What is a Choke in Oil and Gas Operations?

Most oil and gas production facilities use a device known as a choke to control the flow of fluids
produced from wells. Typically, equipment such as the line heaters and wellsite separators
contain a choke. It has a small opening called a choke bean, which helps to reduce the pressure
as the liquids flow through it. The choke is designed to handle an erosive service in the form of
sand particles in the fluids. Read on to learn more about the choke, its parts, and types.

What is a Choke Valve?

(Caption: Positive Choke)

The choke valve in an oilfield heater, wellsite separator, and other oil and gas equipment is
similar to the positive choke. It replaces the bonnet assembly and comes with a plug assembly
and adjustable rising stem that seats into the bean. This allows the operator to adjust the pressure
and flow according to the requirements of the process. Adjustable choke valves typically come
with a manual or automatic valve stem operator and are more common due to their flexibility.

Bean Size in a Choke Valve

(Caption: Choke Bean)

Made using steel or other durable materials, a choke bean is a replaceable bean or insert, crafted
with a precise diameter. It comes in a variety of sizes and forms the choke through which the
fluids pass.

Types of Choke Valve

Needle and Seat Choke

(Caption: Needle and Seat Choke)

This is the most simplistic variation of the positive choke, consisting of a cone-shaped plug that
seats into the bean. It comes with a rising stem and handwheel.

Plug and Cage Choke

(Caption: Plug & Cage Choke)

This typically uses the plug as the controlling component to throttle the flow of fluids in the
ported cage’s internal diameter. The ports in the cage are arranged in a way that results in the
most appropriate combination of flow and control capacity for different purposes.

Types of Port Cages

 4-Port Cage – is standard for the valves used in wellsite separators and line heaters. The
smaller, lower ports typically provide the control range for the initial 15% of the valve,
while the larger ones are responsible for the remaining 85%. This results in an equal
percentage flow, allowing maximum control in the device.
 Multi-Ported Cage – is mostly used for critical applications, including high-pressure
drops. It also allows custom configurations suitable for specific applications.
 Plug and Cage Design – is perfect for high-capacity applications because it helps to
incorporate the largest-possible flow area in the equipment.

Multiple Orifice Valves (MOVs)

 (Caption: Multiple Orifice Valve)

Multiple orifices refer to the adjacent discs that have a pair of circular orifices or openings. The
rotation of one disk with respect to the other helps to control the flow or pressure reduction. The
mating surfaces of both the discs are made with precision, allowing complete shutoff. MOVs are
ideal for production choke applications, including line heater inter-coil pressure control and
wellhead control, because of their near-linear flow characteristics.

Line Heater Choke Valve

A line heater package typically consists of a choke valve placed between the pre-heat and reheat
coils coil. It helps reduce the pressure from wellhead to pipeline. The choke valve and pre-heat
coil are designed to contain the maximum well shut-in pressure when the valve closes. Also,
selecting the correct choke bean ensures that the flow in the equipment is not restricted.

Choose the Right Choke Valve for Your Device

Selecting the right choke valve to use in a line heater package or wellsite separator is essential to
ensure overall equipment efficiency and safety. At Aspire Energy Resources Inc., we have the
knowledge, resources, and expertise to help you choose an appropriate choke valve for your
application. To know which choke valve is the best for your next line heater project, call us at
403-314-5422 or toll-free 1-800-993-9958 to discuss with our designers.

Also Read:

Choke Manifold
Last updated: September 4, 2020

What Does Choke Manifold Mean?

A choke manifold is an arrangement of piping and valves with adjustable choke valves. This
assembly is primarily responsible for controlling flows and pressures in various industrial
applications, such as onshore and offshore well testing and production operations. By
implementing a choke manifold, operators and asset owners can adjust the flows and pressures
that enter processing equipment, thus controlling production and minimizing equipment damage.

The most important element of the choke manifold is the assembly of choke valves. These valves
are designed specifically to restrict flow when needed (hence the term choke). By adjusting these
valves as needed, flows can be regulated as required.

Figure 1: Illustration showing a sectional view of a choke valve (source)

Some of the most common ancillary equipment that can be found on a typical choke manifold
include choke boxes, pressure sensors, pressure sampling ports, thermo wells to monitor
pressure, temperature, and other fluid properties.

