from article...had 2 HP kicks drillingFrom a buddy that used to operate offshore drill rigs
You never feel a kick unless:
- It results in a blowout at surface (thank God I never saw one but I have friends who have).
- It is a gas kick that rapidly expands as it approaches surface. All of a sudden you would see a rapid increase in drilling fluid flow. It the bubble is still in the wellbore below the BOP you can shut-in the well. If it gets up into the riser then you are in big trouble.
So you rely on the driller noticing a flow into the wellbore, shutting the well in with the BOP and then recording the kick volume and associated pressures. If all of this happens then you are in good shape to kill the well.