UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

BASc. PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

GROUP MEMBERS: Cedric Kimloaz107000908 Teri-Ann Sobrien.109002266 COURSE NAME: INTRODUCTION TO PETROLEUM ENGINEERING COURSE CODE: PENG210B TOPIC: COILED TUBING DATE SUBMITTED: 25th November, 2008.

INTRODUCTION What is the subject? Three basic techniques are commonly used in todays industry for running or pulling tubing under pressure. They are: The Conventional or Rig-assisted method uses rig power and a system of cables, sheaves, and balance weights to pull or run pipe into the wellbore. Hydraulic cylinder systems commonly called hydraulic workover units or snubbing units. It involves the use of a hydraulic jack and double BOP system to pull tubing strings in single lengths under pressure. Continuous or Coiled Tubing uses a continuous length of tubing having no joints, stored on a reel. The tubing is run or pulled from the well by means of a continuous motion device, and continuous circulation of fluids is possible from the time of initial entry into well. It should be mentioned that while coiled tubing can be run into the well against pressure; which is cited a key advantage; its usage is not limited to only this condition. It can also perform many well operations faster than other rig systems when the well is dead (i.e. hydrostatic pressure of liquid column > formation pressure). It can also perform these operations without having to remove the Christmas tree. Although coiled tubing has been in use for some time in oil and gas well operations, it is a relatively new type of well servicing equipment.

COILED TUBING UNIT DESIGN & PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION Basically the coiled tubing unit consists of continuous metal pipe coiled up on a reel. The pipe, usually with its end equipped with a check valve; is manoeuvred via an injector head through a safety system. The basic coiled tubing unit components are as follows: Chain-driven injector head assembly Coiled tubing reel Safety assembly Ancillary surface equipment: includes a self-contained hydraulic crane, power pack, and control console or cab. Tubing Injector Head Assembly The injector head assembly uses a friction drive system actuated hydraulically and designed with a tractor type chain assembly with segmented type gripping dies that provides an almost 360 grip contact with the OD of the tubing. The assembly is designed to perform three basic functions: Provide the thrust needed to push/snub tubing into the well against pressure. Control the rate of tubing entry into the well. Support the full suspended tubing weight.

The injector head assembly often consists of the following subassemblies: 1) 2) 3) 4) Tubing guide this is commonly called the goose neck, and it guides Tubing straightener straightens the curved tubing to be driven into

the tubing as it leaves the reel and enters the straightener. the well. Depthometer measures length of tubing run into well. Load indicator monitors weight exerted by the fully suspended tubing.

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Skid and four legged variable support structure supports the

weight of the injector head assembly as it is mounted onto the wellhead. Coiled Tubing Reel Assembly It is used to store, transport, and spool the continuous tubing. The reel rotation is controlled by a hydraulic motor that is mounted for direct drive on the reel shaft or operated by a chain and sprocket assembly. The motor is used to maintain a constant pull on the tubing and keep the pipe wrapped tightly on the reel. The tubing is guided onto the spool through a mechanism called the level-wind assembly to properly align the pipe as it wrapped onto or spooled off the reel. Safety Assembly The assembly consists of a stripper that provides a seal in the dynamic phases and a stack of ram-type BOPs that fulfils the safety function in the static phases. The stripper is located above the BOPs, and the sealing element is hydraulically actuated. The four BOP compartments are equipped (from top to bottom) with: a. Blind rams isolates wellbore without tubing. b. Tubing shear rams isolates wellbore and cuts the tubing. c. Slip rams supports the weight of cut tubing and prevents it from falling into wellbore. d. Pipe rams closes off the annular space between wellbore and tubing. Ancillary surface equipment Other equipment is required such as: Hydraulic crane with collapsible boom or hydraulically actuated mast. A power pack with diesel engine. Adjustable height control cab. Nitrogen unit if needed.

Figure 1: Diagram showing the basic components of a typical Coiled Tubing Unit

APPLICATIONS OF COILED TUBING UNITS Coiled tubing units are utilized in practically all through-tubing well servicing operations that require a circulating path. It can also be used for lightweight drilling, and has recently been used to assist in well logging and production operations. Common applications of Coiled Tubing Units: Reducing hydrostatic pressure prior to under-balanced perforating. Kick off a flowing well after a stimulation job.

