Determiningdepthtosetcasing

Thefirstdesigntaskinpreparingthewellplanisselectingdepthsthatthecasingwillberunandcemented.

Contents
1Overview
2Typesofcasingandtubing
2.1Drivepipeorconductorcasing
2.2Structuralcasing
2.3Intermediatecasing
2.4Liners
2.5Productioncasing
2.6Tiebackstring
3Settingdepthdesignprocedures
3.1Settingdepthselectionforintermediateanddeeperstrings
3.1.1Example1
3.1.2Example2
3.2Surfacecasingdepthselection
3.2.1Example3
3.3Drivepipeand/orconductorcasing
4References
5Seealso
6NoteworthypapersinOnePetro
7Externallinks
8Category

Overview
Thedrillingengineermustconsidergeologicalconditionssuchas:
Formationpressuresandfracturemudweights.
Holeproblems.
Internalcompanypolicies.
Avarietyofgovernmentregulations.
Theprogramresultsshouldallowthewelltobedrilledsafelywithoutthenecessityofbuildingasteelmonumentofcasingstrings.Unfortunately,manywellplansgivesignificant
considerationstotheactualpipedesign,yetgiveonlycursoryattentiontothepipesettingdepth.
Theimportanceofselectingproperdepthsforsettingcasingcannotbeoveremphasized.Manywellshavebeenengineeringoreconomicfailuresbecausethecasingprogramspecified
settingdepthstooshallowordeep.Applyingafewbasicdrillingprinciplescombinedwithabasicknowledgeofthegeologicalconditionsinanareacanhelpdeterminewherecasing
stringsshouldbesettoensurethatdrillingcanproceedwithminimumdifficulty.

Typesofcasingandtubing
Drillingenvironmentsoftenrequireseveralcasingstringstoreachthetotaldesireddepth.Someofthestringsare:
Drive,orconductor.
Structural.
Surface.
Intermediate(alsoknownasprotectionpipe).
Liners.
Production(alsoknownasanoilstring).
Tubing(flowstring).
Fig.1showstherelationshipofsomeofthesestrings.Inaddition,theillustrationshowssomeproblemsanddrillinghazardsthestringsaredesignedtocontrol.

(/File%3ADevol2_1102final_Page_474_Image_0001.png)
Fig.1Typicalstringrelationships.

Allwellswillnotuseeachcasingtype.Theconditionsencounteredineachwellmustbeanalyzedtodeterminetypesandamountofpipenecessarytodrillit.Thegeneralfunctions
ofallcasingstringsarelistednext:

Segregateandisolatevariousformationstominimizedrillingproblemsormaximizeproduction.
Furnishastablewellwithaknowndiameterthroughwhichfuturedrillingandcompletionoperationscanbeexecuted.
Provideasecuremeanstowhichpressurecontrolequipmentcanbeattached.

Drivepipeorconductorcasing
Thefirststringrunorplacedinthewellisusuallythedrivepipe,orconductorcasing.Depthsrangefrom40to300ft.InsoftrockareassuchassouthernLouisianaormostoffshore
environments,thepipeishammeredintothegroundwithalargedieselhammer.Hardrockareasrequirethatalargediameter,shallowholebedrilledbeforerunningandcementing
thepipe.Conductorcasingcanbeaselaborateasheavywallsteelpipeorassimpleasafewoldoildrumstackedtogether.
Aprimarypurposeofthisstringistoprovideafluidconduitfromthebittothesurface.Veryshallowformationstendtowashoutseverely,andmustbeprotectedwithpipe.In
addition,mostshallowformationsexhibitsometypeoflostcirculationproblemthatmustbeminimized.
Anadditionalfunctionofthepipeistominimizeholecavingproblems.Gravelbedsandunconsolidatedrockmaycontinuetofallintothewellifnotstabilizedwithcasing.
Typically,theoperatorisrequiredtodrillthroughthesezonesbypumpingviscousmudsathighrates.

