Question

During a drilling operation, kick occurs if

• A. the shear ram in the Blow Out Preventer (BOP) does not work.
• B. the formation pressure is equal to the drilling fluid pressure.
• C. the volume of the mud used to fill the hole is less than that of the pipe being pulled out.
• D. the formation pressure is more than the drilling fluid pressure.

Hint:

A kick happens when the formation pressure exceeds the drilling fluid pressure, causing influx of formation fluids into the well.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C, D

In a drilling operation, a kick occurs when the formation pressure exceeds the pressure exerted by the drilling fluid. This results in the influx of formation fluids (such as gas, oil, or water) into the wellbore, which can lead to a blowout if not controlled. The primary cause of a kick is when: \[ \text{Formation pressure} > \text{Drilling fluid pressure}. \] Step 1: Explanation of the other options. - Option (A): The shear ram in the Blow Out Preventer (BOP) is a safety device designed to shut off the well in case of a kick. However, if the BOP fails, the well is not sealed, but the kick still occurs due to formation pressure exceeding drilling fluid pressure. Hence, this is not the cause of a kick.
- Option (B): When the formation pressure is equal to the drilling fluid pressure, there is no influx of formation fluids, so no kick occurs.
- Option (C): The volume of mud used to fill the hole might affect the control of the kick, but the fundamental cause of a kick is the imbalance between formation pressure and drilling fluid pressure.
Thus, option (D) is correct, as it describes the actual cause of a kick. Final Answer: The formation pressure is more than the drilling fluid pressure.