Department of Petroleum Engineering

IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

WELL INSTALLATION: WELLHEAD, CHRISTMAS TREE

WELLHEAD EQUIPMENT:
Well head equipment is a term used to describe in general, equipment attached to the
top of the tubular materials used in a well to support the string, provide seal between the
strings and control production from the well. These are made of cast forged steel machined to
form pressure tight seals between components.
The API has set up standards in sizes, grades, designs, dimensions and quality of wellhead
equipment to provide safe interchangeable equipment for the oil industry (API specification
6A).

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

Components of well head assembly

Typical components of a high pressure Christmas tree assembly are the Casing Head, Tubing
Head, Casing Hanger, & Tubing hanger.

Casing Head:
i. Lowermost casing head: to be fitted over the outer most casing top.
ii. Internal casing head: to be fitted over the inner casing top.
Lowermost casing head
The lower most casing head is a unit attached to the surface casing pipe to provide a
means for supporting the next string of casing. It is composed of a casing hanger bowl to
receive the casing hanger necessary to support the next string of casing, a top flange for
attaching BOP stack and other casing head or tubing head and a lower connection.
The casing head is prepared with a bowl, in which a set of slips may be nested between the
subsequent casing string and the well of the casing head. When the casing is landed the slips
are installed in the bowl and the casing lowered gently until the slips are engaged,
transferring the load from the rig to the casing head housing.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

Types: The lower most connection may be of a female thread or male thread or a slip on
socket connection for welding. The female threaded lower connection is most common
although, slip on socket connection provides the strongest joint. The male threaded lower
connection is of the weakest type because of thin section necessary to provide full opening.
The welded connection is the most frequently used in deep wells to provide additional
strength necessary to suspend heavy casing load without over crossing threads on the surface
pipe.
Sizes: Lowermost heads are available in sizes from normal 6inch to nominal 20 inches to
support casings of sizes 4.5 inch to 16 inches.
SELECTION
Design: The casing should be designed to receive the casing hanger, which will not damage
the casing string to be supported. When supporting full joint strength casing load with a pack-
off pressure equal to the minimum yield of supporting string or the working pressure of
supporting head whichever is smaller.
Working pressure: The minimum working pressure should be at least equal to the
anticipated formation breakdown pressure at the bottom of the surface pipe or equal to or
greater than the internal pressure rating of the surface casing. Maximum working pressure
should be at least equal to the formation pressure at the bottom of the next smaller casing.

CASING HANGER
A casing hanger is a device which will be seated in the lowermost casing head or on
intermediate casing head to suspend the next smaller casing string securely & provides a seal
between the suspended casing and the casing head bowl.
Size: The size of the casing hanger is determined by the nominal outside diameter, which is
same as the mating casing head flange. The nominal inside diameter is the same as the
outside diameter of the casing for which it is designed to support. The ranges of sizes are 6
inches to 20 inches to support 4.5 inches to 16 inches casing string.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

Types:
Automatic type: This is the most popular type. It is a unitized assembly composed of a set of
slips of a sealing mechanism. It can be latched around casing and dropped through the BOP
stack to seat and seal automatically when casing is slacked off to set.
Other types of casing hangers are:-
❖ Manual type
❖ Slip weld type
❖ Bowl weevil type
Selection: After establishing which type of the casing hanger is the practical for the particular
well, following factors should be considered in selecting the casing hanger:-
I. The hanger should be capable of hanging full joint strength of casing.
II. The pack off or primary seal should be of such construction that well pressure, flange
test pressure or fracture pressure cannot force the pack-off down.
III. The pack-off should be adjustable and removable.
IV. The hanger should be of proper design and size to fit the mating casing head bowl and
properly sized to support the casing to be used.
TUBING HEAD
A tubing head is a spool type unit or housing attached to the top flange on the upper
most casing head to provide a support for the tubing string and the seal the annular space
between the tubing string and production casing string. It also provides access to the casing
tubing annulus through the outlets.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

