DRILLING ENGINEERING I

(CGE577)
1

CHAPTER 5:
CASING

Contents
2

Definition and function of Casing

Casing Accessories
Types of Casing

Casing Properties
Casing Setting Depth/ Casing Seat Selection
Casing Selection: Size Selection and Grade Selection

(Collapse Load, Burst Load, Tensile Load)

DEFINITION OF CASING
3

Casing is a steel pipe that is

cemented in place in an
openhole wellbore as drilling
progresses to prevent the wall
of the hole from caving in
during drilling, to prevent
seepage of fluids, and to
provide a means of extracting
petroleum if the well is
productive

FUNCTIONS OF CASING
4
1.

2.

3.
4.
5.

6.

To keep the hole open and to provide support for weak, vulnerable or fractured
formations. If the hole is left uncased, the formation may cave in and redrilling
of the hole will then become necessary.
To isolate porous media with different fluid/pressure regimes from
contaminating the pay zone. This is basically achieved through the combined
presence of cement and casing. Therefore, production from a specific zone can
be achieved.
To prevent contamination of near-surface fresh water zones.
To provide a passage for hydrocarbon fluids; most production operations are
carried out through special tubings which are run inside the casing.
To provide a suitable connection for the wellhead equipment and later the
christmas tree. The casing also serves to connect the blowout prevention
equipment (BOPS) which is used to control the well while drilling.
To provide a hole of known diameter and depth to facilitate the running of
testing and completion equipment.

CASING ACCESSORIES
- CASING CONNECTION
5

CASING JOINT: Casing joints are connected

using casing couplings. Generally around 40ft (13 m)
in length and is normally designed with male threaded
on each ends.The material that are usually used to
fabricate a casing joints are plain carbon steel, stainless
steel, aluminum, titanium, fiberglass.

CASING COUPLING/ COLLAR: A short length pipe

with female threaded on each ends.

The API standard for casing couplings are

Short round threads and couplings (CSG)

Long round threads and couplings (LCSG)
Buttress threads and couplings (BCSG)
Extremelines threads (XCSG)

CASING STRING: A number of casing joints are

connected with casing couplings to form a casing string of
the desired length and specification

CASING JOINT
6
Length of Joint

The casing joint length is standardized by API

Range

Length (ft)

Average length
(ft)

16-25

22

25-34

31

34+

42

API Length (source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt University)

CASING COUPLINGS AND JOINTS

7

Casing couplings
Casing joints

CASING SHOE/ GUIDE SHOE

8

Casing shoe/guide shoe is a device that

attached to the bottom of the casing

string.
The casing shoe helped to guide the
casing string to ensure that it is correctly
located in the wellbore.
The guide shoe includes side ports and
an open end to enable fluid circulation
for mud conditioning, hole cleaning, and
cement placement.

CASING HANGER
9
To suspend or hang casing string which rests

on a landing shoulder inside the casing

spool.
Must be designed to take the full weight of
the casing and provide a seal between the
casing hanger and the casing spool.

Lifting-up a Casing
10

Casing to be
lifted to the rig
floor

Making-up a Casing at the Rig Floor

11

Hydraulic casing
tong is used to
make-up the
casing

Installing Casing
12

Derrickman is
connecting the
elevator to the
top of casing
and lowers into
the hole

TYPES OF CASING
13

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Stove Pipe (Marine conductor/ foundation pile for

offshore drilling)
Conductor casing
Surface casing (BOPs are connected on the top of it)
Intermediate casing
Production casing
Liner casing
Different types/ sizes of casing are needed to seal off the highpressured zones at different depths along the wellbore, and the
presence of weak, unconsolidated formations or sloughing and shaly
zones.

CASING CONFIGURATION
14

Casing string is designed such that the largest diameter is run first followed by
smaller diameter casings.

