Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PAPER 2005-179
Abstract
Opportunity to improve rig floor safety, reduce technical
casing running risk and reduce cost has motivated operators to
utilise the top drive for casing running operations. Simple and
easy approaches for applying make-up torque and hoisting
loads to the casing string have been used with some success, but
in some applications performing these functions safely,
economically, and without connection damage has not been
trivial.
Operational logistics, management of loads that cause
casing thread damage, and prevention of pipe body damage are
examples of challenges requiring sound technical solutions.
Pipe handling logistics, including engagement of the casing
grip, must be executed efficiently without damaging casing
threads or sealing surfaces. Similarly, bending loads resulting
from rig misalignment or casing curvature can initiate thread
damage if uncertainties remain unmanaged. Finally, local cold
working of pipe body material increases stress cracking
susceptibility, particularly on inner surfaces, and will reduce
casing string reliability.
Successful use of casing running technology depends on
selecting a system that meets the technical requirements of the
application. A sound understanding of casing thread make-up,
drilling rig operations, and the interaction between the two
enables critical evaluation of emerging technology and reduces
the risk of commercial failure. This paper presents the
Introduction
A desire to improve rig floor safety and eliminate
unnecessary expenses has motivated oilfield operators to utilise
the top drive for casing running operations. Applying make up
torque and hoisting the casing string can be accomplished quite
easily, but performing these functions safely, economically, and
without damaging the casing body or connections is a nontrivial task.
Several top drive casing running systems are commercially
available, but consistently successful deployment requires that
users carefully match technology with applications. Technical
challenges are described here and solutions characterized in
application-specific context. Successful exploitation of this
emerging technology will occur more reliably with an
understanding of the relationships between pipe, casing threads,
running equipment, and drilling rig operations.
The simplest way to transfer torsion and axial load from the
top drive quill to the casing is with a crossover, commonly
referred to as a nubbin or make up quill, from the top drive to
the casing thread. This approach is widely used in Western
Canadian shallow hole applications, but fails to capture the full
safety and economic benefit available through top drive casing
running systems that engage the pipe body, rather than the
casing threads.1
Purpose specific top drive casing running tools are used in a
broad range of applications. Success has been reported for
casing runs in:
river crossings2,
Technical Challenges
Successful top drive casing running equipment needs to
engage rapidly and grip the pipe securely. It is equally
important that the grip preserve the integrity of the casing
connection and the pipe body during make-up and hoisting
operations.
Monitoring
Premium connection make up is typically monitored and
recorded to detect damage and create a record documenting
final assembly of each connection6. This documentation serves
two primary purposes: verification of connection make up and
demonstration of compliance with recommended practices. Data
recorded during the make up process must accurately represent
the parameters chosen to indicate connection damage and
confirm final assembly consistent with the design intent.
Measurement of applied torque, connection rotation, or turns,
and time are the most common recorded parameters.
Control
The physical process of connection make up must be
controlled within acceptable limits to minimize the chance of
inducing damage. Galling of mating surfaces is the primary
source of connection damage and is affected by several factors
controllable at the field level. Some are well known, but others
are taken for granted in conventional casing running operations
and have been ignored in early commercial deployment of top
drive casing running systems.
Well known parameters that must be controlled during
connection make up are:
applied torque.
The first two parameters are easily satisfied during top drive
casing running operations, but control of applied torque is a
more complex challenge. Cleaning and lubrication ensure that
mating surfaces are free of foreign material and protected from
high friction contact that increases the chance of galling.
Throttling rotational speed to ensure compliance with
manufacturer recommended limits is also necessary to minimize
connection damage.
Control of make up torque is necessary to comply with
minimum and maximum torque specified by connection
running procedures. Particularly for premium connections,
maximum and minimum make up torque has been chosen with
10000
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uncertainty
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Torque
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Gripping the pipe directly avoids thread damage, but diebased casing grips typically penetrate the casing surface and
may globally deform the pipe body. Localised cold work
induced by dies increases material hardness and sulphide stress
cracking susceptibility. Rigid die-based grips cannot distribute
radial load uniformly, even at modest hoisting loads, so flexural
yielding occurs at the edge of die contact as shown in Figure 5.
