Chapter-5

Well Head & Choke

Contents

Introduction
Wellhead Flow Control Equipments
Types of well head
Choke
Choke Flow equations
 Introduction
-
The crud oil production cycle begins with the well. Wells are either
1-naturally flowing, where the reservoir has sufficient dynamic pressure to
force the well fluids to the surface with well head pressure sufficient to move
the well fluid to the process equipment.

2-Equipped with artificial lift equipment to raise the well fluids to the
surface.
After an oil or gas discovery has been made, there is an enormous amount of
evaluation and planning to be done before an energy company can decide on
the best way to produce the hydrocarbons and develop the field.
 Well head Flow Control Equipments

Technical Key Taken into consideration

There are four key technical areas where important
decisions will have to be made and these will determine
how the oil or gas field will be developed.

1-Wellheads provide the control mechanisms between down hole and

surface equipment.
2-As the well is drilled, casing is placed at intervals specified by the
well design.
3-The casing setting depth can be determined by abnormally
pressured zones, lost circulation zones, sticky formations, or
various other reasons as dictated by specific situations.
 Well head Flow Control Equipments

• 4-Wellhead designs must be capable of withstanding wide ranges of

temperature and pressure, as well as various corrosive agents.

Well head standards

1- American Petroleum Institute (API) Specification 5A

for well­head equipment is the primary standard for this product line.
The standard mainly provides information for basic design guidelines.
2- API 6A establishes the basic requirements for end connections,
materials, test procedures, and pressure ratings so equipment made by
various manufacturers will work together. .each well has one or more
casing heads spool (surface casing and production casing).
Well head Flow Control Equipments
Well head Flow Control Equipments
Conventional pumped well
 Well head Flow Control Equipments

Wing valve
Controls
production Master valve
line Stops fluid flow,
Wellhead
shutting in well

To production
equipment Casing valve
 Types of well head

• High-Pressure Wellhead Assemblies

• Low-Pressure Wellhead Assemblies
 Types of well head
High-Pressure Wellhead Assemblies
Good engineering practice specifies that, wellheads and trees be manufactured
and made of materials in accordance with API Standard 6E, now designated
6A.
• Standard high-pressure flanged casing heads, in most cases, are at least 3000
psi working pressure.

• The size was selected because

(1) most blowout preventers are 3000 psi working pressure or higher and will
therefore fit the 3000 psi flanged heads with a minimum of flanged adapters;

(2) the difference in cost between most 2000 and 3000 psi working pressure
flanged heads is small;

(3) it reduces inventory on wellheads and parts. Another factor which has
'entered the picture is the possible use of stimulation methods that will require
surface pressures in excess of 2000 psi.
 Types of well head
Low-Pressure Wellhead Assemblies
• During recent years, the use of low-pressure heads became more prevalent
because of an increased drilling effort in low-pressure areas and the doubtful
economics of using a piece of equipment too large and more expensive than
justifiably required.

• This same design is used in a 2,000 psi working pressure head. This head may
also be used as a casinghead on Cubingless completions.
• The top flange fits low-pressure, 6-inch preventers. It also incorporates a low-
price threaded hanger. is a different type of low-pressure head that is used quite
frequently in some areas.

• This is a more versatile head in chat single or multiple strings can be set by
using the proper hangers.
• An adapter flange can be screwed to the top for attaching a blowout preventer
for drilling.
 Types of well head

Christmas trees
• The group of valves placed on top of the wellhead for
controlling the flow of oil and gas from the well is called a
christmas tree

• Christmas trees, like wellheads, are considered high pressure

when shut-in pressures exceed 1,000 psi.
• Either threaded or flanged 2,000 psi working pressure trees
can be used.
 Pressure temperature ratings of metallic parts of API
wellheads, valves and flanges

650o 600o 550o 500o 450o 400o 350o 300o -20 to T

250o

1430 1540 1635 1735 1810 1860 1905 1995 2000

2145 2310 2455 2605 2715 2785 2860 2930 3000

3575 3850 4090 4340 4525 4645 4765 4880 5000

 Choke

• Equipment for surface control of the flow of fluids from

producing wells includes

• (1) chokes,

• (2) safety valves that close either by high or low flowline

pressure or by remote signal, and

• (3) pressure regulators

 Choke

Definition and Usage.

• A choke is a device which -is installed in a flow stream to control
the flow rate of produced well fluids. Some of the reasons for
controlling producing rates are:

• (1) Government-regulated (prorated) production,

• (2) Prevention of possible formation damage such as water
coning, and
• (3) Reduction of flowing pressure to permit the use of lower
working pressure lines and equipment.
 Types of Chokes.
• The two main classifications of chokes; are:
• 1-positive or fixed, and
• 2- adjustable.

Adjustable chokes utilize a variable orifice which is controlled by a

hand wheel or handle.

• Positive chokes have a fixed orifice dimension which may be

replaceable.
• The bodies of both types of chokes are L-shaped. End connections
can be fully flanged, fully threaded, or a combination flanged-
threaded design.

