Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering

Subsurface Oil & Gas Production

Title: Tubing Selection
Aim: Determine (use API specification)

 Tubing Volumes
 Tubing buoyancy
 Tubing Loading
 Burst and Collapse Pressures.

The following are the specs for selected tubular:

OD, Grade Wt. ID” Collapse Burst,

in. lbs/ft , psi
psi
2.375 J55 4.7 1.995 8,100 7,700
N80 11,780 11,200
P110 13,800 15,400
2.875 J55 6.5 2.441 7,680 7,260
N80 11,160 10,570
P110 13,080 14,530

1. Weight in air for tubing strings of each size shown for hanging length 6,000’ and
10,000’.

W air =length ( ft ) × Weight ( lbsft )

At 6000’ for 2.375” casing.

Given that the OD of the casing is 2.375” the casing has a weight of 4.7lbs/ft.

W air =6000 ft ×4.7 ( lbsft )

W air =28,200lbs

At 10000’ for 2.375” casing.

W air =10000 ft × 4.7 ( lbsft )

W air =47,000 lbs

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At 6000’ for 2.875” casing.

Given that the OD of the casing is 2.875” the casing has a weight of 6.5lbs/ft.

W air =6000 ft ×6.5 ( lbsft )

W air =39,000lbs

At 10000’ for 2.875” casing.

W air =10000 ft × 6.5 ( lbsft )

W air =65,000lbs

2. The weight in LSW for the same lengths of tubing.

W e =W air ( lbs ) × BF

MW
BF=1−
65.5

LSW
MW of LSW =
Hydrostatic gradient

0.45
MW of LSW =
0.052

MW of LSW =8.7 ppg

8.7
BF=1−
65.5

BF=0.87(unitless)

Therefore at 6000’ for 2.375” casing.

W e =28,200 lbs ×0.87

W e =24,534 lbs

At 10000’ for 2.375” casing.

W e =47,000 lbs× 0.87

W e =40,890 lbs

At 6000’ for 2.875” casing.

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W e =39,000 lbs ×0.87

W e =33,930 lbs

At 10000’ for 2.875” casing.

W e =65,000lbs ×0.87

W e =56,550 lbs

3. Determine the tubing grade for each case if a safety factor of 1.75 is used for axial
load. Disregard buoyancy.

Max axial load= ACS ¿ ¿

(d 2OD tubing −d 2ID tubing )

ACS , sq .∈¿ ×π
4

(2.3752−1.9952 )
ACS , sq .∈¿ ×π
4

ACS , sq .∈¿1.304 sq .∈¿

Given safety factor=1.75

Max axial load for 2.375 J55= {1.304 sq.in×55,000 ( {lbs} over {sq.in} )} over {1.75

Max axial load for 2.375 J55=40,983 lb

Max axial load for 2.375 N80= {1.304 sq.in×80,000 ( {lbs} over {sq.in} )} over {1.75

Max axial load for 2.375 N80=59,611 lb

Max axial load for 2.375 P110= {1.304 sq.in×110,000 ( {lbs} over {sq.in} )} over {1.75

Max axial load for 2.375 P110=81,966 lb

(d 2OD tubing −d 2ID tubing )

ACS , sq .∈¿ ×π
4

( 2.8752−2.4412)
ACS , sq .∈¿ ×π
4

ACS , sq .∈¿1.812 sq .∈¿

Given safety factor=1.75

Max axial load for 2.875 J55= {1.812 sq.in×55,000 ( {lbs} over {sq.in} )} over {1.75

Max axial load for 2.875 J55=56,949 lb

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Max axial load for 2.875 N80= {1.812 sq.in×80,000 ( {lbs} over {sq.in} )} over {1.75

Max axial load for 2.875 N80=82,834 lb

Max axial load for 2.875 P110= {1.812 sq.in×110,000 ( {lbs} over {sq.in} )} over {1.75

Max axial load for 2.875 P110=113,897 lb

4. Determine the tubing grade for each case if a safety factor of 1.3 for burst if a leak
occurs below the wellhead where the FTHP of the wells is the same as the hydrostatic
of LSW and annulus is full of LSW.
Burst Pressure
Downgraded Burst=
Safety Factor

psi
LSW Gradient=0.45
ft

Given safety factor = 1.3

At 6000’ the hydrostatic pressure due to a column of LSW

psi
Hydrostatic pressure due ¿ a column of LSW at 6000 '=6000 ft ×0.45
ft

Hydrostatic pressure due ¿ a column of LSW at 6000 ' =2700 psi

At 10000’ the hydrostatic pressure due to a column of LSW

psi
Hydrostatic pressure due ¿ a column of LSW at 10000 '=10000 ft × 0.45
ft

Hydrostatic pressure due ¿ a column of LSW at 10000 ' =4500 psi

Downgraded burst for 2.375} J55= {7700 psi} over {1.3 ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.375} J55= 5923 ps ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.375} N80= {11200 psi} over {1.3 ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.375} N80= 8615 ps ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.375} P110= {15400 psi} over {1.3 ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.375} P110= 11846 ps ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.875} J55= {7260 psi} over {1.3 ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.875} J55= 5585 ps ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.875} N80= {10570 psi} over {1.3 ¿

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Downgraded burst for 2.875} N80= 8131 ps ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.875} P110= {14530 psi} over {1.3 ¿

Downgraded burst for 2.875} P110= 11177 ps ¿

5. Determine the tubing grade for each case if the safety factor for collapse of 1.1 if all
the annular fluid is lost through a leak in the casing above the packer.
Collapse Pressure
Downgraded Collapse=
Safety Factor

