Wellhead Operations & Maintenance Course

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

Subsurface & Integrity Op. Dept. Head
https:\\www.linkedin.com/in/mahmoud-farag-radwan-a9266626
 Presenter Name:
Mahmoud Farag Radwan

Mahmoud Radwan is a Subsurface & Integrity Operations Dept. Head at AMAL

Petroleum Company (AMAPETCO) with more than 14 years of experience in oil & gas
industry. Mahmoud worked in Well Engineering, Intervention, Integrity & Work-over at
Short several companies, including KDT Global Solutions, Badr El-Din Pet. Co. (BAPETCO),
Biography Qarun Pet. Co. (QPC) and Wadi El-Sahel Petroleum Co. (WASPETCO).
Also, a freelance instructor at upstream Oil & Gas in Egypt & GCC since 2008.
Mahmoud received a BSc degree in Petroleum Engineering from Al-Azhar University in
2007.

 Evaluating Sustainable Annulus Pressure (SAP) in Sour Wells and the Possible
Causes to Avoid Recurrence to the Well Integrity Annual Middle East Conference in
Abu Dhabi; UAE in Apr 2015
 Implementing NDT methods for maintenance and inspection to the Asset Integrity
Management North Africa Conference in Cairo; Egypt in Nov 2015
 Feasibility Evaluation of Using Downhole Gas-water Separation Technology in gas
Reservoirs with Bottom Water; paper number: SPE-183739-MS to the 20th Middle East
Publications Oil & Gas Show and Conference in Mar 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/183739-MS
 Managing the Operational Challenges in Corroded Wells through Well Integrity
Management System to the Improving Brownfield Performance Technical
Convention, in Cairo; Egypt in Dec 2019
 Safe and Economic Attractive Rigless Operations Using a Digital Slickline in
Unmanned Platform with Low Structure Loads and Spacing; paper number: SPE--
202857-MS to the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference
(ADIPEC) in Nov 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/183739-MS

Outlines
Well Construction Principles
 Completion Components
 Valves Types & SOP
 Component Requirements Applicable to all Wellheads
 Components of a Wellhead & Xmas Tree
 Advanced wellhead Types
 Sweet Flowing Wells
 Critical Sour, Sour and Corrosive Wells
 Artificial Lift Wells
 Other Well Types
 How a Well is Drilled on Land
 Subsea Production Systems
 Back Pressure Valves, Testing Plugs, Bull Plugs & Fittings
 Introduction to API 6A (ISO 10423):Specification for Wellhead and Christmas
Tree Equipment
 SSSV, Wellhead & Xmas Tree Integrity & Maintenance Detailed Procedures
 Advanced Technology (Ice Plug, Valve Drilling, Hot Tapping, UT Inspection &
Seal Protection)
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
 Casing Design : Basic Construction

1 1. 30” conductor
2 2. Conductor setting depth
3 3. 20” surface casing
4 4. 20” shoe
5 5. Cement
6. Formation open to C annulus
6
7 7. 13 3/8” casing
8. Formation open to B annulus
8
9. 9 5/8” production casing
9
10 10. Liner hanger
11. 7” Liner
11 12. TD – Total Depth

12 Mahmoud Farag Radwan

Completion Components – What’s installed
1
1. Tubing hanger (Upper annulus barrier)
2 2. SC-SSSV (Sub-surface barrier)
3 3. Control line
4 4. Tubing (Vertical barrier)
5 5. A annulus (tubing-casing)
6. Gas lift valves (in SPMs)
9 5/8” 6 7. Expansion joint: Tubing Seal Receptacle
Production
Casing 8. Anchor seal assembly
9. Production packer
8 7 10. Packer sealing element (Lower barrier)
9 11. Tailpipe
10
12. WEG
11
12
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
 Completion Components – Why?
1 Function :

3 2 1. Upper annulus barrier & supports tubing

2. Protects the surface installation
4
3. Hydraulically operates the SC-SSSV
5 4. Conveys hydrocarbons to surface
9 5/8” 6 5. Protects production casing from attack
Production
Casing
6. Permit entry of lift gas annulus to tubing
7. Accommodates expansion / contraction
8 7 8. Ties & seals tubing string to packer
9. Anchors tubing string to production CSG
9 10 10. Forms lower barrier of the A annulus
11. Allows installation of instrumentation
11 12. Easy entry of production logging tools
12 back into tailpipe
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
VALVES

