Critical coiled tubing treatments, such as fill cleanouts of sub-hydrostatic wells and perforations of small reservoir intervals have historically posed a high uncertainty for Norwegian operators due to nature of the complex completions i.e. long and large monobore completions. The complexity is exacerbated with the strict offshore environmental regulations that limit the fluids that can be used for intervention operations. Fill cleanouts on these wells with CT face the difficult challenge of achieving the desired rate for pumping seawater which leads to the need for better understanding the downhole conditions while performing the operation. Without understanding these conditions it can be costly and create operational complications. A way to provide insight to the changing conditions during the cleanout operation is to use CT enabled with real time downhole measurements. The use of real time downhole measurement allows recognition of the wellbore response due to changes in hydrostatic pressure as the fill/debris are removed from the wellbore and adjustment of the operational parameters needed for effective treatment. Following the cleanout, this ability to adjust the parameters allows efficient well kick off by optimizing the use of nitrogen. This paper will present several case histories incorporating real time downhole measurements for effective and efficient clean outs as well as optimized well kick offs in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Introduction The Valhall field is an Upper Cretaceous, asymmetric, chalk anticline that forms an overpressured, undersaturated, oil reservoir located in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. It is characterized by high porosity (25 to 48%) and high oil saturation (92 to 97%).1,2 Fill cleanouts are often necessary during the life of these wells as the unconsolidated nature of the reservoir and the compaction mechanism contribute to production of particles and fines which plug reservoir perforations and obstruct wellbore access. Cleanouts are also challenging in these wells due to the unpredictable nature of the fill to be found and the possible wellbore damage that can exist especially in old wells.2 Improved method for cleanouts It is generally accepted that many, if not all, coiled tubing downhole applications can be optimized with the availability of real-time downhole information. Many of the existing treatment simulators/monitors for these operations use calculated values for downhole parameters based on extrapolation from surface measurements - giving at best an approximate result. Realtime downhole measurements allow interpretation and job optimization with services delivered through coiled tubing. It provides the information needed to adjust job parameters immediately, to improve effectiveness, reduce risks, and optimize performance with the operation still in progress.
This paper will describe the development, testing and installation of a high pressure rated mechanical bridge plug for a major oil and gas operator on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Due to low reservoir pressure a mechanical high pressure rated bridge plug was required to be set as a zonal isolation barrier prior to a frac operation. The plug was set in a heavy wall liner with a 4.375?? ID, but had to pass a 3.725?? ID minimum restriction and hold 7500 psi differential pressure during the frac operation. The combination of high pressure rating and expansion ratio was a challenge to solve. A new metal-to-metal sealing technology was the solution to meet the required criteria. In July 2005, the first plug was successfully set, conveyed on coiled tubing. This new plug technology has improved the way of performing the zonal isolation and frac operation in low pressure reservoirs. History The development of the high pressure, high expansion metal-to-metal sealing system (Figure. 1) first started in 2000. The original goal was to develop a metal sealing bridge plug capable of achieving 10,000psi differential at 350 degrees F. The design concept of the sealing system relies upon the controlled application of load and pressure to expand the seal in order to create a fully formed pressure barrier with the inner diameter of the tubular into which it is being set. This development to date has resulted in a metal-to-metal sealing system employed primarily on well service type tools such as flow control devices, permanent and temporary wellbore plugging devices and straddle systems. With the need for high expansion occurring wherever a restriction (either planned or unplanned) exists above the depth at which intervention is required, it is plain to see that in traditional "bottleneck" type completions, the requirement for expandable sealing devices can be considerable. The discussed metal-to-metal sealing system has evolved since 2000 to a point where expansion ratios of up to 160% of its' original run in hole outside diameter (OD) are possible whilst at the same time being able to preserve the systems high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) characteristics. This expansion characteristic from a non-elastomeric seal is a desirable feature to have for applications that would have only been serviceable by inflatable type elastomeric devices. Other advantages offered to the operator in having a non elastomeric sealing system are in the opportunity to be able to eliminate some fairly commonplace oil and gas industry failure modes of seals such as; explosive decompression, gasification; temperature degradation; extrusion gap shearing; compression load failure and dynamic fatigue under pressure cycles. The development program centering on the evolution of the metal-to-metal sealing system has also seen the concurrent development of deployment and retrieval tools, allowing for the technology to be conveyed on common ‘live well’ deployment systems such as slickline, electric wireline and coiled tubing.
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