CHAPTER 1

LINER HANGER SYSTEMS

Chapter At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

Objective
o Identify and explain the purpose of the layers of casing.
o Identify and explain the purpose of a liner and liner hanger.
o Explain the basic process of a liner job.
o Identify and explain the various applications of a liner.
o Identify the three types of liners and the applications of each.
o Explain the purpose of a liner top packer.
o Explain the purpose of a cement manifold.

Topics
Casing Program
Liners
Basic Process of a Liner Job
Liner Applications
Liner Types
Liner Top Packers
Cementing
Exercise: Review Questions

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 1

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 2
Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Casing Program

Introduction The completion systems covered in this chapter are liners. The information
is designed to provide basic information about casing/liners and what they
can do for well programs.

Although casing and liners appear identical and serve the same function,
there is one way to differentiate them: casing is run all the way back to the
surface while a liner hangs from casing or another liner. Keep this
difference in mind while both are being discussed in the remainder of this
chapter.

Common Every well typically has more

Casing/Liner than one layer of casing. Each
Layout layer reduces in size as the hole
descends and serves a specific
purpose.

Drilling to a particular depth is

due to the fracture gradient of
the formation. As the well is
drilled to a certain depth and a
new fracture gradient is
reached, a new type of casing
or liner is installed.

Fracture gradient is
the pressure gradient
(psi/ft) at which a
formation accepts whole
fluid from the wellbore.

The next two pages explain the

purpose of each casing layer.
This information helps with
planning a casing program and
liners used to replace or
enhance casing.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 3

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Conductor Pipe The conductor pipe, sometimes called drive pipe, is first to be set in the
well. It can reach from 30-200 ft deep, but generally remains at a depth of
100 ft.

The term drive pipe is used only if a pile driver hammers the casing into the
hole. If this section of casing is hammered into the hole there is no need to
cement.

The primary purpose of the drive pipe is to:

o Prevent washing out under the rig

o Provide elevation for the flow nipple

The conductor pipe is also available in a variety of sizes, and can be welded
or threaded.

Surface String The surface string is the second layer of casing set into a well. It can reach
from 100-3,000 ft in depth, or more. Rarely does the surface string reach
deeper than 3,000 ft.

The surface string serves many purposes:

o Protects fresh water formations

o Cases unconsolidated or lost circulation formations.
o Supports subsequent casing strings
o Provides the primary pressure control

The formation type may affect how the surface string is placed. In hard rock
areas it is acceptable for the surface string to be only a few hundred feet
deep. At this depth, the casing will serve its purpose without using
conductor pipe, but in soft rock areas, it is necessary to use both the
conductor pipe and surface string. In these instances, the conductor string is
200-300 ft deep and the surface string can reach a depth of approximately
3,000 ft.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 4

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Intermediate The intermediate string is optional and determined by well depth. When
String used, it can extend to depth of 3,000-10,000 ft. The intermediate string can
be cemented to the surface string or the previously run casing.

The primary purpose of the intermediate string is to:

o Separate the hole into workable sections

o Seal off troublesome zones, which may contaminate the
drilling fluid
o Allow for use of various drilling fluids necessary for control
over lower formations

Production The final string is the production string. It can be set at any depth required.
String The production string may be made out of chrome in order to combat hostile
downhole environments such as H2S and CO2.

The primary purpose of the production string is to:

o Isolate the pay zone from other formation liquids

o Protect production equipment
o Allow use of sand control screen
o Cover worn or damaged casing

Liner Finally, attached to the bottom of the production string may be a liner. A
liner is a short length of pipe, located at the end of a casing string. It can be
wrapped with specially shaped wire designed to prevent the entry of loose
material into the well as it is produced. In some cases a slotted section of
liner can be used instead of the wire wrapped screen.

A liner can also be part of a liner system, which is explained in the next
section.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 5

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Liners

Introduction There are many uses for a liner

system assembly in a well. A
liner system usually consists of
a liner, liner hanger, and other
components determined by the
application. Well Head

The basic purpose of a liner

hanger system is to reduce the
overall operations cost by
reducing the usage of casing Casing
and cement. Also, in deep
wells, liner systems allow for
quicker installation, which
reduces rig time and overall
cost. A benefit to using a liner
in these situations is that it
Liner Top
lands less weight on the
wellhead, allowing deeper
drilling in certain situations.
Liner Hanger
Expandable liners are also System
useful in an underreamed
wellbore. This is especially true
when the outside diameter
(OD) of the liner after
expansion is larger than the
inside diameter (ID) of the Liner
previous casing or liner. The
expandable liner is passed
through and hung on the
existing casing or liner; a collet
is then run through to expand
the ID of the new liner. This
practice creates a monobore, a Example of a wellhead with casing
wellbore with the same size ID. string and liner.
The maximized wellbore aids
in production.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 6

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Liner Hanger A liner hanger is another component in the liner
system assembly. It is a device used to hang a
liner on the internal wall of the previous casing
string.

