1. A kick has been taken at TD and will be circulated out using the Driller’s Method.

d. 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. 44 barrels

C. 1851 barrels

D. 78 barrels

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

A. To allow the Volumetric method to be used.

B. To reduce risk of formation breakdown during the kill.

C. To prevent gas expansion as it is circulated up the annulus.

D. To reduce Kill Weight mud required to kill the well.

3. 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. Maximum allowable annular surface pressure

B. Shut in Drill Pipe Pressure

C. Slow circulating rate pressure

D. Casing Pressure

4. 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 indication of wellbore azimuth and elevation

B. A record of Weight on Bit (WOB), Shock and Torque

C. A reduction in Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD)

D. An increase in Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD)

5. What is the only function of a diverter?

A. To create a back pressure sufficient to stop formation fluids entering the wellbore.

B. To direct formation fluids away from the rig floor

C. To act as a backup system if the annular preventer fails.

D. To shut in a shallow kick.

6. Which one of the following is LEAST likely to cause you to exceed the MAASP during the well kill operation?

A. Large pit gain

B. Short open hole section

C. Long waiting period to prepare kill mud weight

D. Small difference between formation fracture pressure and drilling fluid hydrostatic 
pressure

7. Which of the following statements about fixed bore ram type BOPs is correct?

A. Fixed bore ram type BOPs 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 close and seal on various pipe sizes

C. Fixed bore ram type BOPs cannot be used to hang off the drill string

D. Fixed bore ram type BOPs are designed to contain Rated Working Pressure only from below the
closed ram

8. What is the new approximate pump pressure at 50 strokes per minute (SPM) if the pressure was 425 psi at
42 SPM?

A. 357 psi

B. 602 psi
 C. 506 psi

D. 300 psi

9. 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 increase

B. It will decrease

C. It will stay the same

10. What should a Driller do after a drilling break?

A. Reduce the pump speed

B. Check for flow

C. Circulate bottoms-up

D. Reduce the weight on the bit

11. 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. Pressure would have to be held on the annulus to prevent u-tubing

D. Cement would have to be reverse circulated

12. 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. Instruct your relief to write down the key points of the handover and to discuss each point

B. Instruct your relief to write down the key points of the handover and file properly

C. Think about what you will tell your relief at the end of the shift

D. Instruct your relief to work with the derrickhand in the pit room

13. What will influence the test pressure recorded during a leak-off test?
 A. Maximum pressure rating of mud pump

B. The slow circulating rate

C. Volume of mud in the well

D. Mud density in the well

14. What is the fluid pressure within the pore spaces of the rock known as?

A. Total Wellbore Pressure

B. Fracture Pressure

C. Hydrostatic Pressure

D. Formation Pressure

15. Why is it important to monitor the pit volume during a well control operation?

A. To tell you when to adjust pump speed

B. To maintain bottom hole pressure constant

C. To tell you when to adjust drill pipe pressure

D. To check for mud losses

16. 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. Decreases

C. Stays the same

17. 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 constant in order to maintain the
correct bottom hole pressure if the influx migrates?

A. 600 psi drill pipe pressure

B. 1050 psi casing pressure

C. 750 psi casing pressure

D. 900 psi drill pipe pressure

18. Which type of valve would be made up to the drill pipe if the well kicks while tripping?

A. Float valve

B. Full opening safety valve

C. Non-return valve

D. Choke valve

Please use the following information for questions 19 through 26

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) 0.00768 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

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:

19. Maximum allowable mud weight before kick.

ppg

20. MAASP before kick

psi

21. Strokes from surface to bit

Strokes

22. Kill mud weight

ppg

23. Initial circulating pressure

psi

24. Final circulating pressure

psi

25. MAASP after well has been killed

psi

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

psi/Step
27. 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. Annular only

B. Rams only

C. All functions

D. Rams and H.C.R. valves only

28. 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. Resume circulation by holding drill pipe pressure constant at 150 psi

B. Check to see if correct mud weight and surface to bit strokes were pumped

C. Bleed casing pressure to zero psi and confirm well is dead

D. Recalculate kill weight mud based on 150 psi SIDPP and circulate surface to bit

29. 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. B. Because the test will create extreme hook loads

C. D. Because of potential damage to wellhead/casing/open hole

E. F. Because reverse circulation will be needed to release test plug

G. H. To prevent a pressure lock

30. 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 balanced; pressures at the bottom are balanced on both sides of the well

