US 7,412,368 B2Granted

Methods and computer-readable media for determining design parameters to prevent tubing buckling in deviated wellbores

AssigneeLandmark Graphics Corporation

InventorRobert F. Mitchell

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Abstract

Methods and computer-readable media are provided for determining design parameters for oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in deviated wellbores. Well parameter data including tubing size, tubing weight, well depth, and well geometry is obtained and may be utilized to calculate parameters for predicting the movement of tubing near a packer or centralizer in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data, predicting a total bending moment near the packer or centralizer, predicting a maximum bending stress near the packer or centralizer based on the total bending moment, and predicting the minimum axial force necessary to initiate buckling due to friction, and predicting the onset of buckling for the connection of tubing of different sizes. After the parameters have been calculated, they may be utilized in the design of the oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in the deviated wellbore.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of determining design parameters for oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in a deviated wellbore, comprising:

receiving well parameter data comprising at least one of tubing size, tubing weight, well depth, and well geometry;
calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data, wherein calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data comprises calculating a parameter used in predicting the movement of the tubing near a packer in the deviated wellbore using the formula:
θ
⁢
⁢
(
ξ
)
=
ln
[
cosh
⁢
⁢
(
2
2
⁢
Δ
⁢
⁢
ξ
+
ϕ
s
)
cosh
⁢
⁢
(
ϕ
s
)
]
where θ(ξ) is a buckling parameter for a beam-column solution for tubing located near the packer in the deviated wellbore;
Δξ is the change in dimensionless length associated with the tubing where ξ is given by the relationship:
ξ
=
s
⁢
P
EI
where s is the measured depth of the tubing;
P is the axial buckling force of the tubing;
and
EI is the bending stiffness of the tubing;
and
φs is a numerical constant;
calculating a second parameter used in predicting a total bending moment near the at least one boundary condition based on the received well parameter data;
calculating a third parameter used in predicting a maximum bending stress near the at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the total bending moment;
and
calculating a fourth parameter used in predicting a minimum axial force necessary to initiate buckling based on the received well parameter data, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth parameters are utilized in a design of the oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in the deviated wellbore.

49 more elements

A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method of determining design parameters for oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in a deviated wellbore, the method comprising:

receiving well parameter data comprising at least one of tubing size, tubing weight, well depth, and well geometry;
calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data, wherein calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data comprises calculating a parameter used in predicting the movement of the tubing near a packer in the deviated wellbore using the formula:
θ
⁢
⁢
(
ξ
)
=
ln
⁢
[
cosh
⁢
⁢
(
2
2
⁢
Δ
⁢
⁢
ξ
+
ϕ
s
)
cosh
⁢
⁢
(
ϕ
s
)
]
where θ(ξ) is a buckling parameter for a beam-column solution for tubing located near the packer in the deviated wellbore;
Δξ is the change in dimensionless length associated with the tubing where ξ is given by the relationship:
ξ
=
s
⁢
P
EI
where s is the measured depth of the tubing;
P is the axial buckling force of the tubing;
and
EI is the bending stiffness of the tubing;
and
φs is a numerical constant;
calculating a second parameter used in predicting a total bending moment near the at least one boundary condition based on the received well parameter data;
calculating a third parameter used in predicting a maximum bending stress near the at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the total bending moment;
and
calculating a fourth parameter used in predicting a minimum axial force necessary to initiate buckling based on the received well parameter data, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth parameters are utilized in a design of the oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in the deviated wellbore.

50 more elements

A method of determining design parameters for oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in a deviated wellbore, comprising:

receiving well parameter data comprising at least one of tubing size, tubing weight, well depth, and well geometry;
calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data, wherein calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data comprises calculating a parameter used in predicting the movement of the tubing near a centralizer in the deviated wellbore using the formula:
θ
⁡
(
ξ
)
=
ln
[
cosh
(
2
2
⁢
⁢
Δ
⁢
⁢
ξ
+
ϕ
s
)
cosh
⁢
⁢
(
ϕ
s
)
]
where θ(ξ) is a buckling parameter for a beam-column solution for tubing located near the centralizer in the deviated wellbore;
Δξ is the change in dimensionless length associated with the tubing where ξ is given by the relationship:
ξ
=
s
⁢
P
EI
where s is the measured depth of the tubing;
P is the axial buckling force of the tubing;
EI is the bending stiffness of the tubing;
and
φc is a numerical constant;
calculating a second parameter used in predicting a total bending moment near the at least one boundary condition based on the received well parameter data;
calculating a third parameter used in predicting a maximum bending stress near the at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the total bending moment;
calculating a fourth parameter used in predicting a minimum axial force necessary to initiate buckling based on the received well parameter data;
and
calculating a fifth parameter used in predicting an onset of buckling for the connection of tubing of different sizes based on the received well parameter data, wherein the at least one boundary condition comprises at least one of a centralizer installed in the deviated wellbore to concentrically position the oil well casing and a packer installed in the deviated wellbore to hold the tubing and wherein the first, second, third, fourth parameters, and fifth parameters are utilized in a design of the oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in the deviated wellbore.

47 more elements

receiving well parameter data comprising at least one of tubing size, tubing weight, well depth, and well geometry;
calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data, wherein calculating a first parameter used in predicting movement of the tubing near at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the received well parameter data comprises calculating a parameter used in predicting the movement of the tubing near a centralizer in the deviated wellbore using the formula:
θ
⁡
(
ξ
)
=
ln
[
cosh
(
2
2
⁢
⁢
Δ
⁢
⁢
ξ
+
ϕ
c
)
cosh
⁢
⁢
(
ϕ
c
)
]
where θ(ξ) is a buckling parameter for a beam-column solution for tubing located near the centralizer in the deviated wellbore;
Δξ is the change in dimensionless length associated with the tubing where ξ is given by the relationship:
ξ
=
s
⁢
P
EI
where s is the measured depth of the tubing;
P is the axial buckling force of the tubing;
and
EI is the bending stiffness of the tubing;
and
φc is a numerical constant;
calculating a second parameter used in predicting a total bending moment near the at least one boundary condition based on the received well parameter data;
calculating a third parameter used in predicting a maximum bending stress near the at least one boundary condition in the deviated wellbore based on the total bending moment;
and
calculating a fourth parameter used in predicting a minimum axial force necessary to initiate buckling based on the received well parameter data, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth parameters are utilized in a design of the oil well casing and tubing to prevent buckling in the deviated wellbore.

47 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/274,637Filed 15 Nov 2005 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 Nov 2004
Published: US 2006/0106588 A118 May 2006
Granted: 12 Aug 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

E21B 17/00
Drilling rods or pipes
E21B 41/00
Equipment or details not covered by groups e21b15/00 - e21b40/00
E21B 43/10
Subsoil filtering: setting of casings, screens, liners or the like in wells
E21B
Earth or rock drilling

Family

Application60/628,032Us provisional application · filed 15 Nov 2004
Application60/723,513Us provisional application · filed 4 Oct 2005
US 2006/0106588 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 May 2006
US 7,412,368 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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