PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS
~~E
~~~
Helical Buckling of Tubing Sealed in Packers
ARTHUR LUBINSKI
MEMBER AIME
W. S. ALTHOUSE
MEMBER AIME
J. L LOGAN
MEMBER AIME
ABSTRACT
Most gas wells and flowing oil 'Wells are completed and
treated through a string of tubing and a packer. Changes in
temperature and in pressure inside or outside the tubing
will: (1) if free motion of the tubing inside the packer is
permitted, increase or decrease the length of the tubing; or
(2) if free motion is prevented, induce forces in the tubing
and on the packer. If pressure inside the tubing is greater
than outside, the tubing may buckle helically even in the
presence of a packer-to-tubing tension. The tubing will
always buckle, and much more severely, if free motion is
permitted. The buckling may be prevented by pulling the
tubing in sufficient tension.
The prediction of these forces and tubing movement has
heretofore been based upon calculations that did not in-
clude helical buckling. This paper presents means with
which these length or force changes can be calculated
while taking into account the effect of helical buckling. To
avoid damaging formations, failure of remedial operations,
or damage to the tubing or packer, application is made to
practical problems involving calculations of the required
length of seals, amount of slackoff or tension, and preven-
tion of permanent corkscrewing.
INTRODUCTION
Leakage of a packer may resUlt in costly failures of
such operations as squeeze cementing, hydraulic fractur-
ing, etc. To avoid such failures, the authors are often
asked questions pertaining to the length of necessary seals,
the amount of necessary slackoff, etc. Published work' does
not take into account helical buckling of tubing. Investi-
gation of helical buckling was prompted by the fact that
allowance must be made for this phenomenon in order
to provide relevant answers.
In the past, theoretical work on helical buckling was
confined to conditions for which such buckling does not
occur."'··- The mathematical treatment of behavior in a
buckled condition, given in the Appendix, is novel.
...Assumptions upon which this investigation is based are
listed and discussed in a special section.
Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers office
Aug. 8, 1961. Revised manuscript received April 11. 1962. Paper pre-
sented at 36th Annual Fall Mee~ of SPE. Oet. 8-11, 1961, in Dallas.
'References &iven at end of paper.
Discussion of this and all following technical papers is invited. Dis-
cussion in writing (three copies) may be sent to the office of the
Jottr7IDl of Pet1'oleum Teck'Mlol1'!l. Any discussion offered after Dee. 31.
1962. should be in the form of a new paper. No discussion should ex-
ceed 10 per cent of the manuscript being diaeassed.
JUNE, ~962
'l.UAI ~'
PAN AMERICAN PETROLEUM CORP.
TULSA, OKLA.
BAKER OIL TOOLS, INC.
LOS ANGELES, CAUF.
HOUSTON, TEX.
FIELD APPUCATION
The following are a few of the many kinds of problems
which may be solved with this paper.
1. Consider a packer in which tubing may move. Such
movement will occur after pressures and temperature are
changed. The paper provides means for: (a) calculating
the amount of such movement and, therefore, the required
length of seals; and (b) calculating the necessary amount
of initial slackoff, for which there is no danger of unseal-
ing the packer, if the length of seals is given.
Such calculations, as well as those which follow, fully
take into account the fact that part of the movement is
due to elastic helical buckling of the lower part of the
string. This buckling may occur even in tubing under
tension.
Insufficient initial slackoff for a given length of seals,
or insufficient length of seals for a given slackoff, may
result in costly failures. A field case of such a failure will
be given further in this paper.
2. In the case in which tubing cannot move in the
packer, changes of pressure and temperature result in
tubing-to-packer forces and forces in the tubing above the
packer, both of which may be calculated. This knowledge
is important because, if these forces are too large, they
could damage the packer or the tubing.
3. For wells in which wireline tools are to be run
through the tubing, the paper provides means to keep the
tubing from buckling, thereby permitting free passage of
tools.
4. In deep wells, mainly in the presence of large casing,
tubing may become "corkscrewed", i.e., take a permanent
helical set. A field case is described further in the text.
Using this paper, one may calculate in advance conditions
under which permanent corkscrewing would occur, and
then take preventive steps.
HEUCAL BUCKLING
Consider a string of tubing, freely suspended in the
absence of any fluid inside casiDg, as shown in Fig. 1 (a) .
Now consider an upward force F applied at the lower end
of this tubing. This force compresses the string; and if
the compression is large enough (which is always the case
in actual problems), the lower portion of the string will
buckle into a helix. as shown in Fig. 1 (b) .
The lower end of the tubing is subjected to a compres-
sion F. This compression decreases with the distance from
the bottom and becomes nil (neither compression nor ten-
6SS
 sion) at the neutral point. Above the neutral point, the
string is in tension and remams straight.
The distance n from the bottom of the tubing to the
neutral point is
F and other instances.4-C It is proven in the Appendix that
n = - (1)
W
As proven in the Appendix, the pitch p (i.e., the distance
between spirals, just above the lower end of the tubing)
is
(2)
Eq. 2 also gives pitch at any point below the neutral
point, if F is understood as the compression at that point.
The pitch is the smallest at the lower end, where it may
be of the order of 20 ft, and increases as the neutral point
is approached, where it becomes infinite. In most situations
occurring in oilwell tubing, the neutral point is located
several thousand feet above the packer, and the number
of .spirals may be of the order of 1QO or 200.
Consider now the same tubing, but sealed in a packer
which permits free motion of the tubing, as shown in Fig. 2.
Consider that a pressure Pi is applied inside the tubing at
the packer level. This pressure P, subjects the bottom of
the tubing to a compressive force, and one would expect
this compressive force to buckle the tubing inside the
casing. As proven in the Appendix, however, the tubing will
buckle more severely than could be expected from this
actual compressive force alone. It will buckle as if it were
subjected to the following compressive ~orce Fr.
F! = A"P, (3)
As part of this compressive force does not exist, the entire
force F! will be called fictitious.
If the packer configuration is as. shown in Fig. 3, the
pressure P, subjects the tubing to a tension; one might
FIG. I-BUCKLING OF FREELY SUSPENDED TUBIl\.';.
656
think, therefore, that the string should remain straight.
Actually, however, the string will buckle although under
tension. This might be considered strange, but similar
phenomena have been proven correct for pumping· wells:"
the tubing buckles as if subjected to the compressive fic-
titious force F, given by Eq. 3.
Consider now a pressure Po applied outside the tubing
at the packer level. In Fig. 3, the pressure Po subjects the
tubing to a compression and one might think, therefore,
that the string should buckle. Actually, however, the string
will remain straight.
It is proven in the Appendix that, in the presence of
both inside pressure P, and outside pressure Po, the tubing
behaves (as far as buckling or straightness is concerned)
as if it were subjected to the following fictitious force F,.
Fr = Ap(P, - Po) (4)
The string will buckle if F! is positive, i.e., a fictitious com-
pression. It will remain straight if Fr is either negative (i.e.,
a fictitious tension) or if Fr is zero.
Eq. 4 holds true for both the packer configurations of
Figs. 2 and 3, and any other possible configuration.
It is also proven in the Appendix that in the presence of
liquids the weight per unit length, w, must be considered
as
W = W. + Wi - Wo • • (5)
The fictitious force Fr given by Eq. 4 and the weight
per unit length, w, given by Eq. 5 must be used in Eqs. 1
and 2 to obtain the location of the neutral point and the
pitch.
With regard to Eq. 1, it should be well understood that, in
the presence of liquids, the neutral point is not the point
at which there is neither' tension nor compression!··'·' ~
Rather, it is the point below which the string is buckled
and above which the string is straight. Depending on con-
ditions, this point may be either under tension or compres-
sion, but its location in the string is always given by Eq. 1.
PACKERS PERMITIING FREE MOTION
Packers are seldom used in a manner permitting free
motion, so this case is given here mainly for explanatory
purposes. Let us start again with a string of tubing in
casing in the absence of any fluids, and let an upward force
F be applied at the lower end, as shown in Fig. 1 (b). This
AREA
AREA
A,
AREA
Ao
FIG. 2-(UFT) PACKER PERMITTINC FREE MOTION, LuGE BORE,
FIC. 3-(CENTER) PACKER PER..'liUTTING FREE MonON, SMALL·BoRE..
FIG.4-(RrCHT) PACKER PERMUTING LIMITED MOTION.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
force results in a shortening of the tubing, denoted tll."
due to the Hooke's law effect.
LF
tll.l = - - (6)
EA,
From Fig. 1 (a and b) it is self-evident that, in addition
to the above shortening, there is another one occurring
below the neutral point due to helical buckling itself. It is
proven in the Appendix that, if the neutral point is within
the string, then this shortening (denoted tll.,) is
rr-
tll.. = - 8Elw' (7)
Throughout this paper, positive and negative forces will
be considered as compressions and tensions, respectively,
and positive and negative changes of length will mean
elongations and shortenings, respectively. These rules ex-
plain_the sign minus in Eqs. 6 and 7.
If F is a tension (i.e., a force considered here as nega-
tive), u,. from Eq. 6 becomes positive (i.e., an elonga-
tion), while Eq. 7 no longer has. any meaning because
there would be no bucliling.
Consider now the same tubing, but sealed in a packer
which permits free motion of the tubing, as shown in
either Fig. 2 or 3. Consider again that pressures P, and p.
are applied inside and outside the tubing, respectively, at
the packer level. It is self-evident that these pressures sub-
ject the lower end of the tubing to an actually existing
(nonfictitious) force F •.
FA = (Ap - A,) Pi - (Ap - Ao) p. (8)
FA may be either positive (i.e., a compression) or negative
(i.e., a tension).
To obtain the change of length AL" due to the Hooke's
law effect, one must substitute the actually existing force
FA from Eq. 8 for F in Eq. 6.
