CerberusTM User Guide

Coiled Tubing, Jointed Pipe, Wireline, and Slickline

Version 12.0
April 2015

Copyright
Copyright 1997-2015 NOV CTES
All rights reserved.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the publisher
assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Information in this documentation is subject to
change without notice. No liability is assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
Cerberus v12.0 is 64-bit compatible and supports the Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating
systems using .NET Framework 4.0.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL
JCRAFT, INC. OR ANY CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDINGNEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF
THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

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About Cerberus
When running tools into and out of a well on coiled tubing, wireline, slickline, or jointed pipe,
operations use Cerberus modeling software to accurately predict and analyze cumulative
forces and coiled tubing fatigue at each stage of a job. Cerberus is able to determine whether
the target depth can be reached, the desired tasks performed, and the equipment safely
returned to surface.
A key feature of the application is its ability to model conditions in deviated and horizontal
wellbores. Cerberus is the only commercial program able to model all three conveyance
methods in one package, making it invaluable for choosing the best well-entry technique in
marginal conditions.

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User Feedback
NOV CTES continuously and diligently works to improve Cerberus software; therefore, we
encourage our users to contact us with technical or usability enhancement requests. We
endeavor to implement these types of request whenever possible. Please use one of the following methods to submit a request:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 936 777 6200
Web: www.NOV.com/CTES; click CTES Customer Portal and Tech Support Access in the
upper right-hand corner (registration is required).

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Contact Us
United States
NOV Corporate Headquarters
7909 Parkwood Circle Drive
Houston, Texas 77036
Phone: 1 (713) 375-3700
Fax: 1 (713) 346-7687
NOV CTES
3770 Pollok Drive
Conroe, Texas 77303
Phone: 1 (936) 777 6200
Fax: 1 (936) 777 6312
After hours technical support: 1 (936) 777 6200
email:[email protected]
OR
[email protected]
Website:http://www.nov.com/ctes

United Kingdom
Unit 16
Enterprise Drive
Westhill Industrial Estate
Westhill
Aberdeen
AB32 6TQ
Phone: 44 1224 748797
Fax: 44 1224 741129

Middle East
B-17, Oilfield Supply Center
Jebel Ali Free Zone
P.O. Box 18633
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Phone: +971 481 100100
Fax: +971 488 37087

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Contents
Copyright .......................................................................................... ii
About Cerberus ................................................................................iii
User Feedback ................................................................................ iv
Contact Us ........................................................................................ v
United States ..................................................................................................v
United Kingdom ..............................................................................................v
Middle East .....................................................................................................v

1
Installing or Updating Cerberus ................................................ 1
System Requirements ...................................................................... 2
Basic Requirements ...................................................................................... 2

Downloading Cerberus from the Internet .......................................... 3

Downloading Updates and/or Patches from the Internet ............................... 3

Running Setup .................................................................................. 4

Starting Cerberus and Obtaining Authorization ................................ 5
Moving Cerberus Data to a Network ................................................ 6
Backing Up and Restoring Data Files ............................................................ 6
Moving Cerberus Data Directory (First Computer) ....................................... 6
Changing Cerberus Data Directory Location (Other Computers) ................. 7

Troubleshooting Installation .............................................................. 8

2
System Setup ........................................................................... 9
Using the System Setup Options .................................................... 10
Managing Units ........................................................................................... 10
Using Unit Sets .................................................................................... 10
Specifying Units Individually................................................................. 11
Creating Custom Unit Sets................................................................... 12
Importing/Exporting Custom Unit Sets .......................................... 13
Converting Units................................................................................... 14
Changing Authorization ............................................................................... 15
Using Cerberus Setup ................................................................................. 16
Viewing Records Checked Out ................................................................... 18
Undoing a Record Check-out............................................................... 18
Copying a Data Directory ............................................................................ 18
Changing a Data Directory .......................................................................... 19

3
Using Cerberus ...................................................................... 21

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Getting Started ............................................................................... 22
Starting Cerberus ........................................................................... 23
The Main Menu (Home Page) ..................................................................... 23
The Main-menu Layout ........................................................................ 24
Navigation Tree 24
Navigation List 25
View Configuration Area 26
Model Access Area 26
Menu Bar 26
Shortcut Keys 30

4
Reel-Trak................................................................................ 31
About Coiled Tubing (CT) Fatigue Tracking with
Reel-Trak ........................................................................................ 32
Creating a New Job ........................................................................ 33
Using the Job Wizard ........................................................................... 34
Using the New Job Dialog.................................................................... 36

Importing/Exporting a File ............................................................... 38

Deleting a Job ............................................................................................. 40

Setting Up a CT Job ....................................................................... 42

Tracking Fatigue ............................................................................. 51
Setting Up Fatigue Tracking Display Options .............................................. 54
Understanding the Fatigue Diagram .................................................... 56
Understanding the Position Locator ..................................................... 56
Understanding the String Diagram....................................................... 56
Running the Fatigue Job ............................................................................. 57
Track Fatigue Toolbar .......................................................................... 57
Annotation Icons .................................................................................. 58
Running the Job from Recorded Data.................................................. 59
Running the Job in Real Time.............................................................. 60
Running the Job in Playback Mode...................................................... 61
Using the Post Job Analysis Tab ......................................................... 61

Using the Job Log ........................................................................... 66

Setting Up Job Log Display Options ............................................................ 66
Job-log Toolbar Buttons ...................................................................... 67
Job-log Menu-bar Selections ............................................................... 68

Packaging a Job ............................................................................. 72

5
Using Orpheus ....................................................................... 73
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Contents, Contd.
About Orpheus ................................................................................ 74
The Orpheus Process .................................................................................. 74

Accessing Orpheus ......................................................................... 75

Working with Projects ..................................................................... 77
Creating a New Orpheus Project ................................................................. 77
Opening an Existing Orpheus Project ......................................................... 79
Organizing Projects into Folders ................................................................. 80
Saving an Orpheus Project .......................................................................... 80
Deleting an Orpheus Project ....................................................................... 80
Importing a File ............................................................................................ 81
Exporting an Orpheus Project ..................................................................... 82

Entering Project-configuration Information .................................... 84

Entering Project Options ................................................................. 90
Setting Advanced Options/Calculation Parameters ..................................... 94
Setting Project-option Defaults .................................................................... 99

Performing Calculations ................................................................ 100

Calculation Methods .................................................................................. 100
Standard Calculations ........................................................................ 101
Calculate Lockup Depth (CT)/Calculate
Maximum Depth (WL/JP) ....................................................... 102
Trip In and Out (CT and JP)/Run in and Out (WL) ...................... 104
Run at Depth ............................................................................... 109
Forces on String/Tool and Cable ................................................ 113
Maximum Set-down Force (CT)/Maximum Weight on Bit (JP) .... 114
Maximum Pick-up Force (CT)/Maximum Overpull (JP/WL) ........ 115
Forces on String (CT)/Tool & Cable (WL)/Pipe (JP) ................... 116
Analysis Tools .................................................................................... 117
Sensitivity Analysis ...................................................................... 118
Report Generator ........................................................................ 136
Disconnect (CT) .......................................................................... 138
Weak Point Selection (WL/JP) .................................................... 138
Tool Fit Analysis .......................................................................... 139
String Design (CT) ...................................................................... 140
Extended Reach (CT/JP) ............................................................ 140
Friction Coefficient Analysis ........................................................ 140
Cable Tension Wizard (WL) ........................................................ 150
Catastrophic Buckling (CT) ......................................................... 151
Free Fall Analysis ........................................................................ 152
Pump Down Rate (WL) ............................................................... 152
Force Monitor/Analysis (CT) ........................................................ 154
Stuck Point Analysis .................................................................... 165
Packer & Completion Analysis .................................................... 167

Printing Orpheus Project Data ..................................................... 168

Emailing Project Data ................................................................................ 170

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6
Using Hydra.......................................................................... 171
About Hydra .................................................................................. 172
The Hydra Process .................................................................................... 172

Accessing Hydra ........................................................................... 174

Hydras Opening-dialog Tools ...................................................... 176
Working with Projects ................................................................... 178
Creating a New Hydra Project ................................................................... 178
Opening an Existing Hydra Project ........................................................... 180
Organizing Projects into Folders ............................................................... 181
Saving a Hydra Project .............................................................................. 181
Deleting a Hydra Project ........................................................................... 181
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 182
Exporting a Hydra Project ......................................................................... 183

Entering Project-configuration Information .................................. 185

Performing Calculations ............................................................................ 191
Standard Snapshot Calculations ..................................................... 192
Advancing Fluids in a Standard Calculation ............................... 193
Stage-table Calculations .................................................................... 194
Using Stage-table Strip Charts ................................................... 198
Using the Data Entry Wizard ....................................................... 198
Using the Job Design Wizard ...................................................... 198
Running Stage-table Calculations ............................................... 199
Application-wizard Calculations ......................................................... 199
Foam Wizard ............................................................................... 200
Fill Removal Wizard ................................................................... 200
Well Unloading Wizard ................................................................ 201
Multiphase Wizard ..................................................................... 206
Analysis Wizard ........................................................................ 207
Job Design Wizard .................................................................... 207
Pump Wizard ............................................................................ 208

7
Using Velocity String ............................................................ 209
The Velocity String Process ......................................................... 210
Accessing Velocity String (Hydra) ................................................ 211
Working with Projects ................................................................... 212
Using the Velocity String Opening-dialog Tools ........................................ 212
Setting Program Preferences .................................................................... 212
Creating a New Velocity String Project ..................................................... 212
Opening an Existing Velocity String Project .............................................. 213
Saving a Velocity String Project ................................................................ 214

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Deleting a Velocity String Project .............................................................. 214
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 215
Exporting a Velocity String Project ............................................................ 216
Importing/Exporting SharePoint Data ........................................................ 217

Entering Project-configuration Information .................................. 218

Select a Well with a Defined Reservoir ..................................................... 218
Verify Reservoir Parameters ..................................................................... 219
Select One or More Velocity Strings .......................................................... 220
Enter Runtime Data ................................................................................... 221
Calculating Data ........................................................................................ 222
Using the Output Data ............................................................................... 223

8
Using the Packer and Completion Analysis (PACA) ............ 225
About PACA .................................................................................. 226
The PACA Process ....................................................................... 227
Accessing the PACA Model/Wizard .............................................. 228
Setting Program Preferences .................................................................... 228
Accessing the Well Editor and Fluids Manager ......................................... 228

Working with Projects ................................................................... 229

Creating a New PACA Project ................................................................... 229
Opening an Existing PACA Project ........................................................... 230
Saving a PACA Project .............................................................................. 230
Deleting a PACA Project ........................................................................... 231
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 231
Exporting a PACA Project ......................................................................... 233

Using the PACA Wizard ............................................................... 235

Entering Calculation Options ..................................................................... 235
Selecting the PACA Application ................................................................ 235
Following the Permanent Tubing Completion Path ................................. 235
Selecting a Well that Includes Tubing String and Packer................... 236
Following the Temporary Packer Run on Coiled Tubing or Pipe Path .... 237
Selecting a Well.................................................................................. 237
Selecting the Coiled Tubing String or Jointed Pipe ................................... 238
Selecting a Tool with a Packer .................................................................. 238
Following the Converged Path .................................................................. 240
Configuring Packer Properties ........................................................... 240
Defining Initial Conditions................................................................... 241
Defining One or More Subsequent Scenarios.................................... 241
Conducting the Analysis..................................................................... 242

9
Using Solids Cleanout .......................................................... 245

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The Solids Cleanout Process ....................................................... 246
Accessing Solids Cleanout (Hydra) .............................................. 247
Working with Projects ................................................................... 248
Using the Solids Cleanout Opening-dialog Tools ...................................... 248
Setting Program Preferences .................................................................... 248
Creating a New Solids Cleanout Project ................................................... 248
Opening an Existing Solids Cleanout Project ............................................ 249
Saving a Solids Cleanout Project .............................................................. 250
Deleting a Solids Cleanout Project ............................................................ 250
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 251
Exporting a Solids Cleanout Project .......................................................... 252
Importing/Exporting SharePoint Data ........................................................ 253

Entering Project-configuration Information .................................. 254

Select a Well ............................................................................................. 254
Enter Fill Data ............................................................................................ 255
Select Equipment (Reel, Coiled Tubing, and Tool String) ......................... 255
Select Fluid Data ....................................................................................... 257
Enter Constraints ....................................................................................... 257
Calculate Sensitivity .................................................................................. 258
Enter Pump Rates for Each Stage ............................................................ 259
Adjust Any Other Operating Parameters ................................................... 260
Perform the Job-design Calculation .......................................................... 261
Using the Output Data ............................................................................... 262

10
Using the String Editor ......................................................... 263
Starting String Editor .................................................................... 264
The String Editor Display Screen ................................................. 265
String Editor Toolbar ................................................................................. 265
String Summary ......................................................................................... 266
Properties........................................................................................... 267
Info ..................................................................................................... 268
Actual Cost .................................................................................. 268
String Diagram ................................................................................... 268

Working with Strings ..................................................................... 270

Creating a New String ............................................................................... 270
Manually Creating a New String......................................................... 270
Creating a String using the String Configuration Wizard.................... 271
Creating a String using the String Design Wizard.............................. 272
Default String Options ............................................................................... 281
Opening an Existing String ........................................................................ 282
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 282

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Contents, Contd.
Exporting a String ...................................................................................... 285
Saving a String .......................................................................................... 286
Saving a String with or without Historical Data................................... 287
Saving a Copy of a String .......................................................................... 287
Deleting a String ........................................................................................ 287
Using CT Specifications ............................................................................ 288
Locking or Unlocking a String .................................................................... 289
Archiving a String ...................................................................................... 289
Printing String Data ................................................................................... 290
Printing a Single String Report .......................................................... 290
Printing a Zoomed View of the String Life .......................................... 293

Receiving a String on Removable Media from a Manufacturer .... 295

Using CT Specifications ................................................................ 296
Configuring Strings ....................................................................... 297
Cerberus's View of a String ....................................................................... 297
What is Segment Length? .................................................................. 298
What is Position on the String? .......................................................... 298
What is Derating?............................................................................... 298
Required String Data ................................................................................. 299
Configuring Existing Fatigue on a Used String .......................................... 299
Configuring Diameter ................................................................................. 299
Configuring Length .................................................................................... 300
Configuring Date Commissioned ............................................................... 301
Configuring Sections ................................................................................. 301
What are Sections? ............................................................................ 301
Configuring Sections by Wall Size ..................................................... 303
Configuring Sections by Strip ............................................................. 304
Notes on Wall Reduction.................................................................... 304
Notes on Material ............................................................................... 305
Configuring Welds ..................................................................................... 305
Adding a Weld .................................................................................... 306
Editing a Weld .................................................................................... 307
Deleting a Weld .................................................................................. 307
Configuring a Cable in String Editor .......................................................... 308
Configuring Zones ..................................................................................... 308
What are Zones?................................................................................ 308
Adding a Zone .................................................................................... 309
Removing a Zone ............................................................................... 309
Configuring Corrosion ................................................................................ 310
About the Suggested Corrosion Derating Factors.............................. 310
Entering Corrosion Settings for a String............................................. 310

String Utilities ................................................................................ 312

String Weight ............................................................................................. 312
String Volume ............................................................................................ 313
Estimating Remaining Trips ....................................................................... 314

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Contents, Contd.
String Services ............................................................................. 316
Reversing a String ..................................................................................... 316
Cutting a String .......................................................................................... 317
Cutting Off the End of a String ........................................................... 317
Cutting a String in the Middle ............................................................. 318
Cutting a String and Saving Both Parts as Separate Strings ............. 319
Splicing Strings .......................................................................................... 320
Compatibility Requirements for Splicing Strings ................................ 320
Adding New Pipe to the End of a String............................................. 320
Adding New Pipe to the Middle of a String......................................... 321
Splicing Strings End to End................................................................ 323
Splicing a String into the Middle of Another String............................. 324

String History ................................................................................ 326

Undoing String Events ............................................................................... 326

String Fatigue ............................................................................... 328

Editing the Fatigue Model Parameters............................................... 328
Viewing and Using the String Fatigue Display ................................... 328
Making String Modifications after Calculating Fatigue .............................. 333
Making Job Modifications after Calculating Fatigue .................................. 335

Troubleshooting in String Editor ................................................... 337

11
Using the Tool String Editor ................................................ 339
Starting the Tool String Editor ...................................................... 340
Navigating the Tool String Editor .................................................. 341
Toolbox Area ............................................................................................. 341
Tool String Area ........................................................................................ 342
Working with Toolboxes ............................................................................ 343
Creating a New Toolbox..................................................................... 344
Creating a New Tool Inside a Toolbox ............................................... 344
Editing a Tool Within a Toolbox ......................................................... 345
Deleting a Tool from a Toolbox .......................................................... 345
Copying an Existing Tool Into a Tool Box .......................................... 346
Importing/Exporting Toolboxes .......................................................... 346
Finding Tools by Grouping ................................................................. 347
Finding Tools using Tool Search........................................................ 348

Working with Tool Strings ............................................................. 349

Adding Tools to a Tool String .................................................................... 351
Moving Tools within a Tool String ............................................................. 352
Removing Tools from a Tool String ........................................................... 353
Editing a Tool within a Tool String ............................................................. 354
Working with the Tool String Tab .............................................................. 355

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Contents, Contd.
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 356
Exporting a Tool String .............................................................................. 357
Printing a Tool String ................................................................................. 359

12
Using the Tool Editor ........................................................... 361
About the Tool Editor .................................................................... 362
Launching the Tool Editor ............................................................. 363
Setting Tool Properties ................................................................. 364
Setting Tool Features ................................................................... 366
Setting Advanced Tool and Section Features ........................................... 366
Setting Jar Tool Features (WL) ......................................................... 366
Using a Jar Tool in Calculations .................................................. 367
Setting Normal Force Section Features (WL) .................................. 367
Using Additional Normal Force in Calculations ........................... 367

Setting the Tool Image .................................................................. 368

Defining Tool Sections .................................................................. 371
Defining Tool Section Features ................................................................. 373

Printing a Tool ............................................................................... 376

Customizing a Tool Printout ...................................................................... 376

13
Using the Well Editor ............................................................ 379
Starting Well Editor ....................................................................... 380
The Well Editor Display Screen .................................................... 381
The Well Editor Tools ................................................................................ 382
The Main Well Editor Toolbar............................................................. 382
Viewing a Well ........................................................................................... 383
Viewing Survey Data Graphs .................................................................... 384

Working with Wells ....................................................................... 387

Creating a New Well .................................................................................. 387
Opening an Existing Well .......................................................................... 387
Saving a Well ............................................................................................. 387
Deleting a Well .......................................................................................... 388
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 388
Exporting a Well ........................................................................................ 390
Printing Well Data ...................................................................................... 391
Printing a Custom View of the Survey Path ....................................... 393
Emailing Well Data Files ............................................................................ 393

Configuring Wells .......................................................................... 394

Using Quick Well ....................................................................................... 394
Configuring Depth ...................................................................................... 395

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Contents, Contd.
Configuring Subsea Information ................................................................ 396
Configuring Casing .................................................................................... 397
Configuring Liners ..................................................................................... 397
Configuring Tubing .................................................................................... 398
Configuring a Drill Pipe .............................................................................. 398
Configuring the Open Hole ........................................................................ 399
Configuring Bridge Plugs ........................................................................... 399
Configuring the Reservoir .......................................................................... 401
Configuring Survey Data ........................................................................... 402
Entering Survey Points....................................................................... 403
Using the Survey Wizard.................................................................... 403
Adjusting Survey Tortuosity ............................................................... 403
Exporting Survey Data ....................................................................... 406
Importing Survey Data ....................................................................... 407
Configuring Friction ................................................................................... 408
Configuring Temperature .......................................................................... 409
Configure Location and Miscellaneous Information .................................. 410

Troubleshooting in Well Editor ...................................................... 412

14
Using Reel Editor ................................................................. 413
Starting Reel Editor ...................................................................... 414
The Reel Editor Screen ................................................................ 415
The Reel Editor Toolbars .......................................................................... 416

Working with Reels ....................................................................... 417

Creating a New Reel ................................................................................. 417
Opening an Existing Reel .......................................................................... 417
Saving a Reel ............................................................................................ 418
Deleting a Reel .......................................................................................... 418
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 419
Exporting a Reel ........................................................................................ 421
Locking a Reel ........................................................................................... 422
Unlocking a Reel ....................................................................................... 423
Archiving a Reel ........................................................................................ 423
Printing Reel Data ..................................................................................... 423

Configuring Reels ......................................................................... 425

Configuring Reel Geometry ....................................................................... 425
Configuring Reel Type ............................................................................... 426
Configuring Service Data .......................................................................... 426
Estimating Reel Capacity .......................................................................... 427

Troubleshooting in Reel Editor ..................................................... 428

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Contents, Contd.
15
Using Fluid Editor ................................................................. 429
Starting Fluid Editor ...................................................................... 430
The Fluid Editor Display Screen ................................................... 431
Using the Fluid Editor Toolbar ................................................................... 431

Types of Fluids ............................................................................. 433

Liquid ......................................................................................................... 433
Newtonian Fluid.................................................................................. 433
Bingham Plastic Fluid......................................................................... 433
Power Law Fluid................................................................................. 434
Herschel-Bulkley Fluid........................................................................ 434
Empirical Model Fluid ......................................................................... 434
Gas ............................................................................................................ 435
Foam ......................................................................................................... 435
Multiphase ................................................................................................. 435

Working with Fluids ....................................................................... 437

Creating a New Fluid ................................................................................. 437
Opening an Existing Fluid .......................................................................... 438
Saving a Fluid ............................................................................................ 439
Deleting a Fluid .......................................................................................... 439
Importing a File .......................................................................................... 439
Exporting a Fluid ........................................................................................ 441
Configuring a Foam ................................................................................... 442

Calculating Properties for Liquids ................................................. 443

Fluid Correction Factors ............................................................... 444
Entering Fluid Correction Factors .............................................................. 444
Using Fluid Correction Factors .................................................................. 444

Troubleshooting in Fluid Editor ..................................................... 445

16
Using Equipment Manager ................................................... 447
Starting Equipment Manager ........................................................ 448
The Equipment Manager Screen .................................................. 449
The Equipment Manager Toolbars ............................................................ 449

Working with Pieces of Equipment ............................................... 451

Creating New Equipment ........................................................................... 451
Opening Existing Equipment ..................................................................... 451
Saving Equipment ..................................................................................... 452
Deleting Equipment ................................................................................... 452

Creating an Equipment Package .................................................. 453

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Contents, Contd.
17
Using Personnel Manager.................................................... 455
Starting Personnel Manager ......................................................... 456
The Personnel Manager Screen ................................................... 457
The Personnel Manager Toolbars ............................................................. 457

Working with Personnel Records ................................................. 459

Creating a New Personnel Record ............................................................ 459
Opening an Existing Personnel Record .................................................... 459
Saving a Personnel Record ....................................................................... 459
Deleting a Personnel Record .................................................................... 460

18
Using Achilles....................................................................... 461
Starting Achilles ............................................................................ 462
Fatigue Model Theory ................................................................... 463
Bending Events for CT .............................................................................. 463
Fatigue Model Inputs ................................................................................. 464
How to Minimize Fatigue ........................................................................... 464

Using Achilles ............................................................................... 465

The Achilles Interface ............................................................................... 465
The Achilles Toolbar .......................................................................... 465
Using the Calculator Tab.................................................................... 465
Using the Analyzer Tab...................................................................... 467
Using the Analyzer Data Tab ............................................................. 469
Using the Options Tab ....................................................................... 470
Printing Achilles Data ................................................................................ 470

19
Using Hercules ..................................................................... 473
Starting Hercules .......................................................................... 474
Tubing Limits Theory .................................................................... 475
Coiled Tubing Stresses ............................................................................. 475
Axial Stress ........................................................................................ 475
Radial Stress...................................................................................... 476
Hoop Stress ....................................................................................... 476
Torque................................................................................................ 476
von Mises Yield Condition.................................................................. 476
Limit Curves .............................................................................................. 476
Maximum Diameter Considerations ................................................... 476
How the Differential Pressures Curve is Calculated .......................... 477

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Contents, Contd.
How Constant Pressures Curves are Calculated ............................... 477
Applying Safety Factors ..................................................................... 478

The Hercules Display Screen ....................................................... 479

The Hercules Toolbar ................................................................................ 479
The Hercules Menu Bar ............................................................................. 480
File...................................................................................................... 480
Printing a Graph .......................................................................... 480
Options ............................................................................................... 482
Help .................................................................................................... 482
The Hercules Graph Context Menu ........................................................... 483

Working with Hercules Projects .................................................... 484

Creating a New Hercules Project .............................................................. 484
Opening an Existing Hercules Project ....................................................... 484
Saving a Hercules Project ......................................................................... 485
Deleting a Hercules Project ....................................................................... 485

Calculating Results in Hercules .................................................... 486

Calculating Limits ...................................................................................... 486
The Differential Pressures Curve .............................................................. 487
Reading the Differential Pressures Graph ................................................. 487

Troubleshooting in Hercules ......................................................... 488

A
Setting Graph Display Options in Orpheus........................... 489
Configuring Standard Calculation Graphs .................................... 490
Calculating Yield Limit and Lockup Limit............................................ 490
Changing Default Curve-style Settings ...................................................... 491
Changing Curve Properties ....................................................................... 493
Freezing a Line on a Graph ....................................................................... 494
Hiding a Line on a Graph ........................................................................... 496
Showing Hidden Lines on a Graph ............................................................ 496

B
Coiled Tubing Forces Theory ............................................... 499
Sinusoidal Buckling ................................................................................... 500
Helical Buckling ......................................................................................... 500
Lockup Theory ........................................................................................... 500
Effect of Curvature on Helical Buckling Load ............................................ 501
Residual Bend and Friction Coefficients .................................................... 501
Real Force vs. Effective Force .................................................................. 502
Force vs. Weight ........................................................................................ 502
Factors Affecting Weight ........................................................................... 503
Capstan or Belt Effect ................................................................................ 503
Free Fall .................................................................................................... 504

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Contents, Contd.
How to Get More Set Down Force ............................................................. 504
Torque ....................................................................................................... 505
Finite Element Analysis ............................................................................. 505

C
Advanced Fluids-model Options in Orpheus ........................ 507
Fluids Model: Advanced Hydraulics Options ................................ 508
Modeling Examples 508

D
Features and Effects Options in Orpheus ............................ 511
Modeling the Effects of the NOV Downhole Agitator Tool (CT/JP) 512
Including the Effect of the Agitator Tool in Calculations ............................ 512
Calculating Lockup Depth .......................................................................... 513
Calculating Trip In and Trip Out ................................................................. 516

Completing Jar Activation Calculations (WL) ................................ 518

Including Additional Normal Force in Calculations (WL) ............... 521

E
Coiled Tubing Fatigue Models.............................................. 525
Coiled Tubing Fatigue and the Achilles Fatigue Models ............... 526
Comparing the Linear and the Non-linear Models ........................ 527
Methodology behind the Non-linear Models .............................................. 527
Methodology behind the Linear Models ..................................................... 527
Advantages of the Linear Model ................................................................ 528
Challenges of the Non-linear Model .......................................................... 528
Examples of Non-linear Fatigue Compared to Linear Fatigue .................. 529
Non-linear vs. Linear Fatigue Points ................................................ 529
Example from the Field Last Job..................................................... 530

F
Suggested Readings ............................................................ 531
Suggested Readings on Fatigue .................................................. 532
Suggested Readings on Forces ................................................... 534
Suggested Readings on Limits ..................................................... 536
Suggested Readings on Hydraulics .............................................. 537

G
Glossary ............................................................................... 539

xx

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INSTALLING OR UPDATING CERBERUS

Before using Cerberus for the first time, install Cerberus on a Microsoft Windows-based
computer and obtain a software access key-code to authorize use of the software.

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System Requirements
The Cerberus software suite is calculations- and graphics-intensive. When considering computer
choices, keep in mind having additional RAM noticeably improves performance over having a
faster processor speed.

Basic Requirements

Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 operating system

Processor requirement: 1.5 GHz or higher; 2.4 GHz recommended

2 GB RAM, or more

200 MB free disk space

1024x768 screen resolution

Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0

Mouse or other pointing device

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Downloading Cerberus from the Internet

To download Cerberus
1. Make sure that an Internet connection is established.
2. Point the web browser to www.nov.com/ctes. Navigate to the customer download page.
3. Enter the UserName and (case sensitive) password information received from NOV
CTES.
Try to schedule downloads for times when an Internet connection can be maintained for a long period of
time.

4. Download and save the software to a Windows-based computer.

Downloading Updates and/or Patches from the Internet

Use the Internet update utility to check for updates and download files.

To check for and download updates over the Internet

1. Make sure that an Internet connection is established.
2. Exit all applications except Cerberus.
3. Find the Cerberus Main Menu.
4. From the Help menu, select Check for Updates.
Updates can also be obtained by visiting our website: www.nov.com/ctes.
Depending the size of the file and the connection speed, updates can take a long time to
download. Scheduling updates for times when an Internet connection can be maintained
for a long period of time may be helpful.

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Running Setup
Be prepared to obtain authorization before running the software, even on previously authorized computers.

If problems occur while installing Cerberus, see Contact Us on page v.

To run Setup to install or to update Cerberus

1. If running a Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 operating system, log on
as a user with administrator rights.
2. Close all running applications.
3. From the location in Windows where the software was saved, run CerberusInstall.exe.
The case-sensitive password information must be entered again.

4. The CTES installation wizard appears. Follow the instructions on the screen.
5. Obtain authorization for this copy of Cerberus (see page 5).
For Cerberus 7.0 and earlier users: If a path (for the data directory) other than the default path (c:\documents
and settings\all users\application data\ctes\data) is chosen, be sure NOT to choose the same data path currently in use. Doing so will cause Cerberus to overwrite the previous data directory. This only applies to versions 7.0 and earlier.

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Starting Cerberus and Obtaining Authorization

The first time Cerberus is installed authorization must be obtained from NOV CTES. The
authorization contains information about the available Cerberus features and the expiration
date of the software license.

To start Cerberus
1. Click the Start button in the task bar.
2. Click All Programs > CTES > Cerberus 12.0.
3. When Cerberus is launched, the program prompts for authorization. Click Yes. The
Authorization screen appears.
4. If connected to the Internet, use Option 1 to obtain authorization over the Internet. (Note
that if behind a firewall, this option might be unavailable.)
Click the Internet button, enter the contact information, and click OK. Enter information in
all fields.
5. If not connected to the Internet, or if the Internet authorization fails, use Option 2 to obtain
authorization. If possible, remain in front of the computer when contacting CTES.
Contact NOV CTES ([email protected]) with an authorization code to receive an
access key. When an access key is obtained from an NOV CTES employee, enter the
value in the box underneath the Authorization Code field; click Verify.
6. The programs physical location cannot be moved when authorization is complete.
Authorization screen

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Moving Cerberus Data to a Network

If Cerberus is being used on a stand-alone computer, the data can be moved to a network where
several people can share a common set of data files. If there are data files on additional computers, they can be uploaded to the network as well.

Backing Up and Restoring Data Files on page 6.

Moving Cerberus Data Directory (First Computer) on page 6.

Changing Cerberus Data Directory Location (Other Computers) on page 7.

Backing Up and Restoring Data Files

Data files can be backed up to other media, including any removable media the computer
accepts. Once the data is backed up, it can also be restored in the event of data loss on the computer, such as from a hard-disk crash.

To back up data files

1. Start Cerberus.
2. From the Utilities menu, select Backup & Restore > Backup Data Directory.
3. Choose the location for the backup file; select Save. When the backup is complete, click OK.

To restore data files

1. Start Cerberus.
2. From the Utilities menu, select Backup > Restore data directory....
3. Choose the backup file to restore, select Open. To confirm, click Yes.
4. When the data has been restored, click OK.
When restoring data from a backup file, all existing data files are replaced with the files from the backup. You
will lose all data that is not in the backup.

Moving Cerberus Data Directory (First Computer)

Data files can be moved from a computer to a network to allow other users to access this data.

To move data from a computer to a network or other location (first computer)

1. Start Cerberus. Back up the Cerberus directory by clicking, from the Utilities menu, Backup
& Restore > Backup Data Directory.
2. Copy the data directory from the local computer to the new location.
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a. Click the Options menu; then select Copy Data Directory.

b. Select the new location. Create a new folder if necessary.
c. Click OK.
d. Click the Options menu; then select Change Data Directory.
e. Select the directory to which the data was copied.
f.

Click OK.

3. Ensure that the files were moved correctly; then delete the data directory on the local
computer if it is no longer needed.

Changing Cerberus Data Directory Location (Other

Computers)
The data files from additional computers can be moved from a computer to a network. Additional computers can access the data files by changing the Cerberus data directory for each
PC.

To change the data directory location (other computers)

1. Start Cerberus.
2. Export any projects that need to be added to any existing data directory.
3. Click the Options menu; then select Change Data Directory.
4. Enter/select the network directory to be used as the destination.
5. Import any projects that were previously exported.
6. Restart Cerberus.

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Troubleshooting Installation
The following table provides information on troubleshooting Cerberus installation.

Situation

I receive an error message about not being

able to copy a file.

Possible Cause

Action

Administrator rights for Windows may be needed, or the

file may be in use.

Try logging out of Windows;

log back in as a user with
administrator rights. Then
run the setup program
again.
Try closing all running applications, then run the setup
program again.

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Cerberus v12.0 Software User Guide

SYSTEM SETUP
Cerberus is configured with default values. However, key preferences can be changed with
system administration rights.

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Using the System Setup Options

Use the Cerberus Options menu-bar item to configure preferences.

Managing Units
The Units Manager allows the user to determine whether units are specified as a unit set, or are
specified individually.

Using Unit Sets

When units are selected as a set, every unit displayed in the software conforms to the designated
setting. In this all or nothing scenario, no unit may be individually specified.

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To specify a unit set

1. Select Options > Units on the menu bar.

2. Within the Currently Selected Unit Set field, select, from the dropdown, the unit set
desired. The user may select from a list of pre-defined and/or user-defined unit sets. NOV
CTES pre-defines three unit sets: English, Metric, and Canadian Metric.
For example, if English is selected as the unit-set type, then each individual unit uses the
pre-defined English-unit-set value.
NOV CTES-defined unit sets (English, Metric, or Canadian Metric) may not be deleted.

3. Click OK to accept the change or Cancel to reject the change.

Specifying Units Individually

Units may be specified individually. When a unit is defined individually, the altered unit set
may not be saved with the same name as the original CTES-defined unit set.

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To specify an individual unit

1. Select Options > Units on the menu bar.
2. Select the item for which unit-change is desired.

3. Use the associated dropdown to select the desired unit.

The Currently Selected Unit Set specification becomes undefined. The unit set that
existed prior to the change remains unchanged, and is available from the Currently
Selected Unit Set dropdown.
4. Click OK to accept the change and the new, undefined unit set, or click Cancel to reject the
change and the new, undefined unit set.
The unit set remains as undefined unless the user selects Save to create a custom unit set.

Creating Custom Unit Sets

When an individual unit has been defined, a custom unit set may be created.

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To create a custom unit set

1. Click Save in the Units Management dialog to provide a new name for the unit set.

2. Input a New Unit Set Name.

The new, custom set name becomes available/selectable on the Currently Selected
Unit Set dropdown.

Importing/Exporting Custom Unit Sets

One or more custom unit sets (.cList) may be exported to a single file. The exported file is
stored as a standard zip file with the .zList extension. Custom unit sets may also be imported
through the Units Management dialog.

To export a custom unit set

1. Select, from the Units Management menu bar, File > Export Unit Set.
The Units Management dialog displays the custom unit sets available for export.

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2. Select one or more unit sets to export.

To select more than one unit set, select one unit set and hold down the Ctrl key to select additional sets.

3. Select the Export button.

4. Use the Windows interface to select a path and location in which to place the Cerberus Unit
Set (*.zUnits).

Converting Units
Though not part of the system-setup options, other units management options are available in
Cerberus.
Units may be converted via the Units Conversion utility.

To use the Units Conversion utility

1. Access the utility: select the Cerberus menu-bar option Utilities > Units Conversion.
The Units Converter dialog appears.

2. Select the Category and Type of unit to convert.

3. Select the unit Precision desired.
4. Input the From number.
5. Select the Units type.
The To field automatically populates with the converted units.
Select Options > Keyboard to view and use the optional keyboard.

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Changing Authorization
The authorization level determines the option availability in Cerberus. Typically, an authorization level is good for the term of the current Cerberus license period. To reflect new options
purchased, or if the current authorization expiration is near, the authorization can be
changed.

To change authorization
1. Select Options > Authorization....
2. Click Get Authorization Code.

3. If connected to the Internet, use Option 1 to obtain authorization over the Internet. (Note
that if behind a firewall, this option may not work.)
Click the Internet button, enter the contact information, and click OK. Text must be
entered in all of the fields.
4. If not connected to the Internet, or if the Internet authorization fails, use Option 2 to obtain
authorization. If possible, it is best to remain in front of the computer when contacting
NOV CTES.
Contact NOV CTES and supply the Authorization Code on the screen. Enter the corresponding Access Key provided and click Verify.

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Using Cerberus Setup

To Change Cerberus Setup
1. On the Options menu, select Cerberus Setup....

The Cerberus Setup display screen contains four tabs.

2. Within the General tab, check/toggle the associated boxes to achieve the described effect:

Use last string/reel/well/tool as default automatically selects the last item viewed by
the user upon next startup.

Enable automatic customer feedback activates customer-feedback management,

allowing, after 182 days, a form to appear upon Cerberus startup.

Within the form, enter contact information and click Yes to send feedback information
in the form of a Cerberus usage datalog to NOV CTES.
OR

Within the form, click No to automatically deselect the checkbox. No information is

sent to NOV CTES, unless the user re-checks the box.
OR

16

Within the form, click Later to close the feedback information dialog. The form will
again appear when the user re-opens Cerberus.

Enable Watch Dog The Cerberus Watch Dog displays a warning if a string, reel, well,
or tool is selected that is incompatible with another existing selection. Example: the string
is too long for the reel. (Click Tip to see a message similar to this one.)

Enable Heave Calculations Heave calculations estimate the additional fatigue due to
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tem. Checking the box causes an additional tab to be displayed on the Job Log
screen of Reel-Trak. Heave is configured on a job-by-job-basis.

Auto-scale fatigue viewers This option controls whether, when viewing the string
fatigue life graph, the Used Life scale defaults to 0-100% or auto-scales to match the
data.
Auto-scaling shows the fatigue life in greater detail when the fatigue is low. Care
should be taken when switching between strings in case the scale has change without
user awareness. The recommended practice is to turn auto-scaling off and to zoom
the graph manually.

Enable Diagnostics Logging activates diagnostics logging.

Display CT Services Control Panel When this option is checked, the CT Services
Control Panel appears on the Cerberus main screen when the user selects a job from
the Navigation Tree, or in Reel-Trak on the Job Setup and/or Post Job Analysis tab.

Include string backups when exporting a CT string Checking this box allows
other users who import a string in version 11.0+ to review and manage a CTs life history. Exported strings will contain the information required to undo string history and
to modify the string history in the timeline. By including the backup data, the exported
file size increases.
Turning this option off exports CT strings without backup information.

The User Name is automatically populated. This may be changed.

3. Within the Identification tab, optionally enter user information.

4. Within the Printing tab, enter any information to be included on reports, such as disclaimers, logos, and so forth.
To add a logo, click the Browse button adjacent to the Logo field and navigate to the desired logo-image
file.

5. Within the Range Checking tab, click (to toggle) the type of user-value-entry restriction
desired:
a.

On: Forces certain user-entered values to be within certain ranges.

b. Warn: Gives a warning when certain user-entered values exceed a certain range, but
permits the use of the entered value.

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c. Off: Permits certain user-entered values to be of any value with no warning given.

Viewing Records Checked Out

When a user opens a well, tool string, project, or other item, Cerberus checks out that record.
When the user is done with the item, Cerberus checks it back in.
If a Cerberus session ends unexpectedly, due to a power failure or other problem, Cerberus may
not check in a record properly or a user may have a record checked out on a portable computer
for an extended period of time. This keeps other users from viewing and editing the item. In such
a situation, the user can undo a record check-out.

Undoing a Record Check-out

The following procedure outlines the steps for undoing a check-out on a record.
Confirm that a user is not actually using a record before undoing the check-out. Otherwise, the user will not be
able to save any changes to that record and those changes will be lost.

To Undo a Record Check-out

1. From the menu bar, select Options > View Records Checked Out....
2. Click the record that is checked out.
3. Click Undo Check Out, then Yes to confirm.

Copying a Data Directory

The data directory is where Cerberus stores all of its data files. The directory path and name are
visible on the bottom of the main Cerberus menu.
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Copying a data directory does not zip (or compress) the data like in a backup. It simply
makes a copy of a data directory in a new location.
The target directory (the directory copied to) must be empty. If any file exists in the directory prior to the
copy process, the copy attempt fails.

To copy a data directory

1. Select Options > Copy Data Directory from the menu bar.

2. Use the Windows-like tools to select a location to which to copy the data directory.

Changing a Data Directory

To change a data directory
1. Select Options > Change Data Directory from the menu bar.

2. Click Browse to navigate to the desired location.

3. Use the Windows-like tools to select a Cerberus data directory.

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USING CERBERUS
This section describes basic Cerberus-software purpose, access, and navigation.

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Getting Started
Cerberus is primarily a tool-deployment planning system, providing modeling of:

fatigue tracking and fatigue life analysis

cumulative mechanical and hydraulic forces involved in well intervention

pressure and flowrate calculations for workover operations

Cerberus helps determine:

if target depth is reachable, and the most feasible conveyance method and equipment configuration to complete the job and to return the tools safely and efficiently to surface.

fatigue damage to CT during operations

tubing pressure and force limits

optimal velocity string design

stuck point of pipe

flow rates required for hole cleaning

This section explains basic concepts related to starting and using Cerberus.

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Starting Cerberus
To start Cerberus
1. Click Start in the task bar.
2. Click Programs > CTES > Cerberus 11.5, or click the Cerberus icon on the desktop.
3. If this is the first time Cerberus is run, the user must obtain authorization for this copy of
Cerberus. See Starting Cerberus and Obtaining Authorization for more information.
4. When the application is authorized, the Cerberus Main Menu appears.

The Main Menu (Home Page)

The Cerberus Main Menu screen appears after the initial Cerberus startup.
Cerberus Main Menu

This interface is the main hub through which the user works with Cerberus.
Within this main hub, Cerberus focuses primarily on the following:

Projects: these provide a framework for organizing the various elements that drive the calculation process, which ultimately provides the user with decision-making tools in the jobdesign process.

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3: Using Cerberus

Editors/Managers: the data-gathering, holding and administration areas for the various contributors to the calculation process.

Models: the applications from which the various components that are used in projects
including the conveyance methods (coiled tubing strings, jointed pipe, and/or wireline) and
specifications used to determine feasibility of satisfactory job completion are driven to the
calculated outcome.

The following table describes the Cerberus models and the conveyance methods associated with
them.

Cerberus Model

Conveyance Method

Reel-Trak (Job Manager)

Coiled Tubing

Orpheus (forces)

Wireline, Slickline, Coiled Tubing, Jointed

Pipe

Hydra (hydraulics)

Coiled Tubing, Jointed Pipe

Velocity String

Coiled Tubing, Jointed Pipe

PACA (packer and completion analysis)

Coiled Tubing, Jointed Pipe,

No Pipe

Solids Cleanout

Coiled Tubing

The Main-menu Layout

Cerberus main menu, or home page, is divided into sections, as follows:

Navigation Tree
The navigation tree, found within the upper left-hand portion of the display screen, provides a
Windows-like hierarchy of folders and files, from which the user can navigate through and access
(depending on Cerberus licensing) projects, wells, coiled tubing strings, wirelines, or jointed
pipes.
Folders are internal to Cerberus and unrelated to folders in Windows Explorer.

Folder availability is dependent on the users selection(s) in the View Configuration Area, and on
the Cerberus licensing for the users site.

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Navigation List
When the user selects a folder within the navigation tree, a navigation list opens on the righthand side of the display screen.

File Management
The user familiar with Microsoft Windows operation will find that the navigation list, when
used in conjunction with the navigation tree, is very similar to the Windows Explorer file management system.
Click (to select) a single item, or use the Shift or Ctrl key to select multiple projects and folders in the navigation list. The user may drag and drop items (left-click and drag; release to
drop) as follows:
List to list: multiple items may be dragged and dropped into a folder within the navigation list.
List to tree: multiple items may be dragged and dropped from the navigation list to the navigation tree.
Tree to tree: a single project may be dragged and dropped within the navigation tree.
Tree to list: a single project may be dragged and dropped from the navigation tree to a folder
in the navigation list.
For user-defined folders only, right-click the folder to add, re-name, or delete it. System-defined folders cannot be renamed or deleted.

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View Configuration Area

In the lower left-hand portion of Cerberus main menu lies the View Configuration Area. The area
is divided into two sections: View and Select Project Types to Display.
Select among View types (available depending on Cerberus licensing) by clicking the desired
view from the associated dropdown.
Determine the availability of navigation-tree Project information by toggling/clicking selections in
the Select Project Types to Display area.
Project-type availability is dependent upon the Cerberus licensing available to the user.

Model Access Area

Launch a Cerberus modeling application by clicking one of the available (depending on Cerberus
licensing) model buttons.

Menu Bar
Cerberus uses a typical Windows-style menu bar for navigation.

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1. The File menu allows the creation of a new project; saving of a project; undoing a
change, importing/exporting of a project or component (string, reel, fluid, pipe, toolstring,
well, or wireline); and exiting from the Cerberus application.
Cerberus File Menu

Some File menu-bar items are available only until the user accesses a project, well, coiled tubing string,
wireline, or jointed pipe.

a. Exporting from the Cerberus Main Menu provides the user with the opportunity to
safely email projects or components with the .zcx extension (which is essentially a .zip
file) or the .zcy extension (which is essentially an XML file).
2. The Models menu-bar item allows selection from among the Cerberus models that are
also available from the Model Access Area.
Cerberus Models Menu

3. The Calculations menu-bar item provides access to Achilles (coiled tubing fatigue calculations) and to
Hercules (coiled tubing stresses calculations (including bust, collapse, tension, and compression limits)).

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Cerberus Calculations Menu

4. The Editors menu-bar item provides access to the String Editor (CT), Reel Editor (CT),
Well Editor, Tool String Editor, Fluid Editor, Equipment Manager, and Personnel Manager. Also available if included in the users license: Wireline Editor and Jointed Pipe Editor.
Cerberus Editors Menu

5. The Utilities menu-bar item allows the user to Backup/Restore a data directory. It also provides access to Units Conversion, CT Specifications, CT String Design, Base Manager
(Cerberus-module data analysis in relation to jobs), and the ability to rebuild the Project Tree
or the String Tree.
Cerberus Utilities Menu

6. The Orion menu-bar item allows the user to open OrionNET software (if available) and begin
data acquisition.
Cerberus Orion Menu

7. The Options menu-bar item allows the user to change Unit settings; change software
Authorization, as in a Cerberus software-usage upgrade; edit the Cerberus software Setup,
as in altering default settings, inserting company identification information in printed documents and setting value ranges; View database Records currently Checked Out; and Copy
or Change a Data Directory.

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Cerberus Options Menu

When a Cerberus screen layout or feature does not appear as the user expects it to, it is
best to check status of the various options available in Cerberus Setup.
Many important Cerberus settings are found in Cerberus Setup that can affect the
behavior and appearance of the software. The current defaults are checked upon initial
access, and Cerberus retains new settings. See Using Cerberus Setup on page 16 for
detailed information about using these options.
a. Cerberus Setup > General tab
The General tab-settings include many options for customizing Cerberus behavior.
b. Cerberus Setup > Identification tab
Use the Identification tab to fill in optional information used as input to order forms and
other similar uses where the company identity is required.
c. Cerberus Setup > Printing tab
Use the Printing tab to set up the parameters that will appear on reports.
d. Cerberus Setup > Range Checking tab
Use the Range Checking tab to choose among types of range warnings for userentered values.
e. Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab
Only applicable when the user has a valid SharePoint URL: Input the Site URL and
use the available tools to authenticate the SharePoint connection and its use.
When the user prints to CTES PDF Printer 50 in Cerberus, the Printer Option to Save
PDF file to SharePoint becomes available, the SharePoint dialog appears, and the
user can then save the PDF file to their SharePoint location.
8. The Help menu-bar item provides access to the Cerberus User Guide or Release Notes;
allows the user to Check for software Updates, provides access to NOV CTES on the
Web to view the home page and/or for Software Download; and provides information
About the Cerberus version number and the identification of the software user.

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Cerberus Help Menu

Shortcut Keys
The following shortcuts are useful for navigating in Cerberus:
Ctrl+E = Expand the entire navigation tree.
Ctrl+Q = Collapse the entire navigation tree.
Ctrl+R = Restore the Cerberus display screen to its default size and location.
Ctrl+S = Save the changes made.
Ctrl+Z = Undo the changes made to a well, string, reel, or tool string for a project.
When Cerberus is closed and re-accessed, the last View (project, well, CT string, jointed pipe, or wireline) used
(see View Configuration Area on page 26) appears. The upper right-hand area of the display screen shows
related project information, and the lower right-hand area of the display screen shows the related model.

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REEL-TRAK
This section describes the process involved in analyzing fatigue in coiled tubing jobs. This
analysis may occur pre-job, post-job, or in real time (during actual operations at the wellhead). In the case of post-job analysis, the models calculation tools calculate actual fatigue.

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4: Reel-Trak

About Coiled Tubing (CT) Fatigue Tracking with

Reel-Trak
Cerberus Reel-Trak modeling software is used to predict, track, and analyze coiled tubing
fatigue and diametrical growth as part of a pipe management program in coiled tubing operations. Reel-Trak can be used predictively pre-job, real time during actual operations at the wellhead, as part of a post-job analysis of specific tubing string, or to investigate potential string
designs that optimize return on investment by maximizing pipe usage based on current operations.
The Reel-Trak interface is organized to support a structured approach to fatigue tracking. This
approach utilizes four Reel-Trak modes, which describe the various states in which a job can
exist during the process. These include Creating a New Job, Job Setup, Fatigue Tracking, and
Post Job Analysis. This mode-based methodology is beneficial for real-time operations, as well
as for tracking fatigue after job completion.
Before accessing and using Reel-Trak functionality, please select, from the main Cerberus menu-bar, Options
> Cerberus Setup to specify Cerberus setup options that can affect the users experience with Reel-Trak..

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Creating a New Job

There are several ways to create a new job.

To create a new job

Choose from one of the following approaches:
1. From the main Cerberus menu, select File > New > Coiled Tubing Fatigue Project
(ReelTrak).

a. The Job Wizard is launched at this point IF:

The new job is requested immediately after Cerberus or Reel-Trak startup.

OR

Show Wizard on start is toggled within the Job Wizard.

b. Otherwise, the New Job dialog appears.

2. From the Reel-Trak menu bar, select File > New Job.
This launches the Job Wizard or the New Job dialog, with behavior identical to the first
option, above.
3. From the Reel-Trak menu bar, select Help > Job Wizard.
4. From the Reel-Trak toolbar, select the Job Wizard icon

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Using the Job Wizard

To use the Job Wizard
1. Access the Job Wizard (see To create a new job on page 33).

2. (Optional) Customize Job Wizard Options by selecting the Settings button.

Use the available Tip buttons for information about the related checkboxes; click Next.
3. Input a job description (name). (In each case here and below, select Next to advance through
the wizard.)
4. Click to select/toggle Wizard Job Setup Options.
Choose from among three options for creating a job.
a. Perform setup step by step.
1. Select a string. If the string is not available in the list, it must be uploaded to the computer from the appropriate source (coordinator, dispatch, engineering, or other). In the
case of field operations where the string is not available, a string file may be created
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using the String Editor (select Managers > String Editor from the main menu
bar).
2. Select a reel. If the reel is not available in the list, upload a reel acquired from the
appropriate source (coordinator, dispatch, engineering, or other) to the computer.
In the case of field operations where a reel file is not available, it may be created
using the Reel Editor (select Managers > Reel Editor from the Cerberus main
menu bar).
3. Input/select wellsite geometry: Gooseneck Length; Gooseneck Radius; Reel to
Gooseneck; Top of Injector to Zero Depth; Tool Length; Depth measured
from end of tool/coil.
4. Select a job type. If the selected job type potentially affects the wall thickness of
the pipe (such as an acid or abrasive job type), a default Wall Reduction appears
in the related field. If no acidic or abrasive effect is typical with the job type
selected, no default Wall Reduction appears.
To set up the default Wall Reduction, edit the Job Type. See Importing/Exporting
a File on page 38.
To turn on/off the wall-reduction application, select, from the Reel-Trak menu bar,
Options > Preferences. Then select the Fatigue Tracking tab, if it is not already
selected, and use the available parameters.
The Job Wizard behavior can vary dramatically based on the Settings selected.

b. Click to select/toggle Use my last Wizard selections.

c. Click to select/toggle Make copy of the current job. This option uses the current job
as a template, and the job log is cleared.

Previous selections are stored and can be used to create a quick job.

5. Select a Folder in which to store the new job.

a. Click the Folder name (red, underlined text).
The Select a Folder dialog appears.
b. Click the desired folder.

To add a new folder or show all folders

Right-click any existing folder name and choose Add Folder or Show All Folders.
The result of either action is relative only to the folder clicked.
Click Next to continue.

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Using the New Job Dialog

In the scenario described here, the New Job dialog is accessed as described in To create a new
job on page 33.

To create a new job using the New Job dialog

1. Use the left-hand panel to select the folder in which to save the job; otherwise the job is
saved in the Jobs folder.
The users selection determines the folder in which the new job is located, as indicated in the
un-editable Location field.
The existing jobs within the selected folder are displayed both in the left-hand panel and in the right-hand panel.

2. (Optional) Select a job from either the left-hand or right-hand panel and click Copy Selected
Item to copy the job name.
3. Input a name for the new job in the New Name field.
4. Click OK.

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The job is loaded/displayed in Reel-Trak with the Job Setup tab open and ready for further input.

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Importing/Exporting a File
Files can be shared between computers by importing and exporting them. Jobs are exported to
removable media for transferring to another computer. Once on removable media, a job can be
imported into
Reel-Trak.
An entire job or any of its components may be imported using Reel-Trak. Only jobs, however,
may be exported from Reel-Trak.
Exporting from Reel-Trak provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the .zcy
extension (which is essentially an XML file).

To import a file in Reel-Trak

1. If importing from removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Reel-Trak.
3. Select File > Import... from the dialog menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)).
5. Click Open.

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A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

a. To de-select files so that they are not imported, move any or all of the Files Selected
for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or
Projects are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will
be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.
The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category
on the left-hand side of this dialog, indicating that they are not slated for
import, but that they are available.
3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

To export a job or multiple jobs

The user may export jobs from one computer to another, either via removable media, the network the computer is connected to, if any, or through the Internet, if an Internet connection is
available.
When exported, the job(s) MUST then be imported through the procedure outlined in Importing/Exporting a File on page 38.
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The Importing a File procedure MUST be used before Cerberus recognizes a job database. The database can
NOT be copied into the jobs directory using Windows File Manager or Windows Explorer.

1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.

2. Start Reel-Trak.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.
The Select Jobs dialog appears. Select a job or a group of jobs and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the job/job group.
If the job is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a new
name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)).
6. Click Save.
The job/job group is exported to the desired location; a popup appears describing the file path
where the project is saved and the name of the saved project.

Deleting a Job
Use caution when deleting jobs. When a job is deleted, the information cannot be recovered.
Do NOT delete a job via Windows Explorer. A job should only be deleted using this procedure in Cerberus. Otherwise, Cerberus will indicate the job is still present and generate an error if a user tries to select and use that
job.

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To delete a job
1. Start Reel-Trak.
2. Click Delete

on the toolbar.

The Delete Jobs dialog appears.

3. Choose the job or jobs to delete.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Yes to confirm deleting the job.

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Setting Up a CT Job
Reel-Traks Job Setup tab is the launchpad for a Cerberus job where job components and parameters such as the CT String and Reel are defined or edited. This panel/tab is used to configure a
Reel-Trak job for fatigue tracking, either in real-time or post-job. Wellsite geometry, as well as job
type and job personnel, are configurable from this main panel.

To set up a CT job
1. Open the CT job (using one of the following methods):
a. From the Cerberus main menu, double-click an existing CT job from the left-hand panel.
b. From the Cerberus main menu, select the ReelTrak (Job Manager) button. .

1. Double-click a CT job from the Select a Job dialog.

2. Select the Job Setup tab.
c. From Reel-Traks menu bar, select File > Open Job.
d. To view existing jobs that use a particular string (and to open one of these), select the
Open using String Filter toolbar item
.
From the resulting dialog, click the dropdown to view available strings and to select a CT
string.
2. If the Post Job Analysis tab is displayed when the job is opened, the job has already been
completed, and fatigue has been applied.
a. The user may review the fatigue applied during the job, and analysis of the health and
nature of fatigue life used, and graphs of the data used to calculate fatigue.
OR
The user may undo the running of fatigue for a string via the String Editor (see Printing
String Data on page 290). In this scenario, the tracked fatigue for the job is removed from
the string.

