DRILLING

ENGINEERING I
(CGE577)
1

CHAPTER
5:
CASING
 Conten
ts 2
⚫ Definition and function of Casing
⚫ Casing Accessories
⚫ Types of Casing
⚫ Casing Properties
⚫ Casing Setting Depth/ Casing Seat Selection
⚫ Casing Selection: Size Selection and Grade
Selection (Collapse Load, Burst Load, Tensile
Load)
 DEFINITION OF
CASING 3

“Casing is a steel pipe

that is cemented in
place in an
openhole wellbore as
drilling progresses to
prevent the wall of the
hole from caving in
during drilling, to
prevent seepage of fluids,
and to provide a means of
extracting petroleum if
the well is productive”
 FUNCTIONS OF
CASING 4
1. To keep the hole open and to provide support for weak, vulnerable
or fractured formations. If the hole is left uncased, the formation
may cave in and redrilling of the hole will then become necessary.
2. To isolate porous media with different fluid/pressure regimes from
contaminating the pay zone. This is basically achieved through the
combined presence of cement and casing. Therefore, production
from a specific zone can be achieved.
3. To prevent contamination of near-surface fresh water zones.
4. To provide a passage for hydrocarbon fluids; most production
operations are carried out through special tubings which are run
inside the casing.
5. To provide a suitable connection for the wellhead equipment
and later the christmas tree. The casing also serves to connect
the blowout prevention equipment (BOPS) which is used to
control the well while drilling.
6. To provide a hole of known diameter and depth to facilitate the
running of testing and completion equipment.
 CASING
ACCESSORIES
5
⚫
- CASING
CASING JOINT: Casing joints are
CONNECTION
connected using casing couplings.
Generally around 40ft (13 m) in length and is
normally designed with male threaded on each
ends.The material that are usually used to
fabricate a casing joints are plain carbon steel,
stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, fiberglass.

⚫ CASING COUPLING/ COLLAR: A short length

pipe
with female threaded on each ends.
 The API standard for casing couplings are
⯍ Short round threads and couplings (CSG)
⯍ Long round threads and couplings (LCSG)
⯍ Buttress threads and couplings (BCSG)
⯍ Extremelines threads (XCSG)

⚫ CASING STRING: A number of casing joints are

connected with casing couplings to form a casing
string of the desired length and specification
 CASING
JOINT 6
⚫ Length of Joint
 The casing joint length is standardized
by API

Range Length (ft) Average length

(ft)
1 16-25 22

2 25-34 31

3 34+ 42

API Length (source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt

University)
CASING COUPLINGS AND
JOINTS 7

Casing couplings
Casing joints
 CASING SHOE/ GUIDE
SHOE 8

⚫ Casing shoe/guide shoe is a

device that attached to the
bottom of the casing string.
⚫ The casing shoe helped to guide
the casing string to ensure that it
is correctly located in the wellbore.
⚫ The guide shoe includes side ports
and an open end to enable fluid
circulation for mud conditioning,
hole cleaning, and cement
placement.
 CASING
HANGER9

⚫ To suspend or hang casing string

which rests on a landing shoulder
inside the casing spool.
⚫ Must be designed to take the full
weight of the casing and provide a
seal between the casing hanger and
the casing spool.
Lifting-up a
Casing 10

Casing to be
lifted to the rig
floor
Making-up a Casing at the Rig
Floor 11

Hydraulic casing
tong is used to
make-up the
casing
Installing
Casing 12

Derrickman is
connecting the
elevator to the
top of casing
and lowers into
the hole
 TYPES OF
CASING13
1. Stove Pipe (Marine conductor/ foundation
pile for offshore drilling)
2. Conductor casing
3. Surface casing (BOPs are connected on the
top of it)
4. Intermediate casing
5. Production casing
6. Liner casing

 Different types/ sizes of casing are needed to seal off the

high- pressured zones at different depths along the
wellbore, and the presence of weak, unconsolidated
formations or sloughing and shaly zones.
 CASING
CONFIGURATION
14

Casing string is designed such that the largest diameter is run first followed by
smaller diameter casings.