In the oil and gas industry, for example, choke manifolds are used to lower pressure from the
wellhead to allow retrieved gases to be flared on-site. In this application, more than one choke
valve is used to keep the choke manifold functional at all times.

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Trenchlesspedia Explains Choke Manifold

 Figure 2: Typical choke valve assembly (source)

While choke manifolds are commonly found in the oil and gas industry, they are also used in the
trenchless industry during drilling operations that involve the use of drilling mud (also known as
drilling fluid). Firstly, the manifold can be used to control the pressures of the drilling fluid
ejected at the cutting head. During recirculation, the mud is also circulated through the choke
manifold when the blowout preventer is closed.

During well testing, choke manifolds allow flows and pressures to be controlled when testing
downstream components. As previously mentioned, choke manifolds typically consist of more
than one choke valve. In most cases, these extra valves are provided for redundancy. In other
words, if one choke valve on the manifold fails or has to be taken out of service, fluid flows can
be redirected to the other valves.

What Are Some of the Main Functions of a Choke Manifold?

In addition to being used for flow and pressure control, choke manifolds also serve several other
essential functions, including:

 Improving overall process safety around the site.

 Maintaining flow rates required for testing. For example, some tests may require different
flow rates over various time periods.
 In some applications, choke manifolds may also prevent sand or other materials from
entering the well by limiting the flow rate. By reducing the flow rate and flow speed,
operators can minimize the quantity of debris entering the well.
 Ensuring that the flow is critical. In other words, the manifold ensures that pressure
fluctuations downstream of the manifold do not affect the downhole pressure and flow
rate at the well.

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 Wellhead
What Does Wellhead Mean?
A wellhead is the equipment that acts as the surface termination point of an oil or gas well.
During construction, the wellhead provides the support for casing hangers. During production,
the wellhead houses the Christmas tree, which consists of valves and piping to control the
pressure of the well during production.

Choke Bean
What Does Choke Bean Mean?

A choke bean is a fixed choke used to control fluid flow. The choke bean consists of a
replaceable bean usually made of hardened steel. The choke bean is mounted near the Christmas
tree, which is a set of valves and fittings at the top of a well to control production or flow. The
choke bean is manufactured precisely to the choke diameter and all fluid flows through it. The
choke beans are available in different sizes and are identified by choke diameter.

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Trenchlesspedia Explains Choke Bean

A choke bean is used in the oil and gas industry and is very useful for many reasons.

 A choke bean maintains and controls the production rate of hydrocarbon from the well.
 Choke beans are used to prevent ingress of sand depending on the type of reservoir rock.
 A choke bean is used to achieve pressure downstream of the bean
 It prevents early water channeling or coning
 It can be employed in artificial gas lift wells

The choke, regardless of its position, creates back pressure on the well. This results in higher
pressure at the bottom of the well. Choke bean is often used in the positive choke valve to
control flow. On one side of the choke manifold, calibrated choke beans control flow rate
through the fixed choke. The choke beans are screwed in the choke box and are of specific
diameters, in gradations of 1/64".
Manifold Applications in the Oil and Gas
Industry
Manifolds are used extensively throughout the oil and gas industry for the distribution of gases
and fluids. They are designed to converge multiple junctions into a single channel or diverge a
single channel into multiple junctions. Simple manifold systems typically are used to divide one
supply input to multiple outputs, while more complex systems incorporate integral valves or an
electronic network interface. The specific features of a manifold will largely be determined by
the specific application it is to be used in.
In the oil and gas sector, manifold systems are used within exploration, development and
production phases, particularly in wells using surface testing equipment. They can perform any
number of functions, including:

 Divert oil or gas to surge or gauge tanks for storage or measurement

 Direct flow to a production line, or from the separator to crude oil burner for disposal
 Maintain flow when testing requires that certain equipment be pulled out of service.
Choke manifolds combine high-pressure valves with multiple chokes and are used to lower
pressure at the well head, which is vital to gas flaring. Multiple chokes are required so that if one
fails the flow can be directed through another. Chokes may be adjustable or fixed; however, most
systems have a combination of both.

