the gas influx is not allowed to expand as it
migrates up the hole?
A. Decrease
B. Increase
C. Stay the same

485. When running casing with a self-fill float assembly, what would indicate that the self-fill
assembly was plugged and the casing was not filling?
Trip monitoring would show deviations from planned volumes

486. Which of the following is true regarding kick detection during wireline operations?
The well should be put on the trip tank to monitor displacement as wireline is run in/out of the
hole

487. While doing your daily rounds during drilling operations you notice the gauges on the BOP
accumulator system show the following readings. What do you think?
IADC DRILLING

A. A leak in the annular preventer hydraulic system

B. A malfunction in the manifold regulator
C. Everything is O.K.
D. Possible leak in the system and the pressure switch controlling the pump has not operated

488. The well has been shut-in and the pressures are stabilizing. What is the first step that the Driller
should take?
Check the well is secure (no leaks)

489. A well is shut in on a kick and the shut-in pressures on the gauges have stabilized. The SIDPP
reads 350 psi and the SICP reads 900 psi. What is happening in the well?
The well is balanced; pressures at the bottom are balanced on both sides of the well

490. What is the function of vent/ bleed / straight through line in the choke manifold?
To bleed high volume of formation fluid by-passing the choke

491. Which of the following situations could result in a swabbed-in kick during a casing operation?
A. Use of a self-filling float that fails to convert
B. Use of lightweight cement after casing has been run
C. Failure to fill the casing while running in the hole
D. Pulling the casing back out after getting it stuck

492. Which kick indicator is normally detected first?

A. Pit gain increase
B. Trip tank increase
C. Pump pressure increase
D. Flow rate increase

493. Which of the following statements about killing a well is correct?

a. Keep BHP constant by holding shut in drill pipe constant at start-up
b. Keep BHP constant by controlling pump rate
c. Keep BHP at least equal to formation pressure
d. Keep BHP at least equal to initial circulating pressure
IADC DRILLING

494. What is a procedure to follow when using the Driller’s method?

A. With pumps running at kill rate, hold the surface pressure constant on the side of the U-tube
that has varying fluid density
B. Always pump kill mud on the first circulation
C. With pumps running at kill rate, hold the surface pressure constant on the side of the U-tube
that has the constant fluid density
D. Anytime you start, stop, or change pump speed, maintain DP pressure constant

495. When would you most likely carry out a flow check?
A. After the Driller has increased the Weight on Bit
B. After the BHA has been run-in past the BOP
C. Before starting to pull out of hole
D. Before the drill pipe is run-in past the BOP
E. Before the BHA is pulled up through the stack

496. Following the first circulation of the Driller’s Method, the pump is shut down. Bith Shut-in
Drillpipe Pressure (SIDPP) and Shut-in Casing Pressure (SICP) are equal to the original SIDPP.
Why do we still have shut-in pressure?
A. The pressure gauges are faulty
B. There is still influx in the annulus
C. Pressure was trapped during pump shut down
D. The kill weight fluid has not yet been pumped

497. The Mud Engineer starts the degasser and the desilter. What will happen to flow rate from the
well?
A. Flow rate will decrease after two to three minutes
B. Flow rate will increase after two to three minutes
C. Flow rate will stay the same

509. Convert 0.465 psi/ft. to a mud weight

a. 10.1 ppg
b. 8.3 ppg
c. 9.5 ppg
d. 8.9 ppg

510. What kill method requires mud weight to be increased before circulation can begin?
a. The wait and weight method
b. The drillers method
c. The volumetric method
d. The bullheading technique

511. What is the correct definition of equivalent circulating density (ECD)?

a. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the well bore by the mud hydrostatic minus
 IADC DRILLING

friction loss
b. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the well bore by the mud hydrostatic plus
annular friction loos
c. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the shoe at the leak off test
d. The equivalent mud weight exerted on the well bore by the mud hydrostatic

512. What is good practice for top-hole drilling?

a. Pump sweeps to aid hold cleaning
b. Keep the hole full
c. Trip out of the hole slowly
d. All of the above

513. Which of the following indications may warn of an increase in formation pressure?
a. RPM
b. TOP
c. Rotary torque
d. All of the above

514. What should you do if the choke line fails during a well kill operation?
a. Stop the pump and close the choke
b. Stop the pump and close a valve upstream of the failure
c. Continue to kill the well only if the influx is past the shoe
d. Stop the pumps and shear the pipe

515. Why are trips monitored when running pipe in and out of the hole?
a. To detect if the well is swabbing or surging
b. To keep the hole full of mud
c. To help pull dry pipe
d. To allow the driller to pull out faster

516. The slug is pumped into the drill pipe, the pump is shut down and the well is
shut in.Mud Weight = 11 ppg
Slug Weight = 13 ppg

Length of slug = 1000 feet

Well Depth (MD and TVD) = 8000 feet

What pressure will you see on the casing pressure gauge due to the u-tube effect?

a. 104 psi
b. 832 psi
c. 572 psi
d. 676 psi
 IADC DRILLING

517. What is the function of Blind

Rams?
a. As a back-up to the annular
b. To cut the drillstring and seal of the hole
c. To seal off the open hole
d. To hang-off the drillstring during a kill

518. Why is it important for crew members to immediately inform their driller if they see
anypotential well control problems?
a. To inform the driller to increase rate penetration
b. To allow the driller to switch on the pit and floe alarms
c. To help the driller identify and act to minimize the size of a kick
d. To inform the driller to increase tripping speed

519. What has to be checked before installation of any annular packing element?
a. Maximum pipe outside diameter
b. Desired hydraulic closing pressure
c. Type of hard-banding used
d. Type of mud to be used

520. Select the true statement for the master (“push to operate”) button or lever on the
remoteBOP pane
a. The valve is held for 5 seconds then released to allow function to operate
b. The master control valve or button must be operated continuously while attempting to
function a component on the remote BOP panel
c. When the valve is operated it moves the 3-position valve to close
d. When the valve is operated all panel lights illuminate

521. What will increase the risk of swabbing?

a. Spiral drill collars in the BHA
b. Pumping out of the hole
c. Low permeability formation
d. High gel strength mud
e. Balled up stabilizers

522. If a shallow-gas flow is detected while drilling surface hole, which of the following
actionsshould be taken at the same time as activating the diverter?
a. Increase pump rate
b. Switch off the pump
c. Direct flow to the mud-gas separator
d. Decrease pump rate

523. What will influence the test pressure recorded during a leak-off test?
 IADC DRILLING

a. Maximum pressure rating of mud pumping

b. The slow circulating rate
c. Mud density in the well
d. Volume of mud in the well

524. What is a positive drilling break?

a. The penetration of harder formation
b. A washout in the drillstring
c. A significant decrease in rate of penetration
d. A significant increase in rate of penetration

525. Why is it important to detect a kick as early as possible?

a. To prevent gas expansion as it is circulated up the annulus
b. To allow the volumetric method to be used
c. To reduce kill weight mud required to kill the well
d. To reduce risk of formation breakdown during the kill

526. On the following sample trip sheet, identify the first evidence of abnormal fill-up that
occurred (each stand group pulled = 5 stands and has a calculated displacement of 3.78
bbls).
Stand nk volume at uredHole fill atedhole fill fference tiveDifference
Group # start (bbls)
(bbls) (bbls) (bbls )
(bbls)
1 51 3.8 3.78
2 47.2 3.9 3.78
3 43.3 3.8 3.78
4 39.5 3.0 3.78
5 36.5 3.0 3.78 -1.4
6 33.5 2.8 3.78 -2.38
a. When pulling stand group 4
b. When pulling stand group 5
c. When pulling stand group 3
d. When pulling stand group 2
e. When pulling stand group 1

527. What is the main reason for a diverter drill?

a. To test the pit. Flow and trip tank alarms
b. To see how fast the driller can line to the mud gas separator
c. To ensure the crew are able to close in the well and prepare the kill mud
d. To ensure the crew is able to effectively recognize and react to a surface kick by
diverting fluids away from the rig

528. When you shut in a well after a kick, it can take 5-10 minutes or longer for the
 IADC DRILLING

pressure tobuild-up. What affects the time of this build-up?

a. Gas migration
b. The formation permeability
c. The friction losses
d. The formation porosity

529. The mud engineer starts the degasser and the desilter. What will happen to flow rate from
thewell?
a. Flow rate will stay the same
b. Flow rate will decrease after two to three minutes
c. Flow rate will increase after two to three minutes

530. A kick was swabbed in during a trip out of the hole. Why is it important to strip the pipe
backto bottom?
a. To allow the volume method to be used
b. To bullhead the influx back into formation
c. To determine if the kick is gas or water
d. To get below the influx and circulate it out

531. Before cutting the drilling line, with the bit at the casing shoe, with item of equipment
mus beinstalled to improved well control capability?
a. Drop in check valve inside blowout preventer
b. Circulating head
c. Circulating head
d. Full opening safety valve

532. While drilling a long horizontal section of a well, a 10 bbl pit gain was observed and the
wellwas shut in. after shut in, it was noted that SIDPP and SICP were approximately the
same. What can we assume from these pressures?
a. This is a probably a result of surging in the well
b. This is probably ballooning
c. This is a salt-water influx
d. Influx is in the horizontal section of the well

533. You run back to the shoe and carry out a slip-and-cut on the drilling line. The
operationnormally takes 60 minutes. What is the best way to monitor the well?
a. Line up to mud pits and inform mud logger to monitor gains
b. Shut in well and record pressure every 15 minutes
c. Line up to trip tank and set trip tank alarm
d. Install a safety valve in the drill string, line up to the trip tank and set the alarm

534. In which of the following situation is it an advantage to use a float valve in the drill string?
a. To allow reverse circulation
 IADC DRILLING

b. To avoid back-flow while tripping or during a connection

c. To reduce surge pressure
d. To read the drill pipe following a well kick

535. If total losses occurred while drilling with based mud, what should be done?
a. Drill blind
b. Stop drilling, fill the annulus from the top with water, and monitor
c. Stop drilling, shut the well in, and see what happens
d. Pump lost circulation material immediately

536. What is the only function of a diverter?

a. To create a back pressure sufficient to stop formation fluid entering the wellbore
b. To shut in a shallow kick
c. To act as a backup system if the annular preventer fails
d. To direct formation fluids away from the rig floor

537. A well is shut in- in with stabilized SICP of 500psi and 0psi on the drill pipe gauge. To
obtain the SIDPP, the driller pumped at 5 SPM until the float as bumped and pump shut
down. Thegauges are now reading the following pressure. What is the actual SIDPP?

a. 500 psi
b. 280 psi
c. 580 psi
d. 360 psi

538. What is the called when there is difference in hydrostatic pressure between the drill
stringand the annulus and the fluid tries to reach a ‘balance’ point?
a. Slug pressure
b. U-tubing
c. Fluid level drop
d. Balanced mud column
 IADC DRILLING

539. When running in the hole with casing, what is a benefit of routine fill-ups?
a. To minimize surge pressure when running in
b. To reduce hook load and wear on the drilling line
c. To provide hydrostatic support to the casing and related components
d. To prevent casing burst due to high internal pressure

540. What do ’heaving’ (sapling) Shales or ‘caving’ seen at the shakers normally indicate?
a. Ballooning formations
b. A kick has been taken
c. Increasing gas content in the formation
d. Increasing formation pressure

541. A reduced mud weight can create an underbalance and cause a kick. How can
mudhydrostatic in the well be reduced?
a. Isolating water or base oil from the active mud system
b. Adding barite to the mud
c. Running the deg0asser
d. Running mud centrifuges for too long

542. After the first circulation of the driller’s method the well is shut-in. what should the
shut inpressures read all the influx was circulated out successfully?
a. SIDPP greater than original SICP
b. SICP greater than original SIDPP
c. SIDPP equal to original SICP
d. SICP equal to original SIDPP

543. Assuming no float valve in the string, if the shut-in pressure are 600 psi SIDPP and 800 psi
SICP and both start rising slowly while the kill mud is mixed for a wait and weight kill,
what type ofinflux is In the well?
a. Gas
b. Fresh water
c. Salt water
d. Oil

544. What effect does increasing temperature have on fluid density?

a. It will reduce the fluid density
b. There is no effect on fluid density
c. It will increase the fluid density

545. What is the most common cause of abnormally high formation pressure worldwide?
a. Limestone fractures
b. Depleted sands
c. Trapped fluid under an impermeable shale
d. Carbonate layers

546. What can cause the well to go underbalance in top-hole formations?

a. Pumping out of the hole on trips
 IADC DRILLING

b. Regularly pumping high viscosity sweeps to keep the hole clean

c. High pressure shallow gas formations
d. Normally pressured formation

547. While drilling, the well is losing mud at 15 bbls per hours. At the connection, the well
is flowing. When the pumps are restarted mud losses occur again. What could be
happeningdownhole?
a. The formation is definitely not ballooning
b. The mud is u-tubing due to different weights in the string and annulus
c. Swabbing is occurring when making the connection
d. The well is overbalanced while drilling and underbalanced at the connection

548. While drilling ahead and recording high connection gas levels, there is a power failure
thateliminates the ability to circulate and rotate. What is the safest action to take?
a. Space out and shut-in and monitor for pressure build-up in the well
b. Pull out to the casing shoe and work the pipe up and down
c. Work pipe and down to prevent stuck pipe
d. Line up to trip tank and monitor the well

549. Calculate the time required the circulate surface to bit

strokes if:Pump displacement = .121 bbls per storke
 IADC DRILLING

Pump speed – 40 strokes per

minuteDrill string volume = 167
bbls
a. 330 minute
b. 1380 minute
c. 4.2 minute
d. 34.5 minute

550. How does gas cut mud affect bottom hole pressure?
a. It stays the same
b. There will be a small decrease
c. There will be a large decrease

551. On a surface stack rig what pressure is maintained constant as the pump rate is
increased tokill rate?
a. Fracture pressure
b. Casing pressure
c. Drill pipe pressure
d. Final circulating pressure

552. When pumping the first circulation of the driller’s method, what happened to mud pit
volumeas the gas is circulated up the hole?
a. It will stay the same
b. It will decrease
c. It will increase

553. What can happen downhole as cement sets?

a. Hydrostatic pressure can reduce and cause a kick
b. Cement can swell and cause casing to collapse
c. Hydrostatic pressure can increase and cause losses
d. Cement can increase downhole temperature and damage rubber goods

554. You have run back to the float shoe after a casing and cement job. The instructions are to
circulate the hole clean before drilling out the shoe. Why should you monitor the pit and
flowlevels during this operation?
a. To determine when bottom-up circulation is complete
b. To monitor for thermal expansion of the cement
c. To check that the float shoe is not leaking
d. To monitor for losses as any extra cement is cleaned out of the well

555. When testing a surface BOP stack with a test plug, why must the side outlet valves below
theplug be kept in the open position?
 IADC DRILLING

a. Because the test will create extreme hook loads

b. To prevent a pressure lock
c. Because of potential damage to wellhead/casing/open hole
d. Because reverse circulation will be needed to release test plug

556. The results of a flow check are inconclusive due to the small volume of returns from the
well.Which of the following is the most accurate way to determine if the well is flowing?
a. Shut the diverter and monitor for flow from the vent line
b. Pull 5 stands and watch the well to see if it fills up
c. Line up to the trip tank and monitor for gains or losses
d. Close in the well and line up through the mud gas separator and monitor for flow at the
shakers

557. While tripping into the hole at 6,000 feet, a flow check is positive. The rig procedure is to
shut the well in using the soft shut in procedure. What is the correct procedure to shut
in?
a. Open HCR valve and choke. Close BOP stab full opening safety valve. Close choke
b. Close the BOP, stab full opening safety valve, close the safety valve, open choke, close
choke, record pressure
c. Stab full opening safety valve, open HCR valve and choke, close BOP, close choke, close
safety valve, record pressure
d. Stab a full opening safety valve, close the safety valve, open HCR valve, close BOP, close
choke

558. During a drilling operation, you are pumping a heavy mud pill into the drill string. When
willbottom hole pressure start to increase (ignore dynamic pressure losses in the
annulus)?
a. Once all the pill is inside the drillstring
b. Once all the pill is in the annulus
c. Once the pill starts to be displaced into the annulus
d. As soon as the pill is pumped into the drillstring

559. What term means “an uncontrolled flow of formation fluids at surface or mud line”?
a. Lost circulation
b. Kick
c. Fractured formation
d. Blowout

560. What is the generally accepted minimum number of barriers that must be in place and
testedfor most drill operation?
a. 4
b. 2
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c. 1
d. 3

561. How does an increase in mud weight affect the slow circulating rate pressures?
a. there is no change because the friction losses are all in the drill pipe
b. the friction pressure decrease with higher mud weight
c. the friction pressure increase with higher mud weight

562. If you cannot confirm that trip displacement are correct when pulling out of the hole,
whatshould you do?
a. Empty the trip tank to correct for the fluid displacement
b. Check your trip data from the previous well and if it only a few barrels different, then
keep pulling
c. Notify supervisor, prepare to run back to bottom and circulate bottoms up
d. Pump a heavy slug and return to bottom

563. What is the function of blind rams?

a. To seal off the open hole
b. As a back-up to annular
c. To hang-off the drillstring during a kill
d. To cut the drilldtring and seal off the hole

564. What is a negative (reverse) drilling break?

a. A washout in the drill string
b. A significant increase in rate of penetration
c. A significant decrease in the hook load
d. A significant decrease in rate of penetration

565. While preparing to circulate kill weight mud, the gas bubble begins to migrate. If no
action is taken, what will happen to bottom-hole pressure?
a. Decrease
b. Remain approximately the same
c. Increase

566. What is the generally accepted minimum number of barriers that must be in place and
tested for most drilling operation?
a. 4
b. 3
c. 2
d. 1

567. The flow sensor shows a total loss of returns and the mud level can not be seen in the
annulus.What immediate action should be taken?
 IADC DRILLING

a. Continue drilling ahead cautiously

b. Prepare to top-fil the annulus with water (or lightest mud available), and record volume
c. Pump at reduced rate adding lost circulation material
d. Shut the well in and pump lost circulation material

568. When testing a surface BOP stack with a test plug, why must the side outlet valves below
the plug be kept in the open position?
a. Because of potential damage to wellhead/casing hole
b. Because reverse circulation will be needed to release test plug
c. To prevent a pressure lock
d. Because the test will create extreme hook loads

569. What cloud happen if gas migrate after a well is shut in and the shut in pressure have stabilized,
(no float valve in string)?
a. Both drill pipe and annulus pressure will increase
b. Only the drill pipe pressure will increase
c. Only the annulus pressure will increase
d. Shut in pressure will remain constant

570. What action should a driller take if sudden increase in mud gas level is recorded?
a. Stop drilling circulate bottoms-up, record gas levels and inform your supervisor
b. Request mud engineer to increase mud weight by 0.3 ppg
c. Increase rate of penetration to minimize the warning signs
d. Check for flow and call supervisor

571. Why is it good practice to monitor flow rate and pit levels when pumping and displacing
cement?
a. To indicate that the cement displacement is in ‘turbulent’ flow
b. To detect for gains or losses
c. To indicate when to cement u-tube is balanced
d. To monitor for correct displacement of the cement

572. While drilling, the well is losing mud at 15 bbls per hour. At the connection, the well is
flowing. When the pumps are restarted mud losses occur again. What could be
happening downhole?
a. The well is overbalanced while drilling and underbalanced at the connection
b. Swabbing is occurring when making the connection
c. The mud is u-tubing due to different weight in the string and annulus
d. The formation is definitely not ballooning

573. Formation strengths are generally weak when you drill top hole and you may have
total losses. How can you minimize this risk?
a. By pumping slowly to reduce the drill string pressure loss
 IADC DRILLING

b. By controlling the rate of penetration (ROP) to prevent loading the annulus with cuttings
c. By keeping a high overbalanced
d. By circulating returns up the choke line

574. You are tripping a tapered string out of the well. The larger diameter pipe is in the upper
part of the string. What will happen to trip tank volume as the ‘slug’ is being displaced
into the smaller diameter pipe?
a. The trip tank reading will indicate as the slug length gets longer
b. The trip tank will show same rate of change for both pipe diameters
c. There will be no change in trip tank level until all the slug has been displaced into the
small diameter pipe
d. The trip tank reading will indicate surging as the slug length gets shorter

575. The drill pipe pressure gauge on the remote choke panel reads 450 psi. the drill pipe
pressure gauge on the standpipe manifold reads 650 psi. what gauge should be used to
calculate kill mud weight?
a. Neither gauge investigate the difference first
b. Use the average pressure of 500 psi to calculate
c. Calculate using 650 psi
d. Calculate using 450 psi

576. How do crewmembers usually monitor for mud contamination?

a. Flow check at each connection
b. Record weight on bit every 15 minutes
c. Take weight and viscosity measurements at shakers and suction pit
d. Review mud engineer report every 8 hours

577. To what pressure must be drill string safety valves be tested?

a. To the current bottom hole pressure
b. 50% of the ram test pressure
c. To the same rated working pressure as the Kelly/top drive
d. To the same pressure are the BOP

578. What Is the main reason for a diverter drill?

a. To see how fast the driller can line up from the vent line to the mud gas separator
b. To test the pit, flow and trip tank alarms
c. To ensure the crew is able to effectively recognize and react to a surface kick by
diverting fluids away from the rig
d. To ensure the crew are able to close in the well and prepare the kill mud

579. What is a hydrostatic barrier?

a. A column of fluid that exerts a greater pressure than the formation pressure
b. Pressure of fluid in a pipe ram closing chamber that maintains a seal on a shut-in well
 IADC DRILLING

c. A mechanical seal inside the casing or wellbore to isolate potential flow

d. Cement located in the open-hole or casing to isolate different zones

580. How does gas cut mud affect bottom hole pressure?
a. There will be a large decrease
b. It stays the same
c. There will be a small decrease

581. What is the immediate effect of swabbing?

a. there are losses
b. there is a kick
c. there is a reduction in bottom hole pressure
d. there is an increase in bottom hole pressure

582. The well has been shut-in and the pressure are stabilizing. What is the first stop that the
drillershould take?
a. Check the drillpipe pressure to determine formation pressure
b. Calculate kill weight fluid
c. Check the well is secure (no lead)
d. Record the pit gain

583. While drilling the top-hole section on a surface stack rig, a shallow gas flow is encountered.What
is the safest action to secure the safety of the rig and personnel on the rig?
a. Line the diverter up to the choke manifold activate the diverter system, and remove
non-essential personnel from the rig floor
b. Shut-in the well and prepare for kill operations immediately
c. Keep pumping mud into the well at the same SPM and circulate bottoms up
d. Activate the diverter system and follow rig-specific shallow gas plan

584. Which statement about ring gaskets is correct?

a. R & RX ring gaskets are the same shape
b. Lot of grease should be applied while fitting the ring gaskets
c. Ring gaskets are designed to be used many times
d. Only BX gaskets can be used for 6 BX flanges

585. Why is the drillers given authority to shut in a well without waiting for permission?
a. The driller can monitor well flow to allow a minimum 10 bbl gain
b. The driller has the ‘password’ to activate the BOP controls
c. The driller is the only person trained to kill the well
d. The driller is most qualified to be empowered to shut the well without delay and
consequently the kick size

586. What is the objective of the first circulations of the driller’s method?
 IADC DRILLING

a. Circulate out influx while displacing the drill string with kill weight fluid
b. Circulate out the influx using kill weight fluid with an added safety factor
c. Circulate out influx using kill weight fluid
d. Circulate out influx using the original fluid weight

587. What do ‘heaving’ (spalling) shales or ‘caving’ seen at shakers normally indicate?
a. Increase gas content in the formation
b. A kick has been taken
c. Ballooning formations
d. Increase formation pressure

588. What is the definition of abnormal formation pressure?

a. Pressure that equals the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of fresh water
b. Pressure that differs from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of formation
gas
c. Pressure that differs from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of formation
oil
d. Pressure that is greater than the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of
formation water

589. Why is it important to examine the mud as it flows across the shakers?
a. The type of cuttings what weight is needed
b. The type and amount of cuttings and cavings can indicate wellbore conditions
c. The type of cuttings determine whether to run the degasser or the centrifuge
d. The more cuttings and cavings at the shaker is an indication of good drilling practices

590. What is reason for having stored fluid under pressure in the accumulator bottles
on thehydraulic BOP control unit?
a. To operate the kill line valve
b. To operate the remote choke
c. To replace the drilling fluid when performing the weekly BOP tests
d. To reduce the closing time of the BOP functions
e. To close the BOP in the event of a power failure

591. While controlling a well by circulating out an influx, what pressure do we want to
keepconstant?
a. Bottom hole pressure
b. pump pressure
c. choke pressure
d. casing pressure

592. You are displacing cement down the inside of the casing with mud that is lighter than
the cement. What will happen to the pump pressure as the cement is circulated
 IADC DRILLING

from inside thecasing to outside the casing?

a. Pump pressure will stay the same
b. Pump pressure will start to increase
c. Pump pressure will start to decrease

593. A well kicks with the bit off bottom and you shut in. a decision is made to strip back
into thehole. What equipment needs to be on the top of the drill string before
striping in the hole?
a. An inside BOP
b. A full opening safety valve (closed)
c. A full opening safety valve (open) with an inside BOP installed on top
d. An inside BOP with a full opening safety valve (closed) on top

594. After the well is shut-in, what key data should be record?
a. Hook load
b. Rotary torque
c. Shut in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP)
d. Weight on bit

595. What affects the MAASP?

a. The viscosity and water loss of the mud
b. The maximum pump pressure
c. The gel strength of the mud
d. The mud weight in the hole

596. At 9,300 feet true vertical depth (TVD), your hydrostatic pressure is 5,175 psi. what is
yourmud weight?
a. 10.7 pg
b. 13.2 ppg
c. 9.8 pg
d. 11.5 ppg

597. What is the function of the choke in the choke manifold?

a. To bleed high volume of formation fluid
b. To create a back-pressure when killing the well
c. To prevent mud from flowing back into the annulus

598. Why is it important to keep the agitators running while circulating mud in pits?
a. To improve suction at the degasser
b. To be sure the mud Ph is maintained
c. To maintain uniform mud properties
d. To measure pit levels accurately
 IADC DRILLING

599. While drilling a long horizontal section of a well, a 10 bbl pit gain was observed and the
wellwas shut in. after shut in, it was noted that SIDPP and SICP were approximately
the same. What can we assume from these pressure?
a. This probably balloning
b. This is a salt-water influx
c. Influx is in the horizontal section of the well
d. This is probably a result of surging the well

600. Which of the following is likely to increase the risk of swabbing?

a. Pumping out of the hole
b. Pulling through tight hole with the pump on
c. Pulling pipe too slowly
d. Pulling pipe too quickly

601. What type of formation fluid can have a downhole density of less than 2.0 ppg?
a. Salt water
b. Gas
c. Fresh water
d. Oil

602. A rectangular mud tank has the

dimensions:Length 15 feet
Width 13 feet
Depth 10 feet
Calculate the bbls/foot of depth (use 5.615 to convert cubic feet barrels)