Conductor (20” – 30” OD)

Surface Casing (13- 3/8” – 20”

OD)

Intermediate Casing (9-5/8” – 16”

OD) Production Casing (4-1/2” – 9-

5/8” OD) Liner (4-1/2” – 7” OD)

KINDS OF CASING
STRINGS 15
 1. Stove
(Marine-conductor/ Foundation-pile for offshore
Pipe
drilling)
16

⚫ To prevent washouts of near-surface

unconsolidated formations
⚫ To provide a circulation system for the
drilling mud
⚫ To ensure the stability of the ground surface
under the rig.
⚫ This pipe does not usually carry any weight from
the wellhead equipment and can be driven into
the ground or seabed with a pile driver.
⚫ A typical size for a stove pipe ranges from 26 in.
to 42 in.
 2. Conductor
Pipe 17
⚫ The largest diameter casing, which is the first to be
run
⚫ Normally piled to the formation
⚫ Installed from surface to a shallow depth to
protect near- surface unconsolidated formations
(fragile formation) and provide a circuit for the
drilling mud.
⚫ used to support subsequent casing strings and
wellhead
equipment.
⚫ Sizes used: 18-5/8 in., 20 in., 26 in. and 30 in.
⚫ Generally set at 150 ft to 600 ft below seabed
depends on the formation condition.
⚫ In offshore operations, conductor pipes are either
 3. Surface
Casing18
⚫ Surface casing is run to protect weak formations, water
sands and hydrocarbon zones that are encountered at
shallow depths.
⚫ This casing should be set in competent rocks such as hard
limestone to ensure that formations at the casing shoe
will not fracture at the high hydrostatic pressures which
may be encountered later.
⚫ Protect against shallow blow-out, thus BOPs are
connected to the top of it
⚫ Support the wellhead and normally set at 1000 ft to
1500 ft below the ground level or the seabed.
⚫ Cemented to the surface.
⚫ Surface casing provides structural strength so that the
remaining casing strings may be suspended at the top and
inside of the surface casing.
⚫ Sizes used: 13-3/8 in, 18-5/8 in and 20 in.
 4. Intermediate
Casing 19
⚫ This casing is set after surface casing and before
production casing to isolate the lost circulation
zones, abnormally pressured zones, mobile salt
sections, unstable shale zones and other
troublesome formations between surface and
production casing
⚫ Set in the transition zone below or above an over-
pressured zone.
⚫ Cemented to the surface.
⚫ Sizes used: 9-5/8 in or10-¾ in (depends
on the tubing/production casing size).
 5. Production
Casing 20
⚫ Represents the last casing string.
⚫ Used to isolate producing zones, provide
reservoir fluid control, and to permit selective
production in multizone production.
⚫ The casing string thru which the well will be
completed.
⚫ Cemented to 200 ft above the topmost HC zone.
⚫ Sizes used: 7 in (depends on the
tubing/production casing size).
 6. Liner
Casing21
⚫ A liner is a string of casing that
does not reach the surface.
⚫ Liner is a short casing with length
less than 5000 ft and attached to the
liner hanger which is suspended
from the inside of the previous
casing string.
⚫ It can act as either intermediate
string or production string.
⚫ The liner is cemented into the
previous casing with liner lap
 Types of
Liner 22
1. Production liner
 Run instead of full production casing
 Provide isolation across the producing or injecting zones
2. Tie-back liner
 A section of casing extending upwards from top of an
existing liner to the surface and complete the pressure seal
during production.
 To provide an upper section of casing which had seen no
drilling.
3. Scab liner
 A section of casing that does not reach the surface
 Used to repair existing damaged casing sealed from to and
bottom by
packers
4. Scab-tie-back liner
 A section of casing extending from the top of an
Types of
Liner 23
 Advantages of
Liner 24

⚫ Total costs of the production string are

reduced due to shorter length
⚫ Running and cementing times are reduced
⚫ The length of reduced diameter is reduced
which allows completing the well with optimum
sizes of production tubings.
⚫ Complete wells with less weight landed on
wellheads and surface pipe where rig capacity
cannot handle full string; when running heavy 9-
5/8" casing.
 Disadvantages of
Liner 25

⚫ Possible leak across a liner hanger

⚫ Difficulty in obtaining a good primary
cementation due to
the narrow annulus between the liner and the
hole.
 CASING
PROPERTIES
26

⚫ Casing is classified in terms of its size, weight, grade and

connection type

⚫ Size
 The size of a casing is given by the outside diameter (O.D) of the
casing.
 The standard sizes are 30”, 20”, 13 3/8”, 9 5/8”, 7” and 4.5”
 The pipe less than 4.5” OD is called the tubing.

