Chapter 2: Casing Design

Casing Design
Chapter 2: Casing Design
Casing Selection
Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Casing Design
Introduction
To obtain the most economical design, casing strings often consist of multiple
sections of different steel grade, casing depths, wall thickness, and coupling
types.
Such a casing string is called a combination string.
Additional cost savings sometimes can be achieved by the use of liner

combination strings instead of full strings running from the surface to the bottom
of the hole.
However, the potential savings must be weighted against the additional risks and
costs of a successful, leak-free tieback operation as well as the additional casing
wear that results from a longer exposure of the upper casing to rotation and
translation of the drill string.

Casing Design
Casing Design Process
1. Select the Casing sizes and setting depths on the basis of: the geological and
pore pressure prognosis provided by the geologist and reservoir engineer; and
the production tubing requirements on the basis of the anticipated productivity of
the formations to be penetrated.
2. Define the operational scenarios to be considered during the design of each of

the casing strings. This should include installation, drilling and production (as
appropriate) operations.
3. Calculate the burst loading on the particular casing under consideration.
4. Calculate the collapse loading on the particular casing under consideration.
5. Increase the calculated burst and collapse loads by the Design Factor.

Casing Design
6. Select the weight and grade of casing (from manufacturers tables or service
company tables) which meets the load conditions calculated above.
7. For the casing chosen, calculate the axial loading on the casing. Apply the
design factor for the casing and load conditions considered and check that the
pipe body yield strength of the selected casing exceeds the axial design
loading.
8. Choose a coupling whose joint strength is greater than the design loading.
Select the same type of coupling throughout the entire string.
9. Taking the actual tensile loading from above determine the reduction in
collapse resistance at the top and bottom of the casing.

Casing Design
Several attempts may have to be made before all these loading criteria are
satisfied and a final design is produced. When deciding on a final design bear the
following points in mind:
• Include only those types of casing which you know are available. In practice
only a few weights and grades will be kept in stock.
• Check that the final design meets all requirements and state clearly all design
assumptions.
• If several different designs are possible, choose the most economical scheme
that meets requirements.

Casing Design
Selection of Casing Setting Depths
The selection of the number of casing strings and their setting depths generally is
based on a consideration of the pore pressure gradients and fracture gradients of
the formations to be penetrated.
The pore pressure and fracture pressure are expressed as an equivalent density
and are plotted vs. depth. A line representing the planned-mud-density program also
is plotted.
The mud densities are chosen to provide an acceptable trip margin above the
anticipated formation pore pressure to allow for reductions in mud weight caused by
upward pipe movement during tripping operation.
A commonly used trip margin is 0.5 lbm/gal or one that will provide 200-500 psi of
excess bottomhole pressure over the formation pore pressure.

Casing Design

Casing Design
Point a: to prevent the formation fluid into the well and to reach the desired depth.
Point b: to prevent the fracture of formation --> intermediate casing need to run at
this depth.
Point c: Fluid density is reduced until it reaches to margin of the curve
Point d: casing shoe of the surface casing

Casing Design
Example
A well is being planned for a location in Jefferson Parish, LA. The intended well
completion requires the use of 7’’ production casing set at 15,000 ft. Determine the
number of casing strings needed to reach this depth objective safely, and select the
casing setting depth of each string. Pore pressure and fracture gradient, and lithology
data from logs of nearby wells are given in the next Figure. Allow a 0.5 lbm/gal trip
margin, and a 0.5 lbm/gal kick margin when making the casing seat selections. The
minimum length of surface casing required to protect the freshwater aquifers is 2000ft.
Approximately 180 ft of conductor casing generally is required to prevent washout on
the outside of the conductor. It is general practice in this are to cement the casing in
shale rather than in sandstone.