A. 34.7
B. 1095
C. 347
D. 36.4

603. You are drilling ahead holding weight on bit, rotary speed and pump rate constant. What
canbe a warning sign of abnormal pressure?
a. An increase trip level
b. An increase in rate of penetration
c. An increase in pump pressure
d. An increase in shale density

604. After functioning the annular preventer control to the closed position, the open light
goesout but the close light does not illuminate. The annular pressure gauge drops
then returns back to the correct pressure. What has happened?
IADC DRILLING

a. The close light circuit or bulb has failed

b. The hydraulic closing line to the BOP is plugged
c. There is leak in the hydraulic line to the BOP
d. The 4-way valve on hydraulic closing until failed to shift

605. How do you decrease the chance of swabbing in a kick

a. Pull pipe faster
b. Pull pipe slowly
c. Increase the mud viscosity
d. Decrease mud weight

606. What is a well control ‘barrier system” (envelope)?

a. Drilling fluid and the barite mixing system
b. A set of procedures that prevent the well from kicking
c. More than one barrier that act together to contain flow from the formation
d. A BOP stack and the control unit

607. Why is it important to flow check after a drilling break?

a. To geologist will want to take samples
b. To ‘re-cock’ the driiling jars
c. A drilling break is the main indicator that you have a kick
d. The formation permeability or pressure may have increase

608. What are the risks different when drilling into shallow gas zones with a diverter
systemcompared to taking a kick with the BOP installed?
a. Mud weight are normally higher when drilling top-hole, increasing the risk of losses
b. Shoe formations are more compact and stronger the deeper formations
c. Gas is not found are more compact and stronger than deeper formations
d. You cannot contain the pressure, formation fluids are vented at surface close to the rig

609. We are drilling ahead with a mud weight of 10.5 and the fluid level drops by 100 ft .
Calculatethe decrease in bottom hole pressure?
a. 62 psi
b. 55 psi
c. 52 psi
d. 65 psi

610. What happens to bottom hole pressure (BHP) when circulations is stopped
duringconnections? Disregard managed pressure drilling (MPD)
a. The BHP will decrease
b. The BHP increase by ECD then decreases
c. The BHP will stay the same
 IADC DRILLING

611. Why is the driller given authority to shut in a well without waiting for permission?
a. The driller has the ‘password’ to activate the BOP controls
b. The driller is the only person trained to kill the well
c. The driller can monitor well flow to allow a minimum 10 bbl gain
d. The driller is most qualified to be empowered to shut the well without delay and
consequently minimize the kick size

612. Which one below has the greatest hydrostatic pressure?

a. 16 ppg and 7,000 true vertical depth (TVD)
b. 13 ppg and 8,00 true vertical depth (TVD)
c. 10 ppg and 9,00 true vertical depth (TVD)

613. On which two gauges on the remote BOP panel would you expect to see a pressure
dropwhile the annular preventer is closing?
a. Accumulator pressure and annular pressure
b. Manifold pressure and accumulator pressure
c. Air pressure and manifold accumulator pressure
d. Annular pressure and manifold pressure

614. Two stands of drill collars are pulled from the well
(dry)Drill collar capacity =0.0073 bbls/feet
Drill collar metal displacement =0.0370 bbls/feet(one (1) stand = 90 feet)

How many barrels of drilling mud should be pumped into the well?

a. 5.5 bbls
b. 7.9 bbls
c. 1.3 bbls
d. 6.6 bbls

615. While drilling a long horizontal section of well, a 10 bbls pit gain was observed and well
wasshut in. after shut in, it was noted that SIDPP and SICP were approximately the
same. What can we assume from these pressure?
a. This is probably a result of surging the well
b. This is a salt-water influx
c. Influx is in the horizontal section of the well
d. This is probably ballooning

616. What kill method requires mud weight to be increased before circulation can begin?
a. The volumetric method
b. The bullheading technique
c. The driller’s method
d. The wait and weight method
IADC DRILLING

617. In a well with gas-cut mud, when is the reduction in bottom hole pressure greatest?
a. When the gas is at the bottom of the hole
b. When the gas is at the casing shoe
c. When the gas is half way up to the open hole section
d. When the gas is at the top of the well

618. Which of the following increase surge and swab pressure?

a. Reduced tripping speeds
b. Faster trip speeds
c. Pumping out of the hole
d. Conditioning the mud before trips

619. Mud weight = 10.5 ppg

Slug mud weight = 12.5 ppg
Volume of slug = 20 bbls
Non-tapered string
After the slug is pumped into the drill and flow stops, what will happen to the fluid level
of the slug as the drill string is pulled out of the hole?

a. Slug will rise

b. Slug will fall
c. Slug maintains same level

620. The maximum allowable mud weight based on the leak-off test (LOT) is ppg. The
density ofthe mud in the well is 12.9 ppg the TVD of the shoe 7,414 feet. What is the
maximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAAASP)
a. 1,470 PSI
b. 2,900 psi
c. 1,118 psi
d. 1,731 psi

621. What can happen downhole as cement sets?

a. Cement can increase downhole temperature and damage rubber goods
b. Hydrostatic pressure can increase and cause losses
c. Cement can swell and cause casing to collapse
d. Hydrostatic pressure can reduce and cause a kick

622. Why do drill crewmembers check mud weight at regular intervals?

a. To detect if mud needs more viscosifiers to be mixed
b. To ensure primary control is being maintained
c. To help mud engineer complete the mud report
 IADC DRILLING

d. To account for changes in pump pressure

623. What is good practice for top-hole drilling?

a. Trip out the hole slowly
b. Pump sweeps to aid hole cleaning
c. Keep the hole full
d. All to the above

624. After functioning the annular preventer control to the closed position, the open light
goesout but the close light does not illuminate. The annular pressure gauge drops then
returns back to the correct pressure. What has happed?
a. The hydraulic closing line to the BOP is plugged
b. The close light circuit or bulb has failed
c. There is a leak in the hydraulic line the BOP
d. The 4-way valve on hydraulic closing unit failed to shift

625. What would normally happen to pit volume if a gas influx is being circulated up hole?
a. Stay the same
b. Increase
c. Decrease

626. How can circulating bottoms-up affect the mud hydrostatic pressure?
a. Circulating bottoms-up requires base fluid to be added to the mud
b. Bottom-up is normally circulated at the slow circulating rate and the ECD is reduced
c. Circulating the drilled gas to surface will increase mud hydrostatic as it expands
d. Pumping clean mud into the annulus, to replace the mud with drilled cuttings canreduce
hydrostatic pressure in the well

627. While drilling, what is a sign that overbalance is decreasing?

a. An increase in connection gas
b. A reduction in back ground gas levels
c. A reduction in mud filtrate alkalinity
d. A decrease in torque

628. What is a mechanical well control ‘barrier’?

a. A piece of equipment or a practice that reduce the risk of mud losses
b. A procedure for removing a kick from the well
c. A piece of equipment that contains flow from the formation
d. A tool in the BHA that prevents the well from kicking

629. Your current mud weight is 11.5 ppg. You were instructed to pump a 35 bbl slug weighing
13.5 ppg. Your drill pipe capacity is 0.0178 bbls/foot. What is the total volume returned to
surface?
 IADC DRILLING

A. 41 bbls
B. 30 bbls
C. 62 bbls
D. 70 bbls

630. Why is it important to examine the mud as it flows across the shakers?
a. The type of cuttings what weight is needed
b. The type and amount of cuttings and cavings can indicate wellbore conditions
c. The type of cuttings determine whether to run the degasser or the centrifuge
d. The more cuttings and cavings at the shaker is an indication of good drilling practices

631. While controlling a well by circulating out an influx, what pressure do we want to
keepconstant?
a. Bottom hole pressure
b. pump pressure
c. choke pressure
d. casing pressure

632. On a surface stack rig, the driller brings the pump slowly on-line at the start of the kill
operation. What pressure must the coke operator hold constant during this
operation?
a. Maximum allowable annular surface pressure
b. Shut-in drill pipe pressure
c. Slow circulating rate pressure
d. Casing pressure

635. Hydrostatic pressure is :

a. The pressure applied from annular pressure loss
b. The viscosity of stationary column of fluid
c. The pressure exerted by column of fluid at rest
d. The measured depth of a stationary column of fluid

636. How can mud agitation in the pits prevent a decrease in bottom hole pressure (BHP)?
a. Agitation causes mud viscosity chemical to settle and reduce mud gel strength
b. Agitation of mud causes barite setting
c. Agitation of mud prevents barite settling
d. Agitation of mud increase filtration downhole

637. Why should the well be shut in quickly after a kick has been detected?
a. To reduce the migration speed of the influx
b. To minimize the size of the influx
c. To minimize kill mud weight required
d. To minimize the shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP)
 IADC DRILLING

638. While circulating OUT A KICK, YOU WERE INSTRUCTED TO DECREASE THE pump rate
from 25 SPM to 20 SPM. The final circulating pressure (FCP) is 320 psi at 25 SPM.
What will be the newapproximate final circulating pressure (FCP) at 20 SPM?
a. 485 Ppsi
b. 205 psi
c. 500 psi
d. 256 psi

639. While conducting a flow check after a drilling break the trip tank increase by 2 barrels
in 4minutes. What action should be taken?
a. Start circulating bottoms up
b. Shut the well in
c. Monitor the well for another 4 minutes to check if well is still flowing
d. Return to drilling as the gain is due to temperature changes downhole

640. What is secondary well control?

a. Monitoring pit levels
b. Increase mud hydrostatic pressure
c. Closing the BOP
d. Controlling ROP

641. What is the only function of diverter?

a. To shut in a shallow kick
b. To direct formation fluids away from the rig floor
c. To act as backup system if the annular preventer fails
d. To create a back pressure sufficient to stop formation fluids entering the wellbore

642. How do you decrease the chance of swabbing in kick?

a. Increase the mud viscosity
b. Pul pipe faster
c. Pull pipe slowly
d. Decrease mud weight

643. Which of the following indicators warn of an increase in formation pressure?

a. RPM
b. Rotary torque
c. RIDP
d. All of the above

644. Why is it important for the driller to know when mud in being transferred into or out
of theactive system?
a. To line up return through the desilters to improve mud mixing
b. To know when to operate the pit agitators to prevent barite falling out the mud
c. To recognize if there are gains and losses due to a kick or lost circulations
d. To start bottom-up circulation to clean the hole before new mud is pumped
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645. The maximum allowable mud weight based on the leak off test (LOT) IS 15.8 ppg.
The density of the mud in the well is 12.9 ppg. The TVD of the shoe IS 7,414
feet. What is themaximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAASP)?
a. 1,118 psi
b. 1,470 psi
c. 2,900 psi
d. 1,731 psi

646. What can cause abnormal pressure in top-hole sediments?

a. Cement contamination of formation fluids
b. High rates of penetration in soft formation
c. Top-hole sediments charged-up from deeper formations
d. Density of sweater acting on the wellbore

647. The driller pumps down the drill pipe and back up the annulus at reduced
strokes perminute (SPM). what is the name for this recorded pressure?
a. The surface line pressure loss
b. The slow circulating rate pressure
c. The annular pressure loss
d. The bit nozzle pressure loss

648. Casing is run in the hole with a non-return float assembly. What can happen if the
casing is not kept full?
a. Casing close to surface will burst
b. Casing joint just above the float assembly will burst
c. Float may fall causing mud to u-tube up inside the casing
d. Hook load will suddenly decrease

649. what is the maximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAASP)?

A. The maximum pressure allowed on the drill pipe gauge during a kill operation
B. The total pressure applied at the shoe that will cause losses
C. The total surface pressure that will cause losses to the formation on top of the mud hydrostatic
pressure
D. The maximum allowable bottom hole pressure during a kill operation

650. How does drilling into an abnormal pressure formation affect primary well control?
 IADC DRILLING

A. Increase the hydrostatic pressure overbalance

B. Increase surge pressure when tripping
C. Reduces the hydrostatic pressure overbalance
D. Will make kick detection more difficult

651. When bringing the pumps up to kill speed the casing pressure is allowed to increase above shut
in casing pressure, what will happen to bottom hole pressure?
A. Bottom hole pressure would decrease and possibly cause more influx to enter the wellbore
B. No change to downhole pressure
C. Bottom hole pressure would increase and may exceed formation fracture

652. What is happening downhole if the well flowing with the pumps off, but no pit gain is observed
when the pumps are running?
A. The mud hydrostatic pressure is greater that the formation pressure when the pumps are on
B. The annular pressure loss is creating an overbalance against formation pressure when the pumps
are on
C. The pump pressure is greater than the mud hydrostatic pressure
D. There is a low mud weight inside the drill string when the pumps are off

653. Over pull while tripping out is a stuck pipe warning sign. What well control problem may be
associated with overpull?
A. Losses
B. Swabbing
C. Surging
D. hydrogen sulfide

654. While drilling ahead at constant of penetration (ROP), the cutting load across the shakers
increased and the shale shakers cannot handle the amount of cutting returning from the well.
What is the safest thing to do?
A. Check for flow – if there is none, continue drilling at the same ROP
B. Check for flow – if there is none, circulate bottoms up at a reduced rate so that the shakers can
handle the cutting volume
C. Check for flow –if there is none, continue at the same ROP. Allow half of the mud returns to by-
pass the shakers
D. Slow down the mud pump until the shakers can handle the amount of cuttings in the returns
and continue drilling

655. Casing is run in the hole with a non-return float assembly. The casing is not being filled. With the
shoe at 3000 feet, the float assembly fails and mud u-tubes up inside the casing. What will
happen to the bottom hole pressure (BHP)?
A. Bottom hole pressure will remain the same since the mud volume in the hole has not changed
B. Bottom hole pressure will stay the same due to the u-tube effect
C. Bottom hole pressure will increase
D. Bottom hole pressure will decrease
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656. What pressure must be kept in the annular BOP closing chamber during stripping operation?
A. 300 psi less that the Pipe Ram closing pressure
B. The minimum pressure that allows the toll joint to go through the packing with a loss of
30.000lbs of hook load
C. Minimum 500 psi
D. The minimum pressure to maintain a seal
657. Whiel doing your daily rpunds during drilling operations you notice tha gauges on the BOP
accumulator system show the following readings. What do you think?

A. Possible leak in the system and the pressure switch controlling the pump has not operated
B. A leak in the annular preventer hydraulic system
C. A malfunction in the manifold regulator
D. Everything O.K

658. What do you do if the hole does not take the proper amount of fluid while tripping out of the
hole?
A. Flow check, if no flow continue for another five stands
B. Stab the full opening safety valve and circulate bottoms up
C. Stab the full opening safety valve and shut-in the well
D. Notify supervisor, prepare to run back to bottom and circulate bottoms up

659. You operate the annular preventer and the annular pressure gauge and accumulator gauge both
drop but do not return back to normal pressure. The charge is running continuously. What has
probably happened?
A. Waster valve was not operated
B. 3-position valve did not operate
C. Leak in the annular closing line
D. Close line is blocked

660. When would you expect dissolved gas in an oil-based mud to break out of solution?
A. As it is enters the wellbore at very high pressures
B. As it is passes through the casing shoe
C. As it moves around the bottom hole assembly (BHA)
D. As it gets closer to the surface
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661. Given the following information; calculate the displacement if 15 stands of drill pipe are run in
the hole with a float.
Drill pipe OD 5 inches
Drill pipe ID 4.276 inches
Drill pipe length 94 feet/stand
A. 2.3 bbls
B. 11.4 bbls
C. 8.3 bbls
D. 1.7 bbls

662. You have set a liner and are now circulating the well to clean mud before drilling out the liner
shoe. Where are potential leak paths to allow formation fluid to enter the well?
A. BOP closing chamber
B. Leaking liner lap or shoe
C. Drill String
D. BOP opening chamber

663. What is it called when formation pressure is the same as the hydrostatic pressure exerted on
the bottom of the hole?
A. Overbalanced
B. Underbalanced
C. Balanced

664. Fracture gradient of the formation is 0.853 psi/foot. What is the leak-off test equivalent mud
weight?
A. 14.7 ppg
B. 16.4 ppg
C. 16.5 ppg
D. 17.0 ppg

665. What is the definition of the term ‘top-hole’ drilling?

A. Drilling with RPM greater than 120
B. Drilling surface sediments before installing the BOP
C. Drilling surface sediments after installation of the BOP
D. Drilling with weight on bit greater than 40,000 lbs

666. After cementing casing the plan is to remove the BOP stack. When is it considered safe to start
this operation?
A. The planned waiting-on-cement time is complete and well is static
B. The well has not flowed for a 45-minute period since the cement was displaced into position
C. The cement has reached a minimum of a 100 psi compressive strength
D. The number of minute that is equal to the cement yield per sack multiplied by the cement density
 IADC DRILLING

667. Which statement about slow circulating rates (SCRs) is correct?

A. SCRs are needed to calculate formation pressure
B. SCRs should be taken with the bit at the shoe
C. SCRs should be taken through the choke manifold
D. SCRs should be taken when mud properties have changed

668. Why is it good practice during a well kill to monitor the top well on the trip tank?
A. To check for losses at the shoe
B. To check for a secondary influx during the kill
C. To check for leaks across the BOP
D. To monitor returns from the mud gas operator

669. What is a ‘flow-check’?

E. Monitoring the number of barrels that flow back to the pits at a connection
F. Observing the well for flow after the pumps have been shut down
G. Monitoring the time it takes for the flowline to drain back to the pits at a connection
H. Observing the number of barrels it takes to keep the hole full after pulling 10 stands

670. What is the objective of the second circulations of the driller’s method?
A. Displace the distring and annulus with original weight fluid
B. Displace the drillstring with kill weight fluid
C. Displace the annulus with kill weight fluid
D. Displace the drillstring and annulus with kill weight fluid

671. While drilling, the well is losing mud at 20 bbls per hour. At the connection the well is flowing.
When the pumps are restarted you begin to lose mud again. The driller decides to flow check
and the well is flowing. What is the safest action to take?
A. Flow check for 5 more minutes to see if the flow rate stops
B. Continue drilling because the well is ballooning
C. Shut the well in, monitor pressures, and notify the appropriate people
D. Shut in the well and bleed-off all pressure from the well

672. What changes in pump pressure will be seen after one complete circulation if the mud wweight
is increased?
A. The pump pressure will increase
B. The pump pressure will stay the same
C. The pump will decrease

673. What drilling practice might be considered when an increase in connection gas is record?
A. Reduce mud weight
B. Increase the mud viscosity
C. Pull out of hole and change the bit
D. Increase mud weight
 IADC DRILLING

674. Casing is run in the hole with a non-return float assembly. The casing is not being filled. With the
shoe at 3000 feet, the float assembly fails and mud u-tubes up inside the casing. What will
happen to the bottom hole pressure (BHP)?
E. Bottom hole pressure will remain the same since the mud volume in the hole has not changed
F. Bottom hole pressure will stay the same due to the u-tube effect
G. Bottom hole pressure will increase
H. Bottom hole pressure will decrease

675. Connection gas in the mud is a sign of what downhole problem?

A. The hydrostatic pressure of the mud has increased
B. The formations are getting harder and Rop is slower
C. The overbalance or safety margin is reducing
D. Conditions downhole are normal
E. The well is underbalanced at connections

676. Which of the following problems is associated with swabbing?

A. Influx of formation fluid into the well bore
B. Increase of bottom hole pressure (BHP)
C. Fracturing of the formation
D. Fluid loss to formation from the well bore

677. A kick was swabbed in during a trip out of the hole. Why is it important to strip the pipe back to
bottom?
A. To bullhead the influx back into the formation
B. To get below the influx and circulate it out
C. To allow the volumetric method to be used
D. To determine if the kick is gas or water

678. At which location should the casing pressure be read after shutting in on a kick?
A. At the casing shoe
B. At the drill pipe gauge on the standpipe manifold
C. At the remote choke panel gauge
D. At the mud pumps

679. What is the new approximate pump pressure at 50 strokes per minute (SPM) if the pressure was
425 psi at 42 SPM?
A. 602 psi
B. 300 psi
C. 357 psi
D. 506 psi

680. What is the main reason for a choke drill?

A. To ensure the crew is trained to line up correctly for a reverse circulation well kill
B. To see how fast the driller can close the choke in an emergency
C. To test that the choke is working correctly before drilling out the casing shoe
 IADC DRILLING

D. To help the crew understand how the choke and will pressure react during a kill operation
E. To allow the crew the opportunity to practice Choke skills

681. While conduction the first circulation of the Driller’s Method, the Derrickman states that the
barite supply is plugged. What action should be taken?
E. Continue circulating as long as current mud weight can be maintained
F. Wait until first circulation is complete then fix blockage
G. Instruct crew to add Bentonite to increase the mud weight
H. Inform supervisor to shut in well, as the problem will reduce bottom hole pressure during the
first circulation

682. Why is negative test performed on a cement plug or liner lap?

A. To check for flow from above the plug/liner lap
B. To check for flow from below the plug/liner lap
C. To squeeze cement into the line lap
D. To test if plug is hard enough to drill-out \

683. You are drilling ahead 80 feet/hour.

Bit diameter = 12 ¼ inches
Open hole capacity = 0.1458 bbls/foot
Casing capacity = 0.152 bbls/foot
Drill pipe capacity = 0.0178 bbls/foot
Drill pipe displacement = 0.008 bbls/foot
Pit level has decreased 23 bbls in the last hour what action would you take?
A. Continue drilling ahead, all is good with the pit level
B. Stop drilling and flow check, you may be taking an influx
C. Decrease ROP to 50 feet/hour
D. Inform supervisor that you have partial losses

684. Which statement about the annular preventer is true?

A. Will allow reciprocating the drill string while maintaining a seal against well bore pressure
B. Will prevent toll joints from being striped into the well
C. Is designed to seal around any shape tubular or toll In the well bore
D. Will not seal on a square hexagonal Kelly
 IADC DRILLING

685. Why is it important for the mud logger to know the bottoms-up strokes?
A. To calculate when FCP reached during a kill
B. To displaced a a slug into position for tripping out
C. To calculate surface to bit strokes
D. To identify when connection gas will reach surface

686. You are ready to pull out the hole ’dry’ and monitor the trip. How much mud should be added
to the well?
A. A volume of mud to replace the open hole volume of an equal length of pipe
B. A volume of mud to replace the closed-end displacement of the pipe removed
C. A volume of mud to replace the internal capacity of the pipe removed
D. A volume of mud replace the volume of metal removed

687. Which method keeps the drill pipe pressure constant for the first circulation?
A. The bullheading technique
B. The volumetric method
C. The wait and weight method
D. The Driller’s method

688. The well is full of 12.2 ppg mud. A 500-foot cement plug is set 2000 feet above TVD and tested.
The mud above the plug is replaced with 10.2 ppg brine, if the cement plug failed, what would
happen to bottom hole pressure?
A. BHP would decrease
B. BHP would increase
C. BHP would stay the same

689. During the weight & wait method after pumps are brought up to speed and before kill mud
reaches the bit, how do you control bottomhole pressure when kill weight fluid is being pumped
down the drillstring?
A. Hold drillpipe pressure constant
B. Follow a drill pipe pressure schedule
C. Hold casing pressure constant
D. Follow a casing pressure schedule

690. What determines the amount of pressure a formation will support before fracturing?
A. Hydrostatic pressure
B. Bottom hole pressure
C. Formation strength
D. Underbalanced pressure

691. What is the main reason for measuring the weight and viscosity at the suction pit?
A. It provides data on the mud before it is pumped into the wellbore
B. It keeps the main in charge of the pits busy mixing products during his tour
 IADC DRILLING

C. It makes sure the well plan’s mud program is followed

D. It ensure compliance with company policy

692. What is the maximum allowable (fracture) mud weight?

est pressure: 100 PSI weight: 9.8 ppg
oe true vertical depth (TVD) 4500 feet

A. 13.9 ppg
B. 14.1 ppg
C. 14.0 ppg
D. 13.8 ppg

693. What is it called when there is a difference in the hydrostatic pressure, between two connected
columns of fluid, and the flows to reach a “balance point”?
A. Fluid level drop
B. Balanced mud column
C. “U” tubing
D. Slug pressure

694. While preparing to circulate kill weight mud, the gas bubble begins to migrate. If no actions is
taken, what will the pressure in the gas bubble do as the gas rises?
Stay approximately the same

695. During a drilling operation you circulate a light mud pill with the pumps running continuously.
When will the bottom hole pressure start to decrease? (ignore the dynamic pressure losses in
the annulus.)
Once the pill starts to be displaced into the annulus

696. During a drilling operation, you are pumping a lightmud pill into the drillstring. When will
bottom hole pressure start to decrease (ignore dynamic pressure losses in the annulus)
Once the pill starts to be displaced into the annulus

697. A 10 foot deep mud tank hold 25 bbls/foot of depth. What is the volume of mud in the tank if
mud level is 7.5 foot deep?
187.5 bbls

698. A well 9.850 feet (TVD) is filled with 9.2 ppg brine. The plan is to run in the hole to 6.200 feet
TVD ( 6.600 feet measured depth) and displace with drill water of 8.4 ppg. Calculate the
hydrostatic pressure at 9.850 feet when the drill has been circulate back to the surface?
4.454 psi

699. You have pumped a ‘slug’ to pull out of hole.

Slug size = 20 bbl.
 IADC DRILLING

Slug weight = 13 ppg

TVD = 9,750 fett
Mud level in pipe fall by 180 feet
Mud weight in hole = 10.7 ppg
How does the ‘slug’ affect Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) when it is in position?
A. Increase BHP
B. BHP stays the same
C. Decreases BHP

700. What is the Maximum Allowable Surface Pressure (MAASP)?

mud weight: 14.0 ppg : current mud weight = 11.1 ppg
oe true vertical depth (TVD):4500 ft.
A. 512 psi
B. 760 psi
C. 678 psi
D. 627 psi

701. Why do we pressure test a cement job?

A. Low permeability formation
B. To increase the hardness of the cement
C. To test the integrity of the cement
D. To reduce the effect of wet cement on the drill Bit
E. To test for leaks due to cement not creating a seal

702. While drilling ahead holding weight on bit, rotary speed and pump rate constant. What can be a
warning sign of abnormal pressure?
A. An increase in pump pressure
B. Connection gas
C. An increase in shale density
D. An increased trip tank level

703. Which kick indicator is normally detected first?

A. Pit gain increase
B. Pump pressure increase
C. Flow rate increase
D. Trip tank increase
704. What is the purpose of the recommended ‘start-up’ procedure on surface stack rig?
A. To maintain a constant casing shoe pressure
B. To ensure correct bottom hole pressure is maintained
C. To compensate for annular friction pressure during start-up
D. To allow constant drill pipe pressure to be maintained

705. What is the main risk to a drilling rig that is drilling to hole?
A. Supplies
 IADC DRILLING

B. Stuck pipe
C. Shallow gas
D. Mud problems

706. What is the definition of “Underbalance”?

A. Mud hydrostatic pressure is less than formation fluid pressure
B. Mud hydrostatic pressure is greater than formation fluid pressure
C. Formation fluid pressure is less than mud hydrostatic pressure
D. Hydrostatic pressure in the well that causes mud losses
709. How might mud contamination recognized at surface?
A. Increased bottoms-up circulating time
B. Changes to mud viscosity measurements at the shakers
C. Increased weight on bit
D. Unexplained pit gai