⚫ Casing Weight
 The standard weight is specified in weight per unit length
 The same OD casing may have different weight and different internal
diameter.
 Thus the casing weight indicate the wall thickness of the pipe.

⚫ Casing Grade
 The steel properties of the casing varies widely depending on the
chemical
composition.
 The API grade indicated the chemical composition (letter) and the
minimum yield strength of a casing (number).
 CASING PROPERTIES
27
Grade Minimum Minimum
Yield Strength Tensile Strength
(psi) (psi)
H-40 40000 60000
J-55 55000 75000
K-55 55000 95000
C-75 75000 95000
L-80 80000 95000
N-80 80000 100000
S-95 95000 110000
P-110 110000 125000
V-150 150000 160000

API Grade for Casing

API defines the yield strength as the tensile stress required to duce a total
elongation pro of 0.5% of the gage length, as determined by nsometer.
an exte
 CASING SIZES
SELECTION28
⚫ Casing sizes and string configuration are dictated by the
size of the
smallest casing string to be run
⚫ Once it is known, all subsequent casing and hole sizes are
selected
⚫ Selection of the smallest casing string is based on
operational
considerations
⚫ Drilling engineer will collate this information from geology,
reservoir engineering and production engineering
⚫ The objective of the drilling engineer is to use the smallest
casing sizes possible
 CASING SIZES SELECTION
(cont’d) 29
⚫ The bit size to drill a certain interval must be slightly
larger than the casing OD (Table 7.7)
⚫ To drill the lower interval, the bit size must fit inside the
casing. – in turns
it determines the min size of the second deepest casing
string (Table 7.8)
⚫ Same process continues
CASING SIZES SELECTION (cont’d)
30
 Determining Casing Sizes & Bit
Sizes
⚫ Production casing 7 in. (specified by production engineer); coupling size = 7.656-in
⚫ Bit size to drill a hole in which this casin3g1 can be run, 8-5/8-in (Table 7.7)

⚫ This 8-5/8-in bit has to pass through the intermediate casing

⚫ The intermediate casing size through which the above bit would pass, 9-5/8-in (Table
7.8)
⚫ Bit size to drill a hole in which the 9 5/8-in casing can be run, 12-¼-in (Table 7.7).
⚫ This 12-¼-in bit has to pass through the surface casing
⚫ The surface casing size through which the above bit would pass, 13-3/8-in (Table 7.8)
⚫ The bit size to drill a hole in which the 13 3/8-in casing can be run, 17-½ -in (Table
7.7)
⚫ This 17-½-in bit has to pass through the conductor pipe
⚫ The conductor pipe size through which the above bit would pass, 18-5/8-in (Table
7.8)
⚫ The bit size to drill a hole in which the 18 5/8-in conductor pipe can be run, 24-in.

To pass a bit through a casing, the drift diameter has to be greater than the bit size
Common Bit Sizes to Run Casing
Sizes 32
Casing Sizes that Allow Bit Sizes to Pass
Through Table 7.8 continued
33
 CASING SETTING
DEPTHS/ CASING SEAT
34
SELECTION
⚫ It is essential to choose a casing seat that can withstand
the maximum pressures to which the wellbore will be
subjected (based on formation strength/ fracture
pressure) during the drilling of the next hole section.

⚫ The pressure which the formation at the casing seat must

be able to withstand is the greater of:
(i) the hydrostatic pressure of the mud used to drill the
next section
(ii) the maximum pressure exerted at the casing seat
when circulating out gas influx from TD of the
next hole section
 CASING SEAT SELECTION
METHOD 35

a) Casing seat selection based on mud weight:

⚫ The fracture gradient data together with pore
pressure and mud weight should be plotted
against depth.
b) Casing seat selection based on Gas Influx
Pressures
⚫ The fracture gradient data together with pore
pressure and maximum kick circulation pressure
should be plotted against depth.

