4 - Casing Type & Design

Network of Excellence in Training
Casing, Casing Suspension

& Casing Design
© COPYRIGHT 2002, NExT. All Rights Reserved

Casing and Casing Design
• Lecture Contents;
– Objectives,
– Casing String Types and Suspension
– Casing Classification,
– Casing Design Considerations.
2
© COPYRIGHT 2002, All Rights Reserved
Objectives;
• By the end of this lecture YOU will be able to:
– Identify basic functions of casing strings and
suspension,
– Relate these functions to: conductor, surface,
intermediate and production casing,
– Describe the relative importance of casing grade to
ability to withstand various loads,
– Understand basic casing design considerations.
3
Casing String Types;
• At certain intervals during drilling of a well,
casing (steel pipe) is run into the wellbore
and cemented in place,
– The reasons for running casing:
• Support wellhead equipment and BOPs,
• Prevent mud contamination of fresh water
aquifers,
• Isolate zones,
• Seal off lost circulation zones,
• Keep hole open
• Control inflow from the producing zone(s),
4
Exploration well Development well
5 casings 4 casings
30” Conductor 20”
20” Surface casing
13-3/8”
13-3/8”
Intermediate
9-5/8”
Intermediate
9-5/8”
Intermediate
Reservoir
7” Production casing
5
Casing String Type: Drive Pipe
– This type is commonly pile driven or jetted to a
depth of say 100 ft,
– The primary purpose is to protect unconsolidated

surface soils from erosion,
– They are typically of large diameter

(more than 20 inches),
– Joints are normally welded together
6
Casing String Types: Conductor Pipe
– This is the first casing to be run when there is no drive pipe
to prevent washing out under the rig,
– Provides elevation for return flow to Bell nipple,
– It is the string on which Diverter can be set,
– It is cemented to surface or seabed. It supports the wellhead
and subsequent casing string and its setting is critical in
terms of compressional loading and integrity of the cement,
– Common Sizes and Depths:
• 30” - 20” Welded, 20” - 16” Threaded,
• 30’ - 200’ (< 100’ common).
7
• Casing String Types: Surface Casing
– Protects fresh water aquifers,
– It is the first string on which BOP can be set to
provide primary pressure control,
– It is cemented to surface or seabed, to case-off,
unconsolidated or lost circulation areas and support
subsequent casing strings/ wellhead,
– Common sizes and depth:
– 20”- 16” - 13 3/8”- 9 5/8” threaded,
– 100’ - 3000’ (or more).
8
Base Plate
The casing head may be used in conjunction with a
base plate for more effective weight distribution.
Cellar deck
Conductor pipe Surface casing

9
Bottom Connection
Slip-on weld bottom Threaded bottom

OR
connection connection
1
0 © COPYRIGHT 2002, All Rights Reserved
• Casing String Types: Intermediate Casing
– Separates hole into workable sections,
– The number of intermediate strings set depends on:
• Fracture Pressure last shoe,
• Proximity to a potential reservoir. (It is good practice to set
intermediate string above reservoir),
• Hole problems (i.e. lost circulation, salt section, differential
sticking, caving, overpressurized zones),
– The casing is normally cemented in the previous shoe or
to surface. (could be cemented in two stages),
– Common sizes and depths:
• 13 3/8”, 10 3/4”, 9 5/8”,
• 3000’ to 10,000’.
1
Casing Hangers
Landing area
Intermediate
casing
Conductor
pipe
Surface casing
1
Functions of casing hangers
1. Suspends intermediate or production

casing string
2. Centres the casing string in the head

(or spool)
3. Seals off the casing annulus
1
Slip type hangers
1. Wraparound casing slips with sealing
capability
SLIPS
BOWL
ELASTOMER
SEAL ELEMENT
1
Slip type hangers
1. Wraparound casing slips with sealing
capability
SEAL PLATE
SEAL
SLIP
BOWL
SLIP
1
Isolation of Annulus
Annulus sealing with

the casing hanger
1
Casing Head Spools
Second element of the
wellhead
1
Functions of casing head spools
1. Seals off (packs off) surface casing string
2. Provides support (landing bowl) for next

casing string
 provides support for well control equipment

(BOP Stack)
 Sealing the wellbore from the atmosphere
 Controlling access to the wellbore :

 for pressure control
 or fluid returns during drilling operations.
1
Description of a spool
Top connection
Side outlets
Landing area for threaded or
Casing Hanger studded
Bottom connection compatible Seals off (packs off)

with the top connection on the designed to fit around
1 previous casing head or spool OD of current casing
Isolation Seals and Pack Off
Prevents:
• communication between the casing strings
• exposure of the flange seal to annulus pressure.
Next casing spool
to hang-off next
casing.
2
• Casing String Types: Production Casing
– Final string to be run for production or testing,
– The primary purpose is to isolate the production zones