Structuralcasing
Occasionally,drillingconditionswillrequirethatanadditionalstringofcasingberunbetweenthedrivepipeandsurfacecasing.Typicaldepthsrangefrom600to1,000ft.Purposes
forthepipeincludesolvingadditionallostcirculationorholecavingproblemsandminimizingkickproblemsfromshallowgaszones.
SurfaceCasing.Manypurposesexistforrunningsurfacecasingincluding:
Coverfreshwatersands.
Maintainholeintegritybypreventingcaving.
Minimizelostcirculationintoshallow,permeablezones.
Coverweakincompetentzonestocontrolkickimposedpressures.
Provideameansforattachingtheblowoutpreventers.
Supporttheweightofallcasingstrings(exceptliners)runbelowthesurfacepipe.

Intermediatecasing
Theprimaryapplicationsofintermediatecasinginvolveabnormallyhighformationpressures.Becausehighermudweightsarerequiredtocontrolthesepressures,shallowerweak
formationsmustbeprotectedtopreventlostcirculationorstuckpipe.Occasionally,intermediatepipeisusedtoisolatesaltzonesorzonesthatcauseholeproblems,suchasheaving
andsloughingshales.
Drillinglinersareusedforthesamepurposeasintermediatecasing.Insteadofrunningthepipetothesurface,anabbreviatedstringisusedfromthebottomoftheholetoashallower
depthinsidetheintermediatepipe.Usually,theoverlapbetweenthetwostringsis300to500ft.Inthiscase,theintermediatepipeisexposedtothesamedrillingconsiderationsasthe
liner(Fig.1).

Liners
Drilling(andproduction)linersareusedfrequentlyasacosteffectivemethodtoattainpressureorfracturemudweightcontrolwithouttheexpenseofrunningastringtothesurface.
Whenalinerisused,theupperexposedcasing,usuallyintermediatepipe,mustbeevaluatedwithrespecttoburstandcollapsepressuresfordrillingtheopenholebelowtheliner.
Rememberthatafullstringofcasingcanberuntothesurfaceinsteadofaliner,ifrequired(i.e.,twointermediatestrings).

Productioncasing
Theproductioncasingisoftencalledtheoilstring.Thepipemaybesetatadepthslightlyabove,midwaythrough,orbelowthepayzone.Thepipehasthefollowingpurposes:
Isolatetheproducingzonefromtheotherformations.
Provideaworkshaftofknowndiametertothepayzone.
Protecttheproductiontubingequipment.

Tiebackstring
Thedrillinglinerisoftenusedaspartoftheproductioncasingratherthanrunninganadditionalfullstringofpipefromthesurfacetotheproducingzone.Thelineristiedbackor
connectedtothesurfacebyrunningtheamountofpiperequiredtoconnecttothelinertop.Thisprocedureisparticularlycommonwhenproducinghydrocarbonsarebehindtheliner
andthedeepersectionisnotcommercial.

Settingdepthdesignprocedures
Casingseatdepthsareaffectedbygeologicalconditions.Insomecases,theprimecriterionforselectingcasingseatsistocoverexposed,lostcirculation(/Lost_circulation)zones.In
others,theseatmaybebasedondifferentialsticking(/Differentialpressure_pipe_sticking)problems,perhapsresultingfrompressuredepletioninafield.Indeepwells,however,the
primaryconsiderationisusuallybasedoncontrollingabnormalformationpressuresandpreventingtheirexposuretoweakershallowzones.Thiscriterionofcontrollingformation
pressuresgenerallyappliestomostdrillingareas.
Selectingcasingseatsforpressurecontrolstartswithknowinggeologicalconditions,suchasformationpressuresandfracturemudweights.Thisinformationisgenerallyavailable
withinsomedegreeofaccuracy.Prespudcalculationsandtheactualdrillingconditionsdeterminetheexactlocationsforeachcasingseat.
Theprincipleusedtodeterminesettingdepthselectioncanbeadequatelydescribedbytheadage,hindsightis20/20.Theinitialstepistodeterminetheformationpressuresand
fracturemudweightsthatwillbepenetrated.Afterthesehavebeenestablished,theoperatormustdesignacasingprogrambasedontheassumptionthathealreadyknowsthe
behaviorofthewellbeforeitisdrilled.
Thisprincipleisusedextensivelyforinfilldrillingwheretheknownconditionsdictatethecasingprogram.Usingtheseguidelines,theoperatorcanselectthemosteffectivecasing
programthatmeetsthenecessarypressurerequirementsandminimizethecasingcost.

