Two-phase flow model validation during conventional/Pressurized Mud Cap Drilling (PMCD) scenarios

Abstract Concerning non-ideal drilling scenarios, the aim of the present paper is employing a Pressurized Mud Cap Drilling (PMCD) technique for drilling through highly fractured formations that often experience kick and lost circulation problems. Once total losses and kick scenarios are identified, a series of procedures are performed to control the interchanges between the well and the reservoir, hence stabilizing the well pressure. After mud loss, kick and gas migration, PMCD technique performs the bullheading operation (a technique that aims to countercurrent pump fluids, without surface return, forcing gas and drilled cuttings back to formation). The main contribution of this paper is presenting a drift-flux model (DFM) for conventional, Manage Pressure Drilling (MPD) and PMCD operations validated with two-phase flow data from an experimental facility, which depicts the oil well drilling most important phenomena. Modeling results presented good predictive capacity under gas injection and migration into open - closed well scenarios and during bullheading operation. By employing the experimental facility, two-phase flow validation results proved to be effective under conventional/MPD/PMCD drilling scenarios.