Coiled Tubing emergency

Procedures
Typical stack up

Blind/shear
Pipe
Slip
Stuffing box
Quick connector
 Emergency BOP Operation

Stop tubing, set SLIP rams, PIPE RAMS

Stop pumping
Cut coil with SHEARS
Pull above blinds (stay in stuffing box !)
Close blinds
Kill well down coil & / or kill line
Fish coil out of well
BLINDS

SHEARS

SLIPS

PIPES
 CT Leak At Surface
Clear area (esp. around reel & injector)

MINOR LEAK (pinhole)

Pull slowly on to reel while displacing to
water (minimize reel pressure)

MAJOR LEAK (large or hazardous material)

Set SLIP & PIPE rams then check set
Cut pipe, pull up to close BLIND rams
Purge reel , remove failure, fish CT in
BOPs
 CT Leak Below Surface
Loss of pump pressure or string weight
Hole or parted CT may come thru stuffing box
Clear area and displace to water
Pull out at max. 20 ft/min, pumping slowly
Evaluate leak when exits stuffing box

MINOR
Pull on to reel carefully (may break)
MAJOR (or parted coil)
Follow Emergency BOP sequence
 Stuffing Box Leak
Stop coil and close SLIP & PIPE rams to
isolate annulus. Set manual locks.
Place injector in neutral & engage brake.
Bleed off pressure above pipe rams.
Bleed off stuffing box hydraulic pressure and
replace elements. Pressurize.
Pressure test stuffing box through kill line
(avoid collapsing CT)
Equalize pressure across BOP rams and
release manual locks.
Open PIPE and SLIP rams.
 Surface Equipment Leaks
Rotating Joint
Close reel isolation valve inside work reel.
Repair or replace joint and test.
Open isolation valve and resume operations
 Surface Equipment Leaks
Leak Below BOP
Clear area & evaluate
Ensure coil sufficiently off bottom so it will
fall BELOW the MASTER VALVE when
cut.
Close shear/seal rams to cut and drop coil.
Pull up coil and close blind rams.
Close swab valve & master valve.
Repair leak, pressure test, plan fishing
operations.
Coiled tubing injector head

Inside tension
Outside tension

Load cells
Tubing Run Away (into well)
Coil is pulled into the well under its own
weight due to insufficient chain grip.

Speed up injector to match the descending

coil.
Increase inside chain tension to increase
friction on coil.
Increase stuffing box pressure to increase
friction on the coil.
Tubing Run Away (into well)
If run away is hydraulic (not traction) reduce
injector hydraulic pressure to zero to set injector
brake.
If close to TD, may let fall to bottom then repair
equipment and recover coil. Some may be kinked.

LAST RESORT (if insufficient coil to reach TD)

Apply all other measures to slow the coil then close
the SLIP rams to physically grab the coiled tubing.
Both coil and rams may be damaged.
Birdnesting
Tubing Run Away (out of well)

Upthrust due to wellbore pressure exceeds coil

weight and injector chain to coil friction.

Speed up injector to match the coil speed.

Increase inside chain tension to increase
friction on coil.
Increase stuffing box pressure to increase
friction on the coil.
Tubing Run Away (out of well)

Increase reel pressure to keep up with coil

coming out of the well.
Prepare to close master valve if coil comes out
of stuffing box.
If coil does not stop, close the SLIP rams. Both
coil and rams may be damaged.
Tubing Pulls Out of Stuffing Box

If BHA is lost there is no external upset to tag

on the stuffing box brass inserts.

Stop the injector to keep the coil in the chains.

Close the blind rams to isolate the well.
Plan fishing operations for BHA.
Tubing Collapse At Surface

Wellbore fluids escape from stuffing box as

strippers cannot seal around collapsed coil.

Collapsed pipe may not pull through the

stuffing box brass bushings.

Injector may not be able to grip deformed coil.