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3. If not already selected, select the Job Setup tab in Reel-Trak.

4. If the job is locked, note the following before proceeding:

If a job is complete, the job may not be unlocked. The only way to unlock a complete job
is to undo the job through String Editor. See Printing String Data on page 290 for additional information.
The job must be unlocked in order to edit/set up parameters. The job may, however, be reviewed in the
Track Fatigue mode even if it is locked.

To unlock the job if it is not complete

Click the lock icon in the upper right-hand corner of the interface to unlock the
job.
OR

Select File > Locked/Archived Status to use the Locked/Archived Status dialog

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to unlock the job.

5. Input data related to the job. Fields with associated red asterisks are required; others are
optional. Required fields are needed for fatigue to be successfully tracked.
Not selecting a String or Reel does not prevent the job from being saved.

Personnel must have a role selected in order to be saved.

a. Client (Company):

Use the dropdown to select an existing client/company.

To input and save client/company information on a related data-input form, click the
Client Data hyperlink.
OR
Select Job Setup > Client Data from the menu bar.

b. *String:

To select an existing string or create a new string via the Select a String dialog, click
the Folder

icon associated with the String field.

OR
Select Job Setup > String from the menu bar.

Click the String Editor

on page 263).

icon to access the String Editor (see Using the String Editor

To cut, reverse, or splice a string prior to the initiation of fatigue tracking, select one of
the String Services. When fatigue tracking has begun and the job is locked, these
tools become disabled. (see String Services on page 316 for more information).

If the String field is empty, clicking the String Editor icon accesses the Select a String dialog.

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c. *Reel:

To select an existing reel or to create a new reel via the Select a Reel dialog, click
the Folder

icon associated with the Reel field.

OR
Select Job Setup > Reel from the menu bar.

Click the Reel Editor

page 413).

icon to access the Reel Editor (see Using Reel Editor on

If the Reel field is empty, clicking the Reel Editor icon accesses the Select a Reel dialog.

d. Well:

To remove an existing well from the job, click the Delete icon

To select an existing well or create a new well via the Select a Well dialog, click
the Folder

icon associated with the Well field.

OR
Select Job Setup > Well from the menu bar.

To access the Well Editor, click the Well Editor

icon (see Using the Well Editor

on page 379).
The user also has the option of manually typing a well name. This allows users who do not need all the
detail of a Cerberus well to easily enter important details about the well for the job.

To input and save well information on a related data-input form, click the Well
Location & Characteristics hyperlink.
OR
Select Job Setup > Well Location & Characteristics from the menu bar.

e. Tool:

To remove an existing tool from the job, click the Delete icon

To select an existing well or create a new well via the Select a Toolstring dialog,
click the Folder

icon.

OR
Select Job Setup > Tool from the menu bar.

To access the Tool String Editor, click the Tool String Editor

icon (see Using

the Tool String Editor on page 339).

f.

Comments: Add comments as desired.

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g. Personnel: To reveal the Personnel-related area, click Personnel within the Job Setup
tab.
OR
Select View > Personnel from the Reel-Trak menu bar.
Selecting View > Personnel also closes an open Personnel-related area.

Within this area, use the dropdown(s) to select existing Personnel and existing Roles for
the Personnel. Use the Remove Person icon

to delete a listed person.

To input and save personnel information on a related data-input form, click the Personnel Manager hyperlink.
OR
Select Resources > Personnel from the menu bar.
See Using Personnel Manager on page 455 for additional information regarding using
the Personnel Manager.

h. Client Data: To add a new client, edit an existing clients information, or delete a client,
select Job Setup > Client Data from the menu bar.
i.

Job Type: To reveal the Job Type-related area, click Job Type within the Job Setup tab.
OR
Select View > Job Type from the Reel-Trak menu bar.
Selecting View > Job Type also closes an open Job Type-related area.

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Within this area, select from existing Job Types using the associated dropdown(s).
Selecting a job type automatically checks the box in front of the Job Type field, fills in
a default Wall Reduction value, and checks the box Acid Job if the job is acid.

To input and save job-type information on a Default Job Types dialog, click the Edit
Job Types hyperlink. Here, the user may add job types and define their Wall Reduction and Acid Job defaults. The user may also delete job types here.

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The Wall Reduction value automatically populates in the Job Type area from the information entered via
the Edit Job Types hyperlink (which accesses the Default Job Types dialog), but may be changed manually in the Job Type area.

The Effective CT wall thickness reduction (this job) is displayed immediately

below these fields in the Job Setup tab.

The user can set the method of Corrosion calculation (Wall Reduction or String Life
Reduction) through the String Editor. See Entering Corrosion Settings for a String on
page 310 for additional information.

In Reel-Trak, a dialog containing the String Life Reduction and Wall Reduction statuses (on/off), life-reduction percentages, and wall reduction amount is available to

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the user. From the menu bar, select Job Setup > Corrosion Compensation/Wall
Reduction.

j.

*Wellsite Geometry: The current default parameters for the Wellsite Geometry are displayed.

The Wellsite Geometry portion of this tab/panel becomes disabled when the job is locked. The assumption in
operation is that the job has been set up and fatigue tracking is either in progress or will be in progress shortly.

To view the Injector field within this area, select View > Injector (Wellsite Geometry).
Use the dropdown to select an injector, if desired.
To edit injector properties, select Resources > Equipment Manager. See Using
Equipment Manager on page 447 for additional information.

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Click Geometry Defaults to access the Wellsite Geometry Defaults dialog for the purpose of altering the defaults for new Fatigue Tracker projects.

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Current defaults are displayed in the Wellsite Geometry Defaults dialog, including
Gooseneck Length, Gooseneck Radius, Reel to Gooseneck measurement,
and Top of Injector to Zero Depth measurement.

To change the default settings for new Fatigue Tracker projects, change any or
all of these numbers and select Save as Defaults. Click the Gooseneck
Radius hyperlink to access the Gooseneck Arch Radius dialog, from which
the user may Add a New Radius, Delete an existing radius, or select an
Existing radius value. Click Done when tasks are complete.
OR
To fill the fields with Cerberus defaults, select Cerberus Defaults.
OR
To fill the fields with the users previously saved defaults for new Fatigue Tracker
projects, select Use Defaults.

Click (to select/toggle) Depth is measured from the end of the coiled tubing or Depth is measured from the end of the tool String (BHA).

Select Close to exit the Wellsite Geometry Defaults dialog and return to the
Job Setup tab of Reel-Trak.

Alter any of the available number values in Wellsite Geometry: Gooseneck

Length, Gooseneck Radius, Reel to Gooseneck measurement, and Top of
Injector to Zero Depth measurement by typing directly into the field, or by selecting from available options when dropdowns are available.

k. Surface Equipment: To select the equipment package used on the job, click the Surface Equipment hyperlink.
OR
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Select Job Setup > Surface Equipment from the menu bar.
If additional equipment must be defined, click the Equipment Manager button to access
the Equipment Manager dialog. See Using Equipment Manager on page 447 for additional information.

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Tracking Fatigue
The information stored [in a database] during the Job Setup mode of the structured fatiguetracking process is used to perform and store CT-string life calculations within the Fatigue
Tracking mode. See About Coiled Tubing (CT) Fatigue Tracking with Reel-Trak on page 32
for additional information.

To prepare to track fatigue

1. Open a job. (See To set up a CT job on page 42.)
To create a new job, the user may access the Job Wizard from the Reel-Trak toolbar

2. From Reel-Traks menu bar, select Options > Preferences to choose the various parameters used in the fatigue tracking calculations.

The Preferences dialog defaults to the Fatigue Tracking tab. Within this tab, the following
preferences may be set:
a. Select CT Wall Thickness parameters:

Click to check the Use measured wall if available option if Argus TubeSpecTM
measurement data is to be used.

Argus TubeSpec coiled tubing measurement data is imported automatically into Cerberus through ReelTrak whenever an OrionNETTM database is selected and the above option is checked.

Choose between Use nominal wall and Use minimum wall.

To use the Wall reduction method, click (to check) the associated box; then,
select Full wall reduction value or Limit wall reduction to [enter percent] % of
wall thickness.

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b. Select CT Diameter parameters:

Choose between Use nominal CT diameter and Use CT diameter + tolerance [use
default or change number] [units].

In Reel-Trak, select Options > Units from the menu bar to change units.

c. Specify other general parameters, if different from the default:

Directional change sensitivity: [use default or change number] [units].

To Use estimated reel/gooseneck pressures, click to check the associated box.

Use the default Playback block size or change the number within the associated
field.

The user may input Reel-Trak Preferences within three other tab categories as well: Job
Log Import, Job Log, and OrionNET Import.
With reference to the OrionNET Import tab, there are four major groups of data-import preferences to consider that are valuable for reducing the size of data files stored in Cerberus.
These data filtering options consist of:

Start and end with the string on the reel

Selections that remove bad depth/circulating-pressure data during the import of Orion/
OrionNET data files (these are valuable for reducing the size of data files stored in Cerberus):

Remove/replace out-of-range data, along with various sub-categories of this selection-type

Filter imported data, with further drill-down into specifics of this category

A selection for real-time OrionNET data-import preferences, indicating (by checking) that
the preferences already selected for Remove/replace out-of-range data and Filter
imported data should be used.

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When running is real time, the user always receives data on a one-minute interval, regardless of the setting
in Filter imported data.

d. Click OK when selections and inputs are complete.

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3. If not already selected, select the Track Fatigue tab in Reel-Trak.

Setting Up Fatigue Tracking Display Options

To change the way the fatigue tracking plot displays
1. Right-click the plot area; then click Options. The Plot Options dialog appears. The Fatigue
tab is the default.

a. To choose scaling options, select from the available Used life scale options.
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Fatigue and used life are interchangeable terms.

b. To display initial fatigue (fatigue on the string before running the job), click (to check)
Display initial used life. Initial used life appears in gray on the plot (default is
checked or on).
c. To display fatigue due to corrosion, click (to check) Display fatigue due to corrosion. Corrosion fatigue displays in green on the plot (default is checked or on).
d. To display the Manufacturers Recommended Replacement Limit (MRR), click (to
check) Display Manufacturer Recommended Replacement Limit (default is
checked or on).
For Achilles 4.0 and prior, the MRR is assumed to be 80% of used life for all materials.
For Achilles 5.0, the MRR is the Conservative Limit designated by the manufacturer
(this can vary by manufacturer).
e. The user may customize used life warnings within the Custom Used Life Warning
section:
1. To display a warning for high used life/fatigue, input scale percentage and click (to
check) Display additional warning at [input] % (default is checked or on).
Current or new fatigue appears in blue on the plot when the current job is running/run.

2. To display a warning related to a specific tolerance interval (Achilles 5.0 only),

click (to check) Display warning using Tolerance Interval of [input] % (default
is unchecked or off).
2. Select the Diameter tab to potentially display a high diameter warning. Choose between
two high diameter display methods: percent growth or absolute growth.
a. To display a high diameter warning, click (to check) Display high diameter warning.
b. Then, click (to toggle) Percent growth: Nominal diameter + [input] % or Absolute
growth: nominal diameter + [input] [units].
3. Select the Options tab to select plot orientation, plot style, and various grid and string diagram options.
a. Click (to toggle) Plot orientation: Plot from Core-end or Plot from Free-end.
b. Click (to toggle) Plot style: Line or Filled area.
c. To display the grid on the plot, click (to check) Display grid.
d. To display the string diagram underneath the Position Locator, click (to check) Display string diagram.
e. To display effective zones in the string diagram, click (to check) Display effective
zones in the string diagram.

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Changes made to the string in String Editor (see Using the String Editor on page 263) are reflected in Reel-Trak.
For example, effective zones and their derate percentage, when designated in String Editor, are reflected in
Reel-Trak.

Understanding the Fatigue Diagram

When a job is open and the user accesses the Track Fatigue tab, the fatigue from previous job(s)
run on the string are shown in gray in Reel-Traks fatigue diagram. When fatigue is run for the
current job, whether in real time (via OrionNET) or from recorded data, it appears in blue. Corrosion, if shown, appears in green.
The fatigue diagram in Reel-Trak is very similar in appearance and use to the fatigue diagram in
String Editor. There are differences, however; these are described below and in the String Editor
chapter. Please see Viewing and Using the String Fatigue Display for more in-depth information
about using the fatigue diagram.

Understanding the Position Locator

The Position Locator represents the current position (depth) of the reel and injector on the current string. This is used primarily for real-time fatigue tracking, but is also visible in playback
mode. The following colors may be seen:

Green = On the reel

Red = Between the reel and the guide arch

Light Blue = From the outer edge of the guide arch to the top of the injector

Blue = Past the injector (into the well)

The coloration noted above, if present, may not be visible unless the user zooms in on the fatigue diagram. To
zoom in, click and drag the mouse over the desired diagram area. To return the diagram to normal, right-click
the diagram and select from the available size options.

Understanding the String Diagram

The String Diagram portion of the Track Fatigue tab shows vertical lines to indicate welds.
Zones appear according to color, which is determined by the derating amount.

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To set up the zones that appear in the String Diagram, access the String Editor (see Using
the String Editor on page 263); then click the Zones tab. Note how the zone colors shown in
the String Editor, below, correspond to those in If not already selected, select the Track
Fatigue tab in Reel-Trak. above.

Running the Fatigue Job

The user may track fatigue in the following ways:

In real time (via OrionNET).

Post-job: After data is recorded in a database and fatigue has not yet been applied to the
string.

When the job has been completed and fatigue applied to the string, the user can play back
the fatigue-tracking process in playback mode.

Track Fatigue Toolbar

The following icons are visible and/or usable within the Track Fatigue toolbar.
Icon

Description
Turn (toggle) alarm sound on/off.

View string fatigue. This icon is grayed out

in the Track Fatigue mode, but has color
in the Job Log mode. From the Job Log
mode, click this icon to move to the Track
Fatigue mode.

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Icon

Description
View Reel information.

View job log. From the Track Fatigue

mode, click this icon to move to the Job
Log mode.
Reset fatigue tracking.

Stop fatigue tracking (in real time).

Run/apply one fatigue entry.

Run/apply (n) fatigue entries (as set within

the menu bar: Options > Preferences >
Playback Block Size).
Run/apply all fatigue entries.

Pause fatigue tracking.

Show diagnostic information.

Connect to OrionNET.

Annotation Icons
The annotation icons located in the right-hand portion of the fatigue diagram are identical to
those in String Editor. See To use the string fatigue display for additional information.

The display of these annotations varies, dependent on the following: if the job has not started
tracking fatigue, initial fatigue annotations are visible; if fatigue tracking has started, only permanent annotations or job-associated annotations are visible; if the job-run is complete, only jobassociated annotations are visible. If the user resets fatigue (see To modify a string and recalculate fatigue), only initial annotations are visible.

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Running the Job from Recorded Data

When the job has not yet been run, but the data for the string exists in a database, the user
can execute the fatigue tracking (run the job). The newly tracked fatigue shows on the grid in
blue. If previous jobs have been run, that fatigue is considered existing, or current, and it
appears on the grid in gray.
Use the job-execution controls described in Track Fatigue Toolbar
to run the job and to see the blue fatigue-tracking information appear in the grid.
The Position Locator shows the current position (depth) of the reel and injector on the current
string (see Understanding the Position Locator on page 56 for additional information).
When the fatigue is run, the software applies the fatigue as it would have occurred at the time
(in blue).

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Save the job to permanently record the entry in the string history log.

This completes the job and applies all calculated fatigue to the string. The next time it is opened,
Reel-Trak opens by default to the Post Job Analysis tab.
When the job is completed, the user may reset the job and run it in playback mode (see Running
the Job in Playback Mode). The user may also undo the running of fatigue for a string via the
String Editor (see Printing String Data on page 290). In this scenario, the tracked fatigue for the
job is removed from the string and the job may be run as though fatigue had never been applied.

Running the Job in Real Time

To run the job in real time
1. Click the Connect to OrionNET toolbar icon to start the process.
Reel-Trak first checks to see if OrionNET is running on the computer and if a launch is
needed. Reel-Trak then searches for the current database and connects to it when found,
starting fatigue tracking.
The user is prompted to select the current database if one cannot be identified.
Data imported into Cerberus is filtered, so the imported data may not correspond directly to the data in OrionNET; only the entries required for fatigue tracking are imported.

2. When fatigue tracking is complete, click the Save icon on the general toolbar or the Stop button on the Track Fatigue toolbar.
3. Fatigue tracking stops; if the Save icon was selected, the software asks if the user wishes to
apply all fatigue and complete the job.
If the job is complete, a permanent entry is recorded in the string history log.

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Running the Job in Playback Mode

If the job is complete, Reel-Trak opens in the Post Job Analysis tab/mode. The user may
select the Track Fatigue tab and reset
the job to run it in playback mode. The button to
allow connecting to OrionNET becomes disabled
control becomes visible

, and a playback speed

The fatigue for the string at the point prior to the job execution is loaded (appearing in gray).
When the job is run in playback mode, the fatigue for the job (appearing in blue) is applied to
the prior fatigue as it would have occurred during the job.
The playback block size may be set to determine how quickly playback occurs.

To set the playback block size

1. Right-click the Run button

to display the Change Playback block size dialog.

2. Input the desired block size and click OK.

Using the Post Job Analysis Tab

Four post-job functions are available in the Post Job Analysis tab/mode.

To use the Post Job Analysis options

From the left-hand column, click the hyperlinks to view the associated grids.
To zoom in on any of the graphs accessed via the hyperlinks, click and drag the mouse to form a rectangle.
To zoom out of any of the graphs, right-click the graph and click Zoom Out.

1. Job Fatigue Analysis (default)

This plot represents an analysis of the fatigue added for the current job (not the total
string fatigue, but the difference between the fatigue before the job and the fatigue after
the job).
The top plot renders this fatigue, as well as a single line representing the number of bending events that occurred at each depth during the course of the job. Additionally, the point
of maximum fatigue is rendered in red to highlight it.
The bottom plot depicts the average pressure at each depth over the job.

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The text at the bottom of the chart explains the maximum fatigue location and includes a reference to the wellsite geometry and average pressure. This analysis can be used to review
and job and identify operations that use CT life more rapidly than others.

Position is measured from the core end in the sample instance. The user may choose between depth being
measured from the core end or from the end of the tool string, as described here: *Wellsite Geometry: The current default parameters for the Wellsite Geometry are displayed..
Also described is the number of bad depth values filtered out of the data for proper viewing of the results (if
the job was run in real time).

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2. Pressure and Depth by Event [Number]

This graph depicts the pressure and depth by event number, independent of time. It can
be used to review job activity when the job spans multiple days, or when there are large
time gaps in the job log.

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3. Pressure and Depth by Time

This graph renders the pressure and depth by time. If there are any gaps in the data (for
example, when the Data Acquisition System was not running or the data has been filtered),
those gaps are rendered as a dashed line.

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4. Weight by Depth
This graph displays the surface weight by depth for the job.

5. A String Services toolbar is provided for user convenience (see String Services on
page 316 for more information).

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Using the Job Log

Setting Up Job Log Display Options
To change the way the job log displays
1. From the Reel-Trak menu-bar (when the Job Log tab is selected) click Options > Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears, with the Job Log tab appearing.

a. Choose Job Log Setup options.

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Job-log Toolbar Buttons

Job Log Toolbar
Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

View String Fatigue

Moves to Track Fatigue tab in ReelTrak.

View Reel Information

Accesses Selected Reel dialog.

View Job Log

Already accessed so grayed out.

Import Orion/OrionNET Data

Accesses the Import Data dialog,

from which the user may browse to
select an Orion/OrionNET source file
and select import options.
Import options include data checks
and the potential removal/replacement of bad or out-of-range data.

Import ASCII file

Imports an ASCII text file into the current job log.

Export Data

Exports the current job log as an

ASCII file.

New

Inserts a new row at the end of the job

log.

Insert

Inserts a row above the current row in

the job log.

Cut

Cuts the current selection and copies

it to the clipboard.

Copy

Copies the current selection to the

clipboard.

Paste

Pastes the contents of the clipboard

at the insertion point.

Start - Final Depth

Opens the Start and Final Depth dialog box.

Running Feet

Opens the Running Feet dialog box to

calculates running feet for the current
job log.

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Job-log Menu-bar Selections

When the Reel-Trak Job Log tab is selected, use the Reel-Trak File menu-bar options to complete some of the import/export actions described in Job-log Toolbar Buttons.:

2. Configure the job-log data.

Use the available toolbar buttons and/or menu-bar selections to assist in the job-data configuration.

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Job Log Job-data Display Screen before Data is Entered/Imported

Each row of job data represents one event. A row should be entered at least each time
directions change (such as when checking weight), and each time the pressure changes
significantly. To enter data in a row, simply type within the table.
The following table describes the columns in the Job Data tab within the Job Log.

Column

Required?

Description

Event Number

Yes; automatically
generated.

The rows are automatically numbered sequentially.

Date

Yes, for creating

charts in the Job
Log.

Date at the end of the event.

Time

Yes, for creating

charts in the Job
Log.

Time at the end of the event.

Pressure

Yes

The circulating pressure is readily available and yields a conservative fatigue prediction.

Depth

Yes

Enter the depth

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Column

Required?

Description

Wellhead Pressure

No

Enter (or, more likely, import from

an OrionNET file) the actual wellhead pressure (psi) throughout
the job rather then having to use
an average value for the entire
job.

Comments

Yes; automatically
generated.

Enter a comment, or select from

available comments for recordkeeping purposes.

To enter a Check Weight row within the job-data table

1. Select the row immediately before the row where check weight should appear.
2. Click Weight at the bottom of the display screen.
3. Enter the Pressure, Pull up amount, and comments, or use the defaults.

To enter Multiple Passes within the job-data table

1. Select the row immediately before the row where the passes should appear.
2. Click Passes on the bottom of the screen.

To edit the Default Comments available within the job-data table

1. Click Edit Default Comments on the bottom of the screen.
2. Use the available buttons to add, delete, or save comments from which to select in
the screen dropdown.
When real-time fatigue tracking has started, all become disabled with the exception of the Export to ASCII and
Calculate Running Feet functions.

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Job Log Post-Job-Run

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Packaging a Job
Reel-Trak can package a job and place it inside of a compressed folder. If the job data was
acquired in real time with OrionNET and the OrionNET source databases are available, Package
Job adds those files to the compressed folder.
Package Job allows the reproduction of all of the fatigue tracking to occur at the base after the
job is complete.

To package a job
1. Click the Package Job icon

from the Reel-Trak menu bar.

The Save As Windows-like dialog appears.

2. Name the file and click Save.

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USING ORPHEUS
This section describes the process involved in using Orpheus [Well Intervention Modeling]
the Cerberus forces model.

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About Orpheus
When determining the feasibility of a job, it is essential to calculate the cumulative mechanical
and hydraulic forces likely to affect conveyance methods (coiled tubing, wireline, slickline, or
jointed pipe).
Orpheus calculates these cumulative forces, providing immediate feedback so that the user can
resolve issues before they become insurmountable problems.
See Coiled Tubing Forces Theory on page 499 for information concerning forces theory for coiled tubing.

The Orpheus Process

The process involved in using Orpheus is as follows:
1. Create a new Orpheus project or select an existing project (see page 77).
2. Determine a conveyance method (see page 84).
3. Create a tool string or select/edit an existing tool string (see page 86).
4. Create a well or select/edit an existing well (see page 86).
5. Create a fluids profile or select an existing profile (see page 87).
6. Set calculation parameters (see page 90).
7. Perform calculations (see page 100).
8. Print results for hardcopy or electronic transmission (see page 168).

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Accessing Orpheus
To access Orpheus from the Cerberus home page

Select the Orpheus button.

OR

Select Models > Orpheus from the menu bar.

The Orpheus model loads, as indicated by the following display screen:

As noted within the opening dialog, Orpheus (along with the other Cerberus models) is organized by projects.
From the Orpheus Well Intervention Modeling dialog, choose to start a new project, open an
existing project, or load a project from removable media or a network:

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Orpheus Opening Dialog

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Working with Projects

Creating a New Orpheus Project
The following procedure outlines how to create a new Orpheus project.

To start a new project

1. From the Orpheus opening dialog, choose one of the following:

Select File > New Project from the menu bar.

Click the New toolbar button.

Select Help > Orpheus Wizard from the menu bar.

The Orpheus Wizard is a simplified Orpheus-project creation tool. The Orpheus Wizard becomes available only after creating a name for a new project. See New Project
Dialog for additional information.

The New Orpheus Project dialog appears:

New Project Dialog

Start a new Orpheus project directly from the Cerberus home page by selecting File > New > Forces Project (Orpheus)

2. Select the Project Type to use in creating the project.

Only the project types (Coiled Tubing, Wireline, or Jointed Pipe) with existing licenses are visible/available.

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Modify the licensed project types availability for viewing by selecting Options > Orpheus Preferences from
the main Orpheus display screen.

3. Search for existing projects using the Column to Search dropdown and the direct-input field
in the upper right-hand corner of the New Orpheus Project dialog. Click Search to carry out
the search operation.
4. Provide a New Name for the project. The name may consist of letters, numbers, and spaces,
with a maximum of 32 characters and click OK.
One of two things happens:
a. The project-description dialog appears.

OR

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b. The Orpheus Wizard dialog appears.

The Orpheus Wizard dialog appears only when one of the following circumstances
applies:

The New Orpheus Project dialog is accessed via Help > Orpheus Wizard from
the Orpheus menu bar.

OR

The Show Wizard on start-up field was previously checked and a new Orpheus
project is created.

5. Configure the project using either the wizard or the standard project-creation interface
(see Entering Project-configuration Information for more information about configuring a
project using the standard interface).

Opening an Existing Orpheus Project

The following procedure outlines how to open an existing project.

To open an existing project

1. Start Orpheus.
2. From the Orpheus opening dialog, choose one of the following:

Select File > Open... from the menu bar.

Click the Open an existing project button

Click the Open toolbar button.

on the Configuration tab.

3. The Select an Orpheus Project display screen appears.

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4. Select the project-type folder.

The folders associated with active modes/project types are available.

5. Click the name of the project.

Organizing Projects into Folders

Hydra is designed with default folders for each type of project (Coiled Tubing Projects, Jointed
Pipe Projects, and Wireline Projects). The default folders cannot be renamed, moved, or deleted.
When a new project is created, a folder for the projects placement is automatically selected.
These folders are internal to Cerberus, and unrelated to folders in Windows Explorer.
Projects or folders cannot be placed under different project types. (For example, CT projects cannot be placed
under the Wireline Projects folder.)

Saving an Orpheus Project

The project configuration and last set of calculated values are retained when the project is saved.
There are two ways a project can be saved:

Click Save (

) on the toolbar.

OR

Click File and select Save or Save As....

Deleting an Orpheus Project

Unnecessary projects can be deleted. When a project is deleted, the information is not recoverable.

To Delete a Project
1. Click File > Delete.
The Select Hydra display screen appears.
2. Select the folder that contains the project.
3. Click on the project name.
4. Click OK.
The Delete Project warning box appears to confirm deleting the selected project.
5. Click Yes.
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The selected project is deleted and the user is returned to the Hydra main display screen.

Importing a File
An entire project or any of its components may be imported using Orpheus. Only projects,
however, may be exported from Orpheus

To import a file in Orpheus

1. If importing from removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Orpheus.
3. Select File > Import Project... from the dialog menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later). Click Open.

Orpheus imports the project data.

5. Click Open.
A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user intends to import a project or component that already exists on the active computer, the tree view
does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import Utility popup appears, from which the user designates whether
to replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip this specific project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

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a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the Files
Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of
this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in
the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or Projects
are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.
The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category on
the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for import, but
that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting an Orpheus Project

Any project in Orpheus can be exported to removable media to be imported into another computer with Hydra.
Exporting from Orpheus provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the .zcy
extension (which is essentially an XML file).

To Export a Project
1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Orpheus.
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3. Click File > Export Project... from the dialog menu bar.
The Select Orpheus Projects dialog appears. Select a project or group of projects and
click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the project.
If the project is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a
new name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy
(Cerberus 10.5 or later)).
6. Click Save.
The project is exported to the desired location and a popup appears describing the file
path where the project is saved and the name of the saved project.

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Entering Project-configuration Information

Configuration information is stored within a project, so it is quickly accessible without the necessity of re-input.

To enter Coiled Tubing (CT), Jointed Pipe (JP), or Wireline (WL) project-configuration
information
1. Open an existing Orpheus project or create a new project.
2. Use/edit an existing conveyance string/cable or create a new string/cable.
Click the yellow-folder icon to browse among conveyances and select from existing CT
Strings, JP Strings, or WL cables.
OR
Choose another icon associated with the conveyance string/cable:
a. For a Coiled Tubing Project
Orpheus Coiled Tubing Configuration Tab

Click the Edit String ( ) icon to access the String Editor display screen. Then, select
File > Open from the menu bar. The Select a String dialog appears. Here, select an existing string.

If the CT String selected is of type FLATpakTM, hydraulics and catastrophic buckling calculations are not available with this release of Cerberus.

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b. For a Jointed Pipe Project

Orpheus Jointed Pipe Configuration Tab

Click the Edit Pipe ( ) icon to access the Jointed Pipe Editor display screen. Then,
select File > Open from the menu bar. The Select Pipe dialog appears. Here, select
an existing pipe.
c. For a Wireline Project
Orpheus Wireline Configuration Tab

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Click the Edit Cable (

Wireline Editor dialog:

) icon to select a wireline if none is selected and to access the

Then, click the ellipses to select from recently used cables, or click the yellow-folder icon
to access the Select Cable dialog, from which another cable may be selected.

To edit the wireline weakpoint, click the Edit Weakpoint (

log.

) icon to access the Weakpoint Project Options dia-

3. (Optional for CT and JP) Use/edit an existing Bottomhole Assembly (BHA)/toolstring or create a new BHA/toolstring.
Click the associated yellow-folder icon to browse and select from existing BHAs/toolstrings.
OR click the Tool String ( ) toolbar icon to access the Select Toolstring dialog. Here, select
an existing toolstring or click New to create a new toolstring. The user may also select a toolstring from the dropdown associated with the Recent Selections field.

4. Use/edit existing well or create a new well.

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Click the Well Geometry yellow-folder icon to browse and select from existing wells.
OR click the Edit Well ( ) toolbar icon to access the Well Editor display screen. Here,
select File > Open from the menu bar to access the Select a well dialog, from which the
user may select an existing well.
5. Select fluids for use in the project.
Click the Select Fluids icon (

) to access the Fluid Distribution dialog.

For details, see Fluid configuration on page 87.

6. Select the job Application from the available dropdown. The selected application controls the available inputs on the Calculate tab:
For Coiled Tubing: Conventional Operation or Coiled Tubing Drilling determine the
allowed user inputs in the software; Other allows all inputs.
For Wireline: Open Hole Operations, Cased Hole Operations, or Other.
For Jointed Pipe: Workover, Drilling (Conventional), Drilling (Underbalanced), Hydraulic
Workover (HWO), Pipe Conveyed Logging (PCL), Tubing Conveyed Perforating (TCP),
Running Completion, Running Casing, Running Liner, or Other.
a. Select the Wellsite Geometry icon (CT) adjacent to the Application field (
) to
input Unsupported CT length and Guide arch radius from the related dialog. This
information is important for the catastrophic buckling calculation and the stretch calculations.

7. Select the Current Task from the dropdown: Job Planning, Real-time Job Monitoring,
Post-job Analysis.
8. Add Project Notes as desired.
9. Fluid configuration
a. Fluid Distribution
Launch the Fluid Distribution display screen using one of two methods:

From the Configuration tab, click the Select Fluids icon

OR

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From the Calculate tab, click the button adjacent to the fluid density fields (when the
conveyance is wireline, no button for CT/JP fluid density appears).

b. Fluid Flow
Click the icon adjacent to the flow-rate field(s) to reveal the Fluid Flow dialog.

Edit the Fluid Flow table(s):

88

Within the table, select rows by clicking within the far-left-hand column, and use the
Delete and/or Insert buttons to delete or insert rows.

Input data.

Select the RIH and POOH tabs to input data for both.

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Two options are available:

For multi-phase fluids, the user has the option to apply the GLR defined in the fluid
editor to the liquid flow rate and the gas flow rate. See Gas/Liquid Ratio (GLR).
The user has the option to define annular flow rates differently from the CT/JP flow
rates. See Annular Flow.
c. Gas/Liquid Ratio (GLR)
For multi-phase fluids, the user has the option to apply the GLR defined in the fluid
editor to the liquid flow rate and the gas flow rate.

If the user clicked (to check) the Use fluid GLR (defined in Fluid Editor) togglebox (available only if a multiphase fluid is used), then the gas flow rate is automatically calculated based on the user-entered liquid flow rate and GLR value (or the
liquid flow rate is automatically calculated based on the user-entered gas-flow rate
and GLR value).

If the user does not select Use fluid GLR (Defined in Fluid Editor), then both liquid flow rate and gas flow rate may be input separately.

When the Use fluid GLR (defined in Fluid Editor) is selected, the GLR buttons background color
changes to light yellow. Hold the mouse over the button to see the tool tip.

d. Annular Flow
The user has the option to define annular flow rates differently from the CT/JP flow
rates.

If Specify annular flow is selected, then both liquid flow rate and gas flow rate
are defined (input) separately.

If Specify annular flow is not selected, then the flow rates apply to both the CT/
JP and the annulus.

When the Specify annual flow is selected, the related buttons background color changes to light yellow.
Hold the mouse over the button to see the tool tip.

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Entering Project Options

Project-option settings provide input for, and affect the outcomes of calculations, so its important
to enter these accurately.

To enter project options

Access project options one of two ways:
1. Select Options > Project Options from the Orpheus menu bar when a project is open.
OR
Select the Calculate tab from the Orpheus project display screen; then, click the Project Calculation Options button in the upper far-right-hand panel.
2. The Project Options display screen appears. This screen is divided into three separate areas:
left panel, right panel, and bottom panel.

The Project Options display screen defaults to the Basic Project Options view (see the
extreme top portion of the left panel in the above figure). Here, within the left-hand panel, the
user sees three tab-like, selectable choices: Basic Options (default), Features and Effects,
and Calculation Resolution.
3. From the default Basic Options tab, input the following:

Yield safety factor (CT, JP)

Coiled tubing or jointed pipe is considered to be at its working limit when the stress (axial
stress or von-Mises stress) at any point in the string reaches this percentage of the material yield strength. Yield strength is a property of the steel and is usually expressed in kpsi.
The yield safety factor is 80% by default. Modifying this value causes all calculations in
Orpheus that are limited by yield strength of the string to be changed. An example is the
Yield limit curve on the Surface Weight graph of the Trip in and Out calculation.

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Wireline is considered to be at its operating limit when the tension at any point in the
cable reaches this percentage of the cable breaking strength. The safe operating load
is 50% by default. Modifying this value causes all calculations in Orpheus that are limited by breaking strength of the cable to be changed. An example is the Safe Operating Load curve on the Surface Weight graph of the Run In and Out calculation.

Safety margin for tractor pull (WL)

This is used in calculating the minimum required tractor pull to help the toolstring run
in-hole. Theoretically, required tractor pull is the minimum pull that ensures the entire
length of the wireline is in tension. However, sometimes it is preferable to keep the
tension above a minimum positive value. Safety margin for tractor pull is this threshold
and should not be less than zero.
Note the difference between the required pull and the required pull with safety margin
usually is not just the value of the safety margin. Instead, the program uses the safety
margin value as the threshold for wireline compression. In other words, the program
searches for the required minimum pull force so that the tension along the wireline is
not less than the safety margin value.

Real Axial Force Monitoring (JP)

Enable real axial force monitoring (JP)

Distance from end of string (JP)

These two options, working together, allow the user to monitor real axial force at a
specific position from the bottom of the string. Note the word real does not mean
field-measured forces (i.e., weight indicator readings), but rather the axial force
including the effect of any fluid pressure. When the option is selected and the distance
from end is specified (say, xxx ft), the graph window displaying the Trip In and Out
results will contain a graph called Real Axial Force at xxx ft from End of String.
4. Select Features and Effects; click (to check) any of the following to activate:

Include Disconnect Limit (CT)

Though intended primarily for wireline mode, users can utilize this feature to model
the CT connector and/or shear/pin type disconnects. When enabled, surface weight
and the connector tension corresponding to disconnect limits can be calculated from
the graph-window display for Trip In and Out.

Include Weak Point (WL)

Though intended primarily for wireline mode, users can utilize this feature to model
the CT connector and/or shear/pin type disconnects. When enabled, surface weight
and cablehead tension corresponding to weak point limits can be calculated from the
graph-window display for Trip In and Out.

Include Buckled Production Tubing Effect (CT, JP, WL)

By selecting this option, the user is able to simulate intervention in buckled production
tubing. In order to include the effect of buckled production tubing in Orpheus calculations, the user must first run the Packer and Completion Analysis and then use the
Tool Passage analysis (inside the Packer and Completion Analysis) to update the
Orpheus well with the buckled production tubing configuration.

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Include Additional Tortuosity (CT, JP, WL)

Select this option to apply macro-tortuosity and/or micro-tortuosity to openhole or wherever tortuosity is present.
Macro-tortuosity can occur due to directional drilling system steering, deviation principle,
or any additional unwanted vibrations. An example is the slide-rotary pattern seen when
using steerable mud motors in horizontal sections. The macro-tortuosity model in the current Orpheus applies sinusoidal variation of well inclination and azimuth over a period
length.
The typical value of a macro-tortuosity period is between 100 and 500 feet.
Micro-tortuosity is defined as the tortuosity that occurs on a much smaller scale as compared to the macro-tortuosity that represents the difference in dogleg severity between
the planned well survey and the final well survey. Therefore, micro tortuosity will not normally be observed in conventional survey data. The primary source of micro tortuosity is
borehole spiraling, where the borehole axis resembles a helix instead of a straight line.
The typical value of micro-tortuosity period is between 5 and 15 feet.
If both (macro- and micro-tortuosity) are selected, and if overlap occurs, then only micro-tortuosity is applied.

Include Jar Activation Calculation (WL)

Select this option to enable the calculation of surface weight and cablehead tension corresponding to low-setting and high-setting jar firing forces, respectively. The option is
available only if the toolstring contains a jar.

Include Downhole AgitatorTM (CT, JP)

Select this option to include friction mitigation due to the gentle pulsation of the pipe provided by the presence of a downhole pulsation device (like the NOV Downhole Agitator
tool). The friction mitigation effect gradually attenuates along the length of the CT/JP
string and a point is reached where there is no significant friction mitigation effect. The
model used for this analysis finds that point, and from that point upward the friction is calculated and applied as it would be without the presence of an Agitator tool.
The user provides the value of the ratio of friction drag reduction to flow rate, which
(together with the current flow rate in the CT/JP string) is used to determine the total
amount of friction force that the Agitator tool should remove. At a flow rate of 120 gal/min,
a ratio of 13 lbf/(gal/min) yields 1,560 lbf of friction removed, which agrees with experience documented in the technical paper of SPE 121752.

Include Additional Normal Force (WL)

Include Tubing Collapse (CT, JP) - ellipses button launches collapse settings form.
Select this option to instruct Orpheus to check for standard tubing collapse criteria when
modeling in conditions of excess annular pressure and axial tension. Output is the collapse factor in the graph window (graph and modeled data) display for running Trip In and
Out.

Click the ellipses (

) associated with any item to see/input additional options for that items
effect on calculations.
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5. Select Calculation Resolution; input/select settings to adjust the calculation resolution

when modeling complex cases, such as passage of a long toolstring through a small
downhole restriction.

Maximum RIH-POOH depth increment (CT, JP, WL)

This depth increment is used as the maximum increment in forming the depth array
for tripping calculation.

Vary depth increment with well geometry (CT, JP, WL)

Choose this option to insure that the tripping simulation depths coincide with all constrictions and expansions in the wellbore. This can be a crucial factor in the presence
of significant annular flow or high dogleg severity.

Allow secondary depth increment (CT, JP, WL)

Secondary depth increment

Start depth

End depth

A secondary depth increment may be specified for a region of the well. This can provide a greater density of simulation values where needed without significantly increasing total calculation run-time.

Maximum calculation length (CT, JP, WL)

Orpheus divides the pipe/cable and the toolstring/BHA into segments to perform
forces calculations while the toolstring/BHA is at a specific depth. The length of the
segments will not exceed this maximum calculation length.
Advanced Options set the calculation parameters.

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Setting Advanced Options/Calculation Parameters

As mentioned above, Advanced Options set the calculation parameters.

To set advanced options

1. Click the Advanced button within the lower left-hand panel of the Basic Project Options view.
The Advanced Project Options view of the Project Options display screen appears.

The Basic button points back to the Basic Project Options.

2. From the default Advanced Options tab, input the following:

Stress (CT, JP, WL)

Axial stress

Von-Mises stress

Include bending stress (von-Mises)

Axial stress is caused by the real axial force applied to the pipe or the cable. Von-Mises stress
is based on the combination of the three principle stresses (axial stress, radial stress, and hoop
stress) and the shear stress (if torque is present). Usually, if wellhead pressure and/or pressure
loss (in the pipe or annulus) is high, then von-Mises stress should be selected since in these situations radial stress and hoop stress are high.
The bending stress mentioned in the option is the additional bending stress caused by the
curved section of the wellbore.

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Enable torque calculations (CT, JP)

When this option is selected, users can specify torque on end from the Calculate tab.

Allow rotation from surface

When this option is selected, users can specify surface rotation speed from the Calculate
tab.

CT Options (CT)

Use effective wall thickness (CT)

Effective wall thickness is defined as minimum wall thickness less wall reduction. When
enabled, tubing internal diameter is calculated as nominal ID less double of effective wall
thickness.

Catastrophic buckling safety factor (CT)

This safety factor is used in calculating the catastrophic buckling load, which equals the
theoretical buckling load multiplied by the safety factor.
Enter a lower percentage number here for a higher safety factor.

BHA/Toolstring

Allow snubbing calculation

Click to check this option to use BHA/toolstring dimensions and properties for tool entry
and exit calculations near surface.

3. Select the Fluids Model tab; input [or alter] information, or click (to check) toggleboxes as
needed:

Pressure calculations (CT, JP)

The user can select static pressure or circulating pressure. When static pressure
is selected, the fluid is not flowing and no hydraulics calculation is made. When circulating pressure is selected, all pressure loss and fluid forces (shear drag, lift force,
and form drag) are calculated and are used as input to the tubing forces model calculation.

Pipe surface (CT, JP, WL)

Cable roughness (WL)

Inside pipe roughness (CT, JP)

Users can select ignore roughness or enter roughness. When enter roughness is
selected, the user must input the roughness values for inside the pipe and annulus,
respectively. Roughness has no effect on laminar flow but is involved in pressure loss
calculation for turbulent flow conditions.
In this version of the software, pipe roughness is ignored for power law fluids and
foam models.

Annulus (CT, JP, WL)

Eccentricity (CT, JP, WL)

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Eccentricity equals zero for a pipe centered in the well and equals one when it is fully
eccentered. This setting only affects the fluid drag calculation. A tool (or cable or pipe) in
the center of the well experiences greater fluid drag than when it is lying against the wall.
Hence, for worst-case planning purpose, an eccentricity of zero is recommended.

Equivalent annular diameter (CT, JP, WL)

This option is used to select the calculation method used for determining the equivalent
pipe diameter. Annular fluid flow calculations are performed by calculating a pipe diameter that would give equivalent pressure-drop values. Equivalent annular diameter is
defined so that friction calculation equations for pipe flows can be extended for annular
geometry. In general, the equivalent diameter for annular flows can be represented as De
= f (D2, D1), where D2 and D1 are external and internal diameters of the annulus.
The common approach is to use the hydraulic diameter, where De = D2 D1. However,
other definitions of the equivalent diameter exist and several have also been provided in
Orpheus.

Use correction factor in pressure drop (CT, JP, WL)

Fluid (uneditable) (CT, JP, WL)

Correction factor (uneditable) (CT, JP, WL)

This option allows the user to enable or disable the correction factor that is defined for
each fluid in Fluid Editor. For ease of use, the correction factor of the currently selected
fluid is displayed on-screen. A correction factor of 1 means that the calculated friction
pressure will not be modified. A correction factor of 0.6 means that only 60% of the calculated friction pressure drop will be used in the pressure profile.

Temperature effects on viscosity (CT, JP, WL)

This option allows the user to enable or disable the effect of temperature on the viscosity
of the fluid. For this option to function properly, the fluid must have its temperature properties defined in Fluid Editor. When enabled, the user-entered viscosity profile, instead of
constant viscosity, is used in hydraulics calculation.
The option is only for fluids of liquid type.

Drag reduction for power law fluid (CT)

Many polymer fluids, such as guar, xanthan, PHPA, and HEC and surfactant-based fluids
exhibit significant drag reduction under turbulent flow conditions. As a result, the traditional Dodge-Metzner correlation overestimates pressure loss of turbulent flow. For these
fluids, the effect of drag reduction should be included. This option allows the user to
model this effect.

4. Select the Force Calculation Model tab; then click (to toggle or check) toggleboxes as
needed:

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Tool / BHA Model

Tool model v1.0 v1.0 represents the tool as a simple beam element and applies
standard equations for beam deflection. For complex tool strings with variable geometry, v1.0 must apply some approximations to average the contact forces due to
bending. (CT, JP, WL)

Tool model v2.0 v2.0 is more sophisticated and analytically exact because it applies
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an FEA-based approach, which accounts for the specific geometry and stiffness of
each tool segment and the radial clearances in the wellbore. It is the recommended model for complex tool strings, although it requires more computation
time. (CT, JP, WL)

Lockup Model (CT, JP)

Lockup model v1.0 Lockup assumed to occur when string yields in compression.

Lockup model v2.0 Lockup assumed to occur when weight transfer from surface
to end of string is less than specified amount (recommended).

Helical Buckling Load

Post-buckled unloading

Pre-buckled loading

There are two ways to define helical buckling load. Chen and Cheatheam (SPE 19176)
derived a transition force limit between helical and sinusoidal buckling in an inclined well.
However, subsequent research (see SPE 29462) has established that a greater compressive
force limit is actually required for sinusoidally buckled tubing to snap into a full helix configuration. Thus, the lower Chen & Cheatham limit can be understood as a post-buckled
unloading limit, whereas the higher buckling load is a pre-buckled loading limit.
Both are realistic in certain circumstances. However, the post-buckled unloading limit
tends to be a conservative assumption.

Stiff String Model Orpheus includes a stiff string model, which approximates the
bending stiffness effects for pipe/tubing in curved well segments. When enabled,
Orpheus automatically switches to the stiff string model based on the minimum dogleg
severity parameter specified here. (A related bending model is applied to the BHA
separately.) (CT, JP)

Include stiff string model in forces calculations

Minimum dogleg severity for stiff string calcs

5. Select the Wireline tab; input [or alter] information, or click (to check) toggleboxes as
needed (WL):

Define compression at
Compression, by conventional definition, begins at zero cable tension. However, to
minimize the risk of compression occurring, the user may prefer to include an additional safety factor by modeling the job using a higher compression threshold.

Weak point safety factor

The purpose of the weak point safety factor is to avoid premature release of the wireline. It prevents utilization of the full weak point low load limit rating on the wireline
when trying to free stuck tools from the wellbore.

Maximum allowed speed RIH

This user-input number provides a realistic limit on the reported speed to avoid nonsensical modeling results.

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The model can calculate the speed at which the fluid drag acting on the tool exceeds the
downward pull, causing the tool to move slower than the speed at which cable is being
spooled into the well. The result may be bird caging of the cable above the tool. This is
more likely to occur in situations where there are tight clearances between the tool and
tubing or casing (for example, when running a packer or junk basket). In other situations
with greater clearance, there may be no such practical limit to the cable speed, and the
calculated speed reported by the model would be unrealistically high.

Use effective axial force to calculate stretch

When this option is enabled, wireline stretch is calculated based on effective axial force
instead of real axial force. Theoretically, strain (and therefore stretch) should be calculated using real axial force. Note the word real does not mean field-measured forces
(i.e. weight indicator readings); rather, it means the axial force including the effect of any
fluid pressure. This option is provided based on reports from the field, indicating that in
some cases stretch data is actually a closer match to that calculated using effective axial
force, with fluid pressure effects excluded.

Calculate buoyant weight based on weight in water

Weight in air (uneditable)

Weight in water (uneditable)

The weight in water value can be used to improve the calculation of wireline buoyant
weight. When the option is selected, Orpheus uses the values of weight in air and weight
in water to back-calculate an equivalent hydraulic diameter of the wireline. Then the
equivalent hydraulic diameter (instead of the nominal diameter) is used to calculate the
buoyant weight and axial force.

Drum Crush

Drum crush threshold

Drum crush caution

Drum crush warning

Specific wirelines are crush-resistant and should have higher drum crush values than
standard wireline. Drum crush may occur if cable being POOH at high tension is spooled
onto the drum on top of cable that was spooled at a much lower tension. Orpheus predicts RIH and POOH tensions and can warn the user when one value is much larger than
the other.
Threshold: minimum tension percentage of cable breaking strength at which cable damage due to crushing may occur.
Caution: occurs when threshold is exceeded and POOH tension is this multiple greater
than RIH tension.
Warning: occurs when threshold is exceeded and POOH tension is this multiple greater
than RIH tension.

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Setting Project-option Defaults

1. Select the Save as Defaults button in any preference-group dialog to retain user-defined
properties as defaults (properties that are used for all new projects in Orpheus).
2. Upon re-accessing the preference-group dialog for future projects, select Use Defaults to
populate related fields with previously saved default properties.
OR
Select Use Cerberus Defaults to populate all the fields within any dialog with Cerberus
default-property information.
The buttons described above pertain to all advanced options; not just the options visible to the user.

Hypothetical fluid-hydraulics situations may be modeled/calculated in Orpheus to determine the effects of

differing variables. Please see the appendix Advanced Fluids-model Options in Orpheus for additional
information.

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Performing Calculations
Various methods are available in Orpheus to perform calculations. These methods are accessible through an Orpheus project display screen similar to the following:
Orpheus Project Display Screen

Calculation Methods
The following calculation methods are available:

Standard Calculations, accessed via the Calculate tab.

Analysis Tools, accessed via the Calculate tab > Calculation Tools
OR via the Orpheus Tools menu-bar item.

User-friendly question-and-answer wizards, accessed via the Q & A tab.

Reports, accessed via the menu bar or the tool bar (see page 168).
Calculations are not stored with a project; they must be recalculated for future use.
If a CT String is of type FLATpakTM, hydraulics and catastrophic buckling calculations are not available with this
release of Cerberus.

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Standard Calculations
To gain access to standard calculations, select the Calculate tab from an Orpheus-project
display screen. Standard calculations are accessed via buttons along the right-hand portion
of the Calculate-tab display screen. The only exceptions are the Report Generator and Calculation Tools buttons, which access other distinct calculation methods.
Slight differences exist among the conveyance methods standard-calculation display-screen
appearances and procedures:
Wireline Standard-calculation Buttons

Coiled Tubing Standard-calculation Buttons

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Jointed Pipe Standard-calculation Buttons

Prior to using the functions available in either the Calculate tab or the Q&A tab, the user may
input (from the right-hand side of the Calculate-tab panel) Top and/or Bottom Depths of Interest to affect calculations of type tripping or running. At depth calculation results do not reflect
Depth of Interest designations.
These designations affect tripping or running calculations viewed via the Report Generator button, and several tripping or running functions in the Calculation Tools:
Sensitivity Analysis
Report Generator
Weak Point Selection
Pump Down Rate

After a button is clicked, note the availability of tools to assist the users customization of the graph within the
display screen.

Calculate Lockup Depth (CT)/Calculate Maximum Depth (WL/JP)

The lockup depth calculation shows the depth at which the CT locks up. When the tool string
reaches this depth, it goes no deeper, even though CT may still be entering the well at the surface.
The maximum depth calculation shows the depth at which the wireline either enters compression
or exceeds the tensile limit.

To calculate lockup depth/maximum depth

Select Calculate > Calculate Maximum Depth (CT, WL, JP).
On the Q & A tab, select Getting into and out of the well. Then select "Can

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Coiled Tubing Lockup Depth

Wireline Maximum Depth

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Jointed Pipe Maximum Depth

Trip In and Out (CT and JP)/Run in and Out (WL)

The Trip/Run In and Out calculation provides graphs of surface weight plotted against depth as
the tools are tripped/run into and out of the well. The calculation is performed from the surface to
the measured depth, providing a quick overview of the surface weights to expect for all depths of
the job.
If lockup is detected (CT) at a depth shallower than the measured depth, a warning message is
displayed and the measured depth is reset to a value slightly lower than the lockup depth before
the application resumes calculations.
If the maximum depth is detected (WL) at a depth shallower than the measured depth, the graph
indicates the maximum depth. The curve then continues in gray to the measured depth, as if the
wireline could withstand compression.

To calculate trip/run in and out

Select the Trip/Run In and Out button.
On the Q & A tab of an Orpheus project, select Getting into and out of the well. Then select one of the Plot
a graph scenarios.

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Surface Weight vs. Depth (CT)

Surface Weight vs. Depth (WL)

The Surface Weight graph plots weight against depth as the CT/WL is tripped/run into the
well (shown in blue) and out of the well (shown in green). The calculation is performed from
the surface to the measured depth.
Orpheus can calculate the lower compression and upper yield limits on the surface weight as
the CT/JP/WL is tripped/run in and out of the well. By default, Orpheus does not calculate
these limits because they dramatically increase the calculation time. NOV CTES recommends calculating them only when needed.
Orpheus does not consider the capabilities of the surface equipment; it only considers the properties of the
conveyance and tool.

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Modeled Data
For the Surface Weight vs. Depth calculation, (Trip In and Out (CT and JP)/Run in and Out (WL),
view the modeled data for the graph:

To access the modeled data

From the Surface Weight vs. Depth dialog, select Data > Modeled Data.

Field Data Input

For the Surface Weight vs. Depth calculation (Trip In and Out (CT and JP)/Run in and Out (WL),
data can be created from scratch or imported from an external file (ASCII text or Orion database).

To access the field data-entry area

1. Select the Calculate tab within an Orpheus project.
2. Click Trip In and Out (CT and JP)/Run in and Out (WL).
3. Select Data > Field Data from the menu bar of the Surface Weight vs. Depth dialog.
The Orpheus Field Data Import dialog appears.

Two tabs are available on the Orpheus Field Data Import form: Averaged Data and All Data.

Using the Data Tabs

The data in the Averaged Data tab is for display only; it is not editable. All data changes must be
made in the All Data tab.
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To use the All Data tab

1. Input data manually as desired within the table.
2. Click the Add new row toolbar icon

to append a new row to the table.

3. Click the Insert new row toolbar icon

the table.
4. Click the Delete row toolbar icon
5. Click the Clear all toolbar icon

to insert a new row above the selected row in

to delete the selected row from the table.

to delete all rows in the table.

Using the Fields at the Bottom of the Dialog

To use the dialog-bottom fields
1. Click (to check) Append to existing data during import to append any imported filedata (OrionNET or ASCII) to the table. When this box is unchecked (the default), any
existing data is overwritten during data import.
2. The Data Interval (Averaging) label is informational only, this is not an option.

Importing OrionNET Data

To import OrionNET data
1. Click the OrionNET Import Settings link to display an informational popup describing the
settings used during the import process.

2. Click the Import OrionNET Data button

to open the Select Orion-

NET File dialog.

3. Click (to select) the file to import and click Open to begin the import.
After successfully importing a file, all fields are editable except the Event field.

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Importing ASCII Data

To import ASCII data
1. Click the ASCII Import Settings link to display the ASCII File Import Settings dialog.

The ASCII File Import Settings dialog allows the user to either Use Cerberus default import
format or Use a customized import format. Customized import allows the user to parse the
selected file and to choose fields to be used during the import process.
These settings are shared with Reel-Trak; saving them also changes the settings Reel-Trak uses to import
ASCII data.

Setting Graph Configurations

See Setting Graph Display Options in Orpheus on page 489 for information concerning altering the way calculation results are displayed graphically.

From the graphical representations, the user may set graph configurations to plot the scale or to
zoom out of a zoomed graph.

To set graph configurations

1. Right-click on a graph.
2. Select either Scale or Zoom Out.
a. If Scale is selected, a Plot Scale popup appears, from which the user may specify Minimum and Maximum Tension and Minimum and Maximum Depth.

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b. Selecting Zoom Out is effective only if the graph has been zoomed using the mouse
click-and-drag method on the graph surface.

Run at Depth
The Run at Depth calculation in Orpheus provides a look at the forces, stresses, and other
parameters along the length of the string while the string is positioned at a given depth. This
calculation uses the user-specified force on the end of the string. After the calculation is performed, the user may modify the depth, force on end, or surface weight from the output graph
screen. This allows the user to enter a known surface weight and to see the expected force
on the end of the string particularly useful in stuck-string situations where the user wants to
know what tension the string is in while pulling a specific value at surface.

To calculate Run at Depth

1. Select the Run at Depth button to observe, in graphic format, the Effective Axial Force at
Measured Depth (default) display screen.
On the Q & A tab, select Performing the job at depth. Then, click Plot a graph of CT Tension vs. Depth
(CT), or Plot a graph of Cable Tension vs. Depth (CT).
Coiled Tubing Run at Depth Graph

In the CT graph, if the Helical Buckling Load (red line) is greater than the axial load while RIH (blue line),
then helical buckling is occurring at that section of the tubing, although lockup has not necessarily
occurred.

