Chapter 2: Casing Design Introduction and API Standards of Casings

Casing Design Introduction Choosing the correct size, type, and amount of casing that is used in well construction is of utmost importance to the success of the well. The casing must be of sufficient size and strength to allow the target formations to be reached and produced. Casing has become one of the most expensive parts of a drilling program; the average cost of tubulars is about 18% of the average cost of a completed well. Thus, an important responsibility of the drilling engineer is to design the least expensive casing program that will allow the well to be drilled and operated safely throughout its life

Major Cost Categories – Horizontal Wells – 2.6M Introduction Tubular

Casing Design Introduction The main functions of the casing in any well are: Maintain hole integrity Isolate abnormally pressured zones Protect shallow weak formations from heavier mud weights required in the deeper portions of the hole Prevent contamination of freshwater-bearing strata Support unconsolidated sediments

Component Parts of A Casing String Casing Components Component Parts of A Casing String

Casing Components Conductor Casing The conductor pipe is the first casing to be put in place, and is generally installed before the rig arrives on location. Such casing can be driven to 250 feet. Conductor casing measuring between 16 to 24" outside diameter is used onshore; And between 24 to 48" for offshore.

Casing Components Conductor Casing Seal off unconsolidated formations at shallow depths Stop washouts under the drilling rig. Protect fresh water sands. To give a base and support for the next string of casing

Casing Components Surface Casing Surface casing is the first string of casing used after the conductor pipe. It is required in some instances by law (to protect ground water) and is normally cemented full length. Surface casing supports the BOP stack and subsequent casing and tubing strings. It is normally the only string designed to carry compression loads.

Casing Components Surface Casing Protect, water sands Support the wellhead and BOP equipments Case unconsolidated formations Support other casings Case off lost circulation zones

Casing Components Intermediate Casing Intermediate casing is any string between the surface and production string. Intermediate casing may or may not be cemented full length.

Casing Components Intermediate Casing Intermediate casing may be used to: Seal off weaker zones Protect previous casing strings from higher burst pressure. Provide support for liner casing.

Casing Components Production Casing The fourth but not necessarily the final string of pipe run in the hole is the production casing. The production casing is used to control the hydrocarbon bearing zones that will be produced. This string of pipe adds structural integrity to the wellbore in the producing zones. Production casing should be set before completing the well for production. It should be cemented in a manner necessary to cover or isolate all zones which contain hydrocarbons.

Casing Components Running Casing

Casing Components Running Casing Mississippi: Not encounter abnormal formation pressure, lost circulation zones, salt sections. Required only conductor casing, surface casing and production casing Offshore Louisiana and Texas Delaware Basin: Encounter abnormal pore pressure, lost circulation zones, salt sections, unstable shale sections. Required intermediate casing to protect formation below the surface casing from the pressures created by the required high drilling fluid density. Liner is used to lower the cost of drilling. It serves similarly to intermediate casing in that it isolates troublesome zones that tend to cause well problems during drilling operations.

Casing Accessories Wellheads All casing strings, except for liners, are suspended from a wellhead. On a land well or offshore platform the wellhead is just below the rig floor. When drilling offshore, from a floating vessel, the wellhead is installed at the seabed. The wellhead on a land or platform well is made up of a series of spools, stacked up, one on top of the other.

Casing Accessories Wellheads Surface wellhead spools have four functions: To suspend the weight of the casing string; To seal off the annulus between successive casing strings at the surface; To allow access to the annulus between casing strings; To act as an interface between the casing string and BOP stack.

Wellheads and BOP – During Drilling Casing Accessories Wellheads and BOP – During Drilling

Wellheads and Casing Hangers Casing Accessories Wellheads and Casing Hangers

Casing Accessories Casing Hangers Mandrel Type Casing Hangers: is screwed onto the top of the casing string so that it lands in the casing housing when the casing shoe reaches the required depth. Although this is the most common type of hanger it cannot be used if there is a risk that the casing will not reach bottom and therefore that the hanger will not land in the wellhead.

Casing Accessories Casing Hangers Slip Type Casing Hangers: This type of hanger is wrapped around the casing and then lowered until it sits inside the casing spool. The slips are automatically set when the casing is lowered. This type of hanger can be used if the casing stands up on a ledge and cannot reach its required setting depth. These types of hanger are also used when tension has to be applied in order to avoid casing buckling when the well is brought into production.

Casing Accessories Casing Spools Casing spool is a well head component used in flanged wellhead assemblies to secure the upper end of a casing string. Casing spools or bowls are available in a wide range of sizes and pressure ratings and are selected to suit the specific conditions.

Procedure of Installing Spools Casing Accessories Procedure of Installing Spools The procedure for installing a spool type wellhead system can be outlined as follows Conductor (30’’) is run and cemented in place Surface casing (20’’) is run and cemented in place. A casing head housing is welded onto the top of the surface casing. BOP is connected to the upper flange of the housing. Intermediate casing (13 3/8’’) is run and cemented in place. BOP is disconnected and a casing spool is flanged up on the top of the surface casing. Casing hanger is run into the casing housing. The BOPs made up on the top of the spool. The process continues with a new spool being installed for each casing string Finally the Christmas tree is installed on the top of the wellhead.

