Jarring

10-16

10.9.2 Exercise-1 (Snapshot: vjar-1.snp)

A vertical well is drilled with the following BHA:

12 bit

19 joints (30 ft) 8 x2.1/4; 170 lbs/ft drillcollars

8 hydraulic jar

27 joints (30 ft) 5x3; 50 lbs/ft heavy wate drillpipe

5; 22.2, premium S-135 drillpipe

The mudweight is 12.0 ppg.

The rig is a heavy land rig equipped with a Top Drive System (TDS)
The details of the vertical well and the drilling assembly are shown in the spreadsheet
below:

The drillstring became stuck during drilling. A stretch test indicated that the string is stuck
at the bit or very close to the bit.
Calculations to be made:
As the string became stuck while drilling, it is necessary to start jarring upwards. As the jar
is of the hydraulic type, it has to be cocked before it can be fired upwards. There is no
accelerator fitted in the drillstring.
The first value to calculate is the hook weight at which the jar is in neutral position.
To calculate the weight of the drillstring above the jar, we need to calculate the drillpipe
length:
Bit depth:
Length of BHA below the jar:
Length of jar:
Length of BHA above the jar:
Length of Drillpipe below RKB:

2005 Drilling Systems Ltd

DrillSIM Operators Manual

11,389
570
30
30
9,949

ft
ft
ft
ft
ft

Jarring

10-17

This requires:

9,949
= 110.54
90

stands

As full stands are used the number of stands in use is: 111
Total length of drillpipe in use:

111 x 90 = 9,990 ft

Length of drillpipe above the RKB: 9,990-9,949= 41ft (stick up)

Next calculate the weight of the drillstring (in mud) above the jar.
As the mudweight in use is 10.2 ppg the buoyancy factor for steel in this mudweight is

12.0
= 0.8166
65.43

Drillpipe weight:
9,949 x 22.2 x 0.8166=
Drillpipe stickup weight:
41 x 22.2=
BHA above the jar:
30 x 170 x 0.8166=
HWDP weight:
27 x 30 x 50 x 0.8166=
Total weight:
Block weight:
Top Drive Weight:
Hook load for neutral point at the jar:

180,360
910
4,165
33,072
218,507
35,000
50,000
303,507

lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs

As the jar mandrel have to be moved down to cock the jar ready for firing upwards enough
downward force has to be applied to overcome the cocking force required and the friction
of the drillstring in the hole (above the jar). Total down-force required:
Drillstring / hole friction:
Jar cock force:
Total weight:

11,389 x 1.05=

11,958
9,000
20,958

lbs
lbs
lbs

Maximum hookload required to cock the jar:

Hook load for neutral point at the jar:
Down weight:
Maximum hookload to cock the jar:

303,507
20,958
282,549

lbs
lbs
lbs

Note:
the hookload is defined as the value indicated on the weight indicator on
the drillers control panel.
On the simulator and in real life, the driller will slack off the hookload slightly below this
value to ensure the jar will indeed cock. The largest uncertainty is the hole friction. This
can only be estimated from data obtained during drilling.
It is quite normal to assume that the driller will slack off the hookload to say 250,000 lbs.
However, the hookload must not be slacked off too much in order to prevent the jar from
firing down. With the drillstring being stuck on bottom this must be prevented at
all cost.
For safety reasons calculate the maximum hookload at which the jar will fire downwards.
Hook load for neutral point at the jar:
Drillstring / Hole friction:
Jar down force:
Maximum hookload:

2005 Drilling Systems Ltd

DrillSIM Operators Manual

303,507
11,958
35,000
256,549

lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs

Jarring

10-18

The driller must ensure that the hookload will not be slacked off close to this value to
prevent jarring down.
After the jar has been cocked the minimum hookload must be calculated to determine
when the jar will fire upwards.
Hook load for neutral point at the jar:
Drillstring / Hole friction:
Jar up force:
Maximum hookload:

303,507
11,958
90,000
405,465

lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs

In the field and on the simulator the driller will pull to at least this value to ensure the jar
will fire.
The last calculation is to determine what the maximum hookload is before drillpipe failure
will occur. Usually a 10% safety margin is used, but if the condition of the drillpipe is
questionable the safety margin could be increased.
90% of breaking strength:
Add:
Weight of the TDS:
Weight of the blocks:
Maximum hookload:

540,000

lbs

50,000
35,000
625,000

lbs
lbs
lbs

Exercise for the DrillSIM-5000 simulator.

1. Provide the student with the well, drillstring, jar and Drilling Rig details.
2. The student to perform the calculations as shown above.
3. Load the snapshot (vjar-1) on the DrillSIM-5000 simulator.
4. Cock the jar by slacking off the hookload to 275,000 lbs.
5. Pull the drillstring to a hookload of 420,000 lbs.
6. Wait until the jar fires upwards (remember the time delay).
7. Record the jar fire delay time.
8. After firing, re-cock the jar.
9. Pull the drillstring to a hookload of 450,000 lbs.
10. Wait until the jar fires upwards (remember the time delay).
11. After firing, re-cock the jar.
12. Repeat steps 7; 8 and 9. Increase the hookload in increments of 30,000 lbs.
13. After the maximum hookload has been applied and he jar has fired, print the jarring
log and analyse the results.
14. Reload the snapshot (vjar-1).
15. Cock the jar by slacking off the hookload to 275,000 lbs.
16. Pull straight to the maximum allowable hookload.
17. Note that the drillstring will be free with only one blow of the jar.
18. Calculate what the maximum overpull is at the jar when maximum drillstring pull is
applied.
19. Make a print-out of the jar log.
20. Discuss the results with the student.

2005 Drilling Systems Ltd

DrillSIM Operators Manual