710. How can the drilling of gas-bearing formation affect Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?
Gas released by the drilled formation helps to reduce hydrostatic pressure as it expands

711. When making a ‘wet’ trip out of the hole with plugged bit nozzles, the well is lined-up to the trip
tank. In which mud-bucket ‘line-up’ would the drop in trip tank level be equal to the closed end
displacement of the pipe being pulled out of the hole?
The mud-bucket discharge returns to the active system.
The mud-bucket discharge returns to the trip tank

712. You are pulling out of the hole when a kick is swabbed in. the shut-in pressures indicate that the
gas is migrating. What well control method can be used to manage the gas migration?
a. The volumetric method
b. Driller’s method
c. Reverse circulation method
d. Wait and Weight method

713. Which kill method pumps kill mud at the same time as circulating the influx up the annulus?
a. The volumetric method
b. The wait and weight method
c. The bullheading technique
d. The driller’s method

714. What is the primary way to prevent a kick?

a. Close in the well with the BOPs
b. Monitor the pit levels and flow rate to recognize a kick
c. Use mud hydrostatic to slightly overbalance the fluid pressure in the formation
 IADC DRILLING

d. Take regular slow circulating rate pressure

715. How can Driller recognize if a lighter mud weight is being pumped into the drill string?
a. Gradual increase in pump pressure as mud is pumped down the drill string
b. Increased flow at the flow line during a connection due to the u-tube effect
c. Gradual decrease in pump pressure as mud is pumped down the drill string
d. Decrease in hook load

716. How is mud gradient in psi/foot calculated?

a. Multiply the mud weight in pounds per gallon (ppg) by 0.052
b. Multiply the mud weight in pounds per cubic foot (pcf) by 0.052
c. Multiply the depth of interest by 0.052
d. Multiply the specific gravity of the mud by 0.052

717. You have tripped 10 stands into the well. The volume of mud has entered the trip tank is 5 bbls
greater than the displacement you calculated. What does this indicate?
a. An influx of formation fluid has entered the well
b. This is not an indication of any downhole problem
c. You should increase your trip speed
d. You are losing drilling fluid to the formation

718. Why is it important to maintain the correct Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?
a. If BHP decreases, the well may lose mud to the formation
b. If BHP is not allowed to increase when drilling a transition zone, the risk of losses increase
c. If BHP decreases, the risk of a kick increases
d. If BHP increases, the risk of a kick increases

719. Why is it important to reduce the regulated hydraulic closing pressure for the annular BOP
before running large sized casing?
a. To prepare for a soft shut-in
b. To reduce closing time
c. To avoid collapsing the casing during closure

720. Does a kick always occur after a total loss of circulation?

a. Yes, losses will always occur above any potential kick zone
b. Only when losses are greater than 5bbls/hour
c. No, it depends on the mud level in the annulus and the formation pressure and permeability
d. No, it depends on the reduction in drill string weight

721. Which of the following does NOT require a flow check?

a. After tripping back to bottom
b. 10% increase in ROP for 10 feet
c. 50% increase in ROP for 5 feet
d. After the Driller has increased the WOB
 IADC DRILLING

722. Which of the following statements about killing a well is correct?

a. Keep BHP constant by holding shut in drill pipe constant at start-up
b. Keep BHP constant by controlling pump rate
c. Keep BHP at least equal to formation pressure
d. Keep BHP at least equal to initial circulating pressure

723. TVD = 6,700 ft. MD = 7,500 ft.

Mud weight = 9.4 ppg
Annular Pressure Loss = 210 psi
Calculate the equivalent circulating density (ECD)
a. 9.9 ppg
b. 10 ppg
c. 9.5 ppg
d. 9.7 ppg

724. A drilling break is observed while drilling ahead. A flow check was performed and the well is
flowing. Which barrier has failed?
a. Mud hydrostatic
b. Wellhead or casing head seals
c. Cement around the casing
d. Mud filter cake

725. Swabbed gas from a trip is allowed to expand as it is circulated up-hole with the BOPs open.
What effect will this expansion have on bottom hole pressure?
a. Bottom hole pressure will decrease as the gas is circulated up to the casing shoe, then it will
stay constant
b. Bottom hole pressure will stay constant as the gas is circulated up-hole
c. Bottom hole pressure will increase as the gas is circulated up-hole
d. Bottom hole pressure will decrease as the gas is circulated up-hole

726. What is a drilling break?

a. The change in rate of penetration due to Driller increasing weight on bit
b. A significant increase or decrease in the average rate of penetration
c. Change in rate of penetration due to a new bit
d. A change in rate of penetration due to Driller increasing rotation speed

727. Which of the following practices should be observed when running a leak-off test (L.O.T)?
a. Displace the drillstring to base oil or water, shut in the well and pump slowly until the
formation starts to take fluid
b. Always use water, pump fast, and shut down when pressure-volume trend changes
c. Pump slowly; use known mud weight; and shut down when pressure-volume trend changes
d. Establish an injection rate first, use known mud weight, and pump at a fast rate
 IADC DRILLING

728. There are four (4) Mud Pits, each measuring 9 feet x 12 feet x 8 feet deep fluid depth is 6 feet.
(use 5.615 to convert cubic feet to barrels) how many more barrels of mud can be added to the
surface tanks?
a. 148 bbls
b. 154 bbls
c. 205 bbls
d. 137 bbls

729. What is Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?

a. The total pressure exerted on the bottom of the hole
b. The formation pressure at the bottom of the hole
c. The total pressure exerted by the pumps

730. When should the well be monitored with pit level and flow rate instrumentation?
a. Any time there is a potential for a barrier to fail
b. When running in the hole
c. Only when drilling open hole
d. During connections

731. What is the main function of the choke in the overall BOP system?
a. To hold back pressure while circulating out a kick
b. To shut the well in softly
c. To direct hydrocarboons to the flare
d. To direct wellbore fluids to the mud/gas separator

732. What is the SECONDARY means used to control formation fluid pressure?
a. The Blowout Preventers
b. Cement plugs
c. Mud viscosity
d. Mud hydrostatic pressure

733. What can increase the risk of exceeding MAASP during a kill operation?
A. Small difference between formation breakdown pressure and mud hydrostatic pressure
B. Large difference between formation breakdown pressure and mud hydrostatic pressure
C. Short open hole section
D. Small influx

734. The well kicks when tripping. What statement is true if a non-return valve is stabbed into the
string?
a. Has to be pumped open to read Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure
 IADC DRILLING

b. Has potential to leak through the open/close key

c. Must not be run in the hole in the closed position
d. Easier to stab if strong flow is encountered up the drill string

735. Which of the following statements best describe the Volumetric Method?
a. Maintains Shut In Casing Pressure at its initial value as the influx migrates to surface
b. Maintains constant pressure inside the influx as it is allowed to migrate to surface
c. Maintains constant casing shoe pressure as the influx migrates to surface
d. Maintains constant bottom hole pressure as the influx migrates to surface

736. How can a kick be caused due to the Driller not following correct tripping practices?
a. Abnormal pressures
b. Gas cut mud
c. Lost circulation
d. Not keeping the hole full

737. What is the objective of the second circulation of the Driller’s method?
a. To remove trapped gas from the BOP
b. To pump kill mud and kill the well
c. To remove the influx and kill the well
d. To bullhead kill mud down the annulus 35 bbl

738. You have been instructed to stop pulling out of hole, and pump a slug. Your current Mud Weight
is 11.5 ppg. You will pump a 35 bbl slug weighing 13.5 ppg into the drill pipe. Bit True Vertical
Depth (TVD) is 9,036 feet. Bottom hole TVD is 10,549. How much will bottom hole pressure
change after the slug is pumped into position?
a. 162 psi
b. 0 psi
c. 201 psi
d. 55 psi

739. What is a positive test?

a. A test on a barrier where the pressure applied to the formation side of the barrier is greater
than the pressure on the surface side of the barrier
b. A test on a barrier where the pressure on the surface side of the barrier is greater than the
pressure on the formation side of the barrier
c. A test on a barrier where the pressure on the formation side of the barrier is equal to the
pressure on the surface side of the barrier

740. What will increase surge pressures when running in the hole?
a. Running-in slowly
b. Large annular clearance
c. Low gel strength mud
d. High gel strength mud
 IADC DRILLING

741. Why are the risks different when drilling into shallow gas zones with a diverter system compared
to taking a kick with the BOP installed?
a. Mud weights are normally higher when drilling top-hole, increasing the risk of losses
b. Shallow casing shoe depths are unlikely to support shut-in pressures
c. Shoe formations are more compact and stronger than deeper formations
d. Gas is not found in shallow formations until BOP is installed

742. Why kill the well at a reduced pump rate?

To manage mud density while circulating kill weight mud

743. What does the SIDPP tell you when the well is shut-in on a kick?
The difference between formation pressure and the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the drillpipe

744. If a positive Kick indicator is noted at a flow check, what should be the Driller’s first action?
A. Immediately shut in and secure the well
B. Call the Toolpusher for instruction
C. Continue to monitor the well for flow. If flow continues, shut the well in after a 5 bbl gain
D. Continue drilling a further five (5) feet then shut in

745. How does Annular pressure Loss affect Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?
A. It will cause BHP to be less than hydrostatic pressure
B. It will cause BHP to be greater than hydrostatic pressure
C. It will have no effect on BHP

746. A 500-foot long cement plug is set inside the casing shoe. The mud in the hole is to be displaced
with brine. What will be the reduction in hydrostatic pressure on top of the cement plug?
Old mud density = 12.2 ppg
Brine = 8.6 ppg
Top of cement plug = 8200’TVD/8600’ MD
A. 5202 psi
B. 1535 psi
C. 3668 psi
D. 1609 psi

747. Kill mud is returning at the end of a kill operation. The well is shut down but drillpipe and casing
show 100psi on the gauges. How would you determine if the extra pressure is ‘trapped’
pressure?
A. Bleed off 50 psi at the choke then monitor pressure to see if it is static or builds back up to
100psi
B. Start circulating surface to bit strokes then shut down and re-check the pressures
C. Increase mud weight by equivalent of 100psi and circulate around the well
D. Bleed off 100 psi, open up the well and check for flow
 IADC DRILLING

748. Before pulling out of the hole you pump a slug. Immediately after displacing the slug into the drill
pipe, you line up on the trip tank.
Slug volume: 25 bbls
Slug weight: 12 ppg
Mud weight: 10 ppg
Pipe capacity: .01776 bbls/ft
Calculate how much mud would return to the trip tank.
A. 30 bbls
B. 3 bbls
C. 5 bbls
D. 10 bbls

749. The well is being killed using the Wait and Weight method and kill weight mud is being pumped
down the drill string. The drill pipe pressure suddenly increases by 600psi. There is no change in
the casing pressure. You suspect one of the nozzle in the bit has plugged.
You decide to shut in. what is the best course of action to take? (Assume that kill weight mud has
not yet reached the bit)
A. Recalculate ICP, FCP and a new drill pipe pressure schedule before re-starting the kill
B. Re-start the kill using the current drill pipe pressure schedule
C. After start up, open the choke and bleed off 600psi of drill pipe pressure
D. Re-start the kill and hold casing pressure constant until kill mud reached the bit

750. What will happen to MAASP if Mud Weight is decreased?

A. MAASP will increase
B. MAASP will decrease
C. MAASP will stay the same

751. If a self-fill float in the casing gets plugged and the casing is not filling, what are the well control
risks?
A. No change in risk
B. If the plug suddenly clears the mud level in the annulus will drop
C. You will not be able to pump LCM
D. Losses may occur due to higher mud level in the annulus

752. When killing a well with a horizontal section using the Wait and Weight method, what will
happen if you use a vertical kill sheet to circulate out the kick?
A. You will be applying too little pressure to the well
B. The FCP is more difficult to calculate
C. The strokes to the bit will be wrong
D. You will be applying too much pressure to the well
 IADC DRILLING

753. A well has been shut in on a kick. The drill pipe pressure is zero because there is a float (non-
return) valve in the string. How should the operator obtain the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure?
A. Pump at 2 barrels per minute into the annulus with the well shut in. When the pressure
equalizes, the float will open. This pump pressure is the Shut In Drill Pipe pressure
B. Pump very slowly into the drill string with the well shut in and as casing pressure starts to rise,
stop the pump, read the pressure, and subtract any overbalance
C. Bring the pump up to kill rate holding the casing pressure constant by opening the choke. The
pressure shown when the pimp is at kill rate is the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure
D. Shear the pipe and read the drill pipe pressure directly off the casing gauge

754. While preparing for a trip out of the hole, the Driller is concerned about the possibility of
swabbing in a kick. The Driller plans to condition the mud and to reduce the trip speed. The
estimated trip margin is no more than 0.2 ppg. What advice would you give the Driller to
minimize the risk of swabbing?
A. Pump a slug and prepare to pull dry pipe
B. Pump out of the hole until the bit is above the shoe
C. Pump a saltwater pill in the drill pipe
D. Make a ‘wet’ trip to the shoe then pump a slug

755. What is a transition zone?

A section of formation where formation pressure is changing

756. How do you recognize a choke washout?

The casing and drill pipe pressure both fall even though you are closing the choke

757. Which of the following statements about fixed bore ram type BOPs is correct?
Fixed bore ram type BOPs can be used to hang off the drill string

758. You are using the Wait & Weight method to kill a well with a gas kick, when will kill mud start to affect
surface casing pressure?
A. When kill mud enters the annulus
B. When the gas influx exits the choke at the surface
C. When kill mud enters the drill pipe
D. When kill mud reaches the casing shoe

759. When should the Volumetric Method be utilized?

When a gas is migrating, and circulating cannot be established below the influx

760. What is the main reason for measuring the weight and viscosity as it exits the well?
It provides information about the effects of the well on the mud

761. Why kill the well at a reduced pump rate?

A. To determine pump rate to displace cement
B. To kill the well in a short time
C. To prevent bursting the casing
D. To allow choke operator time to react during a well kill
 IADC DRILLING

E. To manage mud density while circulating kill weight mud

762. A bit nozzle plugs when you are displacing the drillstring with Kill Weight mud using the Wait and
Weight method. What is the correct response?
A. Continue to follow the drill pipe pressure schedule with no modification
B. Record the pressure increase and recalculate Slow Circulating Rate pressure (SCR), Final Circulating
Pressure (FCP), and the drill pipe pressure schedule
C. Substact the Drillpipe pressure from each value on the drill pipe pressure schedule and continue
circulating
D. Open the choke to hold drill pipe pressure constant

763. When would you most likely carry out a flow check?
A. After a 5% increase in the rate of penetration
B. After the Driller has increased the weight on bit
C. After taking a slow circulation rate
D. Before the BHA is pulled up through the stack

764. Which of the following is the most important reason for good handover procedures between crews
during well control operations?
A. Ensure continuity in operations and pass on trend information to identify potential problems
B. Handover procedures are not considered important during well control operations
C. To allow blame to be assigned in the event of an incident during well kill operations
D. It is a regulatory form that must be completed and turned into the local regulatory agency

765. What precautions should you take with the drilling fluid before starting wireline operations?
A. A Lost Circulation Material (LCM) pill should be spotted at the depth of interest before starting
wireline operations
B. Due to small diameter of tools there are no special precautions to take
C. Drilling fluid should be circulated and conditioned because the well will be static for an extended
period
D. Increase mud weight before starting the wirelining operation to compensate for the loss of ECD

766. What is the objective of the Volumetric Method?

A. Reduce surface pressure by removing mud
B. Reduce surface casing pressure by increasing hydrostatic pressure in the annulus
C. Ro remove a salt-water influx from the well if normal circulation us not possible
D. To let gas expand as it migrates up-hole to the BOP, while allowing an increase in casing pressure to
compensate for mud blend from the well

767. The Driller has not taken the slow pump rates. How should the Initial Casing Presasure (ICP) be
determined?
A. Follow correct start-up procedure. Read the pressure on the drillpipe gauge, subtracting any
overbalance/safety margin pressure
B. Hold the casing pressure constant until kill mud reaches the bit then read DP pressure
C. Estimate ICP based on last pump pressure and SPM
D. Divide drilling pump rate by planned kill rate and multiply by the drilling pump pressure
 IADC DRILLING

768. Why is it bottom hole pressure maintained constant during a well kill?
A. To prevent a further influx or formation breakdown during the kill process
B. To allow a high overbalance on the kicking formation
C. To keep pump pressure constant as kill mud is pumped to the Bit
D. To prevent the influx from expanding as it is circulated up-hole

769. What can result from gas migration in a shut in well, if no action is taken?
A. Possible formation fracture
B. Bottom Hole Pressure stays the same
C. Decrease in Bottom hole Pressure
D. Reduction of shut-in pressure

770. What can cause a larger kick size and a greater Shut In Casing Pressure (SICP)?
A. Formation Permeability
B. Ballooning
C. Formation strength
D. Formation Porosity

771. The well kicks and is shut in. drill pipe pressure and casing pressure both start to build up, but before
stabilizing both start to drop quite rapidly. Which of the following might have occurred?
A. Gas is migrating up the well
B. A weak formation has broken down
C. Both gauge have malfunctioned
D. The drill string has washed out

772. Why is MD used to calculate ECD instead of TVD in the well?

A. Does not matter
B. Because the friction of the mud solids and cuttings impact the entire annulus
C. Because of the water loss in open formation
D. Changes in hydrostatic pressure

773. A weighted pill is pumped into the well. As the pipe is pulled out of the pill, what will happen to bottom
hole pressure?
A. Decrease
B. Increase
C. Stay the same

774. The operator calculates a kick tolerance of 50 bbls at a given depth, based on 0.5 ppg kick intensity. If
you re-calculate for a kick intensity of 1 ppg, what will happen to maximum kick size?
A. Maximum kick size will decrease
B. Maximum kick size will stay at 50 bbls
C. Maximum kick size will increase

775. Why should the annular preventer not be used during normal MPD operations?
A. Not pressure rated for MPD
B. It should be reserved for well control
C. Not an API barrier
D. For drilling overbalance only
 IADC DRILLING

776. Which are not main components of an RCD system?

A. Bowl/body
B. Bearing assembly
C. Flow line and the orbit valve in the flow line
D. Pipe stealing elements

777. 5” Drillpipe in the hole. Metal displacement = 0.0065 bbl/ft. Capacity = 0.01776 bbl/ft. How much mud
should it take to fill the hole after pulling 5 stands dry? Stand length = 93 ft.
A. 8.3 bbls
B. 5.2 bbls
C. 11.3 bbls
D. 3.0 bbls

778. What is the purpose of a flame arrester in the flare stack (end of the vent line on a separator)?
A. To allow your vent line to light up the rig location when circulating out a kick
B. To allow gas to bring a fire back into the separator
C. A passive device that allows gas to pass through it but stops the propagation of a flame
D. All of the above

779. While drilling at 8,500 TVD/11,850 MD, the well is full of 10.0 ppg mud, formation pressure is 4,800 psi,
surface pressure is 250 psi, and APL is 400 psi. The well is:
A. Balanced
B. Overbalanced
C. Hydrostatically Underbalanced
D. Both B and C

780. What is the equivalent mud weight at 10,000 ft TVD with 10.0 ppg and 260 psi of surface pressure?
A. 11 ppg
B. 10.5 ppg
C. 10.9 ppg
D. 12 ppg

781. The formation pressure at 12,000 TVD/13,300 MD is 7,500 psi. the mud weight in the hole is 11 ppg.
How much back pressure is enough to bring the BHP up to control formation pressure?
A. Zero
B. 686 psi
C. 624 psi

782. Why is it important to control flow rate when circulating out a kick through the Mud Gas Separator?
A. Flow rate is dependent on the ability of the dump valve to function properly
B. The only dimension to consider when circulating out an influx is the height of the separator
C. To prevent “blow-through,” a separator’s flow rate should be limited based on vent line and mud seal
restrictions
D. All separators can handle any amount of flow rate: therefore, it is not important

783. Where is the best place to put a heavy pill?

A. In the vertical part of the well
B. At the end of the horizontal section
 IADC DRILLING

C. In the reserve pit

D. At the beginning of the horizontal section

784. How does increasing wellbore temperature affect well control when using non-aqueous (oil-based)
mud?
A. No significant effect on hydrostatic pressure in wellbore
B. Increases hydrostatic pressure in wellbore
C. Decreases hydrostatic pressure in wellbore

785. During a kill operation which of the following problems requires the pump to be shut down quickly to
prevent over-pressuring the formation?
A. A washout in the drill pipe
B. A washout in the choke
C. A plugged standpipe
D. A plugged choke

786. If casing pressure is held constant while stripping through a gas bubble, what happen to bottom hole
pressure?
A. It increases
B. It stays the same
C. It decreases

787. What will happen to friction pressure as the drilling fluid moves from around the bottom hole assembly
to around the drillpipe?
A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Depends if it’s a mud or a brine fluid
D. Stays the same

788. You have drilled from 9,700 ft to 9,825 ft MD in the last hour. MV = 10.6 ppg, bit size = 8 ½”, open hole
capacity = 0.0702 bbl/ft. 5” OD drillpipe, capacity = 0.01776 bbl/ft, metal displacement = 0.0065 bbl/ft.
9 5/8” casing is set as 8,000 ft MD. By how many barrels should the pit level have decreased?
A. 6.6 bbls
B. 2.2 bbls
C. 8.0 bbls
D. 8.8 bbls

789. How does the expansion rate of gas in the horizontal section compare to the vertical section as it is
circulated out of the well?
A. Does not matter
B. Greater
C. Less
D. Equal

790. During the first circulation of the Driller’s method, the drill pipe pressure starts to increase and the
casing pressure stays relatively constant. What could be the problem?
A. Choke washout
B. Plugged bit nozzle
C. Choke plugged
D. Pump failure
 IADC DRILLING

791. The drill string is being displaced with Kill Weight Mud (KMW) while holding the casing pressure
constant during the 2nd Circulation of the Driller’s Method, why is it important that the annulus be
clear of gas?
A. Gas in the annulus will expand, therefore a constant casing pressure will cause well to go
underbalance
B. Gas in the annulus increase the bottom hole pressure during 2nd circulation
C. Degasser equipment on surface is shut down during 2nd circulation to prevent plugging due to kill
weight mud

792. The well has been losing mud while drilling the last stand. At the connection the well continues to flow
after the pumps have been switched off. You suspect the formation is ‘Ballooning’. What is the first
action the Driller should take?
A. Make connection, return to drilling and add LCM to the mud
B. Immediately start pumping to restore BHP
C. Shut the well in
D. Bleed 5 bbls back to trip tank and check if flowback rate reduces

793. What should be done with weighted pills when tripping back into the well?
A. Weight up the entire system to the pill weight before tripping in
B. Bullhead the pill into the formation
C. Leave the pill where it is. We may need it if the well starts taking fluid
D. Circulate the pill out in stages

794. How can the location of pills in the wellbore be determined?

A. Reset the stroke counter when the pill starts down the drillpipe and keep track of the strokes pumped
B. (SICP – SIDPP) x .052 /2757 will give the depth from the rotary table
C. Reset the stroke counter every hundred strokes while pumping the pill. MW/number of stroke
counter resets = pill location
D. Include enough LCM in the pill to plug the MWD tool when it reaches that depth

795. What measures can be taken to prevent “blow-through” in a mud gas separator?
A. Use the minimum TVD on the mud seal
B. Limit the flow rate into the separator when the influx is entering the separator
C. Restrict the vent line ID
D. Allow the hydrostatic head to be reduced in the separator before the influx arrives to the separator

796. How can a pill be spotted in the correct place?

A. Stop pumps when circulating pressure has dropped by 150 psi
B. The mud engineer will know this form his training and experience
C. Stop pumps as soon as you see Casing Pressure increase
D. Calculate displacement of drillpipe and each annular section the pill must go through. Then convert to
strokes

797. What is the main function of a weep hole on a ram type BOP?
A. Prevent contamination of the opening chamber
B. Release trapped pressure during BOP testing
C. Show the seals on the bonnet are leaking
D. Indicate a leak on the piston rod mud seal
 IADC DRILLING

798. What effect will an expanding gas bubble have on ECD as it is circulated out of a well?
A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. Stays the same

799. What are the benefits of using MPD while drilling a well?
A. It enables a well to be drilled within a tight window between pore pressure and fracture pressure
B. It enables a well to be drilled with more consistent BHP
C. It aids in mitigating pressure-related non-productive time events
D. All of the above

800. An open well is full of clean fluid and you are not circulating. What is the Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?
A. BHP equals hydrostatic pressure minus circulating Annular Pressure Loss
B. BHP equals hydrostatic pressure plus circulating Annular Pressure Loss
C. BHP equals hydrostatic pressure

801. If the Rotating Control Device is leaking drilling fluid in a hydrostatically overbalanced well, what is the
first course of action the driller should take?
A. Reduce pressure on the head and continue drilling
B. If you have shear rams, close them
C. Pickup off bottom, shut down the pumps, and close the annular preventer
D. Increase pressure on the head and continue drilling

802. You are pumping a kick out of the lateral hole section into the vertical at 40 spm. The feeling is there
will be too much friction, it is decided to slow the pumps down to 30 spm. How will this effect APL?
Decrease it

803. What is the percentage of void space in a formation?

A. Permeability
B. Shale Density
C. Porosity
D. Low Pressure Formation

804. What will happen to the ECD value as the well goes from a dynamic state to a static state environment?
A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Stays the same

805. How are weighted pills used in drilling operations?

A. To help reduce the chance of swabbing when tripping out of the hole
B. To make the mud level drop inside the pipe when tripping out of the hole
C. To compensate for hydrostatic underbalance when tripping out of the hole
D. All of the above

806. What is the meaning of “blow-through” with a mud gas separator?

A. When the hydrostatic pressure in the separator is equal to the vent line back pressure
B. When the hydrostatic pressure in the separator exceeds the back pressure in the vent line
C. When the vent line back pressure exceeds the hydrostatic pressure of the mud leg
D. None of the above
 IADC DRILLING

807. While drilling ahead, the driller notices a slow gain in the pits. He then sees somebody has decreased
the applied back pressure to the choke. What is this causing to happen in the well?
A. The well is over balanced
B. The well is balanced
C. The well is underbalanced

808. Well MD/TVD = 10,500 ft. 12 1/4” casing set at 8,000 ft MD/TVD. While POOH at 9,000 ft, the driller
notices the hole is not taking the correct amount of mud. He does a flow check, and the well is flowing.
He immediately shuts in the well. What will be the best way to kill the well?
A. Strip back to bottom using correct stripping procedures, the circulate the kick out using the Driller’s
Method
B. Start circulating the current mud weight until the kick is out of the well
C. Use the Lube and Bleed method to bring the influx to the surface
D. Bullhead the influx, then continue tripping

809. You have pumped Kill Weight Mud (KMW) to the bit during the beginning of the wait and weight
method. It is decided to shut the pumps down and check pressures. You notice there is still pressure on
the Drill Pipe gauge. You tested for trapped pressure but the drill pipe pressure returned back to the
same value. What could you do?
A. KMW has caused an overbalance in the well, trapping excess pressure
B. Continue pumping, the KMW has not reached surface, therefore the well is not killed
C. Nothing, due to KMW there is a U-tube effect causing increased Drill Pipe Pressure
D. Continue circulating then shut in and check again

