Casing Design Tutorial 13/11/2014

RGU – 1, a subsea vertical gas appraisal well, is to be drilled and cased as detailed in the
attached document. The surface casing is intended as the first pressure containment string
and the BOPs will be installed on a HPWHH welded to the top joint of casing. From offset
well data, the following drilling hazards are anticipated:

i. The 36” hole will be drilled through unconsolidated formations with sea water and
viscous sweeps. A competent formation is expected at +/- 707ft MDBRT.
ii. The 26” hole section will also be drilled with seawater and viscous sweeps. No significant
drilling problems are anticipated.
iii. The 17.1/2” intermediate borehole will penetrate what are believed to be water bearing
formations towards section TD. These are normally pressured at an equivalent mud
weight (EMW) of 8.6 ppg. However, most of the upper 17.1/2” hole section consists of
shales and it is proposed to use a mud weight of 11.0 ppg for hole stability reasons.
Consequently there is a high risk of severe lost circulation problems in the water bearing
formations close to TD.
iv. The LOT performed below the 9.5/8” shoe is expected to result in a leak off at 13.5 ppge.
v. Offset wells have encountered H2S in the 8.1/2” hole section at dissolved gas
concentrations of 55 ppm.
vi. A pressure ramp is expected at 5000ft, with formation pressure rising from normal to an
EMW of 12.4 ppge at 9.5/8” casing point. The pressure in the reservoir is thought to be
9.5 ppge.

i. What are the functions of the 30” conductor casing

 To provide structural support for the well. (It is cemented to the seabed.)
 To prevent wash outs/cratering at the seabed during the drilling of the
surface hole. (Given appropriate ground conditions, the conductor casing
may be driven or jetted in place without cementing.)
 Provides a conduit for seawater/viscous sweep returns to the seabed when
drilling surface hole.

ii. A low pressure wellhead housing (LPWHH) is welded to the top joint of conductor.
What is the purpose of this housing?

The LPWHH supports the high pressure wellhead housing (HPWHH) and contains a
lockdown feature to prevent relative movement between the surface and conductor
casing. (A pin connector and riser will not be used when drilling surface hole for fear
of encountering shallow gas.)
iii. Comment on the suitability of the specified surface casing in the event of total
losses in 17.1/2” hole.
One concern here is the risk of 20” casing collapse. There is also a potential well
control risk, in that one cannot be absolutely sure hydrocarbons are NOT present in
the “water bearing” formation. (An example of a formation in the SNS which is
generally water bearing but sometimes contains gas is the Bunter Sandstone.)

The level of mud in the riser could fall to balance normal formation pressure in the
event of total losses.
Mud column x 11.0 x 0.052 = 5578 x 8.6 x 0.052
Hence mud column = 2494 / (11.0 x 0.052) = 4360ft above loss zone.
Mud level in 20” casing = 5578 – 4360 = 1218ft TVDBRT
Collapse pressure = 1218 x 8.6 x 0.052 = 544 psi.
Actual collapse strength is 770 psi. On the face of it there is an ample margin of
safety, but remember tension reduces collapse strength.

If gas was present in the so called water bearing formations, and assuming a gas
gradient of 0.1 psi/ft, the gas to wellhead pressure would be= (5578 – 420) x 8.6 x
0.052 – 557.8 = 1748 psi. The external pressure acting on the 20” casing at the
wellhead = 340 x 8.6 x 0.052 = 152 psi. So the net burst pressure = 1748 – 152 =
1596 psi. Assuming a design factor on burst of 1.1, we would need a casing having a
burst strength = 1596 x 1.1 = 1756 psi. The 20” casing specified in the drilling
programme has a burst strength of 2410 psi, so again OK.

There is also a question regarding the strength of the formation just below the20”
shoe. Would this formation be able to withstand the pressures created in the
unlikely event a gas kick was taken from the “water bearing” formation? Since we
are not given any leak off test results we cannot answer this question.

iv. What is the difference between K55 and J55 casing?

The minimum yield stress of both grades is the same at 55,000 psi. However, there is
a difference in the minimum tensile strength; so for K55 this is 94,399 psi (655 MPa)
and for J55 it is74,384 psi(517 MPa).
 v. Is N80 a suitable grade for the 9.5/8” casing? What about the BTC connections?

Given sour service – no. A better choice would be L80 casing, which is less hard and
less susceptible to SSCC. NACE Standard MR0175 applies to sour gas service (partial
pressure of H2S of 0.05 psia or greater, at an absolute pressure above 65 psia). If the partial
pressure of H2S is at or above these limits, the steel and other equipment exposed to the sour
gas must meet the conditions specified in NACE Standard MR0175 for sour service.N80 is
normalized and tempered, L80 is quenched and tempered. L80 hardness is HRC 22 or less.
Note also that BTC is not an acceptable connection for the production casing of a gas well – a
premium connection with a metal to metal radial seal should be used.

vi. Calculate the burst strength of the specified 13.3/8” casing. Apply the full API
permitted tolerance on wall thickness.

D/t = 13.375 / ((13.375 – 12.347) /2) = 13.375 / 0.514 = 26 therefore treat as a thin
shell.
13.375 x P = 0.875 x 2 x 0.514 x 80,000

From which P = 5380 psi.

vii. What is the maximum allowable mud weight when drilling 8.1/2” hole?

MAMW = 13.5 ppg. However, this is not a very practical concept. When circulation
commences, it is certain that the resultant ECD with 13.5 ppg mud in the well would
exceed the leak off pressure at the 9.5/8” shoe.