SPECIAL OPERATIONS

PROF. DR. ARIFFIN SAMSURI

 Chapter Topics

1. Fishing operation
2. Underbalanced drilling
3. Coiled tubing drilling
4. Well abandonment

Learning Outcomes
Students should be able to:
Compare the causes of fishing jobs, fishing tools and techniques

Criticize the reasons for conducting underbalanced drilling techniques and how to select
the appropriate candidate

Demonstrate the applications of coiled tubing in drilling and other operations

Compare the laws, legislation of well abandonment based on country’s requirement and
API specifications

2
FISHING OPERATION
 FISHING
 Fish:
 Any objects not suppose to be in hole or any object accidentally left in drilled
hole during drilling or workover operations, which must be removed before
work can proceed
 Fishing:
 Operations/process concerned with retrieving of fish or equipments from
hole.
 Most common fishing job:
 To recover a portion of ds left in hole due to its failing or stuck

 Disadvantages of fishing:
 Extremely costly
 Time consuming
 Lost rig time
 Lost hole

4
 FISHING – Cause & Prevention
1. Problem related to drilling fluid
1. Stuck pipe
2. Differential pressure sticking
3. Inadequate hole cleaning
4. Lost returns
5. Hole sloughing
 Prevention: drilling fluid properties monitoring & controlling to minimizing
hole problems
2. Mechanical failure
Bit or some other ds component fails due to:
• Bad manufacturing
• Too long running a tool w/o changing them
• Drilling with old dp
Ex: - Twisting off dp
- Running cones off bit
- Fatigue failure in crossover
 Prevention: properly maintain bit or ds components
5
 FISHING – Cause & Prevention
3. Drill string failure & hole problem
1. Improper care & maintenance of drilling assembly
2. Crooked hole problems
3. Poor drilling practices
4. Inadequate drill string design
5. Weight indicator or torque gauge not calibrated
 Prevention: immediately analyzed & practices changed to avoid re-occurrence
1. Twist-off & washout
2. Key seat
3. Undergage hole
4. Junk in hole
4. Drill crew negligence
Example: dropping hand tools down hole when ds on surface
 Prevention: Always have hole cover on when not running ds

6
 FISHING TECHNIQUE
Best fishing technique:
Elimination of cause & problems through:
• Periodic equipment inspection
• Internal
corrosion survey
• Magnetic flux testing

• Drilling crews alertness

• Crooked joints detection

• Tool joint threads cleaning & lubricating

• Good housekeeping

• Safety precautions

7
 FISHING TOOLS
• Specially designed tool which attached to drill string in order to recover fish.
• Selection based on:
• Fish size

• Fish shape

• Problems severity

• Experience

• Tools:
1. Overshot
• Cylindrical bowl shaped tools which telescope over fish
• Internal slip arrangement grasps outside of fish
 grip tightening as pull increased
2. Spears
• Device pass inside fish
• Expanding slip grasps fish inner wall
• Slips can be set or released by rotating ds
• Used when hole clearance will not tolerate overshot
• Better than tapered tap, i.e releasing mechanism

8
 FISHING TOOLS
3. Tapered taps
• Oldest fishing tool
• Run into fish & rotated until sufficient threads are cut for firm hold
4. Washover pipe
• Pipe section with sufficient inside diameter to telescope outside fish
• Used when annular cleaning around fish required
5. Inside & outside cutters
• Pipe cutter
• Can be actuated by surface manipulation of dp
• Inside cutter : cut fish from inside
• Outside cutter : cut fish from outside
• Used when considerable length ds must be retrieved in sections
• Common sequence: washing over  cutting  retrieving
• Cutting by set of knives rotated by ds
6. Junk basket
• Used for small fish (bit teeth, bit cones, etc)
• Permanent magnet runs on ds

9
 FISHING TOOLS – accessory equipment
• Jarring device
• Provide hammer type impact
• Commonly run in conjunction with overshot,
spear, etc.
• Utilize compressed fluid energy which drive free
moving piston or hammer against top of jar
• Compression by proper dp surface movement
• Type: nitrogen, mechanical & torque
• Safety joint

10
 Guide to tool selection
Objective/target Tools
To recover small junk •Junk basket
•Fishing magnet
•Reverse circulation junk basket
To recover wireline •Wireline spear
To catch fish externally •Overshot
•Short catch overshot
•Washpipe
To catch fish internally •Taper tap
•Pin tap
•Spear
•Packet-picker
Other components/tools used in fishing •Bumper jar
strings •Fishing jar
•Accelerator
•Surface bumper jar
•Knuckle joint
•Safety joint

11
 Junk Basket Dressed with Mill Shoe

12
 Hydraulic Actuated Internal Cutter

13
 Outside Cutting Tool

14
 Electric Line Pipe Cutting Tools

15
 FISHING JOB ANALYSIS
• Complete & accurate information is critical to minimizing fishing operation cost
• Some questions need to address:
1. What circumstance led to fishing job?
a) What was going on when this occurrence happened?
b) Is the pipe differentially stuck?
i. Stuck with hole cuttings
ii. Stuck from cave in
iii. Stuck with object jammed against ds
iv. Stuck in tapered hole, etc.
c) What was the driller, wireline operator doing when the failure occurred?
i. Rotating
ii. Coming out the hole
d) What do the drilling charts show?
e) Was the mud weight being increased or decreased?
f) Were the mud properties being changed?
g. What are the hole characteristics?
i. Sands
ii. Washouts
iii. Doglegs, etc

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 FISHING JOB ANALYSIS – cont.

h. Have similar failures occurred or almost happened prior to this failure?

i. Has pipe been trying to stick?
2. Do you really have a fishing job?
a. If an object is reported to have fallen in the hole
• Make sure it is not in the cellar lodged in the BOPs
b. If the object is small (bit cone, hammer, etc.)
• An it be pushed in the side of the hole with a bit?
3. What does the fish look like and where is it?
a. Write a description of the fish
b. Record length, ID, OD, and all pertinent data for ordering fishing tools
4. Where is the stuck point?
5. Is there a potential well control problem?
6. What materials are on location that will help in freeing stuck pipe or initiating fishing operation?
7. Are there obligatory reasons for fishing?
a. The need to recover a radioactive tool
b. Isolation of productive formation or zone
8. Are there any other special reasons for not fishing other than fishing economics?