On the other hand, in order to obtain the change of
length Ill.: due to helical buckling itself, one must substi-
tute in Eq. 7 the fictitious force Fr from Eq. 4 for F, and
the weight per unit length w from Eq. 5.
Consider now that tubing and annulus pressures at the
packer level are changed by b.P, and b.P., respectively.
These pressure changes are considered as positive if cor-
responding to an increase, and negative if corresponding to
a decrease. Substituting Eq. 8 into Eq. 6, and replacing
pressures by changes of pressure, we obtain
tll.l = - ~JA" - A,) M, - (A" - Ao) Mo].
. . . . . . (9)
Throughout this paper (except in a special short section) ,
it will be assumed that P, = p. prior to application of
pressure changes AP, and b.P., which is almost always the
case in actual problems. Therefore, the initial fictitious
force is zero. Thus, the fictitious force F, appearing later
may be considered as the change of fictitious force which,
in view of Eq. 4, is equal to A,,(b.P, - AP.). Substituting
this in Eq. 7 for F and substituting w from Eq. 5, we
obtain
-tll. = _ r
A,,' (b.P, - b.P.)' (10)
• 8El (w, + w, - w.) ,
Ill.: being the length change with respect to the length of
the tubing when landed with Pi = p •.
If AP. is greater than LlPi , then there is no helical
buckling, and Eq. 10 should not be used; i.e., Ill.: should
be considered as zero.
In the presence of no fluid, the only length changes to
JUNE. 1962
be considered were tll.l and AI..: given by Eqs. 6 and 7,
respectively.
On the other hand, in the presence of fluid, one must
consider an additional length change, denoted AL" due to
flow inside the tubing and changes in radial pressure forces.
Consider the tubing initially full of some liquid in static
conditions, and which later is replaced by another one
either in static condition or in motion. Flow not only results
in a drop of pressure, modifying the radial pressure forces,
but also imparts a force to the tubing wall; both chapge
the length of the tubing. Also consider similar conditions
in the annulus, but without any fluid motion. It is proven
in the Appendix that the length change AI.. is shown by
the following expression.
. 1 + 2v
Api - R·Ap. - - 2 - B
AT
~
=_ E
~
R'-1
v L'
_ 2v Api - R' Ap. L
(11)
E R· - 1
where B is the drop of pressure per unit length due to
flow. B, assumed to be constant, is positive when the flow
is downward, and conversely B = 0 in the case of no flow.
The length changes u,., Ill.: and AL., given by Eqs. 9,
10 and 11, are the only ones resulting from pressure
changes and flow in a system comprising tubing sealed in
a packer which permits free tubing motion. In actual prob-
lems pertaining to such a system, one must also consider
the length change Ai.. c!:!e to temperature changes.
tll.. = L PAt. . .
.. (12)
Thus, the over-all tubing length change AL is
AL = ALl + Ill.: + AL. + AL, (13)
AL. is often an appreciable fraction of AL. The value of
the change of average tubing temperature At must gen-
erally be based on guess-work, which results in lack of
precision in determining the total length change AL. It
would be desirable if some research could be conducted
which would permit determination of At in various well
operations.
NUMERICAL VALUES USED IN ALL EXAMPLES
For simplicity, an example has been chosen of a high-
pressure squeeze-cementing operation. This example, for
illustrating calculation procedures, will be used in numeri-
cal problems pertaining to various types of packers, regard-
less of whether these packers are suitable or unsuitable for
such operations. Where packers are used for squeeze opera-
tions under conditions for which they are not designed,
difficulties may be encountered and these will be fully
predicted by the calculations.
The following numerical values will be used in all the
examples of this paper:
Tubing: 2~-in. 00, 6.5 lb/ft, for which: A. = 6.49 sq
in., Ai = 4.68 sq in., A, = 1.81 sq in., R = 1.178, w, =
0.542 lb/in. and I = 1.61 in.'
Radial Tubing-to-Casing Clearance: r = 1.61 in., which
corresponds to 7-in., 32-lb/ft casing.
Packer: bore 3.25 in. CA" = 8.30 sq in.), which means a
configuration of Fig. 2; and depth 10,000 ft (L = 120,000
in.).
Both the tubing and the annulus are full of 30° API
crude at the same time the tubing is initially sealed in the
packer. Thereafter, the crude in the tubing is displaced by
15-1b/gal cement slurry, as in a squeeze-cementing opera-
6S7 .
 tion. Finally, pressures of Pi = 5,000 and p. = 1,000 psi cementing operation, the seals moved out of the packer,
are applied at the surface to the tubing and the annulus, thus exposing to tubing pressure old squeezed-off perfora-
respectively. tions above the packer. This prevented application of a
Bottom-hole pressures are calculated disregarding the sufficiently high squeeze pressure to achieve the desired
effect of flow (B = 0), which corresponds to the most water shut-off.
severe condition during a cementing operation-namely, It is important to realize that this calculated change of
toward the end when there is little or no flow. length of 165.2 in. generally would be smaller because of
From these conditions, we obtain the following values. friction between the buckled string and the casing. In this
investigation, the effects of friction are not taken into con-
Initial pressures: sideration. Therefore, the results of calculations should be
Pi = P. = 0, considered as a limit. In other words, the tubing could
Pi = p. = 3,800 psi. move by as much as 165.2 in., mainly in the presence of
factors decreasing friction such as vibrations in the tubing
Final pressures: and/or pUlsations in the liquid.
Pi = 5,000 psi,· Calculating with Eq. 8 the actual force F. and with
Po = 1,000 psi, Eq. 4 the fictitious force F" we obtain F. = 37,610 lb and
Pi = 12,790 psi, F, = 66,320 lb; and using F, in Eq. 1, the distance n from
Po = 4,800 psi. the packer to the neutral point is obtained. n = 8,635 ft,
Pressure changes: which shows that most of the string is buckled.
tlpi = 5,000 psi, As stated already, a packer permitting free motion would
tlpo = 1,000 psi, not be practical for the numerical values of the example
tlP, = 8,990 psi, problem. The results of calculations pertaining to a few
tlPo = 1,000 psi. cases where such packers would be practical are given in
Table 1.
Initial densities:
Pi = 0.0317 psi/in., PACKERS PERMITTING UMITED MOTION
p. = 0.0317 psi/in.
Consider a packer shown diagrama~cally in Fig. 4. A
Final densities: shoulder limits the amount of downward motion of the
Pi = 0.0649 psi/in., tubing in the packer. When the shoulder is in contact with
p. = 0.0317 psi/in. the packer, slackoff at the surface subjects the tubing at
the packer to a compression. This operation, which is com-
Density changes: monly referred to as "landing the tubing in compression",
tlpi = 0.0332 psi/in., generally takes place prior to any changes of pressure and
tlp. = O. temperature. The problem consists of calculating the
amount of tubing motion in the packer after pressures and
Weights per unit length, from Eq. 5: temperature are changed.
Initial w = 0.484 lb/in., To solve the problem, imagine that prior to pressure
Final w = 0.640 lb/in. and temperature changes, but after slackoff, the restraint
Finally, it will be assumed that the change of average at the shoulder is removed; this results in an elongation
temperature tlt = - 20°F (cooling). of the tubing, denoted 1:.L... The packer can then be consid-
ered as though it permitted free tubing motion, and
EXAMPLE I-PACKER PERMITTING changes of pressure and temperature result in a change of
FREE MOTION tubing length tlL calculated with Eq. 13 by previously
explained means. The resultant tlL. of the two length
Consider a packer which permits free motion of the changes is
tubing in the packer. As a result of the above pressure, tlL. = tlL + ilL, (14 )
density and temperature changes, the tubing length changes Therefore, the problem may be solved if M.. is known.
from its original landed value. This change is obtained by In the event the amount of slackoff is given in pounds
adding the results of substitutions of numerical values into rather than in inches, t::..L. must be calculated using Eqs. 6
Eqs. 9, 10, 11 and 12, respectively. and 7, in which F is taken as the slackoff force and w is
ill., = - 67.9 in. as given in Eq. 5. The sum of length changes thus obtained,
ill., = - 46.1 in.
ill., =- 34.6 in.
TABLE I-ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF TUBING MOVEMENT IN A PACKER
Type Job Frao Producing Swab
ilL. = - 16.6 in.
Casing Size 7·in. 00 32 Ib/ft
.ilL =- 165.2 in.
Tubing Size
Depth
2~.-in. OD
10,000 ft
Packer Bore 3'A in.
Thus, the total length change is almost 14 ft. Actually, Initial Fluid 9.2 Ib/gal Salt Water -10 Ib/gal Mud 10 Ib/gal Mud
however, as will be shown further in this paper, a packer Final Fluid,
Tubing 9 Ib/gal Froo Fluid 45· Oil 45· Oil to 5,000 ft
permitting free motion is not suitable for high-pressure .Annulus 9.2 Ib/gal Salt Water 10 Ib/gal Mud 10 Ib/gal Mlud
squeeze cementing, and these calculations are only given Final Pressure:
to explain the calculation procedure. Tubing 3,000 psi 1,000 psi o
Annulus n,ooo psi o psi 1,000 psi
It should be noted that, as in the example under con- Temp. Change !:.t -IO·F +20°F +IO·F
sideration, the length change AI.: due to helical buckling is ALt -19.2 in. + 5.7 in. +31.6 in.
frequently. an appreciable part of the total change tlL. Dis- AL. - 3.6 in. 0 o
Ala - 9.7 in. - 0.9 in. +22.0 in.
regarding tlL. may result in costly failures. The authors AL, - 8.3 in. +16.6 in. + 8.3 in.
know of a well in which, during a surfactant oil-squeeze AL -40.8 in. +21..& in. +61.9 in.

