Upper Completion Components

Subsea Engineering

Topics
Overview of Upper completion components

Christmas Trees
Well Head
Tubing Hangers
Tubing
Packers and Seals

What is a Christmas Tree?

A subsea Christmas tree is basically a stack of valves installed on a subsea wellhead to

provide a controllable interface between the well and the production facilities.

What are their functions?

The Christmas tree is the interface between the completion and surface
facilities
It provides a pressure barrier between the well and the environment
Allows control of produced/injected fluids
Providing access to the annulus for well control, pressure monitoring, gas lift, etc.
Allows access to the completion for well intervention
Providing a hydraulic interface for the down hole safety valve
Providing an electrical interface for down hole instrumentation, electric submersible
pumps, etc.
Providing structural support for BOPs, flow line and control umbilical interface.

Main Types of Christmas Trees

Main types of Christmas trees are :
Surface trees Installed onshore or on platforms
Subsea trees Located at the sea bed

Surface
or
Subsea?

Surface Tree
Solid block or flanged
type
Manually operated

Flanged surface tree

Surface Tree (Continued)

Subsea Christmas Tree

Derived from a surface tree
Horizontal or Vertical
ROV Operated

Classification of Subsea Trees

Vertical Subsea Trees (Conventional)
Horizontal Subsea Trees

Subsea Tree Components

The Subsea Christmas tree is a complex engineered
system of components. There are several different types
of trees as explained below, and the tree configurations
available even within a given type of tree (e.g. horizontal
tree, or dual bore tree) vary widely from project to
project.

Subsea Tree Components- contd

A Subsea Christmas tree will typically consist of the following components:
A tree connector to attach the tree to the subsea wellhead
The tree body, a heavy forging with production flow paths, designed for pressure
containment. Annulus flow paths may also be included in the tree body.
Tree valves for the production bore, the annulus, and ancillary functions. The tree valves
may be integral with the tree body or bolted on
Control system. This includes the valve actuator command system and includes pressure
and temperature transducers
Choke (optional) for regulating the production flow rate.
External tree cap for protecting the upper tree connector and the tree itself. Tree cap often
incorporates dropped object protection or fishing trawl protection.

Subsea Tree Valves

Master Valve - A valve located on the Christmas Tree that controls all flow from
the wellbore. A correctly functioning master valve is so important that two master
valves are fitted to most Christmas trees. The upper master valve is used on a
routine basis, with the lower master valve providing backup or contingency
function in the event that the normal service valve is leaking and needs
replacement.

Swab Valve - The topmost valve on a Christmas tree that provides vertical access to
the wellbore. It lies in the path used for well intervention like wireline and coiled
tubing

Subsea Tree Valves contd

Wing Valve - A valve located on the side of a Christmas tree or temporary surface
flow equipment, such as may be used for a drill stem test. Two wing valves are
generally fitted to a Christmas tree. A flowing wing valve is used to control and
isolate production , and the kill wing valve fitted on the opposite side of the
Christmas tree is available for treatment or well-control purposes. The term wing
valve typically is used when referring to the flowing wing.
Crossover Valve - A crossover valve allows circulation of the riser after disconnection
via the EDP (Emergency disconnect Package)

Vertical Subsea Tree

Dual Bore
configuration

Tubing hanger
landed in
wellhead.
Two production master valves may be provided.
The lower production master valve is designed for ROV operation.
There is usually only one annulus master valve.

Features of the Dual bore Vertical Trees

The completion tubing is landed in the wellhead housing.
Two vertical bores exist through the tree allowing access to the
tubing and tubing/production casing annulus.
Each bore contains a master valve and a swab valve, so providing
two independent barriers to flow.
Work-over is carried out with a dual bore lower riser package,
emergency disconnect package and riser.
Most trees can be run and recovered with ROV intervention.

Horizontal Subsea Tree Features

Tubing hanger
landed in tree.

