Quartz School for

1. Introduction Well Over

to Work Site Operations
Supervisors

Module – 13
Work Over Operations

Section – 1
Introduction to W.O.

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 1/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
• Contents
1. Well Intervention definition
2. Work Over Operations
3. Well Intervention Procedure
• Definition of well intervention needs
• Definition of well intervention job
• Preparation of well intervention program
• Well Intervention Program
4. Types of well intervention
• Conventional operations
• Non conventional operations
• Rig-less operations
Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 2/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
1. Well Intervention

All jobs performed in a completed well any time

during its productive live with the purpose of:

• Maintain or improve productivity or injection of

fluids
• Conduct repairs to the surface or to the down
hole equipment
• Control flow for well interventions or to recover
primary well control
• Suspend the well temporarily or definitively
• Modify well function or change installations
• Etc.

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 3/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
2. Work Over Operations

There is a long list of work over operations that can

be conducted in active or inactive wells, as follows:

1. Repairing of down hole tools and equipment

due to malfunction or damage
2. Repairing of well head and surface installations
3. Mechanic clean up of solid deposits
4. Sand production control
5. Artificial lift equipment installation and
maintenance
6. Formation stimulations
7. Isolation of non wanted producing intervals
8. Remedial cementing
9. Routine well maintenance & well servicing

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 4/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
2. Work Over Operations

There is a long list of work over operations that can

be conducted in active or inactive wells, as follows:

10. Re-entry Well operations

11. Formation testing
12. Well control operations in cased hole
13. Well re-completion
14. Fishing operations
15. Changes in well function or in well objectives
16. Well suspension and temporarily abandonment
17. Well abandonment
18. Etc.

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 5/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Well Intervention General Procedure:

1. Definition of Well Intervention Needs:

•Evaluate well performance
•Detect / Define productivity or injectivity problems
2. H

• Drop of production or injection rates 3.

4.
O
N
5. D

• Zone communication in the well bore 6. A

• Reduction of ID or blockage of conduits

• Leaks on connections or pipe body
• Lost of integrity of down hole installations
•Measurement / Evaluation of reservoir rocks properties:
permeability, porosity, saturation, etc.
•Adverse effect of formation fluids on well installations
•Erosion, corrosion, solids build up, scaling deposits and
tubing / casing bridging, etc.
Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 6/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Well Intervention General Procedure:

2. Selection of well intervention job:

• Scope and objectives of the WI job
• Analysis of particular well conditions
• Collecting information and well data
• Work over job definition:
• Basis of Design
• Well service / routine maintenance
• Major well intervention / complex WO
• Conventional well intervention
• Non Conventional Well Intervention

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 7/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Well Intervention General Procedure:

3.Preparation of Well Intervention Program:

•Well Data
• Present and proposed surface and down hole
installations
•Well History
• Summary of Drilling, Completion, work over,
repairs, maintenance, etc.
•Objectives of the proposed well intervention job
•Reasons for the selected well intervention
•List of tools and equipment required to perform
the well intervention
•Work Program
• Detailed step by step procedure and guidelines
to perform the well intervention
Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 8/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Well Intervention General Procedure:
4. The Well Intervention Program

• Step by step procedure to perform the well intervention

• Well Control: Description of equipment and procedures to keep well integrity
• Work over fluid: specification and properties of the selected fluid for well
intervention
• Rig down well head installations and Recover of down hole equipment
• Analysis of present well conditions: e-logs, pressure and integrity tests, dry
tests. Verification of the reported down hole installations
• Specific procedure for each intervention phase: well control, string recovery,
fishing, remedial cementing, well bore clean up, stimulations, re-completion,
• Work over fluid and hydraulic requirement (if applicable)
• Flow induction / well activation procedure
Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 9/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Types of Well Intervention:

1. Conventional Work Over Operations:

• Well remains static – no flow, no pressure
• Production / injection temporarily suspended
• Well is open. Annular exposed to the atmosphere
• BOP and WC equipment installed and tested
• Tubular strings can be run / retrieved with well open
• Flow induction or well activation after the intervention
• Well control and work fluids specially designed
• Installation / Rig up of the proper unit selected
according to the well intervention job
• Special jobs: fishing of strings and tools, sand
control, casing exits, plug backs, recompletions,
replacement of ALS equipment, etc.
Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 10/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Types of Well Intervention:
2. Non – Conventional Work Over Operations:

• The well can be active or inactive: with

head pressure, flowing or injecting fluids
• “Live Well” Intervention also called
“Concentric Work Over” / Dynamic W.O.
• Well remains closed / annular space not
exposed to the atmosphere
• Special WC equipment: BOP stack installed
on the Christmas tree, concentric pipe
injector head, lubricator tube with pressure
head , pulleys for slick line, wire line or
strand line, etc.
• Production string remains in place
• Well control fluid not required
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C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Types of Well Intervention:
2. Non – Conventional Work Over Operations:
• Concentric Work Over with Coiled Tubing Unit.

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 12/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Types of Well Intervention:
2. Non – Conventional Work Over Operations:
• Concentric Work Over with Snubbing Unit.

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 13/13
C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Types of Well Intervention:
2. Non – Conventional W.O. Operations (cont.)

• Operations are conducted through the

production or injection string in the well
• Some well interventions can be performed
without affecting well production or
injection
• Well continues active after the well
intervention
• There is low risk of formation properties
damage with invasion of work over fluids
• Operations are conducted generally with
low stress but with high pressure
• Most of all conventional operations can be
performed with non conventional rigs

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C. Alvarez
 1. Introduction to Work Over Operations
3. Types of Well Intervention:

2. Non – Conventional Work Over Operations (cont)

• Most Units do not have mast for string running
• Coiled Tubing Unit (flexible coiled tubing)
• Snubbing Unit
• E – Line Unit / Logging Unit
• Slick Line Unit

3. Rig Less Operations:

• High pressure pumps / truck or skid mounted
for well stimulations
• Well flow induction / solids clean up unit
(Swabbing Unit / Strand Line Unit)

Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 1: Introduction to W.O. Operations 15/13
C. Alvarez