810. You operate the annular preventer and the annular pressure gauge and accumulator gauges both drop
but do not return back to normal pressure. The charge pump is running continuously. What has
probably happened?
A. Leak in the Annular closing line
B. 3-position valve did not operate
C. Master valve was not operated
D. Close line is blocked

811. Which method of well control would you use with migrating gas, when circulation is not possible or the
bit is off bottom?
A. Volumetric Method
B. Wait and Weight Method
C. Driller’s Method

812. What changes in pump pressure will you see after one complete circulation if the mud weight is
decreased?
A. The pump pressure will stay the same
B. The pump pressure will decrease
C. The pump pressure will increase

813. While not circulating, the well is full of a 15.6 ppg mud at 14,000 TVD/16,000 MD and has 300 psi
surface pressure. Formation pressure id 11,794 psi. The well is:
A. Balanced
B. Overbalanced
C. Underbalanced
 IADC DRILLING

814. What does the SIDPP indicate when the well is properly shut in?
A. The difference between formation pressure and hydrostatic pressure of mud in the drill string
B. The difference between formation pressure and leak off pressure
C. The trapped pressure caused by shutting in the well
D. The MAASP

815. What is the purpose for having the flow line capable of venting to the Mud Gas separator?
A. It can increase pressure on the flow line on a connection
B. If gas levels reach a high level in the flow line, then you can vent to the Mud Gas separator
C. If mud flow is too excessive then you can dump the excess mud into the separator
D. All of the above

816. How can you calculate the volume of a heavy pill?

A. Slug weight x 19.24
B. Height of pill = Overbalance needed/ (Pill weight – MW)/.052. Then, Volume needed = Height of pill x
Hole Capacity
C. Fracture Pressure x .052
D. SCRP/MW/.052

817. What is the danger of adding the safety-margin to the mud weight?
A. Increases MAASP at the shoe
B. Drill pipe pressure is harder to control with the choke
C. Reduces actual ICP below calculated value
D. Cannot removed easily

818. What will happen to the pill as pipe is tripped out of the well?
A. The pill will move up in the well and will get shorter as the pipe is pulled through it
B. The pill will move down in the well and will get shorter as the pipe is pulled through it
C. The pill will always stay in the same place in the well as we trip out or in the hole
D. The pill will move up in the well and will get longer

819. Why is it important to follow a pressure ramp schedule when stopping rig pumps for a connection on a
well with a narrow window between Pore Pressure and Fracture gradient?
A. As the pumps slow down, the well bore friction is reduced. The surface pressure needs to be increased
to replace fiction so as to maintain the desired pressure at the desired depth
B. It’s not important. Just kill pumps and shut in
C. As the pumps slow down, the well bore friction is reduced. The surface pressure needs to be increased
to replace friction loss to prevent an influx while reducing the pumps
D. A and C are correct

820. A light pill was spotted in the lateral section of the well before tripping out. In order to maintain a
constant pressure at the shoe, how should SBP compensate as the pill is displaced pas the shoe while
tripping in?
A. Pressure should be increased as the hydrostatic pressure at the shoe will decrease while displacing the
lighter fluid past the shoe
B. There will be no change in the pressure at the shoe as the diesel is in the open hole
C. Surface back pressure should decrease to compensate for the hydrostatic increase in the open hole
D. Nothing, as diesel typically has a high density it will have no effect. Surface back pressure should
remain constant
 IADC DRILLING

821. An influx has been circulated out of the well with the well control choke using the driller method’s first
circulation. The well is balanced with a Final Circulating Pressure of 600 psi @200 GPM. To continue
drilling ahead with the same MW through an MPD manifold, what surface pressure will be needed with
the pump rate 450 GPM?
A. More than 600 psi
B. 600 psi
C. Less than 600 psi

822. What are potential problems with mud gas separators?

a. Eroded baffle plates reducing retention time and separator’s ability to allow gas to come out of
solution
b. Vent line restrictions (small diameter/excessive curves) causes too much back pressure on the mud
seal and risks blow-through
c. Restricted outlet causes raised mud levels and risks liquid exiting the vent line
d. All of the above

823. The ECD at the heel of a horizontal section of the well is calculated to be a 15.1 ppg. The formation
pressure in the lateral is 8575 psi, with a TVD/MD of 10,250/12,560 ft. what is the minimum surface
pressure needed on a connection to prevent influx?
a. 420 psi
b. 750 psi
c. 640 psi
d. 530 psi

824. An influx has been circulated out of the well with a well control choke using the driller method’s first
circulation. The well is balanced with a Final Circulating Pressure of 600 psi @ 200 GPM. What will
happen to casing pressure if circulation is stopped, and the choke is closed?
A. Increases
B. Decreases
C. Stays the same
D. Goes to 0 psi

825. A kick is being circulated out at 30 SPM and the Final Circulating Pressure is 650 psi. what will happen to
bottom hole pressure if the pump speed is increased to 35 SPM while holding drill pipe pressure at 650
psi?
A. it will decrease
B. it will stay the same
C. it will increase

826. While drilling ahead, you are holding 450 psi surface back pressure (SBP) with 13.5 ppg mud in the well.
The well is starting to take losses, what could be done to minimize or prevent the losses?
A. Lower your surface back pressure to help reduce ECD, but do not include an influx
B. Increase surface back pressure to 500 psi
C. Keep drilling ahead as the loss is simply the fluid the well is taking
D. Increase pump speed to account for losses

827. You are displacing the drill string with kill weight mud. Which section of drill pipe, listed below, will
have the quickest displacement time per foot?
A. 5 inch with and ID of b4.276 inch
 IADC DRILLING

B. 6 5/8 inch with an ID of 5.965 inch

C. 4 inch with an ID of 3.240 inch
D. 6 5/8 inch with an ID of 5.761 inch

828. Cement has been pumped through the casing up the annulus into position. What can happen as the
cement begins to change from a liquid to a solid?
a. The well is secure at this point and the BOP stack should be nippled down as quickly as possible
b. The cement can swell up and collapse the casing
c. Heat can build up and buckle the casing
d. Hydrostatic pressure is lost, and gas can channel through the cement

829. A rotating head used while MPD drilling gives us the ability to safely accomplish what while drilling?
a. Close on the well in case of a kick
b. Allows lower mud weight to be used in the hole and less stress on the well
c. Keeping formation pressure over bottom hole pressure at all times
d. All of the above

830. Why is a Rotating Control Device not part of the well control equipment if primary well control has
been lost?
a. It does not have the same pressure ratings as the BOP
b. It is designed to contain well pressure to kill a well
c. It is part of the primary well control equipment
d. None of the above

831. How do you determine where pills are in the wellbore after they have been pumped?
a. If the pill is placed in the drillstring, it is based on pipe displacement
b. If the pill is placed in the annulus, it is based on pipe capacity
c. If the pill is placed in the annulus, it will be based on the volume of the pipe and the annulus capacity
to the depth of where the pill is to be placed
d. None of the above

832. During a routine test on a surface stack, it is noticed that the weep hole (drain hole/vent hole) on one
of the blowout preventer bonnets is leaking fluid. What action should be taken?
a. Energize emergency packing. If leak stops, leave it till next maintenance schedule
b. The weep hole only checks the closing chamber seals, leave it till the next maintenance schedule
c. Ram packing elements on the ram body are worn out, replace immediately
d. Primary ram shaft seal is leaking, secure the well and replace immediately

833. What is the proper definition of underbalance drilling?

a. Drilling with two lighter mud weight in the hole
b. Using appropriate equipment and controls where the pressure exerted in the wellbore is less than the
pore pressure in any part of the exposed formation and bringing formation fluid back to surface
c. Drilling to the point the well is just under MAASP
 IADC DRILLING

d. Drilling the well with light weight mud

834. What affect friction loss in the well?

a. Measure depth
b. Casing grade
c. True vertical depth
d. Vertical section

835. When circulating through the mud-gas separator, how can you avoid blow-through?
a. Reduce pump rate
b. Put the flare farther from the rig
c. Increase pump rate
d. Increase mud weight

836. What is the definition of swabbing?

a. Formation fluid entering the well due to an increase in bottom hole pressure when the pipe is raised
b. Formation fluid entering the well due to a decrease in bottom hole pressure when the pipe is raised
c. Formation fluid entering the well due to a decrease in bottom hole pressure when the pipe is lowered
d. Formation fluid entering the well due to an increase in bottom hole pressure when the pipe is lowered

837. Annular Friction Pressure increases when?

a. Pump pressure stays the same, mud weight decreases, and hole size stays the same
b. Pump pressure increases, viscosity is high, and hole size is decreased
c. Pump pressure increases, RPM increases, and mud weight decreases
d. Pump pressure decreases, mud weight increases, and hole is increased

838. What happens to bottom hole pressure when the pumps are shut-off?
a. BHP declines
b. BHP stays the same
c. BHP increases
d. Not enough information to know

839. How can an RCD be used to create a closed-loop system?

a. Maintain a constant pressure in the annulus by using a drill choke
b. Close off the flow line with an Orbit valve
c. Direct returns from the well through a choke manifold
d. All of the above

840. While drilling a gas formation in a horizontal well, what will the gas in the wellbore do?
a. Will stay on the low side of the horizontal section
b. Does not expand in the horizontal section of the vertical section
c. Expands a lot in the horizontal section, then compresses in the vertical section
d. Does not expand much in the horizontal section but will expand in the vertical section
 IADC DRILLING

841. You are making a ‘wet’ trip out of the hole. The well is lined-up to the trip tank. In which Mud-Bucket
‘line-up’ would the drop in trip tank level per stand be the same as a ‘dry’ trip?
a. The Mud Bucket discharge returns directly to the Shale Shakers
b. The Mud Bucket discharge returns to the active system
c. The Mud Bucket discharge returns directly to the ‘slug’ pit
d. The Mud Bucket discharge returns to the trip tank

842. When is an influx a threat?

a. When the well flows with pumps off
b. When it goes into solutions with the mud
c. When it contains poisonous gas
d. All of the above

843. Why would Secondary well control equipment not be used in Managed Pressure Drilling operations?
a. Should only be used in killing a well with an influx in the hole
b. Potential for the equipment to fail if needed to kill a well
c. Excessive stress applied to the equipment during drilling operations
d. All of the above

844. What is the meaning of hydrostatically underbalanced?

a. Pore pressure is less than hydrostatic pressure
b. Formation pressure is greater than hydrostatic pressure
c. Formation pressure is less than hydrostatic pressure
d. None of the above

845. When running casing with a self-fill float assembly, what would indicate that the self-fill assembly is
working correctly?
a. Returns from the well equal the closed end volume of the casing run in the hole
b. Returns from the well equal the volume of steel run
c. When reverse circulating the number of strokes pumped before mud flows out of the casing does not
match circulated values
d. The hook load decreases by the buoyed weight of steel run in the hole

846. Background gas or cuttings gas generally expand mostly in what part of the hole?
a. The last quarter of the hole
b. When it first comes in the hole
c. Hall way up the hole
d. All of the above

847. During a drilling operation you circulate a heavy mud pill with the pumps running continuously. When
will the bottom hole pressure start to increase? (Ignore the dynamic pressure losses in the annulus)
a. Once the pill starts to be displaced into the annulus
 IADC DRILLING

b. After all the pill is inside the drill string and before it reaches the bit
c. As soon as the pill starts to be pumped into the drill string
d. After all the pill is in the annulus

848. What is the mud gradient in psi/foot if the circulating mud weight is 16.6 ppg?
a. 0.166 psi/foot
b. 319.2 psi/foot
c. 0.0474 psi/foot
d. 0.8632 psi/foot

849. In killing a horizontal well on bottom, you have to complete your kill sheet with which of the following
information?
a. Measured depth, mud weight, SIDPP, SICP, pit gain, shoe depth, and time of day
b. Bit depth, shoe depth, mud viscosity, SIDPP, SICP, slow pump rate
c. True vertical depth, measured depth, end of build, kick off point, mud weight, SIDPP, SICP, slow pump
rated, and shoe depth
d. Measured depth, mud weight, SIDPP, SICP, pit gain

850. Who has the authority to shut in the well without waiting for permission?
a. Floorhand
b. Driller
c. Mud engineer
d. Derrickhand

851. When is MPD an advantage over Conventional (Over Balanced) drilling?

a. Allows more variable to be manipulated in controlling the well while drilling
b. Only need to control two variables to work MPD
c. There really is no advantage with it over the other methods
d. MAASP is of no concern when using MPD

852. What is the difference between background gas and influx gas?
a. Background gas in the mud returns back to surface in measurable quantities but is not a kick
b. Influx gas is not an intrusion of formation fluids into the well, i.e. a kick
c. Background and influx gas are the same thing
d. All of the above

853. Holding 1200 psi at the surface will have the most effect on mud weight on which well?
a. MD = 10.000 ft. TVD = 10.000 ft.
b. MD = 6.000 ft. TVD = 6.000 ft.
c. MD = 12.000 ft. TVD = 10.000 ft.
d. MD = 5.000 ft. TVD = 4.500 ft.

854. It is important to spot an ECD pill with the right mud weight and in the right place in order to?
a. Keep bottom hole pressure constant when tripping out of the hole and through the pill
 IADC DRILLING

b. Keep the pump pressure lower when circulating the pill

c. Reduce the pressure on the casing shoe
d. Keep bottom hole pressure slightly lower when tripping through the pill

855. When stripping to bottom with a kick that is not migrating, which one of the following actions would
maintain a constant bottom hole pressure?
A. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the open-end displacement of the pipe stripped into the well
B. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to 100 psi of hydrostatic head
C. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the closed-end displacement of the pipe stripped into the well
D. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the metal displacement of the pipe stripped into the well

856. Mud compressibility can be high in non-aqueous fluid (oil-based). How does this affect the time it takes
for a choke adjustment to be seen at the drill pipe gauge?
A. Decrease in time taken
B. Increase in time taken
C. No change to time taken

857. What is a typical Slow Circulating Rate (SCR)?

A. 75% of drilling pump rate
B. Between 80 and 100 strokes per minute (SPM)
C. Same as drilling pump rate
D. Between 20 and 50 strokes per minute (SPM)

858. What term means “an undesired influx of formation fluids into the wellbore”?
A. Blowout
B. Fracture Formation
C. Loss Circulation
D. Kick

859. What drilling practice should be considered when connection gas is recorded?
A. Control ROP to keep a minimum number of connection gas events in the hole at a time
B. Reduce mud weight by a small amount
C. Increase the mud viscosity
D. Pull out of hole and change the Bit

860. A leaking BOP element is identified as a risk to well integrity during a kill operation. What action would
you take to minimize this risk?
A. Monitor mud level above the BOPs on the trip tank
B. Monitor the flowline flow rate sensor reading
C. Monitor active pit level increase
D. Place BOP 4-way valve in the neutral position

861. Why is MD used to calculate APL instead of TVD in the well?

 IADC DRILLING

A. Because of the water loss in open formation

B. Because the friction of the mud solids and cuttings impact the entire annulus
C. Changes in hydrostatic pressure
D. Does not matter

862. Which density measuring device should be used when a fluid has entrained air and/or gas?
A. A triple beam mud balance
B. Atmospheric Balance
C. Hydrometer
D. Pressurized Balance

863. While drilling in a gas pressured formation with oil-based mud in a horizontal section of a well, gas will?
A. Decrease in volume as it enters the vertical section of the well
B. Expand just in the horizontal section
C. Increase in volume near the shoe
D. Go into solution and stay in solution until it comes near the surface

864. A gas kick is being circulated out using the Driller’s Method. What will happen to the bottom hole
pressure if the gas bubble is not allowed to expand as predicted as it is circulated up the hole?
A. It will decrease
B. It will increase
C. Stay the same

865. If mud weight in the well is maintained constant, how does an increase in formation fluid pressure
affect overbalance?
A. Overbalance decreases
B. Overbalance stays the same
C. Overbalance increases

866. Which of the following is an acceptable corrective action for a plugged bit nozzle during the first
circulation of the Driller’s method?
A. Open the choke to decrease casing pressure
B. Do nothing and continue to circulate at the original ICP
C. Wait for drill pipe pressure to stabilize and maintain this new pump pressure
D. Close the choke to increase casing pressure

867. You are running a slick non-shearable tool in the hole on a surface stack rig. The well flows when the
tool is across the BOP stack. What is the fastest action the Driller can take to shut in the well?
A. Start circulating to use ECD to stop the kick
B. Make up and close safety valve in string and close the annular
C. Drop the string in the hole
D. Pick up a joint or stand of shearable pipe, run into position and install a safety valve
 IADC DRILLING

868. A kick has been swabbed in. Which of the following is an indicator that the influx is below the bit and
that stripping will be required?
A. SIDPP is equal to SICP
B. SICP is greater than SIDPP
C. SICP is zero
D. SIDPP is greater than SICP

869. All of gas was circulated out of the well during the first circulation of the Driller’s Method. What should
the casing pressure gauge read? (Assume no trapped pressure or safety factor in the well)
A. Equal to the SIDPP
B. Greater than the original Shut-in Casing Pressure
C. Greater than the Shut-in Drillpipe Pressure (SIDPP)
D. Less than the SIDPP

870. During a kill start-up operation the pump pressure at kill rate is greater than the calculated ICP.
What could be a reason for this?
A. Kill mud weight calculation is wrong
B. Drill string is washing out
C. SCRs were taken 500 feet up the hole
D. The operator decided to kill the well at a slow rate than the pre-recorded SCR

871. Indications show you have swabbed in a well. What is the best solution to perform?
A. Spot a pill and circulate it
B. Strip back to bottom and perform step one of the Driller’s Method
C. Keep pulling to surface
D. Bullhead it

872. While tripping out of an underbalanced well in the vertical section in a horizontal well, the trip tank is
seen to not be talking the right amount of fluid. Driller should?
A. Pull out of the hole to the shoe and circulate heavier mud pill
B. Immediately, strip back into the hole to bottom and circulate heavy mud
C. Run back to bottom as quickly as possible and circulate the well
D. Stop tripping out and inform Rig Manager and Company Man and consider other safety options

873. How can you tell how much pressure the rotating head is holding?
A. Use 15% of the circulating pressure
B. Open the HCR and read the casing pressure
C. Take the difference between the gauge on the pump and the gauge on the standpipe
D. If the pop-off holds on the mud pimps, it is ok

874. How can you tell the difference between drill gas and a kick?
A. A faster ROP will result in more drill gas in the well
B. You will always have a drilling break before taking a kick
 IADC DRILLING

C. A kick will always cause flow rate to go up by at least 60%

D. You will see a large instantaneous pit gain with drill gas

875. What is the risk of being hydrostatically underbalanced?

A. Flow into the well
B. Escape of poisonous gas
C. Blowout
D. All of the above

876. We are drilling with 9 ppg mud at 100 SPM, WOB is 25,000#, and pump pressure is 3000 psi. If the
Driller increases the pump speed to 120 SPM, what happens to the equivalent circulating density?
A. Pressure stays the same throughout the well
B. Pressure decreases at the shoe depth
C. Pressure increases throughout the well
D. Pressure increases only in the drill string

877. Mud Weight = 10.8 ppg

TVD = 11250 feet
Formation Pressure = 10.4 ppg
Calculate the overbalance on the formation
A. 4500 psi
B. 1252 psi
C. 234 psi
D. 24 psi

878. What term describe the pressure change felt at the bottom of the hole when pulling the drillstring out
of the hole?
A. Shut-in pressure
B. Surge pressure
C. Annular pressure
D. Swab pressure

879. What do you calculate to keep enough pressure on the well when in a static state? (non circulating)
A. Hydrostatic pressure of the mud in the well plus back pressure on the rotating control device
B. MAASP minus hydrostatic of the well
C. Hydrostatic pressure, plus ECD, plus 200 psi back pressure
D. MAASP minus hydrostatic of the well and slow circulating pressure

880. ECD is calculated on which well type?

A. A shut-in well
B. A static well
C. A circulating well
D. A flowing well
 IADC DRILLING

881. What is the Hydrostatic Pressure on bottom using the information below?
14,675 foot Bit True Vertical Depth (TVD) Current Mud Weight = 12.2 ppg

Shoe Test Mud Weight = 11.6 ppg

14,936 foot Bit Measured Depth (MD)
Annular Pressure Loss = 175 psi
9,873 foot Shoe True Vertical Depth (TVD)

9,901 foot Shoe Measure Depth (MD)

A. 9485 psi
B. 9786 psi
C. 9310 psi
D. 8852 psi

882. The mud weight in the well has been increased by 2 tenths (0.20) and the pump rate was later reduced.
How will this affect pressure in the well?
A. Increase and then decrease
B. Increase
C. No effect
D. Decrease

883. What can be done to reduce the chance of blow-through on the mud-gas separator?
A. Increase the height of the mud seal
B. Increase the length of the vent line
C. Take the baffle plates out of the mud-gas separator
D. Increase pump rate

884. To alert the driller while penetrating through a gas bearing formation in a horizontal well, the drill crew
should see what?
A. No change in mud weight or viscosity
B. Increase in mud weight and viscosity
C. Increase in cuttings and decrease in ROP
D. Decrease in mud weight and viscosity

885. Which type of influx will a drill crew find more difficult to detect in a horizontal well?
A. Gas influx in an oil-based mud
B. Gas influx in water-based mud
C. Fresh water influx
D. Saltwater influx

886. What can be an indication that the well may be going under-balanced?
A. An increase in connection gas
B. A sudden increase in the pump pressure
 IADC DRILLING

C. A decrease in the size of cuttings

D. An increase in the mud weight at the shakers

887. Your current Mud Weight (MW) is 11.5 ppg. You were instructed to pump a 35 bbl slug weighing 13.5
ppg. Your drill pipe capacity is 0.0178 bbls/ft. how many feet of dry pipe will you have after pumping?
A. 34 feet
B. 84 feet
C. 342 feet
D. 321 feet

888. If the air pressure gauge was reading zero. Which one of these statements is correct for an air operated
remote control panel?
A. Choke and kill lines can still be operated from the remote panel
B. No BOP functions can be operated from the remote panel
C. The annular preventer can still be operated from the remote panel
D. All functions on the remote panel will operate normally

889. A ram preventer was operated from the remote panel. Both accumulator and manifold pressures
dropped and later returned to normal pressure. The open light went out but the close light did not
illuminate. What is the probable cause of the problem?
A. Close line is blocked
B. Air pressure too low
C. Fault in the close light electrical circuit
D. Leak in the system

890. A light pill was spotted in the lateral section of the well before tripping out. In order to maintain a
constant pressure at the shoe, how should SBP compensate as the pill is displaced past the shoe while
tripping in?
A. Pressure should be increased as the hydrostatic pressure at the shoe will decrease while displacing
the lighter fluid past the shoe
B. Surface back pressure should decrease to compensate for the hydrostatic increase in the open hole
C. Nothing, as diesel typically has a high density it will have no effect. Surface back pressure should
remain constant
D. There will be no change in the pressure at the shoe as the diesel is in the open hole

891. Which of the following dimension affects the pressure at which gas can ‘blow-through’ to the Shaker
area?
A. Height of liquid seal
B. The vent line length and ID of the vent line
C. ID of line from Choke manifold
D. Height of body and ID of body

892. Why should pressure relief valves be installed in the MPD system?
 IADC DRILLING

A. To be able to close in case of a kick

B. To equalize the pressure in the system
C. To have the ability to pressure test the equipment
D. To protect lower pressure rated equipment

893. Why are shallow kicks dangerous?

A. They create very high shut-in pressures
B. The well can flow around the casing and cause erosion around the rig or wellhead area
C. Mud weight required to kill are always very high
D. Shallow kicks always contain dangerous amounts of H2S

894. How can annular friction pressure be measured?

A. Divide the current Mud Weight by 3.1416
B. It is 25% of pump pressure
C. With a pressure while drilling (PWD) tool
D. By using a pressurized mud balance

895. What are the main components of an RCD?

A. Electronic section, hydraulic, motor
B. Opening chamber, closing chamber, weep hole
C. Tooljoint, crossover, emergency packing
D. Clamp, bearing, sealing element

896. Most formations that have to be fractured to produce contain what?

A. Diesel
B. H2S
C. Salt water
D. Oil and Gas

897. When tripping in the hole, mud returns to the trip tank are less than calculated. Once back drilling, the
return flow is less than expected. What is the most likely cause of this?
A. Total losses
B. Swabbing
C. A kick
D. Partial losses

898. While drilling ahead through a faulted formation, the flow meter drops from 60% to 35%. What is most
likely cause of this?
A. A kick has been swabbed in
B. Partial lost circulation has occurred
C. Total lost circulation has occurred
D. There is a washout in the string
 IADC DRILLING

899. What dimension is used to calculate “blow-through” pressure on the mud-gas separator?
A. Vent line length
B. Inside diameter of the mud-gas separator
C. Liquid leg height
D. Diameter of the inlet

900. How is it possible to be hydrostatically underbalanced but, you can still be dynamically overbalanced at
the same time?
A. Hydrostatic pressure is equal to formation pressure, but ECD still allows the well to flow
B. Formation pressure is less than hydrostatic pressure and ECD is not necessary
C. Hydrostatic pressure is less than formation pressure, but ECD keeps the well from flowing
D. None of the above

901. Which one of the following is NOT classified as a barrier?

A. Mud hydrostatic pressure
B. Pipe ram
C. Full opening safety valve
D. Drill string float valve

902. What are the different types of influx?

A. H2S, nitrogen, propane
B. Quartz, gypsum, feldspar
C. Gas, oil, water
D. Fresh water, brackish water, salt water

903. You have just completed a successful pump start up and the pump is running at kill rate. The choke
gauge is stable. What gauge should now read Initial Circulating Pressure (ICP)?
A. The kill line pressure gauge
B. The drill pipe pressure gauge
C. The choke pressure gauge
D. The accumulator pressure gauge

904. Mud Weight = 10.5 ppg

Slug Mud Weight = 12.5 ppg
Volume of Slug = 20 bbl

The slug is pumped into the drill pipe to allow pipe to be pulled ‘dry’
What affect will the slug have on Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?
A. BHP will decrease
B. BHP will stay the same
C. BHP will increase

905. True Vertical Depth (TVD) = 8,532 feet

 IADC DRILLING

Measured Depth (MD) = 8,789 feet

Hydrostatic Pressure is 4476 psi
What is your Mud Weight gradient?
A. 0.525 psi/foot
B. 10.1 psi/foot
C. 9.8 psi/foot
D. 0.5093 psi/foot

906. How can you tell the difference between background gas and a kick?
A. When kicks occur, background gas is never present
B. Background gas can be ignored
C. Background gas level will go up and down, a kick will cause a flow rate increase and a pit gain
D. A kick always is hydrocarbons

907. With a rotating head and an orbit valve, what level of underbalanced drilling can we safely accomplish?
A. Managed pressure drilling, keeping bottom hole pressure nearly equal to formation pressure
B. Full underbalanced conditions, keeping bottom hole pressure less than formation at all times
C. Whatever the operator/company man wants to do
D. Compensate for loss of ECD by closing the orbit valve during connections to hold backpressure

