Packers and Bridge Plugs

API SPECIFICATION 11D1 FOURTH EDITION, MARCH 2021

API MONOGRAM PROGRAM EFFECTIVE DATE: MARCH 1, 2022

Special Notes

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Copyright © 2021 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

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Contents

1. Scope 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms and Definitions 3

4. Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Symbols 6

5. Functional Specification 7

   1. General. 7

   2. Type Description 7

   3. Well Parameters 7

   4. Operational Parameters 8

   5. Environmental Compatibility 8

   6. Design Validation 10

   7. Quality Control 10

6. Technical Specification 10

   1. General. 10

   2. Technical Characteristics 10

   3. Design Requirements 10

   4. Design Verification 16

   5. Design Validation Requirements 16

   6. Final Design Approval 27

   7. Design Changes 28

   8. Design Validation by Scaling 28

7. Supplier/Manufacturer Requirements 29

   1. General. 29

   2. Documentation and Data Control 29

   3. Product Identification 31

   4. Quality Control 31

8. Repair/Redress 39

9. Shipment/Storage 39

Annex A 40

Annex B (informative) Requirements for HPHT Environment Equipment 41

Annex C (normative) Requirements for HPHT Operational Tools 54

Annex D (informative) Requirements for External Flow Testing 57

Annex E (informative) Validation of Maximum Initiation Pressure for Hydrostatically Set Products ... 60 Annex F (informative) Determining Test Fixture ID 62

Annex G (informative) Tubing-to-Packer Forces and Rated Performance Envelopes 65

Bibliography 73

Figures

1. Example of a Rated Performance Envelope 15

2. Examples of Temperature-Cycle Ranges and Temperature Ranges 16

B.1 HPHT Design Flow Chart 45

1. Test Setup for Flow Test from Above 58

2. Test Setup for Flow Test from Below 58

1. Typical Tubing-to-Packer Connection Types 67

2. Seal Diameter Equivalent to Tubing OD 68

3. Seal Diameter Equivalent to Reference Diameter (Larger Than Tubing OD) 68

4. Seal Diameter Equivalent to Packer ID or Tubing ID 69

5. Seal Bore Packers with Tailpipe—Tubing OD Smaller Than or Equal to Packer Seal Bore ID.. 69

6. Stroke Through Packers—Tubing OD Smaller Than or Equal to Packer Seal Bore ID 70

7. Packer Rated Performance Envelope Using Three Different Seal Diameters 71

8. Seal Diameter Equal to Tubing OD 71

9. Seal Diameter Equal to Tubing ID 72

10. Rated Performance Envelope Using Tubing ID Seal Diameter with Operational Load Using Tubing OD as Seal Diameter 72

Tables

1. Parameters for Metals. 12

2. Parameters for Elastomeric Materials 13

3. Parameters for Thermoplastic Materials 13

4. Design Validation Grade Hierarchy 17

5. Test Media 19

6. Grade V5—Liquid Test 20

7. Grade V4—Liquid Plus Axial Load Test 21

8. Grade V3—Liquid Plus Axial Loads Plus Temperature Cycling Test 22

9. Grade V2—Gas Plus Axial Load Test 23

10. Grade V1—Gas Plus Axial Loads Plus Temperature Cycling Test 24

11. Grade V0—Gas Plus Axial Loads Plus Temperature Cycling Test Plus Zero Bubble Acceptance Criterion 25

12. Summary of Quality Requirements 32

1. Parameters for Thermoplastic Materials 44

2. Grades V3-H and V0-H, Phase 1—Validation Testing Process, Maximum ID/Maximum Temperature 48

3. Grades V3-H and V0-H, Phase 2—Validation Testing Process, Maximum ID/Minimum Temperature 50

4. Grades V3-H and V0-H, Phase 3—Validation Testing Process, Minimum ID/Maximum Temperature 51

E.1 Maximum Initiation Pressure Test 60

Introduction

This specification has been developed by users/purchasers and suppliers/manufacturers of packers and bridge plugs and is intended for use in the petroleum and natural gas industry worldwide to give requirements and information to both parties in the selection, manufacture, testing, and use. Further, this specification addresses the minimum requirements to which the supplier/manufacturer is to conform.

This specification has been structured with grades of increased requirements in design validation and levels in quality control. These grades/levels allow the user/purchaser to select the grade/level required for a specific application.

There are three quality levels: Quality level QL3 is the minimum level of quality offered by this product standard. Quality level QL2 provides additional inspection and verification steps. Quality level QL1 is the highest level provided. Additional quality requirements may be specified by the user/purchaser as supplemental requirements.

There are nine design-validation grades (V0-H to V6) to provide the user/purchaser the choice of requirements to meet a specific preference or application. Design validation grade V6 is the minimum grade and represents equipment where the validation method has been defined by the supplier/manufacturer. V0-H and V3-H are for HPHT applications. The complexity and severity of the validation testing increases as the grade number decreases.

This edition has been completely revised. Changes include moving requirements from the high pressure high temperature (HPHT) annex into the main body, common validation requirements were consolidated, and the validation tests were organized into tables. New requirements for low temperature ratings validation and test report requirements have been added.

This edition now includes annexes with optional requirements for validation of hydrostatically set products (Annex E), determining text fixture inside diameter (Annex F), and tubing-to-packer forces and rated performance envelopes (Annex G).

The International System of Units (SI) is used in this specification; however, US Customary (USC) or other units are also shown for reference.

It is necessary that users of this specification be aware that requirements beyond those outlined in this specification can be needed for individual applications. This specification is not intended to inhibit a supplier/manufacturer from offering, or the user/purchaser from accepting, alternative equipment or engineering solutions. This can be particularly applicable where there is innovative or developing technology.

Packers and Bridge Plugs

1. Scope

   
   

   This specification provides requirements and guidelines for packers and bridge plugs as defined herein for use in the petroleum and natural gas industry. This specification provides requirements for the functional specification and technical specification, including design, design verification and validation, materials, documentation and data control, repair, shipment, and storage.

   
   

   Products covered by this specification apply only to applications within casing or tubing. Products covered by other API specifications, such as API 19OH or API 19LH, are not covered by this specification. Installation and maintenance of these products are outside the scope of this specification.

   
   

   Within this specification the term product is used to indicate both packers and bridge plugs. This specification includes the following annexes:

   • Annex B: Requirements for HPHT Environment Equipment;

     
     

   • Annex C: Requirements for HPHT Operational Tools;

     
     

   • Annex D: Requirements for External Flow Testing;

     
     

   • Annex E: Validation of Maximum Initiation Pressure for Hydrostatically Set Products;

     
     

   • Annex F: Determining Test Fixture Inside Diameter;

     
     

   • Annex G: Tubing-to-Packer Forces and Rated Performance Envelopes.

   
   

2. Normative References

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

API Specification 20A, Carbon Steel, Alloy Steel, Stainless Steel, and Nickel Base Alloy Castings for Use in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry, 1st Edition

API Specification Q1, Specification for Quality Management System Requirements for Manufacturing Organizations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry

ANSI 1/NACE MR0175 2/ISO 15156 3, Petroleum and natural gas industries—Materials for use in H2S- containing environments in oil and gas production

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) 4, Section VIII, Division 1: Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels, 2019 Edition

1 American National Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10036, www.ansi.org.

2 NACE International, 15835 Park Ten Place, Houston, Texas 77084, www.nace.org.

3 International Organization for Standardization, Chemin de Blandonnet 8, CP 401, 1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.org.

4 American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Two Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016, www.asme.org.