Settingdepthselectionforintermediateanddeeperstrings
Settingdepthselectionshouldbemadeforthedeepeststringstoberuninthewellandsuccessivelydesignedfromthebottomtosurface.Althoughthisproceduremayappearatfirst
tobereversed,itavoidsseveraltimeconsumingiterativeprocedures.Surfacecasingdesignproceduresarebasedonothercriteria.

Thefirstcriterionforselectingdeepcasingdepthsisformudweighttocontrolformationpressureswithoutfracturingshallowformations.Thisprocedureisimplementedbottomto
top.Afterthesedepthshavebeenestablished,differentialpressurestickingconsiderationsaremadetodetermineifthecasingstringwillbecomestuckwhenrunningitintothewell.
Theseconsiderationsaremadefromtoptobottom,thereversefromthefirstselectioncriterion.
Theinitialdesignstepistoestablishtheprojectedformationpressuresandfracturemudweights.InFig.2,a15.6lbm/gal(equivalent)formationpressureexistsattheholebottom.
Toreachthisdepth,wellborepressuresgreaterthan15.6lbm/galarenecessaryandmustbetakenintoaccount.

(/File%3ADevol2_1102final_Page_476_Image_0001.png)

Fig.2Projectedformationandfracturemud
weights(a)andselectionofthetentative
intermediatepipesettingdepthforExample1
(b).

Thepressuresthatmustbeconsideredinclude:
Atripmarginofmudweighttocontrolswabpressures.
Anequivalentmudweightincrease,becauseofsurgepressuresassociatedwithrunningthecasing.
Asafetyfactor.
Thesepressuresusuallyrangefrom0.2to0.3lbm/gal,respectively,andmayvarybecauseofmudviscosityandholegeometry.Therefore,theactualpressuresatthebottomofthe
wellincludethemudweightrequiredtocontrolthe15.6lbm/galporepressureandthe0.6to0.9lbm/gal(equivalent)mudweightincreasesfromtheswab,surge,andsafetyfactor
considerations.Asaresult,formationsexhibitingfracturemudweights16.5lbm/galorless(15.6lbm/gal+0.9lbm/gal)mustbeprotectedwithcasing.Thedepthatwhichthis
fracturemudweightisencounteredbecomesthetentativeintermediatepipesettingdepth.
Thenextstepistodetermineifpipestickingwilloccurwhenrunningthecasing.Pipestickinggenerallyoccurswherethemaximumdifferentialpressuresareencountered.Inmost
cases,thisdepthisthedeepestnormalpressurezone(i.e.,atthetransitionintoabnormalpressures).
Fieldstudieshavebeenusedtoestablishgeneralvaluesfortheamountofdifferentialpressurethatcanbetoleratedbeforestickingoccurs:
Normalpressurezones2,000to2,300psiAbnormalpressurezones2,500to3,000psi
Thesevaluesarerecommendedasreasonableguides.Theiraccuracyindaytodayoperationsdependsonthegeneralattentiongiventomudpropertiesanddrillstringconfiguration.
Thetentativeintermediatepipesettingdepthbecomestheactualsettingdepth,ifthedifferentialpressureatthedeepestnormalzoneislessthan2,000to2,300psi.Ifthevalueis
greaterthanthislimit,thedepthisredefinedastheshallowestlinersettingdepthrequiredtodrillthewell.Inthiscase,anadditionalstepisnecessarytodeterminetheintermediate
pipedepth.
Anexampleproblemillustratesthisprocedure.Thesectionfollowingtheexampleshowsthecaseinwhichdifferentialpressureconsiderationsrequiretheadditionalsteptoselectthe
intermediatepipedepth.
Example1
UseFig.2.atodeterminethepropersettingdepthforintermediatepipe.Assumea0.3lbm/galfactorforswabandsurgeanda0.2lbm/galsafetyfactor.Useamaximumlimitof
2,200psidifferentialpressurefornormalpressurezones.
Solution.
1.Evaluatethemaximumpressures(equivalentmudweights)atthetotaldepthofthewell.