6S8 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

 which is negative, is the shortening of tubing due to slack-
off. When the restraint at the packer is removed, a corres-
ponding elongation (i.e., a positive change of length)
occurs; lll.. is this elongation.
In the event lll.. is found to be negative (i.e., a shorten-
ing) then lll.c is the answer to the problem, i.e., the amount
of tubing motion in the packer after pressures and temp-
erature are changed. On the other hand, if AL. is found
to be positive (i.e., a lengthening), then such a lengthen-
ing actually cannot take place because of the shoulder.
Instead of lengthening, a packer-to-tubing force develops,
which makes the packer behave like ·one permitting no
free motion. This will be considered later in the paper.
EXAMPLE2--PACKERPERMTnITNG
LIMIlED MOTION
As an example, consider that 20,000 lb had been slacked-
off before pressures and temperature are changed. Using
Eqs. 6 and 7, we obtain t:.Ll + AL. = - 49.7 in.; there-
fore, AL. = + 49.7 in. Pressure and temperature changes
will result in an additional, previously-calculated length
change t:.L = - 165.2 in. Substituting into Eq. 14, we ob-
tain the total length change lll.. = - 115.5 in. (shortening).
This means that the minimum length of the ·seals should be
115.5 in. to accommodate the shortening of the tubing.
Repeating similar calculations for several slackoffs in
addition to the 20,000-1b value, Fig. 5 has been prepared,
in which the minimum length of seals is plotted vs the
initial slackoff. Friction is not considered and the values
shown pertain to maximum possible length changes of the
tubing.
Fig. 5 shows that: (1) with no slack-off the required
length of seals is 165.2 in. which is, of course, the same
as in Example 1; and (2) to prevent any motion of the
tubing (i.e., to have theoretically a zero length of seals),
initially one would have to slack.off the tubing by 55,500
lb. If the slackoff were greater than 55,500 lb, the packer
would behave like one permitting no free motion, which
will be investigated later in this paper.
As already mentioned, insufficient initial slackoff for a
given length of seals, or an insufficient length of seals
for a given slackoff, may result in costly failures. For ex-
ample, the authors know of a well in which, for produc-
tion purposes, some tubing weight had been slacked-off on
a packer. Several months later it was decided to fracture
the formation without going to the expense of a pulling unit
in order to slack-off the additional amount required by
calculations. When maximUJ]l fracturing pressure was
reached, the seals had not moved out of the packer but
did so a few minutes later while injection was still under-
way, breaking down an old set of squeezed-off perfora-
Returning to the numerical example, if the initial slack-
off is less than 55,500 lb, the tubing at the end of the
operation is not restrained by the packer. Consequently,
the actual force Fa, the fictitious force F t and the distance
n from the packer to the neutral point are the same as in
Example 1.
It should be noted that, to limit tubing motion to a
small amount, one would have to generate initially by
slackoff a packer-to-tubing compression close to 55,500 lb.
This compression, of course, buckles the string. After pres-
sures and temperature are changed, this compression dis-
appears and one might think that buckling would become
less severe. Actually, the contrary holds true because at
that time the string is buckled by the fictitious force F t ,
which is the same as in Example 1 (i.e., 66,320 lb).
PACKERS PERMITTING NO MOTION
Consider a packer, shown diagramatically ill Fig. 6,
which permits no tubing motion in either direction. With
such a packer the tubing can be landed either in compres-
sion or tension.
Restraint of the tubing in the packer, after pressures
and temperature are changed, results in a packer-to-tubing
force denoted Fp. Up to this point in the paper, Fp was
zero, and the actual force Fa acting on the tubing immed-
iately above the packer was due only to pressures and was
given by Eq. 8. In the presence of a packer-to-tubing force
F p, this actual force Fa * is due both to pressures and to the
reaction Fp of the packer on the tubing.
Fa* = Fa + Fp (15) . . . . .
Similarly, up to this point in the paper the fictitious
force F t , upon which buckling depends, was given by Eq. 4.
In the case now considered, the expression of the fictitious
force F t * becomes
Ft* = F t + Fp (16)
The packer-to-tubing force Fp is important because, if
too large, it could damage the packer and because Fp is
required to calculate Fa * and F t *. Knowledge of the actual
force Fa * in the tubing immediately above the packer per-
mits calculation of the tension F, in the tubing at the
...
::r ... \
,
Ii '\
~
... "" r-
~

~- - r~

tions above the packer. A probable explanation is that, at i..... \

first, because of friction the pitch of the first few spirals o
!\
of the helix above the packer became very short. This in- ~
creased the friction even more, thus preventing full motion .
iii ..
\
of the seals. Later, a shortening of the tubing due to a
gradual decrease in temperature resulted in a pull from
~
;
:I;
.. \
abO¥e on the helically buckled tubing, thus making possible
tubing motions approaching those calculated on the basis of .. 1\
no friction. Presence of any vibrations in the tubing or any
\
pulsations in the fluid, of course, could contribute to the :III

elimination of the effects of friction.

The case just mentioned pertains to a fracturing opera- • .. '" . .. \
to ..
tion. Should the seals move out of the packer in a produc- FIC. 5-(LE~'T) FL"'AL TUBINC MOTION (LENGTH OF SEALS) VS
ing well,. costly formation damage could easily result by L"IITIAL SLACKOFF.
mud invasion. FIG. 6-(RIGHT) PACKER PERMITTING No MOTION.

JUNE, 1962 659

 surface. Knowledge of the fictitious force F,* is necessary
to determine whether the tubing is straight or buckled and,
in the latter case, to what extent. Both Fe * and F,* are
needed to determine whether the tubing might become
permanently corkscrewed.
To determine F p , it is necessary to proceed first as in
the section "Packers Permitting Limited Motion" (i.e., to
imagine that the restraint at the packer is removed) and
calculate the tubing length change D.L. with Eq. 14. Fp is
then determined as the mechanically applied force required
to move the tubing back to its original pOsition in the
packer (i.e., to move it by the amount - D.Lr., which now
will be denoted D.Lp ) . Hence the only problem to be solved
. is to calculate F p knowing D.L11.
To calculate Fp assume again a string of tubing in casing
in the absence of any fluid, and subjected to a force F
applied at the lower end, as illustrated in Fig. l(a and b).
F will result in two length changes given by Eqs. 6 and 7.
Thus, the over-all change, denoted D.L', will be
. D.L' = - ~. F - 8~W P ~ (17)
In this equation, F is positive, i.e., a compression. For
negative values of F (i.e., a tension), the over-all change
of length will be
D.L' = - ~. F . (18)
For ::ny particular tubing size and length and casing size,
the coefficients of F and P in Eqs. 17 and 18 are known,
and a graph of /ll.' vs F (such as Fig. 7) may be prepared.
The straight portion of the curve corresponds to Eq. 18,
and the curved portion OW to Eq. 17. The curved portion
WV will not be used for the time 'eing, and its meaning
will be given later in this paper.
Consider now the same system, but in the presence of
fluids. The force F, however, will still be a mechanically
applied force, i.e., not a pressure force. It is obvious that
Eqs. 17 and 18 remain valid, on condition that in Eq. 17
the weight per unit length w be as given in Eq. 5. . It is pr:lven in the Appendix that Figs. 7 and 8 may be
Consider now, for example, that F is compressive and
represented by Point A on the curve of Fig. 7. Further-
more, consider that it is desired to char.;e the length of
the string by some given amount /ll.p by sllbjecting the
lower end of the tubing to an additional force F 11. The
fundamental problem consists of calculating the; magnitude
and the sign of Fp (positive for compression, negative for
tension). For this purpose the co-ordinate axes in Fig. 7
are displaced to the position shown in Fig. 8 so as to move
the origin from 0 to Po:nt A, i.e., to the point represent-
ing the starting condition just prior to application of the
force Fop.
As an example, let the desired length change D.Lp be a
lengthening; therefore, the corresponding force Fop will be
a tension. Plotting J\B equal to /ll.11 in the direction of
lengthening (i.e., upward), Point B is obtained. The sought
value of F p is represented by Be. If Point C is located in
the curved portil)n of the graph (i.e., to the right of Point
0, as in the case of Fig. 8), then the string is still buckled
after application of th::: force F.,. although less than before.
On the other hand, if Point C were located on the straight
portion of the graph, such as at c,., then the string would
be straight after applicatiOn of the force F"p.
If D.L11 had been a shortening, the corresponding force
F"p would have been a compression and Point C would
have been located below Point A, such as at C. in Fig. 8.
In this case, application of the force F"p would buckle the
string further.
Finally, consider a similar problem, but in the presence
of fluids. The tubing is sealed in a packer which permits
free motion. The tubing and the annulus are subjected at
the packer level to pressures which are generally different,
the tubing being either buckled (if P, > P.), or straight
(if P, ~ p.). Consider that it is desired to change the
length of the string, from its length under these pressures,
by some given amount ~ by subjecting the lower end
of the tubing to a mechanically applied force F"p. The.
fundamental problem consists, as in the case of no fluids,
of calculating the magnitude of this force and its sign.
us::d to solve the probJem in the presence of fluids on con-

J
I
:J
<I
8Z I ..J
0. aZ
III Z I <I Z
>
i= J:
III I
I 'i=" '"J:~
>
iii ~ I iii Z
~ m
d
I
o
lL
W
d
I
I

NEGATIVE F
(TENSION)
POSmVE F
(COMPRESSION)
__________~___ i2_~:~- I
J
'&::---$-B
C
I 0-
..J
NEGATIVE Fp I <I POSmVE Fp

(TENSION) (COMPRESSION)

W w
:J 8Z \ .J S
<I Z \
<I \
III Z ,\ III Z '\
>
~ II
III \
,, > '"
~ ~
'\
'\

Ii! ~
z !!!
....
" .........v
"
~ !!
J:
""-
..... " "- ....