 The selected casing setting depth is then the

deeper of the two depths arrived at under items
(a) and (b) above.
 a) Casing seat selection based on mud
weight 36

1. Plot the pore pressure gradient, the mud pressure

gradient and the fracture gradient against depth (Figure
1).
2. Always start at the highest mud weight; in this example
the highest mud weight is used at TD.
3. Starting at hole TD (11 000 ft), draw a vertical line (line
1) through
the mud gradient until it intersects the fracture gradient
line.
4. In this example the mud gradient at TD is 0.94 psi/ft and a
vertical line through it (line 1) intersects the fracture
gradient line at 10 500 ft (point A).
5. Above 10,500 ft, the mud gradient, 0.94 psi/ft, will exceed
the fracture gradient of the open hole section and this
section must therefore be cased off before raising the mud
weight to 0.94 psi/ft to drill the bottom section.
 a) Casing seat selection based on mud
weight 37

6. Between 10 500 ft and 11 000 ft the open hole should be cased

with either a production liner or a production casing.
7. Above 10 500 ft the hole must be drilled with a mud weight less
than 0.94 psi/ft.
8. The new mud gradient is obtained by drawing a horizontal line
from point A to the mud gradient line. Point B in gives the new
mud gradient as 0.88 psi/ft.
9. Move vertically from point B (line 2) until the fracture gradient
line is intersected at 8850 ft at point C. Point C establishes the
maximum depth that can be drilled before changing to the new
mud gradient of 0.88 psi/ft. Hence, between points B and C, an
intermediate casing can be set at point B.
10. Another protective casing should also be set at point D, 8850 ft.
11. From point C move horizontally to the mud gradient line to
point D, where the mud gradient is 0.68 psi/ft.
12. A vertical line from point D (line 3) shows that a hole can be
drilled with a mud gradient of 0.68 psi/ft to surface without
fracturing the formation.
38

Figure 1:
Casing seat selection
based on mud weight
 b) Casing seat selection based on Gas
Influx Pressures
39

1. Start at Total Depth (TD) of the well

2. Determine the formation fracture pressure at all points in
the well
3. Calculate the borehole pressure profile when
circulating out a gas influx from TD: BHP = Gas
column P + SIDP
4. Plot the formation fracture pressure and the wellbore
pressure when
circulating out an influx
5. The casing must be set at least at the depth where the two
plots cross (Y- See Figure 2). This is the shallowest depth
at which the casing can be safely set. If the casing is set
any shallower when drilling this hole section then the
formation will fracture if an influx occurs.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 moving up the well, with each
subsequent string starting at the casing setting depth for
b) Casing seat selection based on Gas
Influx Pressures
40

TD

Figure 2
 Exercise : Casing Setting Depth
41

⚫ On graph paper, plot the pore pressure gradient, mud pressure gradient and
the fracture gradient. Propose the casing setting depths and the sizes (use 7”
production csg.)

TVD Pore pressre Fracture pressure

(ft) (psi) (psi)
3000 1320 2490
5000 2450 4200
8300 4067 6972
8500 4504 7225
9000 5984 7650
9500 6810 8123
10000 7800 9200
11000 10900 12045
 CASING DESIGN
42

⚫ Casing design involves 3 distinct operations:

1. Selection of casing sizes and setting depths (Refer slide 28 – 40)

2. Define the operational scenarios and consequent loads on the

casing

3. Calculate the loads on the casing and select the most suitable
casing grades
and weights for a specific operation, both safely and
economically.
⚫ Casing must be able to withstand maximum load anticipated during
operational scenario (while running the casing, drilling subsequent
hole section and producing life of the well)
⚫ Minimal cost can be achieved by using lowest possible wt/ft
and lowest coupling grades – combination string
 Define Load
(Conductor
Condition & Surface
Casing)
43

(Source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt University)

 Define Load Condition (Intermediate
Casing) 44

(Source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt University)

 Define Load Condition (Production
Casing) 45

(Source: Drilling Engineering, Herriot-Watt University)

 Common External & Internal Pressures on
experienced by the casing
46

⚫ Normal types of external pressures experienced by the

casing are:
 Formation pressures on the section which is not cemented
 Weight of mud due to poor cementing job.
 Cement slurry pressure

⚫ Types of internal pressure experienced by the casing:

 Mud to surface
 Pressure due to influx when kick happened
 Evacuation of the casing
 Leakage on production tubing
 Design Load Criteria
47

⚫ There are three basic loads/forces which the casing is

subjected to:
1. Collapse
2. Burst
3. Tension
⚫ Casing needs to withstand loads applied during
installation, drilling process and production. They must
first be calculated and must be maintained below the
casing strength properties.
⚫ Eg: The collapse pressure must be less than the collapse
strength of the
casing and so on.
⚫ Casing should initially be designed for collapse, burst and
tension. Refinements to the selected grades and weights
should only be attempted after the initial selection is made.
 Casing Grades & Strengths

