Drilling Engineering

Lesson 5
Casing Design
1

Casing Design
Why Run Casing?
Types of Casing Strings
Classification of Casing
Wellheads
Burst, Collapse and Tension
Example
Effect of Axial Tension on Collapse Strength
Example
2

Casing Design
What is casing?

Casing

Why run casing?

Cement

1. To prevent the hole from caving in

2. Onshore - to prevent contamination of
fresh water sands
3. To prevent water migration to
producing formation
3

Casing Design
4. To confine production to the wellbore
5. To control pressures during drilling
6. To provide an acceptable environment for
subsurface equipment in producing wells
7. To enhance the probability of drilling to total
depth (TD)
e.g., you need 14 ppg mud to control a lower zone,
but an upper zone will fracture at 12 lb/gal.
What do you do?
4

Types of Strings of Casing

Diameter Example
1. Drive pipe or structural pile
{Gulf Coast and offshore only}
150-300 below mudline.

16-60

30

2. Conductor string. 100 - 1,600

16-48

20

8 5/8-20

13 3/8

(BML)

3. Surface pipe. 2,000 - 4,000

(BML)

Types of Strings of Casing

Diameter Example

4. Intermediate String
5. Production String (Csg.)

7 5/8-13 3/8
4 1/2-9 5/8

9 5/8
7

6. Liner(s)
7. Tubing String(s)
6

Example Hole and String Sizes (in)

Hole Size
36
26

Pipe Size

Structural casing
Conductor string

17 1/2

Surface pipe

12 1/4

IntermediateString

8 3/4

Production Liner

30
20

13 3/8
9 5/8
7
7

Example Hole and String Sizes (in)

Structural casing

Mudline

Conductor string

250
1,000
Surface pipe
IntermediateString
Production Liner

4,000

Functions of Casing
Individually
Conductor pipe
Provides a mud return path
Prevents erosion of ground below rig
Same as Drive pipe
Supports the weight of subsequent casing
strings
Isolates very weak formations
10

 Surface casing
Provides a means of nippling up BOP
Provides a casing seat strong enough to
safely close in a well after a kick.
Provides protection of fresh water sands
Provides wellbore stabilization

11

 Intermediate or protective casing

Usually set in the first abnormally
pressured zone
Provides isolation of potentially
troublesome zones
Provides integrity to withstand the high
mud weights necessary to reach TD or
next csg seat
12

 Production casing
Provides zonal isolation (prevents
migration of water to producing zones,
isolates different production zones)
Confines production to wellbore
Provides the environment to install
subsurface completion equipment

13

 Liners
Drilling liners
Same as Intermediate or protective casing

Production liners
Same as production casing

Tieback liners
Tie back drilling or production liner to the
surface. Converts liner to full string of casing
14

Classification of CSG.
1. Outside diameter of pipe

(e.g. 9 5/8)

2. Wall thickness

(e.g. 1/2)

3. Grade of material

(e.g. N-80)

4. Type to threads and couplings

(e.g. API LCSG)

5. Length of each joint (RANGE)

(e.g. Range 3)

6. Nominal weight

(Avg. wt/ft incl. Wt. Coupling)

(e.g. 47 lb/ft)
15

16

Length of Casing Joints

RANGE

16-25 ft

RANGE

25-34 ft

RANGE

> 34 ft.

17

Casing Threads and Couplings

API round threads - short

{ CSG }

API round thread - long

{ LCSG }

Buttress

{ BCSG }

Extreme line
Other

{ XCSG }

18

API Design Factors (typical)

Required

Design

10,000 psi

Collapse 1.125

11,250 psi

100,000 lbf

Tension

1.8

180,000 lbf

10,000 psi

Burst

1.1

11,000 psi
19

Burst
Design for maximum pressure on the inside
of the casing. API design recommendations
call for the worst case scenario, which is the
casing is empty, and no external pressure.
The pressure to design for is the estimated
formation pressure at TD for production
casing, or estimated formation pressure at
the next casing depth.
20

Collapse
API design recommendations call for
worst case, where there is no pressure
inside the casing, and we design for the
maximum mud weight at the casing
depth. We also allow for the reduction
of the collapse rating from the weight of
the casing hanging below the depth of
interest.
21

Tension
API recommendations call for worst
case, where there is no buoyancy
effect. Design is based on the weight of
the entire casing string.