HIGH pressure MEDIUM pressure LOW pressure

(5000 psi and above) (~1500 psi) (~180 psi)

Flowhead Separators Tanks

Choke manifold, Sand-trap Oil/Gas manifolds
Heater & Steam-exchanger Pumps, Burners

1)GATE valves 1)BALL valves 1)BUTTERFLY

2)NEEDLE valves 2)PLUG valves 2)GLOBE valves
(~sampling~)

1)WOM new, (McEvoy, 1)Mapegaz, Gachot

Malbranque, Sereg old) 2)Texseal, Balon
2)Kerotest, Autoclave

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 GATE valves
•Used for shut off, (on/off function)
•High pressure (5, 10, 15, 20Kpsi)
•ex: FH, CM, Steam-exchanger, Sand-
trap
•Sealing method:
-metal/metal for WOM valve
-grease sealing compound for
McEvoy valve
•Standard sizes= 3 1/16” to 4 1/16”

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 GATE
valves

GATE
WOM

metal/metal seal

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 NEEDLE valves

•Used for shut off, (on/off) + Flow

control (bleed off part of flow)
•High pressure (5, 10, 15, 20Kpsi)
•ex: instrumentation on FH, CM,
Steam-exchanger, Sand-trap
•Kerotest (up to 10Kpsi)
•Autoclave Engineers (10, 15, 20K)
•Sealing method: metal/metal (~sizes= ¼”, ½”, ¾”)

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 BALL / PLUG valves
•Used for shut off, (on/off)
•¼ turn
•Medium pressure (~1500 psi)
•ex: separator, burners, pumps,
etc.
•Sealing method:
-PTFE (Teflon) seal ring or
seat
Standard sizes= 1” to 4”

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 GLOBE valves
•Used for control of flow and shut off
•Low pressure
•Rig Water / air lines
•Sealing= metal/metal
•Standard sizes= 1”, 2” 3”

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 SAFETY
GATE / BALL / PLUG valves:
• must not be used for throttling
(i.e.: must be fully open or fully
closed) because a restricted flow
through it will erode the seal or
gate or seat, and the valve will
not seal correctly / reliably.

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 SAFETY
GATE valves:
• it is common practice to
count the number of turns
taken to open / close a valve
because the operator can tell
if the valve has become
plugged or is not seating
correctly.

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 SAFETY
GATE / GLOBE valves:
• it is best to close the gate and
globe valves by ¼ turn after they
are fully opened and vice-versa
because over tightening the
valve upon closing may damage
the disk and seat. Leading to
seizure or leakage.

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 SAFETY
NEEDLE valves:
• when used with an instrument, the
valve should only be opened enough: -
to permit flow and allow the instrument to
register correctly. - to allow a quick
closure of the valve and to isolate the dial
gauge in case of a sudden increase of
pressure, above the range of the gauge.

One or two turns is usually sufficient.

Mahmoud Farag Radwan
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Casing Head

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Casing Spool

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Casing Hanger

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Pack-off Flange
PACK-OFF FLANGE FUNCTION
• It may be used during well re-entry where anticipated
pressure rise.
• In temporary operations such as
– Pressure testing primary seals
– As a safety device when drilling out the cement that
remains in the shoe joint.
Tubing Head
Tubing Hanger Types

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

Tubing Hanger Types
Extended Neck Tubing Hanger

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Tubing Hanger Back-Pressure Valve

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Tubing Head Adapter Types

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Wear Bushing

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Christmas tree for a flowing well
 XMAS TREE
XMAS TREE
Surface valves manifold to control flow of well fluids & access for well
intervention activities.
Features:
1 LMV
Manual, NOT working valve optimum conditions.
2 UMV
Emergency valve (Hydraulic / Pneumatic) & cut
wire.
3 FWV
Permits passage of well fluids to CV.
4 CHOKE VALVE (CV)
Restrict, control or regulate flow of well fluids.
5 KWV
Permits entry of kill fluids into tubing or equalize.
6 SV/CV
Permits entry of well interventions.
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
 Xmas Tree Types
Xmas Tree type:
 Solid Block (Mono Block) Xmas Tree
- Contains fewer components (for
high pressure wells)
 Composite Block Xmas Tree
- Valves are located on separate
block & joined by API flange.
 Horizontal Xmas Tree
- New concept used for sub-sea
completion.