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Selection of Casing Sizes
To enable the production casing to be placed in the well, the bit size used to drill the last
interval of the well must be slightly larger than the OD of the casing connectors.
The selected bit size should provide sufficient clearance beyond the OD of the coupling
to allow for mud cake on the borehole wall and for casing appliances, such as
centralizers and scratchers.
The bit used to drill the lower portion of the well also must fit inside the casing string
above.
The production tubing also depends on the basis of the anticipated productivity of the
formations to be penetrated.

Casing Design

Casing Design

Casing Design
Load Calculations in Casing Design
In general, each casing string is designed to withstand the most severe loading
conditions anticipated during casing placement and the life of the well. The
loading conditions that are always considered are burst, collapse, and tension.
Because the loading conditions in a well tend to vary with depth, it is often
possible to obtain a less expensive casing design with several different weights,
grades, and couplings.
The casing design usually is based on an assumed loading condition.
The assumed design load must be severe enough that there is a very low
probability of a more severe situation actually occurring and causing casing
failure.

Casing Design
Load Calculations in Casing Design

Surface and Intermediate Casings
1. The high-internal pressure loading condition used for the burst design is based on
a well control condition assumed to occur while circulating out a large kick.
2. The high-external pressure loading condition used for the collapse design is
based on a severe lost-circulation problem.
3. The high-axial tension loading condition is based on an assumption of stuck

casing while the casing is run into the hole before cementing operations.

Casing Design
Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

Burst Design
The burst design should ensure that formation fracture pressure at the casing seat will
be exceed before the burst pressure is reached.
Thus, this design uses formation fracture as a safety pressure release mechanism to
ensure that casing rupture will not occur at the surface.
The pressure within the casing is calculated assuming that only formation gas is in the
casing.
The external pressure outside the casing that helps resist burst is assumed to be equal
to the normal formation pore pressure for the area.

Casing Design

Burst Design
Ps
Pi Pe
Internal Pressure:
Pi = Pfracture at the shoe
Pshoe
External Pressure:
Pe = Pnormal formation
Pabn

Casing Design

Collapse Design
The collapse design is based either on the most severe lost-circulation problem
that is felt to be possible or on the most severe collapse loading anticipated when
the casing is run.
For both cases, the maximum possible external pressure that tends to cause
casing collapse results from the formation pressure (if abnormal formation
pressure exists, this Pff will be used as the external pressure).

Casing Design

Collapse Design
Collapse 0.052  max Dlc  Dm   0.052  p Dlc
Empty
Dm Pe
Internal Pressure:
Pi Mud
Pi = 0
Dlc
External Pressure:
Pe = Pabnormal formation
Lost
Circulation

Casing Design

Collapse Design
If a severe lost circulation zone is encountered near the bottom of the next interval of
hole and no other permeable formations are present above the lost circulation zone, the
fluid level in the well can fall until the BHP is equal to the pore pressure of the lost
circulation zone.
0.052  max Dlc  Dm   0.052  p Dlc
where Dlc is the depth of the lost circulation zone; p is the formation fluid density; max
is the maximum mud density anticipated in drilling to Dlc; and Dm is the depth to which
the mud level will fall.

Casing Design

Tension Design
In most cases, the design load for tension is based on conditions that could occur
when the casing is run. It is assumed that the casing may become stuck near the
bottom and that a maximum amount of pull would then be required to work the
casing free.
In directional wells, the additional axial stress in the pipe body and connectors
caused by bending should be added to the axial stress that results from casing
weight and fluid hydrostatic pressure. The lower portion of the casing will have to
travel past all the curved sections in the wellbore, but the upper section of the casing
may not be subjected to any bending.

Casing Design

Tension Design

Casing Design
Design for Production Casings

Burst Design
The burst-design loading condition assumes a producing well has an initial shut-in.
The BHP equal to the formation pore pressure and a gaseous produced fluid in the well.
The production casing must be designed so that it will not fail of the tubing fails
A tubing leak is assumed to be possible at any depth. It generally is also assumed that
the density of the completion fluid in the casing above the packer is equal to the density
of the mud left outside the casing.