Effective describes the actual production of, or the power to, produce an effect. The
effective axial force takes into consideration all of the calculations/graphs available from
the dropdown to arrive at the closest calculation of axial force possible.
For more information concerning the effective force, see the NOV CTES tech note The
Effective Force by Ken Newman and Kenneth Bhalla, dated January 13, 1999:
http://ctes.nov.com/Documentation/technotes/Tech%20Note%20Effective%20Force.pdf

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Wireline Run at Depth Graph

2. The user may view the default Effective axial force graph, or may select another type of
chart (from the dropdown) to view calculated forces exerted the length of a conveyance at a
specified measured depth.
a. Within the default Effective axial force graph, the user may:

Change Measured depth; then click the Calculate and Refresh icon (

).

The measured depth default value is the maximum reachable depth within the depth range.

Click (to toggle) the Surface Weight field and enter the desired weight.

When the surface weight is experienced while attempting to pull out of hole, select
POOH from the dropdown; then click the Calculate and Refresh icon (

).

Click (to toggle) the Force on end field and enter the desired force.

When the Force on end is experienced while attempting to pull out of hole, select
POOH from the dropdown; then click the Calculate and Refresh icon (

When the Force on end becomes too negative in CT or JP mode, the string locks up. In this situation, the program calculates an approximate Surface Weight, overriding any user surface-weight input. The user can verify
the values displayed on the screen by viewing the top and bottom effective force from the modeled data grid.

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3. (Optional: CT /JP) Click the CT Limits/Pipe Limits icon (

depth.

) to view limits at measured

4. (Optional: WL) If the well is Riserless, the Run at Depth calculation results appear as follows:

The discontinuity is attributable to the pressure difference at the wellhead.

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a. Select the Riserless Outputs button, and then click each tab, to see the various available
graphs.

5. View the modeled data table(s) by clicking, within the menu bar, Data > Modeled Data.
Run at Depth: Modeled Data Table (Mechanical Data)

If a Hydraulics-enabled access key is in use (see Fluids Model: Advanced Hydraulics

Options), three tables become available: Hydraulics data (RIH), and Hydraulics data (POOH),
and Mechanical data.

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Run at Depth: Modeled Data Table (RIH Hydraulic Data)

If hydraulics are not enabled, then the Int and Ext pressure columns appear in the
Mechanical data table.
If a CT String is of type FLATpakTM, hydraulics and catastrophic buckling calculations are not available with
this release of Cerberus.

6. From the graphical representations, the user may set graph configurations to plot the
scale or to zoom out of a zoomed graph.

To set graph configurations

a. Right-click within a graph.
b. Select either Scale or Zoom Out.
1) If Scale is selected, a Plot Scale popup appears, from which the user may specify
Minimum and Maximum Tension and Minimum and Maximum Depth.
2) Selecting Zoom Out is effective only if the graph has been zoomed using the
mouse click-and-drag method on the graph surface.

Forces on String/Tool and Cable

Forces on String/Tool and Cable calculates the regions of yield, tension, compression, helical
buckling (CT only), and sinusoidal bucking (CT only), along the length of the conveyance at a
specific measured depth.

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To calculate forces
1. Select the Forces on String/Tool & Cable button.
On the Q & A tab, select Performing the job at depth. Then click View a 3D animation of CT Tension vs.
Depth (CT), or View a 3D animation of Cable Tension vs. Depth (WL).

2. Right-click the graph to adjust the view.

Maximum Set-down Force (CT)/Maximum Weight on Bit (JP)

The maximum set-down force is the maximum compressive force (negative) that can be transmitted to the downhole end of the tool string at the measured depth. This downhole weight corresponds to the minimum surface weight at lockup (CT)/lockup limit (JP) on the Surface Weight
graph.
Hydra considers the forces along the entire conveyance, not just at the surface, when performing this calculation.
Coiled Tubing Set Down Force Graph

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Jointed Pipe Set Down Force Graph

To calculate set-down force

Select the Maximum Set-down Force (CT)/Maximum Weight on Bit button (JP).
On the Q & A tab and select Performing the job at depth. Then click How does the set-down force
(WOB) vary with surface weight?

Maximum Pick-up Force (CT)/Maximum Overpull (JP/WL)

The maximum pick-up force is the maximum pull that can be applied at the end of the tool
string at the specified measured depth before yield occurs at some point in the conveyance
medium.
Hydra considers the forces along the entire conveyance, not just at the surface, when performing this calculation.
For coiled tubing, ensure that the predicted surface weight does not exceed the maximum pulling force of
the injector, although this is rare.

To calculate maximum pick-up force (CT)/overpull (WL/JP)

Select the Maximum Pick-up Force (CT)/Maximum Overpull button (WL/JP).
On the Q & A tab and select Performing the job at depth. Then click Plot a graph of Maximum Pick-up
Force against Depth
Coiled Tubing Maximum Pick-up Force Calculation

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Forces on String (CT)/Tool & Cable (WL)/Pipe (JP)

The Forces on String/Tool & Cable/Pipe calculates the net force on the conveyance. The calculation is a combination of tractor pull, buoyant tool and cable (CT) weight, wellbore friction, fluid
drag on the tool, and any excess drag on the conveyance (excess drag on the conveyance is any
drag over and above the conveyances buoyant weight).

To calculate the forces on string (CT)/tool & cable (WL)/pipe (JP)

Click the Calculate tab, then the Forces on String/Tool & Cable/Pipe button.
On the Q & A tab, select Performing the job at depth. Then, click What are the forces acting at this depth?
Wireline Forces on Tool & Cable Calculation

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Analysis Tools
Analysis tools are accessed via Orpheuss Calculate tab > Calculation Tools, or via the
Tools menu-bar item.
Coiled Tubing Analysis Tools

Wireline Analysis Tools

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Jointed Pipe Analysis Tools

Sensitivity Analysis
Use the Sensitivity Analysis Wizard to vary key parameters with the intent of testing their effect
on lockup depth (CT), maximum attainable depth (WL), set-down force, pick-up force, and maximum over-pull at the cable head (WL).
Within the interface, three areas or panels (Project Information, Sensitivity Setting, and Sensitivity Analysis) reside in one wizard display.
All the areas can be resized, hidden, minimized, or maximized by the user.

The user may view project information without leaving the wizard. Available project information
includes CT/JP string (WL toolstring), BHA, well geometry and survey, fluids, wellsite parameters, and project options. The plots of the CT/JP string, BHA or toolstring, and well geometry and
survey are displayed also.

Sensitivity Analysis Wizard: User Interface and Functionality

The wizard window consists of:
1. Top menu-bar
2. Project Information panel
3. Sensitivity Setting panel
4. Sensitivity Analysis panel, including data and graph
5. Bottom panel for main options and command buttons

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Sensitivity Analysis Wizard

Menu Bar
To use the Sensitivity Analysis menu bar
1. The File menu allows the creation of a new setting, provides various template operations,
and provides options for printing the analyses and exiting the application.
Sensitivity Analysis File Menu

a. Select New Setting to clear out the sensitivity table shown in the Sensitivity Analysis
panel of the display. In a cleared-out sensitivity table, Friction factor is selected by

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default as the only parameter and Lockup depth is selected as the only output (See Sensitivity Analysis Panel on page 123 for information concerning this panel).
b. Select one of the template options: Open, Save, Save As, or Delete. In each instance,
the Template Summary is shown in the right-hand portion of the dialog.

The File > Save As option allows the user to input a Template Name in the related field.
c. Select Print to access the Orpheus Print Manager and to determine print options.
2. The Edit menu allows the user to insert, delete, or clear sensitivity table rows; to copy the
whole sensitivity table contents (including the column headers) to the clipboard for potential
spreadsheet paste; or to sort columns.
Sensitivity Analysis Edit Menu

3. The Options menu allows the user to show/hide the project information panel, to show/hide
the sensitivity setting panel, to freeze the parameter columns as the user moves toward the
right portion of the analysis-table display, or to include the results when printing an Orpheus
report.

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Sensitivity Analysis Options Menu

If the last option above (Include results when printing Orpheus report) is selected
before the user returns to the main Orpheus display, and if the main report is printed from
the report generator, then the sensitivity analysis results are included in the printed report.
This option is accessible from both the menu-bar Options item and from the bottom panel
of the Sensitivity Analysis Wizard.
4. The Tools menu allows the user to Calculate data or to launch the Sensitivity Parameter
Matrix Wizard.
Sensitivity Analysis Tools Menu

Both of these tool functions are also available via buttons in the bottom panel of the main
Sensitivity Analysis Wizard display.

Project Information Panel

Un-editable project information for the users review is provided in the Project Information
panel of the Orpheus Sensitivity Analysis by way of various tabs in the left-hand portion of the
panel.
If the project does not contain a BHA (CT)/Toolstring (WL), then no BHA/Toolstring tab appears.
Sensitivity Analysis Project Information Panel

Sensitivity Setting Panel

The Sensitivity Setting panel contains tabs that allow the user to select parameters and outputs for the sensitivity calculation. The Graphs tab in the Sensitivity Analysis panel is available only if the number of parameters selected is one or two. (See the Sensitivity Analysis
Wizard figure to better understand the wizard layout.)
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Parameters selected (checked) within the Sensitivity Setting Parameters tab are shown in the
Sensitivity Analysis panels Data tab as column headings.
Sensitivity Setting Panel Parameters Tab

Outputs selected (checked) within the Sensitivity Setting Outputs tab are shown in the Sensitivity Analysis panels Data tab as columns with a light-yellow background. When a calculation is
completed, the output cells are filled with calculated values or the symbol - if there is no solution
for the output.
Lockup depth (CT/JP) or Maximum depth (WL) is always selected and the option is disabled.

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Sensitivity Setting Panel Outputs Tab

As mentioned previously, Graphs are available and visible in the Sensitivity Analysis panels
Graphs tab when the number of parameters selected in the Sensitivity Setting panels
Parameters tab is one or two. The wizard makes graphs of the selected outputs vs. the primary parameter. If there are two selected parameters, the user may select the primary
parameter against which curves are plotted.
Sensitivity Setting Panel Graphs Tab

Sensitivity Analysis Panel

Use the Sensitivity Analysis panel to edit parameter cell values and to view graphs calculated
from the cell values when the number of parameters selected in the Sensitivity Setting panels
Parameters tab is one or two.

To edit a numeric parameter cell value

1. Select the cell.
2. Input the value.

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To edit a non-numeric value (CT/JP string, wireline, BHA or toolstring, or well)

1. Double-click the cell.
2. Select from the items available in the associated dialog.
Sensitivity Analysis Panel

As noted earlier, graphs are visible in the Sensitivity Analysis panels Graphs tab when the number of parameters selected in the Sensitivity Setting panels Parameters tab is one or two.
Graph type is determined by the type of the primary parameter: curves for a primary parameter of
numeric type; bars for a primary parameter of non-numeric type. Legends for curves or bars are
displayed to the right of the graph.
Graph titles (or the outputs) are listed in the dropdown below the graph, and legends are available from which the user may select different views of the graphs.
Panel Viewing Options

When the left-most panels (which includes both Project Information panel and the Sensitivity Setting panel) are visible, they may be hidden or maximized by using the buttons in the top, righthand portion of the Project Information panel.
When manipulation of the panels causes
the buttons to become unavailable, click the Project Information and Sensitivity Setting button
that appears vertically in the left-most portion of the wizard to restore the left-most panels.

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To alter the panel viewing method

1. Click the left-pointing button
to hide the left-side panels and to maximize the Sensitivity Analysis panels table and graph tabs.

2. Click the Project Information and Sensitivity Setting button that appears vertically in
the left-most portion of the wizard to restore the previous panel view.
3. Click the right-pointing button
Analysis panel.

4. Click the middle button

to maximize the left panels and to hide the Sensitivity

to restore the panel layout to its original configuration.

Bottom Panel: Parameter Matrix Wizard and Calculate Button

The bottom panel contains the Parameter Matrix Wizard... button, the Calculate button, and
the Exit [Sensitivity Analysis] button.

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The Parameter Matrix Wizard allows customization of the parameter value lists and the generation of complete combinations of the parameter-value lists, so that the user does not have to prepare a large number of data rows manually (see Definitions, Overview and Examples on
page 128 for additional information).

To use the Parameter Matrix Wizard

1. Click the Parameter Matrix Wizard... button to launch the wizard.
Lists of parameter values from the main Sensitivity Analysis panels Data tab are loaded in
the table on the left-hand side, and the matrix corresponding to the complete combination of
the parameter value lists is displayed on the right-hand side.
Parameter Matrix Wizard

2. To customize the parameter-value list, click a parameter column in the value-list table.
The Parameter Value Editor dialog appears. The Parameter Value Editor dialog appears in
one of two forms: one for numeric parameters and one for non-numeric parameters.

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Numeric Parameter Value Editor

Non-numeric Parameter Value Editor

3. Use the Edit Values instructions to edit the parameters.

4. Click OK to return to the Sensitivity Parameter Matrix Wizard, where the edited list of values has populated the parameter column (left-hand side), replacing the original list, and
the matrix on the right-hand side has been automatically updated.
5. Click OK on the Sensitivity Parameter Matrix Wizard to return to the main Sensitivity Analysis Wizard display.
The parameters in the Data tab of the Sensitivity Analysis panel have been replaced with
the edited values.

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To calculate the outcome of the sensitivity analysis

1. Click the Calculate button.
A progress bar is shown at the top right-hand side of the Sensitivity Analysis Wizard display.
2. Press the ESC key or click the link label to cancel the calculation.

Definitions, Overview and Examples

Sensitivity Setting Definitions
Parameter: A parameter is an item to which the user can assign value(s) for the purpose of overriding current values in the current Orpheus project. Parameter(s) are selected by the user and
the value(s) are used in the sensitivity calculation.
Output: An output is an item that the wizard calculates. An output is selected by the user.
Primary Parameter: The primary parameter is the parameter against which the calculated output(s) are plotted, and so is the x-axis of the graph.
Secondary Parameter: The secondary parameter corresponds to the different curves of an output vs. the primary parameter. Values of the secondary parameter are displayed as the legends
of a graph.
Analysis Table: The sensitivity analysis table is comprised of two parts: the parameter columns
for the user to enter values and the output columns to display the calculated values (these have
a light-yellow background color).
Parameter 1 Parameter 2

Output 1

Output 2

Parameter Matrix: The parameter matrix is comprised of rows of parameter values. Following is
an example in which the matrix is the complete combination of three parameter-value lists. However, a matrix does not have to be a complete combination of parameter-value lists.
Parameter-value Lists
Parameter 1 Parameter 2 Parameter 3
P11
P12

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Parameter Matrix
Parameter 1 Parameter 2 Parameter 3
P11
P11
P11
P11
P11
P11
P12
P12
P12
P12
P12
P12

P21
P21
P21
P22
P22
P22
P21
P21
P21
P22
P22
P22

P31
P32
P33
P31
P32
P33
P31
P32
P33
P31
P32
P33

Sensitivity Setting: Information associated with an Orpheus project and saved in an

Orpheus database for the purpose of performing a sensitivity analysis. The information
includes:

Selection of parameters

Selection of outputs

Primary parameter

Parameter matrix

Sensitivity Setting Panel in Sensitivity Analysis Wizard

Sensitivity Template: Information for performing a sensitivity analysis, saved in an Orpheus

database, but not associated with any Orpheus project. The user may save current sensitivity
analysis information as a template by selecting File > Save as Template from the menu bar.

Sensitivity Analysis Overview

The sensitivity analysis wizard can be used to calculate selected items (Outputs) using current project data and user-entered data for the selected parameters.
When the number of selected parameters is one or two, the wizard also plots graphs of the
selected outputs vs. the primary parameter.

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For this version of Cerberus, the available parameters for different application types are shown
below:
Sensitivity Analysis Parameters
Parameters of Sensitivity Analysis
CT

FLATpak

BHA depth

BHA depth

CT string

FLATpak

JP
BHA depth

WL
Toolstring depth

JP string

Wireline

CT diameter

Pipe OD

Cable diameter

CT wall

Pipe ID

CT yield strength

Pipe yield strength

Cable breaking strength

BHA

BHA

BHA

Toolstring

Agitator friction reduction ratio

Agitator friction reduction ratio

Agitator friction reduction ratio

Well

Well

Well

Friction factor

Friction factor

Friction factor

Friction factor

Wellhead pressure

Wellhead pressure

Wellhead pressure

Wellhead pressure

Well fluid density

Well fluid density

Well fluid density

Well fluid density

Well liquid flow rate

Well liquid flow rate

Well liquid flow rate

Well liquid flow rate

CT fluid density

CT fluid density

Pipe fluid density

CT liquid flow rate

CT liquid flow rate

Pipe liquid flow rate

Force on end - RIH

Force on end - RIH

Force on end - RIH

Force on end - POOH

Force on end - POOH

Force on end - POOH

Force on end - POOH

CT speed

CT speed

Pipe speed

Cable speed

Torque on end

Well

Force on end - RIH

Torque on end

Surface rotation

Surface rotation

Surface rotation

The available outputs and the descriptions for different application types are shown below:
Available Sensitivity Analysis Outputs
Outputs of Sensitivity Analysis
CT/FLATpak
Lockup depth

JP
Lockup depth

WL
Maximum depth
Minimum surface weight during RIH
Minimum cable tension during RIH

Maximum surface weight during POOH

Maximum surface weight during POOH

Maximum surface weight during POOH

Maximum CT tension during POOH

Maximum pipe tension during POOH

Maximum cable tension during POOH

Maximum CT stress during POOH (% of BS)

Maximum pipe stress during POOH (% of BS)

Maximum cable stress during POOH (% of BS)

Maximum set-down force

Maximum set-down force

Maximum set-down force

Surface weight @max SDF

Surface weight @max SDF

Surface weight @max SDF

Maximum CT compression @max SDF

Maximum pipe compression @max SDF

Maximum CT compressive stress @max SDF (% of YS)

Maximum pipe compressive stress @max SDF (% of YS)

Maximum pick-up force

Maximum pick-up force

Maximum pick-up force

Surface weight @max PUF/OP

Surface weight @max PUF/OP

Surface weight @max PUF/OP

Maximum CT tension @max PUF

Maximum pipe tension @max PUF

Maximum cable tension @max PUF/OP

Maximum CT tensile stress @max PUF (% of YS)

Maximum pipe tensile stress @max PUF (% of YS)

Maximum cable tensile stress @max PUF/OP (% of BS)

Maximum over-pull at cablehead

Example 1 -- Single Parameter

If :
Friction factor is the only parameter selected,
And a list of Friction factor values is entered,
And Lockup depth is the only output selected (as shown below),
Then:
The wizard calculates the lockup depths based on current project data and the friction factor values given here.
Also, a curve of Lockup depth vs. Friction factor can be plotted to show how sensitive Lockup
depth is to Friction factor.

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User Input

Lockup
Depth
Y1
Y2
Y3
Y4
Y5
Y6

Lockup Depth

Friction
Factor
X1
X2
X3
X4
X5
X6

Wizard
Calculated

Friction Factor

Example 2 -- Two Parameters

If :
Friction factor and CT string are the parameters selected,
And a matrix of parameter values is entered,
And lockup depth and maximum set-down force are the outputs selected,
Then:
The wizard calculates the lockup depths and maximum set-down forces based on current
project data, and the friction factor values and CT strings given here.
Graphs can be plotted for the calculated results. However, the primary parameter, against
which the calculated lockup depths and maximum set-down forces are plotted, must be
selected first. The primary parameter also determines the graph type. If the primary parameter is not of numeric type (for example, CT string, or Well) then bar charts, instead of curves,
are plotted.

Case 1 Complete combination of parameter value lists

If CT string is selected as the primary parameter, then bar charts of lockup depth and maximum set-down force, respectively, vs. CT string, can be plotted, as shown below.

Primary
Parameter
Friction
Factor
X1
X1
X1
X2
X2
X2

CT String
C1
C2
C3
C1
C2
C3

Lockup
Depth
L11
L12
L13
L21
L22
L23

User Input

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Maximum
Set-Down
S11
S12
S13
S21
S22
S23

Wizard Calculated

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Lockup Depth

Friction factor X2

C1

C2

Friction factor - X1

Maximum Set-Down

Friction factor - X1

Friction factor X2

C3

C1

CT String

C2

CT String

C3

Downward-pointing bars due to

negative set-down forces

Now, if Friction factor is selected as the primary parameter, then curves of lockup depth and
maximum set-down force, respectively, vs. friction factor, are plotted as shown below.
Primary
Parameter
Friction
Factor
X1
X2
X1
X2
X1
X2

CT String
C1
C1
C2
C2
C3
C3

User Input

Lockup
Depth
L11
L21
L12
L22
L13
L23

Maximum
Set-Down
S11
S21
S12
S22
S13
S23

Wizard Calculated

C1
C3

Friction Factor

C1

Maximum Set-Down

Lockup Depth

C2

C2
C3

Friction Factor

Case 2 Incomplete combination of parameter value lists

The parameter matrix need not be a complete combination of the selected parameter value lists.
For this example, if the 4th and 5th rows of the matrix are missing or if there is no solution for
these two rows (displayed as -), and assuming the primary parameter is CT string, then the
table and the graphs appear as follows:

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Primary
Parameter

Primary
Parameter

or

Missing two rows

No solution (-) for two rows

Lockup Depth

Friction factor X2

C1

C3

C2

Friction factor - X1

Maximum Set-Down

Friction factor - X1

Friction factor X2

C1

CT String

C2

C3

CT String

Now, if the primary parameter is Friction factor, then the table and the graphs will appear as
follows:
Primary
Parameter

Primary
Parameter

Missing two rows

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Example 3 More than Two Parameters

If this situation, the wizard calculates the selected outputs based on current project data and the
parameter values given here. No graph will be plotted.

Printing Sensitivity Analysis Results

The user may print the sensitivity analysis results for either inside the Sensitivity Analysis wizard
display screen or as an appendix to the main Orpheus report.

To print sensitivity analysis results from the Sensitivity Analysis Wizard

1. From the Sensitivity Analysis Wizard, select File > Print from the menu bar.
The Orpheus Print Manager appears.

2. From the Orpheus Print Manager, click (to check) Include Cover Page, if desired, and select
Printer Options.
3. Click the Configure button to complete further options.
4. Select the Printer from the dropdown. If the user has:

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The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer selected in the application.

Then the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.
5. Click the associated information button

to display the following information.

6. Click the Select Logo button to select a logo.

7. Click the Print button.

To include sensitivity analysis results in the main Orpheus report

1. From the Sensitivity Analysis display screen, after having completed the calculation, click
Include results when printing Orpheus report in the lower left-hand corner of the display.
Sensitivity Analysis Calculated

The results are included in the Orpheus report as an appendix.

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Report Generator
The Report Wizard performs all of the standard calculations simultaneously. Calculations can
then be viewed or printed.

On the Q & A tab, select Other calculations, then Use the Report Generator to create a full analysis and
print a report.

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When Automatic Report (CT only) is toggled in the Report Generator wizard, the resulting
generated report defaults to the Summary view. Various other views are available (via buttons), including Reaching Depth, Working at Depth, Workstring, and Contingencies.
Graphical representations are available via the Graphs

button on a generated

report, and the type of graph is available via a dropdown selection at top-of-page.

From the graphical representations, the user may set graph configurations to plot the scale or
to zoom out of a zoomed graph.

To set graph configurations

1. Right-click within a graph.
2. Select either Scale or Zoom Out.
a. If Scale is selected, a Plot Scale popup appears, from which the user may specify
Minimum and Maximum Tension and Minimum and Maximum Depth.
b. Selecting Zoom Out is effective only if the graph has been zoomed-in using the
mouse click-and-drag method on the graph surface.

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Disconnect (CT)
The Disconnect Wizard (CT) helps to select the optimum setting for a mechanical disconnect.
The mechanical disconnect must be set high enough so that it does not interfere with normal
operation; however, it must also be set low enough so that it activates before the CT is damaged.

In the Disconnect Wizard, the Maximum overpull in normal operating conditions, as well as
the Disconnect must activate before are specified as percentages of the yield strength. The
wizard then calculates the connector tensions for when those percentages are reached anywhere along the CT (usually at surface). Finally, a disconnect setting that is in between the two
connector tension-values can be selected.
On the Q & A tab, select Selecting the CT string and BHA, then What is the optimum release setting for a
mechanical disconnect?

Weak Point Selection (WL/JP)

The Weak Point Selection wizard helps to select the optimum weak point for the job. The weak
point must be high enough so that it does not interfere with normal operation; however, it must
also be low enough so that it breaks before the cable is damaged.

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In the Weak Point Wizard, the maximum overpull in normal operations, as well as when the
cable must break as percentages of the nominal cable breaking strength are specified.
The wizard then calculates the cable head tensions for when those percentages are reached
anywhere along the cable (usually at surface). Finally, a weak point that is in between the two
cable head tension values can be selected.
On the Q & A tab, select Selecting the toolstring, then What is the best weak point for this job?

Tool Fit Analysis

The Tool Fit Analysis wizard uses the highly sophisticated Finite Element Analysis (FEA) toolbending model for its calculations.
This utility calculates what size tool will fit around a bend. The assumption can be made
either that the tool is rigid and the calculations are based entirely on geometry, or that the tool
can bend. In the latter case, the amount of force needed to push the tool around the dogleg is
calculated, as are the stresses exerted on the toolstring. This advanced calculation requires
additional input data, and is the method used throughout Hydra.

The FEA model divides the tool into short elements and calculates the position of the tool in
the wellbore. The effects of the axial force, variations in curvature, and tool stiffness are
included. Special calculations are done for centralizers and knuckle joints and rollers. The
resulting drag calculations and stress calculations for the tool are highly accurate.

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String Design (CT)

The String Design Wizard helps design a new CT string to meet expected conditions. When the
requirements, such as road weight, flow rate, set-down weight, pick-up force, and string manufacturer are specified, Hydra provides calculations, such as dry weight and estimated costs.

On the Q & A tab, select Selecting the CT string and BHA, then What is the optimum string design for this
job?

Extended Reach (CT/JP)

The Extended Reach wizard is used to project past the current well TD. This helps to predict how
far the user could possibly proceed if the well continued on its present trajectory.

Friction Coefficient Analysis

The Friction Coefficient Wizard is used to help determine what the friction coefficient(s) should be
in order to get the best match between the actual surface weight (as recorded during a job) and
model predictions. This is called the "Apparent Friction."
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If the wizard is launched while there is no field data associated with the current Orpheus project, all functionalities are disabled, as shown below. Field data must be loaded in the project
for the wizard to perform friction-factor modeling.

Click Import field data to browse for and load field data.
When field data was previously saved with the project, the data is displayed when the wizard
is launched in the context of an open project.

Using the Graph Area of the Friction Coefficient Analysis

The Surface Weight graph displays the following:

The points of surface weight vs. tripping depth of the field data.
The data points are divided into three categories: Disregarded, Unselected, and
Selected. Only Selected data is used in friction factor modeling.

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The Surface Weight curves for RIH and POOH.

The surface weight curves are calculated with current project settings (specifically, current
friction factors defined in Well Editor). However, if wellhead pressure and tripping speed are
available in the field data, then these data are used to interpolate the real pressure and speed
at each tripping depth.

In the Display area of the Surface Weight graph portion of the Friction Coefficient Wizard, the
following actions are available:

Click (to check) Disregarded data to see the disregarded data on the graph and in the data
table in the right-hand portion of the wizard.

Click (to check) Selected section to shade the selected section with yellow coloration.

Click (to toggle) Legends, Well geometry, or Well survey to see these types of information
displayed to the immediate right of the graph.

Click the Maximize Graph button to see an enlarged graph, with no Data, Options, or Results
tabs (modeling pages) shown to the right of the graph.

To see the Modeling Pages again, click the Show Modeling Pages button available on the
maximized graph.

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Using the Modeling Pages Area of the Friction Coefficient Analysis

Three types of modeling pages are available via three tabs: Data, Options, and Results.

Using the Data Tab in the Friction Coefficient Wizard

Settings on the Data tab/page determine the data points that should be used in modeling.

Within the Select data for modeling area, the user has two options from which to choose:
Custom selection and By friction factor sections.

To select data by custom selection

Click (to toggle) Custom selection to select or un-select any data point for inclusion/noninclusion in the friction modeling.

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Click the Select All button to select all data points.

Click the Unselect All button to un-select all data points.

When the Selection mode is Off the user can click and drag the mouse to zoom any area of the graph. To
zoom out, right-click the graph and click Zoom out.
When the Selection mode is Select or Unselect, the zooming functionality is disabled.
Select or un-select any data point for use in the modeling. Click and drag to draw a rectangle to cover the data
points that will be included or excluded in modeling. Another option is to use the typical Windows capability of
holding down the Ctrl key while clicking to select/un-select multiple points.
To select only a specific subset of the data for modeling, click the Unselect All button, and then click the Select
Selection mode.

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To select data by friction factor sections

In the Data tab of the Friction Coefficient Wizard with the selection method for modeling being
By friction factor sections, use the options available to select/un-select data by friction factor sections, as follows:

Use the Select All or Unselect All button to select or un-select all data, respectively.

Use the horizontal scroll bar next to the section field to view sections.

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Click (to check) Select data in all tubular sections to select the data in all available tubular
sections.

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When the Select data in all tubular sections is unchecked, the individual sections of
data can be selected using the forward and backward-pointing arrows associated with the
Section field.

Click (to check) the Select field to use a sections data in modeling.

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The Select checkbox has three states of selection: selected (checked), partially selected (box filled), or not
selected (box empty). This state of selection is reflected in the Surface Weight vs. Depth graph in the lefthand portion of the Friction Coefficient Wizard.

The Data Points Count (RIH/POOH) fields show the number of points Disregarded,
Selected, or Unselected as a result of the data selection process.

Using the Options Tab in the Friction Coefficient Wizard

The Friction Factor section in the Options tab provides the user with selection options (toggleboxes) to Vary [the] friction factor in the wellbore and/or in the wellbore sections.
1. Select from the following friction-factor variance options in determining the data modeling
friction factor:

Equally in entire wellbore: The friction factor is constantly determined within entire
wellbore.

Equally in tubulars only: The friction factor is constantly determined within all tubular
sections. The friction factor of openhole (if any) is not determined (current project settings are used).

In local section only: Here, each section has a friction factor and is determined from
the top down. In determining the friction factor of a lower section, the friction factor(s)
of the section(s) above it (which are already obtained) are used.

In selected section only: Here, only the friction factor of the selected section is
determined. The current project settings are used for friction factors of all other sections.

2. Input the Range of friction factor to determine the search range of the friction factor for
modeling. The default range is from 0 to 0.5.

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The Vertical Section near Surface area in the Options tab provides the user with options for calculating or not calculating the data near the surface of the wellbore.
1. The friction factor in the vertical, or nearly vertical, section near the surface has no (or negligible) effect on surface weight. Select the Disregard data points in vertical section near surface to potentially speed up the modeling calculation.
The critical deviation (well inclination) of the disregarded section defaults to 5 degrees. The
data points within the disregarded section are shown in the plot if the option (below surface
weight graph) to display disregarded data is selected.
2. Click (to check) Calibrate stripper friction and reel back tension using data in a vertical
section IF:
a. Stripper friction and reel back tension, respectively, are the same for RIH and POOH
AND
b. Data points for both RIH ad POOH are available for the vertical section near surface
THEN
The stripper friction and reel back tension can be easily obtained based on the data. With
such obtained stripper friction and reel back tension, the friction modeling results will be more
reliable.
When the setup for Data and Options is complete as desired, click the Calculate button at the
bottom of the Friction Coefficient Wizard dialog. Results of the calculations appear in the Results
tab of the Friction Coefficient Wizard dialog.

Also available after the Calculate button is clicked are the Stop button (for canceling the calculation) and a progress bar.

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When the calculation is complete, the Update Project button is enabled. Click the button to
reveal a warning of the impending overwriting of listed project data.

Using the Results Tab in the Friction Coefficient Wizard

The result tables list the sectional information of the wellbore. Friction factors for both the current project settings and the wizard solutions are listed for comparison purposes. The rootmean-square deviation (RMSD), as a measure of the modeling accuracy, is listed to show the
difference between the selected field data and the prediction.
Keep in mind that the friction in steel tubulars (tubing, casing, etc.) is usually fairly constant
for a given well and fluids. Fluctuations in surface weight may be indicative of other factors,
such as corrosion or mechanical damage, rather than friction. Avoid setting the friction for the
entire well based on a single data point, but rather look for consistent trends over large
intervals.
Below is a modeling result with the friction factor varying equally in the entire wellbore and a
friction factor range between 0 and 0.5. Note the obtained friction factor for the entire wellbore
is constant for RIH and POOH, respectively, and the RMSD is increasing due to the increasing data scattering.

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Below is the result with friction factor varying in the local section and the friction factor range
between 0 and 0.5.

Note the first section was not modeled because it is nearly vertical. In the second section, the
minimum or maximum value for the friction factor was reached with RIH and POOH, respectively,
in modeling. The listed results represent the best solution that can be obtained.

Cable Tension Wizard (WL)

The Cable Tension Wizard predicts the cable tension distribution based on one or more recent
jobs, using Orpheus project data rather than actual field measurements. The information can be
used to identify possible problems with drum crush.

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Catastrophic Buckling (CT)

The Catastrophic Buckling Load Calculator utility calculates a working limit for tubing force at
surface in order to avoid catastrophic buckling between the injector and the stripper. Note that
the buckling load is a compressive force.

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Free Fall Analysis

The Free Fall Analysis utility calculates the velocity and the energy created (upon impact of a bar
dropped in a deviated well) for the purpose of activating a tool downhole. The utility uses well
fluid distribution and wellsite parameter values defined in the current Orpheus project for RIH.
The user may click (to toggle) one of two objects to free fall: the Orpheus project toolstring
(assuming the toolstring has the ability to bend when bending is needed) or the Sinker bar
(assuming a cylindrical sinker bar is perfectly rigid and will stop when bending is required).

Pump Down Rate (WL)

This utility/wizard provides the user with the option of entering iterated/varying data for wellhead
pressure (WHP) and pump rate, which Cerberus uses in pump down calculations to help find the
minimum pump rate required to reach target depth.
If the user does not opt to input iterated data, the software calculates pumpdown rate using the
static WHP number specified in the main Orpheus wireline-project interface.
NOV CTES recommends using the varying-data-entry method for enhanced accuracy of the calculated outcome.

To calculate pump down rates allowing varying WHP and pump flow-rate data
1. From a wireline project in Orpheus, select the Calculate tab; then select Calculation Tools >
Pump Down Rate.
The Pump Down Wizard appears.
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2. Make changes to the Tool Depth Range and/or Pump Rate Range, if desired.
3. From the Input Parameters tab, click (to check) the Use WHP vs Pump Rate data table
togglebox (default).
The data table provides the user the ability to input Pump Rate and WHP parameters.
a. If no data for pressure response to flowrate is available, click (to uncheck) the
Use WHP vs Pump Rate data table togglebox. All related data input fields
become unavailable. During calculation, then, the software calculates pumpdown rate using the static WHP number specified in the main Orpheus wireline-project interface.
4. Input data in the Pump Rate (gal/min) and WHP (psi) area.
a. A new row appears when the user places the cursor in the existing bottom row.
b. Select a row and click Delete to delete a row.
c. Click Graph to view a representation of the data.
d. Select the Liquid Pump Rate or Wellhead Pressure tab to calculate respective data.
Calculated Limit Pump Rates -- WHP Varied with Pump Rate

To include the calculated results in the printed report from Orpheus report generator
1. Proceed with calculations as described previously.
2. Click Include results with other Orpheus printed reports.

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Force Monitor/Analysis (CT)

The primary purpose of this module is to facilitate the calculation of tubing forces from actual data
(either in real time for post-job), and to analyze the results from those calculations.
Expanding on the simple Surface Weight graph generated from the Trip in and out calculation in
Orpheus (see Trip In and Out (CT and JP)/Run in and Out (WL) on page 104), the Orpheus
Force Monitor provides a thorough plug milling analysis, which can be of help in increasing the
efficiency of plug milling operations in the field.
To effectively use the module, the user must provide the data (via import or in real time) and initiate the calculation on the Forces tab.

When launched from OrionNET, the module opens by default to the Forces tab, and the connection to the current OrionNET database is established.
When launched from Cerberus (Orpheus > Tools > Force Monitor/Analysis), the module also
opens by default to the Forces tab, and the user can establish a connection, if desired, to an
already-open OrionNET program by clicking the Connect to OrionNET button
.

The user interface is modeled after Reel-Trak (see Reel-Trak on page 31), supporting a step-bystep process for running the forces module post-job. Three tabs comprise the Orpheus Force
Monitor:

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Data Log: This tab displays all the data imported for use in the Forces module. It can also be
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Forces: This is the primary tab (and the default) used in the Forces module. This tab displays all calculation results for the module and the controls needed to run the calculations
in real time or post-job.

Analysis: When calculations are complete, this tab provides a summary analysis of plug
milling operations.

Using the Data Log Tab

As noted, this tab displays all the data imported for use in the Forces module. It can also be
used to import or export the data.
The data imported or acquired (from OrionNET) is displayed along with any calculated data,
such as speed, weight on bit, or milling efficiency.
The data in this tab is not directly editable. Data, however, may be imported from this tab.

To import data from the Data Log tab

1. Click the Import button in the Data Log tab.
2. The Orpheus Field Data Import dialog appears.

Data in the Averaged Data tab is not editable. The data here is informational only. All changes must be
made on the All Data tab.

3. Two options are available: Import OrionNET Data and Import ASCII Data.

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a. Click the OrionNET Import Settings link to view the settings popup.

Field data cannot be imported while connected to OrionNET.

b. Click the Import ASCII Data link to access the ASCII File Import Settings dialog.

1.) Click (to toggle) either Use Cerberus default import format or Use a customized
import format.
2.) When Use a customized import format is selected, the user can edit a variety of
import parameters. This dialog controls the format used to parse the selected file and
allows the user to select fields used during the import process.
3.) Click OK to save the selected settings to the file for future use.
These settings are shared with Reel-Track, so saving these also changes the settings Reel-Trak uses to import
ASCII data.

4. If desired, within the Orpheus Field Data Import dialog, click (to check) Append to existing
data during import to append any imported file (OrionNET or ASCII) to the existing data in
the table. When this box is unchecked (default), any existing data is overwritten when data is
imported.
5. To begin the import process, click Import OrionNET Data or click Import ASCII Data.
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A Windows dialog opens, from which the user selects the data file to import.
6. After importing a file, all fields in the All Data tab, with the exception of the Event field,
area editable.
a. Within the All Data tab, several activities become available in the toolbar. These toolbar activities are not available within the Averaged Data tab.
b. Click the Add new row
item to append a new row to the table and to set the focus
to the Depth field of the new row. NOTE: The Date/time from the previous row is used
as the default for the new row.
c. Click the Insert new row
item to insert a new row above the selected row in the
table and set the focus to the Depth field of the new row.
d. Click the Delete row button
e. Click the Clear all

to delete the selected row(s) from the table.

button to delete all rows from the table.

To export data from the Data Log tab

1. Click the Export button in the Data Log tab.
The Export to ASCII Windows dialog appears, from which the user can select the location
to save data files.

Using the Forces Tab

As noted previously, when launched from OrionNET, the module opens by default to the
Forces tab, and the connection to the current OrionNET database is established. The module
begins forces tracking and calculations automatically in a manner similar to Reel-Trak.
When launched from Cerberus (Orpheus > Tools > Force Monitor/Analysis), the module
also opens by default to the Forces tab, and the user can establish a connection, if desired, to
an already-open OrionNET program by clicking the Connect to OrionNET button.
See To run the forces monitor in real time with a connection to OrionNET on page 158.
The user can run calculations using the playback/navigation control panel or first switch to the
Data Log tab to import data (see Using the Data Log Tab).
OrionNET data can be run in real time via a live connection to OrionNET or run after-the-fact
when it is stored in a data file and imported into the Data Log.

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To use the Data Playback/Navigation area

As in Reel-Trak, this area is used to interact with the imported data for calculation/analysis. The
functions of the buttons are as follows:

Icon

Name

Function

Behavior Notes

Reset

Used to return to the first data row.

Disabled real-time.

Stop

Used to stop the calculation when

running real-time, or when multiples
have been executed.

Disabled when not running.

Run one

Used to run a single calculation (the

next in the data log).

Disabled real-time or when

already running.

Run n

Used to run a block of n calculations

(default is 100)

Disabled real-time or when

already running.
Number to run (n) can be
changed by right-clicking as in
Reel-Trak.

Run to
Plug

Used to run to the next plug

configured on the well (plugs must be
configured and automatic plug
detection turned on).

Disabled real-time or when

already running.

Run all

Used to run all entries in the data log.

Disabled real-time or when

already running.

Connect
to
OrionNET

Used to connect to a running instance

of OrionNET. NOTE: unlike Reel-Trak,
this button does NOT launch
OrionNET.

Disabled real-time or when

already running.

To run the forces monitor in real time with a connection to OrionNET

Adjacent to the Data Playback/Navigation area is the Connect to OrionNET icon.
Two options are available to run the Orpheus Force Monitor in real time:

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1. Option 1: With the Force Monitor in Cerberus unopened, launch the Forces Monitor from
OrionNET.
To launch the Forces Monitor from OrionNET

a. Launch OrionNET.
b. From the OrionNET Preferences dialog (Setup > Preferences), click (to check)
Always prompt for a Forces Monitor Project in the General tab and click OK.

c. From the OrionNET menu bar, select Orion > Monitors > Force Monitor.
The Select an Orpheus Project dialog appears, from which the user selects the appropriate project.
2. Option 2: Connect to OrionNET from Orpheus.
To launch the Forces Monitor from Cerberus

a. Launch OrionNET.
b. Launch Cerberus.
c. Open the appropriate Orpheus project.
d. Select, from the menu bar, Tools > Force Monitor/Analysis.
e. Select the Connect to OrionNET item adjacent to the Data Playback/Navigation
area.

To use the Surface Weight gauge and the Stress to Yield Ratio gauge
Both the Surface Weight and Stress to Yield Ratio gauges have a primary (red) needle and a
secondary (blue) needle. The needles display as follows:

The primary (red) needle displays the current value.

The secondary needle displays the maximum value processed. This needle (blue) may
be hidden if it lies behind the red needle.

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The Surface Weight gauge displays the current surface weight. The Yield Limit is rendered
in red.
The yield limit is calculated based on acquired/imported data. The yield limit represents the surface weight corresponding to pipe yield anywhere in the current depth (from surface to current depth).

The Stress to Yield Ratio gauge renders the current calculated stress relative to the yield limit of
the tubing. The red limit should match the Yield safety factor defined in the project options.

To use the Weight on Bit gauge

This gauge displays the calculated weight on bit. The gauge displays 0 when the calculation is
not being preformed. The calculation is only executed when the pipe is not moving (calculated
speed = 0). Only negative values are calculated to display the force set down on the bit. Positive
pick up forces are ignored.

To use the playback speed control

Visible only when processing the data post-job (or during play-back), this control allows the user
to slow down the calculation during critical operations, or to speed up the calculation when
watching the job is not important.

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The slider control changes the speed.

The Event number displays the current event being calculated. This remains visible in realtime mode.
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To use the Surface Weight plot

As each row of data is calculated in this plot, the current point (red dot) is updated to reflect
the results of each row. Markers are also rendered on the plot as the data log is processed,
as follows:
Blue + characters are rendered for Run in Hole data every n feet (based on the Averaging
Interval configured through the Field Data Import form). See To import data from the Data Log
tab on page 155.
Green X characters are rendered for Pull Out of Hole data every n feet (based on the Averaging Interval configured through the Field Data Import form).
Zoom in by clicking and dragging the mouse over a rectangular area. Zoom out by right-clicking on the
chart and selecting Zoom Out. These functions are similar to other Cerberus zoom functions.

To Use the CT Limits plot

Select the CT Limits tab adjacent to the Surface Weight tab. The CT Limits plot appears.

Similarly to the plot available in real time in OrionNET, the CT Limits plot is available in
Cerberus.
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To use the Friction Coefficient area

The Friction Coefficient area appears in the upper right-hand portion of the Orpheus Force
Monitor.

The default, which is derived from the well and is saved with the project, is the Planned friction
coefficient.
In the example above, note that the Planned Friction Coefficient is user defined; there is no need to click
Calculate.

To use the Planned coefficient

1. Click the Apply link associated with Planned to apply the default estimated Friction Coefficient to the data.
Alternatively, the user may calculate an estimated friction coefficient based on the acquired or
imported data (the Apparent coefficient).

To use the Apparent coefficient

1. Click the Calculate button to complete the Apparent calculation.
The apparent friction can't be calculated until the tubing enters a deviated portion of the well
and friction begins to have an effect on the surface weight. If the calculation does not find sufficient friction to perform the calculations, it continues to display the no value for the apparent
friction. This calculation does take time to complete; the current data values continue to be
updated on the screen while the friction is calculated in the background. When the calculations are complete, the calculation button becomes enabled again and the calculated friction
values are displayed beside the apparent friction label.
2. Click the Apply button associated with the Apparent friction coefficient. This adjusts the
curves on the surface weight plot to use the calculated apparent friction.
Using either scenario above, the curve displayed in the Surface Weight graph is updated to
reflect the selected coefficient.

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To use the Pressure/Well diagram

Appearing in the right-hand side of the Forces tab in the Orpheus Force Monitor, the pressure/well diagram displays three pieces of information: pressure data, current depth, and
bridge plug location.

As in other well diagrams, zoom in by clicking/dragging on the diagram, and zoom out by right-clicking.

Pressure Data
From the acquired/imported data, the pump pressure (Pp) and wellhead pressure (Pw) are
displayed as shown in the image above.

Current Depth
From the acquired/imported data, the current depth is rendered in red. This depth label
moves up/down on the diagram based on the depth.
If Auto zoom to plugs is clicked (to check), the label remains at the top of the diagram until the current
depth enters the plug zone.

Bridge Plug Locations

Bridge plugs are rendered on the diagram as shown. As progress is made and the plugs are
milled, they are rendered in green instead of gray.
Click (to check) Auto Zoom to plugs to automatically zoom into the range where the plugs begin.

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To use the Depth and Pump Pressure display

The current depth and pump pressure are displayed just below the surface weight graph.

To use the Plug Milling Operations area

This area displays all data and settings associated with plug milling operations.Through this
panel, the user can enter/edit plug depths on the well, control the plug length, and choose to
manually begin plug milling or to engage the automatic plug detection algorithm.

By default, Monitor Milling Operations is checked. Un-check this box to disable the milling
operations monitoring function.
To enter plug depths, click the Enter Plug Depths link in the upper right-hand corner of the area.
The Well Editors Quick Plug Entry dialog appears. See To configure multiple bridge plugs on
page 400 for more information.
The gauge in the lower left-hand portion of this area may be referred to as the Feed Rate gauge.
Its purpose is to display a graphical representation of the rate the mill is moving into the plug. It is
not measuring actual movement, but is deriving a progress based on changes in surface weight
while the measured depth is stationary. If the needle is in the left orange zone for an extended
period of time, the bit is not making significant progress and it could be an indication that more
weight on bit is needed, better hole cleaning may be needed, or the mill or motor may need service. If the needle is in the orange zone on the right side of the gauge, the mill is progressing into
the plug quickly and there could be a risk of motor stall or large cuttings that are difficult to circulate to surface. If the needle is in the green zone, the mill is likely progressing at a moderate
speed.
All other fields update based on the acquired/imported data during processing. The Total Milling
Time field is a running total for all plugs up to the current record.

To control how the milling time and progress are calculated

The user must define two options:
1. Plug Length this defaults to 36 inches, and is used to determine when the plug has been
completed. The current depth is monitored, and when the change in depth from the start of a
plug exceeds the plug length, the plug is assumed to be completed.
2. Plug Start Mode this can either be Auto Detect or Manual. When Manual, the user initiates plug milling by clicking the Start Plug button. When in Auto Detect mode, the system
attempts to detect a plug based on the depth of plug entered in Well Editor and a corresponding drop in surface weight.

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Using the Analysis Tab

In this tab, three plots are available, as well as a list of all the data from calculations related to
the plug milling operations.

The plots contain different combinations of the data shown in the table:
1. Milling Time by Depth This plot renders the change in time from the plug start event to
the plug end event, plotted against the depth of the plug location.
2. Milling Time by Weight on Bit This plot renders the change in time from the plug start
event to the plug end event plotted against the average weight on bit for the plug.
3. Average Weight on Bit by Depth This plot renders the average weight on bit for the plug
plotted against the depth of the plug location.
4. Average Milling Pressure by Depth This plot renders the average milling pressure for
the plug plotted against the depth of the plug location.

Stuck Point Analysis

If the CT and/or tool are stuck in the well, the stuck point depth can be calculated and a solution to free the tool determined.
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To calculate stuck point

1. From a CT project in Orpheus, select the Calculate tab; then select Calculation Tools >
Stuck Point Analysis.
The Stuck Point Wizard appears.

2. Define the problem:

a. Input the Measured Depth as indicated by the depth counter.
b. Select RIH or POOH from the dropdown to specify the wellsite parameters and fluid distribution as the user respectively: pulls up while running in-hole (the default the procedure
most often used by field personnel) or slacks off while pulling out-of-hole.
3. Determine the probable depth of the stuck point using one of the two wizard options available.
4. Attempt to get free using one of the two wizard options available.
The stuck point calculation uses the gooseneck radius input in the preferences.

The stripper friction can have a considerable effect on the stuck point calculation.

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Packer & Completion Analysis

The Packer and Completion Analysis wizard calculates what happens to a packer set on the
end of production or workover tubing if conditions change surface or downhole.

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Printing Orpheus Project Data

Print the configuration for a project, as well as calculated data.
The data must be calculated before it can be printed.

To Print a Project
1. Open the project in Orpheus.
The Orpheus main screen appears with the project information loaded.
2. Click Print (

) on the toolbar.

OR
Select File > Print from the Orpheus menu bar.
The Cerberus Print dialog appears.

3. Select the print information.

Options to print include a Cover Page, Input Parameters, Survey Graph, and Survey Data.
4. Select the Printer from the dropdown. If the following is in place:

A SharePoint URL with the related Cerberus configuration is set up as described in Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab on page 29, and

The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer is selected in the application.

Then, the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.

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5. Click the associated information button

to display the following information.

6. Click the Select Logo button to select a logo.

7. Click the Print button.
If SharePoint is not available or its use is not desired, a PDF file can be printed for email distribution or archival.
To view a PDF file, the free Adobe Reader must be installed on the computer. It can be downloaded from
Adobes Web site at www.adobe.com.

NOV CTES does NOT recommend the use of any other PDF generator other than the CTES PDF Generator. Use of any other PDF generator can produce unpredictable and undesirable results.

To use the CTES PDF Generator

1. Click Print (

) on the toolbar or click File > Print... from the menu.

The Orpheus Report Manager screen appears.

2. Select the print information as described previously.
3. Select the printer.
In the Printer Options section, select CTES PDF Printer 50 from the Printer dropdown
menu.
4. Click Print.
The Save As dialog box appears.
5. Enter a file name.
Navigate to the desired location where the file should be saved.

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Ensure the Save as type selection is listed as PDF files (*.pdf). Otherwise, the file might not
be saved correctly and might be unavailable for use.

Emailing Project Data

Orpheus data files can easily be exported and emailed to other Cerberus users.
This procedure assumes the user has Microsofts Outlook email program installed; the steps described are
geared toward that end. If the user has a different email program, the steps require modification.

To email job data files

1. Select a project to email.
2. Click File > E-mail Project To....
The Export Orpheus window appears.
3. Select the desired project data file to export.
All available project data files are listed.
4. Click OK.
The Outlook Address Book window appears.
5. Select or enter the desired recipients of the data file.
If the recipient is in the address book, then select the recipient from the list. Otherwise, enter
an email address for the recipient in the To field.
6. Click OK.
If an Outlook warning appears stating that another program is trying to access the email
addresses in Outlook, click Yes to allow the access.
The email message appears addressed to the selected recipient(s) and with the data file
attached.
7. Click Send.

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USING HYDRA
This section describes the process involved in using the Hydra wellbore hydraulics simulator,
the Cerberus hydraulics model for coiled tubing and jointed pipe.

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About Hydra
The Cerberus Hydra wellbore hydraulics simulator model performs hydraulics calculations for
coiled tubing (CT) and jointed pipe (JP). Included in the model are a large number of tools to help
design/model CT and JP pumping operations. Options range from basic snapshot calculations
to more complex simulations where conditions change with time. Hydra wizards help the user to
step through the complex process of choosing fluids and specifying volumes and flow rates.
Hydra supports a wide range of fluid types and models, including gases, foams, and multiphase fluids.

Hydra incorporates the following:

Power Law, Bingham Plastic, Herschel Bulkley, and Newtonian fluid models

Foam, gas, and multiphase fluid models

Well unloading and gas lift design wizards

Fill Removal wizard, for sand cleanouts

Velocity String Design wizard

Pump wizard for circulation volumes and times

Job Design wizard, for rapid configuration of multi-stage jobs

Stage Table data-entry for time-based simulations

Reservoir inflow/outflow calculations

Nozzle and choke calculations

The Hydra Process

The process involved in using Hydra is as follows:
1. Create a new Hydra project or select an existing project (see page 178).
When creating a new project, choose from two types of project:
a. Basic Hydraulics involving general circulation of fluids.
b. Advanced Job Design involving using a design wizard to model a specific job type.
2. Determine a conveyance method (see page 185).
3. (Optional) Create a tool string or select/edit an existing tool string(see page 186).
4. Create a well or select/edit an existing well (see page 186).
5. Select fluids in the job (see page 188).
6. Set initial fluid distribution parameters (see page 188).
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7. (Optional) Set advanced project options (see page 191).

8. Perform calculations using application wizards, standard/snapshot calculations, and/or
stage tables (see page 191).

Standard Snapshot

Stage Table

a. Set Parameters

a. Set up stage table

b. Calculate

b. Calculate

c. View results and print for

hardcopy or electronic
transmission

c. View results and print for hardcopy or electronic transmission

Hydra (along with the other Cerberus models) is organized by projects.

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Accessing Hydra
To access Hydra from the Cerberus home page

Select the Hydra button.

OR

Select Models > Hydra from the menu bar.

The Hydra model loads, as indicated by the following display screen:

The opening dialog of the Hydra Wellbore Hydraulics model appears.

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Hydra Opening Dialog

This Hydra Hydraulics Simulator opening dialog contains the Setup Wizard, which is used to
model the circulation of liquids, gases, and multiphase fluids in the pipe, wellbore, and reservoir.
Users may also access the Setup Wizard via the opening-dialog toolbar:

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Hydras Opening-dialog Tools

Hydras opening-dialog toolbar contains the following tools:

Hydra Opening-dialog Toolbar

Tool
Button

176

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Hydra.

New

Opens the dialog box to create a new

Hydra project.

Open

Opens the dialog box to open an

existing Hydra project.

Save

Saves the current project to disk.

Delete

Deletes the current project from the

hard drive.

Print

Opens the dialog box to print the current project.

Select String

Opens the dialog box to select the

string.

Select Reel

Opens the dialog box to select the

reel.

Select Well

Opens the dialog box to select the

well.

Select Tool

Opens the dialog box to select the

tool string.

Select Fluids

Opens the dialog box to select the fluids for the project and their colors.

Initial Fluid Distribution

Opens the dialog box to select the initial fluid distribution.

Calculation Setup

Opens the calculation setup dialog

box to select the flow path and the
inputs for the project.

Options

Displays the dialog box to set Hydra

options (if in Stage Table mode).

String Editor

Starts String Editor with the current

string loaded.

Reel Manager

Starts Reel Manager with the current

reel loaded.

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Hydra Opening-dialog Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Well Editor

Starts Well Editor with the current well

loaded.

Tool String Editor

Starts Tool Manager with the current

tool string loaded.

Fluids Manager

Starts Fluids Manager.

Setup Wizard

Starts the Setup Wizard for a step-bystep guide through setting up and
starting a new project.

Help

Provides Hydra-related help.

Stop Calculations

Cancels a calculation.

View Well

Zooms in on the well view.

3D Survey Data

Shows the three-dimensional survey

data.

View Surface

Zooms in on the surface and shows

pressures or geometry.

View Choke

Zooms in on the choke, so the choke

inputs can be specified.

View Reel

Zooms in on the reel, displaying the

movement of liquids.

View Tool

Zooms in on the tool.

View Reservoir

Zooms in on the reservoir.

View Perforations

Zooms in on perforations.

Data Table

View data in table format.

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Working with Projects

The Hydra model is organized by projects.
CT projects and jointed pipe projects are configured similarly. Calculations are also performed
similarly. The main differences between the two types of projects are as follows:

CT projects use a string of CT; jointed pipe projects use a string of JP.

CT projects involve a reel and gooseneck; jointed pipe projects do not.

Creating a New Hydra Project

The following procedure outlines how to create a new Hydra project.

To start a new project

1. From the Hydra Opening Dialog, choose one of the following:

Select File > New Project from the menu bar.