(/File%3AVol2_page_0477_eq_001.png)

2.Determineformationsthatcannotwithstand16.4lbm/galpressures(i.e.,thoseformationsthatmustbeprotectedwithcasing).Constructaverticallinefrom16.4lbm/galtoan
intersectionofthefracturemudweightline(Fig.2PartB).Thedepthofintersectionisthetentativeintermediatecasingsettingdepth,or8,600ftinthisexample.
Checkthetentativedepthtodetermineifdifferentialpipestickingwillbeaproblemwhenrunningthecasingto8,600ft.Themudrequiredtoreach8,600ftis

(/File%3AVol2_page_0477_eq_002.png)

Differentialstickingpotentialisevaluatedatthedeepestnormalpressure(9.0lbm/gal)zone,8,000ft.
(/File%3AVol2_page_0477_eq_003.png)
3.Checktheintervalfrom8,600to12,000fttodetermineifthedifferentialpressureexceedsthe3,000to3,300psirange.Inthiscase,pressure2,700psiat8,600ft.
Example1illustratedthecaseinwhichtheverticallinefrom16.4lbm/galintersectedthefracturemudweightcurveinanabnormalpressureregion.Acalculationwasperformedto
determineifthecasingwouldstickwhenrunintothewell.Ifthepressureshadbeengreaterthanthelimitof2,200psi,proceduresinthefollowingsectionswouldbeimplemented.
Casesarisingwhentheverticallineintersectsthefracturemudweightcurveinthenormalpressureregionarediscussedlater.
Alteringthetentativeintermediatecasingsettingdepthbecauseofpotentialdifferentialstickingproblemsisrequiredinmanycases.Thepreviouslydefinedtentativeintermediate
pipesettingdepthisredefinedastheshallowestlinerdepth.Theproceduremustnowbeworkedfromthetoptothebottomofthehighpressurezone,ratherthanthereverseapproach
usedtoestablishthetentativeintermediatedepth.Thenewintermediatedepthisestablishedusingstickingcriteria.Thedeepestlinersettingdepthisdeterminedfromformation
pressure/fracturemudweightguidelines.Afterthedeepestlinerdepthisestablished,theoperatormustdeterminetheexactlinersettingdepthbetweenthepreviouslycalculated
shallowestanddeepestpossibledepths.Thefinallinerdepthcanbeestablishedfromcriteriasuchasminimizingtheamountofsmallholethatmustbedrilledbelowthelinerand
preventingexcessiveamountsofopenholebetweentheintermediatelinersectionorthelinerpayzonesection.
Eqs.1andEqs.2canbeusedtohelpdeterminethenewintermediatedepthifstickingisaconcern.
(/File%3AVol2_page_0478_eq_001.png)
or
(/File%3AVol2_page_0478_eq_002.png)....................(1)
where
=mudweight,lbm/gal
Dn=deepestnormalzone,ft
and
p=differentialpressure,psi.
Alimitof2,000to2,300psiisnormallyusedforp.Themudweight,,fromEq.1canbeusedtolocatethedepthwherethepvaluewillexist.
(/File%3AVol2_page_0478_eq_003.png)....................(2)
where
=mudweight,lbm/gal
=tripmargin,lbm/gal
and
pform=formationpressure,lbm/gal.
Thedepthatwhichtheformationpressure,pform,occursisdefinedasthenewintermediatepipedepth.
Thedeepestlinersettingdepthisestablishedfromtheintermediatesettingdepthsfracturemudweight.UsingproceduresreversedfromthosepresentedinExample1,subtractthe
swab,surge,andsafetyfactorsfromthefracturemudweighttodeterminethemaximumallowableformationpressureinthedeepersectionsofthehole.Thedepthatwhichthis
pressureisencounteredbecomesthedeepestlinerdepth.Theestablishmentofasettingdepthbetweentheshallowestanddeepdepthsgenerallydependsonoperatorpreferenceand
thegeologicalconditions.
Example2
UseFig.3toselectlinerandintermediatesettingdepths.Assumeadifferentialpressurelimitof2,200psi.Usethefollowingdesignfactors:
(/File%3AVol2_page_0479_eq_001.png)

