L3 - DRILLING & SUBSEA WELLHEADS

• EXPLORATION METHODS
• RESERVOIR MODELLING AND DRILLING PROGRAMME
• TYPICAL SUBSEA WELLS
• OFFSHORE DRILLING VESSELS
• DRILLING A SUBSEA WELL
• WELLHEADS – Design & Function
• WELLHEADS - Connection to BOPs and Trees
THE END PRODUCT The seismic data must be interpreted
to understand the geology and assess
the likelihood of finding oil and gas
accumulations.

Geophysicists at CGG Veritas interpret

the processed seismic data and
integrate other geo-scientific
information to make assessments of
where oil and gas reservoirs may be
accumulated

The end product of all this work

and technology is a graphic 3D
representation of the Earth's
sub-surface geological
structure.
Based largely on this
information, exploration
companies will decide where
(or if!) to drill for oil and gas.
 WELL TYPES

Production Platform
Mobile Drilling Vessels

Xmas
tree
Flowline

Satellite
well
Development wells

Appraisal well

Wildcat well (at reservoir

boundary)
(dry hole)

Original
Exploration/D
iscovery well
Note
Development wells may be
vertical wells or more
complex extended reach or
horizontal wells
Reservoir The science explores the engineering operations involved
engineering is
in analysing the production behaviour of oil and gas wells,
defined as the
application of including well performance engineering, reservoir aspects
scientific principles of well performance, restricted flow into the wellbore,
to drainage issues
arising during the rate decline analysis, and fundamentals of artificial lift.
development and
production of oil
and gas reservoirs.
* Build reservoir
architecture utilising
G&G mapping
* Populate model with
reservoir properties
utilising G&G integration
* Evaluate production
tests
* Flow analysis Water
drive, gas injection,water
flood, etc.
* Volumetrics
* Reservoir simulation
* Production history
match
DEVELOPING THE DRILLING PLAN - Bottom Hole Targets

BRITANNIA FIELD - North Sea

 XMAS TREE WHEN IN
PRODUCTION MODE
BLOWOUT PREVENTOR WHEN IN
IN PRODUCTION MODE A 5½ “ DRILLING MODE
PRODUCTION TUBING IS HUNG FROM
THE WELLHEAD/TREE TO THE
RESERVOIR. IT IS PACKED OFF THERE.
WHEN THE CASING IS PERFORATED THE WELLHEAD FIXED TO TOP OF INNER
WELLHEAD
OIL FLOWS UP THE PRODUCTION CONDUCTOR
TUBING AND THROUGH THE TREE
SEA BED
120 m
OUTER CONDUCTOR
36” HOLE
30” CASING 200 m

26” HOLE INNER CONDUCTOR

183/4” CASING
450 m

171/2 ” HOLE
133/8” CASING SURFACE STRING
1300 m

121/4” HOLE INTERMEDIATE STRING

95/8” CASING 2600 m

LINER

81/2” HOLE
3200 m
7” CASING

RESERVOIR
A TYPICAL NORTH SEA CASING DESIGN
 WELL COMPLETION SCHEMATIC - Simplified
TUBING HANGER
PENETRATION FOR POWER (SSSV) & INSTRUMENTALION (P & T)
ANNULUS PENETRATION (2” dia)
5 ½ ” PRODUCTION TUBING
SUB SURFACE SAFETY VALVE (Hydraulic Actuation)

ONE WAY GAS BLEED VALVES (for Gas Lift)

CASING SEAL
ANCHOR SEAL
PACKER (Hydraulically set)

NIPPLE
RETRACTABLE BALL SEAT
ENTRY GUIDE

PERFORATIONS
 JOINT OPERATORS -
CONOCOPHILLIPS AND
CHEVRONTEXACO
 OFFSHORE DRILLING RIGS

Station
keeping
normally
using
Legs sit on seabed Dynamic
Positioning
JACK UP Thrusters
Shallow water

SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE DRILLI NG RIG

Shallow and Deepwater. Station keeping by

Mooring Lines or Dynamic Positioning Thrusters
DRILLSHIP

Normally Deepwater
The Jack up rig West Epsilon alongside a well head platform at the Valhall field
SEDCO EXPRESS
DRILL SHIP

PRIDE AFRICA & ANGOLA - Working in Deepwater Angola

 OFFSHORE
DRILLING SYSTEM
 RUNNING WELLHEAD AND CEMENTING CASING

Casing lowered into funnel

up capture on guidebase
 RUNNING WELLHEAD AND CEMENTING CASING

Wellhead locked into housing

 Subsea wellheads / Purposes

• To support BOP
and seal with well
casing during
drilling
• To support and seal
the subsea
production tree
• To support and seal
the well casing
• To support and seal
the production
tubing hanger
 Subsea wellheads
• Most widely size used : 18”
3/4 (Nom. Bore)

• Other sizes: 13” 5/8 , 16” 3/4 Vetco H-4

(Brasil) and 21 ” 3/4 mandrel profile

• 18” 3/4 x 15 ksi now available

• Deepwater wellheads
designed for much higher
bending and tension loads
Cameron
hub profile
 18 ¾” HP wellhead housing

Wellhead to casing hanger

Metal Seal assembly
Bypass Area 7” casing hanger – For Glenelg the
tubing hanger is at this elevation
and replaces the 7” casing hanger
Wellhead to casing hanger
Metal Seal assembly 10 3/4” casing hanger

Passive Pre-loaded 13 3/8” casing hanger

lockdown system
Wellhead to casing hanger
Metal Seal assembly

High strength load shoulder

TYPICAL SUBSEA WELLHEAD

10 3/4” casing

13 3/8” casing

20” casing

30” conductor

A Annulus

B Annulus

C Annulus
Wellhead Housing Joint

•Provides a
mechanical
connection and
sealing preparation
for the BOP stack and
tree.

•Provides landing,
locking, and sealing
preparations for the
subsequently run
casing hangers
 Permanent Guide Base

Mounted to the low

pressure conductor
housing. structure
with guideposts for
guiding equipment
onto or into the
wellhead, or it may
be a guidelineless
style with funnels.
GUIDE BASE WITH 4 STANDARD GUIDE POSTS
SUBSEA
WELLHEAD
 Enchova Marimba Marlim Roncador Tupi
Sul

1 000 m

2 000 m
Post-Salt Layer
Bears most of Brazil’s reserves
3 000 m
2 629 m
1977

3 167 m
3 318 m

1997
1988

4 000 m

Salt Layer 5 000 m

4 343 m
An irregular layer, the thickness of which

2003
Ranges from 1000 to 2000 meters
6 000 m

Pre-Salt Layer
On account of its geological characteristics, the pre-salt marks 7 000 m
the beginning of a new exploratory model, one that will 72007
000 m
involve the use of technology that is more resistant both to Santos Basin (Tupi)
corrosion and to high temperatures and pressure.