908. When you shut-in a well, what can affect the time taken for SIDPP and SICP to stabilize?
A. Porosity
B. Gas migration
C. Permeability
D. Friction losses

909. A ram preventer was operated from the remote panel. Both accumulator and manifold pressures
dropped and later returned to normal pressure. The open light went out but the close light did not
illuminate. What is the probable cause of the problem?
A. Air pressure too low
B. Leak in the system
C. Close line is blocked
D. Fault in the close light electrical circuit

910. On the kill sheet why do we calculate the volume of open hole from the bit up to the shoe?
A. This is used to estimate the maximum casing pressure
B. To know when the influx has entered the casing
C. It is useful for calculating how much gas expansion will occur
D. It is part of the exercise to calculate volumes of the stage in the annulus

911. When drilling the horizontal section of a well, an 11 bbl gas kick is taken. TVD is 8200’ and MD is 9700’.
If all the influx is in the horizontal section of the well, what would the expected SIDPP and SICP be?
A. SIDPP nearly equal to SICP
B. SIDPP greater than SICP
 IADC DRILLING

C. Zero SICP
D. SICP greater than SIDPP
912. You have drilled from 9,700 ft to 9,825 ft MD in the last hour, MW = 10.6 ppg, bit size = 8 ½”, open hole
capacity = 0.0702 bbl/ft. 5” OD Drillpipe, capacity = 0.01776bbl/ft, metal displacement = 0.0065 bbl/ft.
9 5/8” casing is set at 8,000 ft MD. What changes should be made to the pre-recorded date sheet?
Change surface-to-bit strokes
913. What is the purpose of Stripping?
Running pipe into a shut-in well to get the drill string below the influx, while holding BHP constant
914. In MPD operations, as circulation is reduced or stopped, what will happen to the ECD?
Decreases
915. How does increasing pressure affect non-aqueous (oil-based) mud density?
Increases density
916. What is true regarding the Driller’s and Wait and Weight Methods if a kick is taken after drilling into an
overpressured zone?
The Driller’s Method requires 2 circulations but the Wait and Weight only requires one circulation
917. How may gas kicks in horizontal wells differ from gas kicks in vertical wells?
Both B and C
918. During MPD, what is the well status when drilling an 11.8 ppg formation with an 11 ppg mud with an
ECD of 12 ppg?
Dynamically overbalanced, hydrostatically underbalanced
919. What are indication that suggest blow through MGS may be about to occur?
Increasing trend in vent line pressure
920. Before pulling out the hole you are going to pump a slug. What is the calculated return volume at
surface?
Slug Volume: 25 bbls
Slug weight: 12 ppg
Mud weight: 10 ppg
Pipe capacity: .01776 bbls/ft.
30 bls

921. You are successfully conducting the first circulation of the Driller’s method. Drill pipe pressure
has been maintained at Initial Circulating Pressure of 560 psi. Choke pressure has been holding
around 460 psi for the last 15 minutes. There is an increase in Drill pipe pressure. Choke
pressure stays the same at 460 psi. What type of complication has most likely occurred?
A bit nozzle has plugged
922. Where is the best place to put a heavy pill to maintain overbalanced during tripping operations?
In the vertical section of the well annulus
923. What is the meaning of “blow-through”?
When unseparated gas is moving through the mud outlet
924. Why is it important to follow a pressure ramp schedule when stopping rig pumps for an MPD
connection on a well with a narrow window between Pore Pressure and Fracture gradient?
As the pumps slow down, the well bore friction is reduced. The surface pressure needs to be increased to
replace fiction so as to maintain the desired pressure at the desired depth
925. In MPD operations, what is the purpose for diverting flow through the Mud Gas separator?
 IADC DRILLING

To remove free gas from mud returns during MPD operations

926. What is the risk of drilling with hydrostatically underbalanced fluid?
All of the above
927. You are circulating kill mud to the bit in a vertical well with the Wait and Weight method. The drillstring
is tapered. Drillpipe length is 10,000 feet with:
- 0 to 5,000 feet of 6 5/8 inch drillpipe, 1730 strokes
- 5,000 to 10,000 feet of 5-inch drillpipe, 890 strokes
Total strokes to bit = 2620 strokes
ICP = 800 psi
FCP = 425 psi
If the pressure step-down graph/schedule is used, based on an average 14 psi per 100 strokes pumped
what would be the effect on bottom hole pressure after pumping kill mud down to the top of the 5-
inch drillpipe?
Bottom hole pressure will be too low
928. What is a function of an RCD?
To help create a closed loop system
929. While drilling with MPD, what surface applied back pressure is required to balance a 10.5 ppg
formation at 14,000’ MD/10,000’ TVD, given:
Mud density: 9.6 ppg
APL: 175 psi
293 psi
930. During an MPD connection, the well is full of a 15.6 ppg mud at 16,000’ MD/14,000’ TVD and has 350
psi surface back pressure. Formation pressure is 11,794 psi. the well is:
Hydrostatically underbalanced
931.
IADC WellSharp Questions

Samples

Well Control Supervisor / Driller

Home Work Exercises

 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES

ü INTRODUCTION 2

ü BASIC & CAUSES OF KICKS 4

ü FRACTURE & MAASP 22

ü WARNING SIGNS 30

ü SHUT IN METHODS 40

ü DATA TO COLLECT 48

ü GAS BEHAVIOR 60

ü KILLING METHODS 68

ü PROBLEMS & PRACTICES 86

ü KILL SHEETS 94

ü EQUIPMENT 106
INTRODUCTION

Ø You may use the following items during the test

• Formula sheet

• Blank kiII sheets and blank paper(for calculation work )

• Handheld calculator-Calculator should be non-programmable.

Ø Other material such as your notes may not be used.
Ø Your phone should be turned off for the duration of the exam.

Ø The testing data base will permit you to change answers, skip questions, and go
back to skipped questions.

Ø All unanswered questions at the expiration of the testing period will be marked
incorrect
Ø During the testing period, you may ask questions if you need clarification of a
question. Please indicate to the Proctor that you wish to ask a question. The Proctor
will call the instructor, who will answer your question. The Proctor will be present as
the instructor answers your question.

Ø If you must leave the room for any reasons, testing time will continue to decrease.
The test will not be paused.
Ø When you have completed your exam and submitted your answers, please meet
with your instructor for your score report.

Ø Passing core: 70%or Greater.

Ø Reset Score: 50% or Greater within 45 days for only ONE chance.
Ø Test Length: 3 Hours For 77 questions.

Page | 2
Page | 3
 BASICS & CAUSES OF KICKS

Page | 4
Page | 5
 1. What is the correct definition of Porosity?

A. The amount of void space in the rock expressed as a percent

B. The pressure of the fluid in the pore space
C. The percentage of solid rock in the formation
D. The ability of formation fluids to move through the rock

2. What is the percentage of void space in a formation?

A. Permeability
B. Low Pressure Formation
C. Porosity
D. Shale Density

3. What term means "an undesired influx of formation fluids into the wellbore'?

A. Fractured Formation
B. Loss Circulation
C. Kick
D. Blowout

4. What is the correct definition of Permeability?

A. The amount of solid rock in the formation

B. The ability of formation fluids to move through the rock
C. The pressure of the fluid in the pore space
D. The density of the formation fluids

5. Which of the following would not increase the risk of surging the well while running casing?

A. Faster running speed

B. Tighter casing to wellbore clearance
C. High gel strength mud
D. lower Casing grade

Page | 6
 6. What increases the risk of surging when running casing in the hole?

A. Cleaning the hole of cuttings before running the casing

B. Excessive casing running speed
C. Conditioning the mud before running the casing
D. Reducing the casing running speed

7. Hydrostatic Pressure is:

A. The Viscosity of a stationary column of fluid

B. The pressure applied from Annular Pressure Loss
C. The pressure exerted by a column of fluid at rest
D. The measured depth of a stationary column of fluid

8. If mud weight in the well is maintained constant, how does an increase in formation fluid
pressure affect Overbalance?

A. Overbalance increases
B. Overbalance decreases
C. Overbalance stays the same

9. The slug is pumped into the drill pipe, the pump is shut down and the well is shut in.

Mud Weight= 11 ppg

Slug Weight = 13 ppg
Length of slug = 1000 feet
Well Depth (MD and TVD) = 8000 feet
What pressure will you see on the Casing Pressure gauge due to the u-tube effect?

A. Zero psi
B. 104 psi
C. 676 psi
D. 572 psi

Page | 7
 10. During normal drilling operations 30 bbls of light mud is pumped into the string followed by
original mud. The Driller shuts down the pump to observe the well with light mud still inside the
drill pipe.

Well Depth (TVO) = 9, 000 feet

Drill pipe capacity= 0.01776 bbls/ft.
Original mud weight = 12 ppg
Light mud weight= 10 ppg
How does this operation affect bottom hole pressure?

A. Bottom hole pressure Will decrease by 177 psi

B. Bottom hole pressure will remain the same
C. Bottom hole pressure will increase 177 psi

11. Your current Mud Weight (MW) is 11.5 ppg. You were instructed to pump a 35 bbl slug weighing
13.5 ppg. Your Drill Pipe capacity is 0.0178 bbfs/ft. How many feet of dry pipe will you have after
pumping?

A. 34feet
B. 84feet
C. 321 feet
D. 342feet

12. Before pulling out of the hole you pump a slug. Immediately after displacing the slug into the
drill pipe, you line up on the trip tank.

Slug Volume 25 bbls

Slug weight 12 ppg

Mud Weight 10 ppg

Pipe Capacity 0.01776 bbls/ft

Calculate how much mud would return to the trip tank.

A. 10 bbls
B. 30 bbls
C. 5 bbls
D. 3 bbls

Page | 8
 13. You pump a 30 bbl slug with the following parameters:

5 inch Drill pipe capacity: 0.01776 bbls / foot

Slug Weight 16.2 ppg
Mud Weight 15.2 ppg
Well Depth: 12335feet MD and 12121 feet TVD
Calculate how much mud, in addition to the slug volume, would u-tube from the well?

A. 5 bbls
B. 45 bbls
C. 2 bbls
D. 30 bbls

14. A 30.0 bbl 14.5 ppg slug is pumped prior to tripping out of the hole. Mud Weight is12.3 ppg.
What mud volume, in addition to the slug volume, should we expect returned due to the slug u-
tubing into position

A. 6.35 bbls
B. 5.96 bbls
C. 5.36 bbls
D. 7.35 bbls

15. What is the definition of abnormal pressure?

A. Formation pressures that differ from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of
formation oil
B. Formation pressures that differ from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of
formation gas
C. Formation pressures that differ from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of
formation water
D. Formation pressures that differ from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of
fresh water

16. What is the most common cause of abnormally high formation pressures worldwide?

A. Limestone fractures
B. Trapped fluids in shale
C. Carbonate layers
D. Depleted sands
Page | 9
 17. While preparing for a trip out of the hole, the Driller is concerned about the possibility of
swabbing in a kick. The Driller plans to condition the mud and to reduce the trip speed. The
estimated trip margin is no more than 0.2 ppg. What advice would you give the Driller to
minimize the risk of swabbing?

A. Pump a slug and prepare to pull dry pipe

B. Pump a saltwater pill in the drill pipe
C. Pump out of the hole until the bit is above the shoe
D. Make a wet' trip to the shoe then pump a slug

18. Severe losses occurred while drilling. The pumps were stopped and the mud in the well could not
be seen. The well was then filled to the top with water and remained static.
Mud weight 12 ppg , Brine water weight 8.6 ppg
Height of water column in the annulus 150 feet
What is the reduction in bottom hole pressure with the 150 feet of water compared to the
pressure before the losses?

A. 830psi
B. 67psi
C. 26psi
D. 894psi

19. The well is full of 12.2ppg mud. A 500-foot cement plug is set 2000 feet above TVD and tested.
The mud above the plug is replaced with 10.2 ppg Brine. If the cement plug failed, what would
happen to the bottom hole pressure?

A. BHP would decrease

B. BHP would increase
C. BHP would stay the same

20. A 500-foot long cement plug is set inside the casing shoe. The mud in the hole is to be displaced
with brine. What will be the reduction in hydrostatic pressure on top of the cement plug?
Old mud density= 12.2 ppg , Brine = 8.6 ppg
Top of cement plug = 8200 feet

A. 5202 psi
B. 1535 psi
C. 3668 psi
Page | 10
 D. 1629 psi
21. A 500-foot long cement plug is set up inside the casing shoe. The mud in the hole is to be
displaced to seawater. Formation pressure below the cement plug = 11.8 ppg Equivalent mud
weight
Sea Water = 8.6 ppg, Top of cement plug= 8200feet
What is the pressure differential across the cement plug?

A. 1364 psi
B. 1671 psi
C. 1895 psi

22. Centralizers are placed on casing before it is run. They are beneficial to an effective casing job.
Which of the following can be a problem when running centralizers?

A. Creates voids in the cement between the casing and well bore
B. increased chances of surging the well while running the casing
C. Prevents flow after cementing between casing strings
D. Keeps the casing fixed in the axial center of the well bore

23. The pump is shut down, the well is flowing, and there is a gain in the mud pit. The pump is
restarted and the gain in the mud pit stops. What is occurring?

A. Annular pressure loss is creating an overbalance against formation pressure

B. Mud hydrostatic pressure is greater than formation pressure
C. Pump pressure is greater than mud hydrostatic pressure
D. Mud weight inside the drill string is creating an overbalance against formation pressure

24. An open well is full of clean fluid and you are not circulating. What is the Bottom Hole Pressure
(BHP)?

A. BHP equals hydrostatic pressure

B. BHP equals hydrostatic pressure minus Annular Pressure loss
C. BHP equals hydrostatic pressure plus Annular Pressure loss equals

Page | 11
 25. What is happening down-hole if the well is flowing with the pumps off, but no pit gain is
observed when the pumps are running?

A. There is a low mud weight inside the drill string when the pumps are off
B. The pump pressure is greater than the mud hydrostatic pressure
C. The annular pressure loss is giving an overbalance against formation pressure when the
pumps are on.
D. The mud hydrostatic pressure is greater than the formation pressure when the pumps are on

26. A Pressure While Drilling (PWD) Tool in the Bottom Hole Assembly can provide information that
indicates an influx while drilling. What information from a PWD Tool would indicate an influx in
the well?

A. An increase in Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD)

B. A reduction in Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD)
C. A record of Weight on Bit {WOB).Shock and Torque
D. An indication of wellbore azimuth and elevation

27. A Pressure While Drilling (PWD) Tool in the Bottom Hole Assembly can provide information that
indicates a reduction in ECD during drilling operations. What might cause the reduction in ECD
while drilling?

A. A loss of overbalance with formation fluids contaminating the mud in the annulus
B. A change in Rate of Penetration (ROP)
C. A change in well bore azimuth and elevation
D. An increase in overbalance due to a formation pressure increase

28. How does annular pressure loss affect Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?

A. It will have no effect on BHP

B. It will cause BHP to be greater than hydrostatic pressure
C. It will cause BHP to be less than hydrostatic pressure

29. What changes in pump pressure will you see after one complete circulation if the mud weight is
decreased?

A. The pump pressure will stay the same

Page | 12
 B. The pump pressure will decrease
C. The pump pressure will increase
30. How could the Driller recognize if a lighter mud weight is being pumped into the well?

A. Decrease in Hook Load.

B. Gradual increase in pump pressure as mud is pumped down the drill string.
C. Gradual decrease in pump pressure as mud is pumped down the drill string.
D. Increased flow rate at a connection due to u-tube effect.

31. The equivalent circulating density (ECD) determines the actual bottom hole pressure while
circulating down the drill string and back up the annulus. Which part of the system pressure
losses is used to calculate ECD?

A. The pressure loss in the annulus

B. The pressure loss across the nozzles
C. The pressure loss in the drill string
D. The pressure loss in the open hole section only

32. What is the new pump pressure at 50 strokes per minute (SPM) if the pressure was 425 psi at 42
SPM?

A. 357psi
B. 506psi
C. 602psi
D. 300psi

33. The Driller pumps down the drill pipe and back up the annulus at reduced strokes per minute
(SPM). What is the name for this recorded pressure?

A. The slow circulating rate pressure

B. The annular pressure loss
C. The surface line pressure loss
D. he bit nozzle pressure loss

Page | 13
 34. Increasing flow-back time has been documented for the last five connections. The Driller
believed that the flow-back time was too long and closed the well in. There is 150 psi on the Drill
Pipe and the Annulus. The Driller has bled off 50 psi. SIDPP returned to150 psi. SICP is 175 psi.
The bleed-off was repeated and SIDPP returned to150 psi and SICP is 200 psi. What is your
assessment of the current situation?

A. This is ballooning, Bleed off and drill ahead

B. This is a kick, Prepare to carry out a kill operation
C. This is the result of gas migration, Start the Volumetric Method
D. This is mud compressibility, .Bleed off and drill ahead

35. The well has been losing mud while drilling the last stand. At the connection the well continues
to flow after the pumps have been switched off. You suspect the formation is 'Ballooning’.
What is the first action the Driller should take?

A. Bleed 5 bbls back to trip tank and check if flow-back rate reduces
B. Immediately start pumping to restore BHP
C. Make connection, return to drilling and add LCM to the mud
D. Shut the well in

36. Ballooning formations happen when the bottom-hole pressure is slightly greater than the
formation fracture pressure. What causes this increased bottom-hole pressure?

A. Annular friction while circulating

B. Abnormal formation pressure
C. Low formation permeability and porosity
D. Failure to fill up when tripping out

37. What information from the well can help you to decide if the well is ballooning?

A. SICP greater than ECD

B. No losses while drilling but gains at the connection
C. Increasing mud flow-back rate at connections
Page | 14
 D. Gradual losses when pumps are on and gains when the pumps are off

38. If the well is flowing during a connection and "ballooning'' is suspected, what is the safest and
most conservative action the Driller should take?

A. Measure the time it takes for 5 bbls of mud to flow into the trip tank, and then shut in the
well
B. Follow shut-in procedures, record pressures, pit gain, and then notify supervisor
C. Stop further drilling and circulate bottom-up at the slow circulating rate
D. Complete the connection and resume drilling operations to stop the flow

39. While making a connection, the Driller closed the well in due to an abnormally long flow-back
time. The stabilized surface pressures were equal at 150 psi on the Drill Pipe and Annulus. You
suspect the situation is the result of a ballooning formation. How will you verify it is ballooning?

A. Circulate bottoms-up at 30 SPM while on the remote choke

B. Open the BOP and drill ahead, but watch the pit volume closely
C. Open the BOP and observe the flow line for a decrease in flow
D. Bleed pressure in 50 psi increments, and monitor if pressure returns

40. While making a connection, the Driller closed the well in due to an abnormally long flow back
time. The stabilized surface pressures were equal at 150 psi on the Drill Pipe and Annulus. You
suspect the well has been ballooning. After bleeding the pressures to zero (0) in increments of 50
psi, the pressures the pressures stayed at zero. Oil-based mud is in the hole.
What instructions would you give the Driller?

A. Open the choke and flow-check, if negative. open the BOP and circulate while raising the
mud weight by 5 ppg and drill ahead
B. Open the BOP, raise mud weight by 1 ppg and drill ahead
C. Open the BOP and drill ahead
D. Open the choke and flow, check, lf negative, circulate bottoms-up through the choke

41. You are drilling ahead. Other wells in the area have experienced ballooning formations. When
you shut down to make a connection the well flows.
ž You shut the well in with a 6 barrel gain
ž Shut-in pressures have stabilized SIDPP=120 psi, SICP=180psi.
What is most likely happening down hole?

A. Ballooning well
Page | 15
 B. Formation fluid influx
C. Hydrates in the choke
D. Lost Circulation
42. When making a connection, the well was still flowing after 3 minutes. The well is shut in and the
shut-in pressures have stabilized as follows:

SIDPP=200 psi Pit Gain=5 bbl

SICP=350 psi

What has happened?

A. This indicates an influx in the well

B. This is normal Resume dolling
C. This is trapped pump pressure
D. This is a ballooning formation

43. Which of the following situations could result in a swabbed-in kick during a casing operation?

A. Use of a self-filling float that fails to convert

B. Use of light weight cement after casing has been run
C. Failure to fill the casing while running in the hole
D. Pulling the casing back out after getting it stuck

44. Casing is run in the hole with a non-return float assembly. What can happen if the casing is not
kept full?

A. Hook load will suddenly decrease

B. Casing joint just above the float assembly will burst
C. Casing close to surface will burst
D. Float may fail causing mud to u-tube up inside the casing

45. How do you know that a self-fill float is plugged?

A. Trip monitoring returns will decrease to closed end displacement

B. Hook load increases (the normal increase in hook load with depth will slow down due to the
buoyancy effect)
Page | 16
 C. Trip monitoring returns will increase to closed end displacement
D. Running time increases

46. While running casing, the string became hung up. The Operator has made the decision to pull the
casing. You have advised the Driller to go slow and watch his fill-up volumes as he pulls the
casing string. What is the reason for this?

A. Potential down time for not being ready to trip back in the hole
B. Potential damage to the casing string and cost to the Operator
C. Potential swabbing due to tight well bore-to-casing geometry
D. Potential surging due to tight well bore to casing geometry

47. When running in the hole with casing what is a benefit of routine fill-ups?

A. To prevent casing burst due to high internal pressure

B. To minimize surge pressure when running in
C. To provide hydrostatic support to the casing and related components
D. To reduce Hook Load and wear on the drilling line

48. What would happen if a self-fill (auto fill tube type) failed to convert to a check valve?

A. Cement cannot be pumped down inside the casing

B. Fluids from the annulus or the formation can enter the casing
C. Pressure would have to be held on the annulus to prevent u-tubing
D. Cement would have to be reverse circulated

49. When running casing with a self-fill float assembly, what would indicate that the self-fill
assembly was plugged and the casing was not filling?

A. Hook load would increase by buoyed weight of the steel run in the hole
B. Trip monitoring would show deviations from planned volumes
C. Inability to rotate the casing
D. Inability to reach TD with casing

50. How does annular pressure loss affect Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?

A. It will have no effect on BHP

Page | 17
 B. It will cause BHP to be greater than hydrostatic pressure
C. It will cause BHP to be less than hydrostatic pressure

51. Casing is run in the hole with a non-return float assembly. The casing is not being filled. With the
shoe at 3000 feet, the float assembly fails and mud u-tubes up inside the casing. What will
happen to the bottom hole pressure (BHP)?

A. Bottom hole pressure will remain the same since the mud volume in the hole has not
changed
B. Bottom hole pressure will increase
C. Bottom hole pressure will stay the same due to the u-tube effect
D. Bottom hole pressure will decrease

52. If a self-fill float in the casing gets plugged and the casing is not filling. What are the well control
risks?

A. If the plug suddenly clears the mud level in the annulus will drop.
B. Losses may occur due to higher mud level in the annulus.
C. You will not be able to reverse circulate to kill the well.
D. You will not be able to pump LCM.

53. Which of the following is considered a "procedural barrier"?

A. The casing shoe

B. Monitoring the well for gains or losses
C. The drilling fluid
D. A set packer assembly

54. Which of the following is a "physical barrier"?

A. Periodic well control drills

B. Monitoring the trip tank
C. A cement plug
D. It Proper BOP shut in procedure

55. A drilling break is observed while drilling ahead. A flow check was performed and the well is
flowing. Which barrier has failed?

Page | 18
 A. Wellhead or casing Head seals
B. Mud Filter Cake
C. Mud hydrostatic
D. Cement around the casing
56. If a kick is swabbed in when tripping, which type of barrier has failed?

A. Primary (hydrostatic) barrier

B. Temporary mechanical barrier
C. Permanent mechanical barrier
D. Cement barrier

57. Which of the following is not a method of wellbore barrier verification?

A. Inflow test(Negative test)

B. Weight set confirmation (tagging)
C. Leak off test
D. Positive pressure test

58. What is the minimum number of barriers normally required being in place for any phase of
operations?

A. Three
B. Two
C. Four
D. One

59. When should the well be monitored with pit level and flow rate instrumentation?

A. Only when drilling open hole

B. When running in the hole
C. Any time there is a potential for a barrier to fail
D. During connections

60. Which one of the following NOT classified as a barrier?

A. Mud hydrostatic pressure

B. Drill string Float
C. Pipe Ram
D. Full Opening Safety valve
Page | 19
 61. After cementing casing, the plan is to remove the BOP stack. When is it considered safe to start
this operation?

A. The number of minutes that are equal to the cement yield per sack multiplied by the cement
density
B. The planned waiting-on-cement time is complete and well is static
C. The well has not flowed for a 45-minute period since the cement was displaced into position
D. The cement has reached a minimum of a 100 psi compressive strength

62. You have set a liner and are now circulating the well to clean mud before drilling out the liner
Shoe. Where are potential leak paths to allow formation fluid to enter the well?

A. Drill string
B. BOP opening chamber
C. BOP dosing chamber
D. Leaking liner Lap or shoe

63. What is a positive test?

A. A test on a barrier where the pressure applied to the formation side of the barrier is greater
than the pressure on the surface side of the barrier
B. A test on a barrier where the pressure on the formation side of the barrier is less than the
pressure on the surface side of the barrier
C. A test on a barrier where the pressure on the formation side of the barrier is equal to the
pressure on the surface side of the barrier

64. You are performing a Negative Test (API: Inflow Test). The drill string has been displaced with a
light fluid and the pressure has been bled off the drill pipe. The volume that flowed back from
the drill pipe during bleed-off was three times more than calculated. Pressure returns on the
standpipe when the drill pipe is shut in.
What is your evaluation of the test?

Page | 20
 A. Not enough information to make an informed decision.
B. Successful test. Continue with planned operations.
C. Failed test. Shut the well in and notify Management.

Page | 21
 FRACTURE & MAASP

Page | 22
Page | 23
 1. The drilling program requires a formation integrity test (FIT) to 15.2 ppg Equivalent Mud Weight
(EMW) at the casing shoe.
Shoe Depth = 4,000 feet {TVD}; 5,500 feet {MD).
Mud Weight = 9.5 ppg.
What surface pressure is required to test the shoe to the 15.2 ppg EMW?

A. 1,186 psi
B. 1,976 psi
C. 2.382 psi
D. 1,630 psi

2. On the kill sheet why do we calculate the volume of open hole from the bit up to the shoe?

A. To know when the influx has entered the casing

B. It is part of the exercise to calculate volumes of the stage in the annulus
C. This is used to estimate the maximum casing pressure
D. It is useful for calculating how much gas expansion will occur

3. You have run back to the float shoe after a casing and cement job. The instructions are to
circulate the hole clean before drilling out the shoe. Why should you monitor the pit and flow
levels during this operation?

A. To monitor for thermal expansion of the cement

B. To monitor for losses as any extra cement is cleaned out of the well
C. To check that the float shoe is not leaking
D. To determine when bottoms-up circulation is complete

4. While circulating the gas influx inside the casing. The casing pressure approaches the MAASP,
what should you do?

A. Stop the kill procedures. and bleed off to MAASP thereby reducing the risk of formation
breakdown
B. Continue with the kill procedures. but use the automatic MAASP control to prevent
formation breakdown
C. Continue with the kill procedure, but open the choke as needed to maintain casing pressure
equal to MAASP thereby risking additional influx
D. Continue with the correct kill procedure, the increasing MAASP will not cause formation
breakdown

Page | 24
 5. What do you need to help you calculate accurate formation strength at the shoe?

