The Use of PowerPlan to Perform a Liner Running Analysis

The DrillSAFE and Hydraulics modules of the Drilling Office Software have been used to successfully
model liner running procedures. The program is used to model each step in the liner running procedure as
appropriate, starting with the weight of the liner during make up, down to the setting of the liner top packer.
This practice was initiated for planning liners using an ‘inner string’ on ERD wells. The analysis was
required due to the criticality of induced downhole pressures and running loads. The practice has now been
adopted for all wells. The general steps in performing this analysis are outlined below.

1. Monitor torque and drag and friction factor trends while drilling the interval.
2. Calibrate the friction factor inside casing and in open hole for the last assembly run in the hole (eg, if
there is a cleanout or mud paddle run than use the data collected during that run). A separate friction
factor should be calculated for rotating, pick up and slack off.
3. Obtain a copy of the liner running program from the appropriate service company.
4. Go through the procedure step by step and identify points at which torque and drag and/or pressure
readings may be recorded.
5. Accurately model the liner assembly as appropriate in the various steps. (Note: there may be some
points in the liner running procedure when only drillpipe weight is seen at surface)
6. Prepare a table identifying each relevant step and record the torque and drag results obtained from
DrillSAFE.
7. Run a multipoint pickup and slackoff analysis to simulate the running of the liner and prepare a
running loads plot. Depending on the type of centralizers used, it may be appropriate to use
CemCADE to model the liner running hookloads. CemCADE assumes that there is no friction
generated by rigid centralizers so when these centralizers are run Powerplan and CemCADE should
yield the same results. If bowspring centralizers are used, CemCADE should predict slightly higher
drag forces than PowerPlan. Regardless of the program chosen, it is important to use an accurately
calibrated friction factor. It should be noted that CemCADE allows the input of only one friction
factor, i.e you cannot distinguish between open/cased hole or pick up/slack off.
8. DrillSAFE may also be used to determine if liner rotation is possible based on the torque generated at
surface, the torque generated at the liner top, and the limiting torsional capacity in the string.
9. Run the hydraulics analysis as appropriate and record results in a table. Note: It may be important to
determine the pressure drop across the liner running tool or the hanger. Although, the hydraulics
program will not do this directly, all of the information required to perform this calculation will be
included in the Hydraulics output reports. It should be noted that PowerPlan Hydraulics can only be
used in the precementing operations as it simulates only one fluid in the hole. CemCADE may be used
for pressure analysis while cementing.
10. With the cooperation of the company providing the liner running service, it is possible to collect the
actual data acquired while running the liner to be used as lessons learned for future liner analysis. It
may be possible to obtain an ascii file of liner running hookloads from the mudlogger.

The figure below illustrates the planned and actual liner running hookloads. It is obvious from the plot
that, if the friction factor is calibrated properly, DrillSAFE can provide an accurate prediction of liner
running loads.

I have also attached a sample of the tables included in the Liner Running Program.
 B-16 27 178mm Liner Running Loads
Pick Up Slack Off Actual Hookload

250
Pick Up ff = 0.2
Slack off ff = 0.32
200
Hookload (MT)

150

100

50

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Measured Depth (m)
 Sample Tables
1. ROTATING DRILLING ASSEMBLY AT TD (As per Well Construction Program)

Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface

Pump On (m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating 40
Pick up
Set down

Pump Off Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface

(m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down

2. ROTATING DRILLING ASSEMBLY AT 244mm SHOE (As per Well Construction Program)
Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface
Pump On (m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set Down

Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface

Pump Off (m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set Down
NOTE: Subject to field measurements of torque and drag while running the clean out assembly. Fax
completed data sheet to Onshore Drilling at 753-1475, Attention: Miriam Woodfine.