Conductor (20 30 OD)

Surface Casing (13- 3/8 20 OD)

Intermediate Casing (9-5/8 16 OD)

Production Casing (4-1/2 9-5/8 OD)

Liner (4-1/2 7 OD)

KINDS OF CASING STRINGS

15

1. Stove Pipe
(Marine-conductor/ Foundation-pile for offshore drilling)
16

To prevent washouts of near-surface unconsolidated

formations
To provide a circulation system for the drilling mud
To ensure the stability of the ground surface under the rig.
This pipe does not usually carry any weight from the
wellhead equipment and can be driven into the ground or
seabed with a pile driver.
A typical size for a stove pipe ranges from 26 in. to 42 in.

2. Conductor Pipe
17

The largest diameter casing, which is the first to be run

Normally piled to the formation

Installed from surface to a shallow depth to protect near-

surface unconsolidated formations (fragile formation) and

provide a circuit for the drilling mud.
used to support subsequent casing strings and wellhead
equipment.
Sizes used: 18-5/8 in., 20 in., 26 in. and 30 in.
Generally set at 150 ft to 600 ft below seabed depends on
the formation condition.
In offshore operations, conductor pipes are either driven by
a hammer or run in a drilled hole.

3. Surface Casing
18

Surface casing is run to protect weak formations, water sands and

hydrocarbon zones that are encountered at shallow depths.

This casing should be set in competent rocks such as hard limestone
to ensure that formations at the casing shoe will not fracture at the
high hydrostatic pressures which may be encountered later.
Protect against shallow blow-out, thus BOPs are connected to the
top of it
Support the wellhead and normally set at 1000 ft to 1500 ft below
the ground level or the seabed.
Cemented to the surface.
Surface casing provides structural strength so that the remaining
casing strings may be suspended at the top and inside of the surface
casing.
Sizes used: 13-3/8 in, 18-5/8 in and 20 in.

4. Intermediate Casing
19

This casing is set after surface casing and before production

casing to isolate the lost circulation zones, abnormally

pressured zones, mobile salt sections, unstable shale zones
and other troublesome formations between surface and
production casing
Set in the transition zone below or above an over-pressured
zone.
Cemented to the surface.
Sizes used: 9-5/8 in or 10- in (depends on the
tubing/production casing size).

5. Production Casing
20

Represents the last casing string.

Used to isolate producing zones, provide reservoir fluid

control, and to permit selective production in multizone

production.
The casing string thru which the well will be completed.
Cemented to 200 ft above the topmost HC zone.
Sizes used: 7 in (depends on the tubing/production casing
size).

6. Liner Casing
21

A liner is a string of casing that does not

reach the surface.

Liner is a short casing with length less than
5000 ft and attached to the liner hanger
which is suspended from the inside of the
previous casing string.
It can act as either intermediate string or
production string.
The liner is cemented into the previous
casing with liner lap range 200-400ft.

Types of Liner
22

1.

2.

3.

4.

Production liner
Run instead of full production casing
Provide isolation across the producing or injecting zones
Tie-back liner
A section of casing extending upwards from top of an existing liner to
the surface and complete the pressure seal during production.
To provide an upper section of casing which had seen no drilling.
Scab liner
A section of casing that does not reach the surface
Used to repair existing damaged casing sealed from to and bottom by
packers
Scab-tie-back liner
A section of casing extending from the top of an existing liner but
does not reach the surface.

Types of Liner
23

Advantages of Liner
24

Total costs of the production string are reduced due to

shorter length
Running and cementing times are reduced
The length of reduced diameter is reduced which allows
completing the well with optimum sizes of production
tubings.
Complete wells with less weight landed on wellheads and
surface pipe where rig capacity cannot handle full string;
when running heavy 9-5/8" casing.

Disadvantages of Liner
25

Possible leak across a liner hanger

Difficulty in obtaining a good primary cementation due to

the narrow annulus between the liner and the hole.

CASING PROPERTIES
26
Casing is classified in terms of its size, weight, grade and connection type
Size
The size of a casing is given by the outside diameter (O.D) of the casing.
The standard sizes are 30, 20, 13 3/8, 9 5/8, 7 and 4.5
The pipe less than 4.5 OD is called the tubing.

Casing Weight
The standard weight is specified in weight per unit length
The same OD casing may have different weight and different internal diameter.
Thus the casing weight indicate the wall thickness of the pipe.
Casing Grade
The steel properties of the casing varies widely depending on the chemical
composition.
The API grade indicated the chemical composition (letter) and the minimum yield
strength of a casing (number).