Click the New toolbar button:

Click the Start a New Project button in the Setup Wizard. See Using the Job Design
Wizard on page 198.

If either of the first two options is chosen, the New Project dialog appears:
New Hydra Project dialog

Start a new Hydra project directly from the Cerberus home page by selecting File > New > Hydraulics Project
(Hydra).

2. Select the location into which the project is added.

3. Provide a new name for the project. The name may consist of letters, numbers, and spaces,
with a maximum of 32 characters.
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The Configuration display screen appears.

4. Configure the project (see Entering Project-configuration Information for more information).

To start a new project using the Setup Wizard

1. Launch the wizard by clicking the Setup Wizard button
the Setup Wizard... button on the Config tab.

on the toolbar, or by clicking

2. Click the Start a New Project menu.

3. To model a job with a general circulation of fluids, select Basic Hydraulics and do one of
the following:

Click the Standard mode button

tions (where time is not a variable).

for basic calculations with steady-state condi-

Click the Stage Table mode button

to specify a fluids and a pump schedule in
order to create charts of pressure and other parameters against time.

Click the Control Panel mode button

to set flowrates from a simulated control
console (used mostly for training and demonstrations).

OR
To model a specific job type using design wizards, click Advanced Job Design and
choose one of the following wizards. When the project has been configured, the selected
wizard will launch to complete the process.

Fill Removal Wizard

Multiphase Wizard

Well Unloading Wizard

Foam Wizard

Velocity String

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Where applicable, choose the Simple Mode to quickly select or edit a module or choose
Advanced Mode to model a specific job type using a design wizard.

To . . .

Do this . . .

Show the Setup Wizard automatically

when starting Hydra.

Start the Setup Wizard. Select the Automatically show this Wizard on Startup
checkbox in the lower left corner under the
Preferences menu.

Stop the Setup Wizard from starting automatically.

Start the Setup Wizard. Disable the Automatically show this Wizard on Startup
check box in the lower left corner under
the Preferences menu.

Specify units

Click Units under the Options, Utilities

and Help menu.

Change preferences in Hydra.

From the menu bar, select Setup > Preferences.

Opening an Existing Hydra Project

The following procedure describes how to open an existing project.

To open an existing project

1. From the Hydra Opening Dialog, choose one of the following:

Select File > Open Project from the menu bar

Click the Open Project toolbar button:

Click the Open an Existing Project button on the opening dialog

OR

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Click the Open an Existing Project button in the Setup Wizard.

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2. The Select a Hydra Project dialog appears, from which to select the desired project.

Organizing Projects into Folders

Hydra is designed with default folders for each type of project (Coiled Tubing Projects;
Jointed Pipe Projects). The default folders cannot be renamed, moved, or deleted.
When a new project is created, a folder for the projects placement is automatically selected.
These folders are internal to Cerberus, and unrelated to folders in Windows Explorer.

Projects or folders cannot be placed under different project types. (For example, CT projects cannot be
placed under the Jointed Pipe Projects folder.)

Saving a Hydra Project

The project configuration and last set of calculated values is retained when the project is
saved. There are two ways a project can be saved:

Click Save (

) on the toolbar.

OR

On the menu bar, click File > Save or Save As....

Deleting a Hydra Project

When a project is deleted, the information is not recoverable.

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To Delete a Project

On the menu bar, select File > Delete Project.

Importing a File
An entire project or any of its components may be imported using Hydra. Only projects, however,
may be exported from Hydra

To import a file in Hydra

1. If importing from removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Hydra.
3. Select File > Import... from the dialog menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later). Click Open.

Hydra imports the project data.

5. Click Open.
A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user intends to import a project or component that already exists on the active computer, the tree view
does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import Utility popup appears, from which the user designates whether to

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replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip this specific project/
component, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the
Files Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand
side of this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or
Projects are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will
be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.
The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category
on the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for
import, but that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a Hydra Project

Any project in Hydra can be exported to removable media to be imported into another computer with Hydra.
Exporting from Hydra provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the .zcy
extension (which is essentially an XML file).

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To Export a Project
1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Hydra.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.
The Select Hydra Projects dialog appears. Select a project or group of projects and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the project.
If the project is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a new
name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)).
6. Click Save.
The project is exported to the desired location and a popup appears describing the file path
where the project is saved and the name of the saved project.

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Entering Project-configuration Information

Configuration information is stored within a project, so it is quickly accessible without the
necessity of re-input.
1. Select a conveyance string.

To select a conveyance string

From the Configuration display screen (available after providing a name for the new
project, or available from the menu-bar item Configuration > String) complete the
following:
Click the yellow-folder to browse and select from existing CT strings or JP strings.
OR
Click the String Editor button to edit an existing string.
Hydra Configuration Display Screen

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From the main Hydra display screen, click the yellow-folder icon to browse and select
from existing CT Strings or JP Strings.

2. (Optional) Configure a tool string.

To configure a tool string

From the Configuration display-screen Tool tab, select Simple Tool, Advanced Tool, or
No Tool.

To configure a sophisticated tool string (BHA), select Advanced Tool and import a tool
string previously configured in Tool String Editor.
Hydra Configuration Tool Tab

3. Select a well.

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To select a well
a. From the Configuration display screen (available after providing a name for the new
project, or available from the menu-bar item Configuration > Well), complete the following:

Click the yellow-folder icon to browse and select from existing wells.

OR

Click the Well Editor button (

) to access the Select Well display screen.

b. From the main Hydra display screen, click the yellow-folder icon to browse and select
from existing wells.

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4.

Select fluids in the job.

To select fluids in a job

a. From the Hydra display-screen Config (default) tab, click the Selection button associated with
Fluids.

The Select Fluids display screen appears.

b. Use the dropdown(s) to select fluids to be added or removed from the project.
c. Click the color associated with the selected fluid to change fluid color.
5. Set initial fluid distribution.

To set initial fluid distribution

a. From the Hydra display-screen Config tab, click the Distribution button associated with
Fluids.

The Initial Fluid Distribution display screen appears.

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b. Enter information so that Hydra understands the fluid or fluids initially present in the
conveyance and the well. The parameters entered here act as a starting point for calculations. (Use the Help button on this display screen for more information.)
6. (Optional) Mix pumped and reservoir fluids automatically in the annulus.
When a reservoir is producing and a fluid is pumped, the fluid in the annulus is a mixture
of the pumped fluid and the fluid produced from the reservoir. In most cases, the fluid mixture in the annulus is a multiphase fluid whose properties, such as gas-liquid ratio (GLR),
are dependent on both reservoir production rate and pump rate. Prior to Cerberus version
10.5, users had to estimate the fluid properties of the annulus mixture and define the fluid
mixture in the Fluid Editor.
Generally, a manual iteration scheme has to be used, because the GLR of the annulus
mixture depends on the reservoir production rate but the reservoir production rate is
dependent on the flowing bottomhole pressure, which is a function of the annulus fluid
properties, including GLR.
This function is only available when a reservoir is included in the calculation. This is
because this option is relevant only when the reservoir is producing. When there is no
reservoir or when the reservoir is not included, there is no issue of mixing fluids between
the pumped fluid and the reservoir fluid.

To include a reservoir in the calculation

1. From the Hydra menu bar, select Setup > Project Options. (See (Optional) Set
advanced project options.)
OR
Click the View Reservoir toolbar button.
2. Click to toggle Include reservoir properties in calculations; click OK.
A reservoir must be defined to be included in the calculation. See Using the Well Editor for more information.

To automatically mix pumped fluid with reservoir fluid

1. From the Initial Fluid Distribution display screen, select the Well tab (See Set initial fluid distribution.)
2. Click (to toggle) the Automatically mix pumped fluid with reservoir fluid togglebox.

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3. Click OK.

When the togglebox Multiple Fluids is selected, the Automatically mix pumped fluid with reservoir fluid
field is hidden.
When the Automatically mix pumped fluid with reservoir fluid togglebox is activated, the following are disabled:
- Foam Wizard (See Foam Wizard on page 200.)
- Fill Removal Wizard (See Fill Removal Wizard on page 200.)
- Well Unloading Wizard (See Well Unloading Wizard on page 201.)

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7. (Optional) Set advanced project options.

To set advanced project options

a. From the Hydra display-screen Config tab, click the Project Options
button. The Project Options display screen appears.

b. Click (to check) available toggles or input information into the four tabbed areas: General, Calculations, Forces, and Models.

Within the Project Options > General tab, the item Include drag reduction for Power Law fluid is toggled on by default.
As noted in the associated Tip, many polymer fluids, such as guar, xanthan, PHPA, and HEC, as well as
surfacant-based fluids, exhibit significant drag reduction in turbulent flow. Because the traditional DodgeMetzner correlation overestimates the friction pressure of these fluids in turbulent flow, the effect of drag
reduction should be, and is (by toggling), included in the calculation.

8. Perform calculations using any of the methods described in Performing Calculations.

Performing Calculations
Various methods of performing calculations are available in Hydra:

Standard snapshot calculations for general, current-conditions hydraulics calculations in

which time is not a variable.

Stage Table calculations, wherein a sequence of fluids and pump rates are specified in
order to simulate the progress of a job as the fluids circulate over time.

Wizard calculations, where the user is walked through various types of calculations,
including foam, fill removal, well unloading, multiphase, analysis, and pump.

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Standard Snapshot Calculations

To specify the Standard calculation method
Select the Mode tab from the Hydra display screen:

OR
Select the Mode menu-bar item from the Hydra display screen:

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To configure and run standard calculations

1. Select the Run-time tab from the Hydra display screen.

2. Edit any red-colored parameter, as desired.

3. Click the Update button.
4. Hydra calculates the values in blue on the Run-time tab and on the diagram.

View calculated values on the Run-time tab and the Summary tab.

Left-click the Well View area of the diagram to see graphs.

Advancing Fluids in a Standard Calculation

XREF text: advancing fluids

When a standard calculation is first performed, Hydra uses the initial fluid distribution. Fluids
can then be advanced through the system using a method similar to the Control Panel, but
with more control.

Advance fluids using the following methods:

Advance the fluids by volume: Equivalent to pumping the specified volume of the pump
fluid.

Advance next fluid interface to depth. Equivalent to pumping the pump fluid until there
is a new fluid at the specified depth in the annulus. For example, suppose there is fresh
water in the annulus at 5000 ft, followed by acid. When the next fluid interface is
advanced to 5000 ft, pump the pump fluid until the acid reaches 5000 ft in the annulus.

Advance treatment fluid: Equivalent to pumping the pump fluid until the specified fluid
reaches the specified depth in the annulus. For example, suppose there is fresh water in

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the annulus at 5000 ft, followed by acid, followed by gel. When the gel is advanced to 5000 ft,
pump the pump fluid until the gel reaches 5000 ft in the annulus.

To turn on the advance-fluids feature

1. Under the Setup menu, select Hydra Preferences.
2. From the Features tab, select Enable Displacement Buttons.

To advance fluids in the standard calculation

1. Perform an initial standard calculation.
2. Click the

button to access the Advance Fluids screen.

Advance Fluids

Select parameters to test. Click OK.

3. Click the Forward

button on the main screen.

4. Hydra advances the fluid distribution by the amount specified and calculates the outputs for
the new fluid distribution.

Continue to click Forward until the current criteria for advancing the fluids no longer
makes sense.

Change the Advance Fluids parameters for further testing; then click Forward.

Reset to the initial fluid distribution by clicking the Reset

button.

Stage-table Calculations
Hydraulics calculations can often be broken down into stages. A stage is described as a specific depth range to which a single fluid is pumped. A stage table stores flow and depth data
describing a sequence of events over time. In stage-table calculations, the stage table is played
so that Hydra steps through the sequence of events and calculates additional data for each
event.

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To specify the use of the stage-table calculation method

Select the Mode tab from the Hydra display screen:

OR
Select the Mode menu-bar item from the Hydra display screen:

To configure the available stage-table parameters

The Stage Table Configuration dialog allows the user to select Time, Pressure, Pump, and
Miscellaneous parameters that dictate the availability of these parameters when displaying
and printing a stage table.
1. From the Mode tab > Stage Table area in the Hydra display screen, select the Configure
button.
OR
From a stage-table display screen (see To open a stage table for viewing only), select
Options > Stage Table Configuration from the menu bar.

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The Stage Table Configuration dialog appears.

2. Within each tab, click (to check) the various stage-table parameters to display/print.
If certain parameters are visible but not available for clicking, set Advanced Project Options to rectify the situation (see page 191).

To open a stage table for viewing only

Click the Stage Table button

on the Hydra toolbar.

To edit a stage table

On Hydras Mode tab, click the Edit button associated with Stage Table.
OR

From the Hydra menu bar, select Mode > Stage Table. The Stage Table area becomes highlighted on the Mode tab. Click the Edit button associated with Stage Table.

To configure the stage table

Each row in the stage table represents one event. The shorter the duration of an event, the more
detailed the results.
To enter data in a row, simply type in the table. Use the following shortcuts to help facilitate data
entry/configuration.

To . . .

196

Do this . . .

Quickly enter multiple rows describing an

entire job.

Use the Job Design wizard. (see

page 198)

Quickly change the fluid in a single event.

Click the fluid name, click the dropdown,

choose the new fluid.

Quickly add comments to a single event.

Click the comments field; click the dropdown; choose the new comment or insert
a new one.

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To . . .

Add a row after the current row.

Add a row to the end of the stage table.

Do this . . .

Click the Insert button on the toolbar

Click the New Row button on the toolbar

.

Delete a row or rows from the stage table.

Select the row or rows to delete. On the

Edit menu, select Cut.

Clear all the rows in the stage table.

Click the Clear All button on the toolbar

.

See the data for a single row in dialog box

format.

Use the Data Entry wizard. (see

page 198)

Set all the cells in a column after a particular row to a single value.

Enter the new value in the first cell to

change. Then right-click the cell and
select Copy Down from the menu.

Expand one or more rows with long durations into multiple rows with shorter durations.

Select the rows; then click Edit > Expand.

Enter the time interval for each new row;
then click OK.

Show or hide stage-table columns.

Click Options > Stage Table Configuration and select the columns to view or
print.

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Using Stage-table Strip Charts

To . . .

View strip charts

Do this . . .

Click the View Chart button on the toolbar

.

View a different strip chart.

Select a different chart in the dropdown

box in the lower left.

Resize the strip chart.

Resize the strip chart window.

Create a new strip chart that will be available to all of the projects.

In the menu bar, click File > New Chart.

Select the data to include on the chart.

Print a strip chart

Select File > Print from the Chart menu

bar OR click the Print button in the lower
right-hand portion of the chart.
Select the printer options (including the
availability of printing to PDF), and click
the Print button.

Using the Data Entry Wizard

Use the data entry wizard to enter a single row of data in the stage table.

To enter a data row with the Data Entry wizard

1. Open the stage table for the project in Hydra.
2. Click anywhere in the row of the stage table to edit.
3. Click the Data Entry Wizard button

on the toolbar.

Using the Job Design Wizard

Use the Job Design wizard to enter multiple data rows into the stage table.

To enter multiple data rows with the Job Design wizard

1. Click the Job Design Wizard button

on the toolbar.

OR
Press F9.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions.

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Running Stage-table Calculations

To run stage-table calculations
1. Select the Run-time tab on the Hydra display screen.
OR
Use the Hydra Stage Table toolbar buttons.
2. To run the entire stage table, click the Run All button

3. To run the next line of the stage table, click the Run Next button
4. To reset the stage table to the beginning, click the Reset button
5. The job is done playing when the blue stop button

.
.

turns grey.

6. View the calculation results from the Summary tab on the Hydra display screen.

Application-wizard Calculations
Use application wizards to calculate data of particular interest to specific applications.
Excluding the Pump Wizard, the application wizards can be run at any time, regardless of the current calculation mode. To run the Pump Wizard, switch to the Stage Table mode.

To access the application wizards

1. From the Hydra display screens menu bar, select Applications.
2. Click the name of the desired wizard.

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Foam Wizard

Use the Foam Wizard to optimize the fluid pump rates and pressures to achieve desired foam
qualities in the wellbore. Once the liquid and gas pump rates have been determined, exit the Wizard and use the main Hydra view screens to complete the analysis and print charts. The Foam
Wizard provides basic foam calculations. To model fill removal using foam, use the Fill Removal
Wizard (see page 200).
Two types of foam calculations are provided in this wizard. Either a set of pump rates are calculated for the inputs or for a specified range of pump rates, the system pressures and the foam
quality are found.

Fill Removal Wizard

Use the Fill Removal Wizard to calculate the minimum and maximum pump rates and pressures
to remove fill, such as sand, from the wellbore. Other data of interest to a fill removal job, such as
annular velocity at top of fill, lowest annular velocity, wellhead pressure, maximum pressure, bottoms up time, and maximum penetration rate are also available.
Hydra can use one of the following criteria for determining the success of a fill removal.

200

The velocity factor method based on the fact that fill is removed as long as the fluid lifts the
fill particles faster than they fall. A fill removal is considered successful if the annular velocity
exceeds the settling velocity by a specified amount. This method applies to vertical wells.

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The bed formation method calculates the height of the fill material settled in the annulus. A fill removal is considered successful if the bed height is reduced to a specified
amount. This method is suited for deviated and horizontal wells. Note: In near-vertical
sections (where beds do not form), this method reverts to the velocity-factor method.

The maximum pump rate is determined by the limits of the surface equipment and any limits
on the downhole pressure. Many of the questions in the Fill Removal Wizard relate to finding
the maximum pump rate.
If the fill removal cannot be performed as configured, the minimum pump rate to remove the
fill is higher than the maximum pump rate allowed. To be able to perform the fill removal,
select a lighter fluid, adjust the constraints, or experiment with other inputs.

Well Unloading Wizard

Liquid loading is a common problem in many gas wells. The well can be loaded by workover
or completion fluids following a workover or completion job. Wellbores can also be loaded
with produced liquid (such as water or hydrocarbon condensate in the late life of a gas well)
when the reservoir pressure has decreased. In either case, the accumulated wellbore liquid
needs to be removed; in other words, the well needs to be unloaded to restore the wells production.
Using coiled tubing (CT) to unload a well with nitrogen is a quick and cost-effective method to
remove the liquid load of the wellbore. During a CT unloading process, CT is run into the wellbore. Nitrogen can be pumped through the CT while it is RIH or after the CT has reached a
certain depth. The nitrogen aerates the liquid column in the annulus. This reduces the hydrostatic pressure of fluid in the annulus; hence, the downhole pressure is reduced. When the
downhole pressure is lower than the reservoir pressure, the reservoir fluid starts to flow into
the wellbore.
During a typical unloading process of a gas well, the reservoir does not produce until the bottomhole pressure is reduced below the reservoir pressure. For the upward multiphase flow in
the annulus, liquid flow rate comes solely from the initial wellbore liquid. During this period, as
far as the annular multiphase flow is concerned, the initial wellbore liquid behaves like a virtual liquid (water) reservoir, constantly feeding the upward annular flow with liquid. Apparently, the rate of liquid feeding the annulus flow is related to the run-in-hole (RIH) speed of the
CT. In the well unloading wizard, the liquid unloading rate is calculated based on the well
geometry, the CT RIH speed, and initial liquid level as well as the target unloading depth.
Approached somewhat differently than the other Hydra wizards, the well unloading wizard is
implemented on three tab views, as described below.
The reservoir must be defined to use this wizard.

Depth Analysis Tab

The main objective of the depth analysis is to estimate the required gas in order to achieve a
given target Bottomhole Pressure if the CT is set at different depths. Typically, the deeper the
CT is set, the less gas rate is required. This is because more liquid is mixed with gas so that
the total hydrostatic pressure is reduced. For a given target bottomhole pressure, less gas is
required. But when gas injection depth is deeper, the required pump pressure is usually
greater. The result of depth analysis will be helpful for users to select a proper gas injection
depth and gas rate.

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Upon access, the Well Unloading Wizards Depth Analysis tab appears similarly to the following:

1. Input salient parameters into the available fields.

The inputs within this tab define the required input parameters for depth analysis; in other
words, the analysis of required gas injection rate if the coiled tubing is set at different injection
depths. More specifically:
a. Loading Fluid This specifies the liquid that has loaded the well. Only liquids are displayed in the combobox for Loading Fluid.
b. Liquid Level This is the initial liquid level of the loading liquid in the wellbore.
c. Specified CT RIH Speed This is used to estimate the liquid rate at which the well is
unloaded. It is assumed that the faster the CT RIH Speed, the greater the liquid unloading
rate.
d. Unloading Fluid only gases are allowed to be used as unloading fluid. This is the fluid
to be pumped through the CT.
e. Gas Rate Minimum, Maximum and Step specify the range of gas pump rate to be simulated. The gas rate Step is used to break the gas rate range into a number of intervals
so that the unloading hydraulics can be calculated at various gas pump rates.
f.

Wellhead Pressure this is the fluid pressure at the location of the wellhead. It is used
as one boundary condition for the hydraulics calculation.

g. Bottom Hole Pressure this is the target pressure to be achieved by unloading. This
Bottomhole Pressure and the Wellhead Pressure define the two boundary conditions for
pressure calculations.
h. Calculate button click this button to obtain the plot of depth analysis. The depth analysis plot is displayed in the area on the right portion of the tab page.

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2. Click the Calculate button to view a display screen similar to the following.
Well Unloading Interface, Depth Analysis Tab

The chart plots Depth vs. Gas Flow Rate loaded from Hydras calculations. A red dot is
displayed showing the Calculated CT Depth if no Selected CT Depth is loaded from
Hydra. Otherwise, the red dot shows the Selected CT Depth, and the graph does not
represent actual data from Hydra.
a. Selected CT Depth this is the CT depth the user selected for Rate Analysis. To
select a Selected CT Depth directly on the graph (rather than inputting a value in the
available field), left-click in the desired position on the graph.
3. Right-click the graph to open a context menu displaying various user-available options:
Show Range Lines, Clear Range Lines, or Zoom Out. Clear Range Lines is initially
disabled.
a. Click Show Range Lines to view the Well Unloading: Range Options dialog.

Input the desired range; click OK.

The ranges lines become visible on the graph.

To remove the range lines from the graph

1. Right-click the graph to open the context menu.
2. Click the now-visible Clear Range Lines option.
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c. Click Zoom Out from the graphs right-click menu or left-click on the graph and drag to
zoom out on the graph.

To zoom in on the graph

Left-click and drag the mouse over the graph.

Rate Analysis Tab

The purpose of this tab is to perform sensitivity analysis of gas pump rate on the bottomhole
pressure for a given gas injection depth; in other words, the CT Depth. As indicated in the related
figure (below), as N2 pump rate is increased, the bottomhole pressure is first reduced significantly. This occurs as a result of the nitrogen gas entering the annulus liquid, which reduces its
density and therefore the hydrostatic pressure is decreased. At a certain N2 rate (about 340
scftm in the figure), the bottomhole pressure reaches the minimum value. A further increase of
N2 gas rate (from 340 scfm in the figure) results in increased bottomhole pressure. This unexpected result occurs due to increased friction pressure loss at high N2 pump rates, which more
than offsets the decrease in hydrostatic pressure that is achieved with the additional N2 being
pumped. This result helps the user to select the optimum gas pump rate.
1. Input salient parameters into the available fields. A few inputs are different from those in the
Depth Analysis tab:
a. Effective Unloading Time the time it takes for CT to reach from the initial Liquid Level
to the target CT Depth. This can be calculated based on the CT RIH Speed. Or, if the
Effective Unloading Time is given, the CT RIH Speed can be calculated.
b. CT Depth the target unloading depth.

If coiled tubing depth is not loaded from Hydra and the user does not click the Calculate button on the Depth
Analysis tab, the CT Depth field defaults to -1.
If the coiled tubing depth is loaded from Hydra or the user clicks the Calculate button on the Depth Analysis
tab, the value for CT Depth is the Selected CT Depth.

c. Plot of Bottomhole Pressure vs. Gas Flow Rate gives the graphical result of the
effect of gas pump rate on the bottomhole pressure.
d. Selected Gas Rate the user-selected gas rate, based on the result shown on the plot.
This value is used in the result calculation. To change the selected gas rate, left-click the
graph in the desired area, or input the rate directly into the field.
If no data was loaded from Hydra for selected gas rate, the Selected

Gas Rate field is hidden.

2. Click the Calculate button to view a display screen similar to the following.

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Well Unloading Interface, Rate Analysis Tab

Results Tab
This tab summarizes the results of the unloading wizard analysis, providing detailed hydraulics results for a given gas injection depth and given gas pump rate. A brief summary includes
CT Depth, Unloading Gas Rate, BHP, Pump Pressure, and total required gas volume (Calculated Unloading Volume). The pressure profiles in the CT, annulus and well sections are
displayed on the plot of Pressures vs. Depth, with different line colors (blue, green and red)
representing different flow paths. The View Data button provides the option to display the
detailed hydraulics data in tabular format. The Print Report button allows the user to print
wizard results.

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Well Unloading Interface, Results Tab

Click Zoom Out from the graphs right-click menu or left-click on the graph and drag to zoom
out on the graph.

To zoom in on the graph

Left-click and drag the mouse over the graph.

Multiphase Wizard

Use the Multiphase Wizard to calculate a steady state solution for a multiphase fluid.

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Analysis Wizard

The Analysis Wizard is used to see how varying the pump rate affects key parameters (such
as the bottomhole pressure, annular velocity, fluid density, and foam quality).
If a multiphase fluid was selected, the wizard analyzes each combination of liquid and gas
pump rates.

Job Design Wizard

The Job Design Wizard is used to enter multiple rows into the stage table (see page 194).

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Pump Wizard

The Pump Wizard is used to model a stage table job where a sequence of different treatment fluids can circulate. Charts of pump pressure, bottom-hole pressure, and other key data plotted
against time are viewable. Inputs for this wizard are CT depth, various treatment fluids used in
the displacement process, fluid volumes, and pump rates.

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USING VELOCITY STRING

This section describes the process involved in using Velocity String, the Cerberus Hydrabased model for coiled tubing and jointed pipe gas wells.
A velocity string is a small-diameter tubing string run inside the production tubing to resolve
the problem of insufficient velocity available to transport liquids from the wellbore. These liquids may, in time, accumulate and impair production. Installing a velocity string reduces the
flow area, thereby increasing the flow velocity, which enables liquids to be carried from the
wellbore.
The Velocity String model calculates the best characteristics of an intended velocity string to
optimize its effectiveness in an intended application.

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The Velocity String Process

The process involved in using the Velocity String model is as follows:
1. Create a new Velocity String project or select an existing project (see page 212).
Velocity String (along with the majority of other Cerberus models) is organized by projects.

2. Select a well with the reservoir defined (see page 218).

3. Verify reservoir parameters (see page 219).
4. Select one or more velocity string(s) (see page 220).
5. Calculate (see page 222).
6. View results and print (see page 223).

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Accessing Velocity String (Hydra)

To access the Velocity String model from the Cerberus home page

Select the Velocity String button.

OR

Select Models > Velocity String from the menu bar.

The Velocity String model loads, and the opening dialog of the Hydra (Velocity String)
model appears.
Velocity String Opening Dialog

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Working with Projects

The Velocity String model is organized by projects.

Using the Velocity String Opening-dialog Tools

The Velocity String opening-dialog toolbar contains the following tools:

Velocity String Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Velocity String.

New

Opens the New Velocity String Project dialog to create a new project.

Open

Opens the Select Job dialog box to

open an existing job.

Save

Saves the current project to disk.

Setting Program Preferences

To set program preferences

Select Options > Units from the menu bar.

OR

Click + to expand the trees Program Preferences node; click Units.

Creating a New Velocity String Project

The following procedure outlines how to create a new Velocity String project.

To start a new project

1. From the Velocity String Opening Dialog, choose one of the following:

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Select File > New from the menu bar

Click the New toolbar button:

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The New Project dialog appears:

New Velocity String Project dialog

Start a new Velocity String project directly from the Cerberus home page by selecting File > New > Velocity
String Project.

2. Provide a new name for the project. The name may consist of letters, numbers, and
spaces, with a maximum of 32 characters.
The Velocity String configuration display-screen appears.

3. Configure the project (see Entering Project-configuration Information for more information).

Opening an Existing Velocity String Project

The following procedure describes how to open an existing project.

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To open an existing project

1. Choose one of the following from the Velocity String opening dialog:

Select File > Open from the menu bar

Click the Open Project toolbar button:

From the tree on the left-hand portion of the display screen, select Existing Projects or
Recent Projects within the Open Project folder.

2. The following Hydra (Velocity String) display screen appears, opened to the (default) Existing
Projects tab.

3. Select the desired project within the tabpage on the right-hand portion of the display screen,
and click the Open Project button in the tabpage.
From the Cerberus main menu, double-click the project name in the left-hand tree to open an existing project.

Saving a Velocity String Project

The project configuration and last set of calculated values is retained when the project is saved.
There are two ways a project can be saved:

Click Save (

) on the toolbar.

OR

On the menu bar, click File > Save or Save As....

Deleting a Velocity String Project

When a project is deleted, the information is not recoverable.

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To Delete a Project

From the menu bar, select File > Delete.

From the Velocity String Opening Dialog, select the project and click the Delete Project
button.

Importing a File
An entire project or any of its components may be imported using Velocity String. Only projects, however, may be exported from Velocity String.

To import a file in Velocity String

1. If importing from removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Velocity String.
3. Select File > Import... from the dialog menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later). Click Open.

Velocity String imports the project data.

5. Click Open.
A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

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If the user intends to import a project or component that already exists on the active computer, the tree view
does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import Utility popup appears, from which the user designates whether to
replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip this specific project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the Files
Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of
this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in the file
hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or Projects are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.
The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category on
the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for import, but
that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a Velocity String Project

Any project in Velocity String can be exported to removable media to be imported into another
computer with Velocity String.
Exporting from Velocity String provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the
.zcy extension (which is essentially an XML file).
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To Export a Project
1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Velocity String.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.
The Select Velocity String Projects dialog appears. Select a project or group of projects
and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the project.
If the project is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a
new name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus
10.5 or later)).
6. Click Save.
The project is exported to the desired location and a popup appears describing the file
path where the project is saved and the name of the saved project.

Importing/Exporting SharePoint Data

Select File > SharePoint; then click Import or Export to import/export SharePoint data.

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Entering Project-configuration Information

Configuration information in the Velocity String model is accessible/editable via The Hydra
(Velocity String) display screen. View/edit information by clicking the associated tab, or by selecting the related item in the tree.
Configuration information is stored within a project, so it is quickly accessible without the necessity of re-input.

Select a Well with a Defined Reservoir

To select a well
1. Within the Hydra (Velocity String) display screen:

Click the Well tab.

OR

Select Well Geometry from the tree.

2. Use the Well dropdown to select an existing well.

OR
Click the associated Open button to access the Select Well dialog.

3. (Optional) To edit the selected well, click the associated Edit button. The Well Editor appears.

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Verify Reservoir Parameters

The reservoir model is used to calculate reservoir IPR curves. When a project is opened in
the Velocity String Model, the reservoir parameters default to those specified in Well Manager. The parameters for the current session can be changed in Reservoir tab of the Hydra
(Velocity String) display screen. However, the next time the project is opened, it will once
again have the original inputs specified in Well Manager.

To verify reservoir parameters

1. Within the Hydra (Velocity String) display screen:

Click the Reservoir tab.

OR

Select Reservoir from the tree.

2. Ensure that the reservoir parameter-fields are filled as desired.

Current reservoir pressure is the average reservoir pressure currently in the drainage volume. Future reservoir pressure is the average reservoir pressure at a future depleted reservoir condition.

Only a multiphase fluid can be selected as a reservoir fluid. If this type of fluid does not
currently exist in the software, it can be created in Fluid Editor

If the reservoir fluid is a wet gas, then Darcy Gas and Fetkovich models can be used. If
the reservoir fluid is not gas in the reservoir, then Constant Productivity Index, Darcy Oil,
Fetkovich, and Vogel-Standing models are allowed.

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Select One or More Velocity Strings

To select velocity string(s)
1. Within the Hydra (Velocity String) display screen:

Click the Velocity String tab.

OR

Select Velocity String from the tree.

2. Select the pipe type and installation depth.

3. Select between Simple and Advanced string types.
A Simple String refers to tubing string that has only one OD and wall thickness while an
Advanced String can consist of tubing sections with different tubing wall thicknesses.
a. If Simple Strings is toggled:
Use the associated dropdowns to select tubing OD and Wall sizes.

b. If Advanced Strings is toggled:

Use the associated dropdowns to select existing string(s).
OR

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Click the New button to access the Select String dialog, from which the user may
select an existing string or create a new string.

Enter Runtime Data

To enter runtime data
1. Within the Hydra (Velocity String) display screen:

Click the Runtime Data tab.

OR

Select Runtime Data from the tree.

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2. Ensure the Wellhead Pressure and Multiphase Model information is in place as desired. See
Verify Reservoir Parameters for more information about multiphase fluids.

Calculating Data
The user may customize the manner in which the Velocity String model calculates data.

To customize calculation options

1. Create or open the project.
2. Click the Calculations button

under the Project Options folder in the menu tree.

3. Perform edits as needed.

4. Select the type of friction calculations to use (smooth pipe or rough pipe). If rough pipe is
selected, enter the roughness for the inside pipe and annulus. Roughness has no effect on
flows in the laminar regime.

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To perform the calculation

1. After all parameters are in place as desired, click Calculate from any of the Velocity String
tabs.
2. If all parameters contribute to a successful calculation, the calculation output becomes
available, as follows:

Using the Output Data

To view the velocity string graph (default)
Click the Graph tab
OR
Select Output Data > Graphs from the left-hand tree.

To view the velocity string data

Click the Data tab
OR
Select Output Data > Data from the left-hand tree.

To print the velocity string data

1. Click the Print tab
OR
Select Output Data > Print from the left-hand tree.

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2. Toggle the options desired.

3. Click the Print button.

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USING THE PACKER AND COMPLETION

ANALYSIS (PACA)
This section describes the process involved in using PACA, the Cerberus model/wizard that
calculates what happens to a packer set on the end of production or workover tubing if conditions change at surface or downhole.

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About PACA
Change in conditions at surface or downhole may cause a packer set on the end of production or
workover tubing to experience movement. Buckling in the tubing may also occur as an effect of
condition change. The resulting forces on the packer or tubing may be damaging.
Change in conditions may include any combination of:

Set-down or pickup of the tubing at surface.

Change of temperature-profile downhole.

Change of fluids in the tubing and/or annulus.

Change in the fluid-flow rate.

Change of pressure on the tubing or annulus.

The Packer and Completion Analysis wizard (given the change of conditions) calculates:

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Tubing movement at the packer, if any (depending upon packer type).

Force acting on the packer communicated by the tubing.

Force on the casing communicated by the packer.

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The PACA Process

The process involved in using PACA is as follows:
1. Create a new PACA project or select an existing project (see page 229).
PACA (along with the majority of other Cerberus models) is organized by projects.

2. Select the application (see page 235). Depending on the application-type chosen, the
wizard follows one of two paths:
a. Permanent tubing completion
b. Temporary packer run on coiled tubing or pipe
3. Select a well (see page 237). For permanent tubing completion, select a well with a tubing
string and a packer (see page 236).
4. For a temporary packer run on CT or pipe, select the CT or pipe (see page 238).
5. For a temporary packer run on CT or pipe, select a tool with a packer (see page 238).
6. Configure the packer properties (see page 240).
7. Define initial conditions (see page 241).
8. Define one or more subsequent scenarios (see page 241).
9. Analyze; view the analysis and print a report (see page 242).

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Accessing the PACA Model/Wizard

To access PACA from the Cerberus home page

Select the PACA button.

OR

Select Models > PACA from the menu bar.

Setting Program Preferences

To set program preferences
Select Options > Units from the menu bar.

Accessing the Well Editor and Fluids Manager

To access the Well Editor or Fluids Manager
Select, from the menu bar, Managers > Well Editor, or Managers > Fluids Manager.

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Working with Projects

The PACA model/wizard is organized by projects.

Creating a New PACA Project

The following procedure outlines how to create a new PACA project.

To start a new project

1. Select File > New from the Packer and Completion Analysis menu bar.
The New Paca Project dialog appears:

Start a new PACA project directly from the Cerberus home page by selecting File > New > PACA Project.

2. Provide a New Name for the project. The name may consist of letters, numbers, and
spaces, with a maximum of 32 characters.

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The Packer and Completion Analysis wizard display screen appears.

Opening an Existing PACA Project

The following procedure describes how to open an existing project.

To open an existing project

1. Select File > Open from the menu bar.
2. Select the desired project, and click OK.
The Packer and Completion Analysis wizard display screen appears.

Saving a PACA Project

To save a project

On the menu bar, select File > Save or Save As....

OR

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After parameter input, click Exit. The following dialog appears:

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Deleting a PACA Project

When a project is deleted, the information is not recoverable.

To delete a project

From the Packer and Completion Analysis menu bar, select File > Delete.

Importing a File
An entire project or any of its components may be imported using PACA. Only projects, however, may be exported from PACA

To import a file in PACA

1. If importing from removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start PACA.
3. Select File > Import... from the dialog menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later). Click Open.

PACA imports the project data.

5. Click Open.

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A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user intends to import a project or component that already exists on the active computer, the tree view
does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import Utility popup appears, from which the user designates whether to
replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip this specific project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the Files
Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of
this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in
the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or Projects
are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.

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The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category
on the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for
import, but that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a PACA Project

Any project in PACA can be exported to removable media to be imported into another computer with PACA.
Exporting from PACA provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the .zcy
extension (which is essentially an XML file).

To Export a Project
1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start PACA.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.

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The Select PACA Projects dialog appears. Select a project or group of projects and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the project.
If the project is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a new
name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)).
6. Click Save.
The project is exported to the desired location and a popup appears describing the file path
where the project is saved and the name of the saved project.

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8: Using the Packer and Completion Analysis (PACA)

Using the PACA Wizard

The Packer and Completion Analysis wizard walks the user through complex configuration
and design tasks, stepping through key decisions in a logical sequence, and presenting
choices based on context and previous selections.
Use the Next, Back, and Exit buttons to move through the wizard.

Entering Calculation Options

To enter Safety Factors, Calculation Options, and Hydraulic Options for a project

Click the Options button

screen.

on the main Packer and Completion Analysis display

Selecting the PACA Application

To select the PACA application
From the Packer and Completion Analysis display screen, select from the following application types:

Permanent tubing completion

Temporary packer run on coiled tubing

Temporary packer run on pipe

Depending on the application-type chosen, the wizard follows one of two paths:
a. Permanent tubing completion
b. Temporary packer run on coiled tubing or pipe

After selecting a temporary packer run on coiled tubing or pipe application, go to Following the Temporary
Packer Run on Coiled Tubing or Pipe Path.

Following the Permanent Tubing Completion Path

After selecting a permanent-tubing-completion application, complete the following steps, as
laid out in the wizard.

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Selecting a Well that Includes Tubing String and Packer

To select a well that includes tubing string and packer
1. Click the yellow-folder icon beside the Well field to select an existing well or to create a new
well.

OR
Click the Edit Well icon (also beside the Well field) to edit the well shown in the field or to create a new well.

If the selected well has multiple packers, only the bottom packer is used in the
calculations.

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2. Review and/or modify the production tubing string.

At this point, go to Following the Converged Path to continue the permanent-tubing-completion process.

Following the Temporary Packer Run on Coiled Tubing or

Pipe Path
After selecting a temporary packer run on coiled tubing or pipe application, complete the following steps, as laid out in the wizard.

Selecting a Well
To select a well
Click the yellow-folder beside the Well field to select an existing well or to create a new well.

OR

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Click the Edit Well (also beside the Well field) to edit the well shown in the field or to create a
new well.

Selecting the Coiled Tubing String or Jointed Pipe

To select the CT string or jointed pipe
1. From the Reviewing... PACA-wizard display screen, click the yellow-folder icon beside the
String field to select an existing string or to create a new string.
OR

(Jointed Pipe) Click the Edit Pipe icon

workstring or to create a new string.

(Coiled Tubing) Click the Edit String icon

string or to create a new string.

beside the String field to edit an existing JP

beside the String field to edit an existing CT

Selecting a Tool with a Packer

To ensure that a string includes a tool with a packer
1. From the Cerberus main menu, select, from the menu bar, Managers > Tool String Editor.
2. From the Select Tool String dialog, double-click the tool string intended for use in the PACA
wizard.

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The Tool String Editor appears.

3. Within the Toolbox tab, double-click a toolbox (or click the plus sign (+) associated with
the toolbox) to display its included tools.
4. Double-click the tool in which to include a packer.
The Tool Editor display screen appears.

The Tool Editor is only accessible from the Tool String Editor.

5. Within the Tool Features section, double-click Packer

The Packer togglebox appears.

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6. Click within the togglebox and click the Save button (or select File > Save from the menu
bar).
7. Close the Editors and return to the PACA wizard.

Following the Converged Path

The two paths, permanent tubing completion and temporary packer run on coiled tubing or pipe,
converge at the point of configuring packer properties.

Configuring Packer Properties

Use the Configure the Packer display screen to configure packer properties.

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Defining Initial Conditions

Use the Initial Conditions display screen to configure initial conditions.

Defining One or More Subsequent Scenarios

Use the Subsequent Conditions display screen to define one or more subsequent scenarios.

Click each related ellipses button to find/include information about the scenario and the various input data.

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Conducting the Analysis

To conduct an analysis
1. Click the Analysis button

to initiate calculations.

The Results Initial Conditions display screen appears.

2. Review/print the Summary (default) information, including Packer Status, Tubing Status, and
Movement Status.

To view details for each Summary category

a. Click the categorys related ellipses button

3. Review/print graphs, tables, and other related information generated from the calculations.

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To review/print the results graphs and tables

a. Select the Graphs and Tables node on the Results Initial Conditions display screen.

b. To view each graph, click on its related Graph button

c. To view each table, click on its related Table button

.
.

d. To view the stress analysis, click on the button by the same name.
e. From any graph, table, or analysis dialog, click the Print button to view and set up print
options, and to print analysis results.
4. View the initial-condition results in 3-D.

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To view the initial-condition results in 3-D

a. Select the 3-D View node on the Results Initial Conditions display screen.

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USING SOLIDS CLEANOUT

This section describes the process involved in using Solids Cleanout, the Cerberus Hydrabased model for coiled tubing. Solids Cleanout calculates pump rates and the pressures
involved in removing fill, such as sand, from a wellbore.

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The Solids Cleanout Process

The process involved in using Solids Cleanout is as follows:
1. Create a new Solids Cleanout project or select an existing project (see page 248).
Solids Cleanout (along with the majority of other Cerberus models) is organized by projects.

2. Select well (see page 254).

3. Enter fill data (see page 255).
4. Select equipment (see page 255).
5. Select fluid data (see page 257).
6. Enter constraints (see page 257).
7. Calculate sensitivity (see page 258).
8. Enter pump rates for each stage (see page 259).
9. Adjust any other operating parameters (see page 260).
10. Perform the job-design calculation (see page 261).
11. Use/print the output data (see page 262).

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Accessing Solids Cleanout (Hydra)

To access Solids Cleanout from the Cerberus home page

Select the Solids Cleanout button.

OR

Select Models > Solids Cleanout from the menu bar.

The Solids Cleanout model loads, and the opening dialog of the Hydra (Solids Cleanout)
model appears.
Solids Cleanout Opening Dialog

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Working with Projects

The Solids Cleanout model is organized by projects.

Using the Solids Cleanout Opening-dialog Tools

The Solids Cleanout opening-dialog toolbar contains the following tools:

Solids Cleanout Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Solids Cleanout.

New

Opens the New Solids Cleanout Project dialog to create a new project.

Open

Opens the Select Job dialog box to

open an existing job.

Save

Saves the current project to disk.

Setting Program Preferences

To set program preferences

Select Options > Units from the menu bar.

OR

Click + to expand the trees Program Preferences node; click Units.

Creating a New Solids Cleanout Project

The following procedure outlines how to create a new Solids Cleanout project.

To start a new project

1. From the Solids Cleanout Opening Dialog, choose one of the following:

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Select File > New from the menu bar

Click the New toolbar button:

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The New Project dialog appears:

New Solids Cleanout Project dialog

Start a new Solids Cleanout project directly from the Cerberus home page by selecting File > New > Solids
Cleanout Project.

2. Provide a new name for the project. The name may consist of letters, numbers, and
spaces, with a maximum of 32 characters.
The Solids Cleanout configuration display-screen appears.

3. Configure the project (see Entering Project-configuration Information for more information).

Opening an Existing Solids Cleanout Project

The following procedure describes how to open an existing project.

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To open an existing project

1. Choose one of the following from the Solids Cleanout opening dialog:

Select File > Open from the menu bar

Click the Open Project toolbar button:

From the tree on the left-hand portion of the display screen, select Existing Projects or
Recent Projects within the Open Project folder.

2. The following Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen appears, opened to the (default) Existing Projects tab.

3. Select the desired project within the tabpage on the right-hand portion of the display screen,
and click the Open Project button in the tabpage.
From the Cerberus main menu, double-click the project name in the left-hand tree to open an existing project.

Saving a Solids Cleanout Project

The project configuration and last set of calculated values is retained when the project is saved.
There are two ways a project can be saved:

Click Save (

) on the toolbar.

OR

On the menu bar, click File > Save or Save As....

Deleting a Solids Cleanout Project

When a project is deleted, the information is not recoverable.

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To Delete a Project

From the menu bar, select File > Delete Project.

From the Solids Cleanout Opening Dialog, click the Delete Project button.

Importing a File
An entire project or any of its components may be imported using Solids Cleanout. Only projects, however, may be exported from Solids Cleanout.

To import a file in Solids Cleanout

1. If importing from removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Solids Cleanout.
3. Select File > Import... from the dialog menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later). Click Open.

Solids Cleanout imports the project data.

5. Click Open.
A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

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If the user intends to import a project or component that already exists on the active computer, the tree view
does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import Utility popup appears, from which the user designates whether to
replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip this specific project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the Files
Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of
this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in
the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or Projects
are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.
The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category on
the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for import, but
that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a Solids Cleanout Project

Any project in Solids Cleanout can be exported to removable media to be imported into another
computer with Velocity String.
Exporting from Solids Cleanout provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with
the .zcy extension (which is essentially an XML file).
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To Export a Project
1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Solids Cleanout.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.
The Select Solids Cleanout Projects dialog appears. Select a project or group of projects
and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the project.
If the project is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a
new name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus
10.5 or later)).
6. Click Save.
The project is exported to the desired location and a popup appears describing the file
path where the project is saved and the name of the saved project.

Importing/Exporting SharePoint Data

Select File > SharePoint; then click Import or Export to import/export SharePoint data.

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Entering Project-configuration Information

Configuration information in the Solids Cleanout model is accessible/editable via The Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen. View/edit the information by clicking the associated tab, or by
selecting the related item in the tree.
Configuration information is stored within a project, so it is quickly accessible without the necessity of re-input.

Select a Well
To select a well
1. Within the Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen:

Click the Well tab.

OR

Select Well Geometry from the tree.

2. Use the Well dropdown to select an existing well.

OR
Click the associated Open button to access the Select Well dialog.

3. (Optional) To edit the selected well, click the associated Edit button. The Well Editor appears.

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Enter Fill Data

To enter fill data
1. Within the Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen:

Click the Fill Data tab.

OR

Click (to check) Fill Data from the tree.

2. Enter the properties of the fill material and the calculation options.

Select Equipment (Reel, Coiled Tubing, and Tool String)

To select equipment
1. Within the Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen:

Click the Equipment tab.

OR

Select Equipment from the tree.

2. Select the reel.

a. Click the Open button

The Select Reel dialog appears:

b. Select the desired reel.

OR
Click the New button to create a new reel. The Reel Manager dialog appears.
c. Edit the properties of the selected reel.
Click the Edit button associated with the reel to access the Reel Manager.
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3. Select the coiled tubing.

a. Click the Open button

The Select String dialog appears:

b. Select the desired string.

OR
Click the New button to create a new string. The String Editor appears.
c. Edit the properties of the selected string.
Click the Edit button associated with the string to access the String Editor.
4. Select the tool string (BHA).
a. Click the Open button

The Select Tool String dialog appears:

b. Select the desired tool string.

OR
Click the New button to create a new tool string. The Tool String Editor appears.
c. Edit the properties of the selected tool string.
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Click the Edit button associated with the tool string (BHA) to access the Tool String
Editor.

Select Fluid Data

To select fluid data
1. Within the Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen:

Click the Fluid Data tab.

OR

Select Fluid Data from the tree.

2. Select the job fluid(s).

a. Click the Open button associated with each fluid type to access the Fluid Selection
dialog.

b. Check/toggle the fluid type(s) to view (liquid, gas, commingled, or reservoir fluids).
c. Select the desired fluid.
3. Edit the properties of the selected fluid(s).
a. Click the Edit button associated with each fluid type to access the Fluid Editor dialog.

Enter Constraints
To enter constraints
1. Within the Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen:

Click the Constraints tab.

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OR

Select Constraints from the tree.

2. Enter any constraints that would help to make the calculated outcome more accurate.

For a deviated well, the Wiper Trip Pullback Depth can be determined either by entering the wiper trip pullback
depth directly or by specifying the well inclination angel from which the wiper trip pullback depth can be calculated based on well survey data.

Calculate Sensitivity
To calculate sensitivity
1. Within the Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen:

Click the Sensitivity Analysis tab.

OR

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Select Sensitivity Analysis from the tree.

2. Click the Go button to calculate:

a. minimum and maximum conditions of operating parameters.
b. a sensitivity analysis on pump rates between the above limits at all job stages.
If the Go button is disabled, data errors are present within other Input Data screens.
Also, if the sensitivity calculation determines that a solids-cleanout operation would be unsuccessful given the provided parameters, a popup appears describing possible actions to take to correct
the situation.

Enter Pump Rates for Each Stage

After analyzing sensitivity, enter pump rates for each stage (from the Sensitivity Analysis tab),
in preparation for the final calculation step.
Although the Calculate button appears within each tab, it is prudent to wait until all parameters are properly
entered before calculating.

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To enter pump rates for each stage

1. Within each stage (RIH, POOH, and Cleaning), observe the Liquid Rate (gal/min) in relation
to the Pump Pressure, BHP, and other available parameters.

2. Determine a pump rate (Liquid Rate (gal/min)) that satisfies both Pump Pressure and BHP
requirements for use in the final calculation.
a. Choose the Pressure and BHP numbers in the table row that best correspond to the situation at hand, and observe the associated Liquid Rate.
3. Input the Liquid Rate that corresponds to the Pressure and BHP table-numbers within the
Use this pump rate field underneath each stages table.
OR
Input a value that is not included in the table. In this case, a new row is calculated within the
table.
4. Click Use or Use in Job Design.
Each value used is automatically entered in the Operating Parameters tabpage for use in
the job-design calculation.
5. (Optional) Click Copy or Copy to Clipboard.
The table-data is copied to the clipboard for use in an electronic spreadsheet.

Adjust Any Other Operating Parameters

To adjust any other operating parameters
1. Within the Hydra (Solids Cleanout) display screen:

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OR

Select Operating Parameter from the tree.

2. Adjust parameters as needed.

Perform the Job-design Calculation

To perform the job-design calculation
1. After all parameters are in place as desired, click Calculate from any of the Solids Cleanout tabs.
2. If all parameters contribute to a successful calculation and solids-cleanout operation, the
Output Data becomes available, as follows:

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Using the Output Data

To view the solids removal procedures (default)
Click the Procedures tab
OR
Select Output Data > Procedures from the left-hand tree.

To view the solids removal stages

Click the Stage Data tab
OR
Select Output Data > Stages from the left-hand tree.

To print the solids removal data

1. Click the Print tab
OR
Select Output Data > Print from the left-hand tree.
2. Toggle the options desired.

3. Click the Print button.

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USING THE STRING EDITOR

String Editor is used to configure all the parameters that describe a coiled tubing string. String
Editor stores each string in a different database. String inputs apply only to the tubing itself.
The reel where the tubing is spooled is considered separately because a string can be
moved from one reel to another during its working life.

Starting String Editor on page 264.

The String Editor Display Screen on page 265

Working with Strings on page 270

Receiving a String on Removable Media from a Manufacturer on page 295.

Using CT Specifications on page 296

Configuring Strings on page 297.

String Utilities on page 312.

String Services on page 316.

String History on page 326.

String Fatigue on page 328

Troubleshooting in String Editor on page 337.

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Starting String Editor

The following methods are available to start the String Editor:

Orpheus and Hydra models include direct access to the String Editor via the String Editor
toolbar button
. In Reel-Trak (Job Manager), a String Editor icon is associated with the
String field (in the Job Setup tab) when/if a string is selected.

Within the Cerberus main menu, select Editors > String Editor from the menu bar.

String Editor opens in Simple Mode (showing a minimum of options) or Expanded Mode (showing a full range of options), depending on the following:

If launched from Orpheus or Hydra, String Editor opens in Simple Mode.

If launched from Reel-Trak, String Editor opens in Expanded Mode.

If launched from the Cerberus main menu, String Editor opens in Expanded Mode if fatigue
modeling capabilities are included in the user license.

To manually select the String Editor mode

1. Select Options > Expanded/Simple Mode from the main String Editor menu bar.
Upon launching of String Editor, the editor opens with the selected string loaded. If String Editor is
launched without a string selected, the Select a String dialog appears.

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The String Editor Display Screen

The String Editor display screen is used to create new strings, open existing strings, and to
manage strings after their creation.
The string name is shown alongside the display-screen name in the title bar.

String Editor Toolbar

Rest the cursor over a tool button for a few seconds to display the tool name.

Below is a description of the icons on the main String Editor toolbar, along with each icon's
function.

String Editor Main Toolbar

Tool
Icon

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits String Editor.

New

Opens the New String dialog to create

a new string (see page 270).

Open

Opens the Select a String dialog to

open an existing string (see
page 281).

Save

Saves the current string (see

page 286).

Delete

Deletes the current string from the

hard drive (see page 287).

Print

Opens the String Print dialog to print

the current string (see page 290).

Sections

Opens the Sections properties screen

to configure sections (see page 301).

Welds

Opens the Welds screen to configure

welds (see page 305).

Zones

Opens the Zones screen to manage

zones (see page 277).

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String Editor Main Toolbar

Tool
Icon

Tool Name

Function

Lock

Allows the user to lock the string (see

page 288).

Fatigue Profile
History

Opens a fatigue graph for the string

(see page 299).
Opens a history log for the string (see
page 326).

Corrosion

Opens the Corrosion screen for the

string, from which the user can
choose between using the Wall
Reduction or the String Life Reduction method (see page 310).

Cut String

Opens the Cut String screen (see

page 317).

Splice String

Opens the Splice String screen (see

page 320).

Reverse String

Opens the Reverse String screen,

with options of reversing the current
string (no fatigue included) or reel-toreel spooling operation (fatigue added
to string) (see page 316).

Weight

Opens the String Weight dialog showing an estimate of the string weight
(see page 312).

Volume

Opens the String Volume dialog

showing an estimate of the string volume (see page 313).

Cost

Opens the Summary screen with

associated information for recording
and estimating string cost (see
page 268).

Help

Opens the Cerberus User Guide.

String Summary
The default view within a String Editor display screen is the string Summary information.

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To access the String Summary

1. Select the Summary button in the left-hand portion of the display screen (unless the Summary information already appears as the default).
OR
2. Select Edit > Summary from the menu bar.

Properties
Select the Properties tab in the right-hand area of the display screen to access string-property information.

Tubing Type - A dropdown from which the user may select from Standard CT, Capillary,
or FLATpakTM.
Tubing Type is not visible by default. To view and use the Tubing Type field, select Options > Show Tubing Type from the String Editor menu bar.

When the FLATpak tubing type is selected, fatigue is reset for the string. The Properties
area expands to include additional parameters, from which the user may verify/alter the
available properties.
FLATpak is a jacketed/encapsulated CT product manufactured by CJS Coiled Tubing Supply and Source
Rock Energy Partners.FLATpak can be used as a production conduit or to deploy downhole pumps, as well
as other services. It consists of one or more individual CT and/or electric string encapsulated in a plastic/
polymer jacket.
For this release of Cerberus, FLATpak strings are supported in Orpheus and Job Manager. FLATpak tubing
that includes cable may not be defined.

Total Length - Shows the length of the CT string.

Material - A drop-down menu from which the user may choose from among various CT
material types.

Diameter - A drop-down menu from which the user may choose from among possible CT
diameters. This information is automatically supplied by Cerberus when the string is
selected.

Wall Size - A drop-down menu from which the user may choose from possible CT string
wall sizes. This information is automatically supplied by Cerberus when the string is
selected.

If a cable is installed in the coiled tubing, the user may click (to check) the Cable installed
togglebox (associated with the cable icon
to include related parameters:
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Cable type - The type of cable installed in the CT.

Weight - The cable weight in lbf/ft.

Cable diameter - The cable diameter in inches.

Date installed - The date on which the cable was installed in the CT.

H2S rated - Click (to toggle) this field if the installed cable is H2S rated.

Info
Select the Info tab to access secondary properties for a particular string. This action repopulates
the screen to include the following:

Date Manufactured - The date the CT was manufactured. To change this value, select the
Sections button (in the left-hand portion of the display screen); then click the Manufacturer
Data button and input the date in the Date of Manufacture field. The date then automatically
populates the Date Manufactured field in secondary properties (Info).

