Abstract
Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) with the Constant Bottomhole Pressure (CBHP) method requires precise control of bottomhole pressure (BHP) within narrow operating windows. This study presents the integration of inline density sensors directly into the automated MPD choke control loop to enhance pressure management accuracy. By providing real-time, high-frequency drilling fluid density measurements, the enhanced control system compensates proactively for dynamic density variations caused by rock destruction at the bit, cuttings loading, gas breakout, and fluid compressibility. Comparative simulations against traditional choke control (using fixed or periodically updated density) demonstrated significant improvements: BHP standard deviation was reduced by 80% (from 24.6 psi to 4.8 psi), mean error decreased by 85%, and settling time after disturbances dropped from 178 s to 38 s. The proposed approach also enabled faster detection and mitigation of gas influx events. These results highlight the advantages of shifting density measurement from passive monitoring to active closed-loop feedback. The integration offers a practical pathway toward more robust and automated MPD operations, improving safety and efficiency in narrow-margin, deepwater, and HPHT wells.