CASING PROPERTIES
27
Grade

Minimum
Yield Strength
(psi)

Minimum
Tensile Strength
(psi)

H-40

40000

60000

J-55

55000

75000

K-55

55000

95000

C-75

75000

95000

L-80

80000

95000

N-80

80000

100000

S-95

95000

110000

P-110

110000

125000

V-150

150000

160000

API Grade for Casing

API defines the yield strength as the tensile stress required to produce a total
elongation of 0.5% of the gage length, as determined by an extensometer.

CASING SIZES SELECTION

28

Casing sizes and string configuration are dictated by the size of the

smallest casing string to be run

Once it is known, all subsequent casing and hole sizes are selected
Selection of the smallest casing string is based on operational
considerations
Drilling engineer will collate this information from geology, reservoir
engineering and production engineering
The objective of the drilling engineer is to use the smallest casing sizes
possible

CASING SIZES SELECTION (contd)

29

The bit size to drill a certain interval must be slightly larger than the

casing OD (Table 7.7)

To drill the lower interval, the bit size must fit inside the casing. in turns
it determines the min size of the second deepest casing string (Table 7.8)
Same process continues

CASING SIZES SELECTION (contd)

30

Determining Casing Sizes & Bit Sizes

Production casing 7 in. (specified by production engineer); coupling size = 7.656-in

31

Bit size to drill a hole in which this casing can be run, 8-5/8-in (Table 7.7)
This 8-5/8-in bit has to pass through the intermediate casing

The intermediate casing size through which the above bit would pass, 9-5/8-in (Table

7.8)
Bit size to drill a hole in which the 9 5/8-in casing can be run, 12--in (Table 7.7).
This 12--in bit has to pass through the surface casing
The surface casing size through which the above bit would pass, 13-3/8-in (Table 7.8)
The bit size to drill a hole in which the 13 3/8-in casing can be run, 17- -in (Table

7.7)
This 17--in bit has to pass through the conductor pipe
The conductor pipe size through which the above bit would pass, 18-5/8-in (Table 7.8)
The bit size to drill a hole in which the 18 5/8-in conductor pipe can be run, 24-in.

To pass a bit through a casing, the drift diameter has to be greater than the bit size

Common Bit Sizes to Run Casing Sizes

32

Casing Sizes that Allow Bit Sizes to Pass Through

33

Table 7.8 continued

CASING SETTING DEPTHS/

CASING SEAT SELECTION
34

It is essential to choose a casing seat that can withstand the

maximum pressures to which the wellbore will be subjected (based

on formation strength/ fracture pressure) during the drilling of the
next hole section.
The pressure which the formation at the casing seat must be able to

withstand is the greater of:

(i) the hydrostatic pressure of the mud used to drill the next section
(ii) the maximum pressure exerted at the casing seat when
circulating out gas influx from TD of the next hole section

CASING SEAT SELECTION METHOD

35

Casing seat selection based on mud weight:

The fracture gradient data together with pore pressure
and mud weight should be plotted against depth.
b) Casing seat selection based on Gas Influx Pressures
The fracture gradient data together with pore pressure
and maximum kick circulation pressure should be plotted
against depth.
a)

The selected casing setting depth is then the deeper of the

two depths arrived at under items (a) and (b) above.

a) Casing seat selection based on mud weight

36

1.
2.

3.
4.

5.

Plot the pore pressure gradient, the mud pressure gradient and the
fracture gradient against depth (Figure 1).
Always start at the highest mud weight; in this example the highest
mud weight is used at TD.
Starting at hole TD (11 000 ft), draw a vertical line (line 1) through
the mud gradient until it intersects the fracture gradient line.
In this example the mud gradient at TD is 0.94 psi/ft and a vertical
line through it (line 1) intersects the fracture gradient line at 10 500 ft
(point A).
Above 10,500 ft, the mud gradient, 0.94 psi/ft, will exceed the
fracture gradient of the open hole section and this section must
therefore be cased off before raising the mud weight to 0.94 psi/ft to
drill the bottom section.

a) Casing seat selection based on mud weight

37
6.
7.
8.