Tubing Collapse At Surface
WELL CONTROL

Run back in until stuffing box seals around

coil.
Reduce wellhead pressure by flowing the
well or stop reverse circulation.
If seal cannot be obtained with stuffing
box, close PIPE rams to reduce leak.
Clear the area and kill the well.
 Tubing Collapse At Surface
(well killed)
Clamp coil above injector head.
Bleed off stuffing box and open pipe rams.
Back off inside chain tension and pull the tubing
through the injector with the rig or a crane.
Re-clamp the coil above the injector and cut off the
coil in sections.
Repeat until good condition coil is pulled through the
injector.
Set slip and pipe rams, energize stripper, and make
up a dual roll on connector to the coil on the reel.
Cutting and recovering coil

Close blind/shear rams

Close pipe rams
Close slip rams
Cutting and recovering coil

Raise the coil and kill the well

Cutting and recovering coil

Spear fish (difficult)

or
Pull test

Open blind shear rams

Open pipe and slip rams and POOH
Cutting and recovering coil

Raise BOPs and coil

Open pipe and slip rams

Set tubing clamp

Cutting and recovering coil

Lower injector and make up

double end connector

Pull test

Fit double end connector

Lower BOPs to expose cut coil

Remove clamp
Cutting and recovering coil

POOH

Lower stack and make up

 Tubing Breaks On Surface
Coiled tubing breaks into two sections at surface.

Stop the injector and set the SLIP rams.

Stop pumping operations and clear the area.
Secure the coil to the reel and attempt to spool slack
back onto the reel.
Remove the damaged section of pipe and reconnect the
coil with a dual roll-on connector.
Release the slips and continue to pull out.
 Tubing Breaks On Surface
If the remaining coil cannot be spooled onto the
work reel and no spare reel is available, it will be
necessary to hang off the coil in the well until a
reel is available or the well is killed.
Close SLIP and PIPE rams then cut the coil.
Pull up and close the blind rams.
Once spare reel capacity is available, fish coil
from BOPs (kill well if necessary for safety).
 CT Reel Drive Fails
Stop the injector.
Ensure coil held by injector and close and lock
SLIP and TUBING rams.
Apply reel brake if fitted.
Repair drive and inspect coil for damage.
If damaged, follow Leak Procedures.
If coil is good, run in as deep as necessary to fix
the wrap on the reel. Do Not Run Kinked
Tubing Into the Well !
If spool cannot be fixed, follow cut and fish
procedures (Leak Procedures).
 Coiled Tubing Stuck In Hole
Three possible scenarios:
1. The coiled tubing itself is stuck somewhere
between the BHA and the stuffing box.
2. The BHA is stuck.
3. Stuck in the stuffing box due to ballooned
coil or excess stuffing box pressure.
Coil is considered stuck if it cannot be pulled free
at the lesser of 80% of the weak link rating or 80%
of the minimum yield rating of the coiled tubing.
 Coiled Tubing Stuck In Hole

Three factors to consider:

1. Type of well: flowing oil or gas well,

water injection well.
2. Type of BHA on the coiled tubing.
3. Type of operation carried out when
stuck.
 Coiled Tubing Stuck In Hole

Continue Pumping
Determine stuck point and reason why.
Pull to 80% of CT yield and hold for 10
minutes.
Observe the trend on the weight indicator
and measure the stretch in the tubing to
calculate freepoint:
 Free Point Calculation
L = length free (ft)
L = S( As x E) S = stretch (in)
As = metal X-section area (in)
F x 12
E = modulus of elasticity
(30,000,000 psi for steel)
F = pull force (lbs)
= hang weight - max pull weigh
 Stuck In Hole Options
Flow the well at maximum rates to remove any
debris trapping the coil downhole.
Displace the coil to N2 to increase buoyancy.
Underbalance the well if differentially stuck.
Circulate acid down to remove any soluble
material holding the coil.
Cool the well if coil is helically stuck in
corkscrewed production tubing.
Pump down the annulus to force obstruction
downhole.
Release the BHA to be fished later.
 Stuck In Hole Issues

