Table of Contents

Functions of Casing
Types of Casing Strings
Classification of Casing
Mechanical Properties of Casing
Casing Design Criteria
Corrosion Design Considerations

Functions of Casing

Isolate porous formations with different

fluid-pressure regimes and also allow
isolated communication with selectively
perforated formation(s) of interest.
Isolate troublesome zones (highpressured zones, weak and fractured
formations, unconsolidated formations,
and sloughing shales) and to allow
drilling to the total depth.
Prevent the hole from caving in

Serve as a high-strength flow conduit to

surface for both drilling and production fluids.
Prevent near-surface fresh water zones from
contamination with drilling mud.
Provide a connection and support of the
wellhead equipment and blowout preventers.
Provide exact dimensions for running testing,
completion, and production subsurface
equipment.

Types of Casing Strings

There are different types of casing for different

functions and drilling conditions.
They are run to different depths and one or
two of them may be omitted depending on the
drilling conditions. They are:

Cassion pipe
Conductor pipe
Surface casing
Intermediate casing
Production casing
Liners

Cassion pipe (26 to 42 in.

OD)
For offshore drilling only.

Driven into the sea bed.

It is tied back to the conductor or surface
casing and usually does not carry any load.
Prevents washouts of near-surface unconsolidated

formations.
Ensures the stability of the ground surface upon
which the rig is seated.
Serves as a flow conduit for the drilling mud to the
surface

Conductor pipe (7 to 20 in.

OD)
The outermost casing string.

It is 40 to 500 ft in length for onshore and up

to 1,000 ft for offshore.
Generally, for shallow wells OD is 16 in. and
20 in. for deep wells.
Isolates very weak formations.
Prevents erosion of ground below rig.
Provides a mud return path.
Supports the weight of subsequent casing

strings.

Surface casing (17-1/2 to 20 in.

OD)

The setting depths vary from 300 to 5,000 ft

10-3/4 in. and 13-3/8 in. being the most
common sizes.
Setting depth is often determined by
government or company policy and not
selected due to technical reasoning.

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.

Intermediate casing (17-1/2 to 95/8 in. OD)

Also called a protective casing, it is purely a

technical casing.
The length varies from 7,000 to 15,000 ft.
Provides isolation of potentially troublesome

zones (abnormal pressure formations, unstable

shales, lost circulation zones and salt sections).
Provides integrity to withstand the high mud
weights necessary to reach TD or next casing
seat

Production casing (9-5/8 to 5 in.

OD)

It is set through the protective productive

zone(s).
It is designed to hold the maximal shut-in
pressure of the producing formations.
It is designed to withstand stimulating
pressures during completion and workover
operations.
A 7-in. OD production casing is often used

 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.
Provides protection for the environment in the
event of tubing failure during production
operations and allows for the tubing to be
repaired and replaced.

Types of Strings of Casing

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

Diameter
Example
16-60
30

2. Conductor string. 100 - 1,600

(BML)

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

16-48

20

(BML)

8 5/8-20
3/8 12

13

Types of Strings of Casing

Diameter
Example
4. Intermediate String
7 5/8-13 3/8
5/8
5. Production String (Csg.)
4 1/2-9 5/8
7
6. Liner(s)

7. Tubing String(s)

13

Liners

They are casings that do not reach the surface.

They are mounted on liner hangers to the
previous casing string.
Usually, they are set to seal off troublesome
sections of the well or through the producing
zones for economic reasons (i.e. to save costs).
Drilling liner
Production liner

Tie-back liner
Scab liner
Scab tie-back liner

 Drilling Liner Same as intermediate/protective casing. It

overlaps the existing casing by 200 to 400 ft. It is used to

isolate troublesome zones and to permit drilling below these
zones without having well problems.
Production Liner Same as production casing. It is run to
provide isolation across the production or injection
zones.
Tie-back Liner it is connected to the top of the liner with a
specially designed connector and extends to the surface, i.e.
converts liner to full string of casing.
Scab Liner A section of casing used to repair existing
damaged casing. It may be cemented or sealed with packers
at the top and bottom.
Scab Tie-back Liner A section of casing extending upwards
from the existing liner, but which does not reach the surface
and normally cemented in place. They are commonly used
with cemented heavy-wall casing to isolate salt sectons in

Classification of Casing

There are two types of casing standardization:

the API
non-API

Some particular engineering problems are

overcome by specialist solutions which are not
addressed by API specifications:
drilling extremely deep wells
using premium connections in high pressure

high GOR conditions.