• The major parts of a choke are:

(1) body,
(2) removable flow bean,
(3) plug or cap for servicing flow bean of fixed chokes,
(4) stem of adjustable chokes, and
(5) bonnet for servicing internal parts of adjustable chokes
 Choke
Advantages of Positive Chokes
• Utilization of this type of choke is advantageous under the
following operating conditions:

(I) fairly constant flow rates,

(2) adequate (both technically and amount) labour supply,
(3) erosive and/or corrosive effects of the produced fluids are
minimal, and
(4) adequate stock of various sizes of flow beans.
 Choke

Disadvantages of Positive Chokes

Some of the disadvantages of fixed chokes are:
• (1) inability to adjust flow rates without removing the choke from
service,

• (2) could require stocking of many sizes of flow beans, and

• (3) frequent flow bean changes to maintain the desired flow rates
 Adjustable Choke Usage

• Adjustable chokes are seldom used for well flow regulation in

areas of sand production because it quickly erodes the needle
valve point and seat. .
• This type of choke is of particular advantage during the initial
production and testing of a well. Discrepancies in sizing can
be corrected without taking the choke out of service.
• Variable orifice chokes are more economical than the fixed
type where producing rates change often .
•
 Choke

Adjustable Choke Usage

Factors that cause producing changes are:

• 1. Market demand.
•
• 2. Make-up requirements when other wells are shut-in for various reasons such as
remedial work, mechanical failures etc. This is especially important during
periods of peak demand.

• 3. Changing reservoir and fluid characteristics such as increased free water

production, increased gas-oil ratio, declining bottom-hole pressure, etc,

• 4. Erosion and/or corrosion of the flow bean or choke body will change the
orifice diameter, which will increase the producing rate above the desired
amount. This correction can be made without removing the choke from service,
whereas a positive choke would require a new flow bean of the correct size
 Choke

The advantages of using an adjustable

• The advantages of using an adjustable choke are:

• 1. Sizing errors can be corrected without changing the orifice.

• 2. Allows standardization of orifices with a single size or a

few sizes which are applicable over a wide range of flow rates.

• 3. Provides an adjustment range during erosion and/or

corrosion attack of the orifice area.
 Choke
The limitations of the adjustable choke are listed below

1. Initial costs are approximately 50% more than a positive

choke for the same application.

2. It is not designed to provide a full shut off; as a gate valve for

example. Since this is true in most applications, the fixed orifice
choke is as good as the adjustable in this manner.

3. Impingement of produced fluids on the stem of this type of

choke may cause adjustment problems.

4. Production of fluids carrying solid particles such as sand or

granite wash may erode the more expensive adjustable choke
body and internal parts just as rapidly as the positive type. This
is a case where the less expensive choice is more economical
than the other.
 Important factors in sizing
a choke:

• The following is a list of some of the more important factors

in sizing a choke:

• 1. Pressure. Wellhead shut-in pressure determines the rated

pressure of the choke. Inlet and outlet choke pressures for
specific fluids are necessary parameters which must be known
before a design can be initiated.

• 2. Produced fluid volumes. Gas-oil ratio, water cut, and

knowledge of specific gravities of each fluid are the other
factors which affect choke sizing.

• 3. Less important, but some of the factors which should be

considered, are sand production, paraffin problems, corrosion.
hydrate formation, flowing temperatures, etc.
• Technical Data on Choke Sizing -
 Choke

Flow Through Chokes

Bean, often given in 1/64-th of an inch

e.g. 16/64, 24/64
 Choke

Critical Flow Through Chokes

 Choke Flow Equations
Single Phase Flow Through Choke
Liquid

C: choke flow coefficient

weak function of D1/D2 and NRe

D2: choke diameter in inch.

ρ : Density lbm/ft3
p
q  22,800C D2 
2


 Choke Flow Equations

Gas Flow Through Choke

Gas: Adiabatic expansion

g = cp/cv is the ratio of constant pressure to constant
volume heat capacity, dimensionless
(1.4)
critical pressure ratio is about 0.5
2/  1/ 
   
2  p1   1     p2   p2 
q g  3.505D64          
 
 psc    gT1    1   p1   p1  

Bean size in 1/64-th of in.

 Choke Flow Equations
Two-phase Flow Through Choke
(Gilbert correlation

10ql (GLR ) 0.546

p1 
D1.89

GLR: producing gas-liquid ratio

D is bean size in 1/64-th of an inch
ql is liquid rate in bbl/d
 Safety Controls

• Reason for use of safety controls. Automatic shut-in equipment

for producing oil and gas wells can be installed downhole and/or
on the well- head. This safety equipment is necessary if it is
desired to automatically shut off well flow in case of a blowout
and/or fire. In addition to the extreme costs involved in controlling
a blowout, such disasters can:
• (1) damage the producing reservoir.
• (2) destroy surface equipment and surrounding property, and
• (3) imperil the safety of company personnel or other individuals.
Another important economic consideration is the lost production
until normal operations are restored.
 Choke Failures

• Blowouts and "wild" wells can. result from surface equipment

failures or sabotage. Examples of incidents causing surface
equipment failures are
• (1) sand-laden fluid eroding a hole in a choke or flow tee,
• (2) flow line or sales line break,
• (3) separator or treater malfunction, or
• (4) wellhead failure as a result of being struck by a truck (on
shore) or a boat or anchor (offshore).
PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Choke Performance .7
Chokes
• Primary purpose:
- Control well flow rate

• Why restrict the flow rate?

- Limit the drawdown at the sandface
 Prevent sand production
 Prevent failure of sand screens
 Prevent collapse of the formation

- Prevent coning of gas or water

- For reservoir management

- Government regulations

- Reduce fluid pressure (High pressure wells)

• Fixed, adjustable or remote controlled types

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Choke Performance (cont’d) .7

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Choke Performance (cont’d) .7

Choke Performance Curve

Wellhead
16/64
PFTH pressure

curve 24/64

32/64

Sub-critical

Conditions

Q
PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Choke Performance (cont’d) .7

IPR, THP and Choke-performance

IPR
Pressures, psig
pwf, ptf, pt

THP

choke

Production rate, q, stb/d