Top-Drive Casing-Running Process Improves Safety and Capability

Abstract

Summary The conventional casing-running process is personnel-intensive and requires considerable human contact with the casing. A new casing-running system facilitates mechanizing the casing-running process. This technology eliminates potential safety hazards, provides assurance that the casing can be run to the intended casing point, offers the ability to ream casing to bottom, reduces personnel requirements for running casing, and eliminates the need for a stabber in the derrick. A portable casing-drive tool is used to pick up joints of casing from the "V-door," position the casing over the stump in the rotary table, and grip the top of the casing without making a threaded connection. The drive tool supports the full torsional and axial load for running the casing and provides the ability to circulate the well at any time to wash and ream to bottom as tight hole or fill is encountered. The top drive provides the rotary power to make up and rotate the casing. The new portable casing-running system had been used on more than 430 jobs for more than 40 operators in nine countries (at the end of 2004) to run more than 3 million ft of casing of various weights, grades, and connection types, with sizes ranging from 4½ to 16 in. These jobs encompass wells from vertical holes to high-angle extended-reach wells and include both onshore and offshore applications. The system has been completely mechanized on one casing-drilling rig to allow the driller to routinely pick up casing from the pipe racks and make connections without human contact with the pipe.