Completion systems are the components necessary to complete the well after it is drilled and prepare it for production. There are many completion options available to oil and gas producers. Many of the basic components appear similar to those used in the past, yet they have been vastly improved, and their performance has been optimized to suit numerous environments. There are several keys to designing a successful completion system and selecting components that are fit for purpose for both the downhole environment and application. Consideration must be given to the various modes under which the completion must operate and the effects any changes in temperature or differential pressure will have on the tubing string and packer.

Introduction Tubing is the normal flow conduit used to transport produced fluids to the surface or fluids to the formation. Its use in wells is normally considered a good operating practice. The use of tubing permits better well control because circulating fluids can kill the well; thus, workovers are simplified and their results enhanced. Flow efficiency typically is improved with the use of tubing. Furthermore, tubing is required for most artificial lift installations. Tubing with the use of a packer allows isolation of the casing from well fluids and deters corrosion damage of the casing. Multicompletions require tubing to permit individual zone production and operation. Governmental rules and regulations often require tubing in every well. Permission may be obtained for omission of tubing in special cases (tubingless completions). These special completions typically are flowing wells with relatively small casing. Tubing strings are generally in outside diameter (OD) sizes of 2 3/8 to 4 1/2 in. The proper selection, design, and installation of tubing string are critical parts of any well completion. See the chapter on inflow and outflow in this section of the handbook for more information. Tubing strings must be sized correctly to enable the fluids to flow efficiently or to permit installation of effective artificial lift equipment. A tubing string that is too small causes large friction losses and limits production. It also may severely restrict the type and size of artificial lift equipment. A tubing string that is too large may cause heading and unstable flow, which results in loading up of the well and can complicate workovers. The planned tubing must easily fit inside the installed casing.

The packer forms the basis of the cased-hole completion design. The packer is a sealing device that isolates and contains produced fluids and pressures within the wellbore to protect the casing and other formations above or below the producing zone. This is essential to the basic functioning of most wells. Packers have four key features: slip, cone, packing-element system, and body or mandrel. The slip is a wedge-shaped device with wickers (or teeth) on its face, which penetrate and grip the casing wall when the packer is set.

You must log in to edit PetroWiki. Content of PetroWiki is intended for personal use only and to supplement, not replace, engineering judgment. SPE disclaims any and all liability for your use of such content. In a wellhead, a flow cross connects the master valve and the swab valve with two, normally horizontal, connections to the wing valves.

Selection of appropriate completion equipment requires consideration of not just production operations, but other activities such as injection or treatment. Shutting-in the well also creates changes in temperature and pressure that need to be considered. This article discusses the temperature-depth profiles that occur under different modes of operation. It is important that all planned operations be considered when designing the completion and selecting a packer. While the primary application may be oil or gas production, any subsequent operations (such as acidizing or fracturing the well) and their associated pressure and temperature changes are extremely important to packer utilization success.[1][2]

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has numerous manufacturing requirements for tubing. Many API standards have also been adopted by the International Standards Organization (ISO). The tubing purchaser and designer should be aware of API requirements and testing procedures (see API Spec. All tubing should meet API minimum requirements. In critical wells, the purchaser may want to receive and review the manufacturer's test results.

To evaluate a given casing design, a set of loads is necessary. Casing loads result from running the casing, cementing the casing, subsequent drilling operations, production and well workover operations. Mechanical loads are associated with casing hanging weight, shock loads during running, packer loads during production and workovers, and hanger loads. In tubing and over the free length of the casing above top-of-cement (TOC), changes in temperatures and pressures will have the largest effect on the ballooning and temperature load components. The incremental forces, because of these effects, are given here.

A valve located at the tree, above the master valve, on the flow line.

In the context of an SSSV (subsurface safety valve), the WCL is a well to control line communication.

In the context of subsea, a vertical tree is a subsea tree with the master valve above the tubing hanger.