BEng (Hons) Petroleum Engineering

Course: Introduction To Petroleum Engineering Instructor Dr. Tarek Darwich

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Course Outlines:
What is Petroleum Engineering? The Life Cycle of Oil and Gas projects, Origin, formation and accumulation of Petroleum, Oil & Gas Exploration, Appraisal of Oil & Gas Discoveries, Development of Oil & Gas Discoveries, Producing Oil & Gas Fields, Transportation of Oil & Gas, The Petroleum Industry & the Environment, Petroleum Economics.
Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Well Casing

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Drilling and Casing of the Reservoir Section

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

The casing String

After having drilled a certain length of hole, in order to guarantee its stability it has to be cased. The spacing between the pipes and the hole is then filled with a cement slurry to ensure a hydraulic and mechanical seal.

Casing cost comprises one of the major cost items in well drilling projects.
Casing acts as an anchorage for the BOP while drilling and for the Christmas tree in production wells.

Proper planning and design of casing setting depth and casing pipe selection are vital to achieve a cost-effective and safe well.

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Main Types of Casing Strings

The main types of casing are:
Conductor Surface Casing

Intermediate Casing
Production Casing Liners

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Surface Casing
This casing is set to:
Prevent cave-in of unconsolidated, weak near-surface formations. Provide blowout protection from high pressure shallow gas formations. Isolate fresh water sands Prevent loss of circulation Partial protection of subsequent casing strings from corrosion

In deviated wells, the surface casing may cover the build section to prevent key seating of the formation during deeper drilling.
Typically cemented to surface or mudline.

Before setting the surface casing, no BOPs are installed.

Surface casing setting depth ranges from 300 to 5,000 ft, their diameters normally range from 24 to 17 .

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Intermediate Casing
This casing is set to:
Isolate unstable sections Isolate lost circulation/low pressure zones. Isolate Shallow production zones.

Often set in the transition zone from normal to abnormal pressure. The cement top must isolate any hydrocarbon-bearing zone. Some wells may require multiple intermediate strings.

Some intermediate strings may also be production strings if a liner is run beneath them.
Intermediate casing diameters range from 17 to 9 5/8.

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Production Casing
This casing is set to:
Isolate production zones

This casing maybe exposed to injection pressures from fracture jobs down the casing, or gas lift, or any inhibitors. The cement top must isolate any hydrocarbon-bearing zone. A good primary cement job is much more critical for this string.

Production casing and production liners are commonly have gas-tight connections.
Production casing diameters range from 9 5/8 to 5 with the 7 casing is commonly in use.

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

A Liner
A casing string that does not stretch back to the wellhead but instead is hung from another casing string. casing is set to:
Used in lieu of full casing strings to reduce cost Allow the use of larger tubing above the liner top Not exceed a tension limitation on the rig

Liners can be either intermediate or production strings. They are typically cemented over their whole length.

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Preliminary Casing Design

It is an important part of the well planning step. Preliminary well design includes:
Data gathering and interpretation Determination of shoe depths and number of strings. selection of hole and casing sizes Mud weight design Directional design.

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Required Information in Casing Design

Formation Properties:
Pore pressure Fracture pressure Formation compressive strength (borehole failure) Temperature profile Location of squeezing salt and shale zones Location of permeable zones Chemical stability/shale zones (mud type and exposure time) Lost Circulation zones Shallow gas Location of fresh water sands Presence of H2S and/or CO2.

Directional Data:
Surface location Target Location Well interference data

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Required Information in Casing Design

Minimum Hole Diameter Requirement:
Minimum hole size required to meet drilling objectives Logging tool OD Tubing size(s) Packers and related equipment requirments. Subsurface safety valve outer diameter (especially for offshore wells) Completion requirements

Production Data
Packer Fluid Density Produced Fluid Composition Worst case loads which may occur during completion, production and workover operations.

Other Requirement:
Available inventory Regulatory requirements Rig equipment Limitations

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

Slim hole Drilling & Casing Issues

Small hole sizes (and consequently casing sizes) reduce the total cost of the well since: drilling times are faster less mud to be used (purchase and disposal of mud) smaller mud equipment can be used (cleaning, pumping, .) smaller casing can be used (cheaper) smaller rig can be used Rig site can be smaller Constraints Well control issues (higher velocities in the annulus in case of gas kick) Smaller production tubing sizes and artificial lift equipment.

Year 2012 - 2013

Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

API Casing Performance Properties

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has developed internationally accepted standards for oilfield tabulars. These standards are summarised in bulletins that performance properties and equations to calculate them. contain the minimum

It SHOULD be understood that these properties are guidelines (minimum requirements). For casing design calculations, the exact strength values provided by the individual manufacturer shall be applied. A casing is defined by: Casing outside diameter (OD) Weight per unit length (determines wall thickness) Grade of steel Type of coupling Length of joint

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Introduction to Petroleum Engineering

API Casing Grades

Year 2012 - 2013