Procedure of Installing Spools Casing Accessories Procedure of Installing Spools

Wellheads and X-Tree – During Production Casing Accessories Wellheads and X-Tree – During Production Christmas Tree

Casing Accessories Christmas Tree

Casing Accessories Christmas Tree Christmas tree (NOT a wellhead) is an assembly of valves, spools, and fittings used for an oil, gas wells, water injection well, water disposal well, and gas injection well. It is installed on the top of the wellhead. The primary function of a tree is to control the flow of oil or gas. A tree often provides numerous additional functions including: Chemical injection Well intervention means Pressure relief means Monitoring points: pressure, temperature, corrosion, erosion, … Connection points for devices: down-hole pressure and temperature

Casing Accessories Spool Type Wellhead The disadvantages of this type of wellhead are: • A lot of time is spent flanging up the spools; • The large number of seals, increases the chance of a pressure leak; • BOPs must be removed to install the next casing spool; • A lot of headroom is required, which may not be available in the wellhead area of an offshore platform.

Compact Spool (Speed-head) Casing Accessories Compact Spool (Speed-head) The compact spool as discussed previously was developed as an alternative to the conventional spool discussed above. A compact spool enables several casing strings or tubing to be suspended from a single spool. The disadvantage of the compact spool is that the casing program cannot be easily altered, and so this system is less flexible than the separate spool system.

Compact Spool (Speed-head) – Installation Procedures Casing Accessories Compact Spool (Speed-head) – Installation Procedures The first step in using this type of wellhead is to install the 20" casing head housing, as in the case of the spool type wellhead. After the 13 3/8” casing is run and cemented, the casing is cut off and the compact spool (speed-head) is connected to the casing head housing. The BOPs can then be connected to the top of the housing, and the next hole section drilled.

Compact Spool (Speed-head) – Installation Procedures Casing Accessories Compact Spool (Speed-head) – Installation Procedures The 9 5/8" casing is then run, with the hanger resting on a landing shoulder inside the speed-head. A 7" casing string can be run, and landed, in the speed-head in a similar manner to the 9 5/8" casing. The tubing string may also be run and landed in the speed-head. The Christmas tree can then be installed on top of the speed-head.

API Standard API Standard The size of the casing refers to the outside diameter (O.D.) of the main body of the tubular (not the connector). Casing sizes vary from 4.5" to 36" diameter. Tubulars with an O.D. of less than 4.5” are called Tubing.

API Standard Casing Length The API standards recognize three length ranges for casing: Range 1 (R-1): 16 – 25 ft Range 2 (R-2): 25 – 34 ft Range 3 (R-3): > 34 ft Casing is run most often in R-3 lengths to reduce the number of connections in the string. Since casing is made up in single joints, R-3 lengths can be handled easily by most rigs.

API Standard Casing Weight It is conventional to specify casing dimensions by size and weight per foot. • Nominal Weight: Based on the theoretical calculated weight per foot for a 20 ft length of threaded and coupled casing joint. This is not a true weight per foot. • Plain End Weight: The weight per foot of the joint of casing without the threads and couplings (pipe body). • Average weight per foot: is the total weight of an average joint of threaded pipe, with a coupling attached power-tight at one end, divided by the total length of the average joint.

API Standard Casing Weight For example: there are four different nominal weights per foot of 9 5/8’’ casing.

API Standard Casing Grade The chemical composition of casing varies widely, and a variety of compositions and treatment processes are used during the manufacturing process. This means that the physical properties of the steel varies widely. The materials which result from the manufacturing process have been classified by the API into a series of “grades”.

API Standard Casing Grade Each grade is designated by a letter, and a number. The letter refers to the chemical composition of the material and the number refers to the minimum yield strength of the material. N-80 casing has a minimum yield strength of 80000 psi and K-55 has a minimum yield strength of 55000 psi. Hence the grade of the casing provides an indication of the strength of the casing. The higher the grade, the higher the strength of the casing.

API Standard Casing Weight

API Standard Casing Weight

Casing Design Casing Size

Definition of Yield Strength API Standard Definition of Yield Strength Proportionality limit: Stress is proportional to strain (Hooke’s law). If stress is removed --> it returns to original length. s = Ee (E: elastic modulus or Young’s modulus. For steel E = 30,000 psi) Elastic limit (yield point): Beyond the elastic limit, permanent deformation will occur. The lowest stress at which permanent deformation can be measured is defined as elastic limit or yield point. Typical yield behavior for non-ferrous alloys. 1: True elastic limit 2: Proportionality limit 3: Elastic limit 4: Offset yield strength

Definition of Yield Strength API Standard Definition of Yield Strength Tensile Strength It is the ultimate strength of a given alloy or product that determines how much load it can withstand before breaking, or being pulled apart.

API Standard Casing Grade In addition to the API grades, certain manufacturers produce their own grades of material. Both seamless and welded tubulars are used as casing although seamless casing is the most common type of casing and only H and J grades are welded.

