High-Fidelity Transient Hydraulics Model for Well Construction

Abstract

A mathematical model is developed to capture the dynamic features in the wellbore during drilling operations so that it could be used for real-time computations. The model comprises one-dimensional (1D) mud flow solvers, one for the drillpipe and the other for the wellbore annulus including the volume below the drill bit, integrated point models for the bell nipple, bottomhole assembly (BHA) nozzles, 1D shallow water model for the flowline, and point model for the bypass replicating the hydraulic circuit in the drilling rig. The model assumes compressibility of mud for the wellbore section along with its transient gel characteristics. The equations are solved using appropriate explicit numerical solvers and the results capturing the fast transients of the standpipe pressure, bottomhole equivalent circulating density (ECD), and the flow rates during dynamic drilling operations are presented to illustrate the performance of the model with field data.