Drilling Engineering I Petroleum Department Lecture- 2

Prof. Dr. Faleh H. M. Almahdawi 2023- 2024

 Casing Specifications
A range of casings are manufactured to suit the wide variety of conditions
encountered. This vast range can be classified according to various specifications
such as:
1. Outside diameter
2. Wall thickness
3. Grade of material of construction
4. Length range
5. Type of joint

 Outside Diameter (OD)

The actual diameter of each casing would be determined by factors such as the flow
rate of the well. This would determine the size of the tubing required. A typical
offshore well may have the following configuration
 Conductor – 30 ins diameter
 Surface string – 20 ins diameter
 Intermediate string - 13⅜ ins diameter
 Production string – 9⅝ ins diameter
If a liner was used in this well it would probably be 7 in.

 Wall Thickness

Each size is manufactured in a number of pipe thicknesses. The thicker the pipe the
stronger it is. If the wall thickness increases, the inside diameter decreases. A pipe
with a thicker wall will be heavier. This specification is quoted as the casing weight
per foot. For example, a 9⅝” OD casing may be manufactured with the following
dimensions:
Drilling Engineering I Petroleum Department Lecture- 2
Prof. Dr. Faleh H. M. Almahdawi 2023- 2024

Weight (Ibm/ft) ID (ins) Wall Thickness (ins)

36 8.921 0.352
40 8.835 0.395
43.5 8.755 0.435
47 8.681 0.472
53.5 8.535 0.545

Nominal weight, Wn, is calculated using the following formula:

Wn =10.68(D-t) t + 0.0722 D lbm/ft
Where:
D = outside diameter (in.), t = wall thickness (in.)

 Length Range
Casing joints are not manufactured in exact lengths. This is due mainly to the costs
involved. They are manufactured in three length ranges:

Range Length (ft) Average Length (ft)

1 16 – 25 22

2 25 – 34 31

3 Over 34 42

 Material Grade
The specification relates to the tensile strength of the steel from which the casing is
made. The different grades are distinguished by a letter and number combination:

H – 40; K – 55; C – 75; N – 80; P – 110

Drilling Engineering I Petroleum Department Lecture- 2
Prof. Dr. Faleh H. M. Almahdawi 2023- 2024

The number represents the minimum yield strength of the steel (in thousands of
pounds per sq inch) while the letters refer to the different types of steels used.
API casing grades
Yield Strength (psi) Minimum Tensile
Grade
Minimum Maximum Strength (psi)

H40 40000 80000 60000

J55 55000 80000 70 – 95000

K55 55000 80000 70 – 95000

N80 80000 11000 100000

L80 80000 95000 100000

C90 90000 105000 100000

C95 95000 110000 105000

P110 110000 140000 125000

Q125 125000 150000 135000

 Types of Joint

The individual joints of casing are screwed together and then lowered into the hole.
Screw thread designs available are:
 Threaded and coupled connection
 Integral connections
In the coupled connection, both ends have male threads. They are screwed together
using female threaded coupling.
The integral connection does not use coupling. One end of the casing is male
threaded (pin end) while the other is female (box end).
Drilling Engineering I Petroleum Department Lecture- 2
Prof. Dr. Faleh H. M. Almahdawi 2023- 2024

Externally and internally upset casing connection

Threaded and coupled connection

 Casing Accessories

Casing would tend to dig into the formation or tend to lie to one side of the hole or
the other particularly if the hole was not vertical.

To overcome these problems and to assist in the placement of cement a number of

equipment are used. These pieces of equipment are known as casing accessories.

Guide Shoe

A guide shoe is attached to the bottom of the first joint of casing to be lowered into
the hole. It guides the casing into the hole. It consists of a short piece of pipe with
casing threads at the top. The end of the shoe is a guide nose. The guide nose directs
the casing away from the side of the hole. It is made of concrete and rubber for easy
drill out.
Drilling Engineering I Petroleum Department Lecture- 2
Prof. Dr. Faleh H. M. Almahdawi 2023- 2024

Float Collar

This is a non-return valve. It is made up as part of the casing string, usually a joint
or so above the guide shoe.

It consists of a short piece of pipe the same diameter as the casing and has casing
threads top and bottom. The valve and seat are made of runner and plastic for easy
drill out.

The three functions of float collar:

1. It allows the casing to be floated into the hole. When the casing is lowered
into the hole, it prevents the drilling fluid from the hole from entering the
casing. This reduces the effective weight of the casing string. This in turn
reduces the tension on the casing.
2. It prevents the backflow of cement slurry after it has been pumped round the
outside of the casing.
3. It stops the cement plug which is used during the actual placement of the
cement.
4. Sometimes when the guide shoe incorporates a non-return valve – it is called
float shoe.
5. The guide shoe and float collar are collectively called floating equipment.

NOTE: The casing does not reach its total depth completely empty.
Drilling Engineering I Petroleum Department Lecture- 2
Prof. Dr. Faleh H. M. Almahdawi 2023- 2024

Centralizers

The objectives of a cementing job are to obtain a reasonably evenly distributed

cement around the casing. No hole is completely vertical.

Casing would tend to lie on the low side of the hole in non-vertical wells. This
means that as the cement flows up the annulus it would tend to follow the path of
least resistance, hence by-passing the point where the casing touches the side of the
hole giving an uneven cement sheath.

Centralizers are used to position the casing in the center of the hole. This helps
to prevent cement channeling and assists in obtaining a uniform cement sheath.

Centralizers are positioned in the middle of a joint of casing. Stop collars are used
to prevent the centralizers from sliding along the casing.
Drilling Engineering I Petroleum Department Lecture- 2
Prof. Dr. Faleh H. M. Almahdawi 2023- 2024

Wall Cleaners (Scratchers)

These are used to remove the mud cake from the wall of the hole for the cement to
securely bond to the formation. It is attached to the outside of the casing. When the
casing is lowered into the hole it is rotated. This movement causes the scratchers to
remove the mud cake from the surface of the hole for bonding.