• Casing can be selected by properties such as:

 Hardness (Casing Grades, e.g. C-75, H-40, J-55, P-110,

etc.)
 Dimensions
 Yield Strength
 Collapse Strength
 Burst Strength (function of yield strength and pipe
dimensions)
 Tensile Strength (evaluate pipe body strengths and
to select couplings for joint strengths)

See Table the

Usually, 3.3 for
higha wide range of casing
specification gradesis& - the
the casing sizes with their
higher the cost. strengths

48
 Casing Design Safety Factors

A safety margin is always included in casing design, to allow

for future deterioration of the casing and for other unknown
forces which may be encountered, including corrosion, wear and
thermal effects.

Design factors are usually used for designing tubulars and

are based on comparing the maximum service load relative to
the API minimum yield strength.

Industry Recommended Safety Factors (Design Factors) from various

operator:

Collapse DF = 1.0 – 1.125

Burst DF = 1.0 – 1.33
Tensile DF = 1.0– 2.0

Design Factor = Rating of the pipe

(Collapse/Burst/Tensile)
50
Maximum
Expected Service Load (Collapse/Burst/Tensile)
 1. Collapse Load
51

⚫ Collapse load = Maximum external pressure required to

collapse a specimen of casing
⚫ Collapse pressure originates from the column of mud used
to drill the hole, and acts on the outside of the casing. Since
the hydrostatic pressure of a column of mud increases with
depth, collapse pressure is highest at the bottom and zero at
the top.
How to measure???
Determine the maximum collapse load that
a casing string will be required to withstand
Pc  Pe  in the worst case scenario:

Pi Determine the lowest pressure that may be

applied inside the casing and the
corresponding highest realistic external
pressure applied.

⚫ Collapse pressure = External pressure – Internal pressure

 Simplified procedure for collapse design:
52

1. Casing is assumed empty due to lost circulation at casing setting depth

(CSD) or at TD of next hole.
2. Internal pressure inside casing is zero
3. External pressure is caused by mud/cement/pore pressure in which casing
was run in (depends on the load condition).
4. Hence using the above assumptions and applying Equation 1, only the
external
pressure need to be evaluated.

External pressure may be caused by:

• Pore pressure
• Mud weight
• Column of cement
 Calculation of Collapse Pressure
Determine Internal Pressure (Pi) Worst case assumptions:
lowest pressure applied inside the casing = evacuation to Empty hole (mud lost in a thief zone)
atmosphere Mud above cement with full density
 Pi = (assume atmospheric pressure & air gradient Full cement density working on
negligible)
= 0 psi (at surface) casing
= 0 psi (at top of cement)
= 0 psi (at casing shoe) Mud weight
= 10ppg
Determine External Pressure (Po) Po
highest realistic external pressure applied = mud & “green” Pi
cement
Cement top
 Po = Weight of fluid in annulus @ 7000ft
Cement = 15.8ppg
= 0 psi (at surface) Mix water = 8.5ppg
= 0.052 x 7000 x 10 = 3640 psi (at top of cement) 9-5/8” csg
@8000 ft
= 3640 + 0.052 x 1000 x 15.8 = 4462 psi (at casing shoe)

Gas Zone Reservoir Press.

Determine Collapse Pressure (Po - Pi) @ 8500ft = 4000 psi
Gas Gradient
 Po-Pi = 0 - 0 = 0 psi (at surface) =0.1psi / ft
= 3640 - 0 = 3640 psi (at top of cement)
= 4462 - 0 = 4462 psi (at casing shoe) Formula:
Pressure (psi) = 0.052 x vertical depth (ft) x
fluid weight (ppg)

53
Collapse Load Lines

54
 2. Burst Load
55

⚫ Burst load = Maximum value of internal pressure required

to cause the steel to yield
⚫ In oil well casings, burst occurs when the effective internal
pressure inside the casing (internal pressure minus
external pressure) exceeds the casing burst strength.
How to measure???
Determine the maximum burst load that a
casing string will be required to withstand:

Pb  Pi  Determine the highest pressure that may

be applied inside the casing and the
Pe corresponding lowest realistic external
pressure applied. This gives the worst case
scenario.