Types:
I. Unit with flanged top and bottom.
II. Unit with flanged top and threaded bottom.
The tubing head should be full opening type to provide access to the production casing
below this should be adaptable for future remedial operations and artificial lift.
TUBING HANGER
The second component is a tubing hanger. Multiple casing heads may be landed, one
for each full string of casing which will be landed in the well. Immediately above the last
casing head, the tubing head is installed. A tubing hanger is a device to provide a seal
between tubing and the tubing head. The tubing head is almost identical in design with the
casing head, with the exception that it is bored for receiving a tubing hanger. A very common
type of tubing hanger is the bowl type, which resembles a large donut with packing on the
outside, which screws directly on to the top of the tubing. After tubing has been run in the
well and spaced out, this donut is threaded on to the top of the tubing, the tubing lowered
back on to the packer at bottom of the well, the donut lowered into the tubing head. The
packing provided on the donut provides pressure type seal for the annulus between the tubing
and casing. Because of the changes in temperature and pressure, the tubing head donut is
usually held down with lock down screws. There are a variety of other types of tubing
hangers, but the two basic types of tubing hangers are designed either to allow pick up of a
tubing string through BOP or to manipulate a tubing string through the tree or a live well by
use of stick joint.
Types:
WRAP TYPE: This popular type is composed of two hinged halves, which include sealing
element. The hanger can be latched around the tubing, dropped into the tubing head bowl and
screwed on place by tubing head lock screws. A seal is made by the tubing weight and the
locking screws.
Other types are:
❖ Polished joint hanger
❖ Ball weevil hanger
❖ Strip rubber hanger

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

TUBING HEAD ADAPTER FLANGE

The tubing head adapter flange is an intermediate flange used to connect the top
tubing head flange to the master valve.
Types:
I. Studded Type: This type unit consists of a lower flange with a ‘O’ ring groove and bolt
holes to fit the top tubing head flange. An internal thread in the bottom of the flange to
receive and support the tubing weight and a studded top connection to accommodate a
flanged master valve are provided.
II. Spool Type: This is similar to studded except that the top connection is a separate
flange to accommodate the master valve and a top internal thread may be provided to
act as a tubing landing or lift thread.
III. Threaded Type Adapter Flange
ADAPTER
An adapter is a device used to join connections of different dimensions. The adapter
may be used to connect two flanges different sizes or the flange to a threaded joint.
A crossover flange is an intermediate flange used to connect flanges of different
working pressures. Crossover flanges are usually available in two types:
I. Double Studded Crossover Flange
II. Restricted Ring in the top.

BACK PRESSURE VALVE

A back pressure valve is a check valve installed in the tubing hanger to seal the bore of tubing
while removing the BOP and installing the Christmas tree.

TYPES:
I. Secured in place with threads
II. Secures with an expanding lock mechanism

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

CHRISTMAS TREE

Immediately on top of the tubing head, the Christ mass tree is installed. It includes all
equipments above tubing head flange. Immediately above tubing head, depending on the
pressure rating of the well head, an adapter and then Christ-mass tree is attached. This
consists of an assembly of valves designed to allow control of production from well and
provides access to the producing tubing string. Christmas tree is basically an assembly of
valves designed to allow control of production from well. The one used above the surface is
simply known as surface Christmas tree while the one used below the surface is known as sub
surface Christmas tree or well head assembly. A bottom hole adapter is a device attached to
the Christmas tree assembly to provide fast and safe adaptation of a lubricator for swabbing
or testing. It may also include an internal thread to act as a lift thread for setting or raising the
Christmas tree and tubing.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

VALVES FITTINGS OF A CHRISTMAS TREE:

