Expandable Liner Hangers: new technology for

reducing pressure drop during circulating and

cementing operations in Ecuador.

Well Control Asia Pacific - Conference & Exhibition

1

Overview

LinerHangers

ExpandableLinerHangerTechnology

Field Results Obtained in Ecuador Using Different Models of Expandable Liner

Hangers

EcuadorFieldResultsReproducedUsingCommercialSimulators

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

Typical Reasons for Running Liners

Caseoffopenholemorerapidly.

Casingtakesalongtimetorun,drillpipetakesless.

Completewellswithlessweightlandedonwellheads.

Casingweighsalot.Wellheadshaveafiniteloadlimit.

Provideimprovedcementjobsandpreventlostcirculation.

Cementing past long strings of pipe can cause high pressure at the bottom of the
casing.Thiscancausetheformationtobreakdown.Lesscasing,lesspressure.

Permitdrillingwithatapereddrillstring.

Fordeepwells,thebiggerthedrillpipethebetter.

RigCapacity

Rigs,canonlyholdsomuch.Lessweight,loweroperationalrisks.

Economics.

Casingcostsmoney!

Liner Hangers

Usedtohang thelinerintheexistingcasing.
Supportsthelinerload.
Preventsthelinerfromgoingintocompression.
Allowslinertobecementedifnecessary.
Canbecombinedwithalinerpacker.

Types of Liner Hangers

Mechanical

Actuatedbyrightorlefthandrotationofthedrillpipe.
Typicallyrunonverticalwells.

Hydraulic

Actuatedbypressure.
Typicallyrunonhorizontalwellsordirectionalwells.

Expandable

IncreasedbypassareaduetosmallerODofthesystem.
Nomovingmechanismsintheannulus.Hydraulicbalanced.
Canbewashed/reamed/drilledtodepth.
TopDownexpansionofhangerandpacker.
Confirmationthathangerissetandrunningtoolreleasedpriortocementing.

Expandable Liner Hanger Technology

Abletorotateordrillinaliner.
Biggerbypassarea.
Abletohanglinerandreleasefromlinerpriortocementation.
Packerissethydraulicallywithoutrelianceonplugbump.
Leverages off proven and highly successful expandable metal seal
technology.
Pressuredifferential10Kpsiabove,7.5Kpsibelow.
TorqueRating40Kftlbs.
Able to apply slack off to push liner into the wellbore (200 K
compression).
Canbewashed,reamed,andevendrilledtosettingdepth.
Plugbumpdesiredbutnotimperativetosuccess.
Verifyreleaseofrunningtoolpriortopumpingcement.
Setlinertoppackeraftercementjob.

Expandable Liner Hanger Technology

Expandable Hanger Technology: by-pass area development

Original
Bypassarea

Firstimprovement
Bypassarea

Current
Bypassarea

Flow Area Comparison: two designs of expandable slips

Field Results (Ecuador) - two different hanger designs

OperationalconditionsinPetroAmazonas(Wells).
Duringexpandablelinerhangerinstallations
Well
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3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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22
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Wellname

EdenYuturiJ83
YanaquinchaEsteA11
YanaquinchaEsteA12
EdenYuturiJ84
EdenYuturiD85
YanaquinchaEsteA13
JivinoA16
EdenYuturiB10
EdenYuturiD86
YanaquinchaEsteA14
JivinoA17
EdenYuturiD87
EdenYuturiA99
JivinoA18
EdenYuturiD88
YanaquinchaEsteA15
EdenYuturiD89
JivinoA19
Dumbique2I
EdenYuturiD90
LagunaA13
EdenYuturiD113
Limoncocha31
Limoncocha32

Date

29Oct08
7Dic08
6Ene09
16Ene09
23Feb09
02Mar09
12Mar09
14Mar09
21Mar09
2Abr09
8Abr09
12Abr09
05May09
07May09
08May09
09May09
30May09
05Jun09
12Jun09
17Jun09
10Jul09
18Jul09
14Aug09
09Sep09

Hangerbeforeset Hangerafterset
(PSI@10BPM)
1200
1050
1250
1200
1200
1150@7Bpm
1150
1460
850
1100
980
960@8.5Bpm
1350
850
1100
1500
1170
1020
1800
1250
1000
1050
1350
1200

(PSI@10BPM)
1700
1900
1800
1750
1815
1550@6Bpm
1490
1875
1375
1600
1800
980@8.5Bpm
1450
1000
1180
1550
1200
1084
1900
1275
1200
1100
1500
1400

Statistical Results
DifferentialPressure(setandunsetExapandablelinerHanger).Pumping@10BPM
PetroAmazonasWells(Fielddata)

Differentialpressurebetweensetandunsetexpandablelinerhanger

900

800

700

600

500

NewmodelExpandable
LinerHanger

400

300

200
StandardandoldExpandable
LinerHanger
100

0
0

10

11

12

13

Wellnumber

11

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

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Expandable Liner Hanger Running Sequence

RIH,circulateandcleanthehole.
Dropsettingball,pressureup

FirstStroketosetthehanger
Releasesettingtool
Blowoutsettingball
ResettoolforsecondStroke

Checkthattoolisreleased.
Pump&cement,monitorforplugsbump
Applypressureforsecondstroketosetpacker
Pickuptoolabovelinertopandproceedtotest
theseal
Pulloutofholewiththerunningtool

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Expandable Liner Hanger Packer Specifications

ExpandableLinerHangerSpecifications
Linersize
(in.)

LinerWeight
Range(lb/ft)

Casingsize
(in.)

