3.

4 Wellhead and X-mas Tree

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 Wellhead

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 Hole problems

Unconsolidated

Swelling

Abrasive
Instability

Fractured

Salt layer

Unsealed fault
Overpressured

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 Casing String

Conductor casings are cemented to

prevent fluids circulating outside the
casing causing erosion.
Surface casings are cemented to prevent
hydrocarbons encroaching into fresh
water zones, to anchor blow-out
preventers and to support deeper casing
strings.
Intermediate casing strings are cemented
to isolate formations which might break
down and cause a loss of circulation in
the well
Production casings are cemented to stop
oil migrating to thief zones and to
prevent the sloughing of formations
causing a drop in productivity

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 Well Components at Surface

Xmas tree

Wellhead
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 Casing Head and Base Plate
The casing head can be used in conjunction with a base
plate for more effective weight distribution.

Landing area for

intermediate or
production casing

Conductor pipe Surface casing

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 Wellhead & BOP during Well Drilling

Landing area for

intermediate or
production casing

Conductor pipe Surface casing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9eWHpEDRME
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 Casing Head on Surface casing
(Bottom Connection)
First element of the wellhead

Slip-on weld bottom Threaded bottom

OR
connection connection
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 Casing Hanger

• Casing Hanger
 The top of the casing string is
landed in a housing bowl to support
the weight of string and seal off the
annulus.
Slip type Casing Hanger
 Seal energized by string weight, tie-
down screws or manually torquing
cap screws.

Mandrel type Casing Hanger

 Main Types of casing hangers
• Slips type
• Mandrel type

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 Casing Hanger
Casing head is typically threaded to the surface casing and hang the intermediate
casing.

Casing hanger

Casing head

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 Casing Spools
Casing Hanger

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. Wraparound 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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 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
previous casing head or spool OD of current casing
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 Isolation seals and Pack Off
Prevents:
• Communication between the casing strings
• Exposure of the flange connection to annulus
pressure.

PLASTIC INJ.
FITTING

TEST PORT

Casing Hanger
Casing
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 Casing series & casing heads /
spools

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 Tubinghead and X-Mas Tree

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 Tubinghead and X-mas tree

– Tubinghead
• Surface equipment from which the tubing is
suspended
– Xmas tree or valve array
• Used to control well during production
• Mounted above wellhead
• Typically sourced from same manufacturer

• API Spec. 6A: Specification for Wellhead

Equipment
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 Tubing Head & X-mas Tree

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 Wellhead & BOP during Well Completion

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 Tubinghead Functions

•Primary functions of tubinghead

– Suspend tubing with hanger
– Provide a hydraulic seal between tubing and
annulus
– Provide access port(s) to annulus
– Provide mounting for Xmas tree

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 Tubing Hanger Types

– Threaded Hanger Flange

• Used in low pressure wells (e.g. Pumping wells)
– Boll Weevil Type Tubing Hanger for Bowl
Type Tubing Head.
• Unsuitable for completions in which the tubing is to
be landed tension or latched under compression
– Ram Type Tubing Hanger
• Allows free tubing manipulation to latch or
tension/compress before landing

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 Boll-Weevil type hanger and housing

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 Spool and Hanger
Thread for plug or check valve

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 Casing and Tubing Heads

Casing Head Tubing Head

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 Double String Tubing Hanger

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 Hangers for Dual Completion

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 Tubing Hanger with Extended Neck

•Hanger may also have extended neck

– Projects into base of X-mas tree
– Sealed flow path through wellhead-Xmas tree
interface

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 Tubing Hanger/Xmas Tree Interface

Tubing hanger extends inside

base of Xmas tree

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 Compact Spool System

– Disadvantage of conventional wellhead

• Separate spool/housing installed at each stage of
drilling
• BOP removed each time
– Compact spool system
• Provides hang-off areas for two or more casing
strings

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 Compact Spool System

Spacer spool - could be used

for 7 in. full string hanger if
desired

30 in. conductor
20 in. casing
13-7/8 in. casing
9-5/8 in. casing
33 Production tubing

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 X-mas Trees

– Primary flow control system for well once in

production
– Features and access requirements
• Outflow from well - production
• Inflow to well - injection or killing
• Vertical access to tubing - wireline, etc.
• Access for electrical cables or hydraulic conduits
– e.g. ESP or safety valve

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 Flanged X-mas Tree

Tree cap and gauge

Kill valve or service valve
with blank plate during
normal service Swab (Crown) valve

