COURSE OVERVIEW:

Wellhead equipment forms the primary mechanical interface between the well and surface facilities, providing structural support, pressure containment, and control of flow throughout the entire well life cycle. Robust wellhead design is essential to ensure safety, integrity, and operability during drilling, completion, production, workover, and abandonment activities. Poorly designed or improperly installed wellheads can result in leaks, loss of containment, excessive loads on casings and trees, and significant HSE and financial consequences.

This course provides a comprehensive and practical understanding of wellhead equipment design for onshore and offshore oil and gas wells. It covers the main components and functions of wellheads, design principles for pressure and load capacity, selection of configurations for different well types, and integration with casing strings, trees, and flowlines. Participants will explore the influence of drilling and completion programs on wellhead requirements, the interaction between wellhead systems and well integrity, and the role of industry standards and verification processes.

Emphasis is placed on linking theoretical design concepts with real field practices. The course includes discussion of different types of wellheads (conventional, compact, and conductor sharing systems), load paths and stress considerations, seal systems and energisation, and wellhead design for high-pressure, high-temperature, and corrosive environments. Through examples, simple calculations, and case studies, participants will learn how to specify, review, and troubleshoot wellhead designs that support safe and efficient operations over the well life.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of the course, the participants will be able to:

• Explain the role of wellhead equipment in providing structural support, pressure containment, and flow control.
• Describe the main components of a wellhead system, including conductor housing, casing heads, spools, hangers, and seal assemblies.
• Distinguish between drilling wellheads, completion wellheads, and production wellheads, and understand their interfaces.
• Interpret key well parameters (depth, pressure, temperature, loads, and fluids) and translate them into wellhead design requirements.
• Identify different wellhead configurations for vertical, deviated, and horizontal wells in onshore and offshore environments.
• Understand the basic principles of load paths through the wellhead and casing strings during drilling, testing, production, and workover.
• Evaluate pressure rating, temperature rating, and load capacity requirements for wellhead components.
• Recognise the function and design considerations of seal systems, packoffs, and lockdown mechanisms.
• Apply industry standards and recommended practices relevant to wellhead design and qualification.
• Assess wellhead design options for high-pressure, high-temperature, and corrosive service conditions.
• Understand the interaction between wellhead design, barrier philosophy, and overall well integrity management.
• Review and check vendor drawings, data sheets, and calculations for compliance with project requirements.
• Identify common wellhead installation, operation, and maintenance issues and propose practical mitigation measures.
• Appreciate the implications of workover, intervention, and abandonment activities on wellhead design and integrity.
• Draw lessons from field case studies to establish best practices in wellhead equipment design and selection.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

• Wellhead, drilling, and completion engineers are involved in well design and construction.
• Well integrity and well services engineers are responsible for long-term well integrity and interventions.
• Production and operations engineers who manage wells and surface facilities.
• Project and facilities engineers working on field development and surface interface design.
• Technical authorities, supervisors, and managers oversee well design and integrity.
• Service company personnel providing wellhead systems, trees, and associated equipment.

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximise the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and after the course.