Burst and Collapse Responses of Production Casing in Thermal Applications

Summary
Amencan Petroleum Institute (API) design equations describing
burst and collapse limits of tubulars do not address pipe body
response when axial stress in the casing exceeds the material
yield strength. However, casing yielding commonly occurs in ther
mal operations in wcstcm Canada. there steam-assisted gravitydrainage (SAG) and cyclic-slc.ani-stimulation (CSS) operating
temperatures generally range from 200 to 350C. Cemented pro
duction casing is subject to both passive and active loading conditions
during operation: thernially induced strain-based cyclic axial
loading occurs in conjunction with net internal or external differential
pressure. A sound enginccnng basis for selecting tubular
configurations that considers the combined loading state in this
situation and establishes an appropriate design margin does not
currently exist.
This paper describes numerical analyses for combined postyield loading conditions and provides a staiting.poins for bunt
and collapse design for thermal casing. Burst analysis of axially
constrained casing indicates that, contrary to what might be
inferred from elastic-strength calculations, an initial thermally
induced axial compressive strain does not substantially reduce the
burst (rupture) pressure. [Sy contrast, even low net externa] pres
sures can leed to ovalization and loss of welibore access when
combined with thermally induced axial strain if the cement sheath
does not offer adequate radial support Sensitivity studies demon

strate the strong influence of pipe daincter-to.thicknes ratio (D/t)

and pressure ratios and pipe material mechanical properties on
ovalization response. Analysis results are compared with API
burst and collapse predictions, thermal operating experience at
Shell Canadas Peace River project, and available physical testing
results for similar loading conditions.
Introduction
Pipe body collapse and burst limit characterizations have been the
focus of much effort and standardization. The work ia leading to a
better understanding of limits: the impact of axial stresses, material
properties, defects, and casing/ccment/fonnatjon interaction;
statistical variations and probabilistic foimulauon and compari
son with physical testing results (primarily for collapse). However,
much of the focus of the past work and subsequent standardization
has been geared toward elastic designs and the quantification of
associated safety factors. Work described in this paper explores
deformation responses and sensitivities of cemented thermal casing
strings that axe axially loaded beyond materia) yield (by means
of thermally induced mechanical straining) but that are generally
operated at differential pressures that are substantially lower than
those required to satisfy elastic limits associated with burst and
collapse design. Rapid acceleration of the use of thermal
enhanced-oil-recovery (BOR) techmiques and the lack of sound
burst and collapse design equations for such wells highlight the
need for advancement in this arca. Slatcd simply, one might cast
the question this way: My pipe has already yielded what are my

burst and collapse safety margins? Whereas the burst rupture

------------------------------------------------------------------------limit is relatively well-described in American National Standards
Institute (ANSI)/API Technical Report 5C3 (2008) for the range
of axial conditions, collapse limits in a similar state remain unad
dressed, and little published work the authors have found enables
quantification of strain levels at intermediate yield conditions (i.e.,
beyond initial yield but far from burst).
Although many papers have been published on design and
selection of tubulars and connections for thermal EOR applica
tions, not one includes an in-depth exploration of the inq,act of
pressure on the pipe-body design in the context of cross-s4ctional
stability. The experimental study conducted by Maruya4 et al.
(1990) does provide some initial comparisons of the clollapse
response of thennal tuhulais in tension with API equations an important starting point and appropriate complementasy reference
for the work discussed here.
Pattillo and Huang (1982), (lever and Stewart (l99), and
klever and Tamano (2006) indicate the relationship between
post-yield pipe pressure capacity and post-yield material ,proper
ties for both burst and collapse, a dependency we consida highly
relevant to the present discussion, couridering the yieldig that
occurs during servoe. Collapse behavior is expected to beappre
ciably more complex than buiit behavior and with differe4it gov
erning variables. We thus review burst as a precursor Ito the
collapse discussion. I

The impact of cement on burst and collapse resistanc is not

explicitly considered in this paper, other than in related assump
tions made regarding overall pipe constraint and lateral buckling
support Por burst, good cement coverage (and load transfer to the
cement and formation) will add to burst resistance (Zinkliam and
Goodwin 1962 KaliJ and McSpaddcn 201 1), bu we ignore this
benefit here for design purposes. Simibrly, good cement coverage
will resist progressive ovalization as external pressure acts on the
ppe (Rodriguez et ai. 2003), but we ignore that improved Itupporl
so that local variations in cement quality are accommodated in the
design. We assume cement quality is adequate to restrain the ca;
ing from expanding axially along much of its length during heat
ing, and to prevent lateral buckling of the pipe structure as
compressive forces are generated. Thus, the general intesit is to
enable deformation-tolerant casing designs that do not imlicitly
rely on the cement sheath and formation fur burst and c4illapse
resistance. Connection behavior is not addressed in the eesent
discussion.
Application Details and History. Western Canadian al
EOR application started in earnest in the niid-l9SOs and hai been
accelerating ever since. Applications range from Iow-4rmperature SAGD operations that operate ai peak temperatures f 200
to 300C to higher-temperature OES operations that may reach
temperatures as high as 350C and operating pressures of apiroxi
mately 165 MPs. Whereas SAGD was initially considered a
kinder, gentler process than OES because it was expected

to involve less thermal cyding, pilot and early commercial

SAGD experIences have made it clear that suds wells can experi
ence substantial cycling and should thus be designed with this in
mind.
Shell canada energys peace river operationinvolves a combination of CSS and SAGD/steamdrive applications in nortwestern Alberta. This field in currebtly composed of 9 pads consisting
of 7 to 16 wells per pad, and has produced up to 2200 m3/d of