Date Commissioned - The date the CT string entered service. Change this value to the current date by clicking the associated ellipses button

Primary Application - The primary use for the CT string, such as Workstring, High Pressure
Workstring, Drilling, and so forth. Choose from among the various options available in this
drop-down menu.

Database - The file name of the string.

Total Running Feet - Automatically populated by fatigue calculations in Reel-Trak. In Cerberus, running feet is calculated only while running in-hole. For example, if the string is run in to
1000 ft, pulled out to 500 ft, then run back in to 1000 ft, and then pulled out of the well, the
running feet will be 1500 ft.

Archived - Indicates the archival status of the string. Click (to toggle) this field if the string is
archived.

Actual Cost
Invoice Number and Actual string cost (US$) may be manually input in the two available fields.

String Diagram
A visual representation of the string is shown in the middle left-hand portion of the String Editor
display screen.

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The following may also be viewed:

Data Protection - Also present within the string diagram portion of the display screen, dataprotection indicators show whether the string is protected (locked) or editable. Lock the string
by clicking the associated lock button. When the string is locked, the button appears as a
closed lock

. When the string is not locked, the button appears as an open lock

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Working with Strings

Creating a New String
A new string can also be created by saving a copy of a string, either in its entirety or without the fatigue and history (see page 287).

Manually Creating a New String

The following procedure outlines how to manually create a new string.

To manually create a new string

1. Complete one of the following:

From the Cerberus main menu, select Managers > String Editor from the menu bar;
then click the New String button on the Select a String dialog.

From the String Editor display screen, click New

Select File > New from the String Editor menu bar.

on the toolbar

The New String dialog appears.

2. Enter the New String Name.

The string name can be up to 32 characters, letters and numbers, including spaces.
3. Click (to check) Include Standard Strings, Include Archived, Include FLATpak, and/or
Include Capillary, as appropriate.
4. (Optional) Click (to check) Show String Diagram.
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5. Click OK. The String Configuration Wizard appears, with Show Wizard on start-up automatically checked. Click (to un-check) to discontinue showing the wizard on start-up.
6. To configure the string manually, see Configuring Strings.

Creating a String using the String Configuration Wizard

This wizard helps to create a new string when the configuration of the string is known. If help
is needed to design a string for a particular application, see Creating a String using the String
Design Wizard on page 272 instead.

To create a string using the String Configuration Wizard

1. Select Help > String Configuration Wizard from the String Editor menu bar, if the String
Configuration Wizard did not appear automatically after entering a New string Name from
the New String dialog.
2. If not already entered in the New String dialog, enter a name for the new string. The name
may be up to 32 characters long and may contain letters, numbers, and spaces. Then
click Next.
3. Click (to toggle) the name of the supplier for this string. (Some parameters and specifications vary with each supplier. Clicking one of these toggles enters all the relevant supplier-specific information automatically.)
When finished, click Next.
Cerberus supports Quality Tubing Inc.s True Taper section-wall type, as well as Global Tubings
SMARTaper wall types.

4. Click (to toggle) the type of material to be used in the string. Click Next to continue.
When a material type is toggled, information about that material is displayed on the left-hand side of the
wizard screen.
If Quality Tubing was selected in the previous wizard screen, the user must select QT-800, QT-900, or QT1000 to use True Taper characteristics in wizard calculations.
If Global Tubing was selected in the previous wizard screen, the user selects from among GT-80, GT-90,
GT-100, or GT-110 material types. SMARTaper capabilities can then be used in wizard calculations.

5. From the String Diameter screen, select the diameter of the string from the dropdown.
Click Next to continue.
All available diameters for the chosen manufacturer are listed. It is assumed the diameter will remain constant along the entire length of the string.

6. The Straight or Tapered? screen appears. Click (to toggle) Straight Wall (indicating the
wall is consistent along the length of the string) or Tapered Wall (indicating that the string
has more than one wall size).

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a. If Quality Tubings material type QT-800, QT-900, or QT-1000 was selected in Step 4,
above, a togglebox becomes available, within which the user may: Check this box if the
string has any True Taper sections.
b. If Global Tubings material type GT-80, GT-90, GT-100, or GT-110 was selected in Step 4,
above, a togglebox becomes available, within which the user may: Check this box if the
string has any SMARTaper sections.
7. Use the dropdown menu to select the Number of Sections. Click Next to continue.
8. Within the Section Properties dialog, complete the following:
a. Input the Section End numeric value from the core end of the string.
b. Select, from the dropdown menu, the Weld Type for the section described above.

For sections that are to be comprised of Global Tubings SMARTaper Weld Type,
select None (SMARTaper).

c. Select, from the dropdown menu, the Nominal Wall Size for the section.

If the togglebox named Check this box if the string has any True Taper sections
was checked on the Straight or Tapered? Quality Tubing-related screen, both an
Uphole Nominal Wall Size and a Downhole Nominal Wall Size dropdown now
appear for each section.

If the togglebox named Check this box if the string has any SMARTaper sections
was checked on the Straight or Tapered? Global Tubing-related screen, both an
Uphole Nominal Wall Size and a Downhole Nominal Wall Size dropdown now
appear for each section.

d. For each additional section, input the information described in the step above and click
Next to continue. The last section-end is used to determine the length of the string.
9. Click Finish to save the new string and exit the Wizard.
The new string now opens.

Creating a String using the String Design Wizard

The String Design Wizard is used to create a new string for the meeting of certain conditions or
for a particular application. In other words, the wizard helps the user determine the best string to
use in a given well (or in multiple wells). The String Design wizard helps the user optimize the
diameter, wall size(s), and material type for specific job conditions, such as in the design of a
deviated well. The wizard also allows for the use of pre-designed data from Orpheus.

To create a new string using the String Design Wizard

1. Select Help > String Design Wizard from the String Editor menu bar.
OR
Select Utilities > CT String Design... from the Cerberus main menu.
The String Design Wizard appears. Use the wizard to compare a variety of manufacturers
tubing types in relation to the well condition, job requirements, and job restrictions to determine the best tubing choice for a job.
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String Design Wizard

2. Use the editable fields to alter the Well Condition & Design Criteria in the upper left portion of the wizard.
AND/OR
Click the Edit button within this section of the String Design Wizard.
The String Design Wizard-Wells dialog becomes available. The well(s) information is displayed and may be edited in this dialog.

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a. Click (to toggle) either Vertical or Simple deviated well within the Generate a simple
well area. Optionally, click (to toggle) select from Existing wells.
When Vertical or Simple deviated is selected, a single well is used in string design. When select from Existing wells is selected, string design can be performed with multiple wells.

1.) Select any well type (left-side toggle option) to allow the input of Fluid density.

2.) To alter the Target depth, select the Options button, which accesses the String
Design Options dialog. Here, various string-design options are available. Altering
these options can have a profound effect on the design of the string.

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Following is an explanation of the various options:

Check depth from zero

When selected, tripping calculation starts from surface.

When unselected, the user can specify the start depth for
the tripping calculation, which can reduce calculation time.

Always set well TD as target depth

When selected, target depth is always well TD.

Check extended reach capability

Extended reach is tested for candidate strings.

Depth increment for extended reach

calculation

The number input specifies the precision of the extended

reach calculation.

Check all materials available

When selected, all materials are involved in the design calculation (not recommended).

Wall thickness for a diameter

Toggled item determines how wall thickness is specified.

No wall section length may be less

than . . .

When checked, this input determines the minimum length

of any wall section.

Maximum wall thickness steps per

taper

Maximum number of wall thickness steps per taper. Effect

especially noticeable when well has a long horizontal
section.

Yield safety factor

Used in tubing yield calculation.

Generate debug data

When selected, a text file (located on the users desktop) is

updated. If there is any question or problem with the wizard, then the user can send the file to CTES.

Show tips

Help tips are displayed when this is selected.

3.) To allow the input of Total depth and Wellbore diameter, select either a Vertical
or Simple deviated well.
4.) To allow the additional input of Kick-off depth, Build end depth, and the selection and input of End inclination or Build rate, select a Simple deviated well.
5.) To use multiple existing wells, select Existing wells.

Click the Add and Remove buttons to fill the Selected well(s) area.

Click the View/Edit button after selecting a well to access the well editor.

6.) Click OK to exit the String Design Wizard-Wells dialog.

b. Within the Well Condition & Design Criteria area, click (to check) Work zone, if
desired (default is checked). Work zone provides input pertaining to the well depth at
which the tubing is cycled. The wall thickness is increased in the specified range.
Click the down-pointing green arrow
sure details.

to input the Top, Bottom, and Pump pres-

3. To alter the Tubing Selection information (upper middle portion of the String Design
Wizard), click Edit in that area.

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The Tubing Selection dialog appears. This dialog can provide a list of qualified tubing dimensions based on the desired string length, fluid density, job restriction(s), material(s), and
diameter/walls.

a. Various basic settings are available on the left top-of-page. These include Desired string
length, Fluid density, Maximum pump pressure, and Maximum wellhead pressure.
Edit these as desired.
Desired string length must not be less than target depth.

b. Job Restrictions-area settings determine the diameters and walls that are used in CT
string design.
To edit settings in the Job Restrictions area, click (to check) individual checkboxes.
Related edit/input fields become available. Categories include:

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Crane/road weight limitation: When selected, the validity of the tubing weight is
checked based on the diameters and walls of user selections to determine if the total
weight will exceed the weight limit.

Flow capacity: When selected, the validity of the tubings internal diameters are
checked to determine if fluid can flow through the entire tubing with the maximum
pump pressure.

Reel capacity: When selected, the validity of tubing dimensions are checked to
determine if a tubing of the desired length and a certain diameter will fit the reel.

Tubing collapse: When selected, the validity of tubing strength and dimensions are
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checked to determine if a tubings collapse ratio will exceed the collapse safety
factor with the maximum wellhead pressure.
Changing information in the Job Restrictions area affects the information displayed in the Tubing Qualifications Chart in the right-hand portion of the Tubing Selection dialog.

c. Specify tubing manufacturer, material (grade), and range(s) (minimum and maximum)
for both diameters and walls in the Tubing Specification (lower left of the Tubing
Selection dialog) area.
To edit information in the Tubing Specification area, select the Manufacturer from
the available dropdown, click (to check) the Materials, and input Minimum and Maximum Diameters and Walls using the dropdowns.
d. The Tubing Qualifications Chart in the right-hand portion of the Tubing Selection
dialog allows the user to review whether the selected tubing dimensions satisfy or do
not satisfy the job restriction(s).

The Tubing Qualifications Chart details appear only when Job Restrictions are specified.

1.) Select the Material (from the dropdown) in the upper left-hand portion of the Tubing Qualification Chart.
The Material dropdown selection is dependent on the materials checked in the Materials field-group of the
Tubing Specification area on the Tubing Selection dialog.

2.) Click the Update Chart button underneath the Tubing Qualification Chart to see
the calculated values as a result of the Job Restrictions specified by the user. If
a particular job restriction is not specified, it is not displayed in the chart.

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Color codes displayed reflect the following:

Green: Satisfies the job restriction
Orange: Is within but close to the job restriction limit
Red: Does not satisfy the job restriction
3.) Select a different Material (if available) and click the Update Chart button to see new
calculations in relation to that material.
4.) Click (to check) View Values (default is checked) in the upper right-hand portion of
the chart area to toggle on/off the visibility of the values (while retaining the coloration)
in the chart.
4. Use the information and options in the lower portion of the String Design Wizard to weigh the
viability of using any of the various available strings to complete a job.
a. When all of the Well Condition & Design Criteria and the Tubing Selection specifications
are in place, click the Update Design button. This action sets in motion the calculation of
all potential CT diameter and wall designs. The String Design Calculation dialog appears,
which shows how many candidate CT strings and wells are involved in the design
calculation.

If too many CT strings and/or wells are being tested, it may cause the calculation to take
a very long time. In this case, click the Cancel Calculation button and determine
whether the number of materials, range of tubing diameters/walls, and/or the number of
wells should be reduced.

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1.) When the calculations are complete, the strings that meet the job requirements
are displayed graphically (plotted) in the previously blank lower portion of the
String Design Wizard. A single vertical well is plotted in the example below.

2.) Directly below each potential string representation is a performance summary for
each string. Each line in the summary lines up with labels to the left of the plot
area. The labels provide the following information:
Meet design criteria

Summary flag: Green = Qualified; Red = Not Qualified

Reachable depth

Whether target depth can be reached during RIH

Safe pulling depth

Whether yield limit with safety factor will be exceeded

during POOH.

Available setdown

Displays number if it exceeds required setdown margin (in

green); displays Not met if required setdown margin cannot be met (in red).

Available pickup

Displays number if it exceeds required pickup margin (in

green). Displays Not met if required pickup margin cannot
be met (in red).

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Extended reach

Displayed if Check extended reach capability is checked

in the String Design Options dialog.
Displays number (in black) if depth exceeding well TD can
be reached during RIH and can be pulled safely during
POOH.
Displays No if depth exceeding well TD cannot be
reached during RIH or cannot be pulled safely during
POOH.
NOTE: Depth is estimated roughly and its accuracy
depends on the Depth increment for extended reach calculation.

Available Trips

Displayed if Work zone is checked in the Well Condition &

Design Criteria portion of the String Design Wizard.

b. Click (to check) Only show qualified strings to see only strings that meet the design criteria (have green Summary flags).
c. Sort strings according to the available dropdown selections using Sort by.

When strings are sorted by Available setdown, sorting occurs in ascending order. All other sorting methods
result in descending-order sorts.

d. When a string is selected by mouse-click, the buttons String Details... and Save String...
appear.
1.) Click the String Details... button to reveal the dialog of the same name.

2.) Click the Save String... button to reveal the Save String As dialog.

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e. When a string design is complete, click the Add to Proposed button to keep the
design settings and designed strings in memory. The design name is displayed in the
Proposed Designs area in the upper right-hand portion of the String Design Wizard.
Click a design in the Proposed Designs area to make available the Load and
Remove options, to either load an existing design into the software, or to remove the
design.
f.

Click the Options button in the lower left-hand corder of the String Design Wizard to
reveal the String Design Options dialog previously described.

g>. Click CTES Defaults to restore the default settings as in place the first time the wizard
is launched.
h. Click Save Defaults before exiting the wizard so that the current settings are loaded
the next time the wizard is launched.

Default String Options

To set the initial options for all newly created strings
1. Select Options > Default String Preferences from the String Editor menu bar.
The Default String Preferences dialog appears.

2. Input the Default Application Factor. This is normally 1 unless it is company policy to
modify fatigue by some amount.

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a. Select the Fatigue Model from the dropdown.

The Fatigue Model in Achilles should default to the fatigue model selected in String Editor.
For more information about fatigue models, see the Coiled Tubing Fatigue Models appendix.

3. Input/select the Default Segment Length, Default Diameter, and Default String Length.
4. Click (to toggle) the default Material for new strings.
5. Click the Set As Defaults button to finalize the settings.

Opening an Existing String

The user may open strings from the local database, import strings from removable media, or load
strings from another computer on the network or from the Internet. Strings may be sorted according to various criteria.
If the desired string isnt listed, it may be archived. Try changing the string editor preferences to show archived
strings.

To open an existing string

Click Open

on the String Editor toolbar.

OR

Select File > Open from the menu bar.

Importing a File
Sometimes, manufacturers supply a purchased string on removable media. If this is the case, the
string must be imported into Cerberus. To copy a string to another computer, it must be exported
onto removable media (flash drive, CD, and so forth) or network drive, then imported on the other
computer.
An entire project or any of its components (including, of course, strings) may be imported using
the String Editor. Only strings, however, may be exported from the String Editor.
Exporting from the String Editor provides the user with the opportunity to safely email strings with
the .zcx extension (which is essentially a .zip file) or the .zcy extension (which is essentially an
XML file).

To import a file in String Editor

1. If importing from removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start String Editor.
3. Select File > Import from the String Editor menu bar.

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A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. In the lower right-hand corner of the dialog, select the type of import (project (*.zcx;
*.zcy); string (*.mdb); Cerberus zip file (*.zip)). .

5. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later). String files with
the .mdb extension must be imported to Cerberus before they are usable (they cannot be copied into Cerberus).

6. Click Open.

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A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user attempts to import a project or component (including, of course, a string) that already exists on the
active computer, the tree view does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import utility popup appears, from which
the user designates whether to replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip the project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the Files
Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of
this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in
the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or Projects
are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.

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The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category
on the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for
import, but that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
7. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
8. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a String
To export a string or strings
The user may export strings from one computer to another, either via removable media, the
network the computer is connected to, if any, or through the Internet, if an Internet connection
is available.
When exported, the string(s) MUST then be imported through the procedure outlined in
Importing a File on page 282.
The Importing a File procedure MUST be used before Cerberus recognizes a string database. The database can NOT be copied into the strings directory using Windows File Manager or Windows Explorer.

1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.

2. Start String Editor.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.

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The Select Strings dialog appears. Select a string or group of strings and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the string/string group.
If the string is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a new
name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)).
6. Click Save.
The string/string group is exported to the desired location; a popup appears describing the file
path where the string/string group is saved and the name of the saved string/group.

Saving a String
Saving strings records any changes to the string in the database on the hard drive.
The changes are only applied to any new uses of that string. If the edited string is already in use, it will continue
to use the old criteria.

To save a string
Complete one of the following:

286

Click Save

on the toolbar.

Select File > Save from the menu bar to save a string with the same name.

Select File > Save As from the menu bar to save the string under a new name.

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Saving a String with or without Historical Data

To save a string with or without historical data
1. Select File > Save As from the menu bar.
2. From the Save Criteria field in the lower portion of the dialog, use the dropdown to select
Save With Historical Data or Save Without Historical Data. See String History on
page 326
3. Verify the method of saving the string selected in the previous step by visual examination.
When the user selects Save With Historical Data, the current string backup is copied
and renamed to the new string. See To export a string or strings on page 285.

Saving a Copy of a String

Saving a string records changes to the string in the string database on the hard drive. Saving
a copy of a string, except for the fatigue and history, is useful if the user wants to re-run the
jobs a string has performed.

To save a copy of a string

1. Select File > Save As from the menu bar.
The Save As dialog appears.
2. Enter a new name for the string.
3. Select the save criteria.
4. Click OK.
The string is saved under the new name.

Deleting a String
Use caution when deleting strings. When a string is deleted, the information cannot be recovered. Instead, consider archiving (see page 289) or retiring it.
Do NOT delete a string via Windows Explorer. A string should only be deleted using this procedure in Cerberus. Otherwise, Cerberus will indicate the string is still present and generate an error if a user tries to
select and use that string.

To delete a string
1. Start String Editor.
2. Click Delete

on the toolbar.

The Delete Strings dialog appears.

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3. Choose the string or strings to delete.

4. Click OK.
5. Click Yes to confirm deleting the string.

Using CT Specifications
Within CT Specifications, four parameters pertaining to the CT (manufacturer, material type,
diameter, and wall (nominal)) may be altered by the user so that the software calculates the
potential effects of these changes in material properties and tubing specifications.

To use CT Specifications
1. Select, from the menu bar, Help > CT Specs.
The CT Specifications dialog appears.

2. Using the dropdowns in the top portion of the dialog, select from the available parameters
Manufacturer, Material type, Diameter (nominal), and Wall (nominal).
3. Observe the changes that occur in the Material Properties and Tubing Specifications as
the above-described parameters are altered.
4. Determine the coiled tubing specifications most likely to correspond to the needed CT for a
particular job.

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Locking or Unlocking a String

Strings must be locked before a job can be run in execute mode in Reel-Trak. Locking a string
also prevents inadvertent changes to the string database, although the string properties can
still be viewed. Conversely, a string must be unlocked before any changes can be made to it.
A visual representation of the string is shown in the middle left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

To lock or unlock a string

1. Click Lock

on the toolbar.

OR
Click the lock icon in the lower-left-hand portion of the visual-representation area (stringdiagram area) of the string.
OR
Select File > Locked from the menu bar.
A Warning dialog box appears stating a permanent entry will be recorded in the string history log. If the string is unlocked

it will become locked (unavailable for editing) when

one of the lock methods is used. If the string is locked

, it will become unlocked
(available for editing) when one of the lock methods is used.

Archiving a String
Strings that are no longer in use can be archived, or retired. When archived strings are hidden, they are no longer visible in the list of strings. However, the string database remains on
the hard drive.

To archive a string or remove a string from the archive in String Editor only
1. Select File > Archived from the String Editor menu bar.
The check acts as a toggle; when Archived is checked, the string is archived. When
Archived is not checked, the string is not archived.

To generally archive a string or to remove a string from the archive

1. From the Cerberus main menu, select Utilities > Base Manager from the menu bar.
2. Select the Strings button; then click to select the string to archive.
3. Select Utilities > Retire String from the Base Manager menu bar.

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The Retire String dialog appears.

4. Click (to toggle) one choice from each category. Removing a string and its associated jobs
retains the string (and jobs) in the database.
Strings and jobs that are removed are added back when the Project Tree and String Tree are
rebuilt (from the main Cerberus menu bar, select Utilities > Rebuild Tree).
Deleting a string removes the string and its associated jobs permanently.
5. Click Retire String.

Printing String Data

Print the status, configuration, used life, and history of a single string in String Editor.

Printing a Single String Report

The following procedure outlines how to print a single string report.

To print string data to a printer

1. Click Print

on the toolbar

OR
Select File > Print... from the menu bar.

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The String Print dialog appears.

2. Select/input Print Data.

a. Leave the default Title as-is, input a new title, or delete the default title to have no title
on the printout.
b. Click (to check) Print Data options, as needed: Status, Include Total Running Feet,
Sections/Welds/Zones, History, Fatigue Graph and Diameter Graph.
3. Select the Printer Options.
a. Select the Printer from the dropdown. If the user has:

A SharePoint URL with the related Cerberus configuration set up as described in

Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab on page 29, and

The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer selected in the application.

Then the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.

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b. Click the associated information button

to display the following information.

c. Click the Select Logo button to select a logo.

4. Click the Print button.
If SharePoint is not available or its use is not desired, a PDF file can be printed for email distribution or for archiving.
To view a PDF file, the free Adobe Reader must be installed on the computer. It can be downloaded from
Adobes Web site at www.adobe.com.
NOV CTES does NOT recommend the use of any other PDF generator other than the CTES PDF Printer. Use
of any other PDF generator can produce unpredictable and undesirable results.

To use the NOV CTES PDF Generator

1. Click Print

on the toolbar

OR
Select File > Print... from the menu bar.
The String Print dialog appears.
2. Select/input Print Data as described previously.
3. Select the printer.
In the Printer Options section, select CTES PDF Printer 50 from the Printer dropdown menu.
4. Click Print.
The Save As dialog box appears.
5. Input a file name.
Navigate to the desired location where the file should be saved.
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Ensure that the Save as type selection is listed as PDF file (*.pdf). Otherwise, the file
might not be saved correctly and might be unavailable for use.
6. Click the Save button.

Printing a Zoomed View of the String Life

To print a zoomed view of the string life
1. Click Fatigue

on the String Editor toolbar.

OR
Select View > Fatigue Profile from the menu bar.
2. Select the scale ratio for the graph; (optional) select other plot options.
a. Right-click the graph to adjust the scale of the string diagram for the printout.
Zoom Out
If the main Cerberus Setup dialog option Auto-scale fatigue viewers is clicked
(checked), the option on the fatigue-profile Zoom Out menu is called Zoom out (autoscale).
If the main Cerberus Setup dialog option Auto-scale fatigue viewers is not clicked
(checked), the option on the fatigue-profile Zoom Out menu is called Zoom out
(100%).

Set the Auto-scale fatigue views option on the main Cerberus screen by selecting Options >
Cerberus Setup from the menu bar.

Percentage Range
Click to select from among a variety of percentage-range zoom options:
0 - 100%, 0 - 50%, 0 - 25%, 0 - 10%.
b. For additional plot-option selections, right-click the graph and select Options to reveal
the Plot Options dialog.

From the Fatigue screen, click (to check or to toggle) Auto-scale fatigue viewer,
Used life scale, Display high used life warning at [input number] %, Display
fatigue due to corrosion.

From the Diameter tab, click (to check) Display high diameter warning, under
which the user may click (to toggle) Percent growth: Nominal diameter + [input
number] %, or Absolute growth: Nominal diameter + [input number] in.

From the Options tab, click (to toggle) Plot orientation options Plot from Coreend or Plot from Free-end. Click (to toggle) Plot style options Line or Filled
area. Finally, click (to check) Display grid, Display string diagram, and/or Display zone diagram.

Click OK.

3. Click Print

on the toolbar

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OR
Select File > Print... from the menu bar.
Complete printing steps as previously described.

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Receiving a String on Removable Media from a

Manufacturer
New string information received on removable media from the manufacturer should be
imported.

To receive a string from manufacturers removable media

1. Import the string in String Editor (see page 282).
2. If the string arrived on a shipping spool and is being transferring to a work reel, reverse
the string (see page 316).
3. If the string has a different segment length from the rest of the strings at the field location,
change it to be the same (see page 298).

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Using CT Specifications
Within CT Specifications, four parameters pertaining to the CT (manufacturer, material type,
diameter, and wall (nominal)) may be altered by the user so that the software calculates the
potential effects of these changes in material properties and tubing specifications.

To use CT Specifications
1. Select, from the String Editor menu bar, Help > CT Specs.
The CT Specifications dialog appears.

2. Using the dropdowns in the top portion of the dialog, select from the available parameters
Manufacturer, Material type, Diameter (nominal), and Wall (nominal).
3. Observe the changes that occur in the Material Properties and Tubing Specifications as
the above-described parameters are altered.
4. Determine the coiled tubing specifications most likely to correspond to the needed CT for a
particular job.

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Configuring Strings
Before configuring a string, obtain a basic understanding of the manner in which Cerberus
deals with strings and the inputs required for various tasks. The following links direct the user
to paragraphs that cover these topics.

Cerberus's View of a String on page 297.

Required String Data on page 299.

If configuring a used string, allow for existing fatigue (see page 299).
Create, configure, and delete strings using the Configuring Diameter procedure, which can
be performed across the Cerberus software suite.
NOV CTES recommends configuring strings in the following sequence:
1. Configuring Diameter on page 299.
2. Configuring Length on page 300.
3. Configuring Date Commissioned on page 301.
4. Configuring Sections on page 301.
5. Configuring Welds on page 305.
6. Configuring a Cable in String Editor on page 308.
During the life of a string, 'flags' can be used on all or part of the string for special attention.
For example, the user may develop concerns about particular areas with excessive corrosion
or unrecorded bending cycles. Those areas can be identified as zones.

Configuring Zones on page 308.

If tracking string corrosion is of interest, configure corrosion calculation options.

Configuring Corrosion on page 310.

Cerberus's View of a String

When working with String Editor, the user must have a basic understanding of how String Editor looks at a string. The following links point to paragraphs that cover these topics.

What is Segment Length? on page 298.

What is Position on the String? on page 298.

What is Derating? on page 298.

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What is Segment Length?

Segment length is the smallest length of tubing for which used life (fatigue) is monitored. The
smaller the segment length, the more accurate the fatigue profile. However, smaller segment
length increases the number of calculations and the calculation time.
The default segment length of ten (10) feet (two (2) meters) should be adequate for the vast
majority of applications. The smallest acceptable segment length is five (5) feet, or one (1) meter.
Understanding segment length is important to performing string operations. Strings can be
spliced only as long as they have the same segment length.
A given job location must always use the same segment length and units to ensure strings can be spliced.

The total number of segments in a string is the string length divided by the segment length.
To set units, select Options > Units from the main Cerberus menu bar. Then use the dropdown to select a unit
set.

What is Position on the String?

A position on the string is measured from the reel core end of the string. This method is used by
the CT manufacturers. In a 15,000 foot string, the reel core end is at zero (0) feet, and the downhole end is at 15,000 feet. String position should not be confused with depth, which is a relative
measurement measured from the free end of the CT and can vary, dependent on the zero depth
datum.
In general, positions are measured from the reel core end. However, positions measured from both the reel core
end and the downhole end are seen in the String Viewer.

Position 0 ft

Position 15,000 ft

What is Derating?
String life is calculated assuming plain pipe is in good condition. Welds and other physical features are known to have a lower fatigue life than plain pipe. Cerberus takes into account this
reduced life with derating factors. Each weld is associated with a derating factor. Additional derating factors can be applied using zones.
Derating factors change the rate at which future fatigue accumulates.

A derating factor of 75% means that the fatigue life of that weld or zone is assumed to be at 75%
of the base pipe. The fatigue life of the segment containing that weld or coinciding with that zone
is derated to 75% (not by 75%).
Segments containing multiple derating factors are evaluated in the following manner:

298

If the segment contains two or more welds (physically very unlikely), the worst-case derating
factor is applied. (Weld derating factors are not additive.)
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If the segment coincides with two or more zones, both derating factors are applied in
sequence. (Zone derating factors are additive.)

If the segment contains a weld and coincides with a zone, the worst-case derating factor
is applied.

A derating factor of 100% leaves the coiled tubing fatigue calculations unchanged. This
should be used when flagging a zone for any reason.

Required String Data

Some inputs in String Editor are required for calculations, and some are optional. Which
inputs are required and which are optional depend on what is in store for the string.

For tracking fatigue, the diameter, length, sections, and welds information must be configured. The user may also want to configure zones.

For exporting a string to Hydra for calculating tubing forces, the diameter, length, sections, and cable (if applicable) information must be configured.

For calculating hydraulics in Hydra, the diameter, length, sections, and cable (if applicable) information must be configured.

A cable for string weight and volume calculations can be configured in String Editor.

Information regarding the string manufacturer and inspection records for welds can be
entered. This information is not used in any calculations.

To quickly mock up a string to calculate tubing forces or hydraulics, most of the default values
can be used. However, its recommend that all information for actual work strings be used.

Configuring Existing Fatigue on a Used String

When a used string is configured, existing fatigue on the string will need to be accounted for
as well. The shorter used life can be accounted for by simulating jobs, by creating zones, or
by using a combination of the two methods.
If the jobs that have been run on the string are known, a typical or similar job can be created
in Job Manager, then run in Reel-Trak. The fatigue from the jobs is added to the string and
future fatigue will accumulate at the normal rate.
If the job information for the string is unknown, zones can be added to the string. This method
creates no fatigue, but increases the rate at which future fatigue accumulates.

Configuring Diameter
The diameter of a string is entered on the main String Editor screen. The diameter must be
constant along the entire length of a string.

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To enter diameter
1. Open String Editor.
2. Open the desired string.
The String Editor screen is repopulated to reflect the properties of the chosen string.
3. Select a string diameter.
All available diameters from the selected manufacturer are listed in the dropdown menu.

Configuring Length
The length of a string is entered on the main String Editor screen.
Do NOT change the length of a real string that contains fatigue data through the main screen of String Editor. To
cut a string, use the cut utility (see page 317). To splice a string, use the splice utility (see page 320).

When configuring a string, avoid changing the length (especially by shortening it) after sections, welds, and
zones are configured. Changing the length can lead to loss of data or other unpredictable and undesirable
results.

To enter length
1. Open String Editor.
2. Open the desired string.
The String Editor screen is repopulated to reflect the properties of the chosen string.
3. Enter the total string length in the Total Length field.

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Configuring Date Commissioned

The date a string was commissioned is entered on the main String Editor display screen.
If a string is re-commissioned (the Date Commissioned field is
changed), the new date is used in corrosion level calculations, if they
are enabled.
If an earlier date is entered, the next time a job is run in Reel-Trak, it calculates the additional corrosion for the days between the original commission date and the new commission date.
If a later date is entered, the corrosion level is not reduced. Instead,
Reel-Trak "waits" until the string has been in service for as long as it
was in service before it was re-commissioned. For example, suppose a
string was in service for 120 days when its re-commissioned. Reel-Trak
waits until 120 days after the new commission date before adding more
corrosion based on time in service. To immediately reduce the corrosion
level, it can be manually reset.

To enter the string commissioned date

1. Open String Editor.
2. Open the desired string.
The screen is repopulated with the strings data.
3.

Within the Summary screen, click the Info

button.

4. Input the date that the string was commissioned.

Include all four digits of the year. To use the current date, click the ellipses

button.

Configuring Sections
Sections are configured within the Sections area of String Editor. Entering each length of tubing as a different section is unnecessary unless it will be used for tracking fatigue, at which
point all sections must be configured for accurate fatigue calculations.
There are two ways to configure sections.

Configuring Sections by Wall Size on page 303.

Configuring Sections by Strip on page 304.

What are Sections?

A section is a length of the string with a single set of physical properties, such as wall thickness and material. Sections are configured within the Sections area of String Editor. There
are two ways to configure sections. Each wall thickness may be configured as a section, or
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each strip between bias welds may be configured as a section. Although never recommended, it
is technically possible to have sections with different coiled tubing materials, too. (For this reason, Cerberus uses the general name "sections" instead of "tapers".)

Free End

Weld

Weld

Weld

Weld

Core

Weld

For example, consider the following string made out of six strips with three different wall thicknesses.

Section 1
Weld

Free End

Weld

Weld

Weld

Weld

Weld

Core

Configuring each wall thickness as a section results in three sections.

Section 2
Weld

Free End

Weld

Weld

Weld

Weld

Weld

Core End

Configuring each strip as a section results in six sections.

Section 1Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5
Weld
Weld
Weld
Weld
Weld
Notice that each section, except the last one, is associated with the weld at its downhole end,
which connects it to the next section. These welds are called section welds. By default, a section
weld is a bias weld, but it can be changed to an orbital butt weld (machine) or a manual butt
weld. If each strip is configured as a section, all the welds in a new string are section welds. If
each wall thickness is configured as a section, the result will be some section welds and some
other welds. These other welds would be entered on the Welds screen.
A section can have a single wall thickness, or it can have a continuous taper. For a section with a
continuous taper, both the uphole and downhole effective wall thicknesses must be entered. The
section will be tapered over the middle 80% of the section. The 10% at each end will be straight.
(This matches how Quality Tubing, Inc. manufactures continuously tapered sections.)
Cerberus does not place any restrictions on what can be welded together; however, there are
manufacturing limitations. Contact the manufacturer for string design limitations.
Entering only wall changes (tapers) as sections is the quickest and easiest way to configure a string. Entering all
strips as sections takes longer, but provides for more detailed record keeping.

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To set a string as tapered, open a string and select Options > Tapered OD from the menu bar.

Configuring Sections by Wall Size

Sections may be configured by wall size.

To configure sections by wall size

1. Complete one of the following:

Click the Sections icon

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Sections from the menu bar.

Select the Sections button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

2. Count the number of sections.

On the manufacturers specification sheet, pick out the bias welds which separate tubing
with different wall sizes. These welds are section welds and separate different sections.
3. Set the number of sections.
In the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen, find and click the Add Section
icon

as needed to increase the number of sections to the appropriate number.

4. Input the properties for Section 1.

Section 1 starts at the reel core.
Items that apply only to strips can be left blank, or values from any strip can be entered in the section.

5. To edit/input Manufacturer Data, click the Manufacturer Data button at the bottom of the
Section Properties portion of the Sections screen.
6. Advance to the next section.
To advance to the next section, use the arrows in the upper right-hand portion of the display screen or click within the appropriate section in the diagram located in the midsection
of the Sections screen. Input the Section Properties.
7. Repeat the input of properties for each section. It is not necessary to enter the end position, length, or weld type for the last section.
8. To delete a section, click the Delete icon

on the toolbar or on the left-hand portion of

the screen (Sections button).

9. To save the string, select File > Save (or Save As) from the menu bar.
10. Add the remaining welds on the manufacturers specification sheet.

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Configuring Sections by Strip

Sections may also be configured by strip.

To enter each strip as a section

1. Complete one of the following:

Click the Sections icon

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Sections from the menu bar.

Select the Sections button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

2. Set the number of sections by increasing the number of sections to reflect the number of
strips.
In the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen, find and click the Add Section icon
as needed to increase the number of sections (strips) to the appropriate number.
3. Input the properties for the first section (strip).
The first section starts at the reel core.
4. To edit/input Manufacturer Data for this strip, click the Manufacturer Data button at the bottom of the Section Properties portion of the Sections screen.
5. Advance to the next section.
To advance to the next section, use the arrows or click within the appropriate section in the
diagram located in the midsection of the Sections screen. Input the Section Properties.
6. Repeat the input of properties for each section. It is not necessary to enter the end position,
length, or weld type for the last section.
7. To delete a section (strip), click the Delete icon

on the toolbar or on the left-hand portion

of the screen (Sections button).

8. To save the string, select File > Save (or Save As) from the menu bar.

Notes on Wall Reduction

The wall reduction factor is a string property used by Cerberus to compensate for the effects of
acid and other damaging environments during a job. When a job is configured in Job Manager,
the wall reduction is specified in the job type screen. The wall reduction is cumulative, so each
job (that doesn't have zero wall reduction) contributes to the total wall reduction. The wall reduction is then subtracted from the minimum wall size to yield the effective wall size, which is used in
calculations.
The wall reduction in String Editor can be viewed, but not changed.
Wall reduction is calculated using the same value along the entire length of the string. It is shown on the Sections screen so that the effective wall size can be seen. Wall reduction is calculated from the job type in Job
Manager and the wall reduction option in Reel-Trak.

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To view wall reduction

1. Click Sections

on the toolbar.

The Sections screen appears, with Section Properties displayed on the right-hand side of
the display screen.
The wall reduction value appears within the Wall size properties.

Notes on Material
When the Achilles 5.0 model is selected (see Editing the Fatigue Model Parameters on
page 328), the material selected within the Sections button must be a supported material.
Click the button next to the Material field ( ) to see material information. This button is visible only when a string is defined as Achilles 5 and a weld material file exists for the specific
material.

Configuring Welds
Add welds, edit welds, and delete welds within the Welds area of String Editor. The string
must be unlocked in order to add or remove welds. All non-section welds need to be entered
in the string for fatigue calculations. Each weld may be a bias weld, orbital butt weld
(machine), or manual butt weld.
Because welds are weaker than base pipe, each weld has a derating factor. String Editor provides recommended derating factors. These default derating factors depend on the type of
weld (manual butt, orbital butt, or bias), as well as whether or not the weld joins different wall
thicknesses.

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Adding a Weld
To add a weld
1. Complete one of the following:

Click the Welds icon

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Welds from the menu bar.

Select the Welds button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.
If the sections are configured, the section welds already appear in the list in the right-hand
portion of the screen and on the string diagram in the mid-section of the screen.
The welds are color-coded: red for Manual butt weld, blue for Orbital (CM) butt weld, and
green for Bias.

2. Click the Add Weld

icon.

3. Enter the Position of weld from the reel core end.

4. Select, from the dropdown, the Weld Type.
Weld types are bias weld, orbital butt weld, or manual butt weld.
See Notes on Material on page 305 regarding the appearance of the icon adjacent to the
Weld Type field.
The new weld appears in the weld list and a color-coded line appears on the string diagram.
5. To save the string, select File > Save (or Save As) from the menu bar.
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Editing a Weld
Welds in strings are editable.
To edit the position of a section weld, the sections must be reconfigured (see page 301).

To edit a weld
1. Complete one of the following:

Click the Welds icon

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Welds from the menu bar.

Select the Welds button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

2. From the list in the right-hand portion of the display screen available from the Welds
screen, select the weld to edit.
3. Edit the Weld Properties as desired.
The values for the Weld Position, the Weld Type, and the Derating factor can be
changed.
The Weld Type for a section weld cannot be changed.
When Achilles model 5 is selected and a Bias weld model is available for the selected
material, the derating factor can not be edited, but is instead calculated based on the
model.
4. To save the string, select File > Save (or Save As) from the menu bar.

Deleting a Weld
Welds can be deleted (removed) from the string, as well.

To delete a weld
1. Complete one of the following:

Click the Welds icon

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Welds from the menu bar.

Select the Welds button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

2. From the list in the right-hand portion of the display screen available from the Welds
screen, select the weld to delete. Section welds cannot be deleted.
3. Click the Delete icon

on the toolbar or on the left-hand portion of the screen (Welds

button).

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Configuring a Cable in String Editor

If a cable is installed in the string, it should be configured. The cable information is used in Hydra
calculations of flow rate and frictional pressure drop. It is also used for string weight and string
volume as well as calculations in Hydra.
For information about the NOV CTES cable injector, which can install cable with the string on the reel, please
Contact Us

To configure cable information

1. Select the Summary button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.
2. Click (to check) Cable Installed

3. Input the cable information.

This information includes the Cable type, Weight per length, Cable diameter, Date
installed, and a checkbox to indicate the cable is H2S rated.

Configuring Zones
Zones are configured within the Zones screen of the String Editor display screen. Typically,
zones are added to a used string; not a new string. Zones are created due to concerns for a part
of a string that has suffered from excessive corrosion, damage that needs to be flagged, or
because the used life of that portion needs to be changed.

What are Zones?

Zones are used to flag parts of the string that need to be watched, such as areas of corrosion or
damage. Zones can also be derated if they have an uncertain fatigue history or if it is believed the
life will be shorter for some reason.
Entering a derating factor other than 100% will change the used life of the zone for all subsequent calculations.
Choosing a factor other than 100% is highly subjective and should be used with care.

The derating factor can be left at 100% to simply track the zone without affecting its used life. To
change the used life, change the derating factor. A derating factor of 75% means that the fatigue
life of that zone is assumed to be at 75% of the base pipe.

To view existing zones in String Editor

1. Select the Fatigue icon

in the toolbar

2. If zones exist and the plot option Display effective zones in the string diagram is selected,
observe the shading in the Derate Zones area at screen-bottom.
OR

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1. Complete one of the following:

Click Zones

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Zones from the menu bar.

Select the Zones button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

2. If zones exist, observe their diagrams (in vertical orientation) just to the left of the string
diagram. Select a zone to see its related information in the Zones (right-hand) area of the
display screen.

Adding a Zone
The following procedure describes how to add a zone to a string.

To add a zone
1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 288).
2. Complete one of the following:

Click Zones

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Zones from the menu bar.

Select the Zones button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

3. Click the Add button in the top of the right-hand portion of the display screen.
If no zones existed previously, various fields become available in which to input parameters. If a zone or zones existed previously, the Current zone number is incremented to
accommodate the new zone.
4. Input the positions for the zone:
The Start position (Core end) and End position (free end) of the zone are measured
from the reel core end.
The zone diagram (to the left of the string diagram) depicts the new zone.
5. Enter a derating factor.
Leave the Derate zone to field at 100% to flag the zone without affecting fatigue life.
6. Select from the dropdown, or input, a reason for derating.

Removing a Zone
To remove a zone
1. Access the Zones area as described in Adding a Zone, above.
2. Select the zone by clicking it in the zone diagram, or by clicking the up-or-down arrows
associated with the Current zone field.
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3. Click the Remove button in the top of the right-hand portion of the display screen.

Configuring Corrosion
Track corrosion levels for a string using a simple corrosion calculation. To track corrosion, the
corrosion settings must be specified for each string on the Corrosion screen. The corrosion level
is then increased accordingly when a job is run in Reel-Trak. The corrosion level can also be
reset manually.
The suggested corrosion derating factors have not been validated experimentally.

About the Suggested Corrosion Derating Factors

Although the suggested corrosion derating factors are not based on experimental data, they have
been based on some general assumptions. The suggested corrosion derating factors provide the
following results:

If a string remains in the yard without performing any jobs, after its first year the corrosion
level would be 27%, based on time alone. After the second year, it would be 63%.

If a string performed 50 (fifty) acid jobs (in wells without any H2S or CO2), its corrosion level
would be 50%, not including how long the string has been in service.

If a string performed 50 (fifty) jobs in wells that contained either H2S or CO2, its corrosion
level would be 100%, not including the presence of acid or how long the string has been in
service.

Entering Corrosion Settings for a String

Corrosion settings for strings are entered in the Corrosion portion of the string. The following
procedure outlines how to enter these settings.
The corrosion calculations can be changed at any time in a string's life. Different strings can also have different
corrosion calculations. However, NOV CTES recommends using the same settings for all strings to avoid confusion.

To enter corrosion settings

1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 288).
2. Select Edit > Corrosion from the menu bar.
OR
Click Corrosion

on the toolbar.

Corrosion information appears in the right-hand portion of the String Editor.

3. Click (to check) the Use Wall Reduction Method and/or the Use String Life Reduction
Method checkbox.

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If the Use String Life Reduction Method option is checked, various parameters become
available.
4. Select the string life options checkboxes.
The options affect how the string life is calculated.

To manually reset the corrosion level, click the Reset button in the Current Status
section. Enter the new corrosion level in the Corrosion Reset dialog and click OK.

To adjust the strings Time in Service, click (to check) the associated checkbox.
Then, input a percentage to Decrease string life by for every 30 days elapsed,
starting from [click up/down arrows to select] days after string is commissioned.
Finally, input the Commission Date.

To decrease string life by a specified percentage according to job type:

Click (to check) Decrease string life by [input percentage] % for [click to toggle]
every acid job or every job.

Click (to check) Decrease string life by [input percentage] % if well has H2S.

Click (to check) Decrease string life by [input percentage] % if well has CO2.

5. Click Set as New Default to make the current settings the default settings for new strings.
6. Click Restore Cerberus Defaults to return to the original default corrosion settings.

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String Utilities
String Editor has several string utilities. The following links point to paragraphs that cover these
topics in depth.

String Weight on page 312.

String Volume on page 283.

Estimating Remaining Trips on page 314.

String Weight
Based on the geometry of the string, the string weight, excluding the reel, can be estimated. The
estimate takes into account the wall thickness of tapered sections. The weight of the string while
empty and while water-filled can be viewed. The weight of the cable, if there is a cable installed,
can be taken in account as well.

To estimate string weight

1. Complete one of the following:

Click Weight

on the toolbar.

Select Utilities > Weight from the menu bar.

In the left-hand portion of the String Editor, select the Utilities button; then click Weight
.

String Weight information appears in the right-hand portion of the display screen.
The screen displays the total string weight when Empty, and when Water-filled, excluding
the reel.
2. Select a value for the amount of water in the cable.
The user may use the up-and-down arrows associated with the Weight with Fluid to adjust
the percent full amount, which, accordingly, adjusts the weight calculation.
3. Click the Select Fluid button to display the Select a Fluid dialog.

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Select a Fluid Dialog

a. Use the Recent Selections dropdown to select from recent fluid selections.
b. Click the Show Orphans button to show all fluid selections, including orphans.
c. To search, select the Column to Search from the dropdown, and input search parameters in the field below. Here, the asterisk after the field indicates a wildcard search,
so limited input can achieve a variety of results. Finally, click the Search button.
d. Select the desired fluid for use and click OK.
4. (Optional) Click the Include weight of cable checkbox.
The weight of the cable is included in the total weight calculations and the values in the
screen are reconfigured accordingly.
This checkbox is available only if the Cable installed box is clicked and Weight information is entered in the
Summary portion of the String Editor. See String Summary for more information.

String Volume
The volume the string can hold is estimated based on the nominal wall size and for the minimum wall size. The volume calculation can also take into account the cable volume (if one is
installed) and wall reduction.

To estimate string volume

1. Complete one of the following:

Click Volume

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Select Utilities > Volume from the menu bar.

String Volume information appears in the right-hand portion of the display screen.
2. Select the Capacity options.
The capacity options include:

Use nominal wall - Bases the calculations on the nominal wall thickness.

Use minimum wall - Bases the calculations on the minimum wall thickness.

Apply wall reduction - Includes a reduction for previous jobs run using this string.

Subtract cable volume - Includes the volume required by a cable, if present.

The Capacity and Displacement values are recalculated accordingly when the above options
are selected/de-selected.

Estimating Remaining Trips

The number of trips in and out of the hole remaining on the string can be estimated based on the
current maximum fatigue.
Use this estimate as a rough guide only. The estimate is based on a single set of conditions. Actual field conditions will produce a different amount of fatigue.

To estimate the remaining trips on a string

1. Select Utilities > Estimate Remaining Trips... from the menu bar.
The Estimate Remaining Trips dialog box appears.
2. Enter the Reel Diameter, Arch Radius, and Pressure for the trips.
3. Click (to toggle) either Coiled Tubing Depth (and input Start and End information) or Working Depth.
Click the question-mark icons to learn more about Coiled Tubing Depth and Working Depth.

4. (Optional) Click (to check) Apply Application Factor. See Default String Options on
page 281 for additional information.
5. Click Estimate Trips.
The estimated number of remaining trips for the string is displayed, based on 80% fatigue life
safety limit.
6. Input the Number (No) of Trips and click Estimate Fatigue Limit to estimate the fatigue
limit.
7. Click Close.
The Estimate Remaining Trips dialog is closed and the user is returned to the main String
Editor display screen.

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Estimate Remaining Trips

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String Services
Cerberus organizes the reversing, cutting, or splicing of strings into services.
When a string is reversed, cut, or spliced, that information is noted in String Editor. The following
links point to paragraphs that cover each topic in more detail.

Reversing a String on page 316.

Cutting a String on page 317.

Splicing Strings on page 320.

String services can be performed from the main Cerberus Project window when a project is selected, but not
open in Reel-Trak.
This option is available if it is turned on. Turn on the String Services option by selecting Options > Cerberus
Setup and click (to check) Display CT Services Control Panel on the General tab.
When a project is open in Reel-Trak, String Services are disabled in the main Cerberus Project window, but are
available in the Job Setup screen of Reel-Trak if the job is not locked or executed.

Reversing a String
It is important to reverse the string in String Editor whenever the string is transferred to a different
reel. For example, if the string arrives on a shipping spool and is transferred to a work reel, the
string needs to be reversed. A string may also need to be reversed before splicing it to another
string.
To include the associated fatigue to the string, Cerberus calculates fatigue for two bending
events: unwrapping from the source reel and wrapping around the destination reel. Both bending
events occur at zero pressure, and Cerberus calculates the bending radius for each event from
the wraps of the string around the reel.
The tubing manufacturers configure a string according to the way it is shipped out of the factory. If the string
arrives on a shipping spool and is transferred to a work reel, the string will need to be reversed.

Before transferring a string to a new spool, the reel's capacity can be estimated to see if the string will fit on it
(see page 313).

To reverse a string
1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 289).
2. Complete one of the following:

From the Services screen, selected from the left-hand button on the String Editor display
screen, select Reverse String

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From the toolbar, click Reverse

The Reverse String information appears in the right-hand portion of String Editor.
3. Select a spooling option:

To reverse the string without recording the associated fatigue, click (to toggle) the
Spooling Option Reverse Only.

To reverse the string and calculate fatigue, click (to toggle) Reel-to-Reel Spooling
Operation.

If Reel-to-Reel Spooling Operation is selected, enter the dimensions of the source reel
and of the destination reel. The user can also click the reel icons to select reels configured in Reel Editor.
4. Click Reverse.
String Editor reverses the string and notes the event (including whether fatigue was calculated and the users login name) in the string history log.

Cutting a String
The string can be cut using the Cut String service, as follows:

Cut off tubing from the free (downhole) end. This is done as part of routine maintenance
(see page 317).

Cut out tubing in the middle of the string. This is done to remove a damaged or highly
fatigued portion of the string (see page 318).

Cut string into two separate strings. This is done when cutting off part of a string and splicing it onto a different string, or to divide a long string shipped on a single spool from the
manufacturer into two work strings (see page 319).

Cutting Off the End of a String

Tubing is cut from the free (downhole) end of a string as part of routine maintenance.

To cut tubing from the free end of the string

1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 289).
2. Complete one of the following:

Click Cut

Select Edit > Cut from the menu bar.

Select the Services button from the left-hand portion of the String Editor display
screen; then click the Cut String icon.

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3. Click (to toggle) Cut and discard off free end of string (downhole).
4. Input the amount to cut.
5. Click the Cut button.
A warning dialog box appears to confirm cutting the string.
6. Click Yes to confirm cutting.
String Editor cuts the string and notes the event and the users login name in the history log
for the string.

Cutting a String in the Middle

To remove a damaged or highly fatigued portion of the string, the string is cut somewhere in the
middle and the ends rejoined.

To cut a string in the middle

1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 288).
2. Complete one of the following:

Click Cut

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Cut from the menu bar.

Select the Services button from the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen;
then click the Cut String icon.

3. Click (to toggle) Cut and discard from middle of string.

4. Input the beginning position of the cut From the reel-core end, in a multiple of the segment
length.
5. Input the end position of the cut from the reel-core end (To), in a multiple of the segment
length.
6. Click (to toggle) the type of weld used to rejoin the string.
The options are Manual or Orbital.
7. Enter a Derating factor for the weld, or accept the default.
8. Click the Cut button.
A warning box appears to confirm cutting the string.
9. Click Yes to confirm the cut.
String Editor cuts the string and notes the event and the users login name in the history log
for the string.

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Cutting a String and Saving Both Parts as Separate Strings

To divide a long string shipped on a single spool from the manufacturer into two work strings,
the string is cut and both parts saved.
Before transferring a string to a new spool, the reel's capacity can be estimated to see if the string will fit on
it (see page 313).

To cut a string and save both parts as separate strings

1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 289).
2. Complete one of the following:

Click Cut

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Cut from the menu bar.

Select the Services button from the left-hand portion of the String Editor display
screen; then click the Cut String icon.

3. Click (to toggle) Cut string and save as two separate strings.
4. Input the position of the cut (Cut at).
5. Click the String 1-associated Save As... button to save the new first string.
The String Description dialog appears.
6. (Optional) Enter a description for the new first string (or use the default existing-string
name for the first string).
(Optional) Click the Show Existing... button to view existing strings.
Names can be a maximum of 32 characters, including letters, numbers, and spaces.
7. Click OK.
8. Click the String 2-associated Save As... button to save the new second string.
The String Description dialog appears.
9. Enter a description for the new second string.
Names can be a maximum of 32 characters, including letters, numbers, and spaces.
10. Click the Cut button.
A warning box appears to confirm the cutting of the string.
11. Click Yes to confirm cutting.
String Editor cuts the string and notes the event and the login name in the history log.
If the new string is put on a different reel, reverse it. (The downhole end becomes the reel
core end (see page 316)).
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Splicing Strings
Within String Editor, the splicing service joins two strings to create one new string. After the two
strings are spliced together, three strings exist in String Editor: the two original strings and the
third, spliced string. The two original string files can be archived.
When String Editor splices strings, it joins the free end of the main string to the core end of the
second string. The second string may need to be reversed, depending on the ends being joined.
The second string will not need to be reversed if it is transferred to a new reel, spliced, then
spooled onto the main reel. There is no need to reverse the second string if it is spliced to the
main string and spooled onto the main reel.
500 ft

0 ft

600 ft

0 ft

Strings can be spliced in several ways. The following links point to paragraphs that cover these
ways in more detail.

Adding New Pipe to the End of a String on page 320.

Adding New Pipe to the Middle of a String on page 321.

Splicing Strings End to End on page 323.

Splicing a String into the Middle of Another String on page 324.

Only strings that are compatible with each other can be spliced.

Before transferring a string to a new spool, the reel's capacity can be estimated to see if the string will fit on it
(see page 313).

Compatibility Requirements for Splicing Strings

Only compatible strings can be spliced together. In order to be compatible, both strings must be
active (not archived) and must have the same values for the following items:

units system,

fatigue model,

diameter, and

segment length.

Adding New Pipe to the End of a String

When new pipe is added to the end of a string, the string stays on its reel and the new pipe gets
spooled over it. One field weld is created where the new pipe is joined.
The new pipe will not have any fatigue damage. However, used pipe with fatigue can be spliced onto an existing
string.

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To ensure the spliced string will fit on the reel, the reels capacity can be estimated (see page 313).

To add new pipe to the end of a string

1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 288).
2. Complete one of the following:

Click Splice

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Splice from the menu bar.

Select the Services button from the left-hand portion of the String Editor display
screen; then click the Splice String icon.

3. Click (to toggle) Add New Pipe on the right-hand portion of the String Editor display
screen.
The screen is repopulated to show the New Pipe Properties section.
4. Input the Splice Position in the current string.
5. Input the properties of the new pipe.
The properties include:

Length of New Pipe (must be a multiple of the segment length),

CT Diameter,

Material, and

Nominal wall thickness.

6. Within the Uphole Weld section of the display screen, select, from the dropdown, the
Weld type.
Weld types include Manual and Orbital.
7. Input the Derating Factor.
8. Click the Splice button.
A warning dialog box appears to confirm the splice.
9. Click Yes to confirm splicing.
String Editor splices the new pipe onto the string and notes the event and the users login
name in the history log for the string.

Adding New Pipe to the Middle of a String

When pipe is added to the middle of a string, the string is cut in two and the new pipe is
welded in between. Two field welds are created, one on each end of the new pipe.

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The new pipe will not have any fatigue damage. Splice in an existing string when adding used pipe with fatigue
(see page 324).

To ensure the spliced string will fit on the reel, the reels capacity can be estimated (see page 313).

To add new pipe to the middle of a string

1. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 289).
2. Complete one of the following:

Click Splice

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Splice from the menu bar.

Select the Services button from the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen;
then click the Splice String icon.

3. Click (to toggle) Add New Pipe on the right-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.
The screen is repopulated to show the New Pipe Properties section.
4. Input the Splice Position in the current string.
The splice position must be less than the length of the string.
5. Input the properties of the new pipe.
The properties include:

Length of New Pipe (must be a multiple of the segment length),

CT Diameter,

Material, and

Nominal wall thickness.