9.

10.
11.
12.

Between 10 500 ft and 11 000 ft the open hole should be cased with either a
production liner or a production casing.
Above 10 500 ft the hole must be drilled with a mud weight less than 0.94
psi/ft.
The new mud gradient is obtained by drawing a horizontal line from point A
to the mud gradient line. Point B in gives the new mud gradient as 0.88
psi/ft.
Move vertically from point B (line 2) until the fracture gradient line is
intersected at 8850 ft at point C. Point C establishes the maximum depth
that can be drilled before changing to the new mud gradient of 0.88 psi/ft.
Hence, between points B and C, an intermediate casing can be set at point B.
Another protective casing should also be set at point D, 8850 ft.
From point C move horizontally to the mud gradient line to point D, where
the mud gradient is 0.68 psi/ft.
A vertical line from point D (line 3) shows that a hole can be drilled with a
mud gradient of 0.68 psi/ft to surface without fracturing the formation.

38

Figure 1:
Casing seat selection
based on mud weight

b) Casing seat selection based on Gas Influx

Pressures
39

1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

6.

Start at Total Depth (TD) of the well

Determine the formation fracture pressure at all points in the well
Calculate the borehole pressure profile when circulating out a gas
influx from TD: BHP = Gas column P + SIDP
Plot the formation fracture pressure and the wellbore pressure when
circulating out an influx
The casing must be set at least at the depth where the two plots cross
(Y- See Figure 2). This is the shallowest depth at which the casing
can be safely set. If the casing is set any shallower when drilling this
hole section then the formation will fracture if an influx occurs.
Repeat steps 2 to 5 moving up the well, with each subsequent string
starting at the casing setting depth for each string.

b) Casing seat selection based on Gas Influx

Pressures
40

TD

Figure 2

Exercise : Casing Setting Depth

41
On graph paper, plot the pore pressure gradient, mud pressure gradient and

the fracture gradient. Propose the casing setting depths and the sizes (use 7
production csg.)

TVD
(ft)

Pore pressre
(psi)

Fracture pressure
(psi)

3000

1320

2490

5000

2450

4200

8300

4067

6972

8500

4504

7225

9000

5984

7650

9500

6810

8123

10000

7800

9200

11000

10900

12045

CASING DESIGN
42
Casing design involves 3 distinct operations:
1.

Selection of casing sizes and setting depths (Refer slide 28 40)

2.

Define the operational scenarios and consequent loads on the casing

3.

Calculate the loads on the casing and select the most suitable casing grades
and weights for a specific operation, both safely and economically.

Casing must be able to withstand maximum load anticipated during

operational scenario (while running the casing, drilling subsequent hole section
and producing life of the well)
Minimal cost can be achieved by using lowest possible wt/ft and lowest

coupling grades combination string

Define Load Condition

(Conductor & Surface Casing)
43

(Source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt University)

Define Load Condition (Intermediate Casing)

44

(Source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt University)

Define Load Condition (Production Casing)

45

(Source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt University)

Common External & Internal Pressures on

experienced by the casing
46

Normal types of external pressures experienced by the casing are:

Formation pressures on the section which is not cemented

Weight of mud due to poor cementing job.
Cement slurry pressure

Types of internal pressure experienced by the casing:

Mud to surface
Pressure due to influx when kick happened
Evacuation of the casing
Leakage on production tubing

Design Load Criteria

47

There are three basic loads/forces which the casing is subjected to:

Collapse
2.
Burst
3.
Tension
Casing needs to withstand loads applied during installation, drilling
process and production. They must first be calculated and must be
maintained below the casing strength properties.
Eg: The collapse pressure must be less than the collapse strength of the
casing and so on.
Casing should initially be designed for collapse, burst and tension.
Refinements to the selected grades and weights should only be
attempted after the initial selection is made.
1.

