How is Wellhead fatigue handled by

industry standards?
Lorents Reins
Classification: Internal

2014-03-10

Objective
What is Wellhead Fatigue
Industry standards for Wellheads
Design approach in the industry standards
Is this design approach suited for fatigue?
Industry standards look-ahead

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2014-03-10

Today: 25th march 1950

Ski jump competition in London
An official said of the event:
This exhibition has
been such an unqualified success that we are
very much hoping it will become one of the
country's major sporting features
The competition was held on a
specially-built ski jump on the Heath
The ski-jump competition was never held again,
despite several attempts to revive it. The ski-jump
on Hampstead Heath was among the last major
events to use real snow to re-create ski conditions.

The first artificial snow was made two years later,

in 1952, at Grossinger's resort in New York, USA.
*BBC archives: http://news.bbc.co.uk

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2014-03-10

What is Wellhead Fatigue?

Environmental energy is absorbed and
transmitted to the subsea well by the
MODU, BOP and riser.
Cyclic external loading of upper part of
subsea well
Resisted by material stresses in upper
well region.
Main symptoms expected in the wellhead
system
Exposure during drilling, not production

Classification: Internal

2014-03-10

WH fatigue
Fatigue is a time (usage) dependent
deterioration mechanism
Other time (usage) dependent
deterioration mechanisms are
Corrosion
Wear
HISCC

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ISO 13628 Series Code Break

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API ISO truce has ended

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Timeline API 17D

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ISO 13628-4 design approach

Basically a pressure vessel design
approach: pressure loads are used in
design
In ISO 13628-4, section 5.1.3 Design
Method, it reads: The effects of
external loads (i.e. bending moments,
tension etc.) on the assembly or
components are not explicitly
addresses in this part of ISO 13628 or
ISO10432. As equipment covered by
this part of ISO 13628 are exposed to
external loads, ISO 13628-7 may be
used to define the structural strength
design.

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Fundamentally Different Design Methodology

ISO 13628-4

ISO 13628-7

Rated load method

Limit state method

A component is rated for a pressure

A component failure capacity is stated

System integrator need to check

loading vs. rating.

Component manufacturer states

the limiting capacity

Go/no-go decision

The code gives utilization of limit

System integrator to check system loads
vs. component capacity

Margin to failure is unknown

on a system level

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Margin to failure is known

on a system integration level

Well Integrity definition

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Is the international design code for subsea wellhead equipment

meeting regulatory expectations in Norway ?
No
i.e need for additional requirements if an
operator is purchasing subsea wellhead
equipment for use in Norwegian waters.
company specific type, but the future
might bring more unified additional
requirements
Such work towards recommended
practice documents is underway with
the ongoing JIP

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Regulatory bodies can impact standards

WH products are designed and manufactured for a global market
The design process is influenced by API
Approx. 90 buyers of WH,s
4-5 WH suppliers
2 ways ahead:
unified additional requirements amongst 90 buyers

API to include guidance on system loads in design methodology

US governmental pressure needed
PTIL can make a difference

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Further readings
ISO 13628-4
ISO 13628-7
Wellhead Fatigue Analysis : Surface casing cement boundary condition for subsea
wellhead fatigue analytical models Section 3: Reins, Lorents PhD thesis can be
downloaded at http://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/handle/11250/191246

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How is Wellhead fatigue handled by

industry standards?
Lorents Reins
Leading engineer
Rex@statoil.com

www.statoil.com

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