A drilling rig in the Morgantown Industrial Park across the river from the downt

Question

A drilling rig in the Morgantown Industrial Park across the river from the downtown campus is sinking a natural gas well into the Marcellus Shale formation. In order to control the formation pressure and prevent a blowout, a comination of drilling mud (density=1.071 kg/L) and river water (density=1.000kg/L) is pumped into the well bore to balance the reservoir pressure. Two thirds of the well bore is filled with drilling mud and one third is filled with river water. The gas reservoir pressure is 32,060 kPa (absolute). Assuming the barometric pressure is 101.9 kPa, how deep is the Marcellus formation?

Explanation / Answer

Pressure difference = 32060000 - 101900 = 31958100 Pa This pressure is balanced by rho*G*h of a column of mud and water. Average density = 1071*2/3 + 1000*1/3 = 1047.3 kg/m^3 Gravity = 9.81 31958100 Pa = 1047.3 (kg/m^3) * 9.81 (m/s^2) * h (meters) h = 31958100 / (1047.3 * 9.81) = 3110.5 m

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