Basic Casing String Design

Each casing string in a well is subjected to a number of forces and stresses.

These occur from the first time it is lowered into the well, throughout the life of the well.

The casing must be strong enough to withstand the worst conditions imposed on it, so
that it will:

 Not burst under internal pressure

 Not collapse under external pressure
 Not break apart under tension
 Resist corrosion

When casing is set in hole it is subjected to three significant forces which are:

1. External pressure (Collapse)

2. Internal pressure (Burst)

3. Axial loading (Tension)

1-Collapse Pressure

The casing will experience a net collapse loading if the external radial load exceeds the
internal radial load (Pe>Pi).The greatest collapse load on the casing will occur if the
casing is evacuated (empty) for any reason.

If external pressure exceeds internal pressure, the casing is subjected to collapse. Such
conditions may exist during cementing operations or well evacuation. Collapse strength
is primarily function of the material's yield strength and its slenderness ratio, dn/t.

dn = nominal outside pipe diameter

t =nominal wall thickness

 Collapse Pressure Regimes

The collapse strength criteria consist of four collapse regimes determined by yield
strength and dn/t.

 Yield strength collapse pressure

 Plastic collapse pressure
 Transition collapse pressure
 Elastic collapse pressure
1-Yield Strength Collapse Pressure

The yield-strength collapse-pressure formula calculates the external pressure that

generates the minimum yield stress on the inside wall of a tube and can be derived
theoretically using the Lame equation. He formulated this equation for the thickest-
walled tubulars used in oil wells. The Equation can be written as:

𝒅
( 𝒕𝒏 ) − 𝟏
𝑷𝒄𝒓 = 𝟐𝝈𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 [ ]
𝒅𝒏 𝟐
(𝒕)

Where:

𝒅𝒏 : Nominal OD of pipe, in , t: thickness, in, Pcr: collapse pressure rating, psi

𝝈𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 : the minimum yield stress, psi

2-Plastic Collapse Pressure

The equation below is based on 2488 physical-collapse tests of K-55, N-80, and P-110
seamless casings (API TR 5C3 2800). Statistical methods were used to analyze the
results of the physical tests, and a plastic-collapse formula was developed to calculate a
collapse value with a 95% probability that the actual collapse pressure will exceed the
minimum stated with no more than a 0.5% failure rate:

𝑭𝟏
𝑷𝒄𝒓 = 𝝈𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 [ − 𝑭𝟐 ] − 𝑭𝟑
𝒅𝒏
𝒕

F1, F2, and F3 are empirical constants

3-Transition Collapse Pressure

The transition collapse region between the plastic collapse and elastic collapse region is
defined by use of:

𝑭𝟒
𝑷𝒄𝒓 = 𝝈𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 [ − 𝑭𝟓 ]
𝒅𝒏
𝒕

F4 and F5 are constants

4-Elastic Collapse Pressure

This equation was theoretically derived and was found to be an adequate upper bound
for collapse pressures as determined by testing. API adopted this equation in 1968.

46.95 ∗ 106
𝑃𝑐𝑟 =
𝒅 𝒅
( 𝒕𝒏 ) ( 𝒕𝒏 − 𝟏)2

DESIGN FACTORS

These quantities indicate maximum allowable stresses to which casing can be

subjected without failure.

It is not desirable to subject any material to its maximum allowable stress. Hence the
concept of safety (design) factor is:

• Design factors for collapse vary from 1.0 to 1.02 (1.125 widely used).

• Design factors for tension vary from 1.2 to 2.00. (1.60 & 1.80 widely used).

• Design factors for burst vary from 1.0 to 1.33 (1.10 widely used).
.
2-Burst Pressure

API uses the Barlow model to determine the minimum internal yield pressure for
tubular (API TR 5C3). The Barlow equation which is sometimes called an "API” burst as:

𝟐 ∗ 𝝈𝒚𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅∗𝒕
𝑷𝒃𝒓 = 𝒇 [ ]
𝒅𝒏

Where:

𝑓 is the wall-thickness correction factor 0.875 for standard API tubulars when a 12.5%
wall-thickness tolerance is specified.

𝑃𝑏𝑟 is the burst pressure rating, psi

API recommends the use of equation above with wall thickness rounded to the nearest
0.001 in and the results rounded to the nearest 10 psi.
Example: Compute the burst-pressure rating for 20”,K-55 casing with a nominal wall
thickness of 0.635” and a nominal weight per foot of 133 lbf/ft

Solution:

Example:

Compute the burst requirement if the pore pressure is 6000 psi if the factor of safety is
assumed as 1.1.
Solution:

Given data:

Pore pressure 6000 psi

Required data:

Burst pressure in psi

The burst requirement based on the expected pore pressure can be calculated as:

Pbr=P*SF=6000SF=6000*1.1=6600 psi

The whole casing string must be capable of withstanding this internal pressure without
failing in burst.

3-Yield Strength (Tension)

Yield strength can be expressed as the ability of a metal to tolerate gradual progressive
force without permanent deformation. It can be classified as tensile loading (i.e.,
pressure) and compressive loading. Axial tension loading results primarily from the
weight of the casing string suspended below the joint of interest. Pipe body yield
strength is the tension force that causes the pipe body to exceed its elastic limit. API
defines the pipe body yield strength as the axial load in the tube, which results in
the stress being equal to the material's minimum specific yield strength. For
tension design, assume no buoyancy effect and thus pipe-body tensile strength can be
expressed as:
Where:

𝐹𝑡𝑒𝑛 is the pipe-body tensile strength, psi

𝑑𝑛𝑜 =: nominal OD of pipe,in

𝑑𝑛𝑖 =:: nominal ID of pipe, in

Equation above can be written in terms of cross-sectional area as:

𝐹𝑡𝑒𝑛 = 𝜎𝑦𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 ∗ 𝐴𝑠

Where:

𝜋
𝐴𝑠 = ∗ (𝑑𝑛𝑜 2 − 𝑑𝑛𝑖 2 )
4

Example: Compute the body-yield strength for OD is 20'” and ID=18.73”, K-55 casing
with a nominal weight per foot of133 lbf/ft.

Solution: 𝐹𝑡𝑒𝑛 =2125125000 Ibf

Worst Possible Conditions

1. For Collapse design, assume that the casing is empty on the inside (p = 0 psig),
and assume no buoyancy effect
2. For Burst design, assume no “backup” fluid on the outside of the casing (p = 0
psig)
3. For Tension design, assume no buoyancy effect.

The casing string must be designed to stand up to the expected conditions in burst,
collapse and tension.

Above conditions are quite conservative. They are also simplified for easier
understanding of the basic concepts.