(/File%3ADevol2_1102final_Page_479_Image_0001.png)
Fig.3Projectedformationpressureand
fracturemudweightsforExample2.

Solution
1.FromFig.3,themaximumequivalentmudweightthatcanbeseenatthebottomofthewellcanbecalculated.

(/File%3AVol2_page_0480_eq_001.png)

2.Constructaverticallinetointersectthefracturemudweightcurve(Fig.3).Thedepthofintersection,13,000ft,isthetentativeintermediatecasingsettingdepth.Allshallower
formationsmustbeprotectedwithcasingbecausetheirrespectivefracturemudweightsarelessthanthemaximumprojectedrequirements(18.0lbm/gal)atthebottomofthewell.
3.Evaluatethetentativedepthfordifferentialstickingbyassumingthat14.3lbm/galmudwillberequiredtodrilltheformationat13,000ft:
(/File%3AVol2_page_0480_eq_002.png)
Because2,480psi>2,200psi,intermediatepipecannotsafelyberunto13,000ft.Thedepthof13,000ftisredefinedastheshallowestlinerdepth.4.Theintermediatepipedepthis
definedwithEqs.1andEqs.2.
(/File%3AVol2_page_0480_eq_003.png)

and

(/File%3AVol2_page_0480_eq_004.png)

FromFig.3.b,a13.4lbm/galformationpressureoccursat10,900ft.
5.Thedeepestpossiblesettingdepthforthelinerisdeterminedbyevaluatingthefracturemudweightat10,900ft.Whatisthemaximumformationpressurebelow10,900ftthatcan
besafelycontrolledwithafracturemudweightof17.1lbm/gal?

(/File%3AVol2_page_0480_eq_005.png)

FromFig.3.c,a16.3lbm/galformationpressureoccursat16,300ft.Thedepthisdefinedasthedeepestallowabledepthforsettingtheliner.
6.Theshallowanddeeplinerdepthsarebasedonformationpressure/fracturemudweightconsiderationsattheholebottom(18,000ft)andtheintermediatepipedepth(10,900ft),
respectively.Anydepthbetweenthe13,000to16,000ftrangeissatisfactory.Adepthselectioncanbebasedon:
MinimizingsmalldiametersectionsbelowthelinerMinimizingtheopenholelengthandtherebyreducingpipecostsOtherconsiderationsasspecifiedbytheoperator.
Asanexample,assumethatadepthof15,000ftisselected.Itreducesthesmalldiameterholetoa3,000ftsegment(15,000to18,000ft)whileallowingonly4,100ftofopenhole
(10,900to15,000ft)(Fig.3.d).
Examples1and2illustratedthecasesinwhichtheinitialformationpressure/fracturemudweightatthebottomrequiredpipedepthsintheabnormalpressureregions.Different
techniquesmustbeusedifthetentativepipesettingdepthisinanormalpressureregion.
Theinitialstepistoevaluatedifferentialstickingpossibilitiesatthedeepestnormalpressurezone.Ifthemudweightrequiredatthebottomofthewelldoesnotcreatedifferential
pressuresinexcessofsomelimit(2,000to2,300psi),adeepsurfacecasingstringissatisfactory.Eqs.1andEqs.2mustbeusedwhenthedifferentialpressuresexceedtheallowable
limit.