3. ROTATING CLEAN OUT ASSEMBLY AT TD (As per LRP Step 10):

Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface
Pump On (m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down

Pump Off Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface

(m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down

4. Rotating Clean Out Assembly at 244mm Shoe (As per LRP Step 10):
Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface
Pump On (m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set Down

Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Measured Surface

Pump Off (m) (m3/min) Hookload (MT) Hookload (MT) Surface Torque Torque
(1000 N.m) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set Down
Friction factors used in the liner calculations below are as follows:
 Rotating = 0.20, Slack off = 0.18 and Pick Up = 0.20 (Slack off in casing = 0.18)
 These were calibrated based on torque and drag measurements with mud paddle cleanout BHA.

5. WEIGHT OF LINER (As per LRP Step 25):

Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
(m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
(MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down

6. LINER ROTATION AT 244mm SHOE (As per LRP Step 27):

Rotating Liner Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
at 244mm Shoe (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
Pump On (MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)

Rotating
Pick up
Set down
Note: Calculated Torque at Liner top is ??? kN.m while rotating at 244mm shoe

7. LINER RUNNING HOOKLOAD PLOT (As per LRP Step 28)

See Liner Running Hookload Plot on Page 6 for this liner.

8. LINER DRAG AT TD (As per LRP Step 29):

Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
Tag Bottom (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
(MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)
SO With 5 MT
SO With 10 MT
Pick Up
9. SET LINER HANGER (As per LRP Step 36):
Set Liner Hanger Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
(weight of dp (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
only) (MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down

Liner Hanger does Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
not set (Rotate and (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
slack off to set) (MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down

10. SET DOWN ADDITIONAL WEIGHT ON LINER HANGER (As per LRP Step 38):
Set Additional Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
15MT on liner (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
(weight of dp (MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)
only)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down

11. RELEASING SETTING TOOL (As per LRP Step 39):

Pick up dp weight Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
(weight of dp (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
only) (MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down
Note: Expected stretch at surface is ?? m with no movement at the running tool (picking up drillpipe only).
Total pickup should be ??m + ??m = ??m
 12. ESTABLISH LINER ROTATION (As per LRP Step 44):
After Liner Hanger Depth Flow Calculated Measured Load on Liner Calculate Measured
Set (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload Hanger (MT) d Surface Surface Torque
Slack-off (MT) (MT) Torque (kN.m)
Drillstring Weight (kN.m)
(MT)
0
10
20
30
40
50
Note: 1) Calculated Torque at Liner Top is ?? kN.m while rotating with the hanger set.
2) Maximum permitted slack-off is ?? MT. (Refer to step 54 of the LRP)
3) Please refer to Item 5 in the notes below

13. SETTING ZXP LINER TOP PACKER (As per LRP Step 54):
Set ZXP Liner Top Depth Flow Calculated Measured Calculated Surface Torque Measured
Packer (m) (m3/min) Hookload Hookload (1000 N.m) Surface Torque
(30MT set down (MT) (MT) (1000 N.m)
weight)
Rotating
Pick up
Set down
Notes:
1. The torque and drag measurements with the clean-out assembly are designed to establish the friction factors (rotating, translational, cased hole
and open hole) for modeling liner running forces.
2. Pump-on data will be used for liner rotation. Pump-off data will help with the liner setting and running tool releasing procedures.
3. The difference in surface torque values with the clean-out assembly at the shoe and at TD will approximate the torque that the liner will see.
4. Some wells will show a difference in torque between picking up and slacking off. It is important to get a feel for this relationship. Once the
liner hanger is set, some weight can be set down on the hanger bearing and this may reduce surface torque.
5. The PowerPlan model does not predict the changes that can occur when displacing a heavier slurry with a different friction factor. Therefore,
any surface torque increase that occurs once the slurry is pumped should be assumed to act on the liner thread.
Liner Critical StandPipe Pressure Analysis:
Estimated
LRP Critical Downhole Pressure Calculated Downhole
Flowrate Stand Pipe
Step # Description (For hydraulically operated tools) Differential Pressures Comments
m3/min. Pressure
PRE-CEMENTING OPERATIONS Liner Hanger** Running Liner Running
Tool** Hanger Tool
Circulate Liner
MW=
Break Circulation At PV =
Shoe YP =
Wash down liner &
circulate and condition
mud

Circulate Setting Ball

Set Liner Hanger
Release Setting Tool
Shear-out Landing Collar