B. The well is not completely full of mud and there is more bottom hole pressure on the drill pipe
side of the well
 C. 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

D. The well is not balanced; bottom hole pressure on the annulus side is lower due to
contamination by formation fluids

31. 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. Increase mud weight before starting the wirelining operation to compensate for the loss of ECD

C. Drilling fluid should be circulated and conditioned because the well will be static for an
extended period

D. Due to small diameter of tools there are no special precautions to take

32. During the Wait and Weight procedure, how can bottom hole pressure be controlled once KWM is in the
annulus?

A. Hold casing pressure constant

B. Follow a casing pressure schedule

C. Hold drill pipe pressure constant at Final Circulating Pressure

D. Maintain barrel in and barrel out

33. 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. Pump failure

B. Choke washout

C. Choke plugged

D. Plugged bit nozzle

34. 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

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

A. RPM

B. Rotary torque

C. ROP

D. All of the above

36. Which of the following is a possible sign of an increasing formation fluid pressure?

A. Increasing connection gas

B. Gradual decrease in Rate of Penetration (ROP)

C. Decreasing background gas

D. Increasing Shale Density

37. When would you expect dissolved gas in an oil-based mud to break out of solution?

A. As it passes through the casing shoe

B. As it is enters the wellbore at very high pressures

C. As it gets closer to the surface

D. As it moves around the bottom hole assembly (BHA)

38. 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. 5290 psi

B. 5425 psi

C. 6100 psi
 D. 4200 psi

39. 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

40. 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?

B. Contact the mud logger and request the best possible calculation of the Initial Circulating
A. Pressure

D. Follow correct start-up procedure. Read the pressure on the drillpipe gauge, subtracting any
C. overbalance/safety margin pressure.

F. Check the records and choose the kill rate circulating pressure taken with the last BHA in the
E. hole nearest to the depth where the kick took place. Add 100 psi as a safety margin

G. H. Use the SIDPP as the circulating pressure

41. A function has been operated from remote panel. The open light goes out and the close light illuminates, but
pressure gauge did not drop. What is the probable cause of the problem?

A. Leak in the system

B. Air pressure too low

C. Pressure switch is faulty

D. Close line is blocked

42. 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 communication occurs, allowing 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

43. 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?

1. A. Swabbing is occurring when making the connection

2. B. The well is overbalanced while drilling and underbalanced at the connection

3. C. The formation is definitely not ballooning

4. D. The mud is u-tubing due to different weights in the string and annulus

44. The well has been shut-in and the pressures are stabilizing. What is the first step that the Driller should take?

A. Check the well is secure (no leaks)

B. Record the pit gain

C. Calculate Kill Weight Fluid

D. Check the drillpipe pressure to determine formation pressure

45. 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. Drop the string in the hole

B. Start circulating to use ECD to stop the kick

C. Make up and close safety valve in string and close the annular

D. Pick up a joint or stand of shearable pipe, run into position and install a safety valve

46. 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 able to effectively recognize and react to a kick

D. To ensure the crew is trained to kill the well

47. 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. Close in the well and line up through the mud-gas separator and monitor for flow at the
Shakers

B. Shut the Diverter and monitor for flow from the vent line

C. Line up to the trip tank and monitor for gains or losses

D. Pull 5 stands and watch the well to see if it fills up

48. What should you do if the choke line fails during a well kill operation?

A. Stop the pumps and close a valve upstream 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

49. 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. Follow a Wait and Weight step-down chart or graph

B. Start up the well correctly and hold the initial circulating pressure constant till kill mud is at the
Bit.

C. Maintain casing pressure constant

D. Add safety margin to drill pipe pressure equal to the slow circulating rate pressure

50. 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 stay the same

B. Casing pressure will decrease

C. Casing pressure will increase

51. 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 will be zero

D. SIDPP is much greater than the SICP

52. Which of the following parameters will affect the value of the Shut-In Casing Pressure?

A. Drill string capacity per foot

B. Slow Circulating Rate Pressure

C. Choke line length

D. The formation fluid pressure (pore pressure)

53. After the well is shut-in, what key data should be recorded?

A. Hook Load

B. Rotary Torque

C. Weight on Bit

D. Casing Pressure

54. 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. Begin the lube and bleed procedure

B. Bleed all the gas from the well

C. Continue with the volumetric procedure

D. Bullhead original mud to push the gas back into formation

55. 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. Shut-in the well and circulate bottoms-up

 B. Carry out a flow check and consider circulating bottoms up through the choke line

C. Carry on drilling, the increase is due to the new MWD tool

D. Decrease WOB to get an average ROP of 20 feet/hr

56. 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. Leaking Liner Lap or shoe

B. Drill string

C. BOP closing chamber

D. BOP opening chamber

57. In which of the following situations will the Wait and Weight method give lower Casing Shoe pressure,
compared to Driller's Method?