F'Ic;. 7-FoBCE-LENGTH CHANGE CURVE. FIG. 8-ADDITIONAL FORCE·LENGTH CHANGE CURVE.

JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

 dition that: (1) w be und:!rstood as given by Eo. 5; and rr~ is obtained as EC (i.e., as 29,000 Ib). However, the
(2) the mechanical force F i:-: i';:; . .; tl: I"'·., ,,,!>I:.ccd by ~.!gn of F,* is somewhat confusing in Fig. 10. This may
the fictitious force F, given by Eq. 4. c •.s]y be clarified if EC is plotted in Fig. 9, which shows
that EC is positive (i.e., a compression). Finally, this value
EXAMPLE 3-PACKER PERMI1TING also could have been obtained from Eq. 16.
NO MOTION F,* = 66,320 - 37,000 = 29,320 lb.
Since F,* is positive (i.e., a compression), the string will
. For the numerical values of the example case used still be buckled after pressures and temperature are
throughout this paper, Fig. 9 similar to Fig. 7 and Fig. 10 changed.
similar to Fig. 8 have been plotted for the case where the The actual force Fa acting at the lower end of the tubing,
tubing is full of 15-lbjgal cement slurry, and the annulus is when the packer permits free tubing motion, has been cal-
full of 30° API crude. culated in Example 1: Fa. = + 37,610 lb. Using Eq. 15
The previously calculated value of the fictitious force F" the corresponding value of the actual force in the case
when free motion of the tubing is permitted, is equal to now considered is obtained: F. * = + 610 lb, which is a
66,320 lb. With this value, Point A is plotted in Fig. 9, small compression.
as has been explained in Fig. 7. It is frequently important to know the force in the tubing
eonsider, as in the case of Example 2, that 20,000 Ib at the surface. This may easily be obtained from Fa * and
had been slacked-off before pressure and temperature are the weight of the string in air.
changed. Imagine now that the restraint at the packer is Repeating similar calculations, values of the forces F, * ,
removed, and pressures and tempera.!IJ.re changed. As calcu- Fa *, F" and F. have been calculated for a sequence of
lated in Example 2, this results in a shortening of 115.5 in. initial slackoffs arid pickups, and plotted in Fig. 11.
Therefore, to bring the tubing back to its original position
in the packer, one would have to lengthen it by 115.5 in., Point D in Fig. 11 shows that, for initial pickups greater
i.e., by AI." = + 115.5 in. Plotting this as AB in the than 13,000 lb, the fictitious force F, is a tension in the
direction of lengthening in Fig. 10, the corresponding value example under consideration; therefore, the string does not
of packer-to-tubing force F1' is obtained as BC-namely, buckle after pressures and temperature are changed. Con-
F" = - 37,000 Ib, the sign minus meaning that F1' is a versely, for smaller pickups and for any initial slackoff, the
tension. Furthermore, the corresponding fictitious force string in the example under consideration will buckle.
Whether the string is buckled or straight is rather un-
important in the example under consideration, which per-
...... :'0 tains to squeeze cementing. The contrary, however, may
.- - .. z
hold true in cases in which it is necessary to pass wireline
~ +50 ~~! tools through the tubing.
!'... ~~~
I a.~ To end up with a packer-to-tubing force Fp = 0, one
NEGATlVE F CTENSlON)
"- 0 POSITIVE F (~ESSION)
would have to initially slack-off 55,000 lb, as shown by
-80TH~I ~'":ou~,,;20
"- !"\ +20 ~~..ciu~
Point H of Fig. 11. This would be unrealistic in the case
- of the example under consideration. It is interesting to note,
E 11-- _~e however, that when F" = 0 the tubing is subjected to
exactly the same conditions as in a packer pennitting free
roo 6
;!;
z
I"
f":... or limited motion. Point J in Fig. 11 shows that the ficti-
... F,·
III 15 LB PER GAL.
-"> CEMENT IN
tious force would then be equal to 66,000 lb. On the
L..
I
.,~
!l~
0:,
0; ..
~, TUSING
.,. API CRUDE
IN~ANNULUS other hand, if the packer permitting no motion is used

~200 ~ III
V
I
\.
"Z
III
i ~
I ~7
~
I
FIG. 9-FoRCE·UNGTH CHANGE CURVES-ExAMPLE CAsE.
: ~
~I~ ! ~.~~r- f-
Slj;q
:.u r-~N ~
l"- I 1 L '*1:> ...

-1200 !~
"I~ u
0
l/F- .-<'.c>21 .L
-- "-
I
- - - --~ - - -1-- ':f- <I~i._
- - - - -- - INmAL PICIC-UP LV K lLs\.~ ..
G)~::t
V~o'f~

./
~;;~":D
1,,\ 1,50 li!~i
I
I
I, I
o"
_0.:
/
v I
I

1V
/t--b
""~
I
..~ "'-
~-
E - - ct\.. j100
B
VI
I §z "';g,~ ~ ,§'
I
I\. V I
.;-"i
~
~ ',c>/r;
I
I
r\. '+50 / I
I

.¥....
I 'I.. ;
NE~T1VE Fp (TENStON) 1\A POSrTIVE FD (CCMPRESSION)
/
I
I )1
+60 J +80
J POUNDS
J. +.., OF
~.;..800I'1~ -20 ~a

~
-40 +20
f-- "z r THOUSANDS _
I
I /
i~
I wZ
I
~5= -50 AI 100 !2
zS~~
__ \
r~~
I /
I
I 1 -too / I

FiG. 10-ADDITlONAL FORCE·LENGTH CHANCE CuRvE-EXAMPLE FIc. ll-FINAL CoNDITIONS IN THE TuBINc vs
CAsE. INITIAL SUCKOFF OR PICKUP.

JUNB, 1962 661

with a realistic amount of slackoff (for instance, 20,000
lb), then the fictitious force is much smaller, namely F,*
= 30,000 lb (Point N). With zero slackoff (Point K), the
fictitious force F,* = 12,000 Ib (compression).
The general conclusion drawn from this example is that
using a packer which prevents tubing motion results in
much less-severe buckling than when the tubing is free to
move.
Charts similar to that of Fig. 11 must be prepared for
each different set of conditions (pressures, packer depth
and bore, etc.) to draw similar quantitative conclusions.
CASES IN WInCH ANNULUS PRESSURE
EXCEEDS TUBING PRESSURE
In the example problems solved in this paper, the final
pre.ssure was greater in the tubing than in the annulus, i.e.,
P, > Po. In wells being swabbed or produced, often p. >
Pi' Corresponding problems, which are frequently less dif-
ficult, may also be solved with equations and graphs of
this paper. In these problems the :fictitious force F, given
by Eq. 4 is tensile, and Point A in Figs. 7 and 8 would
be located in the straight portion of the curve.
PERMANENT "CORKSCREWING"
In bending of beams, the criterion for a beam to take a
permanent set is that the greatest bending stress (i.e., the
bending stress u.at the outer fiber) reaches the yield
strength s of the material. In the case of helical buckling
of tubing, however, the latter is subjected to other stresses
in addition to the bending stresses-namely, to: (1) the
longitudinal stress, equal to the actual (not the fictitious)
longitudinal force per unit of the wall cross-sectional area;
and (2) the tangential and radial stresses, due to pressures
inside and outside the tubing.
Pressures alone produce the greatest stress. at the inner
wall of a tube. On the other hand, bending alone generates
the greatest stress at the outer wall. In the presence of
both pressures and bending (i.e., buckling), yielding may
start at either wall. (It is proven in the Appendix that it
cannot start between the two walls.) For this reason, both
Inequalities 19 and 20 must be satisfied to insure that
permanent corkscrewing does not take place after pressures
and temperature are changed.
S.=~3[~=~~Or+r~;_R?·+u.±ul <s
before pressures and temperature are changed, Inequality
20 must be disregarded and only Relation 19 considered.
As shown in the Appendix, Inequality 19 then reduces to
F DrFI
So = I A. +47 ' < S ,
(23)
in which F is the slackoff force.
EXAMPLE 4-PERMANENT CORKSCREWING
Consider the case of a packer permitting no motion.
Values of So after slackoff, but before the change of pres-
sures and temperature, were calculated with Eq. 23 and
plotted in Fig. 12 vs the slackoff force. For conditions fol-
lowing pressure and temperature changes, values of F. *
and F, * for various initial pickups or slackoffs were read
from Fig. 11. Using Eqs. 19 and 20, corresponding values
of S. and Si were calculated and plotted also in Fig. 12.
Point J in Fig. 12 indicates that, with an initial pickup
of 13,000 Ib, Si after pressures and temperature are
changed is almost equal to 50,000 psi. This means that,
even in the absence of any buckling, J-55 tubing would
be subjected by pressures alone to conditions closely ap-
proaching its yield strength (55,000 psi). Point P, for
which s, = 55,000 psi, shows that a small amount of buck-
ling (namely, that due to 11,000 lb of initial slackoff)
would suffice to cause permanent corkscrewing after pres-
sures and temperature are changed. This. is a major reason
why the J-55 grade would not be suitable in the bottom
portion of the string.
On the other hand, Point L indicates that the N-80
grade would be suitable up to very high values of initial
slackoff-namely, up to 44,000 lb.
It has already been stated in this paper that, for an
initial slackoff of 55,500 lb, the conditions in the tubing
after pressures and temperature are changed are the same
as when free motion of the tubing is permitted. Point M
shows that for such conditions So = 93,000 psi. Therefore,
use of a packer permitting free or limited motion would
result in permanent corkscrewing of the bottom portion
of an N-80 string, but not of a P-I05. This is the reason
why, in the example under consideration, packers per-
mitting either free or limited motion are not very suitable
for high-pressure squeeze-cementing operations.