Casing Design
Design for Production Casings

Collapse Design
The collapse design load is based on conditions late in the life of the reservoir, when
reservoir pressure has been depleted to a very low abandonment pressure.
A leak in the tubing or packer could cause the loss of the completion fluid, or the casing
is totally evacuated due to gas-lifting operations.
Thus, for design purposes, the entire casing is considered empty. The fluid density
outside the casing is assumed to be that of the mud in the well when the casing was
run, and the beneficial effect of the cement is ignored.
The tension design load criteria for production casing are the same as for surface and
intermediate casings.

Casing Design
Example
The table below is a data set from a real land well. As a drilling engineer you are
required to calculate the burst and collapse loads that would be used to select an
appropriate weight and grade of casing for the Surface, Intermediate and Production
strings in this land well:
Hole Size Casing size, Expected Expected Pff Mud weight, Potential hole
Depth, ft in min/max gradient, ppg ppg problems
Pf, ppg
Driven 100 30’’
26’’ 20’’ 8.6 13.0 @ 9.0 Unconsolidated

3000 3000 ft
17 ½’’ 13 3/8’’ 8.6/9.5 16.0 @ 11.0 Possible lost circ.
6000 6000 ft
12 ¼’’ 9 5/8’’ 9.5/11 16.5 @ 14.0 Unstable shales
10,000 10,000 ft
8 ½’’ 7’’ 11/14 15.0 Overpressured
9,500-12,000

Casing Design
Example
Assumptions:
Gas density above 10,000 ft: 0.1 psi/ft
Design factor for burst: 1.1
Design factor for collapse: 1.0
Well test completion fluid density: 8.6 ppg
Test packer depth: 11,000 ft TVD
Test perforation depth: 11,250 ft TVD
Pressure at top of perforations: 14.0 ppg

Casing Design
Example
Surface Casing (20’’ at 3,000 ft)
Burst Design:
Depth External Internal Net Design

Load, Pe Load, Pi Load Load (SF)
Surface
Shoe

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design
Internal Loads: Assuming that an influx of gas

has occurred and the well is full of gas to
surface
Pressure at bottom of 17 ½’’ hole = 9.5 x 0.052

x 6000 = 2964 psi
P at surface (Ps) = P at bottom of 17 ½’’ hole –

P due to column of gas
Ps = 2964 – 0.1 x 6,000 = 2364 psi
Pressure at 20’’ casing shoe = 2964 – 0.1 x

3,000 = 2,664 psi

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design
Internal Loads:
Fracture pressure at 20’’ casing shoe = 13 x

0.052 x 3,000 = 2,028 psi
The formation at the casing shoe will breakdown

at 2028 psi and therefore it will breakdown if the
pressure of 2664 psi is applied to it. The
maximum pressure inside the surface casing at
the shoe will therefore be at 2,028 psi
The maximum pressure at surface will be: 2028

– 0.1 x 3,000 = 1728 psi

Casing Design
Example
External load: assuming that the pore pressure is

acting at the casing shoe and zero pressure at
surface.
Pore pressure at the casing shoe = 8.6 x 0.052 x

3,000 = 1,342 psi
External pressure at surface = 0 psi

Load, Pe Load, Pi Load Load
(SF)
Surface 0 1728 1728 1901
Shoe 1342 2028 686 755

(3000 ft)
Casings have to be stronger at the surface to

prevent the burst of the casings because the net
load at the surface is higher than at the casing
shoe.
Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example
Surface Casing (20’’ at 3,000 ft) – Collapse Design

Load, Pe Load, Pi Load Load (SF)
Surface
Shoe

Casing Design
Example
Collapse Design:
Internal Loads: Assuming that the casing is totally

evacuated due to loss of drilling mud.
Internal pressure at surface = 0 psi
Internal pressure at shoe = 0 psi
External Loads: Assuming that the pore pressure

is acting at the casing shoe and zero pressure at
surface
Pore pressure at the casing shoe = 8.6 x 0.052 x