A. Wait and Weight will always give lower Casing Shoe pressures

B. Annulus open hole capacity is greater than drillstring capacity

C. Annulus open hole capacity is less than drillstring capacity

58. A 30.0 bbl 14.5 ppg slug is pumped prior to tripping 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. 7.35 bbls

B. 5.36 bbls

C. 6.35 bbls

D. 5.96 bbls

59. 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 get below the influx and circulate it out

C. To bullhead the influx back into the formation

D. To allow the Volumetric method to be used

60. If a kick is swabbed in when tripping, which type of barrier has been compromised?

A. Cement barrier

B. Permanent mechanical barrier

C. Temporary mechanical barrier

D. Primary (hydrostatic) barrier

61. 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 damage to the casing string and cost to the Operator

B. Potential down time for not being ready to trip back in the hole

C. Potential surging due to tight wellbore to casing geometry

D. Potential swabbing due to tight wellbore-to-casing geometry

62. You have shut-in on a well and are planning a kill operation. 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 in pressures 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. Kill the well with Reverse Circulation

B. Begin to Lubricate and Bleed

C. Wait and Weight Method of Well Control

D. Driller’s Method of Well Control

63. 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. 4920 psi
 B. 1390 psi

C. 1347 psi

D. 3530 psi

64. How does increasing wellbore temperature affect well control when using non-aqueous (oil-based) mud?

A. Decreases hydrostatic pressure in wellbore

B. Increases hydrostatic pressure in wellbore

C. No significant effect on hydrostatic pressure in wellbore

65. 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. Increase in gas content

C. Decrease in gas content

D. Decrease in mud filtrate

66. Which of the following practices could result in the influx of a shallow hazard?

A. Pumping a cement slurry with short transition time

B. Keeping the hole full with a continuous trip tank

C. Pumping out of the hole

D. Not filling the hole properly while tripping out

67. 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
68. What is the main function of the choke in the overall BOP system?

A. To shut the well in softly

B. To direct wellbore fluids to the mud/gas separator

C. To hold back pressure while circulating out a kick

D. To direct hydrocarbons to the flare

69. 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 equals the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of fresh water

C. Pressure that differs from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of formation gas

D. Pressure that differs from the hydrostatic pressure caused by a full column of formation oil

70. 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 pressures to zero (0) in increments of 50 psi, the pressures stayed at
zero. Oil-based mud is in the hole. What instructions would you give the Driller?

A. Flow check through the choke. If negative, open the BOP and circulate while raising the mud
weight by .5 ppg and drill ahead

B. Flow check through the choke. If negative, circulate bottoms up through the choke

C. Open the BOP, raise mud weight by 1 ppg and drill ahead

D. Open the BOP and drill ahead

71. 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 decrease

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 remain the same since the mud volume in the hole has not changed
72. After the first circulation of the Driller’s method the well is shut in. Casing pressure is 150 psi higher than drill
pipe pressure. What is this telling you?

A. Kill mud was not heavy enough to kill the well

B. All is OK to start the second circulation

C. There is still some influx in the well

D. Increase mud hydrostatic by 150 psi

73. 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. Use the average pressure of 500 psi to calculate

B. Calculate using 450 psi

C. Calculate using 650 psi

D. Neither gauge, investigate the difference first

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

A. As a back-up to the Annular

B. To close in the well if the Diverter fails

C. To hang-off the drillstring during a kill

D. To cut the drillstring and seal off the hole

75. 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. Shut the well in and pump lost circulation material

B. Prepare to top-fill the annulus with water (or lightest mud available), and record volume.

C. Pump at reduced rate adding lost circulation material

D. Continue drilling ahead cautiously

76. 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 100 strokes per minute (SPM)

77. 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. Begin to Lubricate and bleed to kill the well

C. Start stripping out of the hole and keep the hole full

D. Begin the Wait and Weight method immediately