It is interesting to note that, for slackoffs greater than
55,000 Ib (points to the right of Point M), the bending

. . . . . (19)
I
~I
Si = ., 3 [R= (Pi
R= _- 1Po)]:+ [PiR=- _R=P.
I
CT.]:' , I
1 + u. ± R < S,
I So
120
,,
I ,vs. So

I ,y
. . . . .(20) , ,;- V
in which 100
,
I
,
u. =DrF
- ,~-.
41
(21) 10
/
i
I AFTER PRESSURE ANC
I TSMrDERATURE
I
NGESrI LJ
~
/
//

and ,
I
./-~ j
: p ~y /
F.*
,,'"
60

CT. = A, (22) s,
1J ........ ~ V
The proof of Inequalities 19 and 20 is given in the Appendix.
In Inequalities 19 and 20, the sign of u.
and u./R to
co l'o
- - -tt- I

:rIO
215
'" 1/
14"I TEMPERATURE CHANGES r-
BEFORE PRESSURE AN",_

I
be chosen is the one which gives the greatest values for So 20
Itig
and Si'
However, if the tubing is not buckled after pres- >-,
I
/
sures and temperature are changed (i.e., if F,* " 0), then 80 60 40 20
I V 20 40 60 80
u. = O. lNIT1AL. PICK-uP. THOI.JSAND POUN;:)S INmA1. Sl..ACKoOFF. THOUSAND POUNOS

To investigate permanent corkscrewing after slackoff but FIG. 12-PEll.MANENT COBlCS.CBEWINC.

JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

effects are so severe that s. is greater than s,; this means
that yielding would start at the outer wall of the pipe.
Finally, Fig. 12 also shows that in the example under
consideration permanent corkscrewing is more likely to
occur after pressures and temperature are changed than
after initial slackoff prior to these changes.
One reported failure which could have been prevented,
had the equations of this paper been available, involved a
West Oklahoma 10,000-ft well in which the tubing was
permanently corkscrewed as a result of the combined
effect of high initial slackoff and high tubing pressure.
Close to the bottom, the pitch of the helix was about 6 to
8 ft, which is much less than that calculated with Eq. 2.
However, it should be realized that this equation is valid
only within the elastic limit of the material, and not after
yielding.
It.. is hoped that use of the equations presented in this
paper will prevent permanently corkscrewing tubing strings
in the future.
- CASE OF INITIAL PRESSURES P, AND
p. NOT EQUAL
Eq. 10 pertains to the case when initial pressure P, in
the tubing is the same as the initial pressure p. in the
annulus, which is generally the case. If initially P, =ft. p.,
then the calculations may best be made in two steps.
In the first step, one starts with actual initial values of
P, and p., and ends with some arbitrarily chosen final
values of P, = p •. This is a problem similar to the one
already treated, the only difference being that P, = p. at
the end instead of the beginning of the operation.
In the second step, one starts with the afore-mentioned
pressures P, = p. and ends with actual final values p, =ft.
p.. This is a problem which is exactly the same as the one.
already treated.
CASE OF NEUTRAL POINT ABOVE
THE STRING
All the preceding sections pertain to the case in which
the neutral point is located within the string, i.e., n < L.
In Examples 1 and 2, we had n = 8,635 ft and L = 10,000
ft. In single completions, the neutral point rarely is above
the upper end of the string. In multiple completions, how-
ever, this is frequently the case for that portion of the
long string which is between the two bottom packers,
Packers A and· B in Fig. 13. For calculations, the upper
end of the string is considered as being at Packer A, and
the distance between packers is denoted L. Quite frequently,
the entire length L below Packer A may be buckled, which
means that the neutral point is located above the upper
end.
In the case of a packer permitting free motion, the only
modification with respect to the procedures explained for
the case n < L pertains to the length change !ll...: due to
helical buckling, which was given by Eq. 10. It is proven in
the Appendix that when n > L the expression of the
len~h change due to helical buckling, denoted AL'" be-
comes
!ll.', = AL' j(2 - j) (24)
where j is the following fraction.
. L
J=- . . . . . .- (25)
n
In the cases of packers permitting limited or no motion,
the only modification with respect to the procedures ex-
JUNE, 1962
plained for the case n < L is that an additional portion of
the curve, namely WV, must be prepared in Fig. 7. Pro-
ceeding in a similar manner as for the proof of Eq. 17 and
using Eqs. 25 and 1, we obtain
AL' = -~F - ~r- [LW (2 - LFW)]' . (26)
EA. 8EIw F
Remember that in Fig. 7 Eq. 18 was used to plot the
straight portion of the graph, i.e., for values of F wh!ch
are negative (tensions) and Eq. 17 for values of F which
are positive ( compressions) . Actually, Eq. 17 is valid
only up to F = Lw (Point W), i.e., when the neutral point.
is below the upper end of the string. Beyond Point W, the
neutral point is above the upper end, and Eq. 26 is used
to plot Portion WV of the curve.
COMBINATION STRINGS
Occasionally, a string of tubing may comprise sections
of various sizes. Even if only one size of tubing is used,
the tubing-to-casing clearance r may be different due to use
of a combination string of casing. Also, either the tubing
or the annulus may contain more than one fluid (for in-
stance, mud below and air above), thus dividing the string
into sections of different weight per unit length w, given
by Eq. 5. From the standpoint of calculations, all these
cases may be considered as combination strings.
No detailed procedures are given in this paper for com-
bination strings. Generally, considering corresponding sin-
gle strings by using average values based on common sense
gives results which suffice for practical purposes. However,
one should keep in mind that the greatest contribution due
to effects of buckling occurs in the portion of the string
immediately above the packer.
The following considerations might be helpful in per-
forming exact calculations pertaining to combination strings.
NEUTRAL
POINT
PACKER A ~v
IJ\
n
L
-
PACKER e V
~I
FIG. IS-DUAL COMPLETION PACKERS.
 · Consider first the case of a packer permitting free
motion. Calculations of !ll" and ~. are straightforward.
Means for calculating the length change AI-. due to radial
forces are given in Ref. 5. The only new problem pert<lins
to the length change AI-, due to helical buckling.
If the neutral point is in the lowermost section, there
is no problem. If the neutral point is in the second section
from bottom, then separate calculations must be conducted
for the two lowest sections. Means for treating the lower-
most section have already been explained (see "Case of
Neutral Point Above the String"). For the second section
from bottom, one must consider that the fictitious force
F/1 is
F/1 = F, - wL, . (27)
where F, and w are given by Eqs. 4 and 5, respectively,
and L, is the length of the lowermost section. Similar equa-
tions -and procedures would be used, if needed, for sections
higher in the string.
For packers permitting no motion, problems involving no
helical buckling may be solved by means developed in
Ref. - 5. On the other hand, problems involving helical
buckling become very complex and will not be treated
here.
ASSUMPTIONS
The foregoing investigation is based upon the follOWing
assumptions.
1. The existence of couplings·is disregarded in the defi-
nition of radial tubing-to-casing clearance r. This means
it is assumed that along most of the length between cou-
plings the tubing contacts the casing. Experiments with
models showed that such an assumption is valid when the
pitch is not large compared to the distance between cou-
plings. This is generally the case close to the packer, and
not to the neutral point. Since the lower portion contri-
buted for most of the length change (or force), it is felt
that the assumption made is justified, although calculated
values of AI-. are slightly too large.
2. It is assumed that tubing buckles whenever subjected
to any fictitious force, however small. Actually, buckling
starts if this force is greater than some minimum critical
value; which for 2% -in. OD tubing is of the order of
500 lb. As this is very small compared to fictitious forces
encountered in actual problems, the assumption is valid.
3. Ina hole which is not vertical, helical buckling occurs
only if the fictitious force is greater than some minimum
value,'" which depends on hole inclination. As drill collars
are heavy and stiff, only a slight deviation from vertical
is sufficient to keep them from buckling. Applying the
same criteria'" to tubing which is light and limber, one
finds for 2% -in. OD tubing, for instance, that helical buck-
ling will occur when the fictitious force exceeds 1,250 lb if
the hole is inclined 1 0, and 4,000 lb if the hole inclination is
10°. As these forces are small compared with those actually
encountered, the assumption is justified In a hole inclined as
much as 60°, the corresponding threshold fictitious force
is 23,000 lb, which is often not small compared to fictitious
forees .in actual problems. In highly inclined holes, there-
fore, the calculated enlongation ill.: would frequently be
somewhat too large.
4. As already pointed out in several places in this paper,
friction between the helically buckled tubing and the cas-
ing is not taken into consideration.
5. Inequalities 19 and 20, pertaining to permanent cork-
screwing, are derived from the criterion for yielding based
on maximum-distortion-energy theory, which is considered
adequate for cases involving combined stresses. Neverthe-
less, this criterion (as all the others) is only an approxima-
tion, and one cannot claim that permanent corkscrewing
will occur at conditions exactly corresponding to Inequality
19 or Inequality 20. One might only be sure that no per-
manent corkscrewing will take place whenever s, and s.
are both appreciably less than the yield strength s. Similarly,
there is no doubt that the tubing will take a permanent
set whenever either s, or s. become appreciably greater
than s.
Another criterion adequate for cases involving combined
stresses is that based on maximum-shear-stress theory.
Using this criterion would lead to calculated values of s,
and s. which in some cases could be up to 15 per cent greater
than those calculated with Inequalities 19 and 20. Exten-
sive research on yielding reported in the literature'" has not
positively established either one of the theories as the more
accurate. If the maximum-shear-stress criterion were closer
to reality, tubing could take a permanent set before this
is indicated with Inequalities 19 and 20.
6. The only fictitious force considered in this paper is
the one due to pressures, given by Eq. 4. Actually, another
fictitious force--due to the momentum of flowing fluid-
also contributes to buckling. This force has been disre-
garded, as its effects are negligible except in some gas
wells. The expression of this force is given in the Appendix.