1.) Master valves: usually two master valves are provided on any well head where shut in
pressure exceeds 5000 psi.
2.) Cross over sub: a 4-way flow cross is provided above the master valve.
3.) Wing valve: it is provided on each side of cross over if it is double wing tree.
4.) Swab Valve or Crown Valve: Used to facilitate the further communication to the well
during workover or other well treatment operations.
5.) Choke or bean: a choke with flow line connected to it is provided after wing valve to
restrict, control and regulate the flow. It may be positive or adjustable type. A positive
choke has internal provision for receiving removable orifices of various sizes, which
are installed manually whereas adjustable choke has a stem with visible graduations
indicating the effective orifice size used to adjust the flow opening. Choke manifolds
are of various types as given below:
Its various components are:
Valves Control devices Regulator Bottom hole test adaptor
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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

VALVES

API valves are made of high strength alloy steel to give safe desirable service. They are oftwo types:
1.) Gate valves: They are of lubricated & non lubricated type as well as wedging
& non wedging type. It is of various types as discussed below:

Non-rising Stem Gate Valve

Valve body, bonnet is made of low alloy steel or stainless steel. Seal
surfaces of gate and seat are made of tungsten carbide.
Casting body gate valve available in working pressure from 2000 to
5,000psi and forging body gate valve available in working pressure
from 10000 to 15000psi, Main nominal size from 1-13/16" to 4-1/16".
Feature and Benefits: metal to metal seat /gate seal, metal to metal
stem backseat, metal to metal body/bonnet assembly

Rising Stem Gate Valve

Valve body, bonnet is made of low alloy steel or stainless steel. Seal
surfaces of gate and seat are made of tungsten carbide.
Gate valve is available in working pressure from 10,000 to
20,000psi and main nominal size from 1-13/16" to 4-
1/16"¡ìBalanced stem valve is for high pressure service. The use of
second stem balances out the body pressure acting against a single
stem. This eliminates the thrust load carried by the bearing.
Feature and Benefits: metal to metal seat /gate seal, metal to metal
stem backseat seal and metal to metal body/ bonnet seal

Hydraulic Gate Valve

Hydraulic Gate valve can be operated remotely.
Hydraulic gate valve is available in working pressure from 5,000 to
20,000psi and main nominal size from 1-13/16" to 4-1/16".
Feature of hydraulic gate valve is as same as gate valve.

Expanding Gate Valve

Plastic/chevron packing stays clean and free from contaminants to
reduce maintenance costs.
Tight mechanical seal is assured with parallel expanding gate
design .This design provide simultaneous upstream and
downstream sealing which is not affected by pressure fluctuation
and vibration.
A double row roller thrust bearing on the stem makes operation
easy, even under full pressure.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

2.) Plug valves: Full opening valves must be used on the vertical run of the
Christmas tree to provide access to the tubing.

Kill Manifold
It is a main equipment to control well blowout.
Kill manifold are made up of manual and /or hydraulic gate
valves, check valve crossover tees or five way cross.

Hydraulic Drilling Choke

Cylindrical gate and seat are made of tungsten carbide. It has
the feature of abrasion resistance, wash resistance and reliable
service ability.
Drilling choke is available in working pressure from 2,000 to
15,000psi and flange size from 2-1/16" to 4-1/16" and orifice
size from 2" to 3".
Hydraulic drilling choke is suitable for H2Sand CO2 work
condition.
Cylindrical gate and seat can be replaced or reversed without
removing choke from manifold.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

Manual Drilling Choke

Manual drilling choke valve is available in working pressure
from 10,000 to 20,000psi and flange size from 1-13/16" to 4-
1/16" and orifice size from 1" to 3".
Cylindrical gate and seat are made of tungsten carbide. It has
the feature of abrasion resistance, wash resistance and
reliable service ability.