Vertical Subsea Tree Features

Well completion tubing is landed in the tree.
Valves are external providing a clear path to the well bore.
An internal tree cap is run on top of the tubing hanger in
which crown plugs can be set by wireline.
The large through-bore design of a horizontal tree allows the
installation and retrieval of downhole equipment through the
tree, including artificial lift completions, without having to
remove the tree or disconnect flowlines.
Most trees can be run and recovered with assistance of ROV
intervention.
Horizontal trees are run and retrieved on drill pipe.
Stack up height is less than on a horizontal tree, therefore
there is less risk of damage due to trawl boards etc.

Horizontal Tree with ROV docking plate

Pressure and Structural Design

Considerations for Trees
Pressure containing components of subsea trees are to be
designed and tested in accordance with API 17D and API 6A
for pressure ratings of 5000, 10000 and 15000 psi for most
applications
The tree piping is normally designed in accordance with
ASME B31.3
The guidelines in the API specifications are general and in
many case open to interpretation. It is up to the
manufacturer to apply his engineering judgment.

Designing for pressure in Trees

The sources of pressure in a subsea tree include the following:
Production fluids.
Hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic fluid pressure to the SCSSV may exceed the tree pressure
rating. Effects of primary seal failures should be considered.
Chemical injection fluids. Seal failures can result in migration of fluids
Thermal expansion of fluids in closed cavities.
Annulus pressure. It should be assumed that pressure will accumulate in the well annulus.
External hydrostatic pressure.
Test pressure. Seal verification pipeline
Hydraulic lock. When mating parts are engaged, fluids may become trapped in the
enclosed cavity and impede the engagement of the parts or cause damage to some
component.

Structural Design Considerations Trees

The tree connector, tree body, tree guide frame and tree piping must be designed to withstand
internal and external structural loads imposed during installation and operation.
The following are some tree and tree component load considerations:
Riser and BOP loads.
Flowline connection loads.
Snagged tree frame, umbilicals or flowlines.
Thermal stresses trapped fluids, component expansion, pipeline growth.
Lifting loads.
Dropped objects.
Pressure induced loads external and internal.

Subsea Tree Installation

First things First

The sequence of operations for installing a subsea tree onto a predrilled well:
Move the rig onto location.
Launch ROV to locate the wellhead.
Establish final position over wellhead with the aid of the ROV and drill string reference
positioning system.
Retrieve the corrosion cap from the wellhead. Check the condition of wellhead sealing
surface with the ROV and flush if necessary.
Verify that a wellhead wear bushing is not in place. If it is, it will need to be retrieved.
This is normally done through the BOP stack after it is run. For a horizontal tree, it
may be retrieved in open water to avoid having to trip the BOP stack for just the wear
bushing retrieval

Installing a Horizontal Tree (1)

Horizontal trees are thought of as driller friendly trees.
Once the production liner or casing has been cemented in place
and pressure tested (first barrier), a second barrier, such as a
retrievable test tree packer, is installed +/- 500 ft below the
wellhead and pressure tested.
The BOPs can now be unlatched, the rig skidded to a safe area and
the BOPs retrieved on the drilling riser and moved to the stump.
The tree is then moved to the moonpool, function tested and
connected to drill pipe with a tree running tool (TRT).
The tree is then run to just above the seabed, the rig skidded back
over the wellhead and the tree lowered and latched on with the
aid of a control umbilical strapped to the drill pipe.

Installing a Horizontal Tree (2)

The tree is then function and pressure tested before the TRT
and umbilical are retrieved.
The rigs BOP and riser is then run and latched onto the
profile at the top of the tree.
After testing the BOP and tree connection, the downhole
packer is removed to enable the completion to be run and
landed in the tree.
Note 1. A dedicated marine riser is not required and the rigs
own safety equipment is employed.
Note 2. A dropped BOP is a major concern as more BOP runs
are required to install a horizontal tree. This risk is mitigated
to a degree by skidding the rig to a safe handling area.

Installing a Vertical Tree

The BOP stack is run onto the wellhead before any
completion work commences
The tubing hanger is run and oriented with the
installation and work over riser configured for the
tubing hanger running tool
The tree is then run on the installation and work over
riser configured for the tree running tool and lower
marine riser package
The riser is then retrieved and a debris cap run onto
the tree.