A liner hanger can serve multiple purposes

during both drilling and production. A liner
hanger:

o Acts as a tensile unit while the liner is

hanging (except for a scab liner).
o Provides the ability to affect a pressure-
tight connection between the liner and
other completion components integral to
the liner hanger system (acting as a
pressure vessel).
o Allows circulation and cementing of a
suspended liner.
o Can be used as a well completion
component.

The liner reduces the hanged weight at the

wellhead. If the liner is placed at the bottom, it
also provides lock in tension, which aids in the
prevention of the casing buckling. PSH PSHR

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 7

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Liner Hanger Typical liner hanger technology has slips that exert a high amount of tension
Technology in a concentrated area. The image on the left below shows a typical liner
hanger where tension is localized to one area. The yellow area indicates up
to 152,381 lbs of tension. This type of technology limits the amount of
weight that can be hung.

Pocket Slips for a Liner Hanger

The Pocket Slip Liner Hanger is Smith’s answer to increasing the amount of
weight a liner hanger can support while decreasing the amount of tension
applied to a concentrated area. The highest amount shown is 31,263 lbs. The
image below shows less tension is applied to a larger area using Pocket Slip
technology.

Typical Liner Hanger Pocket Slip Technology

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 8

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Basic Process of a Liner Job

Introduction The application, type of liner and packer will affect the specific steps
involved with a liner job. Although each liner job follows a very basic
process, outlined below are steps that could vary from job to job.

Preparation Preparation is necessary before any job. First, the wellbore needs to be free
of any obstructions. This is done by circulating mud through the hole, which
will remove cuttings and mud cake attached to the wall.

Make up the float shoe, float collar and landing collar into the assembly.
The assembly is typically separated by one joint of liner from the float shoe
to the float collar.

The float shoe is made up on the end of the string

and should be used in standard applications. The
cement at the bottom of the float shoe is rounded
and designed to guide the liner into the hole.

A guide shoe is
recommended in place of a
float shoe in softer
formations or when the
string will sit on bottom. A
float collar is typically
made up one joint above
the guide shoe. This is
necessary when the guide
Float Shoe shoe may potentially
become plugged with Float Collar
debris.

The poppets in both the float shoe and float collar

are designed to prevent any backflow of fluids, Float Collar
primarily heavier columns of cement.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 9

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
 Once the float shoe or guide shoe
is run into the hole, three or four
joints of liner are run in and an
injection flow test is performed by
pumping fluid through the joints.
This procedure verifies all of the
valves are working properly.

Special Casing Elevator

Running in the The remaining liner is run

Hole into the hole once the
preparation is complete.
The liner is filled with
mud to prevent the casing
walls from collapsing into
the well. The differential
pressure and smoothness
of the string running into
Lifting Casing to Rig Floor the hole are dependant on
the frequency that casing
is run into the hole.

The well circulation is

verified once the float
shoe reaches the previous
casing shoe. The liner
hanger assembly is made
up to the liner string. The
drill pipe and liner are run
at the top of the assembly.

Casing Guide Shoe

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 10

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
 The last joint of drill pipe is
made up with the cement
manifold attached.

Once the liner reaches the

desired depth, the pick-up and
slack-off weights are recorded.
Major problem indicators include
a string tht cannot be lifted off
the bottom or string weight that
doesn’t match calculations made
prior to beginning the job.

The wellbore is circulated in

order to clean the annular space.
Circulation continues until the
flare gas and solids over the
Casing Stabber
shaker are at a minimum.

Setting the Liner The operator will set the liner hanger
Hanger per the requirements of the specific
type and model. After the liner is set,
the well is circulated once more, but
this time through the cement
manifold and until the pump pressure
stabilizes.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 11

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Cementing The cementing process is completed by pumping a weighted chemical
spacer and cement slurry downhole. Once all the required cement has been
pumped, the pump down plug is released through the cement manifold.

The pump rate is reduced

to less than three barrels
a minute. The pump
down plug is released
and once it lands, the
well is recirculated for at
least 8-hours before
tripping out of the hole.

Problems with the

wellbore can occur if the
wellbore is pressured up
during or immediately
Cementing Hoses
after the cementing
process. A microannulus can be created between the casing and the liner or
around the cement sheath, allowing two or more zones to commingle.

Tripping Out of The setting tool is tripped out of the hole and the job is complete.
Hole

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 12

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Liner Applications

Introduction The liner applications identified in this section are the most common. These
applications show only the most basic process for liner set up. There are
many factors to consider when selecting a liner:

o Casing size, weight, grade, depth

o Liner size, weight, grade, depth, connection
o Setting depth of the liner hanger
o Inclination of the liner hanger
o Proposed trajectory of the wellbore
o Size and weight of the drill pipe
o Completion stimulation operations after the liner is installed
o Load applied to the hanger
o Completion or wellbore fluids
o Pressure and temperature

Drilling Liner The drilling liner is a cost effective

way to lengthen the hole without
having to run casing. The liner should
overlap 200-400 ft inside the existing
liner or casing.

