Prediction of Surge/Swab Pressure in the Oil & Gas Industry: Effect of Process Parameters

Demand for Energy globally has been on the rise by approximately 8% between 2004 and 2019. Also, conventional energy sources are unable to meet this demand for the period under review. Therefore, the oil and gas energy industry is continuously making efforts to produce from unconventional energy sources such as oil and gas reservoirs, gas hydrates, and deep-water and geothermal energy through drilling operations. The surge/swab pressure is experienced while drilling processes in different circumstances such as,(i) during placing the casing in the well for borehole's wall stabilization (ii) during maintenance operations the run-in or pulling out the drill-string, bit removal or dismantling;(iii) the staggering motion caused by the sea waves during deep-water drilling in via floating rigs. However, predicting the surge/swab pressure with different pipe tripping speeds, fluid rheology, and well geometry is significant to dodge unexpected drilling outcomes. This review highlights the parameters on which the surge/swab pressure depends. Further, the importance of modelling in surge/swab pressure prediction along with the existing models has been explained. This study summarizes the improved understanding of the effect of rheological and geometrical parameters on surge/swab pressures. Finally, limitations and outlook have been suggested at the end to enhance the hydrocarbon recovery process and minimize the NPT during tripping.