A. An accurate stroke counter

B. An accurate hole capacity
C. A calibrated pressure gauge
D. To install a retrievable packer approximately 1,000ft below the rig floor

6. What can increase the risk of exceeding MAASP during a kill operation?

A. Long open hole section

B. Small influx
C. Large difference between formation breakdown pressure and mud hydrostatic pressure
D. Short open hole section

7. You are circulating out a kick in a deep well and the casing pressure approaches the MAASP
while the influx is still in the open hole. What is the first thing you must do?

A. Minimize any extra pressure in the annulus without allowing the bottom hole pressure to fall
below the pore pressure.
B. Keep the casing pressure at the MAASP by opening the choke.
C. Start pumping mud down the drill string at 1 ppg higher than you need to kill.
D. Continue pumping at the same SPM. The MAASP is only a problem when the influx is inside
casing.

8. What is the Maximum Allowable Annular Surface Pressure (MAASP)?

A. The total pressure applied at the shoe that will cause losses
B. The total pressure that will cause losses to the formation minus the mud hydrostatic
C. The maximum pressure allowed on the drill pipe gauge during a kill operation
D. The maximum allowable bottom hole pressure during a kill operation

9. What can increase the risk of exceeding MAASP during a kill operation?

A. Small influx
B. Large difference between formation breakdown pressure and mud hydrostatic pressure
C. Small difference between formation breakdown pressure and mud hydrostatic pressure
D. Short open hole section

Page | 25
 10. Which of the following practices should be observed when running a leak-off test {L.O.T.) ?

A. Always use water, pump fast and shut down when pressure-volume trend changes
B. Establish an injection rate first use known mud weight, and pump at a fast rate
C. Pump slowly, use known mud weight and shut down when pressure-volume trend changes
D. Displace the drill string to base oil or water, shut in the well and pump slowly until the
formation starts to take fluid

11. What will happen to MAASP if Mud Weight is decreased?

A. MAASP will increase

B. MAASP will stay the same
C. MAASP Will decrease

12. Surface Leak off Pressure= 1000 psi

TVD of Casing Shoe= 7,500
Mud Weight=11 ppg
What is the fracture pressure at the casing shoe?

A. 4200psi
B. 6100psi
C. 5425psi
D. 5290psi

13. What affects the MAASP?

A. The maximum pump pressure

B. The gel strength of the mud
C. The mud weight in the hole
D. The viscosity and water loss of the mud

Page | 26
 14. At what pressure does leak-off begin to take place in the graph below?

1200
Pump Pressure

1000

800

600

400 Vertical Depth = 8500 ft.

Mud Weight = 12.3 ppg
200

Volume Pumped

A. 1000 - 1150 psi

B. 1250 - 1350 psi
C. 800 - 900 psi

Page | 27
 15. You are drilling a section of well with a low kick tolerance. What action could be implemented?
A. Increase the mud viscosity to reduce the chance of a kick
B. Pull out at increased trip speed and carry out 15 minute flow checks at all drilling breaks
C. Take slow circulating rate pressures at faster strokes per minute (SPM) than normal
D. Increase vigilance of kick indicators

16. You are drilling a section of well with a kick tolerance window indicating a maximum allowable
kick volume of less than the rig has shown they can successfully detect and shut in. What action
could be taken?

A. Set cement plug and sidetrack

B. Consider setting casing liner
C. Pull bit into casing shoe as quickly as possible
D. Continue drilling carefully, kick tolerance will improve with depth

17. Which of the following is the definition of kick tolerance?

A. The maximum gas kick volume at a particular depth that can be successfully shut in and
circulated out without exceeding the weirs weak point fracture pressure
B. The maximum gas kick volume for a given kick intensity at a particular depth that can be
successfully shut in and circulated out without exceeding the weirs weak point fracture
pressure
C. The minimum kick intensity, for a given gas kick volume that can be successfully shut in and
circulated out Without exceeding the weirs weak point fracture pressure

18. What is meant by a kick tolerance of 25 barrels?

A. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a gas kick of 25 bbls is the maximum that can be shut in
and circulated out without fracture at the weak point of the well
B. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a salt-water kick of 25 bbls is the maximum that can be
shut in and bullheaded
C. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a salt-water kick of 25 bbls is the maximum that can be
circulated out without bursting the casing at surface
D. Based on a chosen kick intensity, a gas kick of 25 bbls is the maximum that can be circulated
out without bursting the casing at surface

Page | 28
 19. The rig team has just calculated Kick Tolerance for a range of kick intensities, and the Kick
Tolerance Window is provided below.

The rig team predicts a maximum 1 ppg kick in this hole section. From the graph above,
determine how many bbls they could close in on and successfully circulate out without
breaking down the shoe?

A. 19 bbls
B. 30 bbls
C. 44 bbls
D. 17 bbls

20. The operator calculates a kick tolerance of 50 bbls at a given depth, based on 0.5 ppg kick
intensity. If you re-calculate for a kick intensity of 1 ppg. What will happen to maximum kick
size?

A. Maximum kick size will increase

B. Maximum kick size will stay at 50 bbls
C. Maximum kick size will decrease

Page | 29
 Warning Signs and Indicators

Page | 30
Page | 31
 1. What is a transition zone?

A. A mange in the formation from high permeability to low permeability

B. The position in a reservoir where gas transitions to oil or water
C. Depth where the formations are strong enough to be shut-in with the BOP
D. A section of formation where formation pressure is changing

2. When drilling in the transition zone to an abnormally pressured formation, what changes may
you expect to see in the mud?

A. Decrease in mud filtrate

B. Increasing salinity in a fresh water based mud
C. Increasing mud weight
D. Decrease in gas content

3. Which of the following actions should be taken when drilling through a transition zone?

A. Reduce Weight on Bit

B. Reduce Revolutions per Minute(RPM)
C. Increase time between mud weight checks
D. Increased crew awareness of the warning signs

4. Why is it important to examine the mud as it flows across the shakers?

A. The type and amount of cuttings and cavings can indicate wellbore conditions
B. The type of cuttings determine what mud weight is needed
C. The type of cuttings determine whether to run the degasser or the centrifuge
D. The more cuttings and cavings at the Shaker is an indication of good drilling practices

5. What is the main reason for measuring the weight and viscosity as it exits the well?

A. It provides information about the effects of the well on the mud

B. It informs Mud Engineer when to do mud tests
C. It makes sure the well plan's mud program is followed
D. It ensures compliance with company policy

6. Why is it important for crew members to immediately inform their Driller if they see any
potential well control problems?

A. To inform the Driller to increase rate of penetration

B. To help Driller identify and act to minimize the size of a kick
Page | 32
 C. To inform the Driller to increase tripping speed
D. To allow the Driller to switch on the pit and flow alarms
7. What is the best description of the term "Fingerprinting the Well"?

A. Recording baseline drilling data that can be analyzed against current data to help recognize
down hole problems
B. Recording azimuth and elevation of the wellbore from logging
C. Recording block name and field number fur the location of the well
D. Sampling the formation fluid for grade, quality and contaminants

8. Which of the following may be a lagging indicator of an increase in formation pressure?

A. Change in SPM
B. Change in RPM
C. Change in back ground gas
D. Change in rotary torque

9. You are drilling ahead at 80 feet/hour.

Bit diameter = 12 1/4 inches

Open Hole capacity = 0.1458 bbls/foot
Casing capacity = 0.152 bbls/foot
Drill pipe capacity = 0.0178 bbls/foot
Drill pipe displacement = 0.008 bbls/foot
Pit level has decreased 23 bbls in the last hour, what action would you take?

A. Stop drilling and flow check you may be taking an influx

B. Continue drilling ahead, all is good with the pit level
C. Decrease ROP to 50 feet/hour
D. Inform Supervisor that you have partial losses

10. Which kick indicator is normally detected first?

A. Pump pressure increase

B. Trip Tank increase
C. Gain increase
D. Flow Rate increase

Page | 33
 11. What precautions should you take with the drilling fluid before starting wireline operations?

A. Drilling fluid should be circulated and conditioned because the well will be static for an
extended period
B. Due to small diameter of tools there are no special precaution to take
C. Increase mud weight before starting the wirelining operation to compensate for the loss of
ECD
D. A Lost Circulation Material (LCM) pill should be spotted at the depth of interest before
starting wireline operations

12. Which of the following is not a warning sign of an increasing formation fluid pressure?

A. Increased Cavings at Shaker.

B. Increasing Shale Density
C. Increasing Background Gas
D. Decreasing Shale Density

13. What is a 'flow-check?

A. Monitoring the number of barrels that flow back to the pits at a connection
B. Observing the well for flow after the pumps have been shutdown
C. Observing the number of barrels it takes to keep the hole full after pulling10 stands
D. Monitoring the time it takes for the flow-line to drain back to the pits at a connection

14. When would you most likely carry out a flow check?

A. After the Driller has increased the weight on bit

B. After- a 5% increase in the rate of penetration
C. After taking a slow circulation rate
D. Before the BHA is pulled up through the stack

15. When would you most likely carry out a flow check?

A. After the BHA has been run-in past the BOP

B. After the Driller has increased the Weight on Bit
C. Before the Bitt is run-in past the BOP
D. Before starting to pull out of the hole

Page | 34
 16. Which of the following does not require a flow check?

A. After tripping back to bottom

B. 10% increase in ROP for 10 feet
C. 50% increase in ROP for 5 feet
D. After the Driller has increased the WOB

17. Why is it important to inform the Driller when starting or stopping the degasser or desilter?

A. Shakers will need to be by-passed

B. Mud viscosity will be reduced
C. Flow Rate will increase from the well
D. Pit volume will change

18. Why is it important for the Driller to know when mud is being transferred into or out of the
active system?

A. To line up returns through the Desilters to improve mud mixing

B. To recognize if there are gains and losses due to a kick or lost circulation
C. To start bottoms-up circulation to clean the hole before new mud is pumped
D. To know when to operate the pit agitators to prevent Barite falling out of the mud

19. If the flow sensor suddenly showed a loss of returns and no mud could be seen in the annulus,
what would be the best action to take?

A. Pump at a reduced rate while mixing lost circulation material

B. Close the well in and check for pressure
C. Top-fill the annulus with base fluid and record the amount needed to stop the fluid losses
D. Stop all pumping and wait for orders

20. If total losses occurred while drilling with water based mud, what should be done?

A. Stop drilling, top-fill the hole with water, and record volume
B. Pump lost circulation material immediately
C. Stop drilling, shut the well in, and see what happens
D. Drill blind

Page | 35
 21. While tripping out of the hole, the Assistant Driller (AD) has noted improper hole fill, After
pulling five stands, the hole has taken no fluid from the trip tank. It should have taken three
barrels. The AD informs the Driller of the problem. What is the action should the Driller take?

A. Connect Kelly or Top and circulate bottoms-up

B. Perform a flow check immediately and shut in if required
C. Close the diverter and line up to the degasser
D. Pull five more stands and re-evaluate the situation

22. You are drilling ahead and begin to experience partial losses. Which of the following is not a
normal action to consider?

A. Add LCM (lost Circulation Material) to the mud

B. Circulate at a slower pump rate to reduce ECD
C. Shut in the well and convert mud system to brine
D. Consider changing the mud properties to reduce friction losses or hydrostatic pressure

23. The wireline crew has informed the Driller that they are pulling the wireline tools out of the
hole. A short time later the Driller sees a gain in the trip tank. What has most likely occurred?

A. The gain is from mud expansion due to the wellbeing static for a long period of time while
wirelining
B. The wireline tools may have been pulled too quickly causing swabbing
C. The wireline operator has pumped a slug so the wireline can be pulled dry and save some
dean uptime
D. Nothing has occurred, it is normal to see a gain due to displacement when pulling wireline
tools

24. The Mud Engineer starts the degasser and the desilter. What will happen to flow rate from the
well?

A. Flow rate will increase after two to three minutes

B. Flow rate will decrease after two to three minutes
C. Flow Rate will stay the same

Page | 36
 25. While drilling ahead at a constant rate of penetration (ROP), the cutting load across the shakers
increased and the shale shakers cannot handle the amount of cuttings returning from the well.
What is the safest thing to do?

A. Check for flow-if there is non, continue drilling at the same ROP
B. Slow down the mud pump until the shaker can handle the amount of cuttings in the returns
and continue drilling
C. Check for flow-if there is none continue at the same ROP, AIIow half of the mod returns to
bypass the shakers
D. Check for flow-if there is none. Circulate bottoms up at a reduced rate so that the shakers
can handle the cuttings volume

26. Why is it important, as a minimum, to circulate a full bottom-up before starting a cement job on
a deviated well?

A. The time taken to circulate bottoms-up Will replace the requirement to flow check the well
B. To ensure a good column of mud in the annulus
C. To remove any cuttings that could plug the casing float collar if you take a kick
D. You want to ensure you will not induce losses during the cement job

27. Which of the following indicators may warn of an increase in formation pressure?

A. ROP
B. Rotary torque
C. RPM
D. All of the above

28. If a positive Kick Indicator is noted at a flow check, what should be the Driller's first action?

A. Immediately shut in and secure the well

B. Continue to monitor the well for flow. If flow continues. shut the well In after a 5 bbl gain
C. Call the Tool-pusher for instructions
D. Continue drilling a further five (5) feet then shut in

29. You are drilling ahead with a 12 1/4-inch Bit with an average ROP of 45 feet/hour. For the last 60
minutes there has been no change to the pit level. What may be happening down hole?

A. All is good as the pit level is constant

B. You may be gaining some formation fluid
C. You may be losing some mud to the formation

Page | 37
 30. Which kick indicator is normally detected first?

A. Pit Gain increase

B. Pump pressure increase
C. Flow Rate increase
D. Trip Tank increase

31. Which of the following situations make it more difficult to detect a kick with the PVT?

A. When you by-pass the solids control pits

B. When you allow mud to over flow the shakers
C. When you reduce the pit level alarm settings from10 bbls to 5 bbls
D. When you keep active mud system transfers to a minimum while drilling ahead

32. While drilling ahead and recording high connection gas levels, there is a power failure that
eliminates the ability to circulate and rotate. What is the safest action to take?

A. line up to trip tank and monitor the well

B. Pull out to the casing shoe and work the pipe up and down
C. Work pipe up and down to prevent stuck pipe
D. Space out and shut-in and monitor for pressure build-up in the well

33. The results of a flow check are inconclusive due to the small volume of returns from the well.
Which of the following is the most accurate way to determine if the well is flowing?

A. Pull 5 stands and watch the well to see if it fills up

B. Close in the well and line up through the mud-gas separator and monitor for flow at the
Shakers
C. Line up to the trip tank and monitor for gains or losses
D. Shut the Diverter and monitor for flow from the vent line

34. When should the well be monitored with pit level and flow rate instrumentation?

A. When running in the hole

B. During connections
C. Only when drilling open hole
D. Anytime there is a potential for a barrier to fail

Page | 38
 35. The Derrick-man states that there has been a 10 bbl/ increase in the pits over the last 15
minutes. What is the safest action to take?

A. Carry out a flow check

B. Inform the Mud Engineer
C. Call the Tool pusher for advice
D. Ask the Derrick man to check for any mud transfers

36. While conducting a flow check after a drilling break. The trip tank increases by 2 barrels in 4
minutes. What action should be taken?

A. Shut the well in

B. Return to drilling as the gain is due to temperature changes down-hole
C. Start circulating bottoms up
D. Monitor the well for another 4 minutes to check if well is still flowing

Page | 39
 Shut-in Methods

Page | 40
Page | 41
 1. While tripping into the hole at 6,000 feet, a flow check is positive. The rig procedure is to shut
the well in using the soft shut in procedure. What is the correct procedure to shut in?

A. Open HCR valve and choke. Close BOP, Stab full opening safety valve, Close safety valve.
Close choke
B. Stab full opening safety valve, Open HCR valve and choke. Close BOP. Close choke. Close
safety valve. Record pressure
C. Stab a full opening safety valve, Close the safety valve, Open HCR valve. Close BOP, Close
choke
D. Close the BOP, Stab full opening safety valve, Close the safety valve. Open choke, Close
choke, Record pressure

2. While tripping into the hole at 6,000 ft. a flow check is positive. The rig procedure is to shut the
well in using the hard shut in procedure. What is the correct procedure to shut in?

A. Close the BOP, Stab full opening safety valve, close the safety valve, Open choke, Record
pressure.
B. Open HCR valve and choke, Close BOP, Stab full opening safety valve, close choke Record
pressure.
C. Stab a full opening safety valve. Close the safety valve, Close BOP, Open HCR valve, Record
pressure.
D. Stab full opening safely valve, Open HCR valve and choke, close BOP, close safety valve,
Record pressure.

3. Who has the authority to shut in the well without waiting for permission?

A. Mud engineer
B. Derrick hand
C. Driller
D. Floor hand

4. Why is the Driller given authority to shut in a well without waiting for permission?

A. The Driller can monitor well flow to allow a minimum 10 bbl gain
B. The Driller is the only person trained to kill the well
C. The Driller has the 'password' to activate the BOP controls
D. The Driller is empowered to shut the well without delay

Page | 42
 5. You have successfully shut-in on a kick. As a Supervisor, which of the following is an important
responsibility for you to complete?

A. Verify Mud Weight in and out.

B. Check Pit Levels and lineups.
C. Mixing Kill Weight Mud
D. Communicate/Plan with crew.

6. What equipment is specific to a shut-in operation with casing?

A. Inside Blow Out Preventer(IBOP)

B. A suitable crossover (Swage)
C. Full Opening Safety Valve (FOSV)
D. Dart sub

7. Why is it important to detect a kick as early as possible?

A. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a lower SICP

B. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a higher SICP
C. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a lower SIDPP
D. Minimizing the size of the influx will result in a higher SIDPP

8. Why is it important to detect a kick as early as possible?

A. To allow the volumetric method to be used.

B. To prevent gas expansion as it is circulated up the annulus.
C. To minimize size of influx to handle at surface
D. To reduce Kill Mud Weight required killing the well

9. Why is it good practice during a well kill to monitor the top of the well on the trip tank?

A. To check for leaks across the BOP

B. To check for losses at the Shoe
C. To check for a secondary influx during the kill
D. To monitor returns from the mud gas separator

Page | 43
 10. What is the safest and most reliable method for monitoring leaks through the BOP?

A. Visually check by looking through rotary table

B. Monitor for changes in the flow rate indicator
C. Line up the trip tank to monitor for flow above the closed BOP
D. Close the diverter and monitor the vent line

11. The well has been shut-in and the pressures are stabilizing. What is the first step that the Driller
should take?

A. Check the drill pipe pressure to determine formation pressure

B. Record the pit gain
C. Check the well secure (no leaks)
D. Calculate Kill Weight Fluid

12. What is the main reason for a pit drill?

A. To see how fast the Driller can line up on the trip tank
B. To test the pit and flow alarms
C. To ensure the crew is trained to kill the well
D. To ensure the crew is able to effectively recognize and react to a kick

13. What is the main reason for a trip drill?

A. To see how fast the Driller can line upon the choke manifold
B. To ensure the crew is able to effectively recognize and react to a kick when tripping pipe
C. To test the pit flow and trip tank alarms
D. To ensure the crew is trained to kill the well

14. What is the reason for a Choke drill?

A. To see how fast the Driller can close the choke in an emergency
B. To help the crew understand how the choke and well pressures react during a kill operation
C. To test that the choke is working correctly before drilling out the casing shoe
D. To ensure the crew is trained to line up correctly for a reverse circulation well kill

Page | 44
 15. What is the reason for a Diverter drill?

A. To ensure the crew is able to effectively recognize and react to a surface kick by diverting
fluids away from the rig
B. To test the pit flow and trip tank alarms
C. To see how fast the Driller can line up from the vent line to the mud gas separator
D. To ensure the crew are able to close in the well and prepare the kill mud

16. You are running a slick non-shearable tool in the hole on a surface stack rig. The well flows when
the tool is across the BOP stack.
What is the best action the Driller can take to shut in the well?

A. Pick up a joint or stand of shearable pipe, run into position and install a safety valve
B. Make up safety valve in string and close the annular
C. Start circulating to use ECD to stop the kick
D. Drop the string in the hole

17. The Driller has successfully shut-in on a kick. Which one of the following would you delegate to a
crewmember?

A. Communicating kill plan to crew-members

B. Instructions to crew if you get Gas Migration
C. Checking kill-sheet for accuracy
D. Checking for leaks at the pumps, pipe work and pit areas

18. Which density measuring device should be used when a fluid has entrained air and/or gas?

A. Hydrometer
B. Pressurized Balance
C. A triple beam mud balance
D. Atmospheric Balance

19. You have successfully shut-in on a kick. Which of the following would not be the responsibility of
the Derrick hand to monitor?

A. Record pit levels and check measuring devices

B. Measure mud weight in all pits
C. Check for leaks at the pumps or lines

Page | 45
 D. Monitor pressures at the Choke

20. Which of the following is the most important reason for good handover procedures between
crews during well control operations?

A. Ensure continuity in operations and pass on trend information to identify potential problems
B. It is a regulatory form that must be completed and turned Into the local regulatory agency
C. Handover procedures are not considered important during well control operations
D. To allow blame to be assigned in the event of an incident during well kill operations

21. Which of the following is the least important reason for good handover during well control
operations?

A. Allows blame to be assigned in the event of an incident

B. Allows discussion of any problems experienced up to this point
C. Ensures trends and parameters are known by the new crew
D. Ensures operations are continued with minimum disruption

22. Which of the following statements is a good operating practice in a top-hole section that has the
risk of gas bearing formations?

A. Never use a drill pipe float

B. Maintain high ROP
C. Regularly pump light sweeps
D. Control the rate of penetration

23. What is good practice when increasing connection gas is observed?

A. Control ROP to keep a minimum number of connection gas events in the hole at a time
B. Increase WOB and RPM to reduce gas level in the mud
C. Reduce the mud viscosity to minimize swabbing
D. Increase the mud Viscosity

24. Which of the following practices could result in the influx of a shallow hazard?

A. Pumping out of the hole

Page | 46
 B. Keeping the hole full with a continuous trip tank
C. Pumping a cement slurry with short transition time
D. Not filling the hole properly while tripping out
25. What drilling practice should be considered when connection gas is recorded?

A. Reduce mud weight by a small amount

B. Increase the mud Viscosity
C. Pull out of hole and change the Bit
D. Control ROP to keep a minimum number of connection gas events in the hole at a time

26. Which of the following is true regarding kick detection during wireline operations?

A. There is no need to monitor the well during wireline operations because the well is static
B. The well should be lined up to active pits due to the large displacement volumes of wire line
tools
C. The well should be put on the trip tank to monitor displacement as wireline is run in/out of
the hole
D. Wire line operations can only take place using a lubricator assembly when logging open hole
sections

Page | 47
 Data to Collect

Page | 48
Page | 49
 1. What gauge is used to record the Slow Circulating Rate (SCR) pressure?

A. The casing pressure gauge at the Standpipe Manifold

B. The pump pressure gauge at the mud pump
C. The same drill pipe gauge that is used to kill the well
D. The pump pressure gauge at the Standpipe Manifold

2. After the well is shut-in, what key data should be recorded?

A. Casing Pressure
B. Weight on Bit
C. Rotary Torque
D. Hook load

3. What is a typical Slow Circulating Rate (SCR)?

A. 75% of drilling pump rate

B. Same as drilling pump rate
C. Between 20 and 50 strokes per minute(SPM)
D. Between 80 and 100strokes per minute(SPM)

4. When would you consider taking a new Slow Circulation Rate (SCR)?

A. After each connection that you drill with a top drive

B. After you recharge the mud pump pulsation dampener
C. When the Mud Weight changes
D. Before and after a leak-off test

5. What can cause an inaccurate Slow Circulation Rate (SCR) reading?

A. Gelled mud in the well following a bit trip

B. Circulating mud for a period of time to break down the gels
C. Recording the pressure at the choke control panel
D. Constant mud weight around the well

Page | 50
 6. A well is shut in. What is the casing pressure in this static u-tube?

Well Information:

Drill Pipe pressure reads 0 psi (no float in the string)

Well Depth= 7,000 TVD/7,225 MD
Drill String full of 9.7 ppg mud
Annulus full of 6.0 ppg gas/mud mixture

A. 1390psi
B. 3530psi
C. 4920psi
D. 1347psi

7. Why kill the well at a reduced pump rate?

A. To allow choke operator time to react during a well kill

B. To determine pump rate to displace cement
C. To prevent bursting the casing
D. To kill the well in a short time

8. The drill pipe pressure gauge on the remote choke panel reads 450 psi. The drill pipe
pressure gauge on the standpipe manifold reads 650 psi. What gauge should be used to
calculate kill mud weight?

A. The difference is not important, calculate using 650 psi for more safety margin
B. The difference is not important, calculate using 350 psi
C. Neither gauge, investigate the difference first
D. Use the average pressure of 500 psi to calculate

9. Kill mud is returning at the end of a kill operation. The well is shut down but drill pipe and
casing show 100psi on the gauges. How would you determine if the extra pressure is
'trapped' pressure?

A. Start circulating surface to bit strokes then shut down and re-check the pressures
B. Increase mud weight by equivalent of 100psi and circulate around the well
C. Bleed off 50 psi at the choke then monitor pressure to see if it is static or builds back up to

Page | 51
 100 psi
D. Bleed off100 psi, open up the well and check fur flow
10. If the Driller suspects the shut in casing pressure (SICP) reading on the remote choke panel
is too low, what action should be taken?

A. Compare with SICP gauge reading on the Choke manifold and report to Supervisor
B. Compare with SICP gauge reading on the Standpipe manifold and report to Supervisor
C. Bleed back SICP by100 psi and record the SICP after it has stabilized
D. Bleed back SIDPP by100 psi and record SICP after it has stabilized

11. A well is shut in and casing pressure has stabilized. The float was bumped and Shut In Drill
pipe Pressure (SIDPP) was recorded. While waiting on orders the casing pressure increased
to 850psi.
If the float were bumped again, at what pressure will the float open?
Well Information:
Initial SIDPP = 550 psi, Initial SICP = 750 psi, MAASP = 1,600 psi

A. 550psi
B. 950psi
C. 850psi
D. 650psi

12. A written record of strokes pumped, surface pressures, choke position and other
information useful for effective handover to a relief crew during a well kill operation, is best
defined as what?

A. Drill pipe pressure schedule

B. Pipe Tally
C. Kill log
D. Trip Sheet

13. Which of the following affect the Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure?

A. Formation fluid pressure

B. Influx gradient
C. Size of influx in the annulus
D. Annular volume from Bit to Shoe

Page | 52
 14. At which location should the casing pressure be read after shutting in on a kick?

A. At the mud pumps

B. At the drill pipe gauge on the standpipe manifold
C. At the casing shoe
D. At the remote choke panel gauge

15. What can cause a larger kick size and a greater Shut In Casing Pressure (SICP)?

A. Formation strength
B. Formation Permeability
C. Ballooning
D. Formation Porosity

16. A well is shut in after taking a 25 bbl kick with 300 psi SIDPP and 650 psi SICP. If the well
had been shut in on a 10 bbls kick, how would shut in pressure be affected?

