TUBING STRING DESIGN

Elements of Tubing Selection

• Usually requires a nodal analysis program
and some very good information about the
well’s productivity over time.
• An error in the flow data can cause a quick
error in the tubing sizing.
 Production Tubing Design
1. Max and optimum flow rate
2. Max surface pressure (flowing and shut-
in)
3. Corrosion potential over life of string
4. Erosion potential over life of the string
5. Stimulation factors
6. Tensile strength
7. Burst and collapse
 Tubular String- 8 Design
Factors
• Tension – tube must stand its own weight in the running
environment. Tubing must stand additional loads when pulling out
or setting packers and forces due to temperature and pressure
changes.

• Burst – maintain integrity with high internal tubing pressures with

little or no annular pressure support.
• Collapse - maintain integrity with high annulus pressures with little
or no internal pressure support.
Compression – tube must stand compressive loads when setting
some packers and in highly deviated wells or dog legs.
TUBING SIZE­8 DESIGN FACTORS 
 Sized for gas lift : Optimum use of expanding gas: 
IPR and TPC curves
 Sized to prevent deposits: minimum flow level 
3.5ft/sec
 Sized to prevent liquid abrasion –

maximum relative to density and reactivity

 Sized to prevent particulate erosion – maximum
relative to particulate size and velocity.
Tubing Performance Curves with Inflow Performance
Relationship

A
C
TPC’s represent a particular tubing design (size
and taper) and are constant – They perform D
well when the IPR curve intersects them (B),
and become unstable(C) as the IPR curve
passes them. The liquids will not be naturally
lifted (D) when the IPR no longer contacts
them.
 Setting Production Casing

 Production casing is the final casing in a well.

 The hole is drilled beyond the producing interval.

 Production casing is set and cemented through the pay
zone.
 The casing and cement actually seal off the producing zone
Setting Production Casing
 Installing the Tubing

 Tubing is run into the well (smaller diameter compared to

production casing and removable) to serve as a way for oil
or gas to flow to the surface.

 Packer is attached to it just near the bottom.

 Packer is placed at a depth just above the producing
interval.
 When the packer is expanded, it grips the wall of the
production casing and forms a seal between outside of
tubing and inside of casing
TUBING STRING
 Proper  selection,  Design,  and  installation 
of  the  tubing  string  is  a  critical  part  of  a 
completion operation. The tubing must be 
designed so that producing operations can 
be  carried  out  efficiently.  It  should  be 
designed from failures from tensile forces, 
internal  and  external    pressures,  and 
corrosive actions.
 It  must  be  installed  in  a  pressure  tight 
and undamaged condition. 
 Number of grades of steel and types of tubing 
have been developed especially to meet the 
demands of deep and ultra deep wells and new 
completion techniques.
 A sumary of diferent API specs are given below