3000 = 1,341 psi

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example
Intermediate Casing (13 3/8’’ at 6,000 ft)
Burst Design:

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design:

Casing Design
Example
Collapse Design:

Casing Design
Example
Collapse Design:

Casing Design
Example
Production Casing (9 5/8’’ at 10,000 ft)
Pf = 9.5/11 ppg
Pff = 16.5 ppg
Pf = 11/14 ppg

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design:
Internal Loads: Assuming that a leak occurs in

the tubing at surface and that the closed in
tubing head pressure (CITHP) is acting on the
inside of the top of the casing.
This pressure will then act on the column of

packer fluid. The 9 5/8’’ casing is only
exposed to these pressure down to the Top of
Liner (TOL). The 7’’ liner protects the
remainder of the casing. Pf = 9.5/11 ppg
Pff = 16.5 ppg
Pf = 11/14 ppg

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design:
Max. Pore Pressure at the top of the

production zone = 14 x 0.052 x 11,250 =
8,190 psi
CITHP (at surface) = P at the top of

perforation – P due to column of gas (0.15
psi/ft)
CITHP = 8190 – 0.15 x 11,250 = 6,503 psi
Pressure at Top of Liner = CITHP + Pf = 9.5/11 ppg

hydrostatic column of packer fluid Pff = 16.5 ppg
Pressure at Top of Liner = 6,503 + 8.6 x

0.052 x 9,500 = 10,751 psi
Pf = 11/14 ppg

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design:
External Loads: Assuming that the minimum pore

pressure is acting at the liner depth and zero
pressure at surface.
Pore pressure at the Top of Liner = 9.5 x 0.052 x

9,500 = 4,693 psi
Pf = 9.5/11 ppg
Pff = 16.5 ppg
Pf = 11/14 ppg

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design:

Casing Design
Example
Burst Design:

Casing Design
Example
Collapse Design:
Internal Loads: Assuming that the casing is

totally evacuated due to gas-lifting operations
Internal pressure at surface = 0 psi
Internal pressure at Top of Liner (TOL) = 0 psi
External Loads: Assuming that the maximum

pore pressure is acting on the outside of the
casing at the TOL.
Pf = 9.5/11 ppg
Pore pressure at the TOL = 11 x 0.052 x Pff = 16.5 ppg
9,500 = 6,916 psi
Pf = 11/14 ppg

Casing Design
Example
Collapse Design:
6916 psi

Casing Design
Example
Collapse Design:
Summary of Collapse Loads
6,916 6,916 6,916

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example
A well is being planned for a location in Jefferson Parish, LA. The minimum length of
surface casing required to protect the freshwater aquifers is 2000ft. Design the surface
casing for the proposed well. To achieve a minimum cost design, consider the use of a
combination string. However, do not include any section shorter than 500 ft to reduce
the logistical problem of shipping and unloading the casing in the proper order in which
it is run in to hole. Assume only casing shown in the Table 7.6 is available.
The design shows that OD of the casing is 13 3/8’’ and to be set at 4,000 ft.

Casing Design
Example
For burst considerations, use an injection pressure that is equivalent to a mud density
of 0.3 lbm/gal greater than the fracture gradient and a safety factor of 1.1. Also
assume that any gas kick is composed of methane. Normal formation pressure for the
area is 0.465 psi/ft. Formation temperature in degrees Rankine: (520 + 0.012D)
For collapse considerations, assume that a normal pressure, lost circulation zone
could be encountered as deep as the next casing seat, that no permeable zones are
present above the lost circulation zone, and use the safety factor of 1.1.
For tension considerations, use a minimum overpull force of 100,000 lbf or a safety
factor of 1.6, whichever is greater.

