Well HeadAssembly

Well head assembly serve as the termination point of casing and tubing strings. They are
used to support casing and tubing string, isolate and control pressure during the drilling
operation and monitor casing annulus pressures during production.
The well head comprises of three sections which are
Section A or Casing Head Housing (CHH)
Section B or Casing Head Spool (CHS)
Section C or Tubing Head Spool (THS)
Section A or Casing Head Housing (CHH):
Casing Head Housing is the lowest part of the wellhead assembly that is almost always
connected to the surface casing string, and provides a means of suspending and
packing off the next casing string. It supports the subsequent part of the well head and
completion equipment. Attachment to the surface casing string is provided through the
type of bottom connection (Slip-on-weld, threaded, Sliploc).CHH is the first piece of
wellhead equipment installed which is affixed to most outside, fully cemented casing
string.To prevent the leakage of fluidthere is pack off seal affixed to the inside of CHH
and outside of the Casing.CHH is designed for universal use on all types and depths of
wells.
Functions of CHH are given below:
Provide a mean for attachment for attachment to the surface casing string.
Supports the blow out preventers while hole is being drilled for first intermediate
string.
Provides outlet for fluids returns coming up the annulus.
Provides a mean to test the BOPs while drilling.
Section B or Casing Head Spool (CHS):
Designed with a bowl containing a load shoulder, each casing spool in the wellhead
stack up hangs each casing sting after the casing head and before the tubing head.
The bottom part of the spool has been engineered to contain a packoff seal and
flange for either a clamp-hub or a standard flange connection. For annular access,
either studded or line pipe outlets can be machined into the spool.
Providing a controlled bore in the top bowl for the casing hanger seal, it also provides a
seal in the bottom bowl to pack off the previous casing string and isolate the ID seals
from internal casing pressure. An additional function of the casing spool is to allow for
testing BOPs while drilling, retaining the bowl protector, and pressure-testing casing
seals through a test port.
Section C or Tubing Head Spool (THS):
THS is the equipment attached to the casing spool used to hang the tubing (smallest
casing string) and seal the annulus between the tubing and casing. This top spool on a
wellhead assembly contains the highest pressure in the wellhead, and contains a load
shoulder to hang the tubing hanger and tubing string. When the well is completed, the
tree is installed on top of the head with a tubing head adapter. Providing a means to
support and test the BOPs while completing the well, the tubing head is a necessary
component when drilling and completing a well.
Accessories:
Base Plate:
Base plate is a load-supporting device attached to the starting Casing Head Housing
(CHH) by means of either mechanical or permanent (welding) connection.
Lockdown screw:
Lockdown screw is a mechanism that actuates the hanger/packoff seals in the event
of annulus pressure, preventing casing movement caused by thermal expansion during
production. Furthermore it is also used to hold the bowl protector in place during drilling.
Secondary Seals:
Secondary seals are used to seal around the casing stub in the bottom of the bowl of
the well head.
Casing Hanger:
Casing hanger is the mechanism that locks into the casing head, responsible for
hanging or suspending the casing pipe in slip bowl. The hanger may also incorporate
seals to casing and annulus.They transfer part of the load of the casing string (any
tubular string) to the wellhead. The actual weight is transferred to the string on which
the wellhead flange is mounted. Two types of hangers are slips type and mandrel type
threaded to the casing.
Tubing Hanger and Packoffs:
Tubing hanger is a mechanism used to hang the tubing from within the tubing head by
means of a thread. Tubing hangers and packoffs are installed in the top bowl of tubing
head, Tubing hangers both suspend tubing and provide a primary annular seal
between the tubing and production casing Packoffs only provide a seal between the
tubing and production casing. They do not suspend the tubing.
Their main functions are listed below:
Tubing hangers suspend tubing and seal the annulus between the tubing and
production casing.
Tubing hangers may also be utilized to get back pressure valves inside in order to
seal wellbore.
Packoffs allow tubing string manipulation for setting pacers or displacing fluid while
sealing the annulus between the tubing and the production casing.
Tubing Head Adapter:
Tubing Head Adapter is equipment used to adapt the uppermost connection of the
tubing head to the lowermost section of the tree. Providing a transition from the
wellhead to the tree, the tubing head adapter is used for both single and multiple
completions.