Surfacecasingdepthselection
Shallowcasingstrings,suchassurfacecasing,areoftenimposedtoequivalentmudweightsmoreseverethantheconsiderationsusedtoselectthesettingdepthsforintermediate
casingandliner.Thesepressuresusuallyresultfromkicksinadvertentlytakenwhendrillingdeepersections.Asaresult,surfacesettingdepthsareselectedtocontainkickpressures
ratherthanthepreviouslydescribedproceduresforintermediatecasing.Thisphilosophydiffersfortheintermediatehole,becausethekickpressuresareusuallylowerthanthe
previouslydiscussedswab/surge/safetyfactorlogicfordeepstrings.
Kickimposedequivalentmudweightsarethecauseformostundergroundblowouts.Whenakickoccurs,theshutincasingpressureaddedtothedrillingmudhydrostaticpressure
exceedstheformationfracturepressureandresultsinaninducedfracture.Theobjectiveofaseatselectionprocedurethatavoidsundergroundblowoutswouldbetochooseadepth
thatcancompetentlywithstandthepressuresofreasonablekickconditions.
Determinationofkickimposedpressurescanbedifficult.However,aprocedurethatestimatesthevalueshasbeenprovedinfieldapplicationstobequickandeffective.Fig.4
representsawellwhosepumpsandblowoutpreventershavesimulatedakick.Eq.3describesthepressurerelationships.
(/File%3AVol2_page_0481_eq_001.png)....................(3)
where
ekick=equivalentmudweightatthedepthofinterest,lbm/gal
D=deepestinterval,ft
Di=depthofinterest,ft
=incrementalkickmudweightincrease,lbm/gal
and
o=originalmudweight,lbm/gal.

(/File%3ADevol2_1102final_Page_482_Image_0001.png)
Fig.4Kickpressure/equivalentmudweight
(EMW)relationships.

Eq.3canbeusediterativelyalongwithasuitabletheoreticalfracturemudweightcalculationtodetermineasurfacepipedepthwithsufficientstrengthtoresistkickpressures.
Initially,ashallowdepthischosenforwhichthefracturemudweightandequivalentmudweightsarecalculated.Iftheequivalentmudweightisgreaterthanthefracturemud
weight,adeeperintervalmustbeselectedandthecalculationsrepeated.Thisprocedureisiterateduntilthefracturemudweightexceedstheequivalentmudweights.Whenthis
occurs,adepthhasbeenselectedthatwillwithstandthedesignedkickpressures.Example3illustratestheprocedure.
Example3
UsingFig.5,selectasurfacecasingdepthand,ifnecessary,settingdepthsfordeeperstrings.Usethefollowingdesignfactors:

(/File%3ADevol2_1102final_Page_483_Image_0001.png)

Fig.5Intermediatecasingevaluationfor
Example3(a)andequivalentmud
weight/fracturemudweightrelationship(b)

0.3=swab,surgefactor,lbm/gal.
0.2=safetyfactor,lbm/gal.

0.5=kickfactor,lbm/gal.
2,200=maximumallowabledifferentialpressure,psi.
Solution
1.Evaluatethemaximumpressuresanticipatedatthebottomofthewell.

(/File%3AVol2_page_0482_eq_001.png)

Averticallinefrom12.8lbm/galintersectsthefracturemudweightinanormalregion,whichindicatesthatintermediatecasingwillnotberequiredunlessdifferentialstickingisa
problem.
2.Assumethat12.3lbm/galwillbeusedatthebottomofthewellanddetermineifdifferentialstickingmayoccur.
(/File%3AVol2_page_0483_eq_001.png)
Because1,544psiislessthanthearbitrarylimitof2,200psi,intermediatecasingwillnotbeusedforpipestickingconsiderations.Onlysurfacecasingisrequired.
3.UseEq.3andthefracturemudweightcurvetodeterminethedepthatwhichthefracturemudweightexceedsthekickloadingmudweight.Performatrialcalculationat1,000ft.

