In oil and gas extraction, few components are more critical - or more closely monitored - than Casing and Tubing.
Image Credit: AMETEK - Crystal Engineering
The casing lines the wellbore, keeping it insulated while protecting the soil and groundwater around it from being contaminated by mud, fracking fluids, and more. It is built to resist high loads and to stabilize the wellbore, to keep it safe from both collapse and failure.
The tubing is inside the casing: it is the channel through which oil and gas are transferred from deep inside the well to the surface. Operators can assess well safety and performance of these two components by closely monitoring pressure changes.
Among other things, increased Casing pressure is indicative of gas pressure build-up in the well’s outer walls. Keeping track of the casing pressure helps ensure cracks do not form in the well casing, increasing the drilling equipment’s lifespan and, maybe most importantly, preventing blowout.
Tubing head pressure is assessed at the wellhead. Operators monitor the Flowing Tubing Pressure (FTP), a key indicator of the well’s health, which is given particular attention as pressure naturally diminishes over time as a well becomes older. To keep adequate records and make suitable changes, well operators should record a well’s Casing and Tubing pressure at the same time.
The nVision Reference Recorder is the Answer
Using Crystal’s versatile reference recorder, simultaneous tests on the surface are possible, saving time and money. The nVision reference recorder can record two pressures at the same time a maximum of ten times per second and store 500,000 readings.
nVision visualizes the latest recorded data on its large LCD screen, allowing users to see data as it is being recorded. Its ability to zoom in and out, pan across, and download data, even while recording, makes identifying trends or anomalies effortless.
Crystal built the nVision reference recorder to safeguard its highly accurate sensor modules from rough handling, overpressure, and caustic chemicals. It made changing them in the field simple, so users could switch configurations and carry on working!
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This information has been sourced, reviewed, and adapted from materials provided by AMETEK - Crystal Engineering.
For more information on this source, please visit AMETEK - Crystal Engineering.