Structural modeling of the casings in the IDDP-1 well: Load history analysis

Flow testing of IDDP-1, the first Icelandic Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) well drilled in the Krafla geothermal field in Iceland, demonstrated promising results by producing superheated steam. During an unavoidable quenching of the well the innermost casing failed presumably due to tensile stresses caused by thermal contraction. Since the structural integrity of casings is essential for utilization of high temperature geothermal wells, the well has not been discharged again. In this paper, the casings of the well are analyzed structurally with a nonlinear finite-element model. The load history of the casings is followed from installation and through several thermal cycles, but the well was discharged at least six times before it was quenched with cold water. The results show that changes in stiffness due to the presence of casing shoes and changes in casing thickness have an effect on the stress and strain formations in neighboring casings. The results illustrate that during each thermal cycle, the wellbore thermal load is more severe for the production casing than for the external casings that are somewhat protected, provided that cementing in between is adequate.