6. Within the Uphole Weld section of the display screen, select, from the dropdown, the Weld
type.
Weld types include Manual and Orbital.
7. Within the Downhole Weld section of the display screen, select, from the dropdown, the Weld
type.
Weld types include Manual and Orbital.
8. Input the Derating Factor for each weld type.
9. Click the Splice button.
A warning dialog box appears to confirm the splice.
10. Click Yes to confirm splicing.

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String Editor splices the new pipe onto the string and notes the event and the users login
name in the history log for the string.

Splicing Strings End to End

When strings are spliced end to end, the main string stays on its reel, and the second string is
spooled over it. One field weld is created where the two strings are joined.
To ensure the spliced string will fit on the reel, the reels capacity can be estimated (see page 313).

To splice a string to the end of another string

1. If the core end of the SECONDARY string will become the free end of the spliced string,
reverse the SECONDARY string (see page 316).
2. Open the MAIN string:
a. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 288).
3. Complete one of the following:

Click Splice

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Splice from the menu bar.

Select the Services button from the left-hand portion of the String Editor display
screen; then click the Splice String icon.

4. Click (to toggle) Add Existing String.

The screen is repopulated with the Existing String Properties section.
5. Click Select... to select the second string.
The Select String dialog appears, listing all available strings.
6. Select the desired string.
7. Click OK.
8. Within the Uphole Weld section of the display screen, select, from the dropdown, the
Weld type.
Weld types include Manual and Orbital.
9. Input the Derating Factor for each weld type.
10. Click the Splice button.
A warning dialog box appears to confirm the splice.
11. Click Yes to overwrite the existing MAIN string, or click No to create a new string via the
New dialog.

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12. If No was clicked in the step above, input the New string name.
String Editor splices the strings together and notes the event and the users login name in the
history log of the new string.

Splicing a String into the Middle of Another String

When a string is spliced into the middle of another string, the main string is cut in two and the
second string is welded between the ends. Two field welds are created, one at each end of the
second string.
To ensure the spliced string will fit on the reel, the reels capacity can be estimated (see page 313).

To Splice a String in the Middle

1. If the SECONDARY string is reversed during the splicing process, reverse the SECONDARY
string (see page 316).
2. Open the MAIN string.
a. Select a string.
If the string is locked, unlock it (see page 288).
3. Complete one of the following:

Click Splice

on the toolbar.

Select Edit > Splice from the menu bar.

Select the Services button from the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen;
then click the Splice String icon.

4. Input the Splice Position of the first-string insertion point for the second string.
5. Click Select... to select the second string.
The Select String dialog appears, listing all available strings.
6. Select the desired string.
7. Click OK.
8. Within the Uphole Weld section of the display screen, select, from the dropdown, the Weld
type.
Weld types include Manual and Orbital.
9. Within the Downhole Weld section of the display screen, select, from the dropdown, the Weld
type.
Weld types include Manual and Orbital.
10. Input the Derating Factor for each weld type.
11. Click the Splice button.
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A warning dialog box appears to confirm splicing the two strings.

12. Click Yes to confirm splicing.
13. To overwrite the existing string (default), click Yes. To create a new string name, click No.
String Editor splices the strings together and notes the event and the users login name in
the history log of the string.

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String History
String history shows a history of the most important events that has happened to a string, and
what jobs the string has performed. A user name is also associated with each event.
To open the String History display screen, click History
tory Log from the menu bar.

on the toolbar or select View > His-

The columns String Max Fatigue, Running Feet Added, Fatigue Depth, and Fatigue Added
store the data that was used in versions of Cerberus previous to v11.0 to generate comments
after a job is executed.

To use the column-related functionalities available in String History

1. Modify the comment for an action in the String History grid without losing the information
recorded. The information stored in these columns is read-only.

2. Right-click the History grid to access the context-menu options:

a. Show/Hide Columns.
b. Show Fatigue Profile. Select this option to be redirected to the String History Timeline.

Undoing String Events

Events in a strings history can be undone. When a job is run, a string cut, or other events performed, Cerberus automatically makes a backup of the string before performing the action. When
the user performs an undo to the string, Cerberus retrieves the backup and replaces the current
string with the backup.
An undo-able row must be selected in order for the Undo option to be enabled.

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A user cannot selectively undo an event in the middle of the string history. When the user performs an undo
to an event, events that occur afterward will also be undone. Once a series of events has been undone,
they cannot be redone. If the user is unsure whether to perform the task, the string can be saved with a
new name first.
If the user wishes to selectively remove an event from the middle of the string history, use the String Timeline instead of the history grid.

To undo string events

1. Open String Editor.
2. Open the desired string.
3. Click History

on the toolbar.

The string History shows a history of the most important events that have happened to a
string, and what jobs the string has performed. A user is also associated with each event.
There are rows for each event related to the string (creating, locking, unlocking, jobs run,
cutting, reversing, and so forth). Events in red can be undone.
4. Select the desired event to undo.
Select any column in the row for the event to undo; the Undo button is enabled.
5. Click the Undo button.

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String Fatigue
Fatigue is viewed in the String Editor similarly to the way it is viewed in Reel-Trak (see Tracking
Fatigue on page 51), but with the differences described below.

Editing the Fatigue Model Parameters

If fatigue modeling capabilities are included in the user license, certain fatigue-model parameters
may be specified in order to enhance modeling accuracy.

To edit fatigue-model parameters

1. Select Edit > Fatigue Model from the String Editor menu bar.
Most values in the Fatigue Model area cannot be changed if the string has fatigue.

2. Edit available parameters using manual input or available dropdowns.

Among other parameters, the user has the opportunity to select (from the dropdown) the
Fatigue Model: Achilles 3.0 (1999); Achilles 4.0 (2003); Achilles 5.0 (Linear).
For more information about selecting a fatigue model, please see the appendix entitled Coiled Tubing Fatigue
Models.

Viewing and Using the String Fatigue Display

To view the string fatigue display
1. Complete one of the following:

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Select the Fatigue button in the left-hand portion of the String Editor display screen.

2. From the top right-hand View field, choose (from the dropdown) Used Life or Diameter.
a. When Used Life is chosen, the user sees:
1. Used Life (%) diagram. In the diagram, plot orientation may be shown measured
from the core end or from the free end of the string. To select either of these
options, select Options > Plot Orientation and click (to check) the desired orientation.
2. String Diagram - This diagram shows the diameter, wall thickness, material, and
welds on the string. Click close to a weld and hold the mouse button down to see
the welds position, type, and derating factor.
The positions in the string diagram are measured from the core end of the string,
as they were entered. The depth in the depth diagram comes from the depth information in the job log, and is unrelated to position.
The string diagram prints exactly as it appears on the screen.

3. String History Timeline - String Editors fatigue diagram. This is a graphical representation of the strings history (without the lock and unlock actions).
Do not confuse the String History Timeline with the String History display. See String History for additional
information.

b. When Diameter is chosen, the user sees:

1. The Diameter diagram, which gives a graphical representation of the diametrical
growth of the pipe. In the diagram, plot orientation may be shown measured from
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the core end or from the free end of the string. To select either of these options, select
Options > Plot Orientation and click (to check) the desired orientation.
2. The String Diagram and the String History Timeline are also shown, as described
above.

To . . .

Do this . . .

Zoom in on an area.

Click and drag a rectangle around the

area.

Adjust the fatigue scale.

Right-click the diagram and select a scale.

Zoom back out.

Right-click the diagram and select Zoom

Out.

Access additional graphic options.

Select Options in the menu bar; then

choose from among the options available.

To use the string fatigue display

1. Annotations, or markups, may be added to either the Used Life fatigue diagram or the Diameter diagram. The supported annotation types are as follows:

Text: Text annotations display text on the Fatigue diagram.

Highlighter: Highlighter annotations place a shape (rectangle or ellipse) on the Fatigue

diagram with an opacity default of 0.5 (or 50%).

Shape: Shape annotations are similar to the Highlighter but they are not filled by default.
Their line thickness is set to 2 for easier manipulation on the Fatigue diagram.

Pointer: A Pointer annotation places an arrow on the Fatigue diagram that can be manipulated by the user. The arrowhead can be left open or closed (and filled).

Notes: A Note annotation places a small notepad image on the fatigue diagram for users
to add extra information to the annotation that is not displayed on the diagram. This additional information can optionally be included in string printouts or reports.

To add annotations to the diagram

a. Click one of the buttons on the right-hand side of the fatigue diagram.
OR
Right-click the fatigue diagram and click Add Annotation.
b. Select the annotation type desired.
The Fatigue Diagram: Annotations dialog appears.
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c. The user may alter many of the characteristics of an annotation (including the
Annotation Type) from the annotations dialog.

1) To specify that the annotation appears in relation to a particular position on

the String History Timeline only, click (to toggle) Selected Job.

An annotations text may change based on the selected historic action type (Job, Cut, Splice, Reverse).
The text also changes to Current Job within Reel-Trak.

2) To specify that the annotation always appears on the diagram, without

regard to its position in relation to the String History Timeline, click (to toggle) Always Shown.

Annotations are plot-type specific (Used Life, Diameter, and so forth).

To interact with the annotations already input in the diagram

a. The information input in the Notes field is displayed as a tooltip when the
mouse is hovered over the annotation.
b. Left-click and hold the mouse button on an annotation to drag the annotation
anywhere on the diagram.
c. Right-click an annotation to Bring to Front, Send to Back, Edit, or Delete the
selected annotation.

To print annotations
a. Select File > Print from the String Editor menu bar. Then, click (to check) Print
Annotations on Graph(s) and/or Print Annotation Notes.
2. As mentioned above, the String History Timeline is a graphical representation of the
strings history (without the lock and unlock actions)

To use the String History Timeline

If the strings backup file is available, hold the mouse over an event on the String

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History Timeline to display that actions incremental fatigue information in gray on the
Used Life fatigue plot.
The strings backup file is unavailable when it is imported from Cerberus v10.5 or previous (after-the-fact), or
when it is created as a Save As file with the Save Criteria Save Without Historical Data selected.
The strings backup file is available when data is obtained directly in real time or when a Save As file is created
with the Historical Data option selected. This backup file is created automatically in v11.0 or greater.

Any of the following user actions allow string history events to be changed in the
specified manner to correct user errors without manually re-running the entire history.
Fatigue is recalculated when one of the following actions is taken:
a. Right-click an item on the String History Timeline and select Insert Existing
Job, Insert New Cut, Insert New Splice, Insert New Reverse, Remove, or
Undo.
b. Right-click an item on the String History Timeline and select Remove. This
action allows string history events to be deleted to correct user errors without manually re-running the entire history.
c. Drag and drop an item on the String History Timeline to a new location on the
timeline. This action allows string history events to be reordered to correct user
errors without manually re-running the entire history.
The String History Timeline checks the historic actions of the string to determine if
items can be automatically recalculated if a change is made. If the item can be automatically recalculated, the line between items becomes blue. If items cannot be automatically recalculated, then the line becomes gray.

The following items prevent automatic recalculation:

a. String backup file missing
b. Job database missing
c. Reel database used on the job missing
d. Splice with existing string
e. Cut string and save as two separate strings
f. The Cut, String or Reverse action does not have enough information to recreate
During the recalculation process (either manual or automatic), a dialog is displayed
listing the actions that need to be recalculated. Manual recalculation requires the user

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to manually recreate each item in the list. NOV CTES advises the user to save
and/or print the list for reference.

Making String Modifications after Calculating Fatigue

Circumstances may occasionally require fundamental changes to a strings design even
after the fatigue on the string has been calculated in Reel-Trak (see Tracking Fatigue) and the
string has been locked.
In these circumstances, String Editor allows the string design to be modified and the fatigue
to be automatically recalculated IF the string backups and all of the related jobs are available.
When using this Edit and Recalculate functionality, the string is first unlocked and is restored
to its initial state. Then, the user can alter any facet of a strings design (such as sections,
material, or fatigue model). After the changes are complete, a complete recalculation (in
Reel-Trak) of the strings fatigue history may be initiated by the user.

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To modify a string and recalculate fatigue

1. Open a locked string in String Editor.
2. Ensure that all the lines connecting jobs on the String History Timeline are blue. (See To use
the String History Timeline for more information about string backup availability and recalculation potential.)

3. From the String Editor menu bar, select Edit > Edit string for fatigue recalculation. This
selection is only available if the string is eligible for edit and recalculation.

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A warning popup appears, indicating that this action cannot be undone, and requesting
a Yes/No response to the question Do you want to continue?.

4. If the user continues the process (by clicking Yes), the String Editor dialog displays the
string as unlocked and ready to edit. A Recalculate Fatigue button appears in the lefthand portion of the String Editor.
5. Make changes to any or all of the string-design elements.
6. Click the Recalculate Fatigue button.
The fatigue on the string recalculates. A String History Changes dialog appears, showing
the automatic recalculations.
a. Click Save to File to save a text document with all of the actions performed on the
string history (this is only needed if there is a failure of some kind).
7. Click the Fatigue button to see the String Editors recalculated string diagram and history
timeline. Note that the String History Timeline still contains all of the jobs in the order in
which they were originally executed.

Making Job Modifications after Calculating Fatigue

The user may change a job already in the string history and recalculate the fatigue.

To modify a job and recalculate fatigue

1. Right-click the job (in the String History Timeline) to modify.
2. Select Edit Job and Recalculate.

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A warning popup appears, indicating that this action cannot be undone, and requesting a
Yes/No response to the question Do you want to continue?.

3. If the user continues the process (by clicking Yes), Reel-Trak is displayed, and the user has
the ability to edit any portion of the job except the string.
4. Make changes to any or all of the string-design elements.
5. Save the changes and exit Reel-Trak.
The fatigue on the string recalculates from the selected job going forward. A String History
Changes dialog appears, showing the automatic recalculations.
a. Click Save to File to save a text document with all of the actions performed on the string
history. (This action is needed only if a failure of some kind occurs.)

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Troubleshooting in String Editor

Situation

Possible Cause

Action

I cannot make any

changes to a string.

The string may be locked.

Try unlocking the string.

I can't change the segment length or fatigue

model for a string.

The segment length or

fatigue model for a string
with fatigue cannot be
changed.

Check to see if the string

has any fatigue, or undo all
history to remove the fatigue
and the segment length can
be changed.

I can't splice two strings

together.

String Editor only allows

strings with the same diameter, segment length, units,
and fatigue model to be
spliced.

Check to the diameter, segment length, units, and

fatigue model for both
strings.

I don't see a string in

the list that I know
should be there.

The string may be archived.

Try showing archived strings

on the String Open dialog.

I get the error message

"The string file doesn't
exist." when I try to
open a string.

The string database file may

have been incorrectly
deleted from the hard drive
using File Manager or Windows Explorer.

This string cannot be recovered. Click Yes to remove

the entry from String Editor.

The fatigue on the string

seems very high.

If the string has performed

many acid or sand cleanout
jobs, the wall reduction may
be unrealistically large.
Since the wall thickness is
so thin, fatigue accumulates
on the string much more
quickly. Also, if the string has
performed high pressure
jobs, the diameter may be
increasing significantly,
which also will accelerate
the rate of fatigue accumulation.

Check the wall reduction for

the string.

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USING THE TOOL STRING EDITOR

As the tool string configuration utility for Cerberus, the Tool String Editor provides the ability to
create, edit, and manage tool strings. The Tool String Editor is used by Hydra, Orpheus, Solids Cleanout, and, optionally, CT Fatigue.

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Starting the Tool String Editor

To start the Tool String Editor

Select the Editors menu-bar item

Select Tool String Editor

OR

Launch the Tool String Editor from any other Cerberus application where tool strings are
used.

A screen similar to the following appears, from which one may select an existing tool string from
the available list, or click New to create a new tool string.
Select a Tool String

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Navigating the Tool String Editor

The Tool String Editor window is divided into two primary functional areas:

Toolbox

Toolstring

Tool String Editor Window

Toolbox Area

Toolstring Area

Toolbox Area
The Toolbox Area contains two tabs, the Toolbox tab and the Tool Search tab, that are useful
for organizing or searching for tools, creating and managing toolboxes, and selecting tools to
insert into the tool string.
Toolbox Tab

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The Toolbox tab is the access point for creating tools, for organizing toolboxes, and for grouping
tools with the purpose of locating and inserting them into a tool string.
The following Help display is accessed by clicking the question mark associated with the Group
Tools By area.

Tool Search Tab

Similar to the Toolbox tab, the Tool Search tab is used to search for, to locate, and to insert a particular tool into a tool string.

Tool String Area

The Tool String Area, comprised of the display-screen area not previously described, is used to
edit the tool string, to display tool properties, to edit tools within the tool string, and to render a
schematic and picture of the tool string.

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Tool String Area

The Tool String tab shows a selection of properties related to the tools included in the current
tool string.
Tool String Tab

The Properties & Features tab shows all of the tool properties.
Properties & Features Tab

Within the Cerberus Tool String Editor tool bar, the tool strings total length, total weight, and maximum O.D.
are displayed.

Working with Toolboxes

Toolboxes contain individual tools that, once defined and saved, can be inserted into many
different tool strings. Toolboxes can be created, and tools can be copied to, and removed
from, any toolbox.
By default, tools are grouped only by the toolbox in which they are located. In the figure
below, the DEFTOOLS toolbox is expanded to list the individual tools it contains, and the Ball
valve tool is selected. A subset of the properties pertaining to the selected tool, as well as a
picture associated with the tool, are displayed in the bottom left portion of the Toolbox tab.

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DEFTOOLS Toolbox Expanded

Creating a New Toolbox

To create a new toolbox
1. Select Toolbox > Create New Toolbox.
OR
From the Toolbox tab, right-click in the Tools area and select Create New Toolbox.
2. The New Toolbox dialog appears.
New Toolbox Dialog

3. Enter a toolbox name (maximum 50 characters). The name must not be that of an existing
toolbox and must meet standard Windows file-naming criteria.
4. The new toolbox is added to the Tools area inside the toolbox in which it was created.

Creating a New Tool Inside a Toolbox

Because many different tool strings can use the same tool, it is good practice to store a muchused tool in an easily accessible toolbox for later string insertion.

To create a new tool inside a toolbox

1. Select an existing toolbox within the Tools area, or create a new toolbox (see To create a new
toolbox for more information).
2. From the menu bar, select Toolbox > New Tool.
OR
From the Tools area, right-click the intended toolbox and select New Tool.
3. The New Tool dialog appears, within which is included the name of the toolbox where the tool
is to be created.
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New Tool Dialog

4. Enter a tool name. The name must not match that of an existing tool.
5. The Tool Editor display screen appears, where general tool information, tool properties,
and tool connections pertaining to the new tool may be input.
6. Click Save (lower left-hand portion of the display screen) to save the tool with the name
specified at creation, or click Save As... to save the tool with another name.
7. The new tool is saved, added to the Tools area inside the first-specified toolbox, and is
available for selection.

Editing a Tool Within a Toolbox

Use the Tool Editor to edit tools residing in a toolbox.

To launch the Tool Editor and edit an existing tool

1. Select the tool in the Tools area.
2. Select Toolbox > Edit Tool.
OR
1. Right-click the tool in the Tools area.
2. Select Edit Tool.
3. Edit general tool information, tool properties, and tool connections pertaining to the tool.
4. Click Save (lower left-hand portion of the display screen) to save the tool with the name
specified at creation, or click Save As... to save the tool with another name.
After saving the tool, the Tool Editor asks whether or not the edit(s) should be applied to any tool string containing the tool.

Deleting a Tool from a Toolbox

To delete a tool from a toolbox
1. Select the tool in the Tools area.
2. Select Toolbox > Delete Tool.
OR

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1. Right-click the tool in the Tools area.

2. Select Delete Tool.
3. A confirmation dialog appears, in which it is noted that deleting a tool cannot be undone.
Confirm Delete Dialog

Copying an Existing Tool Into a Tool Box

Copy tools from one toolbox to another by dragging them in a manner typical of Windows-based
applications.

To drag/copy a tool into a toolbox

1. Click the tool name in the Tools area.
2. Drag the tool by holding the left mouse button down and moving the mouse.
3. Release the mouse when it hovers over the target toolbox.
Similarly, drag/copy tools from a tool string into a tool box:
1. Click the tool name in the Tool String tab, or click the tool in the Tool String schematic.
2. Drag the tool into a toolbox within the Tools area.

Importing/Exporting Toolboxes
To import or export a toolbox
1. Select a toolbox (left-click the toolbox).
2. Complete one of the following:
Right-click the toolbox name.
OR
Select Toolbox from the Tool String Editor menu bar.
3. Click Import Toolbox or Export Toolbox.
4. Clicking Import Toolbox results in the appearance of the Open dialog.
Clicking Export Toolbox results in the appearance of the Save As dialog.
5. Use these Windows dialogs to complete the import/export process.

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Finding Tools by Grouping

In the Tool String Editor, tool selections can be refined by grouping tools based on their
properties.
Tools, by default, are grouped within the Tools area according to toolbox; they can be
grouped differently, as follows:

Check or un-check tool groups within the Group Tools By area. Items in the Tools area
become sorted according to the checked Group Tools By items.

Drag items in the Group Tools By area up or down to manually sort them.

Tools Sorted According to Group Tools By Checkboxes

Tool-grouping order is remembered between application sessions.

To add items to the Group Tools By area

1. Right-click an item in the Tool String tab (within the Tool String area).
2. Click User Selected Columns.
3. Select a column that is not already checked.
The column appears in the Group Tools By area.

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Finding Tools using Tool Search

To use the Tool Search tab to find specific tools
1. Select the Tool Search tab.
2. Using the Look In dropdown, select a search location.
3. Select a Search Property.
To add Tool String area items to the Search Property selection field, right-click anywhere in the Tool String tab,
click User Selected Columns, and select the desired column.

4. Enter the Search Criteria.

5. Click Search.
For example, to search in All Toolboxes for tools that have a 1.5 inch OD, the following values are
entered, and the following results produced:

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Working with Tool Strings

Create, modify, delete, import, and export tools/tool strings using the Tool String Editor.

To create a new tool string

1. Use one of the following methods to access the New Tool String dialog:

From the Select a Tool String display, click New.

The Select a Tool String display screen appears immediately after launching the Tool String Editor from the
Managers menu-bar item in Cerberus.

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From within the Tool String Editor, click the Create a new tool string button in the
toolbar .

From within the Tool String Editor, select File > New Tool String from the menu bar.

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The New Tool String dialog appears:

2. Enter a name for the new toolstring and click OK.

An empty tool string appears:

Adding Tools to a Tool String

Insert an existing tool from a toolbox or create a new tool.

To insert a tool from a toolbox

1. Locate the tool by grouping or by executing a tool search (see Finding Tools by Grouping
or Finding Tools using Tool Search for more information).
2. Click to select a Tool Name in the Tool String tab.
The Tool Name selected in the Tool String tab affects the to-be-inserted tools position in the hierarchy. See
Step 4. below for more information.

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3. Click to select the located tool in the Tools area.

4. Insert the tool using one of the following methods:

Select Edit (Tool String) in the menu bar; click Insert from Toolbox Below to position
the inserted tool below the currently selected tool in the Tool String, or click Insert from
Toolbox Above to position the inserted tool above the currently selected tool in the Tool
String.

Click the toolbar item Insert selected tool below or click the toolbar item Insert selected
tool above. .

Right-click the desired tool; click Insert from Toolbox Below or Insert from Toolbox
Above.

Drag the tool to the schematic area or to the Tool String tab.

When tools are added, the total length, weight, and Max O.D. for the tool string are updated in
the tool bar. The newly added tool is rendered in red in the schematic, and shaded red in the
picture.

Moving Tools within a Tool String

Move tools up or down in a tool string relative to other tools in the string.

To move tools within a tool string

1. Select the tool in the schematic or in the Tool String tab.
2. Move the tool using one of the following methods:

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Click the Move Tool Up or Move Tool Down toolbar-menu item.

Right-click the tool on the schematic or on the Tool String tab; click Move Tool Up or
Move Tool Down.

Drag the tool up or down the string.

To drag a tool up or down the string, click to select it in the schematic or in the Tool String tab, and then drag
it by holding the left mouse button depressed. When the blue arrow in the schematic (or the shaded line in
the Tool String tab) reaches the desired location for the tool, release the mouse button to drop the tool in
the new location.

Removing Tools from a Tool String

To remove a tool from a tool string
1. Select the tool in the schematic or in the Tool String tab.
2. Remove the tool using one of the following methods:

Select the Edit (Tool String) menu-bar item; click Remove Tool.

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Select Edit (Tool String) > Remove Tool from the menu bar.

Right-click the tool on the schematic or on the Tool String tab; click Remove Tool.
Removing a tool from a tool string does not delete it from any toolbox.

Editing a Tool within a Tool String

Edit a tool, independently of any toolbox, inside the tool string using the Tool Editor.

To edit a tool within a tool string

1. Select the tool in the schematic or in the Tool String tab.
2. Launch the Tool Editor using one of the following methods:

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Select the Edit (Tool String) menu-bar item; click Edit Tool.

Right-click the tool on the schematic or on the Tool String tab; click Edit Tool.

Double-click the tool in the Tool String tab or on the schematic.

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The Tool Editor appears.

Editing a tool inside a tool string does not update it in any toolbox. Also, a tool is not saved inside an edited
tool string unless the tool string is saved.

Working with the Tool String Tab

The Tool String tab, like the Properties & Features tab, displays a tool string as a table of
data, with a subset of tool properties and features.
Data displayed in the Tool String tab is configurable so that only properties or features of particular interest are displayed on the main tab.

To configure the Tool String tab

1. Right-click anywhere on the Tool String table and move the mouse to the User Selected
Columns item.
A submenu appears, listing all the available columns, with the selected columns checked.
2. Toggle (check or un-check) an item on this list to show or hide the column in the Tool
String tab.
Items checked in this list are also available in the Group Tools By list on the Toolbox tab
and the Search Property list on the Tool Search tab.
The Tool Name and # fields are not available for selection; they are always visible.

3. Resize the table columns by using the mouse to drag the border between two column
headings.
The Tool String tabs configuration is "remembered" between sessions.

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Importing a File
Tool strings can be shared between computers by importing and exporting them. Tool strings are
exported to removable media for transferring to another computer. Once on removable media,
tool strings can be imported into Tool String Editor.
An entire project or any of its components (including, of course, wells) may be imported using the
Tool String Editor. Only wells, however, may be exported from the Tool String Editor.

To import a file
1. If importing from removable media, insert the media in the PC drive.
2. Start Tool String Editor.
3. Select File > Import from the Tool String Editor menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later).

5. Click Open.
A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user intends to import a project or component (including a tool string), that already exists on the active
computer, the tree view does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import utility popup appears, from which the user
designates whether to replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip
the project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

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a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the
Files Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand
side of this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or
Projects are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will
be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.
The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category
on the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for
import, but that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a Tool String

To export a tool string or tool strings
The user may export tool strings from one computer to another, either via removable media,
the network the computer is connected to, if any, or through the Internet, if an Internet connection is available.
Exporting a tool string provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the .zcy
extension (which is essentially an XML file).

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1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.

2. Start Tool String Editor.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.
The Select Toolstrings dialog appears. Select a tool string or group of tool strings and click
OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the tool string/tool string group.
If the tool string is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a
new name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)).
6. Click Save.
The tool string/tool string group is exported to the desired location; a popup appears describing the file path where the tool string/tool string group is saved and the name of the saved tool
string/group.

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Printing a Tool String

To print a Tool String
1. From the Tool String Editor display screen, select File > Print.
The Print Preview display screen appears

2. Review and customize the to-be-printed Tool String.

a. The Tool String tab shows a print preview of the entire tool string.
Max OD for both the entire toolstring and for each tool is displayed.
b. The Tools tab contains a collection of individual printouts for each tool in the string.

Check the Include Tool Reports togglebox to include individual tool reports in the printout.
After customization, save the settings in the Tool String Preferences panel for the next session by clicking
the same-named togglebox.

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USING THE TOOL EDITOR

The Tool Editor, launch-able from the Tool String Editor, is used to edit tools inside a toolbox
or within an individual tool string.

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About the Tool Editor

The Tool Editor display screen contains a set of tabs that detail the properties of the tool, a panel
to display a schematic rendering of the tool, a panel to display an image of the tool, a table listing
tool sections (described later), and toolbars for accessing and modifying the features of the tool
and the individual tool sections.

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Launching the Tool Editor

Launch the Tool Editor by double-clicking on a tool name in the Tool String Editor (see Using
the Tool String Editor for more information). A display screen similar to the following appears:

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Setting Tool Properties

Define the general properties of the tool using the collection of tabs at the top of the screen.
The General tab contains standard tool properties, such as Tool Name, Category, and physical
dimensions, all of which are required, with the exception of Category.

The Tool Name cannot be modified. Use File > Save As to save the tool under a new name.

Edit the available Categories:

Click the button to the right of the Category field.
OR
Select Edit > Toolbox > Categories from the menu bar.

Estimate the Weight, based on tool dimensions, using the calculator button to the right of the
Weight field.

The Properties tab contains additional tool properties that can be defined if desired, including a
Manufacturer, Part Number, Comment, Maximum Temperature or Pressure Rating, Yield
Strength, and Young's Modulus.

Use the Connections tab to specify the type of connector for the tool, as well as the allowable
location for the tool within a tool string.

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Only the Allowed Location is validated by the Tool String Editor when adding tools to a tool string; the connector types and sizes are not validated.

Use the Toolstrings tab to view and delete any or all toolstrings that use the subject tool.

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Setting Tool Features

Tool features are more specific characteristics a tool has beyond its set of physical properties.
Tool features can include details such as whether or not the tool is a packer, a drilling motor, or a
jar.
Configure tool features by opening each feature panel from the Tool Features or Section Features toolbar at the bottom of the Tool Editor display screen.

When tool features have been defined, the specific feature appears in bold text in the toolbar.

Tool Features and Section Features are listed separately because the Tool Editor can be used to
define multiple sections on a single tool. This is covered later in this section, but this capability
allows the location of features like nozzles, rollers, knuckle joints, and centralizers to be more
specifically located on the tool. By default, each tool has only one tool section.
Each feature panel provides all the data entry fields needed to define the feature for use in Cerberus calculation engines.

Setting Advanced Tool and Section Features

Tool Features and Section Features requiring additional discussion are described here.

Setting Jar Tool Features (WL)

To set jar tool features

1. Within the Tool Editor, specify that the tool is a jar.
a. Select the Jar Tool Feature.
b. Click to check the togglebox associated with the Tool is a Jar field.
2. Set the Jar Firing Force Settings (JFFS).
Jar firing force is the force at the jarring point required to fire the jar. If the force at the jarring point is within a firing-force range (between JFFS Low and JFFS High), the jar fires. The jar also fires due to force at jarring of
JFFS Tolerance lower than JFFS Low or higher than JFFS High.

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Using a Jar Tool in Calculations

Surface weight and cablehead tension corresponding to low- and high-setting (respectively)
jar firing forces may be calculated in Orpheus.
See Completing Jar Activation Calculations (WL) for more information concerning using a jar
tool in calculations.

Setting Normal Force Section Features (WL)

Use the Normal Force feature to specify an additional normal force for any tool section. This
force could be used to represent a vulnerability to differential sticking, a density arm, magnetic pull, or some other force the modeler would like to see reflected in Orpheus calculations.

To set Additional Normal Force

1. Within the Tool Editor, specify that additional normal force is a tool-section feature.
a. Select the Normal Force Section Feature.
b. Click to check the togglebox associated with the Additional Normal Force field.
2. Input the Additional Normal Force.

Using Additional Normal Force in Calculations

Specifying additional normal force in the Tool Editor doesnt cause the force to be applied in
Orpheus. The forces application can be included or not included in the Features and Effects
section underneath the Options tab in Orpheus. See Including Additional Normal Force in
Calculations (WL) for additional information.

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Setting the Tool Image

Change the image associated with a specific tool using the Tool Editor. By default, the tool image
is a very simple image including a question mark. The tool image can be changed to any image
available on disk or any existing image in another toolbox. Additionally, the Tool Editor can
attempt to render an image that represents the tool based on the physical dimensions, features,
and properties defined for the tool.

To select a different image for the tool

Click the Change / Import button under the Tool Image heading in the middle of the screen.

After clicking the Change / Import button, the Select New Tool Image display screen loads.
Here, select an image from an existing toolbox or from any folder on a disk accessible by the
computer.
In the example below, the DEFTOOLS toolbox has been selected as a source for images:

To change the image associated with the tool, select an image from the dialog and click OK.

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In addition to choosing the image manually, the Tool Editor can attempt to render an image
based on the tool properties and features.

To render an image based on tool properties and features

Click (to check) the Auto Generate box under the Tool Image heading in the middle of the
dialog.

While this box is checked, changing certain tool properties and features results in a change to
the tool image. In the example below, the Nominal OD is increased and then a centralizer is
added.
Original

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Nominal OD Increased

Centralizer Added

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Defining Tool Sections

The Tool Editor can be used to define multiple sections on a single tool. This capability allows
the location of features like nozzles, rollers, knuckle joints, and centralizers to be more specifically defined for the tool. By default, each tool has only one tool section and only one is
needed for Cerberus calculation engines.

To add a section to a tool

1. Click the Insert Section Above or Insert Section Below button under the Tool Sections
heading in the middle of the screen.

Either button launches the Enter New Section Information dialog, in this case inserting a
section above:

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2. Select Increase Tool Length, Take length from the First tool Section of the tool, or Take
length from the currently Selected Section of the tool. In the example below, the Increase
Tool Length option is selected and the section OD is changed to 4.5 inches:

3. Click OK in the Enter New Section Information dialog.

The new section is inserted above the existing section with the OD, ID, and length provided.
Additional sections may be entered, if desired.

When more than one tool section exists on a tool, the currently selected section is highlighted in the Tool Sections table and rendered in red in the schematic view on the right side of the screen.
Because the Auto Generate option is selected, the tool image is updated to reflect the additional tool section.

The Length field is disabled on the General tab when multiple tool sections are defined because the length of
the tool is now calculated as the sum of the individual tool sections.

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To delete a tool section

Click the Delete Section button under the Tool Sections heading in the middle of the dialog.

Defining Tool Section Features

By default, each tool has only one tool section. Additional tool sections are not required by
Cerberus calculation engines. Once defined, however, a set of section features exists for
each tool section. This provides the capability to define a tool with multiple centralizers, rollers, knuckle joints, nozzles, or specific areas where a normal force is applied.
In the example below, a tool has been defined with three tool sections:

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After selecting the middle section, a Knuckle Joint feature is added with a maximum bend angle
of 25 degrees:

The Knuckle Joint Section Feature is now bold, the schematic has been updated to reflect the knuckle joint on
the middle section, and the tool image has been updated to reflect the knuckle joint because Auto Generate is
selected.

In the following image, the last section of the tool is selected. Notice that the Knuckle Joint section feature is not bold. This is because the knuckle joint is defined for the middle section of the
tool:

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This means an additional knuckle joint can be defined on the same tool, in the top or bottom
section. In the case below, an additional knuckle joint is defined on the bottom section with a
maximum bend angle of 10 degrees:

The Knuckle Joint Section Feature is now bold for both tool sections that have a knuckle joint defined; the
schematic has been updated to reflect that there is a knuckle joint defined for the middle and bottom section of the tool; the tool image has been updated to reflect the knuckle joint because Auto Generate is
selected.

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Printing a Tool
To print a Tool
1. From the menu bar of the Tool Editor display screen, select File > Print.
This launches the Print Preview screen, which displays the printout and allows for customization and review prior to printing.
2. From the Print Preview screen the tool can be printed by clicking the Print button.

Customizing a Tool Printout

There are several options that are selectable to customize the tool printout including selecting a
different logo for the header of the printout, selecting a different font, altering the scale used to
render the tool image on the printout, altering the title, including a schematic in the report, selecting values for display in the tool summary, adjusting the number of copies printed, and adjusting
the size of images.
Click the Refresh button prior to printing to see any changes reflected in the Print Preview screen.

By default, the title for the report is the name of the tool; however this can be modified by entering
an alternate title in the Title box.
To adjust the scale of the image displayed on the printout, enter a value from .5 (half size) to 5 in
the Image scale width or Image scale height box.

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When selecting the Printer from the dropdown, please note:

If the user has:

A SharePoint URL with the related Cerberus configuration set up as described in Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab on page 29, and

The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer selected in the application.

Then the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.
Click the associated information button

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USING THE WELL EDITOR

Well Editor allows the configuration of a well, including casing, tubing, and liner geometry.
Well Editor stores all of the wells in a single database and is accessible across the software
suite, providing a consistent interface between applications.
When configured, wells are used for many calculations. Note that a well is not required for
basic fatigue calculations. The following links point to paragraphs that cover these topics in
greater detail.

Starting Well Editor on page 380.

The Well Editor Display Screen on page 381.

Working with Wells on page 387.

Configuring Wells on page 394.

Troubleshooting in Well Editor on page 412.

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Starting Well Editor

The following procedure outlines how to start Well Editor.

To start Well Editor

1. Find the Cerberus Main Menu (see page 23).
2. Select, from the menu bar, Managers > Well Editor.
3. The Select a Well dialog appears, from which the user chooses a well.
Select a Well

OR
Launch Well Editor from within other applications in the Cerberus suite by clicking the Well Editor button

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The Well Editor Display Screen

The Well Editor display screen contains the following areas:

Menu - Quick access to common tasks and setting preferences.

Well Diagram - A diagram of the well. Click on a tubular in the diagram to view or edit
parameters.

Information/Input Panels - Information/input options vary dependent on the left-hand tab

selected.

Well Editor Main Display Screen

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The Well Editor Tools

The Well Editor has a complete set of tools to simplify the modeling of a well. The following sections cover these tools in greater detail.

The Main Well Editor Toolbar

Below is a description of the different tools available on the main Well Editor display screen.

Well Editor Tools

Tab

Button

Function

Enter total depth, well location, reference point,

and height. Comments can be entered as well.
Also used to view TVD.
Add and configure casing and associated nipples (see page 399).
Add and configure tubing and associated nipples
and packers (see page 398).
Add and configure liners and associated nipples
(see page 399).
Add and configure open hole (see page 399).

Add and configure drill pipe sections

Add and configure a bridge plug (see page 399).

Add and configure a reservoir (see page 401).

Delete the current selection.

Clear all breaks in the well.

Add a break - exclude a section of the well view.

Opens the survey data for the current well (see

page 402).

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Well Editor Tools

Tab

Button

Function

Opens the friction-factor data grid (see

page 408).

Opens the temperature profile for the current

well (see page 408).

Opens the well information display screen.

Saves the current well to disk.

Exits Well Editor.

Rest the cursor over a tool button for a few seconds for the tool name to appear.

Viewing a Well
Well Editor displays information about the well on the Well Diagram in the center of the main
screen. The diagram shows all tubing sections, liners, casing, open hole, and reservoir, as
well as the effective well, which is used for calculations. The well always appears vertically
in this diagram, even if it is a deviated well. .

To . . .

Do this . . .

See inputs for an area of the well.

Click specific area (such as a liner) or simply click the appropriate tab on the left.
The inputs appear on the right side of the
screen.

Zoom in and out of the well geometry diagram.

Click and drag a rectangle around the

area to zoom in on. Right-click the well to
zoom out.

View "smart" labeling on the well plot.

Click the red arrow to the right of the diagram.

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To . . .

Do this . . .

View the effective well.

Choose Show Effective Well from the

Options menu.

Set friction independent of geometry.

Click the Geometry tab, then the

Advanced... button on the input screen.

Set friction defaults.

Choose Friction Defaults... from the

Options menu.

Change units.

Choose Units... from the Options menu.

Change total well depth.

Click the Total depth field at the bottom of

the well diagram, input the depth, and
click Set.

Well Diagram

Viewing Survey Data Graphs

The Survey Graph is a three dimensional representation of the survey path and is viewable from
the Survey tab. The graph automatically updates to show the most recent survey data. The graph
can show the following items:

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Depth indicator (for current row in survey data)

Shadows (well path projected onto plane)

Grid lines (of plane)

To . . .

Do this . . .

Turn auto-rotating on and off.

Right-click the diagram to select AutoRotate from the list OR select AutoRotate from the buttons at
diagram-bottom.

Adjust the elevation and rotation angle.

Turn off auto-rotate, then click the arrows

below the graph.

View the graph from a standard elevation

and rotation angle.

Right-click the diagram to select Isometric from the list OR select Isometric from
the buttons at diagram-bottom.

View the graph from the Plan view.

Right-click the diagram to select Plan

View from the list OR select Plan from the
buttons at diagram-bottom.

View the graph looking North.

Right-click the diagram to select View

Looking North from the list OR select
North from the buttons at diagram-bottom.

View the graph looking West.

Right-click the diagram to select View

Looking West from the list OR select
West from the buttons at diagram-bottom.

Zoom in on the graph.

Draw a rectangle around the area to zoom

in on.

Zoom back out of the graph.

Right-click the diagram to select Zoom

Out from the list OR select Zoom Out
from the buttons at diagram-bottom.

Customize the appearance of the graph.

Right-click the graph. Select Options from

the menu. Select the options. Then click
Graph to return to the graph.

View the survey plot only.

Click the red arrow to the right of the

graph or deactivate the View Data button.
Click again to show the data screen.

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Survey Graph

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Working with Wells

Creating a New Well
Each well must have a unique name. Well Editor stores all of the wells in one database.
Create a new well manually or use Quick Well (see page 394) to quickly preselect certain
components in the well.

To create a new well manually

1. Start Well Editor.
2. Select File > New.
3. Enter the well name.
4. Click OK.
5. Click the Skip button.
6. Configure the well (see page 363).

Opening an Existing Well

To open an existing well
1. Select File > Open from the menu bar.
2. Click the name of the well.
3. Click OK.

Saving a Well
Saving a well to the hard drive records changes to the well in the Wells database. There are
two ways to save a well:

Select File > Save from the menu bar to save a well with the current name.
OR

Select File > Save as... from the menu bar to save a well with a new name.

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Deleting a Well
Unnecessary wells can be deleted. However, when deleted, the information cannot be recovered.
If the deleted well is currently open, Cerberus prompts the user to select a new well to open.

To delete a well
1. Select File > Delete... from the menu bar.
2. Select one or more wells from the list.
3. Click OK.
4. Click Yes to confirm.

Importing a File
Wells can be shared between computers by importing and exporting them. Wells are exported to
removable media for transferring to another computer. Once on removable media, a well can be
imported into
Well Editor.
An entire project or any of its components (including, of course, wells) may be imported using the
Well Editor. Only wells, however, may be exported from the Well Editor.

To import a file
1. If importing from removable media, insert the media in the PC drive.
2. Start Well Editor.
3. Select File > Import from the Well Editor menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later).

5. Click Open.

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A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user intends to import a project or component (including, of course, a well), that already exists on the
active computer, the tree view does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import utility popup appears, from
which the user designates whether to replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip the project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the
Files Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand
side of this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or
Projects are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will
be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.

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The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category on
the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for import, but
that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a Well
To export a well or wells
The user may export wells from one computer to another, either via removable media, the network the computer is connected to, if any, or through the Internet, if an Internet connection is
available.
Exporting a well provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the .zcy extension
(which is essentially an XML file).
To copy only the survey data, import and export the data as a text file from the Survey screen in Well Editor.

1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.

2. Start Well Editor.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.

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The Select Wells dialog appears. Select a well or group of wells and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the well/well group.
If the well is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a new
name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus
10.5 or later)).
6. Click Save.
The well/well group is exported to the desired location; a popup appears describing the
file path where the well/well group is saved and the name of the saved well/group.

Printing Well Data

Print detailed reports, including the well configuration, from Well Editor. Print data to a printer
or to a PDF file for emailing or viewing by others.
The free Adobe Reader must be installed to view PDF files. Download the reader from Adobes website at
www.adobe.com
NOV CTES does not recommend using any PDF printer other than the NOV CTES PDF generator. Doing
so may result in unpredictable and undesirable results.
Usually the survey graph prints in isometric view. To print the plan view or side view, print a custom view
(see page 362).

To print well data

1. Select File > Print from the menu bar.
2. Click (to check) Include Cover Page to include a cover page in the report.

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a. Click the Configure button to specify the cover-page elements. Click Done when the
desired information is entered into the related fields.
3. Select the data to include in the report.
In the Print Data section, click (to check) any or all of several options for data:

Well Diagram - Includes a diagram of the well.

Well Data - Includes data on the well.

Survey Data - Includes the survey data for the well.

Survey Graph (Isometric View) - Includes an isometric graphic of the well. Additionally,
current elevation and rotation can also be included in the graph.

4. Select the printer options.

a. Select the Printer from the dropdown. If the user has:

A SharePoint URL with the related Cerberus configuration set up as described in Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab on page 29, and

The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer selected in the application.

Then the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.
b. Click the associated information button

to display the following information.

c. Click the Select Logo button to select a logo.

5. Click the Print button.
If SharePoint is not available or its use is not desired, a PDF file can be printed for email distribution or for archiving.
To view a PDF file, the free Adobe Reader must be installed on the computer. It can be downloaded from
Adobes Web site at www.adobe.com.

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NOV CTES does NOT recommend the use of any other PDF generator other than the CTES PDF Printer.
Use of any other PDF generator can produce unpredictable and undesirable results.

Printing a Custom View of the Survey Path

The survey graph is depicted in a standard view when the Survey tab is selected in Well Editor. Change this view and print, as desired, using the keys at the bottom of the screen.

To print a custom view of the survey graph

1. Click the Survey tab.
The Well Editor screen is repopulated to depict a diagram of the open well.
2. Click Rotate to turn off Auto Rotate.
3. Adjust the position of the well graph.
Use the three arrow keys to adjust the appearance of the well diagram.

Use the Position arrows

to position the well diagram on the page.

Use the Zoom arrows

Use the Rotate arrows

to rotate the well diagram along four axes. This control
allows for any side view of the well, as well as bottom-up or top-down view.

to zoom in or out on the well diagram.

4. Select File > Print... from the menu bar.

The Print Well dialog appears.
5. Click the Survey Graph checkbox.
6. Select Use current elevation and rotation or Isometric view.
7. See Select the printer options. on page 392 to complete the process.

Emailing Well Data Files

Export and email well data files to other Cerberus users after the files are exported (see
page 374) or printed as a PDF (.pdf) file (see page 361).

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Configuring Wells
Configure Wells manually in Well Editor or use Quick Well to pre-select items (see page 364).
Regardless of how the well is configured, NOV CTES recommends the following configuration
sequence:
1. Configuring Depth on page 395.
2. Configuring Casing on page 397.
3. Configuring Liners on page 397.
4. Configuring Tubing on page 398.
5. Configuring a Drill Pipe on page 398.
6. Configuring the Open Hole on page 399.
7. Configuring Bridge Plugs on page 399.
8. Configuring the Reservoir on page 401.
9. Configuring Survey Data on page 402.
10. Configuring Friction on page 408.
NOV CTES also recommends entering the following well data for record keeping and reporting
purposes, although it is not used in calculations:

Configure Location and Miscellaneous Information on page 410.

Using Quick Well

Quick Well can be used to create and configuring a new well by preselecting components of the
well. Quick Well automatically opens when a new well is created. Common configurations can be
saved as the default.

To configure a new well using Quick Well

1. Start Well Editor.
2. Select File > New... from the menu bar.
3. Enter the name of the new well.
4. Click OK. The Quick Well dialog appears.
5. Enter the well configurations.
To save the input as the default well, click the Save as Default button; then click OK.
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Quick Well

Configuring Depth
The well depth is set within the Well Editor General Tab of the main Well Editor display
screen. Setting the location, reference point, and height are also important. To decrease the
effective depth of the well, specify a bridge plug.
Enter the total well depth before entering other properties. Well Editor uses the well depth as part of its
error-checking process when other properties are entered. Avoid changing the well depth after other properties are entered.

To configure total well depth

1. In Well Editor, select the General tab.
2. Enter the Total depth (MD) of the well.
3. Click Set.
4. Enter the other well data.
This data includes location, depth reference point information for the well, the height,
and any Comments.
Height refers to the distance between the reference point and the zero (0) depth of the
well.

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Well Editor General Tab

Configuring Subsea Information

Subsea wells present specific configuration requirements. Wireline subsea wells may be
riserless.

To configure subsea wells

1. In Well Editor, select the General tab.
If the well is new, launch the Quick Well utility (see Using Quick Well on page 394); select Subsea as the Location.

2. For the Location field, select Subsea from the dropdown.

a. If the project is a Wireline project, the well may be riserless. If this is the case, click (to
check) Riserless (this field is located adjacent to the Location field).
The Riserless option should be available for selection for a Wireline project in Quick Well.

3. Input or edit the Riser geometry.

a. If the well is Riserless, use the default values for new wells (already present), or input the
Ocean density, Ocean viscosity, and Ocean current data.
4. Save the Well information.
5. Complete the Run at Depth calculation (see Run at Depth on page 109 for additional information).

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Configuring Casing
Casing sections of the well, as well as associated nipples, are defined within the Geometry
tab of the Well Editor. A new well starts out with one casing string. Well Editor displays this
information on the well diagram.

To . . .

Do this . . .

Find the internal diameter.

Select the Outer Diameter and Weight.

Well Editor looks up the internal diameter.

Enter nipples for the current casing section.

Click Nipples....

To configure casing
1. Select the Geometry tab in Well Editor.
2. To add casing, click Add Casing

Casings is automatically selected from the dropdown in the right-hand panel of the
dialog.
3. Enter the casing properties.
To add additional casing, repeat Steps 2 and 3.

Configuring Liners
Liners in the well, as well as associated nipples, are defined within the Geometry tab of the
Well Editor. Well Editor displays this information on the well diagram.

To . . .

Do this . . .

Find the internal diameter.

Select the Outer Diameter and Weight.

Well Editor looks up the internal diameter.

Enter nipples for the current liner section.

Click Nipples.

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To configure liners
1. Select the Geometry tab in Well Editor.
2. To add a liner, click Add Liner

Liners is automatically selected from the dropdown in the right-hand panel of the
dialog.
3. Enter the liner properties.
To enter additional liners, repeat Steps 2 and 3.

Configuring Tubing
Production tubing of the well, as well as associated nipples and packers, is defined within the
Geometry tab of Well Editor. Well Editor displays this information on the well diagram.

To . . .

Do this . . .

Find the internal diameter.

Select the Outer Diameter and Weight.

Well Editor looks up the internal diameter.

Enter packers for the current tubing

section.

Click Packers....

Enter nipples for the current tubing

section.

Click Nipples....

To configure tubing
1. Select the Geometry tab in Well Editor.
2. To add tubing, click the Add Tubing button

Tubings is automatically selected from the dropdown in the right-hand panel of the
dialog.
3. Enter the tubing properties.
Add additional sections as appropriate, if the physical geometry varies.

Configuring a Drill Pipe

Though drill pipe is not normally considered part of a well, Cerberus provides the ability to add
drill pipe to the well to allow modeling of a job performed inside drill pipe.

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To configure a drill pipe

1. Select the Geometry tab in Well Editor.
2. Click Add Drill Pipe

Drill Pipe is automatically selected from the dropdown in the right-hand panel of the
dialog.
3. Enter the drill pipe properties.

Configuring the Open Hole

If the depth of the deepest tubular (tubing, casing, or liner) is less than the total well depth, the
remaining area must be defined in the Geometry tab of Well Editor. The first open hole section should start at the bottom of the deepest tubular. The last open hole section should
extend to the total well depth. Well Editor displays this information on the well diagram.
If multiple open hole regions are entered, their diameters must decrease with depth.

To configure the open hole

1. Select the Geometry tab in Well Editor.
2. To add an open hole section, click Add Open Hole

Open Hole is automatically selected from the dropdown in the right-hand panel of the
dialog.
3. Enter the open hole properties.

Configuring Bridge Plugs

The user can enter one or many bridge plugs using the Well Editor. The ability to enter multiple bridge plugs is especially useful when designing wells that target milling operations.
Well Editor displays the location of the bridge plug(s) on the well diagram. Adding a bridge
plug decreases the effective depth of the well.

To configure a single bridge plug

1. Select the Geometry tab in Well Editor.
2. Click Add Bridge Plug

Bridge Plug is automatically selected from the dropdown in the right-hand panel of the
dialog.
3. Enter the Depth of the bridge plug.

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The well graph reconfigures to show the location and presence of the bridge plug.

To configure multiple bridge plugs

1. Complete one of the following:
From the Geometry tab in Well Editor, select the Add Multiple Plugs button.
From the Well Editor menu bar, select Edit > Add Bridge Plugs.
From the Forces tab of the Orpheus Force Monitor,
2. The Quick Plug Entry dialog appears.

This utility adds all plugs to the well section based on the minimum internal diameter at the specified depth, rendered in green in the diagram.

3. Input a depth in the available, asterisked line in the Plug Depth grid.
A new, asterisked line becomes available for input.
4. Repeat the input of depths as desired.
It is not necessary to input the depths in ascending order. When the user clicks OK, the plugs are sorted.

To insert a plug depth above another plug depth

1. Select a plug-depth line.
2. Select the Insert icon.
A new input line is inserted above the selected line.

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To delete a plug-depth line

1. Select a plug-depth line.
2. Select the Delete Icon.
OR
Right-click the plug-depth line and click Delete.
When all plug depths are in place as needed, click OK. If the depths are not in ascending
order, the following popup appears:

Configuring the Reservoir

The reservoir location, pressure, and reservoir model inputs are defined on the Geometry tab
of the Well Editor. Well Editor displays the location of the reservoir on the well diagram.
The user may experiment with different reservoir inputs directly in Hydra. However, only the inputs entered
here are saved with the well.

To . . .

Use a fluid that does not appear in the list.

Have Hydra calculate bubble point pressure.

Do this . . .

Click the Fluid Editor

button. Configure and save the fluid in Fluid Editor.
Using the Darcy Oil reservoir model, leave
the bubble point pressure zero.

To configure the reservoir

1. Select the Geometry tab in Well Editor.
2. Select Add Reservoir icon.
Reservoir is automatically selected from the dropdown in the right-hand panel of the
dialog.
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3. Enter the various reservoir parameters.

4. Click the Advanced button to select the wells reservoir model from the dropdown menu.
5. Enter the properties for the selected reservoir model.
Geometry Tab Reservoir Input

Configuring Survey Data

The survey path is defined by entering survey points (depth, inclination, and azimuth) on the Survey Data Display Screen. Well Editor joins the points with a curve (not a straight line) and displays this information in a three-dimensional graph. Well Editor also calculates the dogleg
severity and true vertical depth. There are two ways to open the survey data:

Click the Survey tab in Well Editor.

OR

Select Survey from the Edit menu.

Input survey data manually, paste the data from a spreadsheet, or import data from a text file.
Graphs are viewable after entering or importing the survey data (see page 355).

To . . .

402

Do this . . .

Add a row above the current row.

Click Insert.

Add a row after the last row.

Click Add.

Delete a row.

Select the row or rows to be deleted. Click

Delete.

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Survey Data Display Screen

Entering Survey Points

To enter data in a row, simply type within the table.

Using the Survey Wizard

Use the Survey Wizard to quickly and easily generate common well-path configurations.

To use the Survey Wizard

1. Select the Survey tab on the Well Editor panel.
2. Click the Import button on the data screen; then click the Survey Wizard button.
3. Input the Well TD.
4. (Optional) Click (to check) Add Kick-off and build-drop sections.
An Add Build / Drop Section popup appears. Define (by inputting) the start and end of the
build section, and specify the inclination and azimuth achieved.
5. If the results are satisfactory, click OK.
A warning dialog appears indicating the existing survey data will be overwritten. Click Yes
to proceed or No to cancel.

Adjusting Survey Tortuosity

Tortuosity is the spiraling or corkscrew effect that occurs as wells are drilled. Both macro
and micro tortuosity occur. Macro tortuosity represents the difference in dogleg severity/tortuosity between the planned well survey and the final well survey. Micro tortuosity (or spiral
tortuosity) occurs on a much smaller scale than macro tortuosity. Cerberus provides the
means to adjust both types of tortuosity, and allows their appearance in the survey data.

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To adjust tortuosity
1. Within the Well Editor, select Options > Survey Tortuosity... from the menu bar.
The Tortuosity Options dialog appears.

2. Click (to check) the Show Tortuosity Points grid togglebox.

The Tortuosity Data grid appears within the Survey tab, underneath the Survey Data grid. .

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3. Click (to toggle) Micro tortuosity (spiral) or Macro tortuosity. Click the question-mark
icon to obtain an informational pop-up:

Wells for which tortuosity has not been defined by the user use the following default tortuosity values:

Micro tortuosity:
Depth range: last 10% of the well TD
Period: 10 ft
Amplitude: 0.5 in

Macro tortuosity:
Depth range: last 10% of the well TD
Period: 100 ft
Inclination magnitude: 1 deg
Azimuth magnitude: 1 deg

4. Input the depth interval (From To), and the Period and Amplitude parameters corresponding to each numbered row.
5. Adjust the Period and Amplitude to match each dogleg of interest.

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a. Add, Insert, Delete, or Import points/rows using the available buttons:

When Import is clicked, the New Survey dialog appears, from which the user may choose
from among the available methods of entering new survey data.