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

Dual Solid Block Xmas Tree

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CONNECTIONS

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SEALS

• Seal composition:
–Elastomer and Graphite / Carbon
Seals.
–Metal Seals.
• Seal types:
–Primary Seals
–Secondary Seals
• If both are installed the wellhead can
be pressure
tested.
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
WELDED

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 ARTIFICIAL LIFT WELLS
• Gas Lift
• ESP
• PCP
• Plunger Lift
Special Wellhead Design
• Sucker Rod Pump
• Hydraulic Pump

 The conventional wellhead should be modified to meet

the artificial lift method.
 Each method along with the modification applied will
be discussed.
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
 BEAM PUMPING
•the wellhead must be modified to seal
around the reciprocating rod.
•Emergency precaution in .case of broken rod

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

WELLHEAD EQUIPMENT

• Flowing T
• BOP
• Stuffing Box
• Lubricator

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 PCP LIFTING
• the wellhead must be modified to seal
around the rotating rod.
• Emergency precaution in case of broken rod.
• The rod string is supported on the wellhead

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

GAS LIFTING

•The X-tree is used not only to

control the production but also
the injection of the gas

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

ESP
LIFTING

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HYDRAULIC LIFTING

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PLUNGER LIFTING
•the wellhead must accommodate a
lubricator / “plunger catcher” installed on
top of the flow cross.

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

INJECTION WELLHEAD

–Similar in configuration to
flowing wells.
–The major concerns in the
•
wellhead are
• The operation pressure.

• The injected fluid

Temperature (especially in STEAM
INJECTION)

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

 The injected fluid
•A wise selection of the wellhead material is a must to be
suitable for the injected fluid and TEMPERATURE variation.

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

Offshore Wellhead

•Mudline Suspension
•Subsea Wellhead

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THE MUDLINE HANGER SYSTEM CONSISTS
OF THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS

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Mahmoud Farag Radwan
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
 A STANDARD SUBSEA WELLHEAD
SYSTEM WILL TYPICALLY CONSIST OF
THE FOLLOWING:

• Drilling guide base.

• Low-pressure housing.
• High-pressure wellhead housing
(typically 18¾ in.).
• Casing hangers
• Metal-to-metal annulus sealing
assembly.
• Bore protectors and wear bushings.
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
 BIG BORE SUBSEA WELLHEAD SYSTEMS
• As a result of the challenges associated with
deepwater drilling.
• Ocean-floor conditions in deep and
ultradeep water can be extremely
mushy and unconsolidated, which
creates well-foundation problems that
require development of new well designs
to overcome the conditions.
• Second, underground aquifers in deep
water have been observed in far
greater frequency than in shallower
waters, and it quickly became clear that
these zones would have to be isolated
with a casing string. wellhead equipment
designs would also have to change to
accommodate the additional
requirements.
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
UNITIZED WELLHEAD (COMPACT)

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

SH2 SPLIT SPEEDHEAD SYSTEM
• No need to un-screw the BOP.
• Reduces waste time in testing
BOP .
• Maximum pressure 15,000 psi.

Pack-off
Wellhead API Trim Guide

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 How to Order
General Wellhead Equipment Data Sheet

Mahmoud Farag Radwan

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 Leak Rate Criteria
Leak rates based on API 14 B at 15 SCF / min for gas or 400 cc / min for liquid
The following table shall be used to determine allowable leak rates for valve and down-
hole equipment leaks

Test results below the rates described above are not classed as a leak so test result
and should be assigned a 'Pass'
Mahmoud Farag Radwan
Advanced Technology
(Ice Plug, Valve Drilling,
Hot Tapping, UT
Inspection & Seal
Protection)
Mahmoud Farag Radwan