A. SICP would be higher

B. SIDPP would be higher
C. SIDPP would be lower
D. SICP would be lower

17. Which of the following parameters will affect the value of the Shut-In Casing Pressure?

A. Drill string capacity per foot

B. Choke line length
C. Slow Circulating Rate Pressure
D. The formation fluid pressure (pore pressure)

18. Which of the following parameters will affect the value of the Shut in Casing Pressure?

A. Choke line length

B. Mud pH
C. The kick volume
D. Drill string capacity per foot
Page | 53
 19. A well is shut in on a kick and the shut-in pressures on the gauges have stabilized. The SIDPP
reads 350 psi and the SICP reads 900 psi. What is happening in the well?

A. The well is not completely full of mud and there is more bottom hole pressure on the drill
pipe side of the well
B. The well is not balanced; bottom hole pressure (BHP) on the annular side is higher than on
the drill pipe side of the U-tube
C. The well is balanced; pressures at the bottom are balanced on both sides of the well
D. The well is not balanced; bottom hole pressure on the annulus side is lower due to
contamination by formation fluids

20. You are drilling a vertical well on a surface stack rig. The well kicks and you shut-in. The
pressure readings are: Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure 350 psi Shut In Casing Pressure 450 psi
Why is there a difference in the two readings?

A. Because the influx has a higher density than the mud

B. Because the influx is inside the drill string and has a lower density than the mud
C. Because the BOP was closed too fast causing trapped pressure
D. Because the influx is in the annulus and has a lower density than the mud

21. When drilling the horizontal section of a well, an 11 bbl gas kick is taken. TVD is 8200' and
MD is 9700'. If all the influx is in the horizontal section of the well, what would the expected
SIDPP and SICP be?

A. SICP greater than SIDPP

B. SIDPP nearly equal to SICP
C. SIDPP greater than SICP
D. Zero SICP

22. If a kick occurs while drilling a horizontal well, why is there little or no difference between
SIDPP and SICP? (Assume no float in drill string)

A. Because the volume inside the string is the same as volume in the Annulus
B. Because the kick in the horizontal section does not have the vertical height to affect the
hydrostatic pressure in the annulus
C. Because in horizontal wells, the influx is not able to migrate
Page | 54
 D. Because the mud density and formation fluid density are the same when drilling horizontal
wells

23. During a kill start-up operation the pump pressure at kill rate is greater than the calculated
ICP. What could be a reason for this?

A. SCRs were taken 500 feet up the hole

B. Kill mud weight calculation is wrong
C. Drill string is washing out
D. The operator decided to kill the well at a slower rate than the pre-recorded SCR

24. When drilling a horizontal well a fault is crossed and a kick is taken. The well is shut in.
Calculate the mud weight required to kill the well using the data below:

Well Data: MD TVD

Depth at start of horizontal section 7690 feet 6200 feet

Depth at time of kick 11000 feet 6000 feet

length of horizontal section 3310 feet

Mud weight 11 ppg feet

Kick data:

SIDPP 150 psi

SICP 170 psi

A. 12 ppg
B. 11.6 ppg
C. 11.4 ppg
D. 11.5 ppg

25. Well control capability is influenced by several factors. Which of the following has the
largest influence on well control capability?

A. Type fluid
B. Size of hole

Page | 55
 C. Size of kick
D. Size of drill string

26. After pulling out 2,000 feet, the well kicked and was shut in.
SICP is 100 psi
Swabbed volume in hole is 10 bbls
Casing capacity 0.147 bbls/foot
Assuming the swabbed influx is below the bit, what will be the SIDPP?

A. Higher than SICP

B. Same as SICP
C. Lower than SICP

27. A well has been shut in on a kick. The drill pipe pressure is zero because there is a float
(non-return) valve in the string. How should the operator obtain the Shut In Drill Pipe
Pressure?

A. Shear the pipe and read the drill pipe pressure directly off the casing gauge
B. Pump at 2 barrels per minute into the annulus with the well shut in. When the pressure
equalizes, the float will open. This pump pressure Is the Shut In Drill Pipe pressure
C. Pump very slowly into the drill string with the well shut in and as casing pressure starts to
rise, stop the pump, read the pressure, and subtract any overbalance.
D. Bring the pump up to kill rate holding the casing pressure constant by opening the choke.
The pressure shown when the pump is at kill rate is the Shut In Drill Pipe pressure

28. You have just completed a successful pump start up and the pump is running at kill rate.
The choke gauge is stable. What gauge should now read Initial Circulating Pressure (ICP)?

A. The Kill line Pressure Gauge

B. The Choke Pressure Gauge
C. The Drill Pipe Pressure Gauge
D. The Accumulator Pressure Gauge

29. Why is it important to monitor the pit volume during a well control operation?

A. To monitor the gas expansion and monitor for losses

B. To know when to adjust the drill pipe pressure

Page | 56
 C. To know when to adjust the pump speed
D. To keep the bottom hole pressure constant

30. What is the danger of adding the safety-margin to the mud weight?

A. Cannot be removed easily if pressures get close to MAASP

B. Reduces actual ICP below calculated value
C. Drill pipe pressure is harder to control with the choke
D. Increases MAASP at the shoe

31. The well kicks and is shut in. Drill pipe pressure and casing pressure both start to build up,
but before stabilizing both start to drop quite rapidly. Which of the following might have
occurred?

A. A weak formation has broken down

B. Gas is migrating up the well
C. Both gauges have malfunctioned
D. The drill string has washed out

32. A kick has been swabbed in, which of the following is an indicator that the influx is below
the bit and that stripping will be required?

A. SIDPP is greater than SICP

B. SICP is greater than SIDPP
C. SIDPP is equal to SICP
D. SICP is zero

33. What does the SIDPP indicate when the well is properly shut in on an underbalanced kick?

A. The trapped pressure caused by shutting in the well

B. The difference between formation pressure and leak off pressure
C. The difference between formation pressure and hydrostatic pressure of mud in the drill
string
D. The MAASP

Page | 57
 34. The well is shut-in with the following pressure readings:
Shut-in casing pressure: 0 psi
Shut-in drill pipe pressure: 435 psi
The annulus is observed through the choke, and there is no flow.
What could be the problem?

A. The drill string has twisted off

B. The hole is packed off around BHA
C. The choke gauge failed
D. The formation at the shoe has been fractured

35. Which of the following information is least important for planning a kill operation?

A. Current drilling fluid density

B. Formation fluid compressibility
C. Shut in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP)
D. Shut in casing Pressure (SICP)

36. When preparing for a tour change during a well kill operation, what would be the best
practice when conducting the handover?

A. Immediately take over from current crew and work With supervisor to help kill the well
B. Once current crew have left location, call crew to rig floor for a meeting to discuss duties
C. All parties involved should stay on duty for a sufficient time to allow for thorough
communication of current activities
D. Request Mud Engineer discusses duties With each of the crew members

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Page | 59
 GAS BEHAVIOR

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Page | 61
 1. After shutting in on a kick the SIDPP and SICP have been stable for 15 minutes. They then
both start slowly rising by the same amount. Which one of the following is the probable
cause?

A. The BOP stack is leaking

B. The influx is migrating up the well bore
C. The gauges are faulty
D. Another influx is entering the wellbore

2. What best describes the effect of gas migration on wellbore stresses?

A. All the stresses stay the same

B. All the stresses decrease
C. All the stresses increase

3. While preparing to circulate Kill Weight Mud, the gas bubble begins to migrate. If no
action is taken, what will the pressure in the gas bubble be as the gas rises?

A. Increase
B. Decrease
C. Stay approximately the same

4. Why must you leave spare capacity in the active pit system when circulating out a kick?

A. If the kick is gas it will expand and pit level will increase
B. If the kick is salt water it will expand and pit level will increase
C. To store the kick fluid as it is circulated from the well
D. If the kick is oil it will expand and pit level will increase

5. What type of drilling conditions can make kick detection more difficult for the Driller?
A. Drilling high permeability formations with oil-based muds
B. Drilling low permeability formations with oil-based muds
C. Drilling high permeability formations with water-based muds
D. Drilling low permeability formations with water-based mud

Page | 62
 6. A kick has been taken at TD and will be circulated out using the Driller's Method. You have
one active pit (10 feet deep) with 180 bbls capacity.
Kick size = 10 bbls
TD/TVD = 4800feet
Mud weight in well = 9.9 ppg
SIDPP = 250 psi
SICP = 350 psi
Formation Pressure = 2721 psi
Maximum predicted surface casing pressure during kill= 500 psi, after the initial 10 barrel increase.
What additional pit gain is anticipated? Disregard temperature effects and mud compressibility
factor.

A. 109 barrels
B. 1851 barrels
C. 54 barrels
D. 78 barrels

7. How does increasing pressure affect non-aqueous (oil-based) mud density?

A. No effect on density
B. Increases density
C. Decreases density

8. What best describes the effect of gas migration on shut-in drill pipe pressure (no float in
the drill string)?

A. Stay the same

B. Decrease
C. Increase

9. What could happen if gas migrates after a well is shut in and the shut in pressures have
stabilized (no float in string)?

A. Only the annulus pressure will increase

B. Only the drill pipe pressure will increase
C. Both drill pipe and annulus pressures will increase
D. Shut in pressures will remain constant

Page | 63
 10. When circulating an influx out, what will happen to surface pressures when gas breaks out
of a non-aqueous (oil-based) mud?

A. Increase rapidly
B. Decrease rapidly
C. Stay the same

11. What will happen to the Casing pressure when a gas influx is being circulated from the
horizontal section into the vertical section?

A. Casing pressure will decrease

B. Casing pressure will stay the same
C. Casing pressure will increase

12. Mud compressibility can be high in non-aqueous fluid (oil-based).How does this affect the
time it takes for a choke adjustment to be seen at the drill pipe gauge?

A. Increase in time taken

B. No change to time taken
C. Decrease in time taken

13. A salt-water kick is circulated out using the Driller's Method. The shut-in pressures and
influx gradient calculation determine the influx to be heavier than the mud in the well.
When will the surface casing pressure be at its minimum value?

A. When the kill mud is pumped into the drill pipe

B. When the kick reaches the casing shoe
C. When the kick has been circulated to just below the BOP
D. When the annular geometry by causes the influx to have the maximum height

14. What can result from gas migration in a shut in well, if no action is taken?

A. Possible formation fracture

B. Decrease in Bottom Hole Pressure
C. Reduction of shut-in pressures
D. Bottom Hole Pressure stays the same

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 15. During the first circulation of the Driller's method, as a gas bubble approaches the casing
shoe, what happens to shoe pressure if the BHP was correctly held constant?

A. Increases
B. Remains constant
C. Decreases

16. A well is shut in and a gas kick migrates 1000 feet with no expansion in the annulus.
Well Information:
Gas Volume = 20 bbl
Total Depth = 6,000ʹ MD and TVD
Casing Shoe = 2,200ʹ MD and TVD
Open Hole = 8.5ʺ
Mud Weight = 8.33 ppg

What is the increase in bottom hole pressure due to gas migration? Assume no losses to
the formation.
A. 433 psi
B. 952 psi
C. 2,165 psi
D. 2,598 psi

17. As a gas kick is being circulated up the casing. What will normally happen to the surface
pit volume?

A. Increase
B. Stay the same
C. Decrease

18. You are circulating a gas kick out of the well using the Driller's method. What would
normally happen to active pit level during the circulation?

A. Pit level would decrease due to gas expansion then stay constant as gas exits the choke
B. Pit level would decrease due to gas expansion then increase as gas exits the choke
C. Pit level would increase due to gas expansion then stay constant as gas exits the choke
Page | 65
 D. Pit level would increase due to gas expansion then decrease as gas exits the choke

19. You are running a casing and cementing operation. The cement pump is pumping cement
down the casing, what should happen to active pit level during this stage of the operation.

A. Pit level will increase

B. Pit level will decrease
C. Pit level will stay constant

20. A gas kick is being circulated along a horizontal hole section. What should happen to mud
pit volume if the correct kill procedure is being followed?

A. Decrease as the kill mud fills the horizontal section

B. Increase at first as the gas begins to move then gradually decrease
C. Remain approximately constant
D. Increase as the gas expands

21. What happens to the gas volume in the well bore as a gas kick is circulated out properly
from the well?

A. Gas volume will increase

B. Gas volume will decrease
C. Gas volume will stay the same

22. What type of mud makes it more difficult to determine the size of the influx down-hole?

A. Water based muds

B. Brines
C. Oil based muds
D. Salt based muds

23. What are “hydrates”?

A. Hydrates are a solid, frozen mixture of oil and water.

B. Hydrates are a solid, frozen mixture of water and gas.
C. Hydrates are a solid, frozen mixture of oil and gas.
D. Hydrates are a solid, frozen mixture of methanol and water.

Page | 66
Page | 67
 Kill Methods

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Page | 69
 1. What is a 'safety-margin' in a kill operation?

A. A margin that compensates for the choke operator closing the choke too quickly
B. Extra pressure applied in the well to reduce risk of going underbalanced
C. A margin that reduces the risk of losses during the kill
D. 1 ppg increase in calculated kil mud weight to maintain hydrostatic if mud weight increase is
not maintained during circulation

2. Which of the following statements about killing a well is correct?

A. Keep BHP at least equal to formation pressure

B. Keep BHP constant by controlling pump rate
C. Keep BHP at least equal to initial circulating pressure
D. Keep BHP constant by holding shut in drill pipe constant at start-up

3. Which is a fundamental objective when circulating out a kick?

A. Reverse-circulate to remove influx faster

B. Maintain constant bottom hole pressure at least equal to formation pressure
C. Pump at a kill rate equal to or greater than drilling rate
D. Hold formation fluid pressure as close to MAASP as possible

4. While controlling a well by circulating out an influx, what pressure do we want to keep
constant?

A. Pump pressure
B. Casing pressure
C. Bottom hole pressure
D. Choke pressure

5. On a surface stack rig what pressure is maintained constant as the pump rate is increased to
kill rate?

A. Drill Pipe Pressure

B. Fracture Pressure
C. Casing Pressure
D. Final Circulating Pressure

Page | 70
 6. You shut in a kick but do not know the slow circulating rate pressure. What procedure
should you use to obtain the correct initial circulating pressure (ICP)?

A. Choose the kill rate circulating pressure you took with the last BHA in the hole nearest to the
depth where the kick took place. Add 100 psi to this value as a safety margin
B. Use the SIDPP as the circulating pressure
C. Contact the Mud Logger and request the best possible circulation of the Initial circulating
Pressure to use during the well kill
D. Follow correct start-up procedure. Read the pressure on the drill pipe gauge. Subtracting
any overbalance/safety margin pressure. This is the ICP

7. The Driller has not taken the slow pump rates. How should the Initial Circulating Pressure
(ICP) be determined?

A. Estimate ICP based on last pump pressure and SPM

B. Follow correct start-up procedure. Read the pressure on the drill pipe gauge, subtracting any
overbalance/safely margin pressure. This is the ICP
C. Hold the casing pressure constant until kill mud reaches the bit then read DP pressure
D. Divide drilling pump rate by planned kill rate and multiply by the drilling pump pressure

8. Why bottom hole pressure is maintained constant during a well kill?

A. To allow a high overbalance on the kicking formation

B. To prevent a further Influx or formation breakdown during the kill process
C. To keep pump pressure constant as kill mud Is pumped to the Bit
D. To prevent the Influx from expanding as It Is circulated up-hole

9. Why is it important to maintain the correct Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP)?

A. If BHP is not allowed to increase when drilling a transition zone, the risk of losses increase
B. If BHP decreases, the risk of a kick increases
C. If BHP increases, the risk of a kick increases

Page | 71
 10. Why must the well kill be started using the correct start-up procedure?

A. To allow shut in casing pressure to be increased by the slow circulating rate pressure
B. To get the calculated Final Circulating Pressure on the pump pressure gauge
C. To hold correct pump pressure as kill mud is pumped to the rig floor
D. To maintain a constant bottom hole pressure as pump speed is increased to kill rate

11. What is the purpose of the recommended 'start-up' procedure on a surface stack rig?

A. To compensate for Annular friction pressure during start-up

B. To maintain a constant casing shoe pressure
C. To ensure correct bottom hole pressure is maintained
D. To allow constant drill pipe pressure to be maintained

12. Which of the following statements is true when starting to pump kill mud?

A. Maintain the drill pipe pressure constant when bringing the pumps up to kill speed
B. The surface line volume (pump to stand pipe) does not need to be included in your kill plan
C. Open choke fully then increase pump speed to kill rate. Then adjust choke to get initial
circulating pressure
D. The surface line volume (pump to standpipe) needs to be accounted for in your kill plan

13. On a surface stack rig, the Driller brings the pump slow on-line at the start of the kill
operation. What pressure must the choke operator hold constant during this operation?

A. Slow circulating rate pressure

B. Maximum allowable annular surface pressure
C. Casing Pressure
D. Shut in Drill Pipe Pressure

14. You are displacing the drill string with kill weight mud. Which section of drill pipe, listed
below, will have the quickest displacement time per foot?

A. 5 inch with and ID of 4.276 inch

B. 6 5/8 inch with an ID of 5.965 inch
C. 4 inch with an ID of 3.240 inch
D. 6 5/8 inch with an ID of 5.761 inch

Page | 72
 15. Following the first circulation of the Driller's Method, the pump is shut down. Both Shut-in
Drill pipe Pressure (SIDPP} and Shut-in Casing Pressure (SICP} are equal to the original
SIDPP. Why do we still have shut-in pressure?

A. The kill weight fluid has not yet been pumped

B. Pressure was trapped during pump shut down
C. The pressure gauges are faulty
D. There is still influx in the annulus

16. What is a procedure to follow when using the Driller's method?

A. With pumps running at kill rate, hold the surface pressure constant on the Side of the U-tube
that has the constant fluid density
B. With pumps running at kill rate, hold the surface pressure constant on the side of the U-tube
that has varying fluid density
C. Anytime you start stop, or change pump speed. maintain DP pressure constant
D. Always pump kill mud on the first circulation

17. Part of the way through the 1st Circulation of the Driller's Method, the pump was shut
down and the well was shut in. What is the overbalance in the well?

Well Information:

Current drill pipe pressure = 625 psi

Current casing pressure= 975 psi
Initial Circulating Pressure= 1420 psi
Initial SIDPP = 600 psi
Initial SICP = 835 psi

A. 795 psi overbalanced

B. 445 psi overbalanced
C. 25 psi overbalanced
D. 140 psi overbalanced

Page | 73
 18. The pump was shut down part way through the first circulation of the Driller's Method. The
drill pipe pressure (DPP) now reads 525 psi and the casing pressure (CP) now reads 700 psi.
Well Information:-
Shut in drill pipe pressure= 450 psi
Shut in casing pressure = 600 psi
Initial Circulating Pressure= 800 psi
Mud Weight=11.1 ppg
How much over-balance is currently on the well?

A. 175psi
B. 100psi
C. 75psi
D. 150psi

19. You have completed the first circulation of the Driller Method and decide that the annulus
is not clean of influx. You decide to start the second circulation. How would you maintain
correct bottom hole pressure when circulating kill mud to the Bit?

A. Start up the well correctly and hold the initial circulating pressure constant till kill mud is at
the bit.
B. Maintain casing pressure constant
C. Add safety margin to drill pipe pressure equal to the slow circulating rate pressure
D. Follow a Wait and Weight step-down chart or graph

20. What is a correct practice when carrying out the second circulation of the Driller's Method?
{There is no influx remaining in the well)

A. Bring the pump up to speed holding drill pipe pressure constant

B. Maintain the drill pipe pressure constant once the kill fluid is at the bit
C. Once kill fluid at the bit shut in the well and check that drill pipe and casing pressures are
equal
D. Maintain the drill pipe pressure constant during the entire second circulation

21. During the 2nd Circulation of the Driller's Method, kill weight mud is returning at the
shakers. The well is shut in correctly. What should the pressure gauges read assuming no
trapped pressure in the well?

A. SICP will be higher than the SIDPP

B. SICP will be lower than the SIDPP
C. SICP and SIDPP will be equal to the well's original SIDPP
Page | 74
 D. SICP and SIDPP gauges will both read 0 psi
22. During the second circulation of the Driller's method, the pump is shut down when kill
weight mud has been circulated to the bit, what should the casing pressure read if there is
no trapped pressure in the well?

A. The difference in hydrostatic pressure between KWM and OMW minus SICP
B. Original SIDPP
C. Original SICP
D. The difference in hydrostatic pressure between KWM and OMW plus SICP

23. All of the gas was circulated out of the well during the first circulation of the Driller's
Method. What should the casing pressure gauge read? (Assume no trapped pressure or
safety factor in the well)

A. Greater than the original Shut-in casing Pressure

B. Equal to the SIDPP
C. Greater than the Shut in Drill pipe Pressure(SIDPP)
D. less than the SIDPP

24. The drill string is being displaced with Kill Weight Mud (KWM) while holding the casing
pressure constant during the 2nd Circulation of the Driller's Method, why is it important
that the annulus be clear of gas?

A. Gas In the annulus will expand. therefore a constant casing pressure will cause well to go
underbalance
B. Gas in the annulus will increase the bottom hole pressure during 2nd circulation
C. Degasser equipment on surface is shut down during 2nd circulation to prevent plugging due
to kill weight mud

25. A kick is being circulated from the well using the Driller's Method on a surface stack rig.
When the kick is in the open hole section, it is decided to stop pumping and shut the well in.
Before shut-in the pumping pressure= 800 psi and casing pressure= 450 psi.
After shut-in the SICP = 550 psi.
What could be the cause of this higher casing pressure?

A. Pressure was trapped at shut in

B. Kill mud weight is too high causing increased pressure
C. Kill mud weight is too low causing increased pressure
D. Mud in the well is cooling down and causing an increase in well bore pressure

Page | 75
 26. You have shut in on a kick and completed the first circulation of the Driller's Method.
Pumps were shut down and well closed, while waiting to start up the second circulation.
The following pressures.

SIDPP SICP
Original shut in pressures 250 psi 320 psi
After first circulation 250 psi 300 psi

What is the current status of the well?

A. There is trapped pressure on the annulus side that can be bled off once pumps are started
B. There is still a kick in the well providing less hydrostatic on the annulus side of the well
C. Kill Weight Mud is causing a U-tube effect between the Drill String and the Annulus
D. The Kill Weight Mud (KWM) has been pumped but was not sufficient to kill the well

27. What is true regarding the Driller's and Wait and Weight Methods if a kick is taken after
drilling into an over pressured zone?

A. The Driller's Method involves circulating out the influx while pumping kill weight fluid to the
bit
B. The Wait and Weight Method involves circulating out the influx while pumping original mud
weight
C. The Driller's Method requires 2 circulations but the Wait and Weight only requires one
circulation
D. The Wait and Weight Method will always result In lower casing shoe pressures than the
Drillers Method

28. What is the objective of the Wait and Weight Method?

A. Only displace the drill string with kill mud weight

B. Displace drill string and annulus with original mud weight
C. Displace drill string and annulus with kill mud weight in a single circulation
D. Only displace the annulus with original mud weight

Page | 76
 29. You have pumped Kill Weight Mud (KWM) to the bit during the beginning of the Wait and
Weight method. It is decided to shut the pumps down and check pressures. You notice
there is still pressure on the Drill Pipe gauge. You confirm that there is no trapped pressure.
What is the current status of the well?

A. KWM has caused an overbalance in the well

B. The drill pipe is still underbalanced or the stroke count is not correct
C. The KWM has not reached surface yet , so the drill pipe pressure should not equal 0 psi
D. Nothing, due to KWM there is a U-tube effect causing increased Drill Pipe Pressure

30. You are using the Wait & Weight method to kill a well with a gas kick, when will kill mud
start to affect surface casing pressure?

A. When the gas influx exits the choke at the surface

B. When kill mud enters the drill pipe
C. When kill mud enters the annulus
D. When kill mud reaches the casing shoe

31. In a well with the Bit to Shoe volume greater than drill string volume, which of the following
kills methods will minimize the risk of losses?

A. Wait and Weight Method

B. Bull heading Method
C. Volumetric Method
D. Diller’s Method

Page | 77
 32. Based on the information below, what will happen to casing shoe pressure if the Wait and
Weight method is used instead of the Drillers’ Method?

Well information

Hole Depth - 10000 feet.

Shoe Depth -8830 feet
Surface to Bit Strokes -1630 strokes
Bit to Shoe Strokes -1300 strokes
Bit to Surface Strokes- 6480 strokes
SIDPP - 500 psi
SICP- 800 psi
Current fluid weight- 10.3ppg
Kill fluid Density -11.3ppg
MAASP-1300 psi, Pit Gain-28 bbl

A. Shoe pressure will be lower

B. Shoe pressure will be the same
C. Shoe pressure will be higher

33. When using the Wait and Weight method to circulate kill mud down to the bit, the drill pipe
pressure should:

A. Slowly increase
B. Stay the same
C. Slowly decrease

34. The kill weight fluid has just been pumped to the bit during the Wait and Weight method.
The pumps are shut down and the following pressures are observed.
Current drill pipe pressure (DPP) 150 psi
Current casing pressure (CP) 630 psi
Which of the following should not be done to assess the situation?

A. Check the circulating system to see if a lighter mud was pumped

B. Bleed off 50 psi off of the casing pressure to check for trapped pressure
C. Bleed casing pressure to zero psi and confirm well is dead
D. Re-check the calculations of surface to bit strokes and kill weight fluid
Page | 78
 35. While killing the well using the Wait and Weight method, circulation is stopped holding
bottom hole pressure constant and the well bore is isolated. What pressure should be on
the Drill Pipe gauge if the proper Kill Weight Mud (KWM) was used and there is no trapped
pressure?

A. The Drill Pipe gauge should read 0 psi due to the drill string being full of kill weight mud
B. The Drill Pipe gauge will read more than the original Shut in Drill Pipe Pressure due to gas
height
C. The Drill Pipe gauge will read the difference between the original shut In pressures
D. The Drill Pipe gauge will read the same pressure as the original Shut In Pressure

36. A kick was swabbed in during a trip out of the hole. Why is it important to strip the pipe
back to bottom?

A. To determine if the kick is gas or water

B. To bullhead the influx back into the formation
C. To allow the Volumetric method to be used
D. To get below the influx and circulate it out

37. What is the purpose of Stripping?

A. Reduce casing pressure by exchanging hydrostatic pressure for surface pressure

B. Running pipe into a shut-in well to get the drill string below the Influx, while holding BHP
constant
C. Running pipe into an open well to return to bottom quickly before flow becomes excessive.
D. Forcing tubular into a well when pipe light conditions are present in order to get the
circulating string back on bottom to allow for a conventional kill operation

Page | 79
 38. When stripping to bottom with a kick that is not migrating. Which one of the following
actions would maintain a constant bottom hole pressure?

A. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the closed end displacement of the pipe stripped into
the well
B. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the open-end displacement of the pipe stripped into the
well
C. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the metal displacement of the pipe stripped into the well
D. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to100 psi of hydrostatic head

39. When stripping to bottom, which of the following actions should be taken?

A. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to 100 psi of hydrostatic head.

B. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the closed end displacement of the pipe stripped into
the well.
C. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the metal displacement of the pipe stripped into the
well.
D. Bleed off a volume of mud equal to the open-end displacement of the pipe stripped into the
well.

40. Well has kicked when 30 Stands off bottom. Shut-in pressures both equal 150 psi. Which of
the following is the best action to take to restore primary control?

A. Strip to bottom and circulate well using Driller's Method -1st circulation
B. Circulate kick out while 30 stands off bottom using the Driller's Method
C. Raise mud weight by 150 psi and circulate out using Wait and Weight Method

41. The well has been shut in on a swabbed-in kick. The bit is 1800 feet off bottom. Which of
the following is the best option to take?

A. Consider stripping to bottom before starting well kill operations

B. Start stripping out of the hole and keep the hole full
C. Begin the Wait and Weight method immediately
D. Begin to lubricate and bleed to kill the well

Page | 80
 42. A kick was taken with the bit off bottom. Based on the differential between the Shut-in Drill
Pipe Pressure and Shut-in Casing Pressure, it is believed that the influx is salt water. What is
the best course of action?

A. Strip with volumetric control-this method works regardless of influx type migration or
expansion
B. Strip using the barrel In / barrel out method, assuming that the influx really is saltwater
C. Bullhead the influx away
D. Execute the first circulation of the Driller Method off bottom

43. You are stripping in the well through the annular and bleeding off closed ended
displacement. How do you check the integrity of the annular during the stripping process?

A. Have crew member look down the hole to check for leaks when moving the pipe
B. Monitor the flow line on the trip tank to check for leaks through the Annular
C. Run Wiper rubber below rotary table to act as back up to the Annular
D. Rotate slowly as you strip into the hole to reduce Annular wear

44. During a trip out, the well kicks due to swabbing. The pipe is stripped back to bottom. What
mud weight will control the well?

A. The original mud weight.

B. Kill Mud weight based on SIDPP before stripping.
C. Kill Mud weight based on SICP before stripping.
D. Kill Mud weight based on difference between SIDPP and SICP before stripping.

Page | 81
 45. Which of the following statements best describe the Volumetric Method?

A. Maintains constant casing shoe pressure as the Influx migrates to surface

B. Maintains constant pressure Inside the influx as it is allowed to migrate to surface
C. Maintains constant bottom hole pressure as the influx migrates to surface
D. Maintains Shut In Casing Pressure at its initial value as the influx migrates to surface

46. What is the objective of the Volumetric Method?

A. To remove a salt-water influx from the well if normal circulation is not possible
B. Reduce surface pressure by removing mud
C. To let gas expand as it migrates up-hole to the BOP, while allowing an Increasing casing
pressure to compensate for mud bled from the well
D. Reduce surface casing pressure by increasing hydrostatic pressure in the annulus

47. Which method of well control would you use with migrating gas, when circulation is not
possible or the bit is off bottom?

A. Volumetric Method
B. Wait and Weight Method
C. Driller’s Method

48. You are pulling out of the hole when a kick is swabbed in. The shut-in pressures indicate
that the gas is migrating. What well control method can be used to manage the gas
migration?

A. Wait and Weight Method

B. The Volumetric Method
C. Driller's Method
D. Reverse Circulation Method

Page | 82
 49. You have taken a kick but the mud engineer informs you that there is not enough barite to
kill the well. The shut in pressures have stabilized. While waiting on new stocks of barite the
shut in pressures are slowly increasing by100 psi every 30 minutes. What course of action
would you take?

A. Hold casing pressure constant

B. Follow a casing pressure schedule
C. Follow a drill pipe pressure schedule
D. Hold drill pipe pressure constant

50. Slow circulating rate pressure = 300 psi at 30 SPM The well has been shut in after a kick:
Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure 600 psi
Shut In Casing Pressure 750 psi
Before starting to kill the well, there is a complete power failure at the pumps.
Which pressure should be kept constant in order to maintain the correct bottom hole pressure if the
influx migrates?

A. 900 psi drill pipe pressure

B. 750 psi casing pressure
C. 600 psi drill pipe pressure
D. 1050 psi casing pressure

51. You are using the Volumetric Method to control a gas influx in a vertical wellbore. When
can the maximum casing shoe pressure occur?

A. It stays the same throughout the operation

B. When the top of the gas is at the casing shoe
C. When the top of the gas reaches the surface
D. At anytime

52. What are the key elements of Bull heading?

A. Pumping into a shut-in well to force formation fluids back into the formation.
B. Forcing pipe into a hole under pressure using hydraulic jacks.
C. Circulating formation fluids out of a well using a choke and circulating system.

Page | 83
 D. Pumping fluid into the top of a well and bleeding gas in a step by step fashion.

53. You are displacing the well with kill weight mud. The well includes a tapered drill string.
Which of the following parameters should not vary as different sections of pipe are
displaced with kill mud?

A. Displacement time/1000 feet of pipe length

B. Bottom Hole Pressure
C. Displacement stroke count/1000 feet of pipe length
D. Pressure drop per 100 strokes pumped

54. Kill mud is being circulated down the drill string in a horizontal well. The well is shut-in as
the kill mud just reaches the start of the horizontal section. What should the Shut in Drill
Pipe Pressure gauge read? (Assume no float in the drill string).

A. The same as the original Shut in Drill Pipe Pressure

B. The same as the stow Circulating Rate Pressure
C. Zero
D. The same as the Shut in Casing Pressure

55. When killing a well with a horizontal section using the Wait and Weight method, what will
happen if you use a vertical kill sheet to circulate out the kick?

A. The FCP is more difficult to calculate

B. You will be applying too little pressure to the well
C. You will be applying too much pressure to the well
D. The strokes to the bit will be wrong

56. You are circulating kill mud to the bit with the Weight and Wait method. The drill string is
tapered. Drill pipe length is 10,000 feet with:
0 to 5000 feet is 6 5/8 inch drill pipe
5000 to 10,000 feet is 5-inch drill pipe
Total Strokes to Bit = 2100 strokes
ICP = 800 psi
FCP = 425 psi

Page | 84
 If the pressure step-down graph/schedule is made based on an average 18 psi per
100 strokes pumped what would be the effect on bottom hole pressure after
pumping kill mud down to the top of the 5-inch drill pipe?

A. Bottom hole pressure will be too high.

B. Bottom hole pressure will be too low.
C. Bottom hole pressure will be correct.

57. A kick is taken in a horizontal well, SIDPP = SICP. Influx is circulated out using the Driller’s
Method.
Why does the casing pressure increase rapidly when the influx is circulated out of the
horizontal section and into the vertical section?

A. This is normal for all wells when using the Drillers Method
B. There is no change in hydrostatic pressure until the gas is circulated to the inclined or
vertical section
C. Because kill mud was not pumped from the start of the kill
D. ECD is much greater in the horizontal section

Page | 85
 Problems & Practices

Page | 86
Page | 87
 1. During the first Circulation of the Driller's method, the drill pipe pressure starts to increase and
the casing pressure stays relatively constant what could be the problem?

A. Plugged bit nozzle

B. Pump failure
C. Choke washout
D. Choke plugged

2. If the drill string washes out during a kill operation which of the following pressures would
remain constant?

A. Casing pressure
B. Drill pipe pressure
C. Initial circulating Pressure
D. Slow circulating rate pressure

3. A washout in the drill string develops during a kill. What happens to the drill pipe
pressure?

A. It increases
B. It stays the same
C. It decreases

4. Using the Driller's Method to circulate out the influx the circulating pressure= 1,000 psi.
The circulating pressure increases rapidly to 1,400 psi (pump speed remains constant. It is
decided that a bit nozzle has plugged. Which of the following will maintain constant
bottom hole pressure?

A. Adjust the circulating pressure to1,000 psi by adjusting the choke and maintaining constant
SPM
B. Adjust the circulating pressure to 1,000 psi by changing the pump speed
C. Maintain the circulating pressure at 1,400 psi and the pump speed constant
D. Stop the pump and shut the well in. Re-calculate Initial Circulating Pressure and Final
Circulating Pressure adding 400 psi to the original SIDPP

Page | 88
 5. The well is being killed using the Wait and Weight method and kill weight mud is being
pumped down the drill string. The drill pipe pressure suddenly increases by 600 psi.There
is no change in the casing pressure. You suspect one of the nozzles in the bit has plugged.
You decide to shut in. What is the best course of action to take? (Assume that kill weight
mud has not yet reached the bit)

A. Re-start the kill using the current drill pipe pressure schedule
B. Recalculate ICP, FCP and a new drill pipe pressure schedule before re-starting the kill
C. After start up, open the choke and bleed off 600psi of drill pipe pressure
D. Re-start the kill and hold casing pressure constant until kill mud reaches the bit

6. Which of the following is an acceptable corrective action for a plugged bit nozzle during
the first circulation of the Driller's method?

A. Close the choke to increase casing pressure

B. Open the choke to decrease casing pressure
C. Wait for drill pipe pressure to stabilize and maintain this new pump pressure
D. Do nothing and continue to circulate at the original ICP

7. A bit nozzle plugs when you are displacing the drill string with Kill Weight mud using the
Wait and Weight method. What is the correct response?

A. Add the increase in drill pipe pressure to each value on the drill pipe pressure schedule and
continue circulating
B. Record the pressure increase and recalculate Slow circulating Rate Pressure(SCRP),Final
circulating Pressure (FCP), and the drill pipe pressure schedule
C. Continue to follow the drill pipe pressure schedule with no modification
D. Open the choke to hold drill pipe pressure constant

Page | 89
 8. How do you recognize a choke washout?

A. The drill pipe and casing pressures both fall even though you are closing the choke.
B. There is an increase in casing pressure with no change in the drill pipe pressure.
C. There is a rapid rise in the drill pipe pressure with no change in the casing pressure.
D. The drill pipe and casing pressures both rise even though you closed the choke.

9. During the first circulation of the Driller's method, casing pressure starts to increase and
after the lag time the drill pipe pressure starts to increase. What could be the problem?

A. Choke was out

B. Choke plugging
C. Drill string washout
D. Plugged bit nozzle

10. During the first circulation of the Driller's method was proceeding as planned, the drill
pipe pressure starts to decrease followed by a decrease in casing pressure. What could be
the problem?

A. Pump is washing out

B. Choke plugged
C. Choke is washing-out
D. Drill string is washing-out below the BOP

11. While circulating out a kick the pressure response on the drill pipe becomes increasingly
difficult to maintain (regardless of choke position) and it appears that the pit volumes are
going down, what is happening down hole?

A. The drill pipe is becoming plugged

B. Lost circulation and possible Underground flow is occurring
C. The kick is migrating faster than is being circulated
D. The choke is washed

Page | 90
 12. During a kill operation which of the following problems requires the pump to be shut
down quickly to prevent over-pressuring the formation?

A. A washout in the choke

B. A washout in the drill pipe
C. A plugged standpipe
D. A plugged choke

13. When bringing the pumps up to kill speed the casing pressure is allowed to increase above
Shut In Casing Pressure, what will happen to bottom hole pressure?

A. No change to down hole pressure

B. Bottom hole pressure would increase and may exceed formation fracture
C. Bottom hole pressure would decrease and possibly cause more influx to enter the wellbore

14. During a well kill on a surface BOP installation, the pump rate is increased while holding
drill pipe pressure constant. How will this affect Bottom-hole Pressure (BHP}?

A. BHP will stay constant

B. BHP will increase
C. There is no way to know what will happen to BHP
D. BHP will decrease

15. A gas kick is being circulated out using the Driller's Method. What will happen to the
bottom hole pressure if the gas bubble is not allowed to expand as predicted as it is
circulated up the hole?

A. Stay the same

B. It will increase.
C. It will decrease

16. While preparing to circulate Kill Weight Mud, the gas bubble begins to migrate. If no
action is taken, what will happen to shut-in casing pressure?

A. Decrease
B. Increase

Page | 91
 C. Remain approximately the same
17. A kick is being circulated out at 30 SPM and the Final Circulating Pressure is 650 psi. What
will happen to bottom hole pressure if the pump speed is increased to 35 SPM while
holding drill pipe pressure at 650 psi?

A. It will decrease
B. It will stay the same
C. It will increase

18. Well has been shut-in on a kick.

Shut-in drill pipe pressure is 400 psi
Shut-in casing pressure is 600 psi
Both pressures start rising due to gas migration.
If Casing pressure is held constant at 600 psi, what will happen to the bottom hole pressure?

A. Stay constant
B. Increase
C. Decrease

19. During a well kill, Kill Mud is pumped to the bit while holding drill pipe pressure constant.
What is the effect on Bottom Hole Pressure?

A. Decrease
B. Stay the same
C. Increase

20. If casing pressure is held constant while stripping through a gas bubble, what happens to
bottom hole pressure?

A. It decreases
B. It Increases
C. It stays the same

21. During a well kill, the pump rate is reduced while holding drill pipe pressure constant.
How will this affect bottom hole pressure (BHP)?

A. BHP will drop

B. BHP will stay constant
C. You cannot circulate the effect on BHP
Page | 92
 D. BHP will increase

22. What should you do if the choke line fails during a well kill operation?

A. Stop the pumps and close a hydraulic valve upstream of the failure
B. Stop the pumps and close the choke
C. Continue to kill the well only if the influx is past the shoe
D. Stop the pumps and shear the pipe

23. While conducting the first circulation of the Driller’s Method, the Derrick man states that
the barite supply is plugged. What action should be taken?

A. Instruct crew to add Bentonite to increase the mud weight

B. Inform supervisor to shut in well, as the problem will reduce bottom hole pressure during
the first circulation
C. Wait until first circulation is complete then fix blockage
D. Inform supervisor that crew is fixing the blockage but continue circulating
E. Inform supervisor of problem and recommended to shut in the well while blockage is fixed

24. A rig crew has just finished stripping a group of stands. The company man realizes that the
total volume bled from the well minus the total closed end pipe displacement stripped
into the well is significantly greater than the calculated mud increment. What has
happened to the overbalance in the well as a result?

A. The overbalance condition has not changed, continue with this tripping operation
B. The overbalance has decreased, potentially decreasing the desired safety factor that was
being held in the well
C. The overbalance has increased, adding to the safety factor that was being held on the well

25. A well has been shut-in on a kick. Shut-in drill pipe pressure is 400 psi Shut-in casing
pressure is 600 psi. Both pressures start rising due to gas migration. If drill pipe pressure is
held constant at 400 psi, what will happen to the bottom hole pressure?

A. Stay the same

B. Increase
C. Decrease

Page | 93
 KILL SHEETS

Page | 94
Page | 95
Page | 96
Calculate:-

1. Maximum Allowable Mud Weight before kick

2. MAASP before kick

3. Strokes from Surface to Bit

4. Kill mud "Weight

5. Initial circulating pressure

6. Final Circulating Pressure

7. MAASP after well has been killed

8. Pressure drop per step (one-tenth of' strokes to Bit)

Page | 100
 Well Data:3
Hole Dimensions
Depth TVD 9,800 feet
12,090
9 5/8" Casing shoe 7,950 feet
Hole size 8 1/2 inch
Current mud weight 11.3 ppg
Internal Capacities
6 1/2””" Drill collars (length 600 feet) 0.00768 bbl/foot
5" Drill pipe - capacity 0.01776 bbl/foot
5" Drill pipe - metal displacement 0.00650 bbl/foot
5" Drill pipe- closed end displacement 0.02426 bbl/foot
5” HWDP (length 500 feet) - capacity 0.0088
Annular Capacities
Open hole / Drill collar 0.0292 bbl/foot
Open hole / Drill pipe 0.0459 bbl/foot
Casing / Drill pipe 0.0505 bbl/foot
LOT
Leak off pressure 1950 psi
Shoe test mud weight 10.5 ppg
Pump Details
Pump Output 0.119 bbl/stk
SCR at 40 SPM 450 psi
Shut in data
SIDPP 500 psi
SICP 700 psi
Pit gain 13 bbls

Page | 101
Calculate:-

1. Maximum Allowable Mud Weight before kick

2. MAASP before kick

3. Strokes from Surface to Bit

4. Kill mud "Weight

5. Initial circulating pressure

6. Final Circulating Pressure

7. MAASP after well has been killed

8. Pressure drop per step (one-tenth of' strokes to Bit)

Page | 102
Well Data: 4
Hole Dimensions
Depth(MDITVD) 12,090 feet
9 5/8" Casing shoe 8,800 feet
Hole size 8 1/2 Inch
ppg
Current mud weight 13.5

Internal Capacities
6 ½“ Drill collars (leagth900feet) 0.00468 bbl/foot
5” Drill pipe - Capacity 0.01776 bbl/foot
5” Drill pipe - metal displacement 0.00650 bbl/foot
5” Drill pipe - closed HHI displacement 0.02426 bbl/foot
Annular Capacities
Open hole/ Drill collar 0.0292 bbl/foot
Open hole /Drill pipe 0.0459 bbl/foot
Casing /Drill pipe 0.0505 bbl/foot
LOT
Shoe test mud weight 12 ppg
Leak off pressure 2725 psi
Pump Details
Pump Output 0.109 bbl/stk
SCRat40SPM 550 psi
Shut in data
SIDPP 200 psi
SICP 600 psi
Pit gain 15 bbls

Page | 103
Calculate:-

1. Maximum Allowable Mud Weight before kick

2. MAASP before kick

3. Strokes from Surface to Bit

4. Kill mud "Weight

5. Initial circulating pressure

6. Final Circulating Pressure

7. MAASP after well has been killed

8. Pressure drop per step (one-tenth of' strokes to Bit)

Page | 104
Page | 105
 EQUIPMENT

Page | 106
Page | 107
 1. In which of the following situations is it an advantage to use a Float-valve in the drill string?

A. To avoid flow back while tripping or during a connection

B. To allow reverse circulation
C. To read the drill pipe pressure value following a well kick
D. To reduce surge pressure

2. During a routine test on a surface stack, it is noticed that the weep hole (drain hole/vent
hole) on one of the blowout preventer bonnets is leaking fluid. What action should be
taken?

A. Energize emergency packing. If leak stops, leave it till the next maintenance schedule
B. The weep hole only checks the closing chamber seals, leave it till the next maintenance
schedule
C. Primary ram shaft seal is leaking, secure the well and replace immediately
D. Ram packing elements on the ram body are worn out replace immediately

3. What should you do if the choke line fails during a well kill operation?

A. Stop the pumps and close a hydraulic valve up stream of the failure
B. Continue to kill the well only if the influx is past the shoe
C. Stop the pumps and shear the pipe
D. Stop the pumps and close the choke

4. Which of the following statements about ring gaskets is correct?

A. Only RX ring gaskets can be used with BX type flanges

B. The same metal hardness is used for ring gaskets and ring grooves
C. Ring gaskets are designed to be used more than once
D. Type BX ring gaskets provide a pressure-energized seal

5. A leaking BOP element is identified as a risk to well integrity during a kill operation. What
action would you take to minimize this risk?

A. Monitor mud level above the BOPs on the trip tank.

B. Increase closing pressure to maximum value.
Page | 108
 C. Monitor active pit levels for mud level increases.
D. Place BOP 4-way valve in Neutral position.
6. Which type of valve would be made up to the drill pipe if the well kicks while tripping?

A. Choke valve
B. Full opening safety valve
C. Non-return valve
D. Float valve

7. The well kicks when tripping. What statement is true if a non-return valve is stabbed into
the string?

A. Must not be run in the hole In the closed position

B. Has potential to leak through the open/close key
C. Easier to stab if strong flow is encountered up the drill string
D. Has to be pumped open to read Shut In Drill Pipe Pressure

8. What is the main function of the ''weep hole" on ram type BOP?

A. Release any overpressure that may occur during testing

B. Indicate a leak from the primary mud seal on the piston rod
C. Prevent damage to the closing chamber
D. Indicate a leak from the bonnet seal

9. What would be the effect of fitting a 7-1/16 inch x 5,000psi flange to a working 10,000psi
rated BOP stack?

A. The rating would remain at 10,000 psi

B. The rating would become 2,500 psi
C. The rating would become 7,500 psi
D. The rating would become5,000 psi

10. Which statement about the annular preventer is true?

A. Will not seal on a square or hexagonal Kelly

B. Is designed to seal around any shape of tubular or tool in the well bore
C. Will allow reciprocating the drill string while maintaining a seal against well bore pressure
Page | 109
 D. Will prevent tool joints from being stripped into the well

11. Which of the following statements about fixed bore ram type BOPs is correct?

A. Fixed bore ram type BOP's are designed to contain and seal Rated Working Pressure from
above the closed ram as well as from below
B. Fixed bore ram type BOPs can be used to hang off the drill string
C. Fixed bore ram type BOPs do not require a locking system
D. Fixed bore ram type BOPs can close and seal on various pipe sizes

12. What is the function of Blind Rams?

A. To seal off the open hole

B. As a back-up to the Annular
C. To cut the drill string and seal off the hole
D. To hang-off the drill string during a kill

13. Select the correct definition of the "closing ratio" of a ram preventer.

A. Ratio of the packer area against the piston rod area

B. Operating pressure required to close the ram against the formation pressure
C. Operating pressure required to open the ram at BOP Rated Working Pressure
D. Operating pressure required to close the ram against maximum anticipated wellbore
pressure

14. When testing a Surface BOP stack with a test plug. Why must the side outlet valves below
the plug be kept in the open position?

A. To check for a leaking test plug

B. Because the test will create extreme hook loads
C. Otherwise reverse circulation will be needed to release test plug
D. To prevent a pressure lock

15. What is the only function of a diverter?

A. To act as a backup system if the annular preventer fails.

B. To shut in a shallow kick.

Page | 110
 C. To direct formation fluids away from the rig floor
D. To create a back pressure sufficient to stop formation fluids entering the wellbore.

16. When killing a well why is a Vacuum Degasser not used in place of a Mud/Gas Separator?

A. Because cuttings must be removed first

B. Because it can only remove gas in solution
C. Because it is not located in an explosion proof area
D. Because it has volume limitations

17. You are out of the hole changing the Bit when the well starts flowing. What action must you
take to secure the well?

A. Run one stand of collars into the well and close the Annular
B. Run one stand of drill pipe or heavyweight drill pipe and close the pipe rams
C. Close the diverter and bullhead kill mud through the kill line
D. Close the Blind or Blind/Shear rams

18. What is the function of the choke in the choke manifold?

A. To create a back-pressure when killing the well

B. To bleed high volume of formation fluid
C. To close the well softly

19. What is the main function of the choke in the overall BOP system?

A. To direct wellbore fluids to the mud/gas separator

B. To hold back pressure while circulating out a kick
C. To shut the well in softly
D. To direct hydrocarbons to the flare

20. What is the function of vent/ bleed/ straight through line in the choke manifold?

A. To apply back pressure while controlling a kick

B. To bleed high volume of formation fluid by-passing the choke
C. To facilitate easy handling of choke

Page | 111
 21. Before cutting the drilling line, with the bit at the casing shoe, which item of equipment
must be installed to improve well control capability?

A. Inside blowout preventer

B. Circulating head
C. Drop in check valve
D. Full opening safety valve

22. A well kicks with the bit off bottom and you shut it in. A decision is made to strip back into the
hole. What equipment needs to be on the top of the drill string before stripping in the hole?

A. An inside BOP with a full opening safety valve (closed) on top

B. An inside BOP
C. A full opening safety valve (open) with an inside BOP installed on top
D. A full opening safety valve (closed)

23. What is one of the dangers when a gas kick is circulated through the choke manifold?

A. The increased volume of gas at the mud gas separator will increase the bottom hole
pressure
B. The gas will change to a liquid and increase pit level
C. The gas will cause a temperature increase at the remote choke and damage rubber seals
D. The increased gas volume can overload the mud gas separator

24. Which of the following dimensions affects the pressure at which gas can 'blow-through' to
the Shaker area?

A. The vent line length and ID of the vent line

B. ID of line from Choke manifold
C. Height of body and ID of body
D. Height of liquid seal

Page | 112
 25. Select the true statement for the master ('push to operate') button or lever on the remote
BOP panel

A. When the valve is operated it moves the 3-position valve to close

B. The valve is held for 5 seconds then released to allow functions to operate
C. When the valve is operated all panel lights illuminate
D. Continually operate the valve while functions on the panel are made

26. What pressure must be kept in the annular BOP closing chamber during stripping
operation?

A. 300 psi less than the Pipe Ram dosing pressure

B. The minimum pressure that allows the tool joint to go through the packing With a loss of
30.000 lbs of hook load
C. The minimum pressure to maintain a seal
D. Minimum 500 psi

27. You close a ram preventer using the remote BOP panel the ram open light goes out and the
close light illuminates but you notice that the accumulator pressure has remained static.
What has happened?

A. The 3-position Ram valve on the accumulator has not moved

B. Master valve not held down for 5seconds
C. No air pressure at the panel
D. Possible blockage in the line between the accumulator unit and BOP stack

28. What is a reason for having stored fluid under pressure in the accumulator bottles on the
hydraulic BOP control unit?

A. To operate the remote choke

B. To replace the drilling fluid when performing the weekly BOP tests
C. To close the BOP in the event of a power failure

Page | 113
 D. To operate the kill line valve

29. You close a pipe ram. What has happened if the open light stays on, the close light does not
illuminate and the manifold pressures remains static?

A. The light bulb has blown

B. The hydraulic closing line to the BOP is plugged
C. There is a leak in the hydraulic line to the BOP
D. The 3-position/4-way valve on the hydraulic BOP control unit failed to operate

30. You operate the annular preventer and the annular pressure gauge and accumulator gauges
both drop but do not return back to normal pressure. The charge pump is running
continuously. What has probably happened?

A. Close line is blocked

B. Master valve was not operated
C. Leak in the annular closing line
D. 3-posilion valve did not operate

31. While doing your daily rounds during drilling operations you notice the gauges on the BOP
accumulator system show the following readings. What do you think?

A. A leak in the accumulator bottle circuit

B. Everything is OK
Page | 114
 C. The pressure switch controlling the charge pump is faulty
D. A leak in the annular preventer hydraulic circuit

32. If the air pressure gauge was reading zero. Which one of these statements is correct for an
air operated remote control panel?

A. Choke and kill lines can still be operated from the remote panel
B. No BOP functions will be operated from the remote panel
C. All functions on the remote panel Will operate normally
D. The annular preventer can still be operated from the remote panel

33. A ram preventer was operated from the remote panel. Both accumulator and manifold
pressures dropped and later returned to normal pressure. The open light went out but the
close light did not illuminate. What is the probable cause of the problem?

A. Leak in the system

B. Air pressure too low
C. Close line is blocked
D. Fault in the close light electrical circuit

34. On which two gauges on the remote BOP panel would you expect to see a pressure drop
while the annular preventer is dosing?

A. Manifold pressure and Accumulator pressure

B. Accumulator pressure and Annular pressure
C. Air pressure and Manifold pressure
D. Annular pressure and Manifold pressure

35. On the surface stack remote panel the High Pressure Bypass button or handle allows you to
put full accumulator pressure to which of the following?

A. Rams only
B. Annular only
C. All functions
D. Rams and H.C.R. valves only

Page | 115