CASING

SEAT
SELECTION

1
Selection criterion:
Hole to be drilled successfully and safely at
minimum cost.
Casing shoe normally set in competent formation
which should be able to withstand the forces
imposed upon it during well activity.
High-compressive-strength formation is best.
Casing can be set in a competent shale.
Compared to sandstones at same depths, shales have
higher strength margin (in order of 1,000psi).
Unconsolidated formations not suitable
Limestone ????


2
METHODOLOGY OF CASING SEAT SELECTION
But shales also slough or swell.
Can be mitigated by selecting correct mud type
Oil Base Mud (OBM) and SOBM systems are effective in
preventing shale destabilization
Stronger the casing seat, higher the pr. it can withstand
during drilling in terms of ECD's, and well control
operations without breaking down
Care to be taken in following cases:
Fresh water sands
High pressure zones
Depleted zones
Mud loss zones
Faults and stressed zones
Heaving formations
3
CONDUCTOR CASING
Shoe depth selected for conductor casing should
be
Strong enough to withstand fracture during drilling
the next hole interval which is assumed to have no
hydrocarbon bearing intervals.
To estimate anticipated fracture pr, following
conditions must be considered:
Drilling rate with loading effect in annulus
Equivalent circulating density
Mud weight to be used
4

SURFACE CASING

Surface casing is treated as conductor casing if
no hydrocarbons are expected in the next hole
interval or alternatively as intermediate casing in
the event that hydrocarbons are expected in the
next phase of drilling.

In many countries it is statutory requirement to
cover all the fresh water sands with the surface
casing.
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INTERMEDIATE CASING
Shoe selected for intermediate casing should be
strong enough to withstand fracture during
drilling the next hole section and should be able
to take a kick of pre defined size.
Other major considerations for selection of
intermediate casing seat are:
Differential pr consideration for safe lowering
of the casing
Isolation of troublesome or unstable
formations which may include heaving shales,
loss circulation zones
Pressure regression
length of open hole
6
METHODOLOGY OF CASING SEAT
SELECTION
1. Well objective is clearly defined.
2. Potential problems encountered in nearby wells
to be short listed.
3. Pore and fracture pressure for well is estimated.
4. Pore and fracture pr profile is overlaid against the
lithological column, potential troublesome zones
and the hydrocarbon bearing zones.
5. A basic casing program is prepared.

7
Methodology Of Casing Seat Selection
7. Production casing shoe depth:
Requirements are studied and suitable formation
and depth are selected so as to meet these
requirements as an absolute min.
8. Intermediate casing shoe depth:
To satisfy designed kick tolerance & differential pr
consideration & a suitable casing point is selected
to meet these requirements as an absolute min.
9. Surface & conductor casing shoe depth:
Requirements to be studied & accordingly suitable
formation & depth are selected.
8
PORE & FRACTURE PR DATA
Depth (m) Pore pr grad (MWE) Fracture pr gradient (MWE)
400 1.07 1.46
800 1.07 1.52
1200 1.07 1.57
1600 1.07 1.61
2000 1.07 1.65
2400 1.07 1.69
2800 1.07 1.77
3100 1.07 1.81
3200 1.40 1.82
3320 1.50 1.83
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Depth (m) Pore pr grad (MWE) Fracture pr grad (MWE)
3400 1.57 1.83
3600 1.64 1.86
3800 1.65 1.80
3920 1.66 1.90
4000 1.67 1.91
4100 1.68 1.92
4320 1.70 1.94
4520 1.72 1.95
4680 1.75 1.97
4800 1.78 1.99
5000 1.80 2.00
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DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
SN Design factor Design limits
1 Swab consideration 0.04 gm/cc
2 Surge consideration 0.04 gm/cc
3 Safety factor 0.02 gm/cc
4 Differential pr (For normal pr zones) 170 kg/cm
2
5 Differential pr (For abnormal pr zones) 215 kg/cm
2

6 Design kick size 0.06 gm/cc
Differential pr limit:
These values can vary for different field conditions.
It also depends on the general attention given to mud
properties and drill string configuration. 11
Fig-1:
Formation
Pr and
Fracture Pr
Vs Well
Depth
12
First casing (9-5/8) seat selection
Function MWE
(gm/cc)
Max anticipated formation
pr at 5,000 m
1.80
Swab pr + 0.04
Min acceptable MW = 1.84
Surge pr + 0.04
Min fracture gradient = 1.88
Safety factor + 0.02
Design fracture gradient

= 1.90
13
Fig-2:
1
st

Intermediate
casing seat
selection
(Initial shoe
depth)
14
First casing (9-5/8) seat selection
Function
Projected casing shoe
depth
3,960 m
Formation pr at 3,960 m 1.66 gm/cc MWE
Swab pr + 0.04 gm/cc
Min MW at 3,960 m
during drilling
= 1.70 gm/cc
Formation pr at 3,100 m 1.07 gm/cc MWE
Diff pr at 3,100 m when
drilling at 3,960 m
{(1.70-1.07) *
3100}/10
Differential pr at 3,100 m 195.3 kg/cm
2