NOMENCLATURE*
A, = area corresponding to tubing ID
A. = area corresponding to tubing OD
A" = area corresponding to packer bore ID
A. = cross-sectional area of the tubing wall
D = OD of the tubing
E = Young's modulus (for steel, E = 30 X 10· psi)
F = force (positive if a compression)
F. = actually existing pressure force at the lower end
of the tubing subjected to no restraint in the
packer, given by Eq. 8
F, = fictitious force in presence of no restraint in the
packer, given by Eq. 4
F" = packer-to-tubing force
F. = force in the tubing at the surface
F. * = actually existing force at the lower end of tub-
ing, due both to pressures and packer restraint,
given by Eq. 15
F,* = fictitious force in presence of packer restraint,
given by Eq. 16
F /1. = fictitious force for the upper of two sections
of a combination string of tubing
I = moment of inertia of tubing cross-section with
respect to its diameter: I = ~ (D' - d') where
D is OD and d is ID
j = defined by Eq. 25
L = length of the tubing •
n = distance from the lower end of the tubing
(packer) to the neutral point
p = pitch
P; =pressure inside the tubing at the packer level
"All equaUODS pertain to a system of consistent units. e.g.. pressares
in psi. forces in lb. densities and pressure gradients in Ib/cu in. (which
is the same as psi/in.). weights per unit length in lb/in.. and lengths
in in.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
 Po = pressure outside the tubing at the packer level
P. = sUrface tubing pressure
Po = surface annulus pressure
R = ratio OD/ID of the tubing
r = tubing-to-casing radial clearance
$ = yield strength
$. = combined stress at inner wall of tubing, defined
by Eq. 20
$0 = combined stress at outer wall of tubing, defined
by Eq. 19
w. = average (Le., including couplings) weight of
tubing per unit length
w = in air, same as w.; in liquid, w is given by Eq. 5
w, = weight of liquid in the tubing per unit length
w = weight of outside liquid displaced per unit
0
length
f3 = coefficient of thermal expansion of the tubing
material (for steel, f3 = 6.9 X 1O-c/1°F)
=
B drop of pressure in tlie tubing due to :flow per
unit length
=
AL over-all tubing length change due to :flow and
to changes of pressure, temperature and density,
given by Eq. 13
tll.,.= length change of the tubing due to Hooke's law,
given by Eq. 6
tll.,. = length change of the tubing due to helical
buckling, given by Eq. 7
tll.,.= length change of the tubing due to radial pres-
sure forces and :flow through the tubing, given
by Eq. 11
AL. = length change of the tubing due to temperature
change, given by Eq. 12
AI-. = length change of the tubing due to slackoff or
pickup before pressure, temperature, density
changes and :flow
!!.L. = over-all tubing length change due to initial
slaCkoff or pickup followed by pressure, tem-
perature and density changes, given by Eq. 14
AL' = length change of the tubing due to application
of force F
!!.L': = length change due to helical buckling when the
neutral point is above the upper end of the
string .
!!.L" = length change necessary to bring the end of the
tubing to the packer
M'. = change in pressure inside the tubing at the
packer level
=
M'o change in pressure outside the tubing at the
packer level
ilp, = change in surface tubing pressure
tlpo = change in surface annulus pressure
ilp, = change in density of liquid in the tubing
tlpo = change in density of liquid in the annulus
tlt = change in average tubing temperature
p. = density of liquid in the tubing
po = density of liquid in the annulus
v = Poisson's ratio of the material (for steel, v =
0.3)
fTc = defined by Eq. 22
0". = bending stress at the outer fiber, given by
Eq.21
JUNE, 1962
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The first section of the Appendix is based on unpublished
work by H. B. Woods, Hughes Tool Co. The authors are
grateful for permission to use this work.
In addition, the authors wish to recognize the help of
the following: Charles B. Mullin, Pan American Petroleum
Corp., and J. W. Peret, Sun Oil Co., for having pointed
out the need for such an investigation; Talmadge Crowe,
Baker Oil Tools, Inc., for early work; M. J. Epperson,
Tidewater Oil Co., W. D. Horton, Texaco, Inc., W. R.
Warren and E. C. Woodall, Pan American, for having pro-
vided useful field information; K. A. Blenkarn, Pan Ameri-
can, for having suggested a clear means of presenting
difficult material; J. M. Forgotson, Jr., R. L. Geyer and
J. A. Muckelroy, Pan American, for constructive criticism.
REFERENCES
1. Webber, J. C.: "Fundamental Forces Involved in the Use of
Oil WE'll Packers", Trans., AIME (1949) 186,271.
2. Lubinski, A. and Blenkarn, K. A.: "Buckling of Tubing in
Pumping Wells, Its Effects and Means for Controlling It",
Trans., A1ME (1957) 210, 73.
3. Seldenrath, T. ~d Wright, A. W.: "Note on Buckling of
Tubing in Pumping Wells", Trans., AIME (1958) 213, 396.
4. Klinkenberg, A.: "The Neutral Zones in Drill Pipe and Casing
and Their Significance in Relation to Buckling and Collapse",
Drill. and Prod. Prac., API (1951) 64.
5. Lubinski, A.: "Influence of Tension and Compression on
Straightness and Buckling of Tubular Goods in Oil Wells",
Proc., 31st Annual Meeting API, Prod. Sec. IV (1951) 31, 31.
6. Te-.xter, H. G.: "Various Methods of High Pressure Testing
Oil Country Tubular Material", Pet. Engr. (March, 1953)
25, No.3, B-45.
7. Lubinski, A.: "A Study of the Buckling of Rotary Drilling
String", Drill. and Prod. Prac., API (1950) 178.
8. Lubinski, A. and Woods, H. B.: "Factors Affecting the Angle
of Inclination and Dog.Legging in Rotary Bore Holes", Drill.
and Prod. Prac., API (1953) 222.
9. Woods, H. B. and Lubinski, A.: "Practical Charts for Solving
Problems on Hole Deviation", Drill. and Prod. Prac., API
(1954) 56.
10. Hill, R.: The Mathematical Theory of Plasticity, The Claren·
don Press, Oxford (1950) 15.
11. Timoshenko, S.: Strength of Materials, Part I, ElemJentary
Theory and Problems, Second Ed., D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc.
(1940). .
.12. Timoshenko, S.: Stren.th of Materials, Part 11, Second Ed.,
D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc. (1941).
13. Woods, F. S.: Advanced Calcu.iu.s, Ginn & Co. (1943).
14. Southwell, R. V.: Theory of Elasticitr, Second Ed., Oxford
U. Press (1941).
APPENDIX
Symbols defined in the ''Nomenclature'' will be used in
the Appendix. Additional symbols, or symbols already used
but with a somewhat different meaning, will be defined
when first encountered.
LONG, WEIGHTLESS STRING OF PIPE OR
RODS SUBJECTED TO COMPRESSION,
BUT NO PRESSURES
Let the follOwing designations be made.
L = initial length, i.e., length of the string not sub-
jected to compression F,
L. = length of the string subjected to compression F,
L,. = length of the helix (measured along its axis),
0". = average axial stress (positive if compressive),
F = compression along the axis of the helix,
66S
 Fe = compression along the axis of the string, and The expression of the curvature of a three-dimensional
8 = helix angle, shown in Fig. 14. curve is***
From Hooke's law, we obtain
(44)
Lc = L (1 - ~ ) (28)
E
Substituting Eqs. 41, 42 and 43 into Eq. 44, we obtain
Since the' axis of the string is inclined with respect to after reduction,
the axis of the helix, we have
4-rr'r
Fsin 8 C = p= + 4,,=": •..••• (45)
CT. = - - (29)
A. Substituting Eq. 45 into Eq. 36, the expression of the
and
strain energy of bending becomes
F. = Fsin8 (30)
8,,4,-rIL
Substituting Eq. 29 into Eq. 28, U. = (p' + 4,,''':)' (46)
L. =L [1_F::.8] (31) Since the string is initially straight, and the assumptions
are that it remains in the 'elastic range and that there is no
In Fig. 14 a developed portion of the helix correspond- casing-to-tubing friction, there can be no torsion in the
ing to one pitch is shown. From this, string. Therefore, the strain energy of twist need not be con·
Lc y P= + 4 ...''': sidered.
.L. = p The potential energy of the force F is Fz, in which z is
the distance from the point of application of the force to
or any arbitrarily chosen origin located on a straight line pass-
L _ Lop ing through this point of application and parallel to the
(32)
,,- yp= + 4 ...=,.:' force. Let the origin be the Point 0 in Fig. 15. Then the
and potential energy U r of the force F is
U r ,= FL. (47)
sin 8 = -:=:;;:::::P=:=::;:=;; (33) Substituting Eqs. 31 and 33 into Eq. 32, and the result
yp= + 4 ...'r'
into Eq. 47,
The strain energy of compression U c is *
FpL r-p'L
U = F.'L Ur = (48)
c 2A,E (34) yp- + 4,,-r A.E (p-. + 4-rr-r)
. - • -' ..
The total potential energy U of the system is equal to
Substituting Eqs. 30 and 33 into Eq. 34,
the sum of the strain energies given by Eqs. 35 and 46,
Pp'L and the potential energy of the force F given by Eq. 48.
U. = 2A •E ( p-" + 4 ..."-r-") (35)
Pp'L 8,,4r TIL
The strain energy of bending U. is * * U = - 2A.E (p' + 4;;-=":) + (p= + 4r.'r=)=
LEIC' FpL
U.=-- (36)
2 ' (49)
+ y p= + 4,,=":
in which C is the curvature of the helix.
