Tubing Movement Calculator

Tubing grows and shrinks when you change pressure, temperature or load. Get it wrong and you unseat packers or part seals. This calculator combines the four classic Lubinski effects so you can space out correctly.

Formulas

Hooke's lawΔL = F × L / (E × As) (E = 30×10⁶ psi)

ThermalΔL (in) = L (ft) × 12 × 6.9×10⁻⁶ × ΔT

PistonF = ΔPi(Ap − Ai) − ΔPo(Ap − Ao)

Worked example

GIVEN

Pull 20,000 lbf
Length 10,000 ft (120,000 in)
2-7/8" 6.5# steel area 1.812 in²

WORKING

ΔL = 20,000 × 120,000 / (30×10⁶ × 1.812)

Stretch ≈ 44.2 in

FAQ

Do I need consistent units?

Yes. RIGCALC supports both Field (API) and Metric units and converts internally.

Is buckling included?

Helical buckling is not included in this quick tool; check against your completion software for long free strings.

Run it with your well data

Field & Metric units, works offline, save and share results with your crew.

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Reference only. Always verify against your company procedures and well-control certification.