Nevertheless, we will stick to the API

methods

Classifications to be considered are:

Outside diameter (OD).
Inside diameter (ID), wall thickness, drift

diameter.
Length (range)
Connections
Weight
Grade

Outside diameter (OD)

Casing manufacturers generally try to

prevent the pipe from being undersized to
ensure adequate thread run-out when
machining a connection.
Most casing pipes are found to be within
0.75% of the tolerance and are slightly
oversized.

Inside Diameter (ID), Wall

Thickness, Drift Diameter

The ID is specified in terms of wall thickness

and drift diameter.
The maximal ID is controlled by the
combined tolerances for the OD and the
wall thickness.
The minimal permissible pipe wall thickness
is 87.5% of the nominal wall thickness,
which in turn has a tolerance of -12.5%.

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
23

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
24

Example Hole and String Sizes (in)

Structural casing

Mudline

Conductor string
250
1,000

4,000

Surface pipe
IntermediateString
Production Liner
25

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)
26

Length (range)

The lengths of pipe sections are specified in

three major ranges:
R1, R2 and R3.

Range

Length (ft)

Average Length (ft)

16 25

22

25 34

31

> 34

42

Casing Threads and Couplings

API round threads - short
API round thread - long
Buttress
Extreme line
Other

{ CSG }
{ LCSG }
{ BCSG }
{ XCSG }

See Halliburton Book...

28

Connections

API provides specifications for four types of

casing connectors:
CSG Short round threads and couplings offer

no pressure seal at internal pressure, threaded

surfaces get further separated.
LCSG Long round threads and couplings
same basic thread design as CSG but offers
greater strength and also greater joint efficiency
(though less than 100%). Often used because it
is reliable, easy and cheap.

 BCSG Buttress threads and couplings offers

a nearly 100% joint efficiency. Not 100%

leakproof.
XCSG Extreme line threads design is an
integral joint, i.e. the coupling has both box and pin
ends. Much more expensive.

CSG and LCSG are also called API 8-Round

threads because they have eight threads
per inch

API Design Factors (typical)

Required

Design

10,000 psi

Collapse 1.125

11,250 psi

100,000 lbf

Tension

1.8

180,000 lbf

Burst

1.1

10,000 psi

11,000 psi
31

Abnormal

Normal Pore Pressure

0.465 psi/ft

Abnormal Pore Pressure 0.433 gp > normal

32

Design
from
33

API
Round Thread
Connector

API
Buttress Thread
Connector

API
Extreme-Line
Connector

Weight

Pipe weight is usually expressed as weight

per unit length in lb/ft. The three types
are:
Nominal Weight
Plain-end Weight
Threaded and Coupled Weight or Average

Weight

Grade

The steel grade of the casing relates to the

tensile strength of the steel from which the
casing is made.
The steel grade is expressed as a code
number which consists of a letter and
a number.
The letter is arbitrary selected to provide a unique

designation for each grade of casing.

The number deisgnates the minimal yield strength
of the steel in thousands of psi. For example, K55 has a yield strength of 55,000 psi

Grade
The pipe grade is the designation that defines the pipes
yield strength and certain special characteristics.
The grade usually consists of a letter and a 2 or 3 digit
number such as N-80.
As the letter proceeds, the pipe increases in
yield strength. N-80 has greater yield strength than H-40.
The numerical code indicates the minimum yield strength
of 80,000 psi. The average yield strength is usually 10,000
psi greater than the minimum yield, 90,000 psi for N-80
pipe.
The minimum value is used in burst and collapse
resistance calculations

Mechanical Properties of
Casing
Casing is subjected to different loads during

landing, cementing, drilling, and production

operations.
The most important loads which it must
withstand are tensile, burst and collapse
loads.
Other important loads include wear,
corrosion, vibration and pounding by drillpipe,
the effects of gun perforating and erosion

Tension

Under axial tension, pipe body may

suffer 3 possible deformations:
Elastic the metallurgical properties of the

steel in the pipe body suffer no permanent

damage and it regains its original form if
the load is withdrawn
Elasto-plastic the pipe body suffers a
permanent deformation which often results
in the loss of strength)
Plastic

The strength of the casing string is expressed

as pipe body yield strength and joint
strength.

