Wellhead and Xmax tree

Analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the different structures of Wellhead and Xmax tree?

Wellhead and the Christmas tree happen not to be the same. You will require a wellhead to control the pressure during drilling and production.

A wellhead includes the following components; Casing hangers, casing heads, series of seals, and casing spools and valves.

Furthermore, a wellhead will allow access to a live well when subjected under pressure. It would be best if you controlled it safely.

A Christmas tree has an adapter, cross, valves, chokes, and x-mas tree cap.

A Christmas tree’s role is to ensure the right flow of the gas and well fluids during production. Additionally, a Christmas tree has other functions, such as chemical injection and pressure relief.

Components of a Christmas tree

• Sub-Surface Safety Valve

It is a hydraulic operated valve found below the sea-level. It has a small actuator that operates under hydraulic means.

• Master Valve

The master valve has a crucial role in isolating tree production tubing.

The Christmas tree consists of two valves;

the lower and the upper valves.

The valves ensure that there is the maintenance of good seals.

Mostly, you will operate the lower valve manually.

Even better, the upper valves enjoy hydraulic operation.

• Wing Valve

You will find the wing valve on the arm of a particular Christmas tree, which can be either ball or a gate valve. The Christmas tree can have one or two wing valves. However, the wellhead and Christmas tree valve will require hydraulic pressure to remain open.

• Well Service Valve

Such a valve has a smaller size when compared to the wing valve.

Essential Components of a wellhead

• Casing Head

The casing head happens to be the lowest part of the wellhead assembly. The top of the casing head will connect to the subsequent Christmas tree and oil wellhead component. The purpose of the casing head is to isolate the interior surface casing from the external environment.

• Casing Spool

The casing spool includes more casing strings found between the production casing and the surface casing. It provides a test port necessary for injection, which is a requirement for pressure testing.

• Casing Hanger

The role of the casing hunger is to suspend the casing string’s load from the casing spool. It also provides the necessary seal that isolates upper wellhead components from the casing annulus pressure.

• Pack off Flange

Mostly, the pack off flange is not a standard component. It is necessary during good re-entry where the pressure may arise.

Integral wellhead

It is the most popularly used system around the world which you can develop at a fast pace. You can use to replace the old wellhead and Christmas tree component and outdated oil extraction wellhead.

Most importantly, this structure has a wide acceptance as it will perfectly meet the old wellhead performance.

The device has several advantages, as listed below.

• Ease of Site Installation

You will conduct the site installation on the ground efficiently. As such, it will improve work efficiency. As a wellhead and Christmas tree supplier, you must enforce this fact.

• Ease of Operations and Maintenance

The structure has a lower height. About that, the user will not require scaffolding operations. As such, it will enhance sight management, operation, production, and maintenance activities.

• Ease of Leakage Detected

The leakages are common on connections and valves along the production lines. It is noteworthy that large old wellheads may make it challenging to detect leakages from the production lines.

On the other hand, compact sight is easy to detect the leakages since they are at the line operators’ view.

• Improved efficiency

You will encounter less shutdown hence high efficiency. Similarly, it will remain convenient for site preparations, operations, and productions.

Work-over and maintenance will minimize shut down.

• Ease of Work-Over

The production lines are usually below the top flange. One can perform work-over operations with the removal of production lines.

Disadvantages of Integral Wellhead

• High Costs

If you remove the production lines from the convectional wellhead and X-mas tree design, it will increase operations and production costs.

Also, maintenance requires a lot of expertise, which, in return, encourages high costs.

Conventional stack up wellhead

It is a powerful, wellhead system that is easy to install. It is a simple design that is ideal for single wells.

The good news is that you will only need a universally accepted installation procedure.

The structure will require a limited space-out and does not require specialized tooling.

One can make use of convectional stack up wellhead due to the following reasons:

• Lower Height

The structure has a lower stack up height due to the removal of the tubing spools and tubing. The smaller size makes the device to have easy site installation procedures.

• Easy Maintenance

The maintenance procedures are straightforward. Furthermore, the user will not need crossover adapters.

• BOP Control

The well will remain under the BOP control from the time of the installation. The wellhead and Christmas tree BOP is a factor that you should never overlook.

• Fair Pricing

The product comes with competitive market prices that give it an edge over its competitors.

The fair pricing remains incomparable in line with its top quality and effective performance.

• Ease of installation

The procedure of site installation remains uncomplicated. The site person will have ample time to complete the installation process before one begins to use it.

• Responsive

The convectional stack up wellhead is a responsive device that will meet your needs sufficiently.

Disadvantages of convectional stack up Wellhead

It may experience leak points if not correctly installed and maintained.

• Final Thoughts

You will require proper wellhead assembly and a Christmas tree to facilitate an elaborate oil and gas production process.

However, you must ensure that adequate site installation and other procedures remain outstanding.

Before you select the right product, it is essential to have an understanding of different structures.

As such, you will gauge the one that is likely to meet your needs effectively.

You will never miss your target if you exhaust all the available options.

When new technology struck, it improved in the way one can operate and manage different structures.

You must look for the one that is responsive to your needs and accomplish your tasks without much effort.