Choosing the Right Manifold

When choosing a manifold system, there are a number of considerations to take into account.
Some of these include:

Pressure – Pressure is exerted by the oil or gas as it flows through the system. Most compressed
gases, for example, are unlikely to surpass 3,000 psig; however there are situations that can raise
gas pressures to as much as 6,000 psig. It is essential that the weakest part of the manifold
system can handle pressures greater than the force exerted. In addition, regular maintenance is
required to ensure that wear and cyclic fatigue has not compromised the manifold’s ability to
handle its designed maximum pressure.

Flow – The size of the pipes, valves and other components of the manifold system determine the
maximum flow rate. Careful consideration should be applied when predicting future flow
requirements for your application. For liquids, such as crude oil, flow rate is measured in gallons
per minute, while gases are generally calculated in standard cubic feet per minute.

Temperature – Temperature range of manifold equipment should be based on careful

assessment of both current and future uses and applications. For instance, a manifold may be
designed to handle liquids or gases of a specific temperature; however, as production progresses,
the PVT (pressure, volume, temperature) characteristics of the raw product may change.
Ensuring that manifolds are designed to handle such changes is important to preventing
mechanical damage and preserving overall safety.

Manifold Material Selection

Manifolds can be made from a number of materials. Choosing the right material will ultimately
be dictated by the operation the manifold will be used in.
For instance, the lightweight and corrosion resistant nature of aluminum suits applications
dealing highly corrosive fluids and excessive wear. Steel, on the other hand, offers high physical
strength and can be coated for greater corrosion resistance. Stainless steel is ideal for extremely
corrosive applications. Ductile iron is used when both corrosion resistance and machinability are
important. Thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers, of differing molecular weight and grade,
can be used to provide protection against specific types corrosion and chemical attack.

Port and Valve Selection

The number and type of ports is an important design feature that will also change according to
the manifold’s application. Port diameter is based on standardized national pipe thread (NPT)
sizes. The number of inputs required determines the number of supply ports, while the number of
outputs determines the number of outlet ports.

Complex manifolds often incorporate integral valves. In contrast to systems that attach valves to
a to a base or subplate, integral valves must be assembled within the manifold. Integral valves
may be solenoid, in which an electrical signal controls the valve via a pneumatic signal; or
manually controlled by an operator.

Certain applications may require that manifolds incorporate additional features. Filters and traps,
for example, remove contaminants within oil or gas in preparation for certain instruments.
Adjustable chamber isolation, allows supply chambers to adapt to the state of process cycles.
Electrical feedback signals indicate valve state and allows automated system response, while
visual indicators are used when the valve status needs to be readily available.

The Bottom Line

In oil and gas, as well as other industrial sectors, manifold systems are essential components for
the distribution of liquids and gases. They are vital junctions and safeguards in a wide range of
processes. Choosing high quality manifolds, expertly designed and fabricated for your specific
needs, is key to ensuring smooth and continuous operation of your facility.

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equipment serving the sugar, oil and gas, petrochemical, carbon black, and food processing
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operational challenges - safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

Surface Well Test Equipment

HC Petroleum Equipment provides a series of surface testing and metering equipment suitable
for specific environment, which can effectively deal with the formation fluids produced by the
completion device.

Surface well test equipment or surface well test package consists of items, such surface test tree,
surface Safety Valve (SSV), data header, choke manifold, steam heat exchanger, test separator,
vertical surge tank, oil transfer pumps, oil diverter manifold and burner.The main purpose of the
well test equipment is acquisition of the reservoir’s data. Well test equipment is only way the
collect data of the reservoir’s oi, gas, water, and condensate. Well test equipment shall be safe in
operation meeting HSE requirements, effective and accurate to get data of productive capacity of
a reservoir, and condition and characteristics of reservoir to adequate analyze reservoir
performance and to forecast future production under various mode of operation. Data from
surface well testing shall be accurate and reliable, so the client may make critical decisions
regarding further test, oil and gas production and other programs in drilling and oilfield
operation.
Bottom Hole Pressure Concept
Pressure Losses
When pumping the drilling fluids through the circulating system, high level of pressure is lost.
Actually, the pressure on the mud pump indicates the amount of the friction which has to be
overcome to circulate the drilling fluids. A large amount of pressure losses is faced when passing
into the drill string and through restrictions such as the bit nozzles. Pressure losses increase also
when using the choke to generate a backup pressure when killing the well. When the fluids are
circulated, the bottom hole pressure is increased by the amount of the frictions generated in the
annulus and it is hold at the hydrostatic pressure when the mud pump are shut off. The equivalent
circulating density is increased due the friction generated at the well bore. If the well is balanced
by the ECD, it could flow when the mud pumps are off.