 Pipe body strength is the minimal force

required to cause permanent deformation of the

pipe.
Fa = axial force to pull apart the
pipe, lbf
As = cross-sectional area of the
pipe, in.2
y = minimum yield strength, psi
do = pipe outer diameter, in
di = pipe inner diameter, in
Fa y As

As

4
d

2
o

2
i

Fa 4 y
d

2
o

2
i

 Bending force Casing is subjected to

bending forces when run in a deviated wells.

The lower surface of the pipe stretches and is
in tension.
The upper surface shortens and is in
compression.

Fb 63doWn
Wn = nominal weight, lb/ft
= dogleg severity, degrees (o)/100 ft
Other tensional forces include:
Shock load (the vibrational load when running

casing and the slips are suddenly set at the

surface)
Drag force (frictional force between the casing
and the borehole walls)

Burst pressure

Minimum expected internal pressure at

which permanent pipe deformation could
take place, if the pipe is subjected to no
external pressure or axial loads.
The API burst rating is given as:
Pbr
0.875

2 y
td
o

If casing is subjected to internal pressure higher than

external, it is said that casing is exposed to burst pressure.
Burst

pressure

conditions occur during

well

control

operation or squeeze cementing.

Equation is used to calculate the internal pressure at which
the tangential stress at the inner wall of the pipe reaches the
yield strength of the material. The factor 0.875 represents
the allowable manufactruing tolerance of -12.5% on wall
thickness. Because a burst pressure failure will not occur
until the stress exceeds the ultimate tensile strength, using a
yield strength criterion as a measure of burst strength is an
inherently conservative assumption.

Collapse pressure

Minimum expected external pressure at

which the pipe would collapse if the pipe
were subjected to no internal pressure or
axial loads.

There are different types of collapse

pressure rating depending on the do/t ratio:
Yield strength
Plastic
Transition
Elastic

Ranges
of do/t
when
axial
stress is
zero

Yield
streng
Grade
th
collaps
e

Plasti
c
collap
se

H-40

16.40

J-, K-55

14.81

C-75

13.60

L-, N80

13.38

Transiti
on
collaps
e

Elasti
c
collap
se
27.01
42.64
25.01
37.21
22.91
32.05
22.47
31.02

F1
F5
2.950
0.0325
2.991
0.0360
3.054
0.0418
3.071
0.0434

F2

F3

F4

0.0465 754 2.063

0.0541 1,206 1.989
0.0642 1,806 1.990
0.0667 1,955 1.998

 Yield Strength Collapse Pressure

d n / t 1

PYP 2 Y

d n / t 2

Plastic Collapse

Pressure

F1
F2 F3
dn / t

PP Y

 Transition Collapse Pressure

F4

F5
dn / t

PT Y

Elastic Collapse

Pressure
PE

46.95 10 6

d n / t d n / t 1 2

Combined stresses

The performance of casing is examined

in the presence of other forces.
z axial load
As

y,eff

P
i

y

1 0.75

0.5

y,eff 1

0.75

y
0.5

z
y

z = axial stress, psi (+ve for tension, ve for compression)

Pi = internal pressure, psi
y,eff = effective yield strength, psi

Casing Design Criteria

Casing costs is one of the largest cost

items of a drilling project.
It is imperative to plan for proper
selection of casing strings and their
setting depths to realise an optimal and
safe well at minimal costs.

Casing points selection

Initial selection of casing setting depths is

based on the pore pressure and fracture
pressure gradients for the well.
Information on pore pressure and fracture
pressure gradients is usually available from
offset well data.
This information should be contained in the
geotechnical information provided for
planning the well.

Other factors affecting casing points

selection include:
Shallow gas zones
Lost circulation zones, which limit mud weights
Well control
Formation stability , which is sensitive to

exposure time or mud weight

Directional well profile
Sidetracking requirements
Isolation of fresh water sands (drinking
water)
Hole cleaning
Salt sections

 High pressured zones

Casing shoes should where practicable be set in

competent formations
Casing program compatibility with existing
wellhead systems
Casing program compatibility with planned
completion program
Multiple producing intervals
Casing availability
Economy

Design factors

API 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.

The design factors are necessary to cater for:

Uncertainties in the determination of actual loads

that the casing needs to withstand.

Reliability of listed properties of the various steels
used in the industry and the uncertainty in the
determination of the spread between ultimate
strength and yield strength.
Uncertainties regarding the collapse pressure
formulas.
Possible damage to casing during transport
and storage.
Damage to the pipe body from slips, wrenches or
inner defects due to cracks, pitting, etc.
Rotational wear by the drill string while drilling.