The condition of equilibrium is obtained by minimizing
Consider the helix, the co-ordinate axes and the angular
parameter y shown in Fig. 15. The equations of the helix ~"'~Ref. 13. Article 52, Eel. 7. giving the radius of eurvatnre (i.e., the
reciprocal of C).
are
x=rcosy, (37)
y=rsiny, (38)
and
Z- - -
p
y (39)
2...
Let s denote the length of the helix from Point A to any
Point B on the helix in Figs. 14 and 15. It is self-evident
that
s y
yp' + 4 ...';: 2... . . • . . (40)
Substituting y from Eq. 40 into Eqs. 37, 38 and 39,

x = rcos [yp:
2"s J
+ 4;;-''': , (41)

2-rrs ]
0L.,.J"'~ ,
y = r sin [ y p' + 4-rr=r= ' (42)

~
B lr
and

. . . • (43) o ,A X

·Eel. 168 of Ref. 11. with changed notation. FIG. 14-(LErr) DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEUX.
uRef. 11. Eel. 184 with changed natation. The bending moment is FIG. 15-( CENTER) PROJECTIONS OF THE HEUX.
:eplaced by EIC. FIG. 16-(RrGHT) FORCES ON TUBING IN ABSENCE OF FLUIDS.

666 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECBNOL,OG1'

 the total potential energy of the system," by making script Z added to parameters which are now variable. The
meaning of the subscript z is "at distance z from the neutral
dU
dp =0 . • . • • • . • .. (50 ) point". i.e., from the point at which (in the absence of
fluids) the longitudinal force is nil.
Substituting Eq. 49 into Eq. 50. we obtain after reduc-
tion, 8'lT'Ei
F. =......,-. . (59)
p=
p (p2:.:~r) p _ (p~ + 4...7') v.. F + 8...=E1p = 0 2.,lr
iii: """ - p/ . . (60)
. . . . • . . . . . . . . . (51)
'Eq. 51 is a quadratic equation in F having two roots, Eliminating p. between Eqs. 59 and 60,
both positive. Solving for the smallest root (i.e., the one I'
corresponding to the smallest total potential energy), we
e= =- 4ElF= . . . . . , . . . . (61)
obtain Consider a freely 'Suspended string of tubing subjected
F = A.E vp' + 4r.'r[ 1 _
j1- 32;r"Jp' J at its lower end to a compression F, as shown in Fig. 1 (b).
The following expression is self-evident.
2p L ~ A.(p' + 4...'1')"
. • . . • • . • • . . . . . (52) F.
z . . . . . . . . . . . . (62)
= -F
- n
Let the fonowing assumptions be made: (1) pO is large
Consider first that the neutral point is within the string.
_. d (2) 32...:1p" 1..: h •._'11 be Integrating Eq .. 61 between the neutral point and the lower
compared to 41I'r; an A. ( - + 4 • ")". wwc ww
• p' 1/"'" . end of the string, the elongation .6.1': due to helical buckling
"7r=-a'-",, is obtamed.
denoted a, is small compared'1:o unity. Since
1 - (a!2), Eq.. 52 becomes
F = 8r.:tp}
p' ,.......... (53).
M... = J: 6= dz. . , . . . . . . • . (63)

Substituting Eq. 62 into Eq. 61. and the result into Eq. 63,
r from which Eq. 2, used but not proven m the body of the integrating and substituting Eq. 1 into the result of the
paper, is obtained. integration, Eq. 7 in the body of the report is obtained.
Substituting into this equation numerical values en- Consider now the case of the neutral point above the
countered in actual problems, one finds values of p which upper end of the string. Eq. 63 still bolds true, except that
always satisfy the two assumptions. the lower integration limit is n - L (see Fig. 13). Pr0-
Well..Jrnown expressions for the bending moment M and ceeding as with Eq. 63 and using Eq. 25, Eq. 24 in the
the bending stress u~ are body of the report is obtained.
M =
ElC . . • . . . • _ . . (54)
and GENERAUZATION TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
THE PRESENCE OF STATIONARY FLUIDS
• . • . • . . • . . (55)
NO FLUIDS
Substituting Eqs. 45 and 54 into Eq. 55, we obtain in Consider a string of tubing subjected at its lower end to
view of Assumption 1, a compressive force Fp which buckles the string, as shown
211'''EDr ~ in Fig. 16. A packer creates a bending moment M~ at the
. . . • (56) lower end. There is no fluid either inside or outside the
string.
Eliminating p between Eqs. 53 and 56, Consider any cross-section XX'. For the sake of sim-
Dr plicity, this cross-section is chosen in the unsupported por-
u& = 41 F. . - . . . . . . . . . (57)
tion of the string, i.e., below the level at wbich the belically
buckled string contacts tbe wall. of the bole. For a cross~
GENERALIZATION TO A STRING OF PIPE section located higber. the equation to be derived would
OR RODS WHICH ARE NOT WEIGIITLESS have additional terms, but the gist of the arguments and
final conclusions would be the same.
Let e denote the relative elongation of the string due to The forces acting on the portion of the string below XX'
helical buckling. This relative elongation may be expressed are the end force F" and the weight W, shown in Fig. 16.
in terms of parameters of Fig. 14. Thus, The end force F, does not depend OD the choice of the
e ==
p- vp·
+~ 4r.~r cross-section; therefore, Fp is a concentrated force. On the
other band, W is the weight of the portion of the string
p
located below the cross-section XX'. As W depends on the
= 1 - J 1 + 4,<": location of the c:ross-section. W is a distributed· force.
'1 p' • The bending moment M. at the cross-section XX' is
which becomes. in view of Assumption 1 stated in the equal to
preceding section, M. = M.(Fp) + M.(W) + M_ . . . . . (64)
2T=Y: where M.(F'P) and M~(W) are moments of the forces 1''Jl
e =: - - . - . • • • . • • • • . • (58) and W with respect to the center 0 of the croswection
p'
For a weightless string, the pitch p and the corresponding XX'.
relative elongation e are constant. On the other hand, if the OUTSIDE PRESSURE
string is not weightless. both p and £ vary along the string. Consider now that fluid is placed in the annulus. The
To indicate this. Eqs. 53 and 58 are rewritten with a sub- fluid subjects the Shoulder b c b g (see Fig. 17a) to a pres~
"'Ref. 14. Artide 111:. sure force denoted T. One might think that pressure forces
 acting all the way around on the lateral Surface a b j h (Fig. 16). but also to a concentrated. tensile force (- V),
compensate each other, and that their resultant is nil. Such Fig. 11 (b), which actually does not exist.
is not the case, however, because Arcs a b and i h are not ( - Y) = AJ>o « « « (69)
•• • « « • •

equal. Therefore. the areas on the two sides of the pipe 2. BIJnding occurs as if the string were subjected not
are not equal either, and there is a resultant S of pressure only to a distributed downward force W (Fig. 16. but
forces acting on the lateral surface. Neither the magni- also to a distributed upward force We' Fig. 17{b).
tude nor the direction of the force S is known.
The following trick is used to calculate the combined ~EPRE~ (NO FLOW)
bending effects of forces T and S. Imagine that the packer Consider now that :fluid inside the tubing subjects the
and the portion of the string above XX' are removed. string to pressure forces T' and S' (see Fig. IRa) acting
Furthermore, imagine that the remaining portion of the on the Shoulder b'c'h'g" and on the lateral Surface
string is closed at both ends, as shown in Fig. 11 (b ), so a'b'i'h'. respectively. These forces are similar to forces T
that fluid has access all the way around the Solid and S previously considered. In addition. there is also an
abc d e g h i, as shown in Fig. 17 (b). This time, in addition upward force U' acting on the Area i'd'k'e',
to pressure forces T and S, pressme forces Yand N also act Imagine a completely closed container (Fig. ISb) whose
at the two ends of the solid. In view of Archimedes' law, shape is the same as the inside of the buckled portion of
the resultant of all these pressure forces is an upward force the string below XX', In addition to T' and S', pressure
W" equal to the weight of the displaced fluid. forces Y' and N' act on the waIls of this container. To
S + T + Y + N = W .. ,. . . . • . (65) satisfy equilibrium conditions. the resultant of all these
forces must be equal to the weight Wi of the liquid in the
from which the moment of W. with respect to Point 0 the container. .
is obtained
S' + T + V' + iii; == W. , (10)
M~(W.) = Mo(]) + M.(T) + M.(Y) . (66) from which we obtain
because M oN = O. Mo(Si + T) = Mo(- Y') + M.(W.) (71)
This may be rewritten Consider the moment with respect to Point 0 of pressure
M.(§ + T) = Mo( - Y) + Mo(W.,) • • (61) forces actually acting on the tubing, i.e., of forces S', T'
and U ' . From Eq. 71. this moment is
Without any fluid, the bending moment at 0 is given by
Eq. 64. Additional bending moment due to fluid is given M.($' + T + U) = M~[ (- V') + VI] + M.(W,)
by Eq. 61. Thus. the bending moment at 0 in the presence
of :fluid outside of the tubing is • • • • « • « • • « • • • • • • (12)
Withont any fluid. the bending moment at 0 is given
M. = [M.aFJ» + M.( - Y)] + M.(W + W.) + M& by Eq. 64. Additional bending moment due to :fluid is
. . . . • . . • • . . . • . (68) given by Eq. 12. Thus, the bending moment at 0 in the
presence of :fluid in the tubing is
By comparing Eqs. 64 and 68, the following conclusions .
are drawn pertaining to the bending effects of pressure act-
ing on the outside of a tubing set on a packer.
M. =: [Mo(F + M.( - V' +
p) if)]
. 1. Bending occurs as if the string were subjected not + M.(iii + W.) + M~, . • (73)
only to the concentrated mechanicaUy applied force F~ Comparing Eqs. 64 and 13, the following conclusions are

<I e
v U'

FIC. 17-Pussum: FoaCES Dm TO Fwm 0u'rsmE Ftc. IB-PREssmn: FoRCES DUE TO FLTJUI INSIDE
OJ'TmlINc. oJ'Ttmmc.

