Title: A proposed 'standard' framework for conducting negative pressure test

Authors: Maryam Tabibzadeh; Najmedin Meshkati

Addresses: Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Southern California, 3715 McClintock Ave. GER240, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA ' Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Southern California, 3715 McClintock Ave. GER240, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA

Abstract: According to the 2011 Chief Counsel's report of the Presidential National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout, negative pressure test (NPT) is the primary way of evaluating the integrity of cementing and other flow barriers at the bottom of a well. Yet, despite the criticality of this test, no detailed, standard framework for conducting NPT exists or is practiced in the oil and gas drilling industry. This paper presents a new set of standards for conducting negative pressure tests in order to improve the safety of drilling operations. The developed framework in this paper sets guidelines on proper implementation and monitoring of NPT. This framework is an attempt to systematically address and analyse results of such test. In addition, a case study is presented to examine the deficiencies associated with conducting a negative pressure test in a real drilling case in the Gulf of Mexico. [Received: June 6, 2014; Accepted: April 7, 2015]

Keywords: negative pressure tests; NPT; standard framework; drilling safety; completion; well monitoring; well control; flow barriers; oil and gas industry; standards.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2016.076811

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2016 Vol.12 No.3, pp.248 - 264

Received: 10 Sep 2014
Accepted: 07 Apr 2015
Published online: 01 Jun 2016 *

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