3/24/2022

Part 4‐2
Determining Tubing Grade, Wall 
Thickness and Length Change
By 
Prof. Abdel‐Alim Hashem

Contents
• Forces acting on tubulars
• Mechanical design of the tubing
• Mechanical design example
• Tubing movement formulas
• Tubing movement calculation example

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FORCES ACTING ON TUBULARS

TENSION
COMPRESSION

COLLAPSE

BURST

TORSION BENDING

Mechanical Design

Tubing Load Analysis

 Types and Grades of Tubing

 Loads Acting on Tubing

 Loading Analysis Example

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TUBING LOAD ANALYSIS
Types And Grades Of Tubing
 API 5A SPECS. "Specifications for Casing, Tubing and Drill Pipe"
industry standard
 API tubing are designated by:
 Outside Diameter (OD), in inches
 Weight in lbs/ft
 Grade of Steel
 Wall Thickness (for a particular pipe size, the OD stays constant ant the
ID decreases as the weight increases)

TUBING LOAD ANALYSIS
Types And Grades Of Tubing (contd.)
 API Tubing grades : H-40, J-55, N-80, L-80, C-75
 The numbers (40, 55, etc.) (min yield strength)
 H-40 & J-55 are the lower-strength steel, most common and nonresistant to
sulfide stress cracking
 N-80 is the lowest grade with high strength. Not good for sour service
 L-80 & C-75 are high strength tubing for use in sour service
 Other non-API high strength tubing are available for sour service

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Example of Collapsed Tubing 

TUBING LOAD ANALYSIS
Loads On Tubing
CSG
 BURST LOAD Pb = PI - Po
L
 COLLAPSE LOAD Pc = Po - PI
 TENSION LOAD T = w . L + TP
Where:
 Po =Pressure in tubing-casing annulus Po PI
 PI =Pressure inside tubing
 w = Tubing weight, lbs/ft
 L = Length of tubing, ft.
 TP = Tension required to set the packer, or to pull tubing out of TBG
packer

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LOADING ANALYSIS EXAMPLE Pi1
2 3/8”

o = 14.3 ppg
Well Data
 Pressure inside tubing is 7000 psi
 Pressure in the annulus is 100 psi i = 6.9 ppg

 Packer set at 12000 ft

 Depth of perforation is 13000 ft

 Oil Density is 6.9 ppg

Annulus fluid density is 14.3 ppg 12,000
Tubing size 2-3/8”
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13,000

LOADING ANALYSIS EXAMPLE
Pi1
2 3/8”

Burst Load
At Surface: o = 14.3 ppg
 Pb1 = Pi1 – Po1
 = 7,000 – 100 = 6,900 psi

At Packer: i = 6.9 ppg

 Pb2 = Pi2 – Po2

 = (Pi1 + iL) - (Po1 + oL)

 = (7,000 + 6.9 x 0.052 x 12,000)

 - (100 + 14.3 x 0.052 x 12,000) 12,000
 = 2,282 psi

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13,000

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LOADING ANALYSIS EXAMPLE (Contd.)
Pi1
2 3/8”

Collapse Load ( Empty TBG )

o = 14.3 ppg
At Surface:
 Pc1 = Po1 – Pi1
 = 100 - 0 = 100 psi i = 6.9 ppg
At Packer:
 Pc2 = Po2 – Pi2
 = (Po1 + oL) - (Pi1 + iL)
 = (100 + 14.3 x 0.052 x 12,000)
 - (0 + 0) = 8,923 psi
12,000

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13,000

LOADING ANALYSIS EXAMPLE (Contd.) Pi1
2 3/8”
Max Burst Load = 6,900 psi x 1.125 (SF)
= 7,763 psi
Max Collapse Load = 8923 psi x 1.125 (SF) o = 14.3 ppg

= 10,038 psi
 From tubing tables, select the lowest grade and weight of
tubing having burst and collapse strengths that meet the i = 6.9 ppg
respective loads
 You may select a tubing with lower collapse strength and
prevent, or control swapping of the well
 Then, check tension load against tensile strength of selected
tubing 12,000

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13,000

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LOADING ANALYSIS EXAMPLE (Contd.) Pi1
2 3/8”
Tension Load
From Table, : 2 3/8 in., J-55, 4.7 lbs/f
o = 14.3 ppg
 Allowable Burst: 7,700 psi
Allowable Collapse: 8,100 psi
Allowable Tension: 71,700 lbs i = 6.9 ppg
 Maximum Tension Load is at Surface:
 T = w L + TP
 = 4.7 x 12,000 + 10,000 = 66,400 lbs
 = 66400 x 1.3 (SF) = 86,320 lbs
12,000
> Allowable Tension

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13,000

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Dimensional Data and Minimum Performance Properties of Tubing

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LOADING ANALYSIS EXAMPLE (Contd.) Pi1
2 3/8”
 Therefore, this tubing will fail and a stronger tubing must be
selected.
o = 14.3 ppg
 This could be a tubing with the same weight but higher
grade, or a tubing with the same grade but heavier weight.
 If the second alternative is used, you need to recalculate the
tension load for the heavier tubing i = 6.9 ppg