JOURN4L OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

drawn pertaining to the bending effects of pressure acting S + T + Z' = (-V') + (- -Ff') + W;
inside a tubing set on a packer. llm- t::.m-
1. Bending occurs as if the tub'tng were subjected not - llT Vp + AT v~ .. (76)
only to the concentrated mechanically applied force F ~ Am/AT is the rate of mass How, which may be written
(Fig. 16), but also to a concentrated compressive force
V' + U') (Fig. 18, a and b). whose part (- V') Am B
AT=g' . . . . . . . . . . (77)
actually does not exist.
(- V' + U') =
A;I'.. . . . . . . (74) where B is the rate of weight How and gis the acceleration
of gravity.
2. Bending occurs as if tubing were subjected not only Taking moments with respect to the Point 0, and using
to a downward distributed force W (Fig. 16), but.also to Eq. 77, Eq. 16 becomes
a downward distributed force W, (Fig. 18b).

GENERAL CONCLUSION
M.(S' + T' + Z') = M.( - V') + Bg M.( - v
p)

Consider any equation pertaining to buckling or straight- + M.(W:) . . . . (78)

ness of a string of tubing in the absence of fluids. The con-
clusi9ns which may be drawn from the three preceding
sections are that, to generalize such an equation for the
presence of Huids, one must: (1) ·replace the mechanical
force concentrated at the lower end of the string by the re-
sultant of this force apd the fictitious force FI given by
Eq. 4; and (2) replace the distributed force (weight) per
unit length w. by w given by Eq. 5.
These two rules explain all the generalizations made in
the body of the paper. from the condition with no Huids
to the condition with Huids. One detail, however, requires
additional explanation. It bas been stated that Point A in
Figs. 7 and 8 represents the condition of tubing not re-
strained in a packer, and subjected to a fictitious force Ft.
This may be understood by considering that one would
have to mechanically apply a force equal to - FI to the
bottom of the tubing to move the neutral point to the
lower end. In the case of Figs. 7 and 8, the fictitious force
FI is a fictitious compression and the string is buckled. To
straighten it, one would have to mechanically apply a
tension - F r , after which the conditions would be repre-
sented by Point 0 in Figs. 7 and 8.
GENERALIZATION TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
THE EFFECTS OF FLUID FLOW
Consider that fluid is Howing downward in the tubing
shown in Fig. 18. Consider any cross~section XX', The
forces,to which the fluid between the packer and the cross-
section XX' is subjected, are as follows: (1) the reactions
( - 8') and (- T') .normal to the wall of the pipe; (2)
pressure forces (- V') and (- N') with which fluid below
the packer and above the cross-section XX', respectively,
react on the portion of the fluid under consideration; (3) the
weight W;; and (4) the resultant of tangential (i.e., fric~
tional) forces with which the pipe reacts on the Hawing
fluid. These forces are not shown in Fig. 18. Let (- 2')
denote their resultant.
The equation of momentum of the fluid between the
packer and XX' is as follows.
[(- S') + (- T) + (- V')
+ (-liP) + (-V) + W,]AT= (v,,-v.) ant
. . . • • . . . . . . . . .
Comparing Eq.. 18 with Eq. 71, the following conclu~
sions are reached.
1. Flow does not introduce any new distributed force.
The only distributed forces to be considered. are those
already present without How. Actually. it is obvious that
frictional forces due to downward How increase tensions
(or decrease compressions) in the string. But these addi-
tional tensions do not affect buckling any more than the
tension due to pressure acting on the shoulder considered
in .Fig. 3.
2. Flow introduces an additional fictitious force F'I"
F ' t -_Bv
- • • • • • . . • • . • • (79)
g
Eq. 78 shows that at the packer this force is acting upward,
which means that F', is compressive. . .
In the case of upward rather than downward How, the
signs of v" and;' are changed in Eqs. 75, 76 and 78. On
the other hand, the direction of flow is reversed and, there-
fore, F'1 is still compressive.
It has been checked that (except in gas wells, which are
not considered in this paper) F't never exceeds 100 lb, and
is generally much smaller. For this reason the fictitious
force F'f due to How was not taken into consideration in
the body of this paper.
An additional effect of Huid fiow is the elongation ill. *,
given by Eq. 88, which will now be derived.
Consider the Huid in the tubing between Depths A and
B, the difference of depth being AL, as shown in Fig. 19.
Downward How results in a drop of pressure dp, from p
+ dp at Point A to p at Point B. Let II denote the drag
force per unit length exerted by the tubing on the flowing
fluid. It will be assumed that the velocity and, therefore,
the momentum are constaD,t throughout the tubing. Thus,
it is relevant to use equilibrium conditions:
udL = A.I dp
from which, replacing dp/dL by 8,
u = A..8 . • . • • . . • • • • • (80)
The term II now will be considered as the drag force per
unit length on the tubing.
Let F z denote, at the depth Z .. the force in the tubing
due to drag. It is self..evident that
(75) dF:=- udZ =- A.BdZ. . (81)

in whi~h V; and Yo are velocities at the packer and at XX',

=-
Fr- A,8L • • • . (82)
respectively. and Am is the mass of iiuid flowing in time The strain s" at the depth Z :is
AT. I
s" =: - EA.F~ . . . . . . . (83)
From Eq. 75, we obtain the resultant of pressure forces
acting on the Huid. The elongation AL'. due to drag is

JUNE. 1962
 AL', = tL
s.dZ. . . . . " . . - . . (84)
p+dp

J
Substituting
Eq. 8.4. we obtain

AL'~ "'" EA"A,o

I!~

1
from Eq. 83 and dZ from Eq. 81 into

JFL F. dF•.
I)
A

-l
Integrating, substituting FL from Eq. 82 and replacing
AdA. by 1/(R' - I}. we obtain
t r
,,",., _ 1
4UJ·- 8 L•
2ER'_I . ... " ....
(85

The pressure drop 8 per unit length also results in a

change of length, denoted AL".. whose expression is ob-

tained from Eq. 11 by making Ap. =: 0, and Ali. =
)

change in radial pressure forces. This in tum results in a B

t
_J
udI.. lid!..

Ap, = Ap~ = O.
AY" _
...u..
3 -
l'
E.R= -8 1 L' " . . . .
(86)

Total change of length AL *. due to flow is MDIRECTION

AL*. = ilL'. + AL". . . . . . . . . • (87) V OFFl..OW

Substituting Eqs. 85 and 86 into Eq. 87, we obtain

FIG. 19-DaAG FORa: ON Ttl1m4G
"Y* = 1 + 21' _8_ • (88) Dtn; TO FI.um FLow. .
.......... 2E R"-l L ." . . . . .
and. combining with the integrated Eq. 40 of R.ef. 5. we
obtain Eq. 1 L When Expressions 19 and 20 are both satisfied. yielding
cannot oecur at x = a Or at x = b. The following proof
shows that, when Expression 19 and Expression 20 are
PERMANENT CORKSCREWING both satisfied, yielding cannot occur inside the pipe wall
The tangential stress IT, and the radial stress ITr in a (i.e.. at a < x < b) either. Consider the following func-
thick~wall cylinder are"" tion of x.
'tlb"(P, - p.) 1 d'P, - b·P. 'I' = 2sr ' = (O't - .,... )2 + (ITr - IT,): + (a. - O't)'
IT, 1 ,"
'-0; r-: + b'' - 0• '" (89) • . • . • • . • • . . . (93)
and SUbstituting Eqs. 89, 90 and 91 into Eq. 93, and taking
d'b'(P, - p.) 1 d'P, - b·P. (90) the second derivative of 'I' with respect to x, we obtain
IT, =
. b' - o' ? + b' - Q' • • •
in which a and 'b are the inner and the outer radii of the
cylinder, respectively, and x is the radial distance to the
point under consideration. which is positive for any value of x. Thus, the function T
(and. therefore, also the function s..,) may have a minimum
The longitudinal stress IT= is but never a maximum, and the largest value of Sr must be
. . . . . . . (91) =
either atx a or at x = b.
After slackoff of a force F, but before pressures and
in which a~ is obtained from Eq. 22, and IT~ is given by temperature are changed, we have p, Po = P, and Sq. =
Eq. 57, generalized for the presence of fluids in Eq. 21. 19 reduces to
-The last term in Eq. 91 is the bending stress at radial dis·
tance x. This bending stress must be added to the average s. = 1- P + IT.. ,± cr~ <s • . • • • • (95)
stress IT. on one side of the pipe and subtracted on the
other, which accounts for the sign ± in Eq .. 91. in which
The criterion for yielding based on maximum.mstortion- IT. :::: F + F.. . . . . . . . . . . (96)
energy theory requires that, to avoid yielding, the following A.
function $., of principal stresses must be smaller than the Making Pi = p. := P in Eq. 8, substituting into Eq. 96 and
tensile yield strength $ at every point of the body.'" the result into Eq.95,
3., = ~2~(1T' - cr,)' + (O'r - 0'.)' + (IT, - a,): s~ = l.!.... ± O'~ < s . . . . . . . . (97)
A. _
<3 . • . . . (92)
. • • . . • • •
SUbstituting Sq. 57 into Eq. 97, Relation 23 in ~ body of
Substituting Eqs. 89. 90. and 91 into Eq. 92, making in the paper is obtained. ActuaI1y, in presence of filllds, Eq. 21
succession x equal to b and a, and replacing bja by R, should be use instead of Eq. 57; but in Eq. 57. FI* reduces
Expressions 19 and 20 are obtained. to F'P> which here is denoted F. . ***

670 JOURNAL OF PETROLEtlK TECHNOLOGY