thus allowing proper control of the reservoir,
– Cementing is very important to prevent communication
in the annulus,
– Covers worn or damaged intermediate string,
– Common sizes: 7”, 7 5/8”, & 9 5/8”.
2
• Types of Casing: Liners
– Purpose:
• Mostly same as production casing,
• Rig unable to lift long string of casing in Deep
Wells,
– Types of Liners
• Production Liners: Most common to save $$,
• Drilling Liners: Cover problem zone or cover
worn-out casing in order to be able to continue
drilling,
– Common sizes: 4 1/2”, 5”, 7”.
2
• Production Liner:
Last casing
LINER
2
• Production Liner:
TIE BACK
– Tie-Back:
STINGER
• The integration of the liner with WITH
casing from top of existing liner to SEALS
surface,
• To further up casing to cover
corroded or damaged zone,
(sometimes cemented in place),
• This is often done if production is
LINER
commercially viable or there is
damage to casing above the liner.
2
Casing String Types:
• Drive Pipe,
• Conductor Pipe,
• Surface Casing,
• Intermediate Casing,
• Production Casing:
– Liner,
– Liner & Tieback
– Full string
2
Casing Classifications;
• Outside Diameter:
– This is the normal (nominal) diameter of the casing
measured to the outside surface of the casing body,
– API: > 4 1/2” called casing
– API: < 4 1/2” called tubing
• Weight:
– It is the weight of the finished joint including
couplings,
– The nominal weight of the casing is expressed in
pounds (lbs) per foot.
2
Casing Classifications;
• Wall Thickness:
– Related to weight,
– The drift diameter is used in sizing the drill bit
• Grade:
– The grade of a casing is designated by a letter and number combination (e.g. J55, C75, N80, P110),
– The letter indicates the steel quality (heat treatment)
– The number is the API minimum yield strength in thousands of psi,
– Hence, for example, J55 has a minimum yield strength of 55000 psi.
2
• Casing Design Considerations;
– The end product of such design is a pressure vessel
capable of withstanding the expected internal and
external pressures and axial loading,
– Hole irregularities further subject the casing to
bending forces which must be considered during the
selection of casing grades,
– In general, the cost of a given casing grade is
proportional to its weight, the heaviest weight being
the most expensive,
– And hence the designer must optimize without
compromising the safety and quality.
2
Casing Design Considerations;
• Design Criteria;
– Main casing design criteria are:

• Collapse,
• Burst,
• Tension.
2
• Collapse Pressure:
– This pressure originates from the column of mud used to drill
the hole and acts on the outside of the casing,
– Since the hydrostatic pressure of a column of mud increases with
depth collapse pressure is highest at the bottom and zero at top.
Pressure Pressure
3
• Basic Collapse Assumptions:
– Casing is empty due to lost circulation
at shoe or at TD,
– Internal pressure inside casing is zero,
– External pressure caused by:
• mud in which casing was run,
CSD
• overburden acting on mobile layers
– No cement outside casing.

TD
3
Basic Burst Assumption:

– Gas to Surface:
• This is an extreme case,
• For added safety it is assumed that the influx
fluid displaces the entire drilling mud,
CSD
• This will subject the inside casing to bursting
effects of formation pressure.
TD
3
Burst Pressure: Gas to Surface
• At the top, the external pressure due to hydrostatic
head of mud is zero and the internal pressure must be
supported entirely by the casing,
• The burst pressure is highest at the top and lowest at
the casing shoe where internal pressure is resisted by
the external pressure due to fluids outside the casing,
• In conventional casing design, it is customary to
assume a gas kick, thereby anticipating the worst
possible type of a kick.
3
• Burst Pressure: Gas to Surface:
– The gas gradient is in the order of 0.1 psi/ft.
– Casing seat should be selected so that gas pressure at the

casing shoe is less than the formation breakdown at the
shoe,
– In exploration wells, where reservoir pressure is not
known, formation pressure from the next openhole
section is calculated from the maximum mud weight.
3
• Tension:
– Most of axial tension arises from the casing weight,
– Other tension loadings can arise due to:
• Bending,
• Drag,
• Shock loading and during pressure testing of casing.
– In casing design, the uppermost joint of the string is

considered the weakest in tension as it has to carry the
total weight of the casing string.
3
Now YOU should be able to:
• Identify basic functions of casing strings,
• Relate these functions to required characteristics for

surface, intermediate and production casing strings,
• Describe the relative importance of casing

dimensions and steel grade to ability to withstand
various loads,
• Understand basic casing design considerations.
3
Network of Excellence in Training
Casing, Casing Suspension and

Casing Design
End of Lecture
© COPYRIGHT 2002, NExT. All Rights Reserved

4 - Casing Type &amp; Design

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Network of Excellence in Training

Casing, Casing Suspension

© COPYRIGHT 2002, NExT. All Rights Reserved

– Casing String Types and Suspension

– Casing Design Considerations.

30” Conductor 20”

20” Surface casing

– The primary purpose is to protect unconsolidated

– They are typically of large diameter

– Joints are normally welded together

Conductor pipe Surface casing

Slip-on weld bottom Threaded bottom

1. Suspends intermediate or production

2. Centres the casing string in the head

3. Seals off the casing annulus

Annulus sealing with

2. Provides support (landing bowl) for next

 provides support for well control equipment

 Sealing the wellbore from the atmosphere

 Controlling access to the wellbore :

Bottom connection compatible Seals off (packs off)

– The primary purpose is to isolate the production zones

– Main casing design criteria are:

– No cement outside casing.

Basic Burst Assumption:

– Casing seat should be selected so that gas pressure at the

– In casing design, the uppermost joint of the string is

• Relate these functions to required characteristics for

• Describe the relative importance of casing

• Understand basic casing design considerations.

Casing, Casing Suspension and

© COPYRIGHT 2002, NExT. All Rights Reserved

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4 - Casing Type & Design

4 - Casing Type & Design