Casing Design
Casing Design
In Association with
Dr. Nitesh Kumar,
Founder / Owner MDNK Oil & Gas Consultants
Organizes Course on:
Extended Reach Drilling
STEPS TO WELL PLANNING AND EXECUTION
• Complete or obtain seismic, log, scouting information or other data.
• Lease the land or obtain concession.
• Calculate reserves or estimate from best data available.
• If reserve estimates show payout, proceed with well.
• Obtain permits from conservation/ national authority.
• Prepare drilling and completion program.
• Ask for bids on footage, day work, or combination from selected
drilling contractors based on drilling program.
• If necessary, modify program to fit selected contractor equipment.
INTRODUCTION TO WELL ENGINEERING
1. Offset Data Analysis
2. PPFG plot & usage
3. Offshore Considerations
4. Casing Design
5. Drilling fluid & hydraulics design
6. Cementing design
7. Logging & Surveying
8. WH system & BOPs
9. Completions
10. Well Cost
OFFSET DATA ANALYSIS
• Information from wells already drilled in the region:
• Seismic cross sections & correlation
• Lithological correlation based on logs
• Drilling & completions reports
• Mud logs / Well logs
PPFG PLOT & USAGE
• G&G estimates for PP & FG
• Gives the drilling window
• Geologists are best friends to Well Engineers
• Casing seat selection & Mud program
• Geomechanical study
SEAT SELECTION & MUD PROGRAM
• Conductor
• Surface
• Intermediate
• Production Depth Interval Mud Wt PV YP API Fluid Chloride
pH
• Liner From To ppg Cp #/100 ft2 Loss ppm
Mudline 2417’ 8.6
2417’ 3100’ 8.6
3100’ 3300’ 10.5 9-17 >20 9.0 10 - 22
3300’ 3500’ 11.0 9-17 >20 9.0 10 - 22
@3500’ 13.0 20 - 30 20 – 30 <10 9.0 10 –22
GEOMECHANICAL STUDY
• Wellbore stability
• Mud weight suitability
• Stress considerations
CASING DESIGN
• Casing strings types & functions
• Setting depth determination
• Classification of Casing – weight, grade, connection.
• MAASP, Casing pressure test
• Burst, Collapse and Tension
• Effect of Axial Tension on Collapse Strength
DETAILED CASING PROGRAM
Casing Design
• Why Run Casing? Types of Casing Strings Classification of Casing
• Burst, Collapse and Tension Example
• Effect of Axial Tension on Collapse Strength Example
Casing Design
• What is casing?
• Casings are tubular goods run in a wellbore after drilling the hole. They have various sizes to suit the
different hole sizes used in each section of the drilling operation. Normally, casing will be cemented
in a wellbore.
• Typically, casing is terminated on surface at the casing hanger. Liners do not reach surface but are
suspended within the string of previous casing
Casing Design
• Why run casing?
• To prevent the hole from caving in (keep it open due to sloughing or swelling)
• To protect fresh water zones from contamination.
• To prevent water migration to producing formation.
• To isolate porous formations with different pressure regimes
• To provide a production conduit & confine production to the wellbore.
Casing Design-Why run casing, cont’d
• To provide a foundation for the wellhead/BOP
• To control pressures during drilling
• To provide an acceptable environment for subsurface equipment in producing wells
• To enhance the probability of drilling to total depth (TD) e.g., you need 14 ppg to control a lower zone, but
an upper zone will fracture at 12 lb/gal, What do you do?
CASING SCHEMATIC
• Functions
• Conductor (20”-30”) to protect loose, near surface formations and
enables circulation of drilling fluid
• Surface casing (13-3/8”- 20”) to provide blowout protection and
prevent loss circulation
• Intermediate casing (9-5/8” - 16”) to isolate unstable hole section
and loss circulation, low pressure and production zones (often set
in the transition between normal to abnormal zone)
• Production (4-1/2”-9-5/8”) to isolate production zone and contains
formation pressure in the event of tubing leaks
• Liner (4-1/2” - 13-3/8”) to improve hydraulic performance during
deep drilling and to allow the use of larger tubing above the liner
top
• Tieback string to provide additional pressure integrity from the liner
top to the wellhead
TYPES OF CASING STRINGS
Types of Strings of Casing
Example Hole and String Sizes (in)
• Dr. Nitesh
Example Hole and String Sizes(in)
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
• Casing is defined by its physical properties :
• Pipe Grade refers to the pipe's yield strength by a letter and a 2 or 3 digit number e.g. N80.
• The letter selected defines the metallurgy and production method (K is seamed, J is seamless, L is seamless
and heat treated)
• The Numerical Code indicates the minimum yield strength in psi (N80 has a minimum yield strength of 80,000
psi).
• The Yield strength is used to determine the minimum value of pipe Burst and Collapse resistance and the
tensile strength.
CASING GRADES
Casing Designations
• When ordering casing, we should specify the following:
• Grade: refers to the yield strength and metallurgy of the tubular [N80, K55, H40]
• Weight: refers to weight per unit length of tubular [47.0 lb/ft, 29.0 lb/ft]
• Connection: the coupling used to connect the tubulars [Buttress, VAM, LT&C]
• Range: refers to average length of tubular joint [API: R1 = 16 to 25 ft, R2 = 25 – 34 ft and R3=35 – 45 ft]
Casing Threads and Couplings
API BULLETINS
• All Oilwell Tubular Goods (OCTG) are governed by the American Petroleum Institute's Committee on
Standardization of tubular goods.
• API Publications Relating to Casing and Tubing
CASING DESIGN
• Why is Casing Design/Selection Important?
• Casing is used for protection during all phases of drilling & production.
• Casing must be designed to withstand many severe operating conditions.
• The casing design must meet all potential completion requirements
ABOUT INSTRUCTOR
• Normal Pore Pressure Abnormal Pore Pressure 0.433 - 0.465 psi/ft gp > normal
Pore Pressure & Fracture Pressure
• Pore pressure
• The pressure of the formation fluids.
• Fracture pressure
• The pressure to fracture the formation.
• Design criteria
• Pore Pressure < Mud Pressure < Fracture Pressure
• Consequences of poor design:
• Formation fluids flows into the borehole if mud pressure is less than the pore pressure.
• Lost circulation occurs if mud pressure exceeds the fracture pressure.
CASING DESIGN
• A Complete Casing Design will define the following:
• Function of casing
• Setting Depth
• Size of Casing
• Weight
• Grade
• Connection
• Cement Top
CASING DESIGN
• General Design Criteria
• The final selection of casing (weight & grade) is based on an assessment of the loadings to which a casing
may be subjected.
• The following loading criteria shall be used in the casing design in all ONGC Wells :
CASING DESIGN
Open floor for mentor's questions & feedback