Pipe
Die
Pipe
Safety
Running casing with the top drive provides an opportunity to
reduce the risk of personal injury, but presents safety challenges
that must be managed to fully realize the available benefits. The
first relates to unintentional release of pressurized fluid.
Because top drive casing running tools typically provide a fill
up and circulate function, the pipe grip is required to react loads
developed by internal casing pressure over the active area.
Although running procedures logically require that pumps are
stopped and casing pressure is bled to an acceptable level before
disengaging the pipe grip, the consequence of error in this
context can be severe.
A second safety challenge is to ensure that the pipe grip and
the slips or spider can not be released at the same time.
Although slip and pipe grips are usually designed to selfenergise with load and prevent inappropriate release, powered
actuators, particularly for high capacity systems, are capable of
releasing under modest string weight. Interlock systems to
prevent this error are available for conventional casing running
operations and should be considered in top drive casing running
operations to improve system fault tolerance.
Die
Flexurally
yielded
zone
Solutions
Safety
Top drive casing running offers substantial improvements to
rig floor safety, but presents new challenges as well. Safety
benefits can be maximized by anticipating hazards and
designing systems that increase error tolerance and reduce
consequences.
Unintentional release of pressurized fluid within the casing is
usually a result of operator error, but, given that errors
sometimes occur, can be avoided in two ways. First, an
interlock preventing pipe grip release under pressure greater
than a prescribed threshold reduces the chance of uncontrolled
fluid release. A second strategy that mitigates damage resulting
from pipe grip release under pressure is to disable the fluid seal
prior to fully releasing the pipe grip. In this case, pressurized
fluid leaks in a controlled manner rather than releasing during a
catastrophic event.
The consequence of releasing both the pipe grip and the slips
or spider is relatively severe. While this scenario may be
impossible with adequate string weight and self-energizing
tools, powered equipment actuation can result in a situation
where light string weight is inadequate to prevent inappropriate
equipment release. An interlock to prevent this event will
improve top drive casing running reliability and safety.
Conclusion
Top drive casing running offers compelling improvements
in rig floor safety, efficiency, and risk reduction, but presents
technical challenges that require well-designed solutions to fully
realize the available benefits. A single tool can replace casing
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REFERENCES
elevators, power tongs, and fill-up and circulate tools, and uses
the rig crew to run casing, instead of requiring a additional
personnel. The reduction in people and equipment on the rig
floor is expected to improve safety records for one of the most
hazardous operations in well construction. As the top drive
revolutionized the drilling process, top drive casing running is
positioned to change the way casing is installed in the well bore.
The ability to circulate, reciprocate, and circulate at any time
reduces the risk of failing to land casing at the design depth.
Technical challenges that currently limit the value delivered
by top drive casing running are related primarily to casing
thread damage, pipe body damage, and quality assurance
processes. Technology development is progressing rapidly in
this area and solutions to these challenges are becoming
commercially available.
Casing thread damage can be minimized by limiting thread
loads, particularly during initial engagement, with a
combination of carefully designed running procedures and
suitable equipment.
Pipe body damage resulting from die penetration and global
pipe body yielding into a non-circular cross section can be
avoided by selecting pipe grip technology suitable for the
application. Die-based systems can be effectively utilized in
applications that require only modest torsion and hoisting load
transfer or where die indentations or pipe body cross section
deformations are tolerable. Critical applications that benefit
from non-marking and non damaging load transfer are better
executed with a gentler pipe grip mechanism. Non-damaging
pipe grips can be achieved by distributing load uniformly over a
large area so friction coefficient requirements are small enough
to avoid indentations that can become stress cracking initiation
sites.
Requirements for make up quality verification and
documentation depend on both connection and application
requirements. Many applications can be satisfied using rig
instrumentation and controls, but some critical applications
should only be undertaken with purpose-specific equipment
suited to casing connection make up requirements. Torque and
rotation measurement accuracy, signal response times, and
recording frequency should be considered when evaluating
suitability of any monitoring and control system.
Successful exploitation of top drive casing running
technology depends on fully understanding casing connection
make up requirements and matching applications with suitable
equipment. Improved safety, reduced casing running risk, and
technical excellence can be delivered using top drive casing
running technology if the challenges presented here are met
with sound technical solutions.
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