Is it acceptable No
15
First casing (9-5/8) seat selection: Revised depth
Function
Max acceptable diff pr for
normal formations
170 kg/cm
2

So MW at which this diff
pr will be achieved
170 = {(MW-1.07) *
3100}/10
So MW obtained is {170*10/3100}+1.07=
1.61 gm/cc
Swab pr Subtract 0.04 gm/cc
So acceptable formation pr = 1.57 gm/cc MWE
So revised shoe depth 3,400 m
Fracture grad at 3,400 m 1.83 gm/cc MWE
16
Fig-3:
1
st

Intermediate
casing seat
selection
(Modified
shoe depth)
17
Liner Seat Selection
MWE (gm/cc)
Fracture gradient at 3,400 m 1.83
Swab+ Surge+ SF Subtract 0.10
Formation pr

1.73
Projected liners setting depth
at formation pr of 1.73 gm/cc
4,560 m
Is it final No
Check differential pr criterion
Check kick criterion
18
Fig-4:
Liner seat
selection
19
Liner seat selection: Diff Pr Criterion
Formation pr at 4,560 m 1.73 gm/cc
Swab pr Add 0.04 gm/cc
Min MW at 4,560 m

Gives 1.77 gm/cc
Formation pr at last casing
shoe (3,400 m)
1.57 gm/cc
So differential pr at 3,400 m {(1.77-1.57)*3400}/10
= 68 kg/cm
2

Is it acceptable
170 kg/cm
2
for normal
215 kg/cm
2
for abnormal pr
zones
Yes
20
Liner seat selection: Kick Criterion
Kick size 0.06 gm/cc
Formation pr at 4,560 m 1.73 gm/cc
Min MW at 4,560 m 1.77 gm/cc
EMW at 3,400 m

1.77 + {(4560/3400)*0.06}
= 1.85 gm/cc
Fracture pr at 3,400 m 1.83 gm/cc
So liner shoe at 4,560 is
suitable
No
What to do Try again to set at some
higher depth by trial
21
Revised Liner seat selection: Kick Criterion
What depth we try 4,200 m
Formation pr at 4,200 m 1.69 gm/cc
So MW at 4,200 m

1.73 gm/cc
So EMW at 3,400 m 1.73 + {(4200/3400)*0.06}
= 1.80 gm/cc
Fracture gradient at 3,400 m 1.83 gm/cc
Is it satisfactory Yes
Lower liner here No
What to do Try again to set liner as
deep as possible. Try again
22
Second casing (Liner) seat selection: Kick Criterion
What depth we try 4,320 m
Formation pr at 4,320 m 1.70 gm/cc
So MW at 4,320 m

1.74 gm/cc
So EMW at 3,400 m 1.74 + {(4320/3400)*0.06}
= 1.83 gm/cc
Fracture gradient at 3,400 m 1.83 gm/cc
Is it satisfactory Too close
Lower liner here Set somewhere between
4,200 and 4,320 m
23
Third casing (13-3/8) seat selection
MWE (gm/cc)
Max anticipated formation pr
at 3,400 m
1.57
Swab + Surge + SF Add 0.10
Design fracture gradient

Gives 1.67
Depth selected to lower
13-3/8 casing with this frac
gradient of 1.67
2,200 m
What to do Find out 20
casing seat by
trial
24
Fig-5:
2
nd

Intermediate
casing seat
selection
(Shoe depth)
25
Fourth casing (20) seat selection
What depth we try 320 m
Formation pr at 2,200 m 1.07 gm/cc
So MW at 2,200 m

1.11 gm/cc
So EMW at 320 m with 0.06
gm/cc kick from 2,200 m
1.11 + {(2200/320)*0.06}
= 1.52 gm/cc
Fracture gradient at 320 m 1.45 gm/cc
Is it satisfactory No way
Lower 20 casing here Keep shoe somewhere
deeper
26
Fourth casing (20) seat selection
What depth we try 400 m
Formation pr at 2,200 m 1.07 gm/cc
So MW at 2,200 m

1.11 gm/cc
So EMW at 400 m with 0.06
gm/cc kick from 2,200 m
1.11 + {(2200/400)*0.06}
= 1.44 gm/cc
Fracture gradient at 400 m 1.46 gm/cc
Is it satisfactory YES
Lower 20 casing here YES
27
Summary
Csg
size
Shoe
(mtr)
20 400
13-
3/8
2,200
9-5/8

3,400
7 liner 4,320
28
Casing seat
selection in
weak
Formations
in Well
29
Pressure
Regression
in Well
30
Pore Pr & Fracture Pr Gradient of ONGC Well
31
Pore Pr & Fracture Pr Gradient of ONGC Well
13-3/8 shoe
Proposed at 300 m to seal fresh water sands
9-5/8 shoe:
Proposed at 1400/ 1450 m with objective of
covering upper pay sands with pore pr of
0.98 MWE
5-1/2 shoe:
Proposed at 2000 m covering lower pay
zones from 1800-2000 m and deeper zones
below 2000 m
Higher MW of 1.50 required to drill charged
Cambay sand in 8-1/2 hole


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