The use of excessively high design factors

guarantees against failure but provides
excessive strength and, therefore, increased
cost.
The use of low design factors requires
accurate knowledge about the loads to be
imposed on the casing as there is less
margin available.
The company values selected for design
factors are a compromise between safety
margin and economics.

The API design factors

Tension and Joint Strength:
are:
Collapse:
Burst:

DFT = 1.8
DFC = 1.125
DFB = 1.1

Example
Required

Design
factor

Design

Tension: 100,000 lbf

1.8

180,000 lbf

Collapse: 10,000 psi

1.125

11,250 psi

1.1

11,000 psi

Burst:

10,000 psi

Worst possible conditions

Tension Design
Assume there is no buoyancy effect.
Design is based on the weight of the entire

casing string.

Collapse Design
Assume that the casing is empty on the inside,

that is, no pressure inside the casing and no

buoyancy effect.
Design is based on the maximum mud weight
at the casing depth

Burst Design
Assume no backup fluid on the outside of the

casing.
Design is based on maximum pressure on
the inside of the casing.
The pressure is to design for is the estimated
formation pressure at TD for production casing,
or estimated formation pressure at the next
casing depth.

The casing string must be designed to

withstand the expected conditions in tension,
burst and collapse.

Graphical design method

Casing design itself is an optimization

process to find the cheapest casing string
that is strong enough to withstand the
occuring loads over time.
The design is therefore depended on:
Loading conditions during life of well (drilling

operations, completion procedures, production,

and workover operations)
Strength of the formation at the casing shoe
(assumed fracture pressure during planning
and verified by the formation integrity test.
Availabilty and real price of individual casing

 Burst: Assume full reservoir pressure all along the

wellbore.
Collapse: Hydrostatic pressure increases with
depth.
Tension: Tensile stress due to weight of string is highest

Analytical design method

Burst requirements
Casing must withstand the maximum anticipated

formation pressure that the casing string could

possibly be exposed to.

Collapse requirements
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 mud

weight that will be in the hole when the
casing string is run, prior to cementing.

Worst possible conditions

Burst design: assume no backup fluid on

the outside of the casing

Collapse design: assume that the casing

is empty on the inside.

Tension design: assume no buoyancy

effect.

Corrosion Design Considerations

Corrosion eats through casing string

This reduces the wall thickness
It then affects the collapse resistance, burst
resistance and the yield strength, among others.
Forecasting the presence and concentration of
corrosion is essential for a choice of a proper
casing grade and wall thickness and for
operational safety purposes.
Casing can also be subjected to corrosive attack
opposite formations containing corrosive fluids

Factors causing corrosion

Most corrosion problems in oilfield

operations are due to the presence of water.
Corrosive fluids can be found in water-rich
formations and aquifers as well as in the
reservoir itself.
Factors initiating and perpetuating corrosion
can either act alone or in combination.

Oxygen (O2)
Oxygen dissolved in water drastically increases its

corrosivity potential.
It can cause severe corrosion at very low
concentrations of less than 1.0 ppm.
The solubility of oxygen in water is a function of
pressure, temperature and chloride content.
Oxygen is less soluble in salt water than in fresh
water.
Oxygen usually causes pitting in steels.

Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S)

H2S is very soluble in water and when

dissolved, behaves as a weak acid

and usually causes pitting.
This type of attack is called sour
corrosion.
Other problems from H2S corrosion include
hydrogen blistering and sulphide stress
cracking.
The combination of H2S and CO2 is more
aggressive than H2S alone.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

CO2 is soluble in water and forms carbonic acid,

decreases the pH of the water and increase its

corrosivity.
It is not as corrosive as oxygen, but usually also
results in pitting.
Corrosion by CO2 is referred to as sweet
corrosion.
Partial pressure of CO2 is used as a yardstick to
predict corrosion.
Partial pressure < 3 psi: generally non corrosive.
Partial pressure 3 30 psi: may indicate high corrosion

risk.
Partial pressure > 30 psi: indicates high corrosion risk.

Temperature
Like most chemical reactions, corrosion rates

generally increase with increasing temperature.

Pressure
The primary effect of pressure is its effect on

dissolved gases.
More gas goes into solution as the pressure is
increased, this may in turn increase the corrosivity
of the solution.

Velocity of Fluids
Stagnant or low velocity fluids usually give low

corrosion rates, but pitting is more likely.

