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Wellheads

Chapter · March 2023

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10329788

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 Wellheads

Prepared by: DSc PhD Dževad Hadžihafizović (DEng)

Sarajevo 2023
 What is a wellhead ?
– The wellhead is
• the surface foundation on which the well is built
up during the drilling operations and
• the base for the Xmas tree for production
operations.

3
 Sumur Produksi
1. Tubing (perforated)
2. Casing
3. Annular seal
4. Wellhead
5. Tubing suspension
6. Master valve
7. Master valve
8. Upper valve
9. Wing valve
10. Flow bean
11. To manifold
12. Operator
13. Hand wheel
14. Pressure gage
15. Annular space
outlet valve
16. Cellar
Penyelesaian sumur meliputi pemasangan casing dan
rangkaian pipa produksi, serta mengupayakan agar
cairan dapat mengalir ke permukaan, dimana dipasang
kepala sumur lengkap dengan Christmas tree.
Christmas tree merupakan sekumpulan valve, alat ukur
tekanan, penyangga tubing, dll.
Wellheads - Drilling

During drilling process :

The well is controlled by
a BOP and choke
manifold

As the well is drilled

:Each annulus is sealed
off by the wellhead

4
 Wellheads - Completed
well After the tubing is installed :

The BOP's are removed

Xmas Tree

The Christmas tree is

installed to control the flow
from the well

Wellhead

5
Wellhead systems must be designed to :

Withstand tensile loads of

1
suspended tubulars

2 Provide a pressure sealing

capability ISOLATE the well from the external
environment
Life of Well
•Drilling
•Production ISOLATE between casings and
•Workover downhole formations
•Suspension
•Abandonment
MAINTAIN PRESSURE during well
control operations, well testing or
shut in periods.

6
 What does a wellhead
do ?
1 HANG-OFF
WEIGHT

2 CONTAINS
PRESSURE

3 MONITOR THE WELL

SAFETY
PROVIDE A BASE FOR THE
4 XMAS TREE

7
Surface Wellheads
Conventional spooled
system
BOP Stack

Tubing Head Spool

Casing Head Spool

Casing Head Housing

9
What are the main
components ?
Xmas Tree

Tubing Head Spool

Casing Head Spool

Casing Head Housing

10
 Surface Wellhead schematic
• Medium cost spool
system

11
Casing Head Housing
First element of the
wellhead

12
 Casing Head Housing -
Functions
– It is normally connected to the surface casing
– Supports the next string of casing
– Provides connection to the BOP and together with it
can:
• Seal the wellbore (from the atmosphere)
• Control access to the wellbore :
– for pressure control
– or fluid returns during drilling operations.

13
Casing Head Housing -
DescriptionTop connection flanged (standard)
Ring groove

Side outlets
threaded or
Landing area for studded
Casing Hanger

Test port

Slip-on weld or threaded

bottom connection
14
 Starter Head
• Threaded onto surface
casing
• Can provide a landing
plate to sit on the
conductor
• Internal profile for next
casing string

15
CHH - Base Plate
The casing head may be used in
conjunction with a base plate for more
effective weight distribution.

Cellar

Surface casing
Conductor pipe
18
 What happens after installing the
Casing Head Housing ?
– Nipple up and test BOPs
– Install wear bushing.
– The next hole section is drilled.
– The intermediate casing is run in the hole and is
cemented.
– P/U BOPs
– A rough cut is performed to allow retrieving remaining
casing and removing BOPs

19
Casing hung on Casing Hanger
Housing

20
 Casing Hangers - Functions
• Suspends intermediate or production casing
string

• Centres the casing string in the head (or spool)

• Seals off the casing annulus. ( It is the primary

seal )

21
 Starter Head summary

22
 Casing Hangers

23
 Casing Hangers

24
 Casing Hangers

25
 Casing Hangers

26
Casing Head Spools
Second element of the
wellhead

Normally not
threaded as
pressures higher
Eg >3000psi.

27
 Next Section is Installed
Casing Spool

28
 Casing Head Spools -
Functions
– Seals off (packs off) surface casing string
– Provides support (landing bowl) for next casing string
– Provides support for well control equipment (BOP Stack)
• Sealing the wellbore (from the atmosphere)
• Controlling access to the wellbore :
– for pressure control
– or fluid returns during drilling operations.

29
Casing Head Spools -
Description
Top connection flanged (standard)
Ring groove

Side outlets
threaded or
studded /
Landing area for flanged
Casing Hanger (threaded not
common)

Bottom connection
compatible with the top
connection on the Test port
previous casing head or
spool Pack Off or Secondary
Seal. Designed to fit
around OD of current
30
casing
What Seals Pressure Between
Flanges ?
Achieved using API ring gaskets

32
 What happens after installing the
Casing Spool Housing ?
– Nipple up and test BOPs
– Install wear bushing.
– The next hole section is drilled.
– The intermediate/Production casing is run in the hole and
is cemented.
– P/U BOPs
– A rough cut is performed to allow retrieving remaining
casing and removing BOPs.
– Casing Hanger is installed

33
Casing Hangers

Landing area

Intermediate
or
Production Casing

34
 Casing Pack-offs
• Fits inside the lower
flange of the casing
spool

35
 Casing Pack-offs
• Fits inside the lower
flange of the casing
spool

36
 Casing Pack-offs
• Fits inside the lower
flange of the casing
spool

37
 Casing Spools summary

38
Tubing Head Spools
Third element of the
wellhead

39
 Tubing Head Spools -
Functions
• Seals off (packs off) production casing string

• Provides support and lockdown for tubing hanger

• Provides support for the BOP Stack

40
Tubing Head Spools -
Description TUBING HANGER
LOCK DOWN BOLT

TOP BOWL FOR

TUBING HANGER

VALVE REMOVAL
PLUG THREADS

TEST PORT

Pack off designed to fit around

OD of production casing
41
 Tubing Hangers
Tubing Hanger

Tubing Bonnet
Tubing Head
Spool

Tubing Hanger

Production
casing
Tubing Head
Tubing Spool

42
 Tubing Hangers

Functions
• Suspends the tubing
• Seals off the annulus
• Provides a seat for a back pressure
valve (BPV) that can be temporally
installed allowing the BOP stack or X-
mas tree to be removed

43
 Dual Tubing Head
• Locator pins to orient
the dual hanger

46
 Tubing Hanger

47
 Tubing Heads summary

48
 Tubing Bonnet
• Seats over the tubing
hanger neck
• Xmas tree on top of
this

49
 Tubing Bonnet

50
 Tubing Bonnet

51
 Dual Tubing Bonnet
• Dual completion
• Two tubing strings
– Long string
– Short string
• Spreader

52
 Tubing Bonnet summary

53
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