API Standard Connections Connection represent less than 3% of the pipe length. More than 90% of pipe failures occur in the connection. Connections represent 10% - 50% of the total tubular costs Individual joints of casing are connected together by a threaded connection. These connections are variously classified as: API; premium; gastight; and metal-to-metal seal. In the case of API connections, the casing joints are threaded externally at either end and each joint is connected to the next joint by a coupling which is threaded internally.

API Standard Connections The standard types of API threaded and coupled connection are: • Short thread connection (STC): - 8 threads per inch and threads have rounded crests and roots • Long thread connection (LTC): - 8 threads per inch; threads have rounded crests and roots; thread section is longer so has better sealability and tensile strength than STC.

API Standard Connections • Buttress thread connection (BTC): - 5 threads per inch and not symmetric for the load and stab flanks

API Standard Connections • Metal-to-metal seal: Thread and Coupled (MTC): - Generally have burst, collapse, and tension ratings equal to the pipe body.

API Standard Connections

API Specifications, Standard and Bulletins API Standard API Specifications, Standard and Bulletins API SPEC 5CT, “Specification for casing a tubing”: Covers seamless and welded casing and tubing, couplings, pup joints and connectors in all grades. Processes of manufacture, chemical and mechanical property requirements, methods of test and dimensions are included. API STD 5B, “Specification for threading, gauging, and thread inspection for casing, tubing, and line pipe threads”: Covers dimensional requirements on threads and thread gauges, stipulations on gauging practice, gauge specifications and certifications, as well as instruments and methods for the inspection of threads of round-thread casing and tubing, buttress thread casing, and extreme- line casing and drill pipe. API RP 5A5, “Recommended practice for filed inspection of new casing, tubing and plain-end drill pipe”: Provides a uniform method of inspecting tubular goods.

API Specifications, Standard and Bulletins API Standard API Specifications, Standard and Bulletins API RP 5B1, “Recommended practice for thread inspection on casing, tubing and line pipe”: The purpose of this recommended practice is to provide guidance and instructions on the correct use of thread inspection techniques and equipment. API RP 5C1, “Recommended practice for care and use of casing and tubing”: covers use, transportation, storage, handling, and reconditioning of casing and tubing. API RP5C5, “Recommended practice for evaluation procedures for casing and tubing connections”: Describes tests to be performed to determine the galling tendency, sealing performance and structural integrity of tubular connections. API BULL 5A2, “Bulletin on thread compounds”: Provides material requirements and performance tests for two grades of thread compound for use on oil-field tubular goods.

API Specifications, Standard and Bulletins API Standard API Specifications, Standard and Bulletins API BULL 5C2, “Bulletin on performance properties of casing and tubing”: Covers collapsing pressures, internal yield pressures and joint strengths of casing and tubing and minimum yield load for drill pipe. API BULL 5C3, “Bulletin on formulas and calculations for casing, tubing, drillpipe and line pipe properties”: Provides formulas used in the calculations of various pipe properties, also background information regarding their development and use. API BULL 5C4, “Bulletin on round thread casing joint strength with combined internal pressure and bending.”: Provides joint strength of round thread casing when subject to combined bending and internal pressure.

Casing Running Procedures Rig-Site Operation Casing Running Procedures

Casing Running Procedures Rig-Site Operation Casing Running Procedures Casing leaks are often caused by damaging the threads while handling and running the casing on the rig. It has also been known for a joint of the wrong weight or grade of casing to be run in the wrong place, thus creating a weak spot in the string. Such mistakes are usually very expensive to repair, both in terms of rig time and materials. It is important, therefore, to use the correct procedures when running the casing.

Casing Running Procedures Rig-Site Operation Casing Running Procedures As more joints are added to the string the increased weight may require the use of heavy duty slips (spider) and elevators If the casing is run too quickly into the hole, surge pressures may be generated below the casing in the open hole, increasing the risk of formation fracture. A running speed of 1000 ft per hour is often used in open hole sections. Regular Slip Heavy duty slip

Casing Running Procedures Rig-Site Operation Casing Running Procedures If the casing is run with a float shoe the casing should be filled up regularly as it is run, or the casing will become buoyant and may even collapse, under the pressure from the mud in the hole. The casing shoe is usually set 10-30 ft off bottom.

Liner Running Procedures Rig-Site Operation Liner Running Procedures Liners are run on drillpipe with special tools which allow the liner to be run, set and cemented all in one trip. The liner hanger is installed at the top of the liner. The hanger has wedge slips which can be set against the inside of the previous string. The slips can be set mechanically (rotating the drillpipe) or hydraulically (differential pressure). A liner packer may be used at the top of the liner to seal off the annulus after the liner has been cemented.

Liner Running Procedures Rig-Site Operation Liner Running Procedures The basic liner running procedure is as follows: (a) Run the liner on drillpipe to the required depth; (b) Set the liner hanger; (c) Circulate drilling fluid to clean out the liner; (d) Back off (disconnect) the liner hanger setting tool; (e) Pump down and displace the cement; (f) Set the liner packer; (g) Pick up the setting tool, reverse circulate to clean out cement and pull out of hole.

Liner Running Procedures Rig-Site Operation Liner Running Procedures