Given safety factor = 1.1

Downgraded collapse for 2.375} J55= {8100 psi} over {1.1 ¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.375} J55= 7364 ps¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.375} N80= {11780 psi} over {1.1¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.375} N80= 10709 ps¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.375} P110= {13800 psi} over {1.1 ¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.375} P110= 12545 ps ¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.875} J55= {7680 psi} over {1.1 ¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.875} J55= 6982 ps¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.875} N80= {11160 psi} over {1.1 ¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.875} N80= 10145 ps¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.875} P110= {13080 psi} over {1.1 ¿

Downgraded collapse for 2.875} P110= 11891 ps ¿

6. Tabulate results and show which grade you recommend for each case where all three
criteria are fulfilled.
Depth (ft.)
OD, in Grade
6000 10000
2.375 J55 28,200 lbs < 40,983 lbs ✔ 47,000 lbs > 40,893 lbs 
2.375 N80 28,200 lbs < 59,611 lbs ✔ 47,000 lbs < 59,611 lbs ✔
2.375 P110 28,200 lbs < 81,966 lbs ✔ 47,000 lbs < 81,966 lbs ✔
2.875 J55 39,000 lbs < 56,949 lbs ✔ 65,000 lbs > 56,949 lbs 
2.875 N80 39,000 lbs < 82,834 lbs ✔ 65,000 lbs < 82,834 lbs ✔
2.875 P110 39,000 lbs < 113,897 lbs ✔ 65,000 lbs < 113,897 lbs ✔
Table 1: Axial Loading; Test to see which will pass and which will not at
respective depths

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 Depth (ft.)
OD, in Grade
6000 10000
2.375 J55 2,700 psi < 5,923 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 5,923 psi ✔
2.375 N80 2,700 psi < 8,615 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 8,615 psi ✔
2.375 P110 2,700 psi < 11, 846 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 11, 846 psi ✔
2.875 J55 2,700 psi < 5,585 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 5,585 psi ✔
2.875 N80 2,700 psi < 8,131 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 8,131 psi ✔
2.875 P110 2,700 psi < 11,177 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 11,177 psi ✔
Table 2: Testing Burst Pressure

Depth (ft.)
OD, in Grade
6000 10000
2.375 J55 2,700 psi < 7,364 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 7,364 psi ✔
2.375 N80 2,700 psi < 10,709 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 10,709 psi ✔
2.375 P110 2,700 psi < 12,545 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 12,545 psi ✔
2.875 J55 2,700 psi < 6,982 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 6,982 psi ✔
2.875 N80 2,700 psi < 10,145 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 10,145 psi ✔
2.875 P110 2,700 psi < 11,891 psi ✔ 4500 psi < 11,891 psi ✔
Table 3: Testing collapse pressure

OD, Grad 6000’ 10000’

in e

Axial Burst, Collapse Recommendations Axia Burst, Collapse, Recommendations

load, psi , psi l psi psi
psi load,
psi
3 J55 ✔ ✔ ✔ J55  ✔ ✔ The J55 would fail
2
8 at this depth since it
did not pass all
three criteria.

N80 ✔ ✔ ✔ N80 ✔ ✔ ✔ N80

P110 ✔ ✔ ✔ P110 ✔ ✔ ✔ P110

7 J55 ✔ ✔ ✔ J55  ✔ ✔ The J55 would fail
2
8 at this depth since it
did not pass all
three criteria.

N80 ✔ ✔ ✔ N80 ✔ ✔ ✔ N80

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 P110 ✔ ✔ ✔ P110 ✔ ✔ ✔ P110

Table 4: Provides comparison and recommendations of tubing selection at both depths

using the different OD.

Discussion:

For this lab exercise several calculations were done to achieve the axial load, burst pressure
and collapse pressure of three specific grades of tubing at respective depths. These
calculations were carried out to find out which of these three grades at their corresponding
depths was most suitable for use. An OD of 2.375” and 2.875” was used for each grade of
tubing. Before we would have calculated the axial load, burst pressure or collapse pressure
we would have calculated the weight of each tubing suspended in air and the weight of each
tubing suspending in fluid for respective OD and depth. At each instant, the value of the
tubing suspended in fluid would be smaller than that of the value of the tubing suspended in
air due to the buoyancy effect taking place.

Secondly, at the same depth and OD as the grade of the tubing increase so will the maximum
axial load. But at a depth of 10000’ J55 fails for both respective OD. Since the maximum
load of J55 at that depth for either of the OD is less than that of the actual weight of the
tubing. This is also a clear indication that this grade is the lowest and cheapest, which
indicates that it should not be chosen for use at this depth. On the other hand, as depth
increases, the hydrostatic pressure increases. As it relates to downgraded burst pressures, for
same OD and depth, the burst pressure increases as the grade increases, however, at the larger
OD but same depth, the burst pressure increases with grade but is slightly lower than the
smaller OD. For the same OD, as the grade increases in strength, we can see that the
downgraded collapse pressures increased which indicates that the tubing can withstand
greater pressures.
In conclusion for up to 6000’ in depth all three of the tubing grades pass necessary criteria’s
to be used. However, it is recommended that the J55 grade tubing be used because it is a
better choice economically than both the N80 and P110 grades and will perform its function
effectively having pass the three criteria. But for depths up to 10,000’ only the N80 and P110
grades of tubing pass the necessary criteria’s to be used. With that is being said it is
recommended that the N80 grade tubing be used because it is slightly cheaper than the P110
grade tubing and it also bear almost the same speculation to the P110 grade of tubing.

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