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example
Solution:
The fracture gradient at 4,000 ft is 14.1 lbm/gal mud. For an injection pressure:
Pi = 0.052(14.1 + 0.3)(4,000) = 2,995 psig.
The gas gradient for methane:
g = 0.055 psi/ft

Casing Design
Example

Casing Design
Example
Thus, the surface casing pressure for the design loading conditions:
2,995 – 0.055(4,000) = 2,775 psig
The external pressure at the casing seat:
(0.465)(4,000) = 1,860 psig
The pressure differential to burst the casing: (2,995 – 1,860) = 1,135 psig
With a safety factor of 1.1, the burst design pressure at 4,000 ft = 1,249 psig
The burst design pressure at surface: 2,775 x 1.1 = 3,053 psig

Casing Design
Burst Design
Summary of burst loads

Depth External Load Internal Load Net Load Design Load
(SF = 1.1)
Surface 0 2,775 2,775 3,053
@ 4,000 ft 1,860 2,995 1,135 1,249
The H-40 has the burst pressure rating of 1,730 psi (Barlow’s equation). This casing
can be used at the depth shallower than:
(3,053 – 1,730)(4,000)/(3,053 – 1,249) = 2,933 ft
The J-55 has the burst pressure rating of 2,730 psi. This casing can be set below
(3,053 – 2,730)(4,000)/(3,053 – 1,249) = 2,933 ft
All other casings listed have burst pressure ratings more than the design requirements

Casing Design
Collapse Design
The external pressure of the collapse design based on the 9.3 lbm/gal mud:
(0.052)(9.3)(4,000) = 1,934 psig.
The internal pressure for the collapse design based on the maximum loss in the fluid
level.
The internal pressure at 3,959 ft is zero and the internal pressure at 4,000 ft is
(0.052)(13.7)(41) = 29 ft
External pressure at 3,959 ft: (0.052)(9.3)(3,959) = 1,915 psi

Casing Design
Collapse Design
Summary of collapse loads
Depth External Load Internal Load Net Load Design Load

(SF = 1.1)
Surface 0 0 0
3,959 ft 1,915 0 1,915 2,107
4,000 ft 1,934 29 1,905 2,096
The bottom section of casing will be composed of C-75, 68-lbm/ft casing.

Casing Design
Collapse Design
To determine the minimum possible length of C-75, 68-lbm/ft casing, we consider the
free body diagram below:

Casing Design
Collapse Design
Force balance: Fa = 68L1 – p1As + p2DAs2
The cross sectional area:

Chapter 2: Casing Design

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Casing Design

Chapter 2: Casing Design

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Such a casing string is called a combination string.

Additional cost savings sometimes can be achieved by the use of liner

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Casing Design Process

2. Define the operational scenarios to be considered during the design of each of

3. Calculate the burst loading on the particular casing under consideration.

4. Calculate the collapse loading on the particular casing under consideration.

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Casing Design Process

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Casing Design Process

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Selection of Casing Setting Depths

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Selection of Casing Setting Depths

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Selection of Casing Setting Depths

Point c: Fluid density is reduced until it reaches to margin of the curve

Point d: casing shoe of the surface casing

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Selection of Casing Sizes

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Selection of Casing Sizes

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Selection of Casing Sizes

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Load Calculations in Casing Design

The casing design usually is based on an assumed loading condition.

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Load Calculations in Casing Design

3. The high-axial tension loading condition is based on an assumption of stuck

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

Collapse 0.052  max Dlc  Dm   0.052  p Dlc

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

0.052  max Dlc  Dm   0.052  p Dlc

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Surface and Intermediate Casings

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Production Casings

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Design for Production Casings

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

26’’ 20’’ 8.6 13.0 @ 9.0 Unconsolidated

Prepared by: Dr. Tan Nguyen

Gas density above 10,000 ft: 0.1 psi/ft

Design factor for burst: 1.1

Design factor for collapse: 1.0