22

Abnormal

Normal Pore Pressure

0.433 - 0.465 psi/ft

Abnormal Pore Pressure

gp > normal

23

Design from bottom 24

Press. Gauge
Wing Valve

X-mas Tree
Choke Box

Master
Valves

Wellhead
Hang Csg. Strings
Provide Seals
Control Production
from Well
25

Wellhead

26

Wellhead

27

Casing Design
Tension

Tension
Depth

Burst
Collapse

Collapse
Burst:
Burst
Collapse:
Tension:

STRESS
Assume full reservoir pressure all along the wellbore.
Hydrostatic pressure increases with depth
Tensile stress due to weight of string is highest at top
28

Casing Design - Collapse

Collapse pressure is affected by axial stress

29

Casing Design - Tension

30

Casing Design - Burst

(from internal pressure)
Internal Yield Pressure for pipe
Internal Yield Pressure for couplings
Internal pressure leak resistance

Internal
Pressure

31

Casing Design - Burst

Example 1
Design a 7 Csg. String to 10,000 ft.
Pore pressure gradient = 0.5 psi/ft
Design factor, Ni=1.1
Design for burst only.
32

Burst Example
1. Calculate probable reservoir pressure.
pres

psi
0.5
* 10,000 ft 5,000 psi
ft

2. Calculate required pipe internal yield

pressure rating
pi pres * Ni 5,000 * 1.1 5,500 psi
Ni = API Design Factor for BURST = 1.1

33

Example
3. Select the appropriate csg. grade and wt.
from the Halliburton Cementing tables :
Burst Pressure required = 5,500 psi
7, J-55, 26 lb/ft has BURST Rating of 4,980 psi
7, N-80, 23 lb/ft has BURST Rating of 6,340 psi
7, N-80, 26 lb/ft has BURST Rating of 7,249 psi
Use N-80 Csg., 23 lb/ft
34

35

23 lb/ft
26 lb/ft

N-80

36

Collapse Pressure
The following factors are important:
The collapse pressure resistance of a pipe
depends on the axial stress
The API Design Factor

37

Casing Design
Collapse pressure - with axial stress
1.

YPA YP 1 0.75

SA

YP

1/ 2

SA

0.5
YP

YPA = yield strength of axial stress

equivalent grade, psi
YP = minimum yield strength of pipe, psi
SA = Axial stress, psi (tension is positive)
38

Example 3
Determine the collapse strength for a 5 1/2 O.D.,
14.00 #/ft, J-55 casing under axial load of 100,000 lbf
The axial tension will reduce the collapse pressure
as follows:

YPA

SA

1 0.75
Y
p

SA

0.5
Y
p

YP

FA
100,000
SA

24,820 psi
Area 5.52 5.012 2
4

39

Example 3 contd

YPA

SA

1 0.75
Y
p

S A
YP
0.5
Y
p

The axial tension will reduce the collapse

pressure rating to:

YPA

24,820
1 0.75

55,000

24,820
0 .5
55,000
55,000

38,216 psi

Here the axial load decreased the J-55

rating to an equivalent J-38.2 rating
40

Example 3 - contd
The Halliburton Cementing Tables list the
collapse resistance of 5 -in, 14.00 lb/ft J-55
casing at 3,120 psi.
The axial tension in this case would derate the
collapse strength to about 2,550 psi.
We shall be using API Tables to correct for the
effect of axial tension on collapse strength of
casing.
41

42

43

Casing Design Example

Example Problem
API Design Factors
Worst Possible Conditions
Effect of Axial Tension on Collapse Strength
Iteration and Interpolation
Design for Burst, Collapse and Tension
44

Casing Design Example

Design a 9 5/8-in., 8,000-ft combination
casing string for a well where the mud wt.
will be 12.5 ppg and the formation pore
pressure is expected to be 6,000 psi.
Only the grades and weights shown are
available (N-80, all weights). Use API
design factors.
Design for worst possible conditions.
45

Casing Design - Solution

Before solving this problem is it necessary to
understand what we mean by Design Factors
and worst possible conditions.

API Design Factors

Design factors are essentially safety
factors that allow us to design safe, reliable
casing strings. Each operator may have his
own set of design factors, based on his
experience, and the condition of the pipe.
46

Casing Design
well use the design factors recommended by the
API unless otherwise specified.

These are the API design Factors:

Tension and Joint Strength:

NT = 1.8

Collapse (from external pressure): Nc= 1.125

Burst (from internal pressure):

Ni = 1.1
47

Casing Design
What this means is that, for example, if we
need to design a string where the maximum
tensile force is expected to be 100,000 lbf,
we select pipe that can handle 100,000 * 1.8
= 180,000 lbf in tension.
Note that the Halliburton Cementing Tables
list actual pipe strengths, without safety
factors built in.
48

Casing Design
Unless otherwise specified in a particular
problem, we shall also assume the following:
Worst Possible Conditions
1. For Collapse design, assume that the
casing is empty on the inside (p = 0 psig)
2. For Burst design, assume no backup
fluid on the outside of the casing (p = 0 psig)
49

Casing Design
Worst Possible Conditions, contd
3. For Tension design,
assume no buoyancy effect
4. For Collapse design,
assume no buoyancy effect
The casing string must be designed to stand up to the
expected conditions in burst, collapse and tension.
Above conditions are quite conservative. They are also
simplified for easier understanding of the basic concepts.
50

Casing Design - Solution

Burst Requirements (based on the expected pore
PB pore pressure * Design Factor
6,000 psi *1.1
PB 6,600 psi

Depth

pressure)

Pressure

The whole casing string must be capable of

withstanding this internal pressure without failing in
burst.
51

Casing Design - Solution

Collapse Requirements
For collapse design, we start at the bottom
of the string and work our way up.
Our design criteria will be based on
hydrostatic pressure resulting from the 12.5
ppg mud that will be in the hole when the
casing string is run, prior to cementing.
52

