Retrievable Inflatable Bridge Plug used as Solution Product for Through Tubing Intervention in Deepwater GoM

Abstract

This paper discusses how the application of a Retrievable Inflatable Bridge Plug (RIBP) helped overcome the challenges encountered in a subsea deepwater intervention operation. The technical details of the challenges are first outlined, followed by the salient features of the RIBP that facilitated its successful use. The RIBP was used to isolate the reservoir prior to change-out of the upper completion tubing as per the intervention scope of work. The monobore completion for which the intervention was planned did not have any nipple profiles to allow for reservoir isolation using a traditional lock and plug. Therefore, through-tubing Mechanical Bridge Plug (MBP) technologies had to be considered. Only the RIBP was able to provide the functionality for the intervention operation. This RIBP technology was applied successfully to two different wells with identical scopes of work. The inflatable technology provided a robust solution to the compound challenges faced during the planned intervention operation. Since these challenges are common to the industry, especially in the deepwater subsea environment, the successful RIBP application discussed in this paper increases confidence in the future use of such technology.