THE CASING STRING

Manufacture of Casing String

The three basic processes of manufacture casing are: (1) Seamless Process, (2) Electric resistance Welding (3) Electric flash
The three basic processes of manufacture casing are: (1) Seamless Process, (2) Electric resistance Welding (3) Electric flash
welding
welding

Billet

The heated billet is introduced to a mill,

The heated billet is introduced to a mill,
where it is gripped by two obliquely
where it is gripped by two obliquely
oriented rolls that rotate and advance
oriented rolls that rotate and advance
the billet into a central piercing plug.
the billet into a central piercing plug.
The pierced billet is process through
The pierced billet is process through
the plug mills to produce uniform
the plug mills to produce uniform
dimension and roundness.
dimension and roundness.

Mandrel Process

Hot Coil

The electric resistance welding

The electric resistance welding
continuously makes casing from coiled
continuously makes casing from coiled
sheet stock that is fed into the
sheet stock that is fed into the
machine, formed and welded by an
machine, formed and welded by an
electric arc.
electric arc.

Electric Resistance
/Flash Welding

Electric flash welding technique

Electric flash welding technique
processes a sheet by cutting it to the
processes a sheet by cutting it to the
desired dimension, simultaneously
desired dimension, simultaneously
forming the tube and flashing and
forming the tube and flashing and
pressing the two edges together to
pressing the two edges together to
make the weld.
make the weld.

Mandrel Mill

3 Roll Reducer

Hot
Hot Finished
Finished Seamless
Seamless Pipe
Pipe

ERW/EFW
ERW/EFW Pipes
Pipes

THE CASING STRING

Standardization of Casing
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has developed
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has developed
standards for casing and other tubular goods that
standards for casing and other tubular goods that
have been accepted internationally by the petroleumhave been accepted internationally by the petroleumproducing industry. Casing is defined as tubular pipe
producing industry. Casing is defined as tubular pipe
with a range of OD of 4.5 to 20 in.
with a range of OD of 4.5 to 20 in.
Among the properties included in the API standards
Among the properties included in the API standards
for both pipe and couplings are strength, physical
for both pipe and couplings are strength, physical
dimensions, and quality-control test procedures. API
dimensions, and quality-control test procedures. API
has adopted the strength characteristics of the pipe.
has adopted the strength characteristics of the pipe.
The grade code consists of a letter followed by a
The grade code consists of a letter followed by a
number.
number.
The letter designation in the API grade was selected
The letter designation in the API grade was selected
arbitrarily to provide a unique designation for each
arbitrarily to provide a unique designation for each
grade of casing adopted in the standards. The number
grade of casing adopted in the standards. The number
designates the minimum yield strength of the steel in
designates the minimum yield strength of the steel in
thousands of psi.
thousands of psi.

API Grade

Yield Strength
(ksi)

UTS
(ksi)

V-150

150.0

160.0

T-95

95.0

105.0

H-40

40.0

60.0

J-55

55.0

75.0

K-55

55.0

95.0

C-75

75.0

95.0

L-80

80.0

95.0

N-80

80.0

100.0

C-90

90.0

100.0

C-95

95.0

105.0

M-65

65.0

85.0

P-105

105.0

120.0

P-110

110.0

125.0

Q-125

125.0

135.0

35.0

60.0

X-42

42.0

60.0

X-46

46.0

63.0

X-52

52.0

66.0

X-56

56.0

71.0

X-60

60.0

75.0

THE CASING STRING

Casing and Tubing Threads
Nearly all tubular goods used in completing a well
Nearly all tubular goods used in completing a well
come in joints that vary from 30 to 40 ft in length.
come in joints that vary from 30 to 40 ft in length.
Joints have threads machined into their ends which
Joints have threads machined into their ends which
serve to hold the string together. Different types of
serve to hold the string together. Different types of
tubular goods have threads which differ in size, shape,
tubular goods have threads which differ in size, shape,
and in the way they seal and make up to hold
and in the way they seal and make up to hold
pressure.
pressure.
Since 1928, threads have been regulated by the
Since 1928, threads have been regulated by the
American Petroleum Institute (API). There are five
American Petroleum Institute (API). There are five
important areas of thread types, selection, and care.
important areas of thread types, selection, and care.

Eight Round Thread

Casing
Casing Threads
Threads
Tubing
Tubing Threads
Thread
Thread Selection
Selection

Thread
Thread Care
Care
Makeup
Makeup Torque
Torque Selection
Selection

Buttress

The most common threadsin use today for casing

The most common threadsin use today for casing
connections are:
connections are:
88 Round
Round Thread
Thread (STC/LTC)
(STC/LTC)
Extreme
Extreme line
line (EL)
(EL)
Buttress
Buttress (BTC)
(BTC)

Extreme Line

THE CASING STRING

Casing and Tubing Threads
The tubing or production string provides a flow path to
The tubing or production string provides a flow path to
the surface for produced fluids. Tubing is not
the surface for produced fluids. Tubing is not
cemented into place as is casing. Therefore, the
cemented into place as is casing. Therefore, the
threads on tubing joints and collars are designed to
threads on tubing joints and collars are designed to
withstand great tensile loads and internal pressures.
withstand great tensile loads and internal pressures.
Like casing joints, tubing has threads on both ends.
Like casing joints, tubing has threads on both ends.
Two types of tubing threads are:
Two types of tubing threads are:

