Supervisor Practice Exam Questions

IWCF Level 4 – Drilling Well Control (Supervisor) Practice Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf

• What is the main objective of primary well control?
• To detect kicks early
• To prevent formation fluids from entering the wellbore
• To maintain constant pump pressure
• To control gas expansion

Rationale: Primary well control is maintained by keeping hydrostatic

pressure greater than formation pressure, thus preventing influx.

• What happens if the hydrostatic pressure in the wellbore is lower than

the formation pressure?

• Lost circulation occurs 1 / 4

• A kick occurs
• Differential sticking occurs
• The mud becomes gas-cut

Rationale: When hydrostatic pressure falls below formation pressure,

formation fluids enter the wellbore—this is a kick.

• What is the density equivalent to 1 psi/ft gradient?
• 0.43 ppg
• 2.31 ppg
• 1.1 ppg
• 8.33 ppg

Rationale: The relationship between pressure gradient and density is 0.052

× ppg = psi/ft. Solving gives 1 ÷ 0.052 = 19.23 ppg, but 2.31 ppg is the equivalent of 0.12 psi/ft gradient, not 1 psi/ft. Correction—correct answer is 19.23 ppg.(Corrected version below for accuracy.)

• 19.23 ppg

Rationale: 1 psi/ft ÷ 0.052 = 19.23 ppg.

• Which of the following methods is used to circulate out a kick while

maintaining constant bottomhole pressure?

• Driller’s method only 2 / 4

• Wait and Weight method only
• Both Driller’s and Wait and Weight methods
• Lubricate and bleed method

Rationale: Both methods aim to maintain constant bottomhole pressure

throughout circulation.

• What is the purpose of a choke manifold during well control?
• To measure mud density
• To control backpressure and regulate bottomhole pressure
• To separate gas from mud
• To cool the BOP stack

Rationale: The choke manifold is used to apply controlled backpressure to

maintain desired bottomhole pressure during well control operations.

• The pressure at the casing shoe before any circulation begins is known

as:

• Casing pressure
• Formation pressure
• Initial shut-in casing pressure (SICP)
• Final circulating pressure

Rationale: SICP is the pressure recorded at the casing gauge immediately

after the well is shut in. 3 / 4

• When a gas kick migrates up the annulus, what happens to the pressure

at the surface?

• It decreases
• It increases
• It remains constant
• It becomes negative

Rationale: As gas expands during migration, surface pressure increases

due to increased volume and reduced hydrostatic head.

• What is the main purpose of a kill line?
• To bleed off pressure
• To pump kill fluid into the wellbore
• To measure annular pressure
• To control mud returns

Rationale: The kill line connects the pump to the annulus, allowing kill mud

to be pumped in during well control.

• What is the formula for bottomhole pressure (BHP)?
• BHP = Casing pressure × TVD
• BHP = Mud weight × 0.052 × TVD
• BHP = (0.052 × MW × TVD) + Surface pressure
• / 4