6. Click the Save tab.

The micro tortuosity data is only saved in relation to the current project session and is not saved with the well. If
modeling with tortuosity is desired, the user must re-enter information into the Well Editor each time the project
is opened.

7. At this juncture, the user must tell Orpheus to utilize the additional survey points when performing calculations:
a. Start Orpheus.
b. From within a project, select the Options tab > Project Options > Features and Effects.
c. Click to toggle Include Additional Micro Tortuosity; then click the associated ellipses
button.
d. Ensure that the Include effect of tortuosity box is checked, and complete the remaining
options. See Include Additional Tortuosity (CT, JP, WL) on page 92 for additional information.
8. Click OK.

Exporting Survey Data

Share survey data with other people by exporting the data to a text file format. The survey data
can be printed separately from the Well data or included as part of the Well data report.
Survey data is normally included with any well export function from all tabs within Well Editor. To export ONLY
survey data, the Survey tab MUST be selected and the user MUST select Export Survey.... Selecting Export...
will include all other well data.

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To export survey data only

1. Select the Survey tab.
2. Select File > Export Survey... from the menu bar.
3. Enter the file name and path to which to export the data.
4. Click Save to export the data.

To export survey data with well data

1. Select File > Export... from the menu bar.
2. Select the desired well to export.
3. Click OK.
4. Select the path and file name for the well data.
If necessary, navigate to the desired location.
If desired, enter a new file name for the file.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx). Otherwise, Cerberus will not be able to read
the file and import it.
5. Click Save.
6. Click OK.

Importing Survey Data

Share survey data with other people by importing the data to a text file format.

To import survey data

1. Select the Survey tab on the panel.
2. Click the New Survey... button on the data screen.
The New Survey dialog appears.
3. Click Import from File

The New Survey dialog box is repopulated to show the format accepted by Cerberus.
4. Click Import from File

A warning dialog box appears stating the depths will be imported according to the Units
setting. In other words, if units are set to Metric, then the depth is imported as Metric.
5. Click Yes.
A warning dialog box appears, stating the current survey data will be cleared.
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6. Click Yes.
The Import Survey Data dialog appears.
7. Select the file name and path from which to import the data.
8. Click Open.
The Import Survey Data Import is complete dialog appears.
9. Click OK.
The data is imported, with the depth imported in the selected Units setting and the previous
survey data cleared. The user is returned to the Well Editor main screen.

Configuring Friction
There are two ways to set friction factors, one of which is to set friction based on effective well
geometry; the other is to set friction independently of geometry.

To configure friction
1. In Well Editor, select the Friction tab.
2. Click (to check or to uncheck) Friction based on effective well geometry.
3. If friction is not based on effective well geometry, the user may Add, Insert, or Delete frictionfactor information. If friction is based on effective well geometry, friction-factor information
cannot be added because start- and end-depth information is predetermined:

408

Click Add to add a new row to the end of the datagrid.

Click Insert to insert a new row before the selected row.

Click Delete to delete the selected row.

Left-click within an RIH or POOH cell; then right-click to set the friction factor to a single
value in all the rows below the selected cell.

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Well Editor Friction Tab

Within Orpheus, friction-factor information is found in the Downhole Conditions portion of the Calculate tab.

Configuring Temperature
The surface temperature and temperature gradient are defined within the Temperature tab.
Well Editor calculates the downhole temperature.
The user may also experiment with different temperature profiles directly in Hydra. However, only the inputs
entered under the Temperature tab in Well Editor are saved with the well.

To . . .

Enter the temperature in different units

(such as Fahrenheit to Celsius).

Do this . . .

Click Options and select Units... from the

menu.
The units conversion utility can be used to
calculate the value in another unit system.

Check the downhole temperature.

Cerberus v12.0 Software User Guide

Enter a measured depth. Well Editor converts the measured depth to true vertical
depth (based on the current survey data),
then applies the temperature gradient.

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To configure temperature properties

1. Select the Temperature tab in Well Editor.
2. Select the Temperature Profile from the drop-down menu.
3. Enter the Surface Temperature and Temperature Gradient.
Temperature tab

Configure Location and Miscellaneous Information

The location of the well, as well as its owner, elevation, latitude, and longitude, are configurable
on the Info tab. This information is used on reports and kept with the records. The properties do
not affect calculations. However, the H2S and CO2 inputs are used in corrosion calculations. If
corrosion is being tracked, configure these inputs.
When a well is selected in Job Manager, this information is copied into the well physical data for the job.

To configure location
1. Select the Info tab in Well Editor.
2. Enter the information.
Info tab

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Troubleshooting in Well Editor

412

Situation

Possible Cause

Action

I don't see the reservoir

fluid I want in the list.

The reservoir fluid was

deleted from or not included
in the list of fluids configured
in Fluid Editor.

Configure the fluid in Fluid

Editor, then pick the fluid for
the well.

Fluids defined as a foam are

not included in the list.

Redefine the fluid type in

Fluid Editor.

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USING REEL EDITOR

Reel Editor is used to configure the information about the reel used to hold the coiled tubing.
Reel Editor stores all its reels in a single database. Because a reel will hold many different
strings during its working life, it is treated separately from the CT string. The following links
point to paragraphs that cover these topics in more detail.

Starting Reel Editor on page 414.

The Reel Editor Screen on page 415.

Working with Reels on page 417.

Configuring Reels on page 425.

Troubleshooting in Reel Editor on page 428.

Troubleshooting in Reel Editor on page 428.

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Starting Reel Editor

To start Reel Editor
1. Find the Cerberus Main Menu.
2. Click one of the following:

The Managers menu-bar item

The Hydra icon

3. If the Hydra icon was clicked, select the Reel Editor toolbar button

Reel Editor will now start.

Reel Editor can be launched from other applications in the Cerberus suite by clicking the Reel Editor button
.

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The Reel Editor Screen

The Reel Editor Main Screen -- Geometry Tab contains the following areas:

Toolbar - Click these buttons for quick access to common tasks. See The Reel Editor
Toolbars on page 416.

Geometry Tab - Contains two panels: one showing reel dimensions and lock status, and
one showing reel geometry. In the Geometry panel, enter the reel geometry (core diameter, width, and flange diameter) and the capacity of the reel.

Info Tab - Similarly to the Geometry tab, the Info tab contains two panels. Enter Service
Data and the configuration of the reel (work reel or shipping spool).

To...

Do this...

Show or hide archived reels. (See

Archiving a Reel on page 423.)

From the Select a Reel dialog, click (to

check or uncheck) Show Archived
Reels.

Show or hide work reels. (See Configuring Reel Type on page 426.)

From the Select a Reel dialog, click (to

check or uncheck) Show Work Reels.

Show or hide shipping spools. (See Configuring Reel Type on page 426.)

From the Select a Reel dialog, click (to

check or uncheck) Show Shipping
Reels.

Reel Editor Main Screen -- Geometry Tab

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The Reel Editor Toolbars

Below is a description of the buttons on the main Reel Editor toolbar, and each buttons function.
Rest the cursor over a tool button for a few seconds for the tool name to appear.

Reel Editor Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

416

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Reel Editor.

New

Opens the New Reel dialog box to

create a new reel. See Creating a
New Reel on page 417.

Open

Opens the Select Reel dialog box to

open an existing reel (see page 417).

Save

Saves the current reel to disk.

Print

Opens the Report Editor dialog box to

print the current reel. See Printing
Reel Data on page 423.

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Working with Reels

The following links point to paragraphs that cover these topics in greater detail.

Creating a New Reel on page 417.

Opening an Existing Reel on page 417.

Saving a Reel on page 418.

Deleting a Reel on page 418.

Importing a File on page 419.

Exporting a Reel on page 421.

Locking a Reel on page 422.

Unlocking a Reel on page 423.

Archiving a Reel on page 423.

Printing Reel Data on page 423.

Creating a New Reel

Each reel must have a unique name. Because Reel Editor stores all of the reels in one database, there is no need to enter a database name.

To create a new reel

1. Start Reel Editor.
2. Click Create NewReel

on the toolbar.

The New Reel dialog appears.

3. Enter the new-reel name. The user may also click the Show Existing button to determine
the reels already in use.
4. Click OK.
Reel Editor starts the new reel with default values.
5. Configure the reel.
See Configuring Reels on page 425.

Opening an Existing Reel

After a reel is created, it can be opened and used.
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To open an existing reel

1. Click Open Existing Reel

on the toolbar.

OR
Select File > Open Reel from the menu bar.
The Select a Reel dialog appears.
2. Select the reel to open, and click OK.
If a reel isnt listed, try showing archived reels, work reels, and shipping spools.

3. The Select a Reel dialog box closes and the user is returned to the main Reel Editor screen
(Geometry tab), which is populated with the new-reel information.

Saving a Reel
Reels are saved in order to record changes to the reel on the hard drive. A reel can be saved
without renaming (Save) or saved with a new name (Save As).

To save a reel

Click Save

on the toolbar.

OR
1. Select File > Save Reel As... from the menu bar.
The Save as... dialog appears.
2. Enter a name for the reel.
Names can be up to 32 characters long, with letters, numbers, and spaces.
3. Click OK.
The Save as... dialog is closed, the reel is saved under the new name, and the user is
returned to the main Reel Editor screen.

Deleting a Reel
Unnecessary reels can be deleted.
When a reel is deleted, the information cannot be recovered. The reel can be archived instead. See Archiving a
Reel on page 423.

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To delete a reel
1. Select File > Delete Reel from the menu bar.
The Delete Reels dialog appears.
2. Select the desired reel.
If the reel is locked, unlock it. See Unlocking a Reel on page 423.
3. Click OK.
A Delete Reel warning box appears, stating the operation can not be undone to confirm
deleting the reel.
4.

Click Yes to confirm deleting the reel.

The reel is deleted and the user is returned to the main Reel Editor screen.

Importing a File
Reels can be shared between computers by importing and exporting them. Reels are
exported to removable media for transferring to another computer. Once on removable
media, a reel can be imported into
Reel Editor.
An entire project or any of its components (including, of course, reels) may be imported using
the Reel Editor. Only reels, however, may be exported from the Reel Editor.

To import files within Reel Editor

1. If a reel or project is being imported from removable media, insert the removable media in
the computer.
2. Start Reel Editor.
3. Select File > Import... from the dialog menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file, including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids, jointed pipe, strings, wells, or
wirelines.)
A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later). String files with
the .mdb extension must be imported to Cerberus before they are usable (they cannot be copied into Cerberus).

5. Click Open.

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A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user intends to import a project or component (including, of course, a reel), that already exists on the
active computer, the tree view does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import utility popup appears, from which
the user designates whether to replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip this specific reel, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not imported, move any or all of the Files Selected for
Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in
the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or Projects
are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.

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The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category on
the left-hand side of this dialog, indicating that they are not slated for import, but
that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a Reel
Reels can be shared between computers by importing and exporting them. A reel is exported
to removable media for transferring to another computer. If a reel is on removable media, the
reel can be imported into Reel Editor.
Exporting from Reel Editor provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the
.zcy extension (which is essentially an XML file).

To export a reel or reels

1. Start Reel Editor.
2. Select File > Export... from the menu bar.
The Select Reels dialog appears.

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3. Select the reel or group of reels to export

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

4. Click OK.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
5. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
6. If desired, enter a new name for the reel or group of reels.
If the reel is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a new
name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)). Select from the Save as type dropdown to determine the file type.
7. Click Save.
The reel/reel group is exported to the desired location; a popup appears describing the file
path where the reel/reel group is saved and the name of the saved reel/reel group.

Locking a Reel
Reels can be locked to prevent inadvertently modifying or deleting them.
To quickly see if a reel is locked, look for the Lock in the lower left corner of the screen.

To lock a reel
1. Click the Lock
icon in the lower left-hand portion of the Geometry or Info tab. Clicking
the icon acts as a toggle to lock or unlock the reel, depending on the state of the reel when
clicked upon.
OR
2. Select Options > Locked from the menu bar (if the menu-bar item is unshaded and
unchecked).

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Unlocking a Reel
A reel must be unlocked before any changes can be made or before it can be deleted.

To unlock a reel
1. Click the Lock
icon in the lower left-hand portion of the Geometry or Info tab. Clicking
the icon acts as a toggle to lock or unlock the reel, depending on the state of the reel
when clicked upon.
OR
2. Select Options > Locked from the menu bar (if the menu-bar item is shaded and
checked).

Archiving a Reel
Reels that are no longer in use can be archived. Hidden archived reels are not visible in the
list on the Reel Editor Main Screen -- Geometry Tab on page 415, but the information is still
available should it ever be needed again.

To archive a reel
1. Select Options > Archived (so that a check appears beside Archived) from the menu
bar (from either the Geometry or Info tab).
The Archived icon appears in the lower right-hand portion of the diagram panel.
2. Save the reel to retain archival information.
3. Click OK.

To view archived reels

1. From the Select a Reel dialog, click (to check) Show Archived Reels.

Printing Reel Data

The reels configuration and approximate capacities can be printed. This data can be printed
to a printer or to a PDF file for emailing or viewing by others, or for sending to SharePoint (if
available to the user).
The free Adobe Reader must be installed to view PDF files. It can be downloaded from Adobes Web site at
www.adobe.com

CTES does not recommend using any PDF printer other than the CTES PDF Printer 50. Doing so may
result in unpredictable and undesirable results.

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To print reel data to a printer

1. Select Print

from the toolbar.

The Reel Print dialog appears.

2. (Optional) Enter a Title for the report.
3. Select the printer options.
a. Select the Printer from the dropdown. If the user has:

A SharePoint URL with the related Cerberus configuration set up as described in Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab on page 29, and

The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer selected in the application.

Then the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.
b. Click the associated information button

to display the following information.

c. Click the Select Logo button to select a logo.

4. Click the Print button.
If SharePoint is not available or its use is not desired, a PDF file can be printed for email distribution or for archiving.

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Configuring Reels
There are several steps to configuring a reel. The following links point to paragraphs that
cover these topics in more detail.

Configuring Reel Geometry on page 425.

Configuring Reel Type on page 426.

Configuring Service Data on page 426.

Estimating Reel Capacity on page 427.

Configuring Reel Geometry

The reel geometry must be entered for calculations. Reel-Trak uses the core diameter and
width to estimate how many wraps of tubing are on the reel, and the effective bending radius,
for a given length of tubing on the reel. Flange diameter is only used in the capacity estimating utility.
Reel-Trak assumes there is enough flange to accommodate the specified string length. Unless the Watch
Dog feature is on, no warnings are given if the reel capacity is insufficient to hold the specified string.

To enter reel geometry

1. Click the Geometry tab.
2. Enter the reel geometry criteria within the Geometry panel.
The reel criteria for the geometry include:

Core Diameter - The diameter of the core of the reel.

Width - The distance between the flanges, measured from the inside surface.

Flange Diameter - The diameter of the reel from the top to the bottom.

Geometry Panel in the Reel Editor Display Screen

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Configuring Reel Type

The reel type is for record keeping purposes and is not used in any calculations. However, the
reel type can be used to view or hide reels on the Reel Editor Main Screen -- Geometry Tab.

To configure the reel type

1. Click the Info tab. The Information panel appears on the right-hand side of the Reel Editor
display screen.
2. Select the type of reel.
For a work reel, click the Work Reel radio button.
For a shipping spool, click the Shipping Spool radio button.
3. For a work reel, select the following options.

Select if the reel is a Land Unit or Offshore Skid.

If the reel is e-line capable, select the E-line Capable checkbox.

4. Select the Save button on the tab panel or the Save toolbar icon.

Configuring Service Data

Service data can be entered for the reel for record keeping purposes. This data is not used in any
calculations.

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To enter service data

1. Click the Info tab. The Information panel appears on the right-hand side of the Reel Editor
display screen; the Service Data subheading appears within the Information panel.
2. Enter reel information for records.
Record information includes the Manufacturer of the reel, the Model of the reel, the Date
Commissioned, the Empty Reel Weight, and any Comments for the reel.
3. Select the Save button on the tab panel or the Save
4. Select the Exit button on the tab panel or the Exit

toolbar icon.
toolbar icon.

The Service Data screen is closed and the user is returned to the main Reel Editor
screen.

Estimating Reel Capacity

The reel capacity can be estimated for different diameters of CT. This utility is useful when a
string is reversed onto a new reel or strings are spliced together (see page 320).
This estimate assumes perfect spooling and no "nestling" of one wrap into the one below it. In practice, up
to 10% more tubing may fit on the reel than the estimate shown.

To estimate reel capacity

1. From the Reel Editor display screen, select the Geometry tab.
2. Within the Reel Capacity section, select the CT Size from the dropdown menu.
All available CT sizes are listed.
3. Select the amount of Freeboard.
Freeboard is the distance, typically 24 inches, from the top wrap to the edge of the
flange.
4. Select the Wrap Efficiency.
The greater the wrap efficiency, the more CT can fit on the reel.
The Reel Capacity calculates the estimated amount of CT that can fit on the selected
reel, according to the information supplied.

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Troubleshooting in Reel Editor

The following table lists some troubleshooting tips for Reel Editor.

428

Situation

Possible Cause

Action

I cannot make any

changes to a reel.

The reel may be locked.

Try unlocking the reel. See

Locking a Reel on page
422.

I dont see a reel in the

list that I know should
be there.

The reel may be archived.

Try showing archived reels,

work reels, and shipping
spools on the Reel Editor
screen. See The Reel Editor Screen on page 415.

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USING FLUID EDITOR

Fluid Editor is used to define the properties of fluids. Edit the standard fluids provided and
create new fluids with Fluid Editor. Fluid Editor is accessible across the software suite, providing a consistent interface between applications.
After configuration, use fluids for calculations in Hydra and Hydra. The reservoir fluid in Well
Editor can be chosen from the fluids configured in Fluid Editor. The following links point to
paragraphs that cover these topics in greater detail.

Starting Fluid Editor on page 430.

Types of Fluids on page 433.

The Fluid Editor Display Screen on page 431.

Working with Fluids on page 437.

Calculating Properties for Liquids on page 443.

Fluid Correction Factors on page 444.

Troubleshooting in Fluid Editor on page 445.

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Starting Fluid Editor

To start Fluid Editor
1. Find the Cerberus main menu (see page 23).
2. Select Editors > Fluid Editor... from the menu bar.
Launch Fluid Editor from other applications in the Cerberus suite by clicking Fluid Editor

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The Fluid Editor Display Screen

The Fluid Editor main screen contains the following areas:

Toolbar - Allows for quick access to common tasks. For a full description of each button,
see Using the Fluid Editor Toolbar on page 431.

Fluid Identification - Includes the Fluid Name; allows the user to select the Fluid Type
and the Rheology Model.

Surface Properties - Enter the properties of the fluid here. The properties depend on the
type of fluid being configured.

Fluid Editor main screen

Using the Fluid Editor Toolbar

Below is a description of the buttons on the main Fluid Editor toolbar, and each button's
function.

Fluid Editor Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Fluid Editor.

New

Creates a new fluid. See Creating a

New Fluid on page 437.

Open

Opens an existing fluid. See Opening an Existing Fluid on page 438.

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Fluid Editor Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

432

Tool Name

Function

Save

Saves the current fluid to disk.

Help

Opens the Cerberus User Guide,

which provides help with all aspects
of the Cerberus software.

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Types of Fluids
There are four different types of fluids. Each type of fluid requires different inputs. The following links point to paragraphs that cover these topics in detail.

Liquid on page 433.

Gas on page 435.

Foam on page 435.

Multiphase on page 435.

Liquid
Liquids are divided into five different rheology models. Each of these are explained here.

Newtonian Fluid
Newtonian fluid is the model for a fluid that flows in a linear manner. A Newtonian fluid is represented by the following equation:

Few oil field fluids, other than water and water-like fluids, are truly Newtonian, but the Newtonian model is the best known and easiest to understand. The Newtonian model provides the
basis of several important methods used to calculate friction factors and pressure drops.
Fresh water can be modeled as a Newtonian fluid.
The density and viscosity for a Newtonian fluid will need to be known. The viscosity can be
calculated from the fluid's viscometer readings. See Calculating Properties for Liquids on
page 443.

Bingham Plastic Fluid

A Bingham Plastic fluid does not flow until a specific yield point is reached. A Bingham Plastic
fluid is represented by the following equation:

Cement slurry and some drilling muds are often modeled as Bingham Plastics.
For a Bingham Plastic fluid, its density, plastic viscosity (PV), and yield point (YP) need to be
known. The PV and YP can be calculated from the fluid's viscometer readings. See Calculating Properties for Liquids on page 443.

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Power Law Fluid

A Power Law fluid does not behave in a linear manner. However, unlike a Bingham Plastic fluid, a
Power Law fluid does not require a minimum yield stress to start flowing. A Power Law fluid is
represented by the following equation:

Many oil field fluids, such as water-based muds, gels, and hydrocarbons, are modeled using the
Power Law model.
For a Power Law fluid, its density, consistency factor (K'), and behavior index (n') should be
known. K' and n' can be calculated from the fluid's viscometer readings. See Calculating Properties for Liquids on page 443.

Herschel-Bulkley Fluid
The Herschel-Bulkley model, a three-parameter rheological model, combines the features of both
the Power Law and Bingham Plastic models. It allows a yield stress with Power Law behavior at
higher stress levels. It is represented by the following equation:

The Herschel-Bulkley model is often preferred to Power Law or Bingham Plastic relationships
because it results in more accurate models of rheological behaviors when adequate data are
available.
For a Herschel-Bulkley model, its density, consistency factor (K'), yield point (YP), and behavior
index (n') need to be known. The n', K', and YP can be calculated from the fluid's viscometer
readings. See Calculating Properties for Liquids on page 443.

Empirical Model Fluid

The parameters of A and B for the Empirical Model fluids were obtained based on fluid flow tests
that were performed for CTES by a third-party institution a few years ago. The fluids tested
include: DuovisTM (MI-SWACO), Diutan Gum (Kelco), DrilplexTM (MI-SWACO), and slick water
(FX-2304, Nalco), each at certain concentration. The flow loop includes sections of straight and
coiled tubing.
The flow test data (friction pressure drops at various flow rates) were analyzed and plotted as
plots of Fanning friction factor versus generalized Reynolds number. It was found that on the loglog plots, the data of these fluids can be approximately described by straight lines within the
range of flow rates tested (and the Reynolds number). Therefore, a general form of empirical
equation was proposed to curve fit the fluid flow data:

(1)

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. . . where f is Fanning friction factor and NReg is generalized Reynolds number. Therefore,
the parameters A and B are fluid-specific (both fluid type and additive concentrations). In
Hydra, if a fluid is specified as an Empirical Model fluid, then, the program will calculate the
friction pressure losses of that fluid based on the given empirical parameters A and B.
In Fluid Editor, these fluids are listed under the category of Empirical Model Fluids and corresponding values for parameters A and B are given. If a user has flow test data for a specific
fluid and the flow test data (friction factor vs. generalized Reynolds number) can be represented using Eq. 1 (above). Then, the user can define that fluid as an Empirical Model Fluid.
The values of A and B can not be determined by utilizing viscometer readings. Viscometer
readings can be used to determine the rheological parameters, for example, n and K values
of a power-law model. If a user only has rheological data from viscometer but has no flow test
data, he or she should choose the fluid rheological model that best describes the viscometer
data.
The option of defining a fluid as Empirical Model Fluid provides the user opportunity to specify
his or her own friction factor model and not have to rely on the more general friction factor
models that are already implemented in the program.

Gas
Fluid editor can currently define three types of gases: nitrogen, air, and natural gas.
The specific gravity of a gas is its molecular weight divided by the molecular weight of air
(28.97 g/mol). The specific gravity must be input at standard conditions of 60 F and 14.7 psi.
Since a gas is compressible, the density of the gas at downhole conditions of temperature
and pressure will be calculated at run time.

Foam
A foam is a combination of a gas and base fluid. Despite being a multiphase mixture of a gas
(usually nitrogen) and a liquid, a foam can often be modeled as a homogeneous (single) fluid
with properties based on a combination of Power Law and Bingham Plastic models.
Hydra currently supports only nitrogen-based foams. The base liquid (the most common
being water or a gel) must be configured as a separate fluid before configuring the foam. See
Configuring a Foam on page 442. The foam quality is calculated at run time.

Multiphase
A multiphase fluid is a combination of oil, gas, and water. The gas can be nitrogen, air, or natural gas. The term "nodal" refers to the mathematical methods used to calculate the pressure
drop of such a mixture. Nodal fluids are most commonly encountered in the following cases:

As the reservoir fluid, specified in Well Editor.

When the reservoir is producing fluid and a different fluid is being pumped down the CT.
Hydra treats the mingled fluids in the annulus as nodal.

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As a commingled mixture of nitrogen and liquid used for stimulation or well cleanout. In this
case, the water fraction should be set to 1 (one), indicating no oil is present in the liquid
phase.
The components of the nodal fluid must be specified at standard conditions of 60 F and 14.7 psi.

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Working with Fluids

This section deals with working with fluids.

Creating a New Fluid

Fluid Editor comes with some common fluids already defined. New fluids can be created.
To model nitrified water, create a nodal (multi-phase) fluid and set the water fraction to 1 (one) and the gas
type to nitrogen.

To create a new fluid

1. Click New

on the Fluid Editor toolbar.

2. Enter a New Name for the new fluid.

3. Click OK.
4. Select the Fluid Type from the dropdown menu on the Fluid Editor.
5. For liquids or foams, select the Rheology Model from the dropdown menu.
a. Click the Enter Fluid Rheology Data button to enter data. Rheology data inputs
depend on the model type:

Newtonian: Temperature and Viscosity

Bingham Plastic: Temperature, Plastic Viscosity, and Yield Point

Power Law: Temperature, Flow Behavior index and Consistency index

Herschel Bukley: Temperature, Flow Behavior index, consistency index, and

Yield Stress

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Fann35 data values are saved with the fluid for each temperature, if they are entered.
The theoretical model is displayed as a red line on the plot.
The Viscometer data is shown as blue points on the plot.
The Deviation Coefficient is displayed adjacent to the plot.

6. Enter the Surface Properties for the fluid, according to the fluid type.
See Types of Fluids on page 433.
7. Click Save

on the toolbar to save the new fluid.

Opening an Existing Fluid

When a fluid has been configured, it is available for use in other applications in Cerberus. There
are two ways to open an existing fluid:

Click Open

on the toolbar.

OR

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Saving a Fluid
Saving a fluid records changes to the fluid on the hard drive. There are three ways to save a
fluid:

Click Save

on the toolbar.

OR

Select File > Save from the menu bar.

OR

Select File > Save as... from the menu bar.

Deleting a Fluid
Unnecessary fluids can be deleted. However, use caution when deleting fluids used in projects. When a fluid is deleted, the information is not recoverable and must be recreated if the
fluid is needed at a later time.
A fluid used in a project, or used as a reservoir fluid in Well Editor, should not be deleted. If a project referencing a deleted fluid is opened, an error is generated.

To delete a fluid
1. Open the fluid in Fluid Editor.
2. Select File > Delete from the menu bar.
3. Click Yes to confirm deleting the fluid.

Importing a File
An entire project or any of its components (including, of course, fluids) may be imported to
Cerberus using the Fluid Editor. Only fluids, however, may be exported from the Fluid Editor

To import a fluid
1. If importing from removable media, insert the media in the PC drive.
2. Start Fluid Editor.
3. Select File > Import from the Fluid Editor menu bar.
A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.
4. Browse to and select the file to import. The file to import may be any type of Cerberus file,
including projects/jobs, or components. (Components include coiled tubing, reels, fluids,
jointed pipe, strings, wells, or wirelines.)
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A Cerberus file is of type *.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5 or later).

5. Click Open.
A tree-view dialog appears detailing the Files Selected for Import.

If the user intends to import a project or component (including, of course, a fluid), that already exists on the
active computer, the tree view does not appear. Rather, a Cerberus Import utility popup appears, from which
the user designates whether to replace/overwrite the existing project/component, rename the project/component, skip the project/component, or cancel the import entirely.

a. To de-select files so that they are not included in the import, move any or all of the Files
Selected for Import to the Files Available for Import category on the left-hand side of
this dialog:
1. On the Files Selected for Import side of the dialog, click to select any element in
the file hierarchy. When a category folder is selected (Components or Projects
are the main folders), all folders/files subordinate to that category will be moved.
2. Click the Remove [selected element(s)] button.

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The selected elements are moved to the Files Available for Import category
on the left-hand side of the dialog, indicating that they are not slated for
import, but that they are available.

3. To move any elements in the Files Available for Import category back to the
Files Selected for Import category, select the element and click the Select
[selected element(s)] button.
6. Click Import [selected element(s)] to proceed.
7. The Cerberus Import/Export Utility popup appears to indicate completion of the import.

Exporting a Fluid
To export a fluid or fluids
The user may export fluids from one computer to another, either via removable media, the
network the computer is connected to, if any, or through the Internet, if an Internet connection
is available.
Exporting a fluid provides the user with the opportunity to safely email files with the .zcy
extension (which is essentially an XML file).
1. If exporting to removable media, insert the media into the PC.
2. Start Fluid Editor.
3. Click File > Export... from the dialog menu bar.

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The Select Fluids dialog appears. Select a fluid or group of fluids and click OK.

To...

Do this...

Select a group of items that are next to

each other.

Click the first item, then hold down the

SHIFT key and click the last item.

Select multiple non-adjacent items.

Hold down the CTRL key and click each

item.

A dialog similar in appearance to a typical Windows Explorer interface appears.

4. Navigate to the desired export file-path location.
5. If desired, enter a new name for the fluid/fluid group.
If the fluid is to retain the current name, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, enter a new
name.
Ensure the file type is Cerberus File (*.zcx (Cerberus 10.0 or earlier) or *.zcy (Cerberus 10.5
or later)).
6. Click Save.
The fluid/fluid group is exported to the desired location; a popup appears describing the file
path where the fluid/fluid group is saved and the name of the saved fluid/group.

Configuring a Foam
A foam is a base liquid combined with a gas. Before configuring a foam, configure the base
liquid.

To create a foam
1. Create and configure the base liquid (the most common being water or a gel) as a separate
fluid in Fluid Editor.
2. Create a new fluid.
3. Select Foam as the Fluid Type.
4. Choose the Rheology Model to use.
5. Select the newly configured base liquid as the Base Fluid.

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Calculating Properties for Liquids

The user may calculate fluid properties for Newtonian fluids, Power Law fluids, Bingham
Plastics, and Herschel-Bulkley fluids from their Fann35 viscometer readings. In addition, the
effect of temperature on the liquid viscosity can be estimated. See Empirical Model Fluid on
page 434, Empirical Model Fluid on page 434, Empirical Model Fluid on page 434, and
Empirical Model Fluid on page 434 for more information.

To calculate liquid properties at ambient / surface conditions

1. Open the fluid.
2. Choose which rheology model to use from the dropdown menu.
3. Click the Enter Fann Readings button.
4. Enter the viscometer readings in the appropriate fields.
5. Click the Calculate button to:

Calculate Viscosity for Newtonian fluids.

Calculate n and k for Power Law fluids.

Calculate PV and YP for Bingham Plastics.

Calculate n, k & YP for Herschel-Bulkley fluids.

6. To use the calculated values, click Use. Otherwise, click Cancel.

The standard R1-B1 rotor-bob combination and F1 torsion spring are assumed for all calculations.

If temperature effects on liquid viscosity are to be considered in Hydra calculations, complete

the following procedure. Otherwise, save and exit Fluid Editor.

To calculate temperature effects on liquid viscosity

1. Open the fluid.
2. Choose the rheology model to use from the dropdown menu.
3. Estimate the temperature effects on liquid viscosity by clicking on the Temperature
Effects button.
4. Enter the rheology data at different temperatures.
5. Click OK to exit.
6. Save the fluid and exit Fluid Editor. If this fluid is loaded into Hydra and the Temperature
Effects... option is enabled, the values of the constants are used in the Hydra calculations.

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Fluid Correction Factors

If model predictions for a particular fluid differ from observed readings by a consistent amount, a
correction factor can be applied to the fluid to compensate. This fluid correction factor applies to
Newtonian, Power Law, Bingham Plastic, Herschel-Bulkley, and Foam fluids. See the following
paragraphs for more information:

Entering Fluid Correction Factors on page 444.

Using Fluid Correction Factors on page 444.

Entering Fluid Correction Factors

The following procedure outlines how to enter a Fluid Correction Factor.

To enter a correction factor

1. Open the fluid.
2. Select Options > Correction Factor from the menu bar.
3. Enter the correction factor and click OK.
4. Save the fluid by clicking Save

on the toolbar.

Using Fluid Correction Factors

The following procedure outlines how to use a Fluid Correction Factor.

To use correction factors in Hydra

1. Open the project in Hydra.
2. Click the Project Options

button.

3. Click the General tab.

4. Select the Include fluid correction factors checkbox.
5. Click OK to close the Options window.

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Troubleshooting in Fluid Editor

Situation

I don't see the base fluid

I want to use for my
foam.

Cerberus v12.0 Software User Guide

Possible Cause

Fluid Editor expects the

base fluid to be configured
before the foam.

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Action

Configure the base fluid as a

separate fluid, then configure the foam.

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USING EQUIPMENT MANAGER

Equipment Manager is used to configure the information about different pieces of surface
equipment involved in CT jobs. Equipment Manager stores all its equipment in a single database. Individual pieces of equipment can be grouped into equipment packages for an individual job.

Starting Equipment Manager on page 448.

The Equipment Manager Screen on page 449.

Working with Pieces of Equipment on page 451.

Creating an Equipment Package on page 453.

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Starting Equipment Manager

To Start Equipment Manager
1. Find the Cerberus main menu or home page (see page 23).
2. Select Equipment Manager from the Managers menu.
3. Equipment Manager will now start.

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The Equipment Manager Screen

The Equipment Manager Main Screen has the following areas:

Toolbar. Click these buttons for quick access to common tasks. See The Equipment
Manager Toolbars on page 449.

Cabin Tab. Configure cabins here.

Injector Tab. Configure injectors here.

Guide Arch Tab. Configure guide arches here.

BOP Tab. Configure BOPs here.

Stripper Tab. Configure strippers here.

Power Pack Tab. Configure power packs here.

Equipment Manager Main Screen

The Equipment Manager Toolbars

Rest the cursor over a tool button for a few seconds for the tool name to appear.

Below is a description of the buttons on the main Equipment Manager toolbar, and each buttons function.

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Equipment Manager Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

450

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Equipment Manager.

New

Opens the dialog box to create new

equipment (See Creating New
Equipment on page 451.) or a new
equipment package (See Creating
an Equipment Package on page
453.).

Open

Opens the dialog box to open an

existing piece of equipment or equipment package. See Opening Existing
Equipment on page 451.

Save

Saves the current piece of equipment

or equipment package to disk. See
Saving Equipment on page 452.

Delete

Deletes the current piece of equipment or equipment package. See

Deleting Equipment on page 452.

Print

This option is currently disabled.

Equipment

Opens the Equipment Manager

Auxiliary

Opens the Vehicle tab for configuration.

Personnel Manager

Opens the Personnel Manager.

Help

Opens Help for Equipment Manager.

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Working with Pieces of Equipment

This section deals with working with individual pieces of equipment. The following types of
equipment can be configured:

Cabins

Injectors

Guide Arches

BOPs

Strippers

Power Packs

Vehicles

This section includes the following topics:

Creating New Equipment on page 451.

Opening Existing Equipment on page 451.

Saving Equipment on page 452.

Deleting Equipment on page 452.

Creating New Equipment

All of the pieces of equipment in Equipment Manager are created in the same way. The only
difference is the inputs for each type.

To Create a Piece of Equipment

1. Start Equipment Manager.
2. Click the appropriate tab for the type of equipment to be created.
3. Click the New button

on the toolbar.

4. Enter a name for the piece of equipment and click OK.

5. Enter the inputs relevant to that piece of equipment.

Opening Existing Equipment

An existing piece of equipment can be opened in order to review or edit its inputs.

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To Open a Piece of Equipment

1. Start Equipment Manager.
2. Click the appropriate tab for the type of equipment to open.
3. Click the Open button

on the toolbar.

4. Select the name of the piece of equipment and click OK.

5. The inputs for that piece of equipment can now be viewed and edited.
Changes to a piece of equipment should be saved before moving on to the next piece of equipment.

Saving Equipment
Pieces of equipment are saved to record changes to the hard drive.

Ways To Save a Equipment

Click the Save button

on the toolbar.

- Or

Select File > Save from the menu bar.

Changes to a piece of equipment should be saved before moving on to the next piece of equipment.

Deleting Equipment
Unnecessary equipment no longer in use can be deleted.

To Delete a Piece of Equipment

1. Open the piece of equipment in Equipment Manager.
2. Click the Delete button

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Creating an Equipment Package

An equipment package is assembled in Equipment Manager. Then that equipment package
can be selected for a job in Job Manager.

To Create an Equipment Package

1. Start Equipment Manager.
2. Select Resources > Equipment Package from the menu bar.
3. Click the New button

on the toolbar.

4. Enter a name for the equipment package and click OK.

5. Select each of the individual components in the package.

Individual pieces of equipment should be saved before moving on to the next piece of equipment.

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USING PERSONNEL MANAGER

Personnel Manager is used to configure the information about the different people who make
up the crew on a CT job. Personnel Manager stores all its personnel records in a single database. Personnel can be selected for an individual job in Job Manager.

Starting Personnel Manager on page 456.

The Personnel Manager Screen on page 457.

Working with Personnel Records on page 459.

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Starting Personnel Manager

To Start Personnel Manager
1. Find the Cerberus main menu or home page (see page 23).
2. Select Personnel Manager from the Managers menu.
3. Personnel Manager will now start.

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The Personnel Manager Screen

The Personnel Manager main screen has the following areas:

Toolbar. Click these buttons for quick access to common tasks. See The Personnel
Manager Toolbars on page 457.

Personnel Tab. Configure personnel here.

Personnel Manager main screen

The Personnel Manager Toolbars

Below is a description of the buttons on the main Personnel Manager toolbar, and each buttons function.

Personnel Manager Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Personnel Manager.

New

Opens the dialog box to create a new

personnel record. See Creating a
New Personnel Record on page 459.

Open

Opens the dialog box to open an

existing personnel record. See
Opening an Existing Personnel
Record on page 459.

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Personnel Manager Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

458

Tool Name

Function

Save

Saves the current personnel record to

disk. See Saving a Personnel
Record on page 459.

Delete

Deletes the current personnel record.

See Deleting a Personnel Record
on page 460.

Print

This option is currently disabled.

Equipment

Opens the Equipment Manager

Auxiliary

Opens the Vehicle tab for configuration.

Personnel Manager

Opens the Personnel Manager.

Help

Opens Help for Equipment Manager.

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Working with Personnel Records

This section deals with working with personnel records. This section includes the following
topics:

Creating a New Personnel Record on page 459.

Opening an Existing Personnel Record on page 459.

Saving a Personnel Record on page 459.

Deleting a Personnel Record on page 460.

Creating a New Personnel Record

All personnel records are configured in the same way.

To Create a Personnel Record

1. Start Personnel Manager.
2. Click the New button

on the toolbar.

3. Enter a name for the person and click OK.

4. Enter the inputs relevant to that person.

Opening an Existing Personnel Record

A personnel record can be opened to review and edit its inputs.

To Open a Personnel Record

1. Start Personnel Manager.
2. Click the Open button

on the toolbar.

3. Select the name of the personnel record and click OK.

4. The inputs for that record can now be view and edited.

Saving a Personnel Record

Personnel records are saved in order to store changes on the hard drive.

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Ways To Save a Personnel Record

Click the Save button

on the toolbar.

OR

Select File, Save from the menu.

Deleting a Personnel Record

Unnecessary personnel records can be deleted.

To Delete a Personnel Record

1. Start Personnel Manager.
2. Click the Open button

on the toolbar.

3. Select the name of the personnel record and click OK.

4. Click the Delete button

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USING ACHILLES
Achilles is the CTES fatigue model. Achilles is used in two different ways in Cerberus:

Reel-Trak uses Achilles to calculate fatigue for each segment of a string. The use of
Achilles in this case is invisible to the user.

Achilles is used as a modeling tool for CT string design.

Using Achilles as a modeling tool for CT string design provides a means of determining the
relative effect of the various factors influencing tubing fatigue life. For example, Achilles helps
answer questions such as, "How does increasing the tubing size from 1.5" to 1.75" affect the
expected life?" or "How much does using a 94" gooseneck instead of a 72" gooseneck
improve tubing life?"
Achilles assumes that the CT is cycled for its entire life using consistent bending radius and
pressure. While this is not physically realistic, it provides a means to compare and contrast
the effect of key parameters and hence optimize the best configuration for an upcoming job
or string purchase.

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Starting Achilles
To start Achilles

462

From the Cerberus home page, select, from the menu bar, Calculations > Achilles.

Launch Achilles from other applications in the Cerberus suite by clicking the Achilles button
.

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Fatigue Model Theory

Fatigue results from plastic deformation when the steel CT is bent off the reel and around the
gooseneck. The amount of fatigue that a bending event causes depends primarily on the CT
material, the CT geometry, the pressure, the bending radius, and the current fatigue. Achilles
uses these factors to calculate the amount of fatigue created by a trip into and out of the hole.
Because Achilles takes these factors into account, it provides a more accurate estimate of CT
life than other methods of estimating fatigue, such as running feet.
When CT accumulates too much fatigue, it fails. First, a microscopic crack begins to form in
the wall of the CT. Eventually the crack propagates through the wall, and the CT cannot hold
pressure. At high pressure, these two stages may seem simultaneous. Achilles can calculate
the number of trips to the first stage crack initiation, or the second stage fracture. CTES
recommends using CT to no more than 80 percent of its used life.
Achilles, along with the rest of Cerberus, assumes that the yield strength of CT is not affected
by fatigue. However, there is some evidence that the yield strength of used CT is reduced by
up to 15%.

Bending Events for CT

Achilles uses the six bending events listed below to calculate fatigue for each trip into and out
of the hole.
1. Off the reel - bent to
straight.
2. Onto the gooseneck
(guide arch) - straight to
bent.

2, 5
3, 4

1, 6

3. Off the gooseneck to the

injector - bent to straight.
4. From the injector onto the
gooseneck - straight to
bent.
5. Off the gooseneck toward
the reel - bent to straight.
6. Onto the reel - straight to
bent.
CT does not fatigue downhole because the radius of curvature of the wellbore trajectory is not
small enough to cause plastic yielding of the CT (except in extraordinarily rare circumstances
rare enough to be considered negligible).
CT also does not fatigue when the CT doesn't move, even if the pressure changes, such as
during a pressure test.

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Fatigue Model Inputs

Achilles uses the following inputs to calculate fatigue for each bending event:

CT Diameter

CT Wall Thickness

CT Material Type

Current Fatigue (invisible to user)

Bending Radius (at reel core or at guide arch)

Pressure

How to Minimize Fatigue

When a string accumulates fatigue, the amount of fatigue on the string cannot be reduced. However, a new string can be designed to minimize fatigue, and to control the amount of new fatigue
a string accumulates in the future.

To minimize fatigue (new string)

Use a thicker CT wall.

Use a smaller outside diameter.

Use a material appropriate for anticipated pressures.

To minimize fatigue (used string)

464

Use a larger guide arch.

Perform fewer cycles.

Cycle with lower pump pressure.

Place the string on reel with a larger core, or use a reel core expander.

Cut the string to shift new fatigue away from areas with current high fatigue, welds, and other
areas of concern (zones).

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Using Achilles
The Achilles Interface
Viewable within the main display screen are the different factors affecting fatigue life and
diameter growth. Achilles models fatigue in terms of trips. Each trip is calculated according to
the current configuration displayed on the screen. Thus, if the calculations are paused, a
parameter is changed, and the calculations are resumed, the model uses the revised configuration. Changing the diameter or wall size is physically meaningless. However, the pressure
or bending geometry can be changed to reflect possible field conditions.
Three tabs are initially available from the Achilles interface: Calculator, Analyzer, and
Options. A fourth tab, Analyzer Data, becomes available only when the Calculate button is
selected on the Analyzer tab.
Before the user begins to run fatigue analyses, the parameters in the Options tab should be evaluated/set.
See Using the Options Tab on page 470 for more information.

The Achilles Toolbar

The Achilles Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Achilles.

Print

Accesses the Achilles Print dialog to

print data.

Using the Calculator Tab

The Calculator tab allows the user to vary each of the potential fatigue-affecting parameters
and to run the fatigue calculation in a VCR-like environment; in other words, to run, step, etc.,
through the fatigue calculation.

To run the coiled tubing fatigue calculation

1. Input the following information (using dropdowns where available): CT Material, CT Nominal Diameter, CT Nominal Wall, Pressure, Reel Diameter, and Arch Radius.
Click the Edit button to add/delete values that pertain to the Gooseneck Arch Radius.
Values below 25 inches are not allowed.

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2. Select (from the dropdown) the Fatigue Model: Achilles 3.0 (1999); Achilles 4.0 (2003);
Achilles 5.0 (Linear).
The Fatigue Model should default to the fatigue model selected in String Editor.

For more information about selecting a fatigue model, please see the appendix entitled Coiled Tubing Fatigue
Models.

3. Select Calculation Speed (Min/Max) to determine how fast the calculation runs.
4. Click Play

, Step (to view one trip at a time)

, Stop

, or Reset

to observe the fatigue calculation process.

Rest the cursor over a tool button for a few seconds for the tool name to appear.

a. To adjust the Calculation Speed, click and drag the mouse anywhere along the Min/Max
line.

5. The resulting data is displayed graphically in the right-hand portion of the Inputs tab.
a. The graph shown in the upper right-hand quadrant appears similarly to the following:

Two views of the graph are available: Fatigue Prediction or Diameter Prediction.

To switch between type of graph viewed

Click (to toggle) either Fatigue Prediction or Diameter Prediction underneath the graph
area of the Achilles Calculator-tab display screen.
b. The calculation results fields include:

466

Number of Trips

CT Life Used (%)

CT Life after next trip: Though the user may expect the program to stop when
exactly 100% of the CT life is used, the last trip in/out of the well may cause CT Life
Used to exceed 100%. If this is the case (and if the calculation cannot exceed 100%
fatigue per the Option selected), the program stops before 100% and shows the user
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(CT Life after next trip) what the life will/would be after the next trip.
c. The Diameter Growth Results fields include:

Current Diameter

Maximum Diameter

Trips to Maximum Diameter

Percent Trips Used at Maximum Diameter

Achilles Calculator Tab

Using the Analyzer Tab

The Achilles Analyzer is used to model the comparison of different input values over a pressure range. The Analyzer compares the input parameters and their values. Then, the Analyzer produces a line-graph of trips to failure vs. pressure with lines for the different values.
The number of calculations depends on the pressure range and the number of values to compare. The greater the pressure range, the smaller the steps.
The larger the number of values, the more calculations the Analyzer must perform. The number of calculations and the current calculation are shown on the bottom right-hand portion of
the screen.

To use the Achilles Analyzer

1. Change the Pressure by entering the new range (From/To) and Step size.
2. Enter/select values for the Fixed Variables within the left-hand portion of the display
screen.

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3. Select the Floating Variables:

a. Select the Parameter from the dropdown.
The Parameter dropdown selection Fatigue Model, used as a floating variable, helps make quick comparisons
between models.

b. Select Value(s) from the dropdown.

OR
Input Value(s) separately, clicking the Add button (which appears when the user starts
typing into the Value field) after each input, to include values in the list.
4. Click (to check) graph-display options in the area immediately below the graph area (righthand side of the dialog). Select any or all of the following: Show trips to fatigue failure
(default); Show trips to MRR; Show trips limited by diametrical growth.
5. Click the Calculate button.
6. Achilles performs the calculations for the different cases. When Achilles is done calculating,
graph line(s) appear.

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A line is available for each value chosen for the floating variable.

The user may select display options for the line graph after the calculation has run (see
Step 4, above, for more information). Click (to check) these options for them to become
visible on the line graph.

Various CT and calculation information is found in the lower right-hand corner of the interface.

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Achilles Analyzer Tab

Using the Analyzer Data Tab

After the fatigue calculation is run from the Analyzer tab, the Analyzer Data tab becomes
available. This tab provides data for each Pressure Step chosen by the user.
Achilles Analyzer Data Tab

Click a heading to sort the table by that field.

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Using the Options Tab

Before the user begins to run fatigue analyses, the parameters in the Options tab should be evaluated/set. Option selection causes different values to be applied to the fatigue calculations.
Select the options that closely match the desired model.
Achilles Options Tab

Printing Achilles Data

Achilles data can be printed to a printer or to a PDF file for emailing or viewing by others, or for
sending to SharePoint (if available to the user).
The free Adobe Reader must be installed to view PDF files. It can be downloaded from Adobes Web site at
www.adobe.com
CTES does not recommend using any PDF printer other than the CTES PDF Printer 50. Doing so may result in
unpredictable and undesirable results.

To print Achilles data to a printer

1. Select Print

from the toolbar.

The Achilles Print dialog appears.

2. (Optional) Enter a Title for the report.
3. Click (to check) whether to print the Fatigue Prediction Graph or the Diameter Prediction
Graph.

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4. Select the printer options.

a. Select the Printer from the dropdown. If the user has:

A SharePoint URL with the related Cerberus configuration set up as described in

Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab on page 29, and

The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer selected in the application.

Then the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.
b. Click the associated information button

to display the following information.

c. Click the Select Logo button to select a logo.

5. Click the Print button.
If SharePoint is not available or its use is not desired, a PDF file can be printed for email distribution or for archiving.

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USING HERCULES
Hercules is the coiled tubing limits model, used to calculate the burst and collapse pressures,
and maximum tensile and compressive axial loads on tubing. All limits are graphed to determine the pressures and axial loads to use. The following links point to paragraphs that cover
these topics in greater detail.

Starting Hercules on page 474.

Tubing Limits Theory on page 475.

The Hercules Display Screen on page 479.

Working with Hercules Projects on page 484.

Calculating Results in Hercules on page 486.

Troubleshooting in Hercules on page 488.

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Starting Hercules
To start Hercules

From the Cerberus main menu, select Calculations > Hercules from the menu bar.

Launch Hercules from other applications in the Cerberus suite by clicking the Hercules button

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Tubing Limits Theory

There are two components to the tubing limits theory: the stresses that create the limits, and
the curves that represent the limits. The following links point to paragraphs that cover these
topics in greater detail.

Coiled Tubing Stresses on page 475.

Limit Curves on page 476.

Coiled Tubing Stresses

Coiled tubing (CT) stresses are caused by:

internal pressure

external pressure

axial force (tension or compression)

torque

Combining internal / external pressure, and axial force with the geometry of the CT and the
well, creates the following three principle stresses:

Axial Stress

Radial Stress

Hoop Stress

Radial Stress
Hoop
Stress

Axial Stress

Torque creates an associated shear stress.

The three principle stresses and the shear stress are combined using the von Mises Yield
Condition to determine what pressure and axial force combinations will cause the CT to yield.

Axial Stress
Axial stress is caused by the axial force (tension or compression) applied to CT. If the compressive force exceeds the helical buckling load, the CT forms a helix in the hole. This helix
causes an additional axial bending stress in the CT. (See Helical Buckling on page 500.)
When the CT is not helically buckled, the axial stress is the axial force divided by the crosssectional area.
When the CT is in compression and helically buckled, the additional bending stress should be
added to the axial stress. It is conservative to assume that the CT is buckled if the effective
force is compressive (less than zero). Thus, the Pipe Limit Modeling Calculator assumes that
the CT is buckled if there is any compressive effective force. Including helical buckling truncates the left side of the elliptical shape of the limits curve.

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Radial Stress
The radial stress at a given location in the CT wall is the stress through the CT wall due to inner
and outer pressures. The maximum stress always occurs at the inner or the outer surface. Since
yielding occurs first at the inner surface, Hercules uses the radial stress at the inner surface in its
calculations. The radial stress, simplified for the inner surface, is the negative of the internal pressure.

Hoop Stress
The hoop stress (also known as tangential stress) at a given location in the CT wall is the stress
around the circumference of the CT due to inner and outer pressures. The maximum stress
always occurs at the inner or the outer surface. Since yielding occurs first at the inner surface,
Hercules uses the hoop stress at the inner surface in its calculations.
The Lame thick wall equation is used to calculate the hoop stress which involves a combination
of the inner and outer pressures, and the squares of the inner and outer radii of the CT.

Torque
Torque is the moment of any force applied to the CT which causes or prevents rotation about the
center axis. The result is torsion of the CT and an associated shear stress. The shear stress is
greatest at the outer surface, and so this value is used as a worst case.

von Mises Yield Condition

The initial yield limit is based on the combination of the three principle stresses (Axial Stress,
Radial Stress, and Hoop Stress) and Torque. The von Mises yield condition is commonly used to
describe the yielding of steel under combined states of stress. In its general form, it includes the
influence of all three principle stresses and shear stress, and involves the square of the differences between each of the principle stresses.

Limit Curves
The calculated graph takes into account maximum diameter considerations (Maximum Diameter
Considerations on page 476) as well as safety factors (Applying Safety Factors on page 478).
Also, see How the Differential Pressures Curve is Calculated on page 477.

Maximum Diameter Considerations

CT has a tendency to increase in diameter during its life. This change in geometry changes the
stresses, and thus the limits. Hercules takes into account the diameter growth by calculating limits curves for both nominal and maximum diameters and selecting the most conservative portions.

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How the Differential Pressures Curve is Calculated

The limits curve is determined by the stresses in the CT caused by inner pressure, outer
pressure, and axial force. To simplify the presentation of the limits, the difference between the
inner and outer pressure is defined as inner pressure minus outer pressure. However, the
yield condition still remains a three variable equation. To represent the limits as a two dimensional curve, one of the variables must be held constant.
By holding the outer pressure constant and varying the axial force, inner pressure can be calculated, and the pressure difference can be plotted versus axial force. The resulting plot is an
ellipse. Holding inner pressure constant instead of outer pressure produces a similar ellipse.
The differential pressure limits curve seen in Hercules is a conservative combination of four
limits curves. Hercules calculates the limits curve for the four cases listed below. Hercules
then selects the portions of these curves that are the most conservative (closest to the origin),
producing the final limits curve.

Cas
e

Diameter

nominal

maximum

nominal

maximum

maximum

maximum

Pressure
*

*For

the upper arch of the curve, Hercules uses a constant outer pressure. For the lower arch
of the curve, Hercules uses a constant inner pressure.

How Constant Pressures Curves are Calculated

When Hercules calculates constant pressures limits curves, two half-ellipses are seen: one
for the constant inner pressure, and one for the constant outer pressure. They are independent of each other and are calculated separately.
Each constant pressure limits curve seen in Hercules is a conservative combination of two
limits curves. Hercules calculates the limit curve for the constant inner pressure at nominal
diameter and maximum diameter. Hercules then selects the portions of these two curves that
are the most conservative (closest to the origin), producing the final limits curve. Hercules
uses the same process for the constant outer pressure. The user specifies maximum diameter and the constant inner pressure and constant outer pressure.

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Applying Safety Factors

The limits curve calculated by the Von Mises yield condition represents where the CT would
begin to yield. Although combining multiple limits curves is conservative, a larger buffer area is
desirable. Hercules introduces more safety by multiplying the limits curve by safety factors to
obtain a working limits curve.
Hercules provides for using different safety factors for burst and for collapse. The safety factor for
collapse should be more conservative to account for ovality if one of the two collapse algorithms
provided is not used. Both the API 5C7 and Plastic collapse models use ovality as an input.
During its life the CT becomes somewhat oval due to bending on the reel and over the gooseneck. (Some ovality is removed by the gripper blocks on the chains.) Increased ovality increases
the likelihood of collapse.

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The Hercules Display Screen

Hercules Display Screen

The Hercules Toolbar

Rest the cursor over a tool button for a few seconds for the tool name to appear

Hercules Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Exit

Exits Hercules.

New

Starts a new Hercules project. See

Creating a New Hercules Project on
page 484.

Open

Opens the dialog box to open an

existing Hercules project. See Opening an Existing Hercules Project on
page 484.

Save

Saves the current Hercules project.

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Hercules Main Toolbar

Tool
Button

Tool Name

Function

Delete

Deletes the current Hercules project.

Print Graph

Opens the Hercules Report Manager

to print the current graph.

The Hercules Menu Bar

File
The File menu-bar selections are similar to the Toolbar selections:
Hercules File Menu

Besides the available toolbar options, the user can:

Save Graph As... saves the graph as an image file.

Copy Graph to Clipboard copies the graph to the Windows clipboard for pasting in other
applications.

Exit exit the application.

Printing a Graph
Hercules data can be printed to a printer or to a PDF file for emailing or viewing by others, or for
sending to SharePoint (if available to the user).

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The free Adobe Reader must be installed to view PDF files. It can be downloaded from Adobes Web site at
www.adobe.com

CTES does not recommend using any PDF printer other than the CTES PDF Printer 50. Doing so may
result in unpredictable and undesirable results.

To print Hercules data to a printer

1. Select File > Print from the menu bar.
OR
Select Print

from the toolbar.

The Hercules Report Manager appears.

2. Select the printer options.
a. Select the Printer from the dropdown. If the user has:

A SharePoint URL with the related Cerberus configuration set up as described in

Cerberus Setup > SharePoint tab on page 29, and

The CTES PDF Printer 50 printer selected in the application.