Implement temporary gas lift. Sand and Solids washing most common coiled tubing workover services. Acidizing, hydraulic fracturing, and other stimulations. Well control injection of a killing fluid. Squeeze and Plug-back cementing. Clean out hard fill and scale, with a jetting tool or drill bit with a hydraulic motor. Lightweight drilling out of cement plugs etc. Perform some fishing jobs using an overshot. Deepening or making a horizontal drain in a conventional well. Unloading wells with lighter fluids such as natural gas. Foam Cleanout. Assist in Logging and Perforating. Installed Production Strings and Velocity Strings. Clean Out and Reworking of Pipelines.

Sand and Solids Washing The coiled tubing is run into wellbore to the hold-up depth, and the treating fluid is pumped down the tubing, and the sand and fluid returns are circulated through the tubing-wellbore annulus. The check valve at the bottom of the coiled tubing prevents the return of sand up the tubing. A flow tee located directly below the BOP stack directs returns out of the well. Coiled tubing should not remain stationary for longer than half the time required for circulating bottoms-up, and the pumps should never be shut down until coiled tubing is out of the well. Foam Cleanout This is a concentric tubing cleanout where foam is used as the circulating fluid instead of LSW. It has proved to be highly useful in low pressure formations where the flowing bottom-hole pressure (FBHP) is insufficient to support a column of fluid commonly used for cleanout. It is also more effective in removing sand since it has a greater carrying capacity than conventional workover fluids due to its lower density. Foam cleanouts are also advantageous in wells where the size of the annular space

causes insufficient velocity for removing solids. Foam quality capable of suspending pebble-size solids is obtainable with the use of a foam generation chamber along with a source of high pressure gas.

Unloading Wells with Lighter Fluids Initiating flow in a dead well involves reducing the pressure in the tubing to a value less than the formation pressure. This can be achieved by injecting and circulating low-density gas into the fluid in the tubing. The gas which is usually nitrogen can be pumped down the coiled tubing and up the annulus to allow the well to flow. Cleanout and Reworking of Pipelines Coiled tubing can be used to clean out sand, paraffin, scale or other debris in horizontal pipelines. Also, when a pipeline has deteriorated to the point that repairs is uneconomical; a smaller coiled tubing flowline can be run inside to become a liner in the old pipeline. Advantages of Coiled Tubing Operations: Less time consuming and more economical requires less rig time since there are no pipe lengths to be made-up. Can be run into a live well without having to remove the Christmas tree. Lightweight, compact, portable, and hence requires little space on offshore platforms. Requires only 2-3 specialized workers, while conventional rig-methods require in excess of 4 workers. This is important when offshore living quarters are limited. The injector head assembly is capable of running tubing in excess of 200 ft/min, whereas 30 ft/min is fast for jointed tubing. Having no connections reduces the risk of potential leaks. No clearance problems which are common at couplings due to increase in OD. No kill fluid required. This reduces cost as well as the risk of formation damage.

 Has a higher tensile strength that wireline, and as such heavier tools can be run when logging or fishing. Compatible with most artificial lift methods. Limitations of Coiled Tubing Operations: Relatively low tensile strength capacity restricts overpull. Inability to rotate limits the use of bent subs, wall hooks, and some types of releasing mechanisms that are incorporated into conventional overshots and spears. More expensive than wireline operations. It is not as flexible as wireline. Reverse circulation is limited due to low collapse pressures when the pipe is in tension in a deep well with considerable friction.

RECENT ADVANCES IN COILED TUBING TECHNOLOGY Advanced-Composite Spoolable Tubing It offers new solutions to many changing oilfield operations. The key attributes: Excellent corrosion resistance Low material density High working-pressure rating Extensive fatigue resistance; makes it attractive for a number of oilfield tubular applications, including wellservicing strings and corrosion-resistant completion strings.

REFERENCES H. Cholet, Ed., Well Production Practical Handbook, Institut Franais Du Pe`trole Publications. D. Perrin, Well Servicing and Workover.