Casing Grades & Strengths

Casing can be selected by properties such as:
Hardness (Casing Grades, e.g. C-75, H-40, J-55, P-110, etc.)
Dimensions
Yield Strength
Collapse Strength
Burst Strength (function of yield strength and pipe dimensions)
Tensile Strength (evaluate pipe body strengths and to select
couplings for joint strengths)
Usually, the high specification the casing is - the higher the cost.
See Table 3.3 for a wide range of casing grades & sizes with their
strengths
48

Casing Design Safety Factors

A safety margin is always included in casing design, to allow for future
deterioration of the casing and for other unknown forces which may be
encountered, including corrosion, wear and thermal effects.
Design factors are usually used for designing tubulars and are based on
comparing the maximum service load relative to the API minimum yield
strength.
Industry Recommended Safety Factors (Design Factors) from various operator:
Collapse DF = 1.0 1.125
Burst DF = 1.0 1.33
Tensile DF = 1.0 2.0
Design Factor =

Rating of the pipe (Collapse/Burst/Tensile)_____

Maximum Expected Service Load (Collapse/Burst/Tensile)
50

1. Collapse Load
51

Collapse load = Maximum external pressure required to collapse a

specimen of casing
Collapse pressure originates from the column of mud used to drill the
hole, and acts on the outside of the casing. Since the hydrostatic
pressure of a column of mud increases with depth, collapse pressure is
highest at the bottom and zero at the top.

Pc Pe Pi

How to measure???
Determine the maximum collapse load that
a casing string will be required to withstand
in the worst case scenario:
Determine the lowest pressure that may be
applied inside the casing and the
corresponding highest realistic external
pressure applied.

Collapse pressure = External pressure Internal pressure (Equation 1)

Simplified procedure for collapse design:

52
1.
2.
3.
4.

Casing is assumed empty due to lost circulation at casing setting depth (CSD) or at TD
of next hole.
Internal pressure inside casing is zero
External pressure is caused by mud/cement/pore pressure in which casing was run in
(depends on the load condition).
Hence using the above assumptions and applying Equation 1, only the external
pressure need to be evaluated.

External pressure may be caused by:

Pore pressure

Mud weight

Column of cement

Calculation of Collapse Pressure

Determine Internal Pressure (Pi)
lowest pressure applied inside the casing = evacuation to atmosphere

Worst case assumptions:

Empty hole (mud lost in a thief zone)
Mud above cement with full density

Pi

= (assume atmospheric pressure & air gradient negligible)

= 0 psi
(at surface)
= 0 psi
(at top of cement)
= 0 psi
(at casing shoe)

Determine External Pressure (Po)

highest realistic external pressure applied = mud & green cement
Po

= Weight of fluid in annulus

= 0 psi
(at surface)
= 0.052 x 7000 x 10 = 3640 psi
(at top of cement)
= 3640 + 0.052 x 1000 x 15.8 = 4462 psi (at casing shoe)

Determine Collapse Pressure (Po - Pi)

Po-Pi = 0 - 0 = 0 psi
= 3640 - 0 = 3640 psi
= 4462 - 0 = 4462 psi

Full cement density working on casing

Mud weight
= 10ppg

Pi
Cement top
@ 7000ft
Cement = 15.8ppg
Mix water = 8.5ppg

Gas Zone
@ 8500ft

(at surface)
(at top of cement)
(at casing shoe)

53

Po

9-5/8 csg
@8000 ft

Reservoir Press.
= 4000 psi
Gas Gradient
=0.1psi / ft

Formula:
Pressure (psi) = 0.052 x vertical depth (ft) x
fluid weight (ppg)

Collapse Load Lines

54

2. Burst Load
55

Burst load = Maximum value of internal pressure required to cause the

steel to yield
In oil well casings, burst occurs when the effective internal pressure

inside the casing (internal pressure minus external pressure) exceeds

the casing burst strength.
How to measure???
Determine the maximum burst load that a
casing string will be required to withstand:

Pb Pi Pe

Determine the highest pressure that may

be applied inside the casing and the
corresponding lowest realistic external
pressure applied. This gives the worst case
scenario.

