Surface Casing Hangers
Cellar Tech surface casing hanger systems work in conjunction with the well cellar’s structural baseplate to provide E&P companies with a product that offers a variety of benefits.
Our patent-pending surface casing hanger systems install easily and can be welded to the surface casing before arriving at the wellsite so that no welding is done on location. All welding performed at the Cellar Tech facility is inspected and certified.
Latching surface casing hangers are landed in the same manner as nonlatching models and do not require any special tools. Available in locking or non-locking configurations, the latching mechanism anchors the surface casing and prevents upward movement if the casing becomes buoyant during cementation.
Landing ring installation
Landing rings can be lowered onto the conductor by hand and then welded. For landing rings that are too heavy to set on the conductor by hand, we offer a landing ring installation tool that grabs onto the landing ring. Rigging may be attached to then lower heavier landing rings into place. Operation of the landing ring installation tool is simple and requires no special tools.
Gas migration prevention
The Cellar Tech proprietary surface casing hanger system has a proven track record of helping prevent shallow-gas migration. The surface casing hanger lands the last joint of surface casing on the structural baseplate of the cellar. Therefore, all the weight of the surface casing, wellhead, blowout preventer (BOP), and drillout forces is supported by the cellar's structural baseplate, not by the surface casing’s cement sheath. Because the surface casing's cement sheath remains non-load-bearing through its entire compressive strength development, it is able to set up properly, substantially improving the surface casing cement bond. The casing is suspended from the surface on the hanger, drillout forces are less prone to damage the cement sheath.
Elimination of waiting-on-cement time
The casing hanger system is external of the wellhead and attaches to the last joint of surface casing. This enables the drilling rig to land the surface casing on the structural baseplate of the Cellar Tech containment well cellar, which then supports the weight of the surface casing, wellhead, BOP, and drillout forces. Because the surface casing’s cement sheath is never called upon to support any weight, wellhead installation may proceed as soon as landing the wiper plug and checking the floats.
For most Exploration and Production (E&P) companies, this can save 6 to 18 hours of flat time, and it keeps the rig on the critical path, increasing well profitability through reduction in flat time before BOP installation. The savings generated by eliminating waiting-on-cement time will typically offset the cost of a containment well cellar and in some cases surpass it.
Features/Benefits
- Centers the surface casing in the conductor, which is the initial step in creating standardized and repeatable well installations
- Substantially improved surface-casing cement bond and isolation
- Available in locking or nonlocking configurations; the latching mechanism anchors the surface casing and prevents upward movement if the casing becomes buoyant during cementation.
- The hanger design allows for a 1-in. pipe and coupling to pass if remedial cementing or a top job is necessary.
- Many sizes available