Eom COILED TUBING Rev A Section 140 Dal ENGINEERING MANUAL September 1993|Page 1 of 6 COILED TUBING FORCES Contents Page Contents Page 1 INTRODUCTION ....... 2.4 Buckling ....... 3 2 FACTORS AFFECTING COILED 2.5 Fluid Turbulence 4 ‘TUBING FORCES. at 26 Stripper Friction 4 2.1. Buoyant Weight i 2.7 Wellhead Pressure 5 2.2 Well Profile. 2 2.8 Tubing Reel Back Tension 5 2.3 Residual Bend 3 3 REFERENCES. 6 1 INTRODUCTION When coiled tubing (CT) is run into or pulled out of a vertical well itis relatively easy to predict what willbe the indicated weight of the tubing string. The tubing weight per foot, or meter, is known so the weight of the string will correspond to the length hanging in the well, with some correction being made for the effects of buoyancy. Thus, the weight ofthe string as shown on the weight indicator display on the surface gives a primary indication of the forces being applied to the CT downhole. In highly deviated wellbores, the forces required to push the CT alongthe wellbore cannotbe accurately determined by the weight indicator display alone. A number of forces which act onthe CT must be taken into account to predict, the loads that the tubing will be subjected to in the wellbore. ‘The CollCADE* computer program has been developed by Dowell to model the forces acting on the CT under given conditions. It is thereby possible to determine the loads on the CT string, enabling efficient job design prior to the operation. The ColCADE Tubing Forces Model (TFM) is described in Section 200. ‘The TFM outputs are used to assist in the design of CT ‘operations which are safe and reliable, and also predict the maximum depth which a tool string may be run in horizontal and highly deviated wellbores. A plot of the ‘anticipated weight indicator load against the measured depth is used during the job as a means of checking and interpreting any anomalous conditions. * Mark of Schlumberger 2 FACTORS AFFECTING COILED TUBING FORCES Most models or calculations used to determine forces acting on the CT divide the well and tubing string into sections or elements. The resuttantloadisthen calculated for each component in each element. In this way it is possible to examine the effects over the length of the tubing and not only atthe top or bottom of he tubing string The forces identified below have varying effects onthe CT string (Fig. 1). Each may vary individually during an operation and all will change from well to well itis important that account be taken of each force as accurately as possible to help ensure that the operation may be completed as designed. * Buoyancy + Well Profile + Tubing Residual Bend + Helical Buckling + Tubing Friction + Stripper Friction + Welthead Pressure “+ Fluid Flow ‘+ Reel Back Tension CONFIDENTIALITY This manual section is a confidential document which must not be copied in whole or in part or discussed with anyone outside the Schlumberger organisation,Section 140 |RevA COILED TUBING ENGINEERING MANUAL. Page 2of6 _ |September 1993] COILED TUBING FORCES 2.1 Buoyant Weight ‘This isthe weight of the CT, taking into account the effect of internal and external fluids, their density and corresponding buoyancy effect. ‘The buoyant weight of each element in the string has a tensile effect on the other elements in the tubing string. 2.2 Well Profile Stripper friction The profile of a well or completion can affect the load or and force applied to the tubing string in two ways. wellhead pressure + Low Side Drag The buoyant weight of a tubing string, which is lying against the low side of the well, will vary with the deviation of the well. As the deviation changes, the _amountotfrition due to buoyant weight willalso change. + Belt Effect When tubing is placed in tension around a curve, the tubing is forced against the inside surface of the well tubular (Fig. 2). This causesacorrespondingincrease in friction. The belt effect may be induced by changes in Uecceaalended deviation and azimuth. Fluid turbulence and buoyancy effects ‘Sinusoidal buckling and helical buckling (exagerated) Fig. 1. Coiled tubing forces. ‘CONFIDENTIALITY This manual section i @ confidential document which must not be copied in whole or in part or discussed with anyone outside the Schlumberger organisation.(eee) COILED TUBING ENGINEERING MANUAL COILED TUBING FORCES RevA Section 140 September 1993|Page 3 of 6 Friction force generated as CT is drawn to inside of curve when pulling out of the nN \ Well/production ‘tubular Fig. 2 Balt ettect on wellbore curvature. 2.8 Residual Bond ‘When the CT is injected through the stripper, the tubing willbe bent with a radius of curvature of about 24 ft. This bend is referred to as the residual bend and originates {rom storing the CT in a plastically deformed state on the reel. Asthe tension onthe CT string is increased, asa result of string weight or applied tension, the tubing will straighten. ‘When the tension is decreased, the tubing will again form «a residual bend. ‘The principal effect of the CT residual bend occurs as compressive force is applied to the string and buckling is initiated. 24 Buckling CCompressiveforce exerted onthe CT string duringnormal operations in deviated wells may result in buckling of the string in two distinct modes: * sinusoidal buckling * helical buckling, ‘The force requiredto push CT intoa horizontal or deviated well increases as the tubing is pushed further along the wellbore. When the force reaches a certain level, the CT wll snap into a sinusoidal wave pattern (Fig. 3). The load at this point is referred to as the sinusoidal buckling load or critical buckling load. ‘The period and amplitude of this sinusoidal waveform is dependent on the dimensions of the CT and well tubular in which tis contained. However. since the period will be very long in comparison with the amplitude, any bending ‘of the CT will be within the elastic range and no plastic deformation or damage will be caused to the tubing. The orientation of each sine wave varies, giving the appearance of helically buckled tubing. However, the important difference between sinusoidal and helical buckling is that helically buckled tubing will contact the wall of the well tubular throughout the