(/File%3AVol2_page_0483_eq_002.png)....................(1)

Thefracturemudweightat1,000ftis12.0lbm/gal.Becausethekickloadingisgreaterthantherockstrength,adeepertrialdepthmustbechosen.Resultsfromseveraliterationsare
givennextandplottedonFig.5.

(/File%3AVol2_page_0484_eq_001.png)

4.Asettingdepthof3,600ftisselected.
Thevalueof0.5lbm/galusedinExample3forthekickincrementalmudweightincreaseiswidelyaccepted.Itrepresentstheaverage(maximum)mudweightincreasenecessaryto
killakick.UsingthisvariableinEq.3allowstheoperatorto(inadvertently)drillaformationinwhichthepressureisinexcessof0.5lbm/galgreaterthantheoriginalcalculated
valueandstillsafelycontrolthekick.Infact,iftheoriginalmudweightvariableis0.3to0.4lbm/galgreaterthantheanticipatedformationpressure,theequationwouldaccountfor
formationpressurecalculationerrorsof0.8to0.9lbm/gal.Ifnecessary,anoperatormayalterthe0.5lbm/galvariabletowhateverisdeemedmostsuitableforthedrilling
environment.
AvalidargumentcanberaisedconcerningEq.3anditsrepresentationoffieldcircumstances.Inactualkicksituations,theequivalentmudweightsarecontrolledtoacertaindegree
bycasingpressure,whichisnotdirectlytakenintoaccountintheequation.Aninspectionofcasingpressureshowsthetwocomponentsinthepressureare:
Thedegreeofunderbalancebetweentheoriginalmudandtheformationpressure
Thedegreeofunderbalancebetweentheinfluxfluidandtheformationpressure
Thefirstofthesecomponentsistakenintoaccountintheequationbytheincrementalmudweightincreaseterm,whilethelatterisnotconsidered.Inmostkicksituations,the
averagevalueofthesecondcomponentwillrangefrom100to300psi.Ifanoperatorbelievesthesecondcomponentissignificantenoughtoaltertheequation,hecanchangethe
incrementalmudweightincreasetermtoahighervalue.
TheconsiderationsareillustratedinFig.4andFigs.6and7.Figs.4and6representa1.0lbm/galkickinsimpleandactualholegeometries,respectively.Fig.6showstheshutin
wellwitha20bblkickatthebottom.Fig.7showstheequivalentmudweightsforbothcases.IfanoperatorisconcernedaboutthedifferenceshowninFig.7,Eq.3shouldbe
modified,oradifferentequationshouldbeused.

(/File%3ADevol2_1102final_Page_485_Image_0001.png)
(/File%3ADevol2_1102final_Page_486_Image_0001.png)
Fig.6A20bblkick.

Fig.7Comparisonofequivalentmudweights
forruleofthumbandactualsituations.

Drivepipeand/orconductorcasing
Pipesettingdepthsabovethesurfacecasingareusuallydeterminedfromvariousgovernmentregulationsorlocalizeddrillingproblems.Forexample,anareamayhaveseverelost
circulationproblemsat75to100ftthatcanbesolvedbyplacingdrivepipebelowthezone.Otherdrillingconditionsthatmayaffectsettingdepthsincludewaterbearingsands,
unconsolidatedformations,orshallowgas.Anevaluationoflocaldrillingrecordswillnormallyidentifytheseconditions.Mostgovernmentsrequirethatfreshwatersandsbecased.

References
Seealso
PEH:Introduction_to_Well_Planning(/PEH%3AIntroduction_to_Well_Planning)

NoteworthypapersinOnePetro
Externallinks
Category
Categories(/Special%3ACategories): 1.6.11Runningandsettingcasing(/Category%3A1.6.11_Running_and_setting_casing) NR(/Category%3ANR)

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