DO NOT work the coil violently across the coil

with frequent reversals.
Log the number of cycles while trying to pull
free. Do not exceed fatigue limit !
If coil cannot be freed, hang off the coil in the
SLIP rams and close the PIPE rams.
Kill the well then cut at free point and fish the
coil.
 Chemical / Explosive Cutters
Determine free point and ENSURE well is dead.
Pull coil into tension so it is as straight as possible.
Close SLIP and PIPE rams, increase stuffing box
and chain pressure, and set the reel brake.
Monitor pressure across pipe rams for leak.
Bleed off the coil and monitor pressure to ensure
downhole check valve and coil integrity.
Build work platform above injector with scaffolding.
 Chemical / Explosive Cutters
Lay down gooseneck and cut the coil 5 feet above
the injector. Secure remaining coil at the reel.
Straighten the coil to run wireline inside.
Connect 2 valves, pumping T and wireline
lubricator and BOP to the coil to run the cutters
inside.
Run cutter and freepoint tool to the correct depth
and cut the coil.
COILED TUBING IS NOW OPEN TO
WELLBORE !
 Chemical / Explosive Cutters

With the well and coil killed, remove the

wireline equipment.
Dress the end of the coil for a double roll-on
connector
Open the BOP rams and pull the coil out of the
hole, spooling back on to the work reel.
NOTE: chemical or explosive cuts may need to
be worked several times to part.
 Power Pack Failure
If the hydraulic power unit fails, injector head
motor brakes will automatically be applied.
If in doubt, close SLIP rams and manually lock.
Close PIPE rams and manually lock.
Chain reel incase reel brake fails.
Maintain circulation if required to prevent coil from
becoming stuck in the hole.
Repair or replace powerpack, ensure BOP
accumulators are fully charged.
Equalize BOP pressures and open rams.
 Replacement Of Injector

Close SLIP and PIPE rams, bleed off coil.

Ensure slips are holding coil, check valves hold.
Secure coil on either side of cut, clamp at injector.
Cut coil above injector and secure to reel.
Bleed off pressure above tubing rams.
Back off inside chain tension.
Break the union below the injector and walk up coil
with the crane, clamp coil above BOP.
 Replacement Of Injector

Back off chain tension and walk new injector

down to safety clamp on BOP
Clamp above, remove clamp below.
Make up union and pressure up inside chain
tension.
Pull test before opening SLIP rams.
Reconnect coil to reel with double roll on.
 Tubing Kinked

If coil is run inside small ID tubing and BOP,

kink will be between stuffing box and chains.

Coil run in large diameter completion will kink

at a diameter change or at the largest ID.
 Tubing Kinked - Surface
Stop injector immediately.
Close SLIP and PIPE rams and lock.
Bleed off coil and ensure downhole check valves
holding.
Cut coil at top of stuffing box to lift off injector.
Remove injector and dress coil for connector.
Run fresh coil through stuffing box and connect
with inline connector (dual roll on).
Walk injector down to make up to BOP.
Pull test connector then pull coil out of well.
 Tubing Kinked - Downhole
Rapid weight loss in large ID may lead to kinks.

Increase in pump pressure due to kink restriction

Decrease in pump pressure as BHA may be broken
off
Loss of string weight due to parted coil
Increase in string weight due to drag from kink
 Tubing Kinked - Downhole
Increase in pump pressure or string weight
Stop pumping
Pull out at 10 to 20 ft/min until kink tags stuffing
box
Attempt to close SLIP and PIPE rams
If kink cannot be pulled above the BOP, run in
to good pipe then hang off and cut coil in BOP
Kill well and fish coil (freepoint & cutters ?)
 Tubing Kinked - Downhole

Decrease in pump pressure or loss of weight

- String parted down hole.
Calculate remaining coil from weight
Stop pumping
Pull out slowly until coil comes out of stuffing box
Close blind rams then secure wellhead