CasingWeight
Range(lb/ft)

5.000
7.000
7.625

1518
2635
29.739

2629

9.625

4753.5

Setting
Maximum Minimum
Pressure
OD(in.)
OD(in,)
(psi)
4,500
3,000
4,000

5.813
8.250
8.344

BypassArea
Linersize(in.)
5.000
7.000
7.625

13

Casing
Size/Weight
7"26#/ft
7"29#/ft
95/8"47#/ft
95/8"53.5#/ft
95/8"47#/ft
95/8"53.5#/ft

Set(in.2)
80Ksi
125Ksi
Extension
Extension

Unset(in.2)
125Ksi
80KsiExtension
Extension
3.5
2.6

2.8
2.6

2.7
6.5

5
4.1
6.9

5
3.7

4.5
3.5

4.223
6.188
6.820

Expandable Liner Hanger Packer Specifications

(Contd)

LinerHangerSeal
Size(in.)
5x7
7x9.625
7.625x9.625

Pressure
Pressure
Ratingfrom Ratingfrom
above(psi) bellow(psi)
11,500

10,500

10,000

7,500

Temperature
Operating
Range(F)
300

HangerBody
Size(in.)
5x7
7x9.625
7.625x9.625

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Material
80KsiMYS
125KsiMYS

Burst(psi)
12,343
10,415
14,434

Yield
Tensile
Collapse
Rating(lb)
(psi)
11,391
9,737
13,600

453,610
664,558
1,033,547

Typical Cementing Program (PetroAmazonas)

Pump5bbltofilllines
Testcementlines6000psi
Pump30bblcasingClean
Pump5bblofwater
Pump30bblofcasingclean
Circulateuntilcleanreturns
Mixleadslurry+/ 15ppg
PumpMudplussurfactant30bbl
Pumpcasingclean30Bls @5bpm
Pumpfreshwater5bbl
PumpCleanmud12ppg @5bpm
Pumpcleanmud110Bls 12ppg
Pumpleadslurry14ppg @5bpm
Pumptailslurry15.5ppg @5bpm
Releaseplug
Displacewithmudat10bpm
Checkforplugbump
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Process Followed for Reproducing Field Results (Ecuador)

Pressuredropprediction
throughexpandableliner
hanger,duringcirculating
operations.

Obtain information
about: Sur vey,
detailed well
schematic, BHA,
circu lating fluids, etc.

Obtain real
information (field
data associated to
pressure drop) for
calibrating the
simulation model.

Repr oduce field data

and validate Cd for
the specific
completion and BHA
configuration.

Predict possible
pressur e drop through
the system taking into
account the new flow
area and circulating
fluids.

Concludeaboutresults

16

Determine coefficient
of discharge (Cd),
taking into account
liner hanger
configuration and
field data.

Field Results Reproduced Using Commercial Simulator

Resultscomparison.Pressuredropdetermination
duringcirculatingoperationsusingconventionalLinerHanger.
Pumpingconditions
Rate
Rate
Gal/min
Bls/min
168
4
252
6
336
8
420
10
504
12

Realpressure(psig) Simulatedpressure
*
(psig)**
150
254
860
561
990
990
1650
1540
2200
2200

*Realpumpingpressure(fielddata)
**Simulatedpumpingpressure
Equivalentflowarea(3.9sq.in).(Hangerhasbeenset)
Drillingfluidweight10.5ppg

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Field Results Reproduced Using Commercial Simulator

Pumpingpressureduringwellcircu latingprocessusingconventionalHanger
Comparisonbetweenrealandsimulationdata(10.5ppgcompletionfluid)
2 500
2 250
2 000

P um ping pre ssur e(p sig)

1 750

1 500
1 250

1 000

750
500
250

0
2

10

Pu mpin gra te (Bls/min )

R eald ata

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Simu lat ed res ults(3 .9 in2)

12

14

Field Results Reproduced Using Commercial Simulator

Pumpingpressurecomparison(simulated)usingnewexpandablelinerhanger
(16.5ppgcompletionfluid)
4000
3750
3500
3250
3000
Pumpingpressure(psig)

2750
2500
2250
2000
1750
1500
1250
1000
750
500
250
0
0

Pumpingrate(Bls/min)
3.9in2equivalentflowarea

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6.5in2equivalentflowarea

10

11

12

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Conclusions

There is a reduction in pressure drop during cementing operations using

new model of expandable liner hanger versus traditional and old
expandablelinerhangersmodels.

Documented reduction in pressure drop during cementing jobs has been

above400psiapproximately(average)whencirculating@10BPM using
thenewExpandableLinerHanger.

Usingcommercialsoftwareitwaspossibletoreproducefieldresults.This
methodology is being used for predicting possible behavior and planning
actionsbeforeexpandablelinerhangerinstallations.

Optimumdesignmust consider circulating area of tie back extension and

linerhanger.
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Conclusions (contd)

Pressure drop results obtained during cementing circulation jobs, using

expandable liner hangers, depends on the liner configuration and well
survey.Inthissense,thecoefficientofdischargecalculatedineachcase,
during the simulation process, could be adjusted for other liner
configurations.

Forotherapplicationssuchaslinerdrill/reamdownoperations, thisstudy
may help to predict down hole conditions and to avoid operational
problemsduepressurespikesorreducedflowarea.

This study helps to understand changes in pressure behavior in liner

hangerinstallations,duringfluiddisplacementacrossdifferent flowareas
improvingcementedjobconditions.

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Acknowledgement

With PetroAmazonas personnel support and using PetroAmazonas wells

waspossibletooptimizebypassareaofexpandablelinerhangers.

Currentlyoptimalbypassarea(takingintoaccountengineering, HS&Eand
customertechnicalcriteria),is6.5in2 afterset.

Pressure drop reduction during circulating operations were documented

usingrealwells(PetroAmazonas)underrealoperationalconditions.

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