                                                           ….contd
API SPECIFICATIONS 
 API Spec 5A: Casing,Tubing and Drillpipe

 API Spec5AC: Restricted yield strength 
casing and Tubing.
 API Spec5AX: High strength Casing, 
Tubing and Drill Pipe
  API Bulletin 5C2: Performance properties 
of Tubing and Casing.
 API Bulletin 5C1: Recommended makeup 
torque for API connections. 
DESIGN OF TUBING STRINGS
 Alloys with a high chrome content are commonly used for 
tubing strings.
 Tubing string design is essentially the same as for the 
casing. Tapered strings are common in deep wells, 
although uniform strings are desirable (but more expensive 
) due to difficulty of keeping tubing strings in proper order 
of weight and grade.
 A tension design factor of 1.60 is common for uniform 
tubing strings .
 Collapse design factor should not be less than 1.00 based 
on the pressure differential that may actually be applied, 
for example , a full annular fluid column and an empty 
tubing string 
 Tubing should not be subjected to burst pressures higher 
than its rated pressures divided by 1.3, unless it has been 
previously tested to a higher pressure. 
STEEL GRADES 
 High Strength grading is usually considered to be 
with a yielding  strength  of above 80,000 psi, i.e, 
C­75,L­80,N­80,  and  P­105.  C­75,L­80,  and  N­80 
are  included  because  their  yield  strength  as 
manufactured, often exceeds 80,000 psi. However 
high  strength  tubing,  particularly    P­105, 
presents  several  problems  due  to  decreased 
ductility  and  increased  sensitivity  to  sharp 
notches or cracks. 
PRODUCTION TUBING
 Selection of tubing
 Nominal Diameter
 Max. flow rate corresponding to erosional vel.
 Min. flow rate necessary to lift water or condensate by the 
gas
 Annular space required 
 Grade of steel and Nominal weight
  Stress to withstand during production
 Type of connection and metallurgy
 Type & corrosivity of producing fluid
 TUBING CONNECTIONS
     Standard API Coupling connections: Two standard 
API coupling tubing connections are available.:
 The  API  non­upset,  Tubing  connection  (NU)  is  a  10 
round thread form, wherein the joint has less strength 
than the pipe body.
 The API External Upset Tubing Connection (EUE) is 
an 8 round thread form whereas the joint has greater 
strength than the pipe body. 
 Extra Clearance couplings: Where extra clearance is 
needed , API couplings can be turned down without loss 
of joint strength. Extra clearance coupling type thread 
forms (unlike NU connection)  have been developed for 
non­upset tubing which have 100% joint strength. 
 Integral Joint Connections: Several joint 
thread forms are available which provide 
extra clarance. Some can be turned down to 
provide even greater clearance . 
 Connections  Seals  :  In  order  to  form  a  seal 
any well­ designed connection certain specific 
requirements  have  to  be  met.  Most 
connections  use  a  metal­to­metal  seal  which 
requires  that  the  meeting  pin  and  box 
surfaces  be  forced  together  under  sufficient 
stress  to  establish  a  bearing  pressure 
exceeding the differential pressure across the 
connection. 
 TUBING DIA. & POTENTIAL FLOW RATE

Nom.   Nom. Wt I D: mm (in) Drift :  Oil rate  Gas rate for 

Dia. (in.) (ppf) mm(in) (m3/d) (103 SCMD)
2 3/8” 4.6 50.7(1.945) 48.3(1.901) 150 150
2 7/8” 6.4 62(2.441) 59.6(2.347) 275 275
3 ½” 9.2 76(2.992) 72.8(2.867) 450 450
4” 10.9 88.3(3.476) 85.1(3.351) 700 700
4 ½” 12.6 100.5(3.958) 97.4(3.833) 1000 1000
5 ½” 17 124.3(4.892) 121.1(4.767) 1700 1700
7” 29 157.1(6.184) 153.9(6.059) 3000 3000
9 5/8” 47 220.5(8.681) 216.5(8.525) 7000 6000
PRODUCTION TUBING
 major conduit for the well's produced 
fluids. 
 protects the casing from pressure and 
corrosion. 
 most common sizes are 2­7/8" OD 
(73.02 mm) , 2 3/8" OD (60.32 mm), 
and 3 ½”
 Tubing normally runs from the 
wellhead to the production zone. 
 Tubing is classified by size (OD, ID, 
tool joint OD, ID), weight (lbs/ft), and 
grades such as J­55 and N­80. 
 TUBING DESIGN
 API Tubing grades : H­40, J­55, N­80, L­80, C­75, P­
110 etc
 The numbers (40, 55, etc.) (min yield strength)

 H­40 & J­55 are the lower­strength steel, most 
common and resistant to sulfide stress cracking
 N­80 is the lowest grade with high strength. Not 
good for sour service 
 L­80 & C­75 are high strength tubing for use in 
sour service
 Other non­API high strength tubing are available 
for sour service 
TUBING LOAD ANALYSIS

Loads On Tubing 
 BURST LOAD, Pb= Pi­Po
TBG CSG
 COLLAPSE LOAD, Pc= Po­Pi

 TENSION LOAD, T = w . L + 
Tp
Where:
Po=pressure in tubing­casing  PO PI
annulus L
PI=pressure inside tubing
w = tubing weight, lbs/ft
L = length of tubing, ft.
Tp= tension required to set the 
packer, or to Pull tubing out of 
packer 
 Tubing Stress
5000 psi
Burst Load
2 7/8” tbg
• At Packer: 100 psi
Pb2= Pi2–Po2 = (Pi1+ ρiL) - (Po1+ ρoL)
= (5000 + 6.9 x 0.052 x 12000) -
(100 + 14.3 x 0.052 x 12000)
= 282 psi

6.9 ppg
Collapse Load
At Packer:

14.3 ppg
Pc2= Po2–Pi2
= (Po1+ ρoL) -(Pi1+ ρiL)
= (100 + 14.3 x 0.052 x 12000)-(0 +
0)
= 9023 psi
12000 ft