period, whereas sinusoidally buckled tubing does not. ‘When downward forces appliedto a sinusoidally buckled ‘work string, the tubing willcontinuetomove further ntothe ell. As the force required continues to increase, a point will be reached where the tubing snaps from being sinusoidally buckled to being helically buckled (Fig. 4). ‘Aswith snusoidal buckling, the wave pattern is dependent on the CT and well tubular dimensions and is within the elastic range of the CT. The direction of the helix will change over the length of the buckled section of tubing, thus the number of rotations and induced torque over the {otal length of the buckled section remains zero. ‘When the tubing is helically buckled, the resulting helix applies force against the side of the welltubular. However, ‘the tubing can stllbe moved further into the wellbore. The increased fiction caused by forcing the tubing further into the wellbore causes the period of helix to shorten, which ‘CONFIDENTIALITY This manual section is a confidential document which must not be copied in whole or in part or ‘discussed with anyone outside the Schlumberger organisation,Rev A [September 1993] Section 140. Page 4 of 6 COILED TUBING ENGINEERING MANUAL Ee COILED TUBING FORCES intum further increases the friction. Ata certain point, the {riction forces become greater than the force pushing the tubing. When this pointis reached, itis impossibleto push the tubing further into the wellbore. This condition is referred to as helical lockup. Following helical lockup, it wil still be possible to inject tubing into the well; however, this will only result in increasing the amount of buckled tubing in the well. The BHA cannot be pushed further into the well following helical lockup. Determining the point at which lockup occurs is a major element of CT job design work in horizontal and deviated well applications. Where the wellbore contains a curvature, etherasa result Cf deviation or azimuth change, the sinusoidal and helical buckling loads will be increased. This is due to the increased support the well tubulars afford to the CT. Increasing the compressiveforcetends to stabilizethe CT by forcing it into the trough of the curve. A larger force ie required to move the CT out of the trough into a sine or helical waveform. Period (wavelength) 2.5 Fluid Turbulence When fluid is flowing at high rates through the CT or through the surrounding annulus, the CT will tend to vibrate. This vibration will effectively decrease the friction betweenthe CT andthe welltubularin whichitis contained. 2.6 Stripper Friction ‘The seal provided by the stripper to secure well pressure causes a friction force to be applied to the tubing. When the stripper operating pressure or wellhead pressure is increased, the friction caused by the stripper seal area will also increase. When operating at high wellhead pressures, this friction becomes a significant factor. In extreme cases the friction imposed by the stroper seal area may make it difficult to inject the CT through the stripper assembly. ‘CONFIDENTIALITY This manual section is a confidential document which must not be copied in whole or in part or discussed with anyone outside the Schlumberger organisation.COILED TUBING ENGINEERING MANUAL COILED TUBING FORCES RevA Section 140 ‘September 1993] Page 5 of 6 2.7 Wellhead Pressure ‘Wellhead pressure acts on the CT by creating an upward force which tends to force the tubing out of the well. The char in Fig. 5 shows a plot of force against wellhead pressure for various CT sizes. NOTE: This chart shows the calculated effect of wellhead pressure only. 2.8 Tubing Reel Back Tension ‘Theamountof backtension appliedto the CTbetweenthe reel and injector head will affect the value shown on the Weight indicator display. This is due to the design of the injector head frame pivot and location of the weight indicator load cell Atthough the CT reel back tension does not affect the actual stress in the tubing below the drive chains, it must be taken into consideration in to accurately predict the weight indicator reading which will be displayed and recorded, 12,000 10,000 Force (bf) 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 Welthead pressure (psi) Fig. §. Force exerted on various sizes of CT by wellhead pressure. CONFIDENTIALITY This manual section is a confidential document which must not be copied in whole or in part or discussed with anyone outside the Schlumberger organisation.Section 140 |RevA Page 6of6 {September 1993] COILED TUBING ENGINEERING MANUAL — COILED TUBING FORCES 3 REFERENCES ‘The following references are recommended for job design information or for further reading. Internal Technical Manuals (ITM) Coiled Tubing Operators Manual (ITM-1099), 1992. ‘Safety and Loss Prevention Manual (HSE-8006), 1991. Coiled Tubing Equipment STEM | (Rev B), June 1992. Technical Papers Newman, K.R.: “Collapse Pressure of Oval Coiled Tub- ing," paper SPE 24988, presented at the European Petro- leur Conference, Cannes, France, (November 1992). ‘Adrichem, W.V., and Newman K.R.: “Validation of Coiled ‘Tubing Penetration Predictions in Horizontal Wells," pa- per SPE 24765, presented at the SPE Annual Technical ‘Conference and Exhibition, Washington D.C. U.S.A. (Oc- tober 1992). Newman, K.R., and Allcom M.G.: ‘Coiled Tubing in High Pressure Wells," paper SPE 24793, presentedatthe SPE. ‘Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Washing- ton D.C. U.S.A. (October 1992). Thomeer, H. V., and Newman K.R.: “Safe Coiled Tubing Operations," paper SPE 23266, presented at the SPE Health, Safety and Environment Conference, The Hague, ‘Netherlands (November1991). Newman, K.R.: “Coiled Tubing Pressure and Tension Limits,” paper SPE 23131, presented at the SPE Offshore Europe Conference, Aberdeen, Scotland, (September 1991). Newman, K.R., Corrigan M. and Cheatham J.B.: “Safely Exceeding the ‘Critical Buckling Load’ in Highly Deviated, Wells," paper SPE 19229, presented at the Offshore Europe Conference, Aberdeen, Scotland, (September 1989). ‘CONFIDENTIALITY This manual section is @ confidential document which must not be copied in whole or in part or discussed with anyone outside the Schlumberger organisation.