This liner is used primarily to permit

deeper drilling operations when both
low and high pressure formations are
present. The drilling liner permits
safer drilling for out-of-balance
environments.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 13

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Production Liner A production liner is sometimes used
instead of casing because it is much more
cost effective. The liner is typically set
through the production zone. A higher
production rate is evident (compared to
casing) when performing a hydraulic
fracture (or frac job). In hostile
environments, the internal (flow wetted)
components must be upgraded (i.e., H2S
and CO2).

In a production capacity, the liner serves

as a conduit for the hydrocarbons. A liner
used in production will optimize the cost
of the casing string as it is less expensive
and faster to install than casing. The use
of a liner instead of casing allows the ID
of the wellbore to remain larger as the
casing is tied-back to the surface. The ID
of the smallest casing becomes the ID of
the entire wellbore.

Tie-Back Liner A tie-back liner is a section of casing

extending from the top of an existing
liner to the surface. Typically, it isolates
the upper casing string from corrosive
environments. Conditions requiring a
tie-back include a change in mud
weight (if the existing casing doesn’t
support the mud weight required) and
casing corrosive downhole conditions
(H2S is present in the well). A seal
assembly (tie-back seal) is run on the
bottom of the extended casing string
sealing inside of the tie-back receptacle
(TBR).

It is recommended to put a tie-back on

all liner applications as a safety factor.
It reduces repair cost, time and permits
continued production of pay zones
without extended delays.

Compared to a scab, the tie-back

provides a higher pressure rating over a
longer period of time.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 14

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Scab A scab liner is used to repair damaged
Application existing casing. The scab can be
cemented into place or the top and
bottom can be sealed using packers.

Hold-down slips are recommended in

scab applications and short liners
because the pressure can float the
liner. The scab is run on tubing or drill
pipe with a mechanical-set setting tool
and a tamping dog assembly.

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 15

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Liner Types

Three Basic Many completions companies will offer three basic types of liners:
Types
o Basic
o Intermediate
o Premium

Depending on the application, one of the

above liners will work better than
another. These liner types are designed
for wells ranging from vertical to
horizontal in ideal to the most extreme
environments.

Another factor in liner hanger system

selection is the need for mechanical or
hydraulic actuation. A mechanical
system is generally selected when it is
possible to get torsional force downhole,
as in a vertical wellbore.

A hydraulic system is selected when it is

not possible to rotate while downhole
due to torque or connection issues, such
as releasing the connection with rotation.

The following information is based on

Smith tools only. Please verify with each
individual vendor which of their products
will perform best in a specific wellbore.
Basic Liners A basic liner system is typically designed
for a simple wellbore. In order to work
properly, the wellbore should be vertical
and free of H2S or CO2. The basic liner is
reliable in perfect well conditions and is
very economical. They do not rotate to
enter the wellbore or after placement in
the hole.

Basic Liner System

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 16

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Intermediate Intermediate liner systems tend to be
Liners very reliable and are designed for
wellbores with higher pressure
ratings. Most intermediate systems
are also able to rotate while tripping
into the wellbore, which is helpful
with a deviated wellbore.

Intermediate Liner System

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 17

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Premium Liners Premium liner systems have the
highest pressure and temperature
ratings, highest torque ratings, and
offer rotational options. A liner
system with this many features is
ideal for horizontal applications as it
can be rotated to get into the
wellbore and once set, can be rotated
for a better cement job.

Premium Liner System

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 18

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Liner Top Packers

Introduction A liner top packer can be used as the primary seal when cementing
the complete liner or when the primary cement seal at the liner top
cannot be obtained. A liner top packer will usually consist of a
tieback receptacle, a setting adapter appropriate for the setting tool,
and a packer element used to seal the top of the annulus.

The liner top packer is set after the liner is cemented into place.
Excess cement can be circulated out after the packer has been set.

Long reach packers are available for un-cemented, slotted or

screened liners. The Smith Long Reach Packer has the following
features:

o Push, pull, rotate at any time

o Hydraulic set & hydraulic release
o Reliable, single action setting and releasing
o Internal by-pass for fast run in and low formation surge
o Super high torque drill down systems

Be sure to verify with your sales representative that the liner top
packer will meet the specific needs of your wellbore.

JMPO Liner
Top Packer

Long Reach Liner Top Packer

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 19

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Cementing

Introduction A cement manifold is necessary for any cementing job. It provides a path
for the cement to be transported downhole without passing through the rig’s
top drive assembly.

Cement According to the type of manifold, the cement will be directed

Manifolds downhole via the rotary kelly or the top drive. Make sure to
check with a sales representative for the manifold that will work
best for the rig and wellbore.

CMIB

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 20

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Exercise: Review Questions

Answer the following questions based on the information covered in Chapter 1.

1. What are the different layers in a casing program?

2. Which section of liner is first exposed to hostile environments? Does this affect the
entire casing program?

3. What is the difference between a liner and a liner hanger?

4. What are the three liner types and an application for each?

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 21

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems
Answer the following questions based on the information covered in Chapter 1.

5. What is the purpose of a liner top packer?

6. What is the purpose of a cement manifold?

©2010 Smith International, Inc. Well Completions Page 22

Chapter 1 – Liner Hanger Systems