BASIC OF CASING DESIGN

Introduction to Well Design

by SYAZWAN WAN IBRAHIM
SENIOR DRILLING ENGINEER
DAR PETROLEUM OPERATING COMPANY

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form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the permission of the
copyright owner.
Why Is It Important?

 Used for protection during all

phase of drilling & production

 Casing must be design to

withstand many severe
operating condition

 The casing design must meet all

potential requirements
OUTLINE

 What are the type of casing

used in our design?

 What information do we
need to start the casing
design?

 What consideration do we
take to select the casing
seat?
What Are The Type of Casing Used In Our
Design?
1. Conductor
a) Typical size of 20”, 18-5/8” & 16”
b) Drilled and Cemented
c) Function:
i. Prevent washout at surface formation
ii. Serve as conduit for mud to return to
surface
What Are The Type of Casing Used In Our
Design?
2. Surface Casing
a) Typical size of 14-3/4” & 13-3/8”
b) Second casing string to be run after
conductor
c) Function:
i. Stabilize unconsolidated formation
ii. Isolate fresh water formation from
contaminated by the hydrocarbon and mud
iii. As a structure support for BOP package
iv. Supporting subsequent casing strings
What Are The Type of Casing Used In Our
Design?
2. Intermediate Casing
a) Typical size of 9-5/8”
b) Third casing to be run after surface casing
to isolate troublesome zone or to meet the
production hole kick tolerance.
c) Function:
i. Isolating problematic or troublesome zone
ii. Protecting weak formation from high density
mud required to drill deeper
iii. Isolating over pressured zone and drilling
hydrostatic pressure below
What Are The Type of Casing Used In Our
Design?
2. Production Casing
a) Typical size of 7”
b) Usually the final casing to be run in a well
c) Function:
i. To hold the maximum shut in pressure of the
producing formations, pressure occurring
from completion, workover and stimulation
work
ii. Provide zonal isolation between zones
iii. Provide environmental protection if tubing
fail
iv. Allowing production tubing to be change or
repair during production life of the well
What Information Do We Required to
Start Casing Design?
1. Well Proposal (From Subsurface Team)
a) Pore Pressure (PP)
b) Fractured Gradient (FG)
c) Temperature
d) Lithology
e) Target
2. Offset Wells Information
a) Hole problem issues
b) Time Estimate
3. Company Policy
4. Government Regulation (if any)
 What Consideration We Take To Select
Casing Seat?
1. Pressure Profile & Fractured Gradient
Pressure (psi)
Depth (m)

8 ppg 9 ppg 10 ppg 11 ppg 12 ppg 12 ppg

 What Consideration We Take To Select
Casing Seat?
2. Mud Weight (~ 150 psi overbalance)
Pressure (psi)
Depth (m)

8 ppg 9 ppg 10 ppg 11 ppg 12 ppg 12 ppg

What Consideration We Take To Select
Casing Seat?
3. Kick Tolerance (KT)
Maximum kick size (usually in bbls) which the previous casing shoes can
withstand without exceeding the Fractured Gradient (FG) pressure when
circulating out the kick to surface.
The fundamental need was to show that shoe strength was sufficient to prevent
risk to shallower formations, the rig and the environment.
 No specific standard on KT in industry
 Common KT used by major oil & gas operator (PETRONAS, Shell, Exxon
Mobil) are:
• Hole size larger than 12-1/4” -> 50 to 100 bbls
• Between 8-1/2” to 12-1/4” -> 25 to 50 bbls
• Smaller than 8-1/2” -> Full Displacement
 What Consideration We Take To Select
Casing Seat?
3. Kick Tolerance (KT)
Pressure (psi)
Depth (m)

8 ppg 9 ppg 10 ppg 11 ppg 12 ppg 12 ppg

What Consideration We Take To Select
Casing Seat?
4. Lithology (Other Consideration)
a) Most cases there will be lithological considerations that require the casing to be
set at a depth less than what pressure considerations dictate
b) Casing must be set in competent formation - shale/clay
(msec

DEPTH
ESTIMATED

Horizo

NOSIS
SEISMIC TWT LITHOLO

PROG

(mss)
SEISMIC LITHOLOGY FORMATIO
CYCL
PERI

REFLECTIO PORE
GY N
) DESCRIPTI
OD

SECTION

n
N
E

Pro. Salam-1 Pro. Salam-1 COLUMN ON AND

EVALUATIO PRESSURE
STRENGHT N
and REMARKS (PPG)
0 CASING Seabe 92
DESIGN 30
V

d MWD
I
I

” .1
PLIOCENE TO

(GR/Resistivity/
20 Sand and PWD)
” shale/clay
RECENT

65 Cycle 56 8.6
interbedded of MWD
8.6
IntraVI 696
V

81
0 0
I

Cycle VI and PEX-AIT – DSI

4 Cycle VI MDT – LFA &
16 younger
Sandstone and SAMPLE
11 ” Cycle 11 shale/clay CHECKSHOT 9.4
89
14 V 12 interbedded of
Intra 13 11.4
UPPER

Cycle V. At
33 Cycle 92 lower part
V

V possibly more
MIOCEN

Sandstone and
13- shaly and may
E

shale/clay
5/8 contain
11- interbedded of
MID

” carbonate
22 Cycle 24 Cycle IV may 15.3
V

3/4
I

stringer.
23
73 Cycle
IV 25
85 contain 15.7
9- ”
Sandstone and LWD
69 III 96 intercalation
shale/clay of
RII
WE
I
LO

25 Cycle 28 PEX-AIT
16.5
7/8 carbonate
interbedded (Contigency) –
78 II 68 stringer.
” may contain DSI
I
I

28 Cycle I 34 intercalation of MDT – LFA &

17.6
OLIGOCE

98 50 thin carbonate SAMPLE

NE

stringer at upper SWC

I

8- part of cycle III. CHECKSHOT 17.6

35
30 1/
PROPOSED TD@ 3530
2”
± 100 mss
Example of Complex Casing Design
 Thank You.
For further enquiry, please contact content developer:
Syazwan Wan Ibrahim
Senior Drilling Engineer, Operations Dept.,
Exploration & Production Division
Phone/SMS: +211 91 230 0627
E-mail: syazwan.ibrahim@darpetroleum.com

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the permission of the
copyright owner.