External
External Upsets (EU)
(EU)
Non
Non Upset
Upset (NU)
(NU)

External Upset

Non Upset

THE CASING STRING

Markings and Color Identification

API 5CT Grades

API
API 5CT
5CT Spec
Spec

THE CASING STRING

Purpose of Casing String
At a certain stage during the drilling of oil and gas
At a certain stage during the drilling of oil and gas
wells. it becomes necessary to line the walls of a
wells. it becomes necessary to line the walls of a
borehole with casing. Casing serves numerous
borehole with casing. Casing serves numerous
purposes during the drilling and production history of
purposes during the drilling and production history of
oil and gas wells, these include:
oil and gas wells, these include:
Keeping the hole open by preventing the weak formations
from collapsing.
Serving as a high strength flow conduit to surface for both
drilling and production fluids.
Protecting the freshwater-bearing formations from
contamination by drilling and production fluids
Providing a suitable support for wellhead equipment and
blowout preventers for controlling subsurface pressure. and
for the installation of tubing and subsurface equipment
Allowing isolated communication with selectively perforated
formations of interestof interest

THE CASING STRING

Types of Casing
Casing is usually divided into five basic types.
Casing is usually divided into five basic types.

Conductor
Surface
Intermediate
Production
Liner

THE CASING STRING

Types of Casing
Conductor

Conductor pipe or drive pipe if it is hammer-driven to

Conductor pipe or drive pipe if it is hammer-driven to
depth, is the first string of casing to be used. The
depth, is the first string of casing to be used. The
setting depth can vary from 10 ft to around 300 ft. The
setting depth can vary from 10 ft to around 300 ft. The
normal size range for conductor pipe is from 16 to 36
normal size range for conductor pipe is from 16 to 36
inches (outside diameter). The conductor pipe must be
inches (outside diameter). The conductor pipe must be
large enough to allow the other casing strings to be
large enough to allow the other casing strings to be
run through it. Purposes of conductor pipe are to:
run through it. Purposes of conductor pipe are to:
Raise the level of circulating fluid so that fluid returns are
possible
Prevent washouts in the near surface, normally
unconsolidated formations

THE CASING STRING

Types of Casing
Surface

The amount of surface casing used will depend on the

The amount of surface casing used will depend on the
depth of the unconsolidated formations. Surface
depth of the unconsolidated formations. Surface
casing is usually set in the first competent formation.
casing is usually set in the first competent formation.
Normal size for surface casing is between 20 inch
Normal size for surface casing is between 20 inch
and 13-3/8 inch (outside diameter). Since
and 13-3/8 inch (outside diameter). Since
temperature, pressure and corrosive fluids tend to
temperature, pressure and corrosive fluids tend to
increase with depth, different grades of casing will be
increase with depth, different grades of casing will be
required to handle the different well conditions.
required to handle the different well conditions.
Purposes of surface casing are to:
Purposes of surface casing are to:

Protect fresh water formations

Seal off unconsolidated formations and lost circulation zones
Provide a place to install the B.O.P.'s
Protect build sections on deviated wells
Provide for a sufficient leak-off test to be conducted

THE CASING STRING

Types of Casing
Intermediate

Intermediate casing is set after surface casing,

Intermediate casing is set after surface casing,
normally to seal off a problem formation. The size of
normally to seal off a problem formation. The size of
intermediate casing, will depend on the size of the
intermediate casing, will depend on the size of the
surface casing and the grade required to withstand the
surface casing and the grade required to withstand the
subsurface conditions. Normal sizes are between 9
subsurface conditions. Normal sizes are between 9
5/8 and 13 3/8 inch (outside diameter)
5/8 and 13 3/8 inch (outside diameter)
Production

Production casing is usually the last full string of pipe

Production casing is usually the last full string of pipe
set in a well. These strings are run to isolate producing
set in a well. These strings are run to isolate producing
formations and provide for selective production in
formations and provide for selective production in
multi-zone production areas. The size of production
multi-zone production areas. The size of production
casing will depend on the expected production rate,
casing will depend on the expected production rate,
the higher the barrel per day production rate, the
the higher the barrel per day production rate, the
larger the inside diameter of the pipe. Common sizes
larger the inside diameter of the pipe. Common sizes
are between 3 and 7 inch (outside diameter).
are between 3 and 7 inch (outside diameter).

THE CASING STRING

Types of Casing
Liner

A liner is a string of casing that does not reach the

A liner is a string of casing that does not reach the
surface. They are usually hung (attached to the
surface. They are usually hung (attached to the
intermediate casing using an arrangement of
intermediate casing using an arrangement of
packers and slips) from the base of the intermediate
packers and slips) from the base of the intermediate
casing and reach to the bottom of the hole. The major
casing and reach to the bottom of the hole. The major
advantage of a liner is the cost of the string is
advantage of a liner is the cost of the string is
reduced, as are running and cementing times. During
reduced, as are running and cementing times. During
the course of the well, if the liner has to be extended
the course of the well, if the liner has to be extended
to the surface (making it another string of casing), the
to the surface (making it another string of casing), the
string attaching the liner to the surface is known as a
string attaching the liner to the surface is known as a
tie-back string.
tie-back string.

THE CASING STRING