Burst pressure = Internal pressure External pressure (Equation 2)

Simplified procedure for burst design:

56

To determine the internal pressure:

Burst pressures occur when formation fluids enter the casing while drilling or producing next hole.
The unlimited kick is assumed to enter the well, displace the entire mud and then the well is shutin the moment the last mud drop leaves the well.
To determine the external pressure:
Regardless of whether the casing is cemented or not, the external load is provided by a column of
salt saturated water. It assumes all muds and cements behind casing degrade with time to a density
equivalent to salt-saturated water.
At the top of the hole, the external pressure is zero and the internal pressure must be supported
entirely by the casing body. Therefore, burst pressure is highest at the top and lowest at the casing
shoe where internal pressures are resisted by the external pressure originating from fluids outside the
casing.
In production casing the burst pressure at shoe can be higher than the burst pressure at surface in
situations where the production tubing leaks gas into the casing.

Internal pressure may be caused by:

Hydrocarbon influx

Tubing leak

Calculation of Burst Pressure

Worst case assumptions:

Determine Internal Pressure (Pi)

highest pressure applied inside the casing = evacuation to gas
Pi

Mud above cement degrades to saline waters

Saline water between cement & casing

= Reservoir Pressure - weight of gas column

= 4000 - 8500 x 0.1 = 3150 psi
(at surface)
= 4000 - 1500 x 0.1 = 3850 psi
(at top of cement)
= 4000 - 500 x 0.1 = 3950 psi
(at casing shoe)

Determine External Pressure (Po)

lowest realistic external pressure applied = mud & cmt mix water
Po

Hole filled with gas from gas zone

= Weight of fluid in annulus

= 0 psi
= 0.052 x 7000 x 8.5 = 3094 psi
= 3094 + 0.052 x 1000 x 8.5 = 3536 psi

Determine Burst Pressure (Pi - Po)

Pi-Po = 3150 - 0 = 3150 psi
= 3850 - 3094 = 756 psi
= 3950 - 4082 = 414 psi

(at surface)
(at top of cement)
(at casing shoe)

(at surface)
(at top of cement)
(at casing shoe)

57

Mud weight
= 10ppg

Cement top
@ 7000ft
Cement = 15.8ppg
Mix water = 8.5ppg

Gas Zone
@ 8500ft

Po
Pi
9-5/8 csg
@8000 ft

Reservoir Press.
= 4000 psi
Gas Gradient
=0.1psi / ft

Formula:
Pressure (psi) = 0.052 x vertical depth (ft) x
fluid weight (ppg)

Burst Load Lines

58

Selecting the Right Casing for Burst & Collapse Pressures

From Example:
Burst Required = 3150 x 1.1 safety factor = 3465 psi
Collapse Required = 4462 x 1.0 safety factor = 4462 psi
From table of 9-5/8 casing types:
Grade
K55
N80
N80
N80
P110

Weight
40 #/ft
43.5 #/ft
47 #/ft
53.5 #/ft
43.5 #/ft

Drift ID
8.68 in.
8.60 in.
8.53 in.
8.38 in.
8.60 in.

Collapse
2570psi
3810psi
4750psi
6620psi
4430psi

Burst
3950psi
6330psi
6870psi
7930psi
8700psi

Tensile
630 klb
1005 klb
1086 klb
1244 klb
1381 klb

Cost
lowest

Select this ?

highest

need to check if tensile strength is OK for this choice

59

EXAMPLE 7 Production Casing

60

Collapse Load assume that:

Casing is totally evacuated due to
gas lifting operations (Full
evacuation)

Casing empty
Fluid SG outside pipe is the mud SG
Beneficial effect of cement is ignored
Design Factor of 1.0

EXAMPLE 7 Production Casing

61

Collapse Load at Surface:

Pe 0.052 17.95 0 0 psi

Pi 0 psi
Pc Pe Pi 0 psi
Collapse Load at Casing Shoe:

Pe 0.052 17.95 19000 17735 psi

Pi 0 psi

From Table 3.3, all grade satisfy the requirement.

EXAMPLE 7 Production Casing

62
Burst Load assume that:

At Surface
Well has a BHP equal to the formation pore
pressure/ reservoir pressure and the producing fluid
is gas.
A gas leak occurs (0.1 psi/ft) in the production
tubing at surface
The CITHP/ shut in pressure is acting on the inside
of the top of casing. This pressure will then act on
the column of packer fluid.