Flow Base For Vertical Tree

The provision of a flow base overcomes the problem of having to

disconnect flowlines from vertical trees prior retrieval in preparation
for work-over operations.

Consideration for Tree selection

The cost of a horizontal tree can be 20 40% less than a vertical tree.
Changing out horizontal trees is more time consuming than changing out
a vertical tree, since completions must be retrieved first.
When completion operations immediately follow drilling operations, two
BOP trips are required to install a horizontal tree and only one to install
a vertical tree.
For wells requiring several completion changes during the life cycle of a
well, a horizontal tree will save time since it remains in place and flow
lines need not be disconnected.
The integrity of a horizontal tree depends on the reliability of the metal
to metal seals used at the tree/tubing hanger interface and the pipes
and valves external to the tree.
Modern vertical trees are connected to a flow base which allows the
flowlines to remain connected when recovering the tree.

Overview of Upper completion components

Christmas Trees
Well Head
Tubing Hangers
Tubing
Packers and Seals

Well Head and its functions

Wellheads transfer the loads from the casing and the completion
to the ground via the surface casing
It provides a pressure barrier and flow/access control to the
annular (all of them) and the tubing string
API specification 6A is used as a guide for wellhead design
From a completion standpoint, loads are transferred from the
completion string to the wellhead via the tubing hanger

Well Head and its functions Contd

In subsea wellheads, each casing hanger is
landed within the high pressure wellhead,
stacked one on top of the other, smaller above
larger.
Each hanger is equipped with a metal to metal
seal designed to isolate the casing annulus from
wellbore pressure.
Subsea wellheads provide structural and
pressure integrity for the casing and tubing
strings that go to make up an oil and gas well.

Establishing a Subsea Well

Temporary guide base is run on

guidelines and 36 hole drilled.

Retrieve running tool.

RIH with conductor, LP wellhead and

permanent guide base, cement conductor.

Drill 26 hole, run 20 casing with HP wellhead,

land in LP wellhead, cement 20 casing.

Onshore - Wellhead

Selah Pit

Wellhead Selection Issues

Completion loads will be transfer via the tubing
hanger
Annular injection requirements (P. test, gas lift..)
will dictate orifice and valve sizes
Wet parts of the wellhead might require different
metallurgy
Instrumentation and data acquisition requirements

Overview of Upper completion components

Christmas Trees
Well Head
Tubing Hangers
Tubing
Packers and Seals

Tubing Hangers
Transfers loads from the
completion to the ground via the
surface casing
Structural support to tubing
Pressure and flow barrier

Types of Tubing hanger

There are five (5) types
Mandrel type
Ram tension type
Slip and seals
Direct suspension
Sub-mud line type

Tubing hanger selection

Mechanical rating (loading, pressures)
Number of bores(flow paths) and orifices(cables, penetrators,
hydraulic conduits..)
For subsea trees, annular access requires an additional bore
Operational considerations, landing procedure

Overview of Upper completion components

Christmas Trees
Well Head
Tubing Hangers
Tubing
Packers and Seals

Tubing Design
The cost of tubulars and completion
components is often a large portion of the
total well cost and can be as high as 20%
of the total. The tubing and completion
forms an integral part of the safety
structure of the well. Failure of the
completion can result in injuries, fatalities,
major expenditure and considerable loss
of production

Tubing Design contd

Tubing strings are designed based on the material elastic
behaviour, key properties are:
Tensile stress
Yield stress
Young modulus
Poisson ration
Ultimate tensile stress

Stress Strain Behaviour

Elastic Behavior of steel

Plastic Behavior

Mechanical properties of materials

Mechanical Loads in tubing

Mechanical Design for tubing strings

Axial Forces - Weight

Buoyancy Effect

Thermal Loading

Internal and External Pressures

Slack-off and pull of forces

Buckling

Burst Loading

Collapse Loading

Triaxial Design

Modeling Triaxial Stresses

Representation of the results

Other Considerations

Final Loading Diagram