Corrosion rates usually increase with velocity as
the corrosion scale is removed from the casing
exposing fresh metal for further corrosion.
High velocities and/or the presnce of
suspended solids or gas bubbles can lead to
erosion, corrosion, impingement or cavitation.

Corrosion control measures

Corrosion control measures may involve

the use of one or more of the following:
Cathodic protection
Chemical inhibition
Chemical control
Oxygen scavengers
Chemical sulphide scavengers
pH adjustment

Deposit control

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:

100,
24,820 psi

000

4 5.52 5.0122

axial load
As

y ,eff

1 0.75

0.5

72

 y,eff

24,820

24,820

55, 000 1 0.75

0.5

55, 000
55, 000

y,eff

38,216
psi

Here the axial load decreased the J-55

rating to an equivalentJ-38.2
rating.

73

Design a 9-5/8-in., 8,000-ft combination

casing string for a well where the mud weight
will be 12.5 ppg and the formation pore
pressure is expectedto 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.
74

Burst requirement

PB 6,000
1.1
PB 6,600 psi
The whole casing string must be
capable of withstanding this internal
pressure without failing in burst.

Depth

PB Pore pressure Design Factor

Pressure

Collapse requirement
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.

PC 0.052 Mud weight Depth Design

Factor

PC 5,850
psi
Further up the hole the collapse
requirement are less severe.

Depth

PC 0.052 12.5 8, 000

1.125

Pressure

Reqd: Burst: 6,600 psi Collapse: 5,850 psi

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

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:

Pc=

Collapse pressure of pipe 4,760

=
=4,231
psi
design factor
1.125

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

Pc =0.05212.5h1
h1 =

Pc
0.05212.5 =

4,231

0.05212.5

= 6,509 ft

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!

Weight, W1 53.5 #/ ft 1, 491

ft
W1 79, 769 lbf
This weight results in an axial

stress

in the 47 #/ft pipe.

79, 769 lbf

5,877 psi

weight
13.572 in2
The API tables show that the above stress will
end the
areacollapse resistance from 4,760 to
reduce
somewhere between:
4,680 psi
(with 5,000 psi stress)
and
4,600 psi (with 10,000 psi stress)

Interpolation between these values shows

that the collapse resistance at 5,877 psi axial
stress is:
Pc1 P1

2 1

P P
1
2

5,877 5, 000
4, 680 4, 600 4, 666

Pc1 4, 680
10, 000 5,
psi
000

With the
design
factor:
4, 666

Pc1 1.125 4,148 psi

This (4,148 psig) is the pressure at a depth:

4,148

6, 382
ft 0.052 12.5

Which differs considerably from the initial

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

86

87

Second Iteration
Now consider running the 47 #/ft pipe to the
new depth of 6,382 ft.

Weight, W2 53.5 #/ ft 8, 000 6,

W382
2 86,
ft 563
lbf

86, 563 lbf

6, 378
weight psi
end area 13.572 in2

Interpolation again:

Pc1 P1

2 1

P P
1
2

6, 378 5, 000

P 4, 680
4, 680 4, 600 4, 658
10, 000 5,
psi
With the
design
000

factor:
c
2

4, 658

P 1.125 4,140 psi

c2

h3

4,140
0.052
12.5

6, 369
psi

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 ft
W3 (8, 000 6, 369) 53.5 87, 259
lbf
87, 259
3
13.572 6, 429 psi

Interpolation again:

Pc1 P1

2 1

P P
1
2

6, 429 5, 000

P 4, 680
4, 680 4, 600 4, 658
10, 000 5,
psi
With the
design
000

factor:
c
3

4, 658

P 1.125 4,140 psi

c3

Pc3 Pc2

This is the answer we are looking for:

Run 47 #/ft N-80 pipe to a depth of 6,369 ft
Run 53.5 #/ft N-80 pipe between 6,369 and

8,000 ft.

Perhaps this string will run all the way to the

surface (check tension).

Tension requirement
The weight on the top joint of casing would
be:
(6, 369 ft 47.0 #/ft) (1, 631 ft 53.5
#/ft)
386, 602 lbf
With the design factor, the pipe

strength required is:

386, 602 1.8 695, 080

lbf

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.
Then 47 #/ft can be run to the surface.

Surface

N-80
47.0 #/ft

N-80
53.5 #/ft

6,369 ft

1,631 ft
8,000 ft