⚫ Burst pressure = Internal pressure – External pressure

(Equation 2)
 Simplified procedure for burst design:
56
⚫ To determine the internal pressure:
 Burst pressures occur when formation fluids enter the casing while drilling or

producing next hole. The unlimited kick is assumed to enter the well, displace the
entire mud and then the well is shut- in the moment the last mud drop leaves the
well.
⚫ To determine the external pressure:
 Regardless of whether the casing is cemented or not, the external load is provided by

a column of salt saturated water. It assumes all muds and cements behind casing
degrade with time to a density equivalent to salt-saturated water.
⚫ At the top of the hole, the external pressure is zero and the internal pressure must be
supported entirely by the casing body. Therefore, burst pressure is highest at the top
and lowest at the casing shoe where internal pressures are resisted by the external
pressure originating from fluids outside the casing.
⚫ In production casing the burst pressure at shoe can be higher than the burst
pressure at surface in situations where the production tubing leaks gas into the
casing.

Internal pressure may be caused by:

• Hydrocarbon influx
• Tubing leak
 Calculation of Burst Pressure
Worst case assumptions:
Determine Internal Pressure (Pi) Hole filled with gas from gas zone
highest pressure applied inside the casing = evacuation to Mud above cement degrades to saline waters
gas
Saline water between cement & casing
 Pi = Reservoir Pressure - weight of gas
column= 4000 - 8500 x 0.1 = 3150 (at surface)
psi (at top of cement) Mud weight
= 10ppg
= 4000 - 1500 x 0.1 = 3850 (at casing shoe)
psi
Po
= 4000
Determine - 500 xPressure
External 0.1 = 3950 psi
(Po)
lowest realistic external pressure applied = mud & cmt mix Cement top
Pi
@ 7000ft
water Cement = 15.8ppg
Mix water = 8.5ppg
 Po = Weight of fluid in annulus 9-5/8” csg
@8000 ft
= 0 psi (at surface)
= 0.052 x 7000 x 8.5 = 3094 psi (at top of cement)
Reservoir Press.
= 3094 + 0.052 x 1000 x 8.5 = 3536 (at casing shoe) Gas Zone
= 4000 psi
@ 8500ft
psi Gas Gradient
=0.1psi / ft
Determine Burst Pressure (Pi - Po)
 Pi-Po = 3150 - 0 = 3150 psi (at surface)
= 3850 - 3094 = 756 psi (at top of cement) Formula:
Pressure (psi) = 0.052 x vertical depth (ft) x
= 3950 - 4082 = 414 psi (at casing shoe) fluid weight (ppg)

57
Burst Load Lines

58
Selecting the Right Casing for Burst & Collapse Pressures

From Example:

Burst Required = 3150 x 1.1 safety factor = 3465 psi

Collapse Required = 4462 x 1.0 safety factor = 4462 psi

From table of 9-5/8” casing types:

Grade Weight Drift ID Collapse Burst Tensile Cost
K55 40 #/ft 8.68 in. 2570psi 3950psi 630 klb lowest
Select this ?
N80 43.5 #/ft 8.60 in. 3810psi 6330psi 1005 klb
N80 47 #/ft 8.53 in. 4750psi 6870psi 1086 klb
N80 53.5 #/ft 8.38 in. 6620psi 7930psi 1244 klb
P110 43.5 #/ft 8.60 in. 4430psi 8700psi 1381 klb highest

…need to check if tensile strength is OK for this choice

59
EXAMPLE – 7” Production
Casing 60 Collapse Load – assume that:
• Casing is totally evacuated due to
gas lifting operations (Full
evacuation)
• Casing empty
• Fluid SG outside pipe is the mud
SG
• Beneficial effect of cement is
ignored
• Design Factor of 1.0
EXAMPLE – 7” Production
Casing 61
Collapse Load at Surface:
Pe  0.052 17.95 0  0
Pi  0
psi
psi
 Pc  Pe  Pi  0
psi
Collapse Load at Casing Shoe:

Pe  0.052 17.9519000  17735

P 0 psi
i

psi

From Table 3.3, all grade satisfy the requirement.

EXAMPLE – 7” Production
Casing 62
Burst Load – assume that:
At Surface
• Well has a BHP equal to the formation pore
pressure/ reservoir pressure and the producing fluid
is gas.
• A gas leak occurs (0.1 psi/ft) in the
production tubing at surface
• The CITHP/ shut in pressure is acting on the inside
of the top of casing. This pressure will then act on
the column of packer fluid.