Bottom Hole Pressure

The bottom hole pressure is the pressure acting on the walls of the hole. In large diameters, this
pressure has limited impacts on the wellbore, but in the case of smaller diameters, it can generate
hole problems such total circulating loss. 

When the well is static, the bottom hole pressure can equal to the hydrostatic pressure generated
by the column of the drilling fluids. During circulation, the bottom hole pressure equals to the
sum of hydrostatic pressure and frictions generated through the circulating system. In the case of
using a rotating head, such as when drilling with MPD system, the bottom hole pressure is the
sum of the hydrostatic pressure, annulus pressure losses and the surface backup pressure.
Similarly to the case of MPD, in the case of well control when using the choke, the bottom hole
pressure is estimated to be equal to sum of hydrostatic pressure, annulus pressures losses and the
backup pressure hold by the choke. 
 Fig 01- Circulating System

Surge and Swab

The pressure acting on the wellbore is affected by the drill string movement upwards or
downwards. The swab pressure is created when tripping out of the hole. It occurs when the fluids
cannot drop below the string as fast as the pipe upward movement. This gap of fluid movement
below the string generates a suction force leading to a bottom hole pressure decrease and
allowing the formation fluids to flow into the well. When running the drill string in the hole too
fast, surge pressure is created because of the limited compressibility of the drilling fluids.
Excessive surge pressure can lead to partial or total circulation loss.

The surge and swab pressures are affected by the pipe movement speed, clearness between drill
string and hole and also fluid properties.
 Fig 02- Swabbing and Surging

The trip margin is an increase in the drilling fluids density to compensate the bottom hole
pressure decrease in the case of losing the circulating pressure or when the swab pressure is
created when pulling the drill string. The trip margin has to be estimated accurately. Too large
safety margin can cause loss of circulation and too small can allow the well to kick.

The differential pressure between the bottom hole pressure and the formation pressure can take
three situations, overbalance, underbalance and balanced. Overbalance when the bottom hole
pressure is greater than the formation pressure, underbalance when the formation pressure is
greater than the bottom hole pressure. At balanced is when the formation pressure and the bottom
hole pressure are equals. 

Fig 03- Hole Pressure vs Formation Pressure

It should be mentioned that the bottom hole pressure can be converted to an equivalent mud
weight EMW or Equivalent circulating density ECD, and it is calculated as follows:

Formation Tests
Testing the formation is very important which can give very valuable information for the current
operations and the future planned projects. Casing depth, well control solutions and drilling
fluids densities are based on the data recovered from these tests. In order to evaluate the strength
of the formation, leak off test or formation integrity testes can be performed. There are some
rules which have to be guaranteed before carrying these tests. The fluids in the well should be in
homogeneous state and this can be reached by circulating the well for at least one cycle. The
pumped rate should be at the lowest rate and the trend of the pressure should be closely
monitored to avoid damaging the tested zone.

The leak off test is performed to determine the maximum pressure or drilling fluid density at
which the formation can get to the fracturing point. The formation integrity test, the well is
pressurized to a pre-determined pressure, and it is generally performed in developed fields. As a
simple procedure, the test is performed as follows:

- Make sure that last casing column is not leaking

- Circulate and condition the drilling fluids in the well bore
- Pull out the drill bit to the last casing shoe
- Check and test the pumping lines
- Close the annular BOP
- Start the test by pumping through the drill string or the annulus with lowest pumping rate.
- Stop the test once the pressure starts to deviate. The point where the pressure deviates is
considered as the leak off test pressure.
 Fig 04- Simple Sketch for the Leak-Off Test

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