Then the Save PDF file to SharePoint checkbox becomes available in the application.
b. Click the associated information button

to display the following information.

c. Click the Select Logo button to select a logo.

3. Click the Print button.
If SharePoint is not available or its use is not desired, a PDF file can be printed for email distribution or for archiving.

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Options
Hercules Options Menu

Units opens the units form

Hercules Defaults allows user to set default project that is loaded when Hercules is
opened or new project is clicked.

Save as Defaults saves the current field values as default values.

Use Defaults resets the current field values to the default values.

Use Cerberus Defaults resets the current field values to the Cerberus default values.

Hercules Mode allows users with both Coiled Tubing licenses and Jointed Pipe licenses to
switch back and forth.

Coiled Tubing changes the Calculation Inputs to the CT Mode inputs.

Jointed Pipe changes the Calculation Inputs to the JP Mode inputs.

Plot Scale displays the Plot Scale dialog that allows the user to set the plot scale of the
graph for manual zooming.

Show Working Limit displays the working limit on the graph.

Snap to Working Limit snaps the mouse cursor to the working limit on the graph.

Plot Options displays the Plot Options dialog that allows the user to set the colors used on
the graph for manual zooming.

Help
Hercules Help Menu

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Help on Hercules displays the Cerberus User Guide.

About Hercules displays the Hercules About dialog, which provides information related to
CTES technical support and sales.

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The Hercules Graph Context Menu

Right-click on the graph to access the Hercules graph context menu.
Hercules Graph Context Menu

Zoom out returns the graph to the default view.

Plot Scale displays the Plot Scale dialog, from which the user sets the plot scale of the
graph for manual zooming.

Show Working Limit displays the working limit on the graph.

Snap to Working Limit snaps the mouse cursor to the working limit on the graph.

Plot Options displays the Plot Options dialog that allows the user to set the colors used
on the graph for manual zooming.

To zoom in on the plot

Set the Plot Scale (through menu options).

OR
Left-click and drag the mouse cursor over a rectangular area to zoom.

To zoom out on the plot

Right-click the Hercules plot and click Zoom out.

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Working with Hercules Projects

Hercules is organized by projects. A configuration in a project is stored so that it is accessible
without entering all of the inputs again. All data is stored in a single database. The following links
point to paragraphs that cover these topics in greater detail.

Creating a New Hercules Project on page 484.

Opening an Existing Hercules Project on page 484.

Saving a Hercules Project on page 485.

Deleting a Hercules Project on page 485.

Creating a New Hercules Project

The following procedure outlines how to create a new Hercules project.
The user need not access or create a project to start using Hercules. The user is prompted to save upon exit if
changes have been made.

To create a new project

1. Click New

on the toolbar.

OR
Select File > New from the menu bar.
2. Enter a project name.
3. Click OK.
Limits can now be calculated. See Calculating Results in Hercules on page 486.

Opening an Existing Hercules Project

The following procedure outlines how to open an existing Hercules project.

To open an existing project

1. Click Open

on the toolbar.

OR
Select File > Open from the menu bar.
2. Click the name of the project.
3. Click OK.
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Saving a Hercules Project

When a project is saved in the Hercules, the configuration information is saved as well. When
the project is reopened, the data is recalculated. There are two ways to save a project:

Click Save

on the toolbar.

OR
Click File and select Save from the menu.

Deleting a Hercules Project

Unnecessary projects can be deleted. Deleted information cannot be recovered.

To Delete a Project
1. Open the project to delete.
2. Select File > Delete from the menu bar.

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Calculating Results in Hercules

Calculating the limits produces the limits curve for the given inputs. The following links point to
paragraphs that cover these topics in greater detail.

Calculating Limits on page 486.

The Differential Pressures Curve on page 487.

Reading the Differential Pressures Graph on page 487.

Calculating Limits
Before working with limits, they must be calculated. This procedure outlines how to calculate the
limits.

To calculate limits
1. Open the project in Hercules.
2. Enter parameters under the Calculation Inputs tab:
The following types of parameters are needed:

CT geometry

Hole ID of the well

Torque

Maximum operating pressures

3. Select calculation options.

The following calculation options are available under the Calculation Options tab:

Include Helical Buckling (see page 475).

Include API 5C7 collapse model (see page 478).

Include Plastic collapse model (see page 478).

Mode for Axial load: Effective Force (Weight) or Real Force.

Stress envelope safety factors: Von Mises or Collapse. (see page 478).

Working limits.

4. Click Calculate.
Hercules calculates the limits and displays the graph.
Certain options trigger an automatic calculation. Other fields input enables the Calculate button. When the Calculate button is enabled, clicking it completes a manual calculation.

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The Differential Pressures Curve

The Differential Pressures Curve is a conventional graph. It displays limits based on the difference between inner and outer pressures. (See How the Differential Pressures Curve is
Calculated on page 477.)

Reading the Differential Pressures Graph

The Differential Pressures Graph combines the internal and external pressure as a pressure
difference. The x-axis is the axial load (how much tension or compression). The y-axis is the
difference in pressure (inside minus outside pressure).
The ellipses on the graph represent the limits. Inside the red ellipse is the working area. The
risk for tubing failure increases if a pressure and axial load combination outside the ellipse is
used.

To...

Do this...

Find the exact coordinates of the crosshairs.

Look at the bottom of the graph.

Zoom in on an area of the graph.

Click and drag a rectangle around the

area to zoom in on.

Zoom out to see the entire graph.

Right-click the graph

Snap to Working Limit.

Select Snap to Working Limit under the

Options tab.

Print the graph.

Click File and select Print.

Differential Pressures Graph

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Troubleshooting in Hercules

Situation

The left side of the

graph is truncated.

488

Possible Cause

Helical buckling has been

included in the graph. The
truncated shape is the result
of the extra bending stress
caused by helical buckling
when the CT is in compression.

Action

To turn off helical buckling,

clear the check box on the
main screen under the
Options tab, and recalculate the graph.

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SETTING GRAPH DISPLAY OPTIONS IN

ORPHEUS
This section deals with the various options available for configuring the display of Surface
Weight vs. Depth graphs. The user should note that the graph display-options described here
generally pertain to all graphs generated as a result of Orpheus standard calculations.

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Configuring Standard Calculation Graphs

As described in the Using Orpheus chapter of the Cerberus User Guide, a Surface Weight vs.
Depth graph appears when the user selects, from the Calculate tab within an Orpheus project
display screen, the Trip In and Out button. The initiated calculation plots a graph showing weight
vs. depth as the CT/WL is tripped/run into the well (shown in blue) and out of the well (shown in
green). The calculation is performed from the surface to the measured depth.

From the graph, the user may calculate Yield Limit, Disconnect Limit, and/or Lockup Limit by
clicking (to toggle) the associated checkbox in the lower portion of the Legend panel found on the
right-hand side of the display screen.

Calculating Yield Limit and Lockup Limit

The Yield Limit and Lockup Limit calculation procedures described here may be used as templates for other Orpheus standard calculations. See Standard Calculations for additional information.

To calculate yield limit

Click the Yield Limit checkbox.

The Max Wt (% yield) is displayed on the graph and within the legend.

To calculate lockup limit

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Click the Lockup Limit checkbox.

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The Min Wt (lockup) is displayed on the graph and within the legend.

Changing Default Curve-style Settings

To change default curve-style settings
1. Click (to select) a line in the graph or legend.
The line begins to blink.
a. Right-click the line (graph or legend).
A menu list becomes visible.

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b. Select Set Default Curve Styles.

OR
1. Select, from the menu bar of a graph, View > Set Default Curve Styles.
The Default Curve Styles dialog appears.

The Default Curve Styles dialog shows curves belonging to the graph type displayed. Listed curves include
those currently visible and those previously viewed. These settings are not applied to the Automatic Report in
Report Generator.

2. Click the Change Default button related to any curve listed to alter that curves properties via
the Curve Properties dialog.

3. After making desired changes, click OK to save the altered curve style as the curves new
default style. These settings will be used any time this graph is recalculated.
4. To restore a curves original Cerberus setting, click the Use Cerberus Default button related
to the altered curve.

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Changing Curve Properties

Especially useful when printing with no color (as in grayscale printing), the user may change
the appearance of a line on the graph and/or legend to enhance differentiation between line
types.

To change curve properties

1. Click (to select) a line in the graph or legend.
The line begins to blink.
2. Right-click the line (graph or legend).
A menu list becomes visible.

3. From the menu list, select Properties.

The Curve Properties dialog appears.

4. Change the legends description and line properties as needed.

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To change the line color

1. Click the Color box.
2. Select from available colors or define a custom color.

To change the symbol

1. Select the Symbol from the dropdown.
2. Input the Symbol Increment.
NOV CTES recommends an increment of 5.

5. Click OK to save changes.

The legend and line properties reflect the properties selected.

Freezing a Line on a Graph

After calculating Trip in and Out, freeze a line on the graph so that it displays as configured when
the software is closed and re-accessed.
To retain line configurations, ensure that the project is saved prior to closing the software.

To freeze a graph line

1. Click (to select) a line in the graph or legend.
The line begins to blink.
2. Right-click the line (graph or legend).
A menu list becomes visible.
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3. Select Freeze from the menu list.

4. The Curve Properties Frozen Curve dialog appears.

In this example, the color, symbol, and symbol increment have been changed.
Note the automatic change of the curve-properties description.

5. Click OK.

To observe the frozen line in an altered project

1. Close the graph in which the line was frozen.
2. Alter the Surface Conditions and/or Downhole Conditions within the Calculate tab of the
original Orpheus project.
3. Select the Trip In and Out button to re-run the calculation.
4. Observe the frozen line created in To freeze a graph line within the newly calculated
graph.

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Hiding a Line on a Graph

To hide a graph line
1. Click (to select) a line in the graph or legend.
The line begins to blink.
2. Right-click the line (graph or legend).
A menu list becomes visible.
3. Select Hide from the menu list.
The line no longer appears on the graph or within the legend.

Showing Hidden Lines on a Graph

To show all hidden lines on a graph
1. Right-click on the graph.
The applicable menu list appears.

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2. Select Show Hidden Items from the menu list.

All previously hidden lines are displayed on the graph and within the legend.

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COILED TUBING FORCES THEORY

This section deals with tubing forces theory. The links point to paragraphs that cover each of
the following topics in greater detail.

Sinusoidal Buckling on page 500.

Helical Buckling on page 500.

Lockup Theory on page 500.

Effect of Curvature on Helical Buckling Load on page 501.

Residual Bend and Friction Coefficients on page 501.

Real Force vs. Effective Force on page 502.

Force vs. Weight on page 502.

Factors Affecting Weight on page 503.

Capstan or Belt Effect on page 503.

Free Fall on page 504.

How to Get More Set Down Force on page 504.

Torque on page 505.

Finite Element Analysis on page 505.

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Sinusoidal Buckling
Imagine a straight CT string being pushed into a straight horizontal casing. For the initial distance, the CT remains straight, lying nicely in the "trough" formed by the bottom of the casing. As
the length of CT pushed into the casing increases, the force required to push it increases. This
force is equal to the total weight of the CT string in the casing multiplied by the friction coefficient.
As the length increases, the frictional drag increases, and thus the force required to push it
increases.
When the force required to push the CT reaches a certain amount (load), the CT begins to
"snake" in a sinusoidal fashion back and forth across the bottom of the casing. This load is
referred to as the "sinusoidal buckling load" or sometimes the "snake buckling load." In drill
pipe Tubing Forces Models (TFMs), this is often referred to as the "critical buckling load." However, there is nothing "critical" about this mode of buckling. The period of the sine wave is very
large (usually 30 to 100 ft), and, of course, its amplitude is no greater than the internal diameter
of the casing. Thus, the bending that is occurring is trivial. Sinusoidal buckling has no impact on
the tubing forces calculation.

Helical Buckling
Imagine a straight CT string being pushed into a straight horizontal casing. The CT may form
three portions. The first portion of the CT will still be lying straight in the casing. The second portion, which has an axial load greater than the sinusoidal bucking load, will lie in a sine wave in the
bottom of the casing. In the third portion, the CT forms a helix inside the casing. The CT begins to
form this helix at the "helical buckling load (HBL)."
The period of the helix at the onset of helical buckling is large, and no significant bending
stresses occur in the CT material. However, at this point, the tubing forces calculation changes.
As the helix is pushed into the casing, there are additional wall contact forces due to the helix.
These wall contact forces increase the friction with the wall of the casing, causing less and less
force to be transmitted downhole.
In a vertical well, the sinusoidal and helical buckling loads are small. Thus, buckling occurs with a small amount
of compression.

The helical and sinusoidal buckling loads may be calculated based on either theoretical loading
or unloading values. The loading values occur when the compressive load is increasing, and
the pipe is going from straight to sinusoidal to helical. The unloading values occur when the pipe
begins already helically buckled, and the compressive load is decreased until the pipe becomes
sinusoidally buckled and then straight. The unloading values for the SSBL and HBL are smaller
than the loading values.
NOV CTES recommends using the unloading values because the smaller buckling loads are more conservative
(additional wall contact forces occur at smaller compressive loads).

Lockup Theory
Imagine a straight CT string being pushed into a straight horizontal casing. The CT may form
three portions. First, there is a straight portion up to the point where the sinusoidal buckling load
is reached. This is followed by a portion which is buckled into a sine wave, until the helical buck-

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ling load is reached. Finally, there is a portion of the CT which is buckled into a helix. It is only
in this third, helical portion for which additional wall contact forces are being generated.
If more force is applied at the surface to helically buckled CT, the wall contact forces increase
faster than the transmitted force, and lockup eventually occurs. Lockup is a "vicious circle":
pushing on the CT increases the helical buckling, which increases the wall contact forces,
making it harder to push the CT. No matter how hard the CT is pushed, no more than a certain amount of downhole force is achievable. Any additional CT pushed into the casing only
increases the helical bucking.
The following graph shows the general relationship between the downhole force and the set
down weight at a specific depth. The CT stays at a particular depth while more and more
weight is applied at the surface, but less and less force reaches the end of the tool string.

The curve approaches a horizontal asymptote. Since the downhole force never reaches the
asymptote, it is difficult to determine exactly when the CT is locked up. Orpheus has two different lockup definitions it can use to determine when the CT is locked up.

Effect of Curvature on Helical Buckling Load

Consider CT lying in a curved casing. The axial load applied to the CT causes it to "seat" itself
in the "trough" formed by the casing. As the axial load increases, the radial load pushing the
CT into the seat increases. Thus, the axial load required to cause the CT to pop out of the
seat and form a helix is much greater than the helical buckling load for a straight hole.
Increasing the helical buckling load delays the onset of helical buckling, and thus delays the
onset of lockup. Thus it could be argued that curvature in the well is beneficial. However, curvature in the well also causes the belt effect, which increases friction.

Residual Bend and Friction Coefficients

Bending that occurs to the CT at the reel and at the guide arch causes residual stresses in
the CT material.
It was previously thought that the difference in the two friction coefficients (0.3 RIH, 0.25
POOH) in the well was due to residual bend. However, some testing with straight pipe and
pipe with residual bend performed by CTES for Mobil showed that the two had the same friction. Other companies have done testing and claimed to have different results. The effect of
residual bend is not fully understood.
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Even though the reason for the difference in the friction coefficients is not understood, using a
friction coefficient of 0.3 for RIH and 0.25 POOH has still proven to be accurate in many wells.

Real Force vs. Effective Force

Real force is the actual force on the pipe. It can be measured with a force measuring device,
such as a strain gauge. The true stress and stretch of the pipe results from the real force.
Effective force is the force on the pipe accounting for buoyant weight and drag, but ignoring
changes in internal and external pressure. Buckling and lockup are determined only by buoyant
weight and are not affected by changes in internal or external pressure. Because real force
changes with internal and external pressure, it cannot used for modeling buckling and lockup.
Instead, effective force must be used.
The relationship between real force and effective force is shown in the following equation.

Orpheus uses effective force, instead of real force, in its downhole calculations. The effective
force is then converted into real force only for stress and stretch calculations and for output purposes.

Force vs. Weight

The real force above the stripper is related to, but not equal to, the output of the weight sensor on
the injector.
Real force above the stripper includes the effects of pressure, but omits reel back tension (RBT).
However, the output of the weight sensor omits the effects of pressure, but includes reel back
tension.

Since effective force, by definition, does not include the effects of pressure (see Real Force vs.
Effective Force on page 502), weight can be expressed simply as a combination of effective force
above the stripper and reel back tension. Orpheus uses this calculation to predict the weight.

Note that the force (real or effective) below the stripper does not include stripper friction.

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Factors Affecting Weight

The diagram below shows how increasing each of the following factors affects the surface
weight reading.
The diagram below shows how increasing each of the following factors affects the surface
weight reading.
The effects of the friction coefficients and the stripper friction depend on the direction the pipe is moving

Capstan or Belt Effect

XREF text: belt effect

Assume that a section of CT is in tension when it passes around a curve in a well. The tension causes the CT to be pulled against the inside of the curve. The greater the tension, the
greater the radial load pushing the CT against the casing. This radial load causes the friction
with the casing to increase. This increased friction is known as the "capstan effect" or "belt
effect."
The same argument can be made if the CT is in compression. Now, the CT is pushed against
the outside of the curve in the well. Again, additional friction forces are generated which must
be considered in a tubing forces calculation.
Thus, any curvature in a well, either in the inclination or the azimuth directions, causes additional friction which adversely affects the movement of the CT into and out of a well.

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Free Fall
An object (such as CT or a cable with a tool on the end) can fall freely to the end of a vertical well
without being pushed. As the deviation of a well increases, the falling object experiences more
and more friction. If the deviation of the well is great enough, friction prevents the object from falling into the well. The point at which an object no longer falls freely into a well is a function of the
friction coefficient of a well ( ) and its deviation angle (in radians )

This equation yields the following plot. For points below the line, CT falls into the well. For points
above the line, CT must be pushed or pulled to reach further.

For a typical friction coefficient of 0.3 running in hole, CT will fall freely into a well with a deviation
angle less than 73 degrees.

How to Get More Set Down Force

The job type determines the amount of set down force needed. Some additional force should be
available as an extra safety margin.
Some of the ways to get more set down force on the same string include:

Increase the buoyancy of the string by pumping it full of nitrogen.

Reduce friction by using lubricants or rollers on the tool string.

Use a downhole tractor.

Decrease the radial clearance by hanging a temporary liner or tubing string.

Some of the ways to get more set down force on a different string include:

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Use a CT string with a thicker wall.

Use a CT string with a larger outside diameter.

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Torque
Torque is a rotational force applied to the CT. It is typically created by a downhole motor. As
torque travels up the length of the CT, it decreases in magnitude due to friction from contact
with the wellbore wall. If the downhole torque is small enough and the wall contact force is
great enough, the torque will not reach the surface.
In a vertical well, there is no wall contact force (unless the CT is buckled) and the full amount of torque is
transmitted up the CT.

To calculate the torque along the length of a string in Orpheus, enter the torque on end created by the drilling motor, perform the run at measured depth calculation, and look at the
torque graph.

Finite Element Analysis

For the most part, Orpheus uses what is known as a soft-string model. This type of model
omits the bending stiffness of the pipe. When a pipe is bent around a significant curve or dog
leg, there are additional wall contact forces and, thus, there is additional friction due to the
bending stiffness of the pipe. In most wellbore applications, the additional friction due to this
bending is small and can be ignored. Cases in which this bending stiffness becomes significant include very severe bends (such as elbows in a pipeline) and cases in which the pipe
OD is close to the hole ID (such as running casing).
Orpheus uses a stiff-string Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model for the tool section of the
string when using Tool Model 2.0. This model does take the bending stiffness into consideration. Often the tools, such as perforating guns, are significantly stiffer than the pipe which
conveys them. They may also contain centralizers which could increase the wall contact
forces.

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ADVANCED FLUIDS-MODEL OPTIONS

IN ORPHEUS
The modeling/calculating of hypothetical fluid-hydraulics situations in Orpheus may be
accomplished using the techniques described here.

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Fluids Model: Advanced Hydraulics Options

Hypothetical fluid-hydraulics situations may be modeled/calculated in Orpheus to determine the
effects of differing variables.
As stated in the Entering Project Options section of this user guides Using Orpheus chapter, the
options set in the Advanced [project] Options are reflected in the calculation-parameter settings.
The options discussed in this appendix are available only with a Hydraulics-enabled access key. Contact Us for
additional information.

After clicking the Advanced Options button and progressing to the Project Preferences display
screen (see To set advanced options for additional information), select Fluids Model from the
top-of-screen dropdown. A display screen similar to the following appears:

Within the red-box-highlighted portion of the above display screen, only the field Equivalent
annual diameter is consistently available regardless of the type of fluid used. Potentially available fields (dependant on fluid type) include:

Equivalent annular diameter

Temperature effects on viscosity (available for liquid fluid types only)

Drag reduction for Power Law fluids (available for the fluid rheology of Power Law only)

Multiphase flow model

Modeling Examples
If the user simulates RIH and POOH calculations while freezing the resulting graph lines (see
Freezing a Line on a Graph), the following types of information may be obtained:

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Effect of Equivalent Annular Diameter

Effect of Correction Factor

See Fluid Correction Factors for additional information.

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Effect of Temperature
To see the effect of temperature on viscosity, which is available for liquids only, change the fluid in
the annulus to one for which temperature effects are defined.

Effect of Drag Reduction for Power Law Fluid

To see the effect of drag reduction for Power Law fluid, change the fluid in the annulus to a Power
Law fluid type.

Effect of Multiphase Model

To model a multi-phase flow, select a multi-phase fluid type. The multiphase model controls
which algorithm is used to predict the flow of multiphase fluids. It affects the flow regime, liquid
holdup, velocities, density, and pressure drop of these fluids.

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FEATURES AND EFFECTS OPTIONS IN

ORPHEUS
As of publication date, this appendix describes the Orpheus Features and Effects settings
related to:

Modeling the Effects of the NOV Downhole Agitator Tool (CT/JP)

Completing Jar Activation Calculations (WL)

Including Additional Normal Force in Calculations (WL)

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Modeling the Effects of the NOV Downhole Agitator

Tool (CT/JP)
The Orpheus tubing forces model provides an analysis of the potential mitigation of string/wellbore friction made available by the Agitator tool.
The Agitator tool can mitigate a given amount of downhole friction (related to specific tool size,
setup, and fluid pump rates). This friction mitigation effect provided by the tool gradually attenuates along the length of the CT string, and in normal situations a point is reached where there is
no significant friction mitigation effect. From that point to surface, the friction is calculated and
applied as it would be without the presence of an Agitator tool.

Including the Effect of the Agitator Tool in Calculations

To include the effect of the Agitator Tool in calculations
1. Select Options > Project Options from the menu bar on the Orpheus project display screen;
then select Features and Effects from the left-hand panel.
2. Click to toggle the Include Downhole Agitator option.

Enable the Agitator (to include its effect in downhole calculations) a few hundred feet above lockup depth for
fastest calculation times. See Calculating Lockup Depth and Calculating Trip In and Trip Out for additional information concerning lockup depth.

3. To set the Agitator tool specifications, select the ellipses (

Downhole Agitator option.

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) associated with the Include

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D: Features and Effects Options in Orpheus

The [Project Options > Features and Effects] Downhole Agitator display screen appears.

4. Input the Agitator settings (a friction-drag-reduction to flow-rate ratio of 13 lbf/(gal/min) is

recommended for 2-7/8" tools run in North America.1 Agitator tools may be set up for
more or less aggressive friction reduction in other regions of the world, and tools sizes
other than 2-7/8" may have differing flow-rate ratios.
A flow rate of 120 gal/min is recommended for running the Agitator. The ratio of friction reduction multiplied
by the flow rate (13 lbf/(gal/min) times 120 gal/min) results in the friction reduction of 1,560 lbs.1

5. Click OK. The software exits the Project Options display screen and returns the user to
the main Orpheus project display screen.

Calculating Lockup Depth

To calculate lockup depth
1. From the Orpheus project display screen, select the Calculate tab.
2. Underneath Downhole Conditions, input the Liquid Flow Rate as
120.0 gal/min.1
When calculating lockup depth or running Trip In and Out calculations, the flow rate should be set to the
value used to run the Agitator (120 gal/min recommended)1, even if the job does not require a high flow
rate.

1. Kenneth Newman and Timm Burnett, Modeling the Affect of a Downhole Vibrator, SPE 121752, 2009 SPE/
ICoTA Coiled Tubing and Well Intervention Conference and Exhibition, Woodlands, Texas, USA, 31 March1
April 2009.

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a. The user may select the associated with Liquid Flow Rate to reveal the Fluid Flow dialog.

Here, the user may select the fluid flow type from the associated dropdown, and select
(after clicking the associated ellipses) Critical Depth as a function of Max Survey Depth
or Well TD.

When Critical Depth function is selected (see directly above), the Fluid Flow dialog is
altered to reflect wellhead pressure (WHP) and Flow above and below the Critical Depth
designation. The user may alter these if desired.

b. Click OK to accept the fluid-flow rates as entered, Reset All to return the dialog to the
properties displayed prior to all changes, or Cancel to exit the dialog with no changes.

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3. Click Calculate Lockup Depth.

The Maximum Depth dialog appears. In the case below, the Agitator effect is not enabled.
Lockup occurs at 13,809 feet during RIH.

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In the case below, the same downhole modeling scenario is used as above, but the Agitator
effect is enabled. Lockup occurs at 14,744 feet during RIH. Thus the use of the Agitator tool
under this set of downhole conditions delays the onset of lockup by 935 feet.

Calculating Trip In and Trip Out

To calculate trip in and trip out
1. From the Orpheus project display screen, select the Calculate tab.
2. Underneath Downhole Conditions, input the Liquid Flow Rate as
120.0 gal/min.1
3. Click Trip In and Out.
In the case below, the Agitator effect is not enabled.
a. A Warning dialog appears.

The coiled tubing encounters lockup conditions at 13,809 feet when the Agitator is not
enabled.
b. Click OK to continue.

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The adjusted Surface Weight vs. Depth dialog appears.

In the case below, the Agitator effect is enabled for the depth range of 12,000 feet to
15,000 feet, so the calculation can proceed without further adjustment, and the coiled tubing is able to reach target depth.

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Completing Jar Activation Calculations (WL)

For Orpheus to perform a jar activation calculation, the tool string must contain a jar, and the
option Include Jar Activation Calculation in the Orpheus Features and Effects section of the
Options tab must be checked.

To complete jar activation calculations in Orpheus

1. Access the Tool Editors Tool Features functionality.
2. Set the tool to be involved in the jar activation calculation as a jar tool.
a. Set the associated Jar Firing Force Settings (see Setting Jar Tool Features (WL)).

3. In Orpheus, from the Project Options, select the Features and Effects right-pointing arrow,
and click to check Include Jar Activation Calculation.

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4. Click the associated ellipses button to access the Jar Activation Settings
dialog.

a. In the Jar firing force in use field, set the jar firing force to a value between the Minimum and Maximum Firing Force Setting shown in the dialog, and click OK.
5. Select the Calculate tab, which is adjacent to the Options tab.

6. Select Run In and Out.

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Surface Weight vs. Depth is calculated.

7. Click (to check) Jar Activation Limit, and click OK.

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Including Additional Normal Force in Calculations

(WL)
Application of additional normal force is specified in the Tool Editor (see Using Additional Normal Force in Calculations) and is applied in Orpheus.

Upon application of additional normal force, effective force increases as

Additional Normal Force * Well Friction.

To include additional normal force in calculations

1. If the same additional-normal-force data is desired for the RIH operation and the POOH
operation, complete the following:
a. Select the Calculate tab from the Orpheus project display screen.
b. Click (to check) the box Use same data for RIH & POOH.
The display screen changes from showing separate parameters for RIH and POOH to
showing one set of parameters.
c. Enter/update available parameters, as needed.

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2. Select Options > Project Options from the menu bar on the Orpheus project display screen;
then select Features and Effects from the left-hand panel. Click to check Include Additional Normal Force.

3. Click the associated ellipses button to specify Depth Range.

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a. If the user chose to use the same data for RIH and POOH as described in Step 1,
above, the Project Options display screen appears as shown below. Note that only
one Direction/Depth Range is available for edit.

b. If the user chose to use different data for RIH and POOH as described in Step 1,
above, the Project Options display screen appears as shown below. Note that separate Direction/Depth Range information is available for edit.

When using additional normal force, the resulting effective force becomes more positive when pulling out of
the hole, and more negative when running into the hole.

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COILED TUBING FATIGUE MODELS

This appendix describes the coiled tubing fatigue models available, their relative calculation
methodologies, and their comparative potential for use in the field.

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Coiled Tubing Fatigue and the Achilles Fatigue

Models
Historically, Cerberus Achilles 4 fatigue models used a non-linear method of calculation to determine the number of cycles to coiled tubing (CT) failure.
Non-linear calculations were (and still are) used because the CT fatigue does not occur in a
straight-line or linear progression. Rather, fatigue on the CT occurs as a non-linear progression due to the CTs diametrical growth as the tubing is subjected to repeated bending and
straightening events, or bend cycling.
By way of explanation, when the CT is bent and straightened with high internal pressure, its
diameter increases (thereby increasing strain and stress) and its wall thins (thereby increasing
stress). Bending strain occurs on the radius [in relation to a cross-section] of the CT, as well as
on the radius of bending related to the CTs course over the CT reel and the gooseneck (guide
arch). The resulting diametrical growth of the CT has the effect of exacerbating its fatigue life.
The Achilles 5 models available in Cerberus v11.5 (and greater) use a linear approach to fatigue
life calculations. Though using a linear approach may seem counter-intuitive, since the actual
fatigue on the CT occurs in a non-linear fashion, comparisons have shown that final fatigue
results for the two approaches are similar. These comparisons have also shown that it is beneficial to model this non-linear fatigue in a linear manner from a pipe-management perspective.
Beginning with Cerberus v11.5 and going forward, both the non-linear Achilles 4 models and the linear Achilles
5 models are available so that users can choose the method of greatest usefulness for their situation.

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Comparing the Linear and the Non-linear Models

Methodology behind the Non-linear Models
The Achilles 4 models are based on fatigue and plasticity theory combined with empirical
data from two types of tests: 1) CT-sample fatigue tests on a fatigue test machine, and 2)
Strain-controlled tests on axial test coupons cut out of the CT.
These Achilles 4 models typically calculate the cycles (or trips) to crack initiation, though the
option to calculate to fracture is also available. Crack initiation is the point at which cracking
should first begin in the CT wall. Fracture is the point at which a crack propagates through the
CT wall, allowing fluid within the CT to escape.

Methodology behind the Linear Models

The linear fatigue calculation in Achilles 5 does not take into account any increased diameter
or decreased wall thickness. This is in large part due to the fact that typically, when a fatigue
test is conducted, all of the bending cycles are performed at the same internal pressure using
the same bending radius.
The Achilles 5 models calculate the cycles (or trips) to fracture, with no option available to calculate to crack initiation.
The Achilles 5 models available in Cerberus v11.5 (and greater) are based less on fatigue
theory and more on mathematical statistical techniques combined with empirical data
obtained from fatigue test machines.

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Advantages of the Linear Model

The linear model has the following advantages:
1. The linear calculation of percent life used may be more useful to field operations, because it
provides the answer to the question: What is the number of remaining trips?
2. Both the non-linear and linear fatigue calculations reach the end of fatigue life (end point/fracture) at approximately the same time. However, when the non-linear fatigue life is determined
to be 80 percent (the typical limit), the linear useful life can be significantly greater than 80
percent.
Also, when one-half (50 percent) of the linear-model trips are determined as being complete,
a significantly lower percentage of the non-linear fatigue trips is determined as being complete.
3. A single safety factor is applied in the linear calculation, based on statistical principles. Here,
a statistical technique known as tolerance interval, based on the scatter in the fatigue test
data, is used to calculate a conservative fatigue limit for the Manufacturers Recommended
Replacement (MRR).
The user may calculate a conservative limit different from the MRR by changing the percent confidence/population. A more cautious limit would be calculated if the user increased the percent confidence/population say
from 95 percent to 98 percent.

As mentioned, in the non-linear model a calculation of 80 percent of crack initiation is used as

the limit to which the CT can be safely used. Though additional safety factors are in place for
the non-linear model (the minimum wall thickness, the maximum diameter, and an additional
application factor set by the user), these multiple safety factors can render the data less
interpretable due to the factors varied effects on the model. The single safety factor used in
the linear model provides results that are more easily understood when compared to the multiple safety factors used in the non-linear model.
4. The linear model is more transparent:

Manufacturers fatigue test data is used to create the models.

Statistical information in the model is provided to service companies.

5. Weld-fatigue testing currently underway by manufacturers will be utilized in the future in special linear models focusing solely on weld fatigue.

Challenges of the Non-linear Model

1. In projects run using the non-linear model, fatigue accumulation is inconsistent when data
returned for early jobs (low fatigue) is compared to data returned for later jobs (high fatigue).
2. The safety factor in non-linear fatigue models is non-conservative. As previously described,
80 percent of non-linear life would be more than 80 percent of the number of cycles to failure.

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E: Coiled Tubing Fatigue Models

3. When comparing the two model types, the linear percentage of useful life is more helpful
in field operations. The linear model answers operators questions, such as:

How many jobs can this string perform?

How many jobs remain for this string before retiring the string? The non-linear
model does not provide this answer. However, the linear model provides information similar to: If fatigue life is 35 percent and the retirement limit is 70 percent, the
string has done half the number of jobs it will be able to perform.

Examples of Non-linear Fatigue Compared to Linear Fatigue

Non-linear vs. Linear Fatigue Points

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E: Coiled Tubing Fatigue Models

Example from the Field Last Job

Non-linear string fatigue life in the last job of a group shows significantly increased fatigue accumulation on this job.

Linear string fatigue life on the last job of a group shows a more gradual increase in fatigue accumulation.

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SUGGESTED READINGS

Suggested Readings on Fatigue on page 532.

Suggested Readings on Forces on page 534.

Suggested Readings on Limits on page 536.

Suggested Readings on Hydraulics on page 537.

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Suggested Readings on Fatigue

1. Newman, Kenneth R, P.E., SPE, KNewman Engineering, Development of a New CT Life
Tracking Process, SPE paper , SPE 163884, SPE/ICoTA Coiled Tubing & Well Intervention
Conference & Exhibition, The Woodlands, Texas, USA, 26-27 March 2013.
2. Brown, P., and Dickerson, J. L., Development and Use of an Analytical Model to Predict
Coiled Tubing Diameter Growth, SPE 38409, 2nd SPE/ICoTA North American Coiled Tubing
Roundtable, Montgomery, TX, April 1997.
3. Brown, P.A.: Coiled Tubing Fatigue Modelling and Software Development, PNEC Coiled
Tubing Technology and Applications, February 6-8, 1995.
4. Brown, P.A.: CT Life Modelling and Tracking, World Oil 3rd International Conference and
Exhibition on CT Technology, Houston TX, March 13-16, 1995.
5. Brown, P.A.: Use of Fatigue Test Machine to Investigate Coiled Tubing Diameter Growth,
World Oil 2nd International Conference and Exhibition on Coiled Tubing, Amsterdam, June
1994.
6. Kane, R. and Cayard, M., "Factors Affecting CT Serviceability," Coiled Tubing.
7. Koper, M.G.M., Tan, S., and Rosen, P., "Full-Scale, Low-Cycles Fatigue Tests with 2-in Coiled
Tubing and an Automatic Coiled Tuibng Inspection and Monitoring System," SPE 38415, 2nd
North American Coiled Tubing Roundtable, Montgomery, TX April 1997.
8. Newman, K. and Allcorn, M., "CT in High Pressure Wells," SPE Annual Technical Conference, SPE 24793, October 1993.
9. Newman, K. and Newburn, D.: "Coiled Tubing Life Modelling," SPE paper 22820, 66th
Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, October 1991.
10. Newman, K., Brown, P., Van Arnam, D., Wolhart, S.: Analysis of Coiled Tubing Welding
Techniques, SPE 36346, SPE/ICoTA 1st North American Coiled Tubing Roundtable, Montgomery, TX, February 1996.
11. Newman, K., Brown, P.: "Development of a Standard Coiled-Tubing Fatigue Test," SPE
26539, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, October 1993.
12. Newman, K.: "Determining the Working Life of a Coiled Tubing String," Offshore, December
1991.
13. Quigley, M. S., Stone, L.C., The Benefits of Real-Time Coiled Tubing Diameter Measurements SPE 46040 3rd Annual SPE/ICoTA North American Coiled Tubing Roundtable, April
15-16, 1998.
14. Smith, Lawrence W., "Methods of Determining the Operational Life of Individual Strings of
Coiled Tubing," Proceedings at the SPE Workovers and Well Intervention Seminar, November 16, 1989, Aberdeen, Scotland.

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F: Suggested Readings

15. Tipton, S.M. & Brown, P.A.: Monitoring Coiled Tubing Fatigue Life, World Oil 2nd International Conference on Coiled Tubing Operations, Houston TX, March 28-31, 1994.
16. Tipton, Steven M. and Dale A. Newburn, "Plasticity and Fatigue Damage Modeling of
Severely Loaded Tubing," 1st ASTM Symposium on Advances in Fatigue Lifetime Predictive Techniques, San Francisco, CA, April 1990.
17. World Oil, Coiled Tubing Handbook.

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Suggested Readings on Forces

1. McSpadden, A., and Newman, K., Development of a Stiff String Forces Model for Coiled
Tubing, SPE 74831, 2002 SPE/ICoTA Coiled Tubing Roundtable, April 2002.
2. McSpadden, A., and Brown, P., Field Validation of 3-Dimensional Drag Model for Tractor and
Cable Conveyed Well Intervention, SPE 71560, 2001 SPE Annual Technical Conference &
Exhibition, 30 September - 3 October 2001.
3. Newman, K., and McSpadden, A., Intervention in Wells with Buckled Production Tubing,
SPE 64501, 2000 SPE / ICoTA Coiled Tubing Conference and Exhibition, April 2000.
4. Newman, K., and Ackers, M., Stein, D., Rotation of Coiled Tubing, SPE 60737, 2000 SPE/
ICoTA Coiled Tubing Conference and Exhibition, April 2000.
5. Newman, K., Coiled Tubing Stretch and Stuck Point Calculations, SPE 54458, SPE/ICoTA
Coiled Tubing Conference and Exhibition, May 1999.
6. Adrichem, W. and Newman, K.: "Validation of Coiled-Tubing Penetration Predictions in Horizontal Wells," SPE paper 24765, 67th Annual Conference and Exhibition, Washington D.C.,
October 1992.
7. Gu, H., Newman, K., Hauglund, L.: "Analysis of Slack-off Force Transmitted Downhole in
Coiled Tubing Operations," SPE paper 26511, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, October 1993.
8. Newman, K., Coiled Tubing Forces and Stresses Modelling Improvements, 2nd ICoTA/SPE
European CT Roundtable, October 1995.
9. Newman, K., Aasen, J.: Catastrophic Buckling of Coiled Tubing in the Injector 3rd North
American Coiled Tubing Roundtable, Houston, TX. April 15-16, 1998.
10. Newman, K., Corrigan, M. and Cheatham, J.: "Safely Exceeding the Critical Buckling Load in
Highly Deviated Holes," SPE paper 19229, Offshore Europe, Aberdeen, September 1989.
11. Newman, K., Sathuvali, U.B., and Wolhard, S., "Elongation of Coiled Tubing During its Life,"
SPE paper 38408, 2nd North American Coiled Tubing Roundtable, Montgomery, TX. April,
1997
12. Palmer, R., Newman, K., Reaper, A.: "Developments in Coiled Tubing BOP Ram Design,"
OTC Paper 7876, Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, May 1995.
13. Quigley, M. S., "Advanced Technology for Laboratory Measurements of Drilling Fluid Friction
Coefficient," SPE 19537, SPE Annual Technical Conference, San Antonio, TX, October 8-11,
1989.
14. Quigley, M. S., A. K. Dzialowski, and M. Zamora: "A Full-Scale Wellbore Friction Simulator,"
IADC/SPE 19958, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Houston, TX, February 27-March 2, 1990.
15. Quigley, M. S., D. B. Lewis, and R. S. Boswell: "Brief: Field Measurements of Casing Tension
Forces," SPE 30138, Journal of Petroleum Technology, February 1995, pp. 127-8.
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F: Suggested Readings

16. Quigley, M. S., D. B. Lewis, and R. S. Boswell: "Field Measurements of Casing Tension
Forces," SPE 28326, SPE Annual Technical Conference, New Orleans, LA, September
25-8, 1994.

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Suggested Readings on Limits

1. McSpadden, A., Newman K., Modified CT Limits Analysis for Practical Well Intervention
Design,SPE 74828, 2002 SPE/ICoTA Coiled Tubing Conference and Exhibition, April 2002.
2. Brown, P., and Dickerson, J. L., Development and Use of an Analytical Model to Predict
Coiled Tubing Diameter Growth, SPE 38409, 2nd SPE/ICoTA North American Coiled Tubing
Roundtable, Montgomery, TX, April 1997.
3. Craig, S. and Maroli, R., "Development of a 10,000 psi Working Presure Coiled Tubing Unit,"
2nd International Conference & Exhibition on Coiled Tubing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
June 1994.
4. Newman, K., Sathuvalli, U., Wolhart, S.: "Defining Coiled Tubing Limits - A New Approach,
OTC 8221, 28th Annual OTC, Houston, May 1996.
5. Newman, K.: "Coiled Tubing Pressure and Tension Limits," SPE paper 23131, Proceedings
from Offshore Europe 91, Aberdeen, September 1991.
6. Newman, K.: "Collapse Pressure of Oval Coiled Tubing," SPE paper 24988, European Petroleum Conference, Cannes France, November 1992.
7. Timoshenko, S.P. and Gere, J.M. Theory of Elastic Stability, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, NY
1961.
8. van Adrichem, W.P., Gordon, D.G., and Newlands, D.J., "Development and Utilization of a
Coiled Tubing Equipment Package for Work in High Pressure Wells," OTC paper 7874, Offshote Technology Conference, Houston, TX, May 1995.

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Suggested Readings on Hydraulics

Multiphase Flow Readings
1. Rao, B., Friction Factors for Turbulent Flow of Non-Newtonian Fluids in Coiled Tubing,
2002 SPE / ICoTA Coiled Tubing Conference and Exhibition, April 9-10, 2002
2. Gu, H., Walter, I.C., Stein, D., Designing Under- and Near Balanced Coiled Tubing Drilling by Use of Computer Simulations, SPE 56864 SPEDC, June 1999.
3. Aziz, K., Govier, G. W., and Fogarasi, M.: Pressure Drop in Wells Producing Oil and
Gas, J. Canadian Pet. Tech. (Jul.-Sept. 1972) 38-48.
4. Beggs, H. D. and Brill, J. P.: A Study of Two-Phase Flow in Inclined Pipes, J. Pet. Tech.
(May 1973) 607-617.
5. Duns, H., Jr. and Ros, N. C. J.: Vertical Flow of Gas and Liquid Mixtures in Wells, Proc.
Sixth World Pet. Congress, Frankfurt (Jun. 19-26, 1963) Section II, Paper 22-PD6.
6. Espanol, J. H., Holmes, C. S., and Brown, K. E.: "A Comparison of Existing Multiphase
Flow Methods for the Calculation of Pressure Drop in Vertical Wells," SPE 2553 presented at the 44th Annual Fall Meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME,
Denver, CO (Sept. 28-Oct. 1, 1969).
7. Griffith, P.: "Two-Phase Flow in Pipes," Special Summer Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts (1962).
8. Griffith, P. and Wallis, G.B.: "Two-Phase Slug Flow," J. Heat Transfer; Trans. ASME (Aug.
1961) 307-320.
9. Hagedorn, A. R. and Brown, K. E.: Experimental Study of Pressure Gradients Occurring
During Continuous Two-Phase Flow in Small Diameter Vertical Conduits, J. Pet. Tech.
(Apr. 1965) 475-484.
10. Lawson, J.D. and Brill, J.P.: "A Statistical Evaluation of Methods Used to Predict Pressure
Losses for Multiphase flow in Vertical Oilwell Tubing," J. Pet. Tech. (Aug. 1974) 903-914.
11. Orkiszewski, J.: Predicting Two-Phase Pressure Drops in Vertical Pipe, J. Pet. Tech.
(Jun. 1967) 829-838.
12. Sas-Jaworsky II, A.: Coiled Tubing Operations and Services, Part 5-Unloading Wells
with Lighter Fluids World Oil (Mar. 1992) 36-43.
13. Tek, M. R.: Multiphase Flow of Water, Oil, and Natural Gas Through Vertical Flow
Strings, J. Pet. Tech. (Oct. 1961) 1029-1036.
14. Vohra, I.R., Robinson, J.R., Brill, J.P.: "Evaluation of Three New Methods for Predicting
Pressure Losses in Vertical Oilwell Tubing," J. Pet. Tech. (Aug. 1974) 829-832.
Additional Readings

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1. API Bulletin on Rheology and Hydraulics of Oil Well Drilling Fluids, Third Edition, (Jan. 1993).
2. Bourgoyne Jr., A. T., Chenevert, M. E., Millheim, K. K., Young Jr., F. S.: Chap. 4: Drilling
Hydraulics SPE Textbook Series, Vol. 2, SPE Richardson, TX, (1986), 137-156.
3. Blauer, R. E., Mitchel, B. J., and Kohleas, C. A.: Determination of Laminar, Turbulent, and
Transitional Foam Flow Losses in Pipes SPE 4885 presented at the 44th Annual California
Regional Meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, San Francisco, CA April 45, (1974).
4. Brown, P. T. and Wimberley, R. D.: Coiled Tubing Operations and Services, Part 10Velocity Strings World Oil (Jan. 1992) 77-80.
5. Sas-Jaworsky II, A.: Coiled Tubing Operations and Services, Part 4-Sand and Solids
Washing World Oil (Mar. 1992) 71-79.
6. Turner, R. G., Hubbard, M. G., and Dukler, A. E.: Analysis and Prediction of Mininum Flow
Rate for the Continuous Removal of Liquid from Gas Wells, J. Pet. Tech. (Sept. 1969) 14751481.

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GLOSSARY
-Aabsolute pressure
The pressure measured from a vacuum. (0 psi absolute pressure = vacuum) Absolute pressure minus atmospheric pressure equals gauge pressure. Note that it is physically impossible to have a negative absolute pressure.
All pressures in Cerberus are gauge pressures.
annulus
The annulus is the area between the CT and the well tubulars.
application factor
Application factor serves as an additional safety factor. The actual value is multiplied by the
application factor to produce the result. For example, if string fatigue has an application factor
of 2, and if the calculated fatigue is 7%, it would appear as 14%.
archive
Indicates to Cerberus that a particular string, reel, or job is no longer used. Archived strings,
reels, and jobs do not appear in the lists on the main manager screens unless desired.
axial force
Force applied along the length of the CT. Tension is positive. Compression is negative.
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axial stress
The axial force at a given point in the CT divided by the cross-sectional area of the CT. The axial
stress is part of the Von Mises stress.
azimuth
The azimuth in well survey data is the angle from North, in degrees, of the well axis at a given
point. For example, a section of a well that goes East has an azimuth of 90 degrees.

-BBHA
In Cerberus, a bottom hole assembly (BHA) is called a tool string.
bias weld
A 45 degree weld made in the base material before the flat strip is rolled into tubing in the mill.
Therefore, it is part of the manufacturing process and cannot be performing on existing tubing.
A bias weld is usually stronger than an orbital butt weld or manual butt weld but not as strong as
parent tubing.
Bingham Plastic
The model for a fluid which does not flow until a specific yield point is reached. Cement and some
drilling muds are often modeled as Bingham Plastic models.

-Ccompression
When a portion of the CT is pushed together along its axis, it is in compression.Compression is
the opposite of tension.
continuous taper
Varying wall thickness of a section of CT linearly from one end of the section to the other.
critical buckling
The point where a section of CT begins to form a sinusoidal curve in the hole. Critical buckling
does not mean that the CT cannot go further into the hole. Usually called sinusoidal buckling.
CT
An abbreviation for "coiled tubing".

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-Ddefault
The initial value set by the computer program if the user doesn't do anything. The program
uses this value until the user changes it. Default values help speed data input and aid consistency for values that should always be the same.
derate
To manually lower the used life of a string to the derating factor. Used for welds and zones.
derating factor
The amount the used life of a weld or zone is reduced to. For example, a zone with a derating
factor of 85% means that it has 85% of the life it would normally have.
depth
The distance from the zero depth datum at the top of the well to the point in question. Depth
can be measured from the downhole end of a string, but depth is not the same as string position.
disconnect
Where a tool string connects to the CT. The disconnect should break before the CT. However,
it should not break during normal operations.
download
To put strings, reels, jobs, wells, tool strings, fluids, projects, and other items to a file on
removable media to share them with other people on other computers. The files must then be
uploaded into Cerberus to make use of them. (Windows can not be used to simply copy the
file, as Cerberus will not know the file exists.)
drawdown
The difference between the bottom hole pressure at the reservoir and the reservoir pressure.
The change in pressure causes the fluid in a reservoir to flow into the well. In a killed well,
there is no drawdown because the bottom hole pressure is equal to the reservoir pressure.

-Ee-line capable
A work reel that has connections for an electrical cable installed inside the CT string.
effective wall thickness
The minimum wall thickness of a CT string minus the wall reduction. It represents the worst
case for the actual wall thickness used in tubing life and strength calculations.

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effective well
Used in force and hydraulics calculations. In general, the effective well follows the innermost
tubulars (tubing, casing, liners, and open hole).
export
Survey data and job logs can be exported to text files which can then be imported to reuse them
in different jobs, wells, or projects.

-Ffailure criterion
The point which Achilles uses as 100% used life for a string. Failure can be defined in two ways:
crack initiation or fracture. In crack initiation, the beginnings of a crack appears on the CT. In fracture, the crack has propagated through the wall of the CT and the CT cannot hold pressure.
foam quality
The ratio of the volume of gas over the total volume of the fluid. A foam with a quality of 1 (one) is
all gas. A foam with a quality of 0 (zero) is all liquid. Foam quality is dependent on temperature as
well as pressure, as both affect the volume of gas.
freeboard
The distance from the top of the last wrap of coiled tubing to the outside of the flange of the reel.
For safety reasons, the reel is never completely filled with coiled tubing. Some operators recommend a different freeboard for each coiled tubing diameter. The more freeboard, the less the reel
capacity.

-Ggauge pressure
The pressure indicated by a pressure gauge. (0 psi gauge pressure = atmospheric pressure.)
Gauge pressure plus atmospheric pressure equals absolute pressure. Note that it is possible to
have a negative gauge pressure. All pressures in Cerberus are gauge pressures.

-Hhelical buckling
The point where a section of CT begins to form a helix in the well casing. In a vertical well, helical
buckling begins as soon as any compressive load is applied. The helix introduces additional
bending stresses and friction, which can lead to lockup.
helical buckling load
The amount of force required to reach helical buckling.

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hoop stress
The stress around the circumference of the CT due to inner and outer pressure. The hoop
stress is part of the Von Mises stress.

-Iimport
Survey data and job logs can be imported from a text file format for use or reuse. The opposite of export.
inclination
In well survey data, the angle, in degrees, between the well axis and the vertical axis at a
given depth. A vertical section of well has an inclination of 0 degrees. A completely horizontal
section of well has an inclination of 90 degrees.

-JJP
An abbreviation for "jointed pipe".

-K-Llockup depth
The depth, if any, at which the increased drag due to helical buckling causes the downhole
end of the tubing to stop moving into the well, even though CT may still be entering the well at
the surface. If this occurs, the bottom of the well cannot be reached and the job cannot be
performed with the existing configuration.

-Mmanual butt weld

Performed by hand to join two lengths of tubing. It is the typical method used to repair tubing
in the field. The main characteristic of manual butt welds is variability from welder to welder,
and even weld to weld. However, a good manual weld can be superior to an orbital butt weld.
measured depth
The current depth of the CT following the trajectory of the well as indicated by the depth
counter at the surface. The actual depth may be slightly more due to buckling or stretch and
thermal elongation. Note that measured depth is different from true vertical depth (TVD).

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minimum wall thickness

The smallest allowable thickness for a given nominal wall thickness, according to the manufacturer's specifications. Although the actual wall thickness will, in most cases, be greater, for critical
calculation purposes, the minimum wall thickness is used to ensure that a worst-case scenario is
considered.
Multiphase fluid
A fluid, generally a liquid, comprising more than one phase, such as water- or oil-based liquids,
and gas. Multiphase fluid flow is the combined flow of these different-phase fluids. Multiphase
flow is a complex factor that is important in understanding hydraulics in both oil and gas wells.

-NNewtonian fluid
The model for fluids that flow in a linear manner. Few oil field fluids are truly Newtonian, but the
Newtonian model is the best known and easiest to understand. Fresh water can be modeled as a
Newtonian fluid.
nominal wall thickness
The target wall thickness sold by the manufacturer and commonly referred to by users. The
actual wall size may vary within the plus and minus specifications quoted by the manufacturer.

-Oorbital butt weld

Performed using an automated welder to join two lengths of tubing. The resulting weld is typically
more consistent than a manual butt weld, but is not necessarily better. Orbital welders are expensive and are not often encountered in the field.

-PPOOH
An abbreviation for "pulling out of hole".
position
The distance measured from the reel core end of a string to the point in question. The reel core
end is at position zero. Position is not related to depth, although depth is measured from the free
end of a string.
Power Law Model
The model for fluids which do not flow in a linear manner. Many oil field fluids, including waterbased muds, gels, and hydrocarbons, are modeled using the Power Law model.

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-Q-Rradial stress
The stress through the CT wall due to inner and outer pressure. The radial stress is part of
the Von Mises stress.
reel back tension
The tension maintained at the reel to ensure that the tubing on the reel does not uncoil or
become slack. Reel back tension only affects the surface weight calculation, not the downhole forces, since the tubing is held at the injector.
RIH
An abbreviation for "running in hole".
RTKB
Rotary Table Kelly Bushing. The depth reference typically used by conventional drilling rigs
when they drill a well.

-Ssection
A CT string is divided into sections which have different physical properties, such as different
wall sizes.
segment
A CT string is divided into small segments of equal length (usually 10 feet). Fatigue is calculated for each segment.
segment length
The length of a segment, such as 10 feet. The total length of a string must be a multiple of the
segment length.
shipping spool
Used to hold a CT string for shipping purposes only. A shipping reel is not used for a job.
Instead, a work reel is used for a job.
sinusoidal buckling
The CT snaking back and forth in the form of a sine wave. Also called snake buckling or critical buckling. Sinusoidal buckling is not critical and does not affect tubing forces calculations.
sinusoidal buckling load
The load at which the CT begins sinusoidal buckling.
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stripper friction
The frictional force caused by the compression of the stripper packing elements on the tubing.
This friction always acts in the opposite direction of the tubing movement. Although variable, it is
usually assumed to lie in the range of 300 to 1,000 pounds of force.
surface weight
The weight measured at the surface as the CT is run into and out of the well. This weight should
stay below the yield strength of the CT material or breaking strength of the cable, subject to a
safety factor, such as 80%.

-Ttarget depth
The particular depth at which most hydraulics calculations are performed.
tension
When a portion of CT is being pulled, it is in tension. Tension is the opposite of compression.
tool
A single component in a tool string, such as a connector, nozzle, or packer.
tool string
A bottom hole assembly (BHA). It is composed of various tools.
tortuosity
The "spiraling" or "corkscrew" effect that occurs when wells are being drilled.
trip
One cycle of the string running into and out of the hole.
true vertical depth (TVD)
The absolute depth from the surface, not following the trajectory of the well.

-Uupload
The process of importing information for a string, reel, job, well, tool string, fluid, project, or other
item from removable media. This must be done in order for Cerberus to use such existing data.
Further, the item must have been downloaded onto the removable media.

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used life
Used life of a work string comes from accumulated fatigue and any corrosion. The used life of
a work string is represented by a percentage. A new string has 0% used life. A work string
should be retired or cut before it reaches too high a used life.

-VVon Mises stress

The Von Mises stress (

vm

) is a common method for describing the yielding of steel under

combined states of stress. It includes the influences of axial stress ( a ), radial stress ( r ),

and hoop stress ( h ).

vm =

1
( a r )2 ( a h )2 ( r h )2
2

-Wwall reduction
The change in wall thickness due to exposure to service conditions such as acid jobs and
sand abrasion. In Cerberus, wall reduction is a function of the jobs the string has performed
and is set for each job in the Job Type screen of Job Manager.
work reel
Used for an actual job, as opposed to a shipping spool, which is only used for shipping or
storage.
work string
A CT string which is actively used in coiled tubing operations. When a work string accumulates too much fatigue, it may be retired and used for other purposes.

-X-YYoung's Modulus
The modulus of elasticity of the material. Young's Modulus is a measurement of how 'springy'
a material is, or how much a material can bend and still return to its original shape. Young's
Modulus for steel is 30,000,000 psi.

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-Zzero depth datum

The point from which depth is measured at the well site (depth = 0). This may be at the Master
Valve, ground level, RTKB, at the reel, or any other user-specified position.
zone
Used to flag portions of a CT string and to manually derate fatigue life.

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