Depth

Casing Design

Collapse Requirements, contd

Pressure

Pc 0.052 * mud weight * depth * design factor

0.052 * 12.5 * 8,000 * 1.125
Pc 5,850 psi req' d at the bottom.
Further up the hole the collapse requiremen ts
are less severe
53

Casing Design
Reqd: Burst: 6,600 psi

Collapse: 5,850 psi

54

Casing Design
Note that two of the weights of N-80 casing
meet the burst requirements, but only the
53.5 #/ft pipe can handle the collapse
requirement at the bottom of the hole (5,850
psi).
The 53.5 #/ft pipe could probably run all the
way to the surface (would still have to check
tension), but there may be a lower cost
alternative.
55

To what depth might we

be able to run N-80, 47
#/ft? The maximum
annular pressure that this
pipe may be exposed to,
is:

Depth

Casing Design

Pressure

Collapse pressure of pipe 4,760

Pc

4,231 psi
design factor
1.125
56

Casing Design
First Iteration
At what depth do we see this pressure (4,231
psig) in a column of 12.5 #/gal mud?
Pc 0.052 *12.5 * h1
Pc
4,231
h1

6,509 ft
0.052 *12.5 0.052 *12.5
57

Casing Design
This is the depth to which the pipe
could be run if there were
no axial stress in the pipe

6,509
8,000

But at 6,509 we have (8,000 - 6,509) =

1,491 of 53.5 #/ft pipe below us.
The weight of this pipe will reduce the
collapse resistance of the 47.0 #/ft pipe!
58

Casing Design
Weight, W1 = 53.5 #/ft * 1,491 ft
= 79,769 lbf
This weight results in an axial
stress in the 47 #/ft pipe

weight
79,769 lbf
of S1

5,877 psi
2
end area 13.572 in
59

Casing Design
The API tables show that the above
stress will reduce the collapse resistance
from 4,760 to somewhere between
4,680 psi (with 5,000 psi stress)
and 4,600 psi (with 10,000 psi stress)

60

Casing Design
Interpolation between these values shows
that the collapse resistance at 5,877 psi
axial stress is:
S S1

Pc1 P1
S 2 S1

P1 P2

(5,877 5,000)
Pc1 4,680
* (4,680 4,600) 4,666 psi
(10,000 5,000)

With the design factor,

Pcc1

4,666

4,148 psi
1.125

61

Casing Design
This (4,148 psig) is the pressure at a
depth
4,148
h2
6,382 ft
0.052 * 12.5

Which differs considerably from the

initial depth of 6,509 ft, so a second
iteration is required.
62

63

64

Casing Design
Second Iteration
Now consider running the 47 #/ft
pipe to the new depth of 6,382 ft.
W2 (8,000 6,382) * 53.5 86,563 lbf
86,563 lbf
S2
6,378 psi
2
13.572 in
65

Casing Design
Interpolating again,
S S1
1

Pc1
P1
D.F.
S 2 S1

pcc 2

P1 P2

1
6,378 5000

* 4,680 4,600 4,140 psi

4,680
1.125
5000

This is the pressure at a depth of

4,140
h3
6,369 ft
0.052 *12.5
66

Casing Design
This is within 13 ft of the assumed value. If
more accuracy is desired (generally not
needed), proceed with the:
Third Iteration
h3 6,369'
W3 (8,000 6,369) * 53.5 87,259 lbf
87,259
S3
6,429 psi
13.572

Pcc3 = ?

67

Casing Design
Third Iteration, contd
1
6,429 5,000

thus Pcc 3
* (4,680 4,600)
4,680
1.125
5,000

4,140 psi Pcc 2

68

Casing Design
Third Iteration, contd
This is the answer we are looking for, i.e.,
we can run 47 #/ft N-80 pipe to a depth of
6,369 ft, and 53.5 #/ft pipe between 6,369
and 8,000 ft.
Perhaps this string will run all the way to the
surface (check tension), or perhaps an even
more economical string would include some
43.5 #/ft pipe?
69

Casing Design
At some depth the 43.5 #/ft pipe would be
able to handle the collapse requirements,
but we have already determined that it will
not meet burst requirements.

NO!
70

N-80
43.5 #/ft?

Depth = 5,057?
5,066?
5,210?

N-80
47.0 #/ft

N-80
53.5 #/ft

Depth = 6,369
6,369
6,382
6,509
8,000
71

Tension Check
The weight on the top joint of casing
would be
(6,369 ft * 47.0# / ft ) (1,631 ft * 53.5# / ft )
386,602 lbs actual weight

With a design factor of 1.8 for tension, a

pipe strength of
1.8 * 386,602 695,080 lbf is required
72

Tension Check
The Halliburton cementing tables give a
yield strength of 1,086,000 lbf for the pipe
body and a joint strength of 905,000 lbf for
LT & C.

47.0 # / ft is OK to surface

73