WELL COMPLETION-- An Overview.

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 2

WHAT IS WELL COMPLETION?

“ The concept of the completion is to convert a drilled wellbore into a
safe and efficient production / injection system”.

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 The life cycle of well 3

Well Testing
Well Completions

Well Drilling
Well Abandonment Workover
( Work-over)

Well Stimulation
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 Casing

Casing String Types

 The reasons for running and cementing casing:
– Isolate zones,
– Prevent mud contamination of fresh water aquifers,
– Support well head equipment and BOPs,
– Keep hole open
– Seal off lost circulation zones,
– Control inflow from the producing zone(s),

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 Example of Casing Series

Exploration well Offset Development well

data
5 casings 4 casings

30” Conductor 20”

20” Surface casing 13-3/8”

13-3/8”
Intermediate

9-5/8” Intermediate 9-5/8”

Reservoir
7” Production casing
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 Casing (1)

 Casing String Type: Drive Pipe

– Commonly pile driven or jetted to a shallow depth (e.g. 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

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 Casing (2)

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,
 It is the string on which Divertor or Bell nipple can be set,
 It is cemented to surface or seabed. It supports the wellhead
and subsequent casing strings 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).

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 Casing (3)

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).

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 Base Plate

 The casing head housing can be used in conjunction with a

base plate for more effective weight distribution.

Landing area for

intermediate casing

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, All rights reserved Surface casing 9
 Casing Head on Surface casing (Bottom
Connection)

Slip-on weld bottom Threaded bottom

OR
connection connection
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 Casing (4)

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, over-pressurized 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’.
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 Hole problems

Unconsolidated

Swelling

Abrasive
Instability

Fractured

Salt layer

Unsealed fault
Overpressured

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 Casing Hangers

Landing area

Intermediate
casing

Conductor

Surface casing
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 Functions of casing hangers

1. Suspends intermediate or production casing string

2. Seals off the casing annulus
3. Centres the casing string in the head (or spool)

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 Slip type casing hanger

1. Wrap around casing slips with sealing capability

2. Seal energized by casing weight

SLIPS

BOWL

ELASTOMER
SEAL ELEMENT

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 Casing Head Spools

Second element of the wellhead

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 Functions of casing head spools

 Seals off (packs off) around current (surface casing) string,

 Provides support for next casing with hanger
– Provides support for well control equipment (BOP Stack)
– Sealing the well bore from the atmosphere
– Controlling access to the well bore :
• for pressure control
• fluid returns.

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 Casing series & casing heads / spools

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 Description of a spool

Top connection

Side outlets
Landing area for threaded or
next Casing Hanger studded

Bottom connection compatible Seals off (packs off)

with the top connection on the designed to fit around OD
previous casing head or spool of current casing
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 Casing (5)

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”.

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 Liners (1)

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”.

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 Liners (2)

Production Liner: Last casing

 Liner Hanger hangs off the liner Liner

in the last casing. hanger
 Liner Lap is filled with cement
which provides a seal. Liner Lap
 Some Liner Hangers are
equipped with a rubber seal
element,
Liner Hanger Packer Liner

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 Liners (3)

Production Liner: TIE BACK

 Tie-Back:
PBR
– The integration of the liner with
STINGER
casing from top of liner to WITH
surface, SEALS
– To cover corroded casing or
damaged zone above liner,
– Sometimes cemented in place,
– Additional casing spool required
LINER
to suspend tie-back,
– This is often done if production
is still commercially viable.

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 Casing and Liners

Casing String Types:

 Drive Pipe,
 Conductor Pipe,
 Surface Casing,
 Intermediate Casing,
 Production Casing:
– Liner,
– Liner & Tieback
– Full string

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 Effects of tubing leak

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 Effect of pressure in B or C annulus

A B EFFECTS:
prod csg collapse
frac of cement
TOC 2610 ft

13 3/8” at
2931 ft
Shale
Gas Sand

9 5/8” at Top gas sand 2988 ft

5451 ft
Source of pressure built-up:
•casing leak
•micro annuli in cement
•poor cementation
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 Casing Design Considerations

 The end product of well design and construction is a

pressure vessel capable of withstanding the expected
internal and external pressures and axial loading,
 Casing loads:
– tension
– collapse
– burst

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 Casing design considerations

 Tension:
– Where: highest at top joint
– Design: add bending forces, shock loads
 Collapse:
– Where: bottom of string
– Design: empty casing, mud outside, mobile formations, no
cement
 Burst:
– Where: top of string
– Design: no cement, mud outside, gas filled casing

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