At shoe
• Packer Fluid density inside casing/tubing annulus is
the mud density
• Fluid density outside casing is the saturated salt
water density (gradient 0.465 psi/ft)
• Design Factor of 1.1
EXAMPLE – 7” Production
Casing 63
Burst Load at Surface:
Pe  0.052  8.94  0  0
Pi = Shut in BHP – Pressure due to Gas Column
psi
Pi  17.45 0.052 19000 
0.119000
 P15341 psi
b  Pi  Pe  15341

psi
Burst Load at Casing Shoe:
Pe  0.052  8.94 19000  8835
Pi = Pressure due to Packer Fluid Column + Surface
psi due to gas leak
Pressure

Pi  17.95 0.052 19000 15341 33076

psi
 EXAMPLE – 7” Production
Casing 64
From Table 3.3, grade V-150 & SOO-155 meet the burst requirement.

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000

0

2000

4000
Pc
6000
Pb
8000 V-150 38#
V-150 41#
10000
V-150 46#
12000 MW-155
SOO-140
14000
SOO-155
16000

18000

20000

…need to check if tensile strength is OK for this choice

 3. Tensile/ Tension
Load 65

⚫ Most axial tension arises from the weight of the casing

itself. Other tension loadings can arise due to: bending,
drag, shock loading and during pressure testing of
casing.
⚫ In casing design, the uppermost joint of the string is
considered the weakest in tension, as it has to carry the
total weight of the casing string.
⚫ The total surface tensile load (sometimes referred to as
installation load) must be determined accurately and must
always be less than the yield strength of the top joint of the
casing.
⚫ The installation load must be less than the rated derrick
load capacity so that the casing can be run in or pulled out
of hole without causing damage to the derrick.
Simplified procedure for Tension
design: 66

1. Calculate weight of casing in air using true vertical

depth

2. Calculate buoyancy
Buoyancy Factor (BF) = (65.5force (BF)in and
– mud weight ppg) ÷ buoyant
65.5 weight
(wet
Wet weight)
Weight/ Buoyant weight = Casing air weight x BF
3. Calculate bending force in deviated wells
Where:

3. Calculate drag force in deviated wells (this force is only

applicable if casing is pulled out of hole) = usually of the order
of 100,000 lbf
4. Calculate shock loads due to arresting casing in slips

5. Calculate pressure testing forces =

 Forces (1) to (3) always exist, whether the pipe is static or
in motion. Forces (4) and (5) exist only when the pipe is in
motion.
 Calculation of total tensile
load 67
• In the initial selection of casing, check that the casing can carry its
own weight in mud and when the casing is finally chosen, calculate
the total tensile loads and compare them with the joint or pipe body
yield values, using the lower of the two values.
• A design factor (1.6 to 1.8) of coupling or pipe body yield strength
divided by total tensile loads in tension should be used.

Yp Yp = Joint/ body yield strength

SF
 Total Tensile Load

 Total Tensile Load = Cumulative Wet Weight carried by top joint +

Shockload + bending force + drag force + pressure testing force
 Calculated Safety Factor, SF should exceed the specified SF (1.6 to
1.8).
 Tensile Load
EXAMPLE
– 7”
Check for tensile loading Production
(SF=1.8):
68

Casing
Assume vertical well and only shock load is considered
Toa
tl Wet Shoc
Depth Grade Length Yp (1000 lb) Wn (lb/ft) Wet Wegiht Total
S
(ft) From (BF=0.726) k Tensile
F
To0 6000 V-150 38# 6000 1430 38 Lo
121a
6d
00 686428
Wegiht
601060552812000 56M
4W
82-1
8 55 6000 1592 38 165528 399300 21.02813620408 3.05624
520900 9
3.52781
12000 19000 V-150 46# 7000 1344 46 233772 233772 8
147200 380972
Where:
Since to
Need calculated
check forSF exceed minimum SF of 1.8, all sections satisfy
costs.
tensile load requirement. Wet Weight/ Buoyant weight = Wn x Length x BF
Yp
SF Shockload = 3200 x Wn (Nominal weight)
 Total Tensile Load Yp = Joint yield strength

Buoyancy Factor (BF) = (65.5 – mud weight in ppg) ÷ 65.5

69