Choke box

Upper master valve

(operational valve)
Production wing
valve
Lower master valve
(back-up)

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 X-mas Tree Components

– Pressure gauges
• allow well pressures to be monitored
– Gauge flange or tree cap
• provides seal for top of tree
– Swab valve (lubricator valve)
• isolate pressure, well access for intervention tools
– Flow tee
• used to direct flow, enable thru-tubing access
– Production wing valve
• used to isolate well for most routine operations
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 Xmas Tree Components

– Kill wing valve

• enables connection of pumping equipment
– Choke
• controls rate of flow from well
– Master valves (main isolation valves)
• Upper Master Valve (operational valve)
• hydraulically controlled Surface Safety Valve
• Lower Master Valve (back-up valve)
• manually operated

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 Well cluster in shallow water

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 Categories of Xmas Tree

– Flanged tree
• Several flanged components (leak paths)
• Much more common than monoblock design
• More flexible than monoblock design
• takes up more space (height)
– Monoblock construction tree
• Single block construction
• Fewer possible leak paths
• Used in high pressure/leak sensitive locations
• More expensive than flanged tree
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 Monoblock Xmas Tree

– Comprises inline or "Y" shaped block of single

casting/forging
– Valving arrangement
• Lower Master Valve (manual)
• Upper Master Valve (Surface Safety Valve)
• Y piece or side outlet flanges
– houses both production and kill wing valves
• Uppermost valve (manual swab valve)

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 Monoblock Xmas Tree

Tree cap and gauge

Swab valve

Kill wing valve Production wing valve

Upper Master Valve

Lower Master Valve

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 Well in Cellar

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 Tree Hook-Up

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 Tree Hook-Up

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 Multiple Completions

Cases where more than one completion

string installed
– Each string independently suspended
– Must seal off tubing casing annulus
• either independently or collectively
– Independent control of fluid flow in each string

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 Multiple Completion Tree

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 Xmas Tree Selection

– Produce a listing of the parameters of the

anticipated process or operating envelope
– Classify the Well Type
• Water Well ( low or medium pressure, GOR, Rate )
• Oil Well (low, medium or high pressure, GOR,
Rate )
• Gas Well ( low, medium or high pressure, GOR,
Rate)

•This will be the basis for the design and the

selection of equipment type and rating
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 Xmas Tree Selection

Well Type
Water Oil Gas
Rating (psi) 3000 5000 3000 5000 10000 3000 5000 10000

Tree Type

Flanged Yes No Yes No No No No No

Monoblock No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

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 Tree-Saver
To protect X-mas tree against
high pressures during frac jobs etc.

Stroke length
up to 5 ft

Rating
15000 PSI

Connection to x-mas tree

Seal element for

49 hanger or tubing

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 Wellhead Flanges and Connections

– Several methods of ensuring pressure

integrity of wellheads
– Hydraulic seals required during well
construction
• At flanges
– prevent release of fluids/pressure
– At hanger/seat location
– prevent communication between casing/tubing strings

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 Flanges

– Flange sealing
• Commonly accomplished using metal ring joint
gaskets
• Ring Joint gasket installed in circular recess in
flange face
• On make up, gasket is compressed
– "C" clamp or Grayloc connector
• Alternative connection
• Used in higher pressure applications
• Pair of clamps act on flange profiles
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 API Flange Features

B
E
C

D
A
H F G

A = Nominal bore (in.) E = Bolt circ. diameter

B = Flange OD (in.) F = Number of bolts
C = Face OD (in.) G = Bolt hole diameter
D = Flange height (in.) H = R or RX ring number

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52
 API 6B and 6BX Flanges

R or RX ring BX ring

Stand-off Closed face

API 6B flange API 6BX flange

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 Gaskets

•R and RX ring joints

– Used with API 6B flange
– Pressure service rating up to 5000 PSI
– Energized by compressive force on make up
– Stand-off gives instability
– Oval or octagonal cross-section

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 Gaskets

•BX ring joint gasket

– Used with API 6BX flange
– Pressure service rating 5000 PSI and higher
– Energized by compressive force and from
pressure inside
– Closed face gives stability
– Octagonal cross-section with equalizing hole

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 R, RX and BX Ring Gasket Profiles

"R" Ring gaskets - oval or octagonal in cross section

Rx ring gasket Bx ring gasket

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(asymmetric octagonal) (with pressure passage)
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 “C” Clamp or Grayloc Connector

Clamp

Taper
Ring joint

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Flanges

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