13000 ft
TUBING STRESS

Collapse Load ( Empty TBG )

 At Surface:
Pc1= Po1–Pi1
= 100 - 0 = 100 psi

 At Packer:
Pc2= Po2–Pi2
= (Po1+ ρoL) -(Pi1+ ρiL)
= (100 + 14.3 x 0.052 x 12000)-(0 + 0)
= 8923 psi
 PRODUCING WELL
Erosion Velocity :-
100-135 ( a constant )
= -------------
√ρ ρ = Mixture density
12409 ɤl P + 2.7 GLR ɤg P
Mixture density = ----------------------------------------------------
198.7 P + GLR T
P : Operating pressure
ɤl : Liquid gravity
ɤg : gas gravity
T : operating temperature R

Normally : 25 - 40 ft/sec (10 m/s) for gas wells

5 - 12 ft /sec( 4 m/s) for oil wells

 
TUBING LOAD ANALYSIS

 Max Burst Load= 6900 psi x 1.125(SF)= 7763 psi
 Max Collapse Load = 8923 psi x 1.125(SF)=10,038 
psi
 From tubing tables, select the lowest grade and 
weight of tubing having burst and collapse 
strengths that meet the respective loads
 You may select a tubing with lower collapse 
strength and prevent, or control swapping of the 
well
 Then, check tension load against tensile strength 
of selected tubing
 TUBING LOAD ANALYSIS

 Tension Load From Table, : 2 3/8 in., J­55, 4.7 lbs/f 
 Allowable Burst:7700 psi  (p=0.875[2 Yp*t/D])

 Allowable Collapse:8100 psi (pYp=2Yp{([D/t]­1/
[D/t]2})
 Allowable Tension:71,700 lbs [ Fy=0.785(D2­d2)Yp]

 Maximum Tension Load is at Surface: 

T = w L + TP= 4.7 x 12000 + 10000 = 66400 lbs
   = 66400 x 1.3 (SF) = 86320 lbs
   > Allowable Tension 
TUBING LOAD ANALYSIS

• Therefore, this tubing will fail and a stronger 
tubing must be selected.
• This could be a tubing with the same weight 
but higher grade, or a tubing with the same 
grade but heavier weight.
• If the second alternative is used, you need to 
recalculate the tension load for the heavier 
tubing
    Select:2 3/8 in., 4.7 lbs/ft., N­80 tubing (T = 
104300 lbs.)
 Tubing Selection Criteria
• Sweet Non CO2 Service
• Sweet CO2 Service
• Sour Service
• High flow rates (high C factors)
• Erosive Service
• Stimulation tolerant
• Water injection wells
 Tubular Selection Criteria
• Embrittlement
– hydrogen

• – chloride stress cracking

Weight Loss Corrosion
– H2S-CO2-H2O-NaCl systems
• – CO2-H2O-NaCl
• Localized Corrosion
• Acidizing
• Galvanic
• Strength
Cost and availability
Thanks a lot a bit more
patience for the day
 CASING
Casing Yield Tensile Collapse Burst Collapse Burst
Grade Max. psi Pressure pressure Pressure Pressure
5½ 5 ½” 9 5/8” 9 5/8”
J-55 55,000 75,000 4040 4890 3880 4100
K-55
N-80 80,000 100,00 8830 psi for 9190 psi 4750 6870
0 20 ppf 47 ppf
L-80 80,000 95,000 4990 9190 psi 4750 6870
C-90 90,000 100,00 10100 11100 5080 5700
0
P-110 110,00 125,00 11080 12640 5310 9440
Tubing 0 0 Burst pressure Collapse ID inches
Size ,grade , ppf pressure
2 7/8” ,N-80, 6.5 10570 11160 2.441
3 ½” , N-80 , 9.2 10530 10160 2.991
Tubing Performance Curves
increasing GOR helps at
unstable region, low
well may not flow rates (like a natural gas
under these (friction).
conditions. lift).
Too much gas hinders
inc reasing water cuts mean
more pressure is required
m to flow at same rate.
to
initial tubing performance curve
(0%initial
w/c,tubing
initial GOR).
(0% w/c, initi

increasing increasing friction

hydrostaticpressure
Liquid Flowrate
TUBING PERFORMANCE
RELATIONSHIP