[Subjectivist]

Just how much steel gets consumed drilling a well? I see statements that range from a few tons to hundreds of tons. I understand some wells are pretty shallow and others are very deep, and deeper wells need thicker casing to hold up under the higher pressure at depth. So can anyone give an average based on depth and length if horizontal completions are done?

[ROCKMAN]

I'll post enough details this evening to choke a horse. I'll write up a typical EFS well.

[Subjectivist]

I'll post enough details this evening to choke a horse. I'll write up a typical EFS well.

Thanks! You da Rockman!

[ROCKMAN]

Here's a list of common csg specs. http://www.mid-continents.com/casing-pipe. Use the higher #/ft weight.

So a theoretical EFS well:
16" conductor at 60': 90#/ft
9 5/8" surface csg at 3000': 54#/ft
5 1/2" production csg from 0' to 14,000': 34#/ft
2 4/8" production tubing 0' to 8,000': 7#/ft

So 5400# + 162,000# + 476,000# + 56,000# = 700,000#

[basil_hayden]

10,000 ft * 5lb/ft = 50,000 pounds/2,000 (lb/ton) = 25 tons ?? Whaddya think?

That's merely a California water supply well.

[Subjectivist]

Here's a list of common csg specs. http://www.mid-continents.com/casing-pipe. Use the higher #/ft weight.

So a theoretical EFS well:
16" conductor at 60': 90#/ft
9 5/8" surface csg at 3000': 54#/ft
5 1/2" production csg from 0' to 14,000': 34#/ft
2 4/8" production tubing 0' to 8,000': 7#/ft

So 5400# + 162,000# + 476,000# + 56,000# = 700,000#

Divided by 2,200 that gives 318 metric tons of decent quality steel. Thanks, that s the data I was looking for.

[ROCKMAN]

pstarr - Just depends where you are. Where I drill for oil/NG I have to drill supply wells into the fresh water aquifers. That's typically around 200'. But all those wells are completed with PVC pipe which actually works better because they don't rust. And they are more then sufficient to handle the pressures encountered...less then 100 psi. But a string of 5 1/2" steel csg on a deep well might be subjected to pressures exceeding 15,000 psi. Which is why you see such a wide range of weights for that csg in the chart on the link I included.

BTW production tubing is typically run inside the last string of production csg that was run. It's the production tubing that the oil/NG normally flows thru to reach the surface.