A positive choke is composed of a body with internal provision for receiving removable
orifices of various sizes, which are installed manually.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

An adjustable choke is similar to the positive choke except that a stem with visible
graduation indicating the effective orifice size is used to adjust the flow opening.
.dbean = 0.274  [ (QGAS X GAS ) / PT ]0.5
.dbean = diameter of choke or bean in inches
 = coefficient based on gas factor (for pure gas it is 1)
QGAS = Gas flow rate in cubic meter per day
GAS = sp.gravity of gas
PT = Tubing pressure ahead of bean in Kg/ Cm2
On re-writing-
Q = dbean2 x PT / [ (0.274 )2 . GAS]

CONTROL DEVICES
Control devices consist of following:
1.) Flow control: it is attached to top of master valve to act as composite tee or
cross, wing valve, choke and bottom hole adapter. It is composed of a body
housing or integral restricted opening needle type valve, a bottom hole test
adapter, top connection
and a positive or adjustable choke assembly.
2.) Surface control device: it is an automatic fail safe valve designed to close when
pressure, temperature of fluid level varies above or below predetermined limits.
Typically it is installed between wing valve and choke. In the event of flow line
freezing or a valve on flow line closed, the surface safety valve will close and prevent
damage due to full well pressure being applied to the flow line or other surface
equipment. In case a flow line breaks, surface safety valve will shut the well in
because of low pressure and prevent loss of production and fire hazard.
3.) Subsurface control device: It is a full opening safety device for installation in
the tubing string below the surface. The purpose of this type of safety valve is to
shut off flow through tubing if surface pressure varies above or below
predetermined level because of surface equipment damage, flow line leak or
excessive flow line pressure. The valve may be closed manually with surface control.
4.) Removable tubing safety valve (storm choke): This device is installed in the
tubing string below the surface to shut the well in when flow reaches at predetermined
limit. These are primarily used in offshore or town side locations where the storm
choke acts as a safety shut off in case of Christmas tree or control valves are
damaged. Valve can be seated in a pump seating nipple, a special landing nipple.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

It can be installed and retrieved by wire line tools. Following are the specifications
of a tubing safety valve:
->Tubing size
->Setting depth
->Rates of fluid production
->Flowing bottom hole pressure
->Flow rate
->Flow rate closing limit of valve
->Gas oil and water oil ratios
->Specific gravity of produced fluids
->Bottom hole temperature
5.) Removable tubing input safety valve: This is designed to install in injection
wells to plug tubing automatically to prevent reversal of flow, in case of surface
connection or input valve failure. The design and installation of this valve is similar
to storm choke.
6.) Removable bottom hole choke: This is a choke designed for installation in
the bore of the tubing below the surface. The choke assembly can be landed in
the pump seating nipple. The purpose and advantage of it’s use are as follows:-
a) To reduce surface pressure drop and the attendant temperature drop caused by
the large pressure reduction through the surface choke thereby reducing the
tendency for freezing in the tubing and surface control.
b) To take advantage of bottom hole temperature in case of freezing tendency of fluid.
c) To prevent formation of hydrates.
d) The flowing life of a well may be increased by breaking gas out of solution at the
bottom of the hole to lighten the fluid column.
e) To maintain more constant bottom hole choke, following data should be furnished:
a. Tubing size
b. Well depth
c. Volume of oil water or gas flow
d. Bottom hole flowing temperature and pressure
e. Desired pressure reduction at the choke.

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 Department of Petroleum Engineering
IIT(ISM) Dhanbad 826004

REGULATOR
REMOVABLE BOTTOM HOLE REGULATOR: This device is installed in the
tubing string below the surface to act as a choke and maintain a constant pressure
differential lower down in the tubing. Its function is to prevent freezing in the tubing
by the same means as in the case of bottom hole choke. But the regulator differs
from the bottom hole choke in that the regulator maintains the constant pressure
drop across the regulator assembly regardless of the surface pressure. By
maintaining a constant pressure differential at a low level in the tubing, the tubing
pressure can be maintained at a pressure sufficiently low to pressure the
formation of hydrates (solidified hydrocarbon and water) when the well shut in.

BOTTOM HOLE TEST ADAPTER

It is a device attached to the Christmas tree assembly to provide fast and
safe adaptation of a lubricator for swabbing or testing. It may also include
an internal thread to act as a lift thread for setting or raising the Christmas tree and tubing.

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