At shoe
Packer Fluid density inside casing/tubing annulus is
the mud density
Fluid density outside casing is the saturated salt
water density (gradient 0.465 psi/ft)
Design Factor of 1.1

EXAMPLE 7 Production Casing

63

Burst Load at Surface:

Pe 0.052 8.94 0 0 psi

Pi = Shut in BHP Pressure due to Gas Column

Pi 17.45 0.052 19000 0.119000

15341 psi

Pb Pi Pe 15341 psi
Burst Load at Casing Shoe:

Pe 0.052 8.94 19000 8835 psi

Pi = Pressure due to Packer Fluid Column + Surface
Pressure due to gas leak

Pi 17.95 0.052 19000 15341 33076 psi

Pb Pi Pe 24241 psi

EXAMPLE 7 Production Casing

64

From Table 3.3, grade V-150 & SOO-155 meet the burst requirement.
0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000

Pc
Pb
V-150 38#
V-150 41#
V-150 46#
MW-155
SOO-140
SOO-155

16000
18000
20000

need to check if tensile strength is OK for this choice

3. Tensile/ Tension Load

65

Most axial tension arises from the weight of the casing itself. Other

tension loadings can arise due to: bending, drag, shock loading and
during pressure testing of casing.
In casing design, the uppermost joint of the string is considered the
weakest in tension, as it has to carry the total weight of the casing
string.
The total surface tensile load (sometimes referred to as installation
load) must be determined accurately and must always be less than the
yield strength of the top joint of the casing.
The installation load must be less than the rated derrick load capacity
so that the casing can be run in or pulled out of hole without causing
damage to the derrick.

Simplified procedure for Tension design:

66

1.

Calculate weight of casing in air using true vertical depth

2.

Calculate buoyancy force (BF) and buoyant weight (wet weight)

Buoyancy Factor (BF) = (65.5 mud weight in ppg) 65.5

Wet Weight/ Buoyant weight = Casing air weight x BF

3.

Calculate bending force in deviated wells

Where:

3.
4.

Calculate drag force in deviated wells (this force is only applicable if

casing is pulled out of hole) = usually of the order of 100,000 lbf
Calculate shock loads due to arresting casing in slips

Calculate pressure testing forces =

Forces (1) to (3) always exist, whether the pipe is static or in motion.
Forces (4) and (5) exist only when the pipe is in motion.
5.

Calculation of total tensile load

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In the initial selection of casing, check that the casing can carry its own weight in
mud and when the casing is finally chosen, calculate the total tensile loads and
compare them with the joint or pipe body yield values, using the lower of the two
values.
A design factor (1.6 to 1.8) of coupling or pipe body yield strength divided by
total tensile loads in tension should be used.

SF

Yp

Yp = Joint/ body yield strength

Total Tensile Load

Total Tensile Load = Cumulative Wet Weight carried by top joint + Shockload +
bending force + drag force + pressure testing force
Calculated Safety Factor, SF should exceed the specified SF (1.6 to 1.8).

Tensile Load EXAMPLE

7 Production Casing
Check for tensile loading (SF=1.8):

68

Assume vertical well and only shock load is considered

Depth (ft)
Grade
From To
0 6000 V-150 38#
6000 12000 MW-155
12000 19000 V-150 46#

Length
6000
6000
7000

Wet Weight Total Wet Shock

Yp (1000 lb) Wn (lb/ft)
Load
(BF=0.726) Weight
1430
38
165528 564828 121600
1592
38
165528 399300 121600
1344
46
233772 233772 147200

Total
SF
Tensile
686428 2.083248
520900 3.056249
380972 3.527818

Since calculated SF exceed minimum SF of 1.8, all sections satisfy

tensile load requirement.
Need to check for costs.
SF

Yp
Total Tensile Load

Where:
Wet Weight/ Buoyant weight = Wn x Length x BF

Shockload

= 3200 x Wn (Nominal weight)

Yp

= Joint yield strength

Buoyancy Factor (BF) = (65.5 mud weight in ppg) 65.5

69