Hole & Pipe Volume
Hole, pipe and annular capacity and volume, open- and closed-end pipe displacement, and slug calculations. Field (bbl/ft) and metric (L/m) units, fully offline.
Open Hole & Pipe Volume →What is the hole & pipe volume calculator?
A wellbore volume calculator that runs entirely in your browser. It works out the capacity of pipe or tubing, an open hole or casing, and the annulus between them; the volume once you add a length; the mud a string of pipe displaces when it is tripped either open- or closed-end; and the length of dry pipe left by a slug of heavier mud. Field units (inches, bbl/ft, barrels) and metric units (mm, L/m, litres) are both supported, and every result updates as you type. Nothing is uploaded — the maths uses the standard Lapeyrouse/IADC capacity divisors (1029.4 field, 1273.24 metric) and stays on your device.
How to use Hole & Pipe Volume
- Choose your units — Use the Field / Metric switch at the top. Field is inches, bbl/ft and barrels; metric is millimetres, L/m and litres.
- Pick a calculation — Select a tab — Capacity, Displacement or Slug. On Capacity, choose a shape: pipe ID, open hole or casing, or annulus.
- Enter the diameters — Type the internal diameter for pipe, the hole or casing diameter for open hole, or both hole ID and pipe OD for the annulus. Add a length to get the volume.
- Read the result — The capacity or displacement per length is the main figure; enter a length and the total volume appears, in barrels or litres (and cubic metres in metric).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between open-end and closed-end displacement?
Open-end pipe drains as it is tripped, so mud fills its bore and it displaces steel only — (OD² − ID²) ÷ divisor. Closed-end pipe is capped or floated so mud cannot enter, so it displaces its full outside diameter — OD² ÷ divisor. Choosing the wrong one under- or over-estimates the volume.
Which divisor does it use?
Capacity in bbl/ft is diameter in inches squared divided by 1029.4; capacity in L/m is diameter in millimetres squared divided by 1273.24. These are the standard drilling constants.
How is the slug length worked out?
Dry-pipe length is the slug volume divided by the pipe capacity, times the difference between slug and mud weight over the mud weight. It tells you how much empty pipe the heavier slug leaves above the mud so the string trips dry.
Does it work offline?
Yes. There are no dependencies and no network calls, so it runs on a rig laptop with no signal, and your last inputs are saved on your device.
Tips
- Use the pipe ID for capacity but the pipe OD for annular and displacement calculations — mixing them is a common error.
- Annular capacity needs the hole or casing internal diameter and the pipe outside diameter; the hole ID must be the larger of the two.
- For the slug tab, work out the pipe capacity on the Capacity tab first, then paste it in — the slug weight must exceed the mud weight.