 Select:
 2 3/8 in.,
 4.7 lbs/ft.,
 N-80 tubing 12,000

 (T = 104,300 lbs.)
13,000 17

Tubing Movement Formulas

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Movement and Force Analysis
• Pressure effects
• Piston effect; pressure at packers produces force and 
length
• Buckling effect; higher pressure inside than outside at 
packer causes buckling
• Ballooning effect; change in average pressure causes a 
radial swelling (ballooning) or contraction (reverse) 
ballooning
• Temperature effect; thermal expansion or contraction
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Tubing Movement Formulas

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Tubing Movement Formulas
Piston Effect
• Length change
L
L1   Ap  Ai  Pi   Ap  Ao  P0 
EAs  
• Force change

F1   Ap  Ai  Pi  Ap  Ao  Po

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Tubing Movement Formulas (Cont’d)
Buckling Effect

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Tubing Movement Formulas (Cont’d)
Buckling Effect
• Length change
r 2 Ap2  Pi Po 
2

L2 
8EI Ws Wi Wo 
• Force change
• Force change is negligible since the effect mainly shorten the tubing

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Tubing Movement Formulas (Cont’d)
Ballooning Effect

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Tubing Movement Formulas (Cont’d)
Ballooning Effect
• Length change
2L  Pia  R2Poa 
L3   
 R 1 
2
E
• Force change

F3  0.6 Pia Ai Poa Ao 

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Tubing Movement Formulas (Cont’d)
Temperature effect
• Length change

L4  LT
• Force change

F4 207AsT

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Length and Forces Terms
L  d e p th , ft
E  M o d u l u s o f E l a s c t i c i t y ,3 0 x1 0 6 p s i
A s  C r o s s s e c io n a r e a o f tu b in g w a ll , s q in c h
A p  A r e a o f p a c k e r ID , s p in c h
Ai  A r e a o f tu b in g ID , s p in c h
Ao  A r e a o f tu b in g O D , s p in c h
 Pi  C h a n g e i n t u b i n g p r e s s u r e o f p a c k e r, p si
 Po  C h a n g e i n a n n u l u s p r e s s u r e o f p a c k er, p si
 Pia  C h a n g e i n a v e r a g e t u b i n g p r e s s u r e , p s i
 Po a  C h a n g e i n a v e r a g e a n n u l u s p r e s s u r e , p s i
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Length and Forces Terms
 T  A v e r a g e C h a n g e in te m p e r a tu r e , F
r  R a d ia l c le a r a n c e b e tw e e n tu b in g O D , C s g ID , in
R  R a tio o f tu b in g O D to ID

I  M o m e n t o f in e r tia o f tu b in g 
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D o
4
 D i
4

D i  T u b in g ID , in c h
D o  T u b in g O D , in c h
W s  W e ig h t o f tu b in g , lb / ft
W i  W e ig h t o f flu id in tu b in g , lb / ft
W o  W e ig h t o f flu id o u ts id e tu b in g , lb / ft
  C o e ffic ie n t o f th e r m a l e x p a n s io n , 6 .9 x1 0 6
in / in / F
  P o is s o n ' s r a tio  0 .3 fo r s te e l
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Sign Convention
• Length Change
• Negative upward tubing movement
• Positive downward tubing movement
• Force Change
• Negative refers to tension
• Positive refers to compression
• Pressure Changes
• Negative refers to pressure reduction
• Positive refers to pressure increase
• Temperature changes
• Negative temperature reduction
• Positive temperature increase

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Example

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Example
Three basic well conditions are reviewed:

5.1 Landing Condition:
• This condition describes the well when the tubing string was initially 
installed or landed. For this example the following landing conditions, 
typical of Saudi Aramco onshore oil producers will be used (refer to 
Figure 11 for the well cross section):
• Production casing is 7" 26# J‐55 (6.276" ID from casing tables)
• Production tubing is 4‐1/2" 12.6# J‐55 VAM (3.958" ID from tubing tables)
• Packer depth is 7000‘
• Packer seal bore is 4.00" in diameter and is 12' long
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Example
• Seal assembly spaced out 3'
• Packer (tubing/casing annulus) fluid is inhibited diesel (51 pcf)
• Tubing fluid is diesel (51 pcf)
• Shut in tubing pressure (SITP) = 0 psi
• Shut in casing pressure (SICP) = 0 psi
• Wellhead temperature = 80 ºF
• Bottom hole (stabilized) temperature = 220 ºF
5.2 Well Condition Prior to Acid Job:
This condition describes the well before the acid job. It is provided as
background information and is not used in the calculations:
• Inhibited diesel packer fluid (51 pcf)
• Tubing fluid is oil and gas (~53 pcf)
• Shut in tubing pressure (SITP) = 400 psi
• Shut in casing pressure (SICP) = 0 psi
• Wellhead temperature = 80 ºF
• Bottom hole temperature = 220 ºF
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Example
5.3 Acidizing Condition:
This condition describes the well during the acid job. Refer to 
Figure below.
• Packer (tubing/casing annulus) fluid is inhibited diesel (51 pcf)
• Tubing fluid is 15% HCl acid (67 pcf)
• Tubing injection pressure (TIP) = 3000 psi
• Shut in casing pressure (SICP) = 500 psi
• Wellhead temperature = 80 ºF
• Bottom hole temperature = 100 ºF

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Drawing

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Solution
Assignment of Length and Force Terms:
• The length and force change terms (as defined in the previous section) 
can be defined as follows:
• L = Depth 
= 7000'
• E = 30 x 106 psi (Modulus of elasticity for steel)
• As = Cross‐sectional area of the tubing wall

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lb

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-
-

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End

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