17
 STUCK PIPE

• Mostcommon cause of fishing job

• Causes:
1. Foreign objects or junk in hole
2. Key seating
3. Sloughing formation (shale, etc.)
4. Bit balling
5. Drill collar balling
6. Pressure differential sticking
7. Cutting settling above bit or dc

18
 Free Point Indicators & String Shot

DP Recovery Log
19
 Free Point Calculation Procedure
1. Applied upward force (F1) to ds
• F1 > total ds weight – to ensure entire string in tension
2. Marked reference point on pipe at surface (rotary table top)
3. Applied larger upward force (F2)
• F2 < pipe yield strength (elastic limit)
• Ds free portion stretched by amount of reference point movement (e)

IF L = stuck ds depth = free point depth, ft

P = F2 – F1, lb
e = marked or reference point movement, inch
w = pipe nominal weight, lb/ft
0.283 = steel density, lb/cu. in.

And, if neglecting hole-pipe friction, therefore;

L = (735,000)(e)(w)/P

20
 DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE STICKING
• Due to:
• Ds imbedding into filter cake
• Hydrostatic mud column pressure > formation pressure
• Required force to full depends on:
1. Contact area between pipe & filter cake
• Contact length
• Filter cake thickness
• Filter cake toughness (sticking coefficient – stickometer)
• Sticking coefficient = coefficient of friction between pipe-mud cake
• Additive used to produce thin, tough filter cake: bentonite
• Additive used to reduce friction: graphite, asphalt
2. Contact time between pipe & hole wall
3. Differential pressure magnitude
• Depend on:
• Mud density
• Formation pressure
• Can be minimized by:
• Minimum mud weight
• Pipe movement
• Stabilizer
• Providing thin, tough filter cake
• Mud additives to reduce sticking coefficient
• Recognizing sticking conditions by measuring torque, drag & sticking coefficient
• Time is critical  immediate action must be taken:
• Oil spotting

• DST tool to reduce hydrostatic pressure

21
 INADEQUATE HOLE CLEANING
• Indicator
1. Excessive fill on trips
2. High torque & variation in RPM
3. Tight hole on connections @ trips
4. Pipe pulling loads decrease when pump placed on hole
5. High pump pressure required to break circulation
6. Small amount of cutting over shaker
• Important factors:
1. Annular velocity
2. Mud density
3. Mud viscosity
• Hole cleaning problems can be reduced by:
1. Increased yield point & mud viscosity
2. Increased circulation rate to provide higher annular velocity
3. Increased mud weight
4. Decreased ROP
• If pipe stuck @ inadequate hole cleaning:
1. Try to rotate & circulate
2. If can  viscous slugs (80-100 YP) may be provide necessary lifting
22 capacity
 Inadequate Hole Cleaning

23
 TWIST OFF & WASHOUT

• As results of:
• Prolonged cyclic bending of ds
• Fatigue crack occurs

• Continue to propagate  pipe fails

• Washout due to:

• Cracks  fluid leakage  washout
• Prevention & minimized by:
1. Scheduled inspection
2. Thread dopes
3. Dogleg severity check
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4. Frequently changing dp joint above dc
 FREE POINT DETERMINATION PROCEDURE
• Can be determine by using electromagnetic device
• Two electromagnet connected with telescope joint

• Run into hole on electric cable

• Turned on electric current

 magnets attach to inside pipe wall

• Exert pull @ surface

 pipe above stuck point

 stretch
• Distance between two magnet = elongation

• Elongation measured by sensitive electronic strain gauge &

transmitted to surface

25
 KEY SEAT
• Time dependent
• Due to:
• DS or wireline wear slot in hole wall (hard  soft)

• Bottom hole assembly (directional drilling) not provide

adequate wiping during trips to wear away key seat

• Indicators:
1. Pipe load abrupt increase on trip out hole & no indication
of tight hole on trip in
1. Hook load increase
2. Increasing drag on trip out
3. Hole will circulate freely when stuck in key seat
• Prevention:
1. Use string reamer placed above dc
2. Use key set wiper
• Pipe stuck in key seat may be freed by:
1. Move string down
2. Slowly rotate collar & stabilizer @ key seat
with minimum tension
1. Back off & jarring down
2. Using string reamer or key seat wiper

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 UNDERGAGE HOLE
• Due to:
1. Bit or near bit stabilizer wears excessively
• Depend on:
• Material
• Formation abrasiveness
• Time
• Indicator:
• Torque increase
• Accurate OD gauging after each trip
2. Bottom hole assembly lacks stabilization
3. Clay swelling  cause of undergage hole
4. Filter cake thick
• Indicators:
1. Erratic torque increases while drilling
2. During inspection  bit & stabilizer wear
3. Stiffer BHA is used
4. Excessive filter cake in return over shaker
5. Weight indicator changes in shale & sand intervals during trip
6. Pump pressure increase after trip
27
 UNDERGAGE HOLE – cont.
• Can be minimized by:
1. Several reaming trip
2. Mud monitoring & controlling  treatment ?
• Precaution if clay swelling & thick filter cake:
1. Pull or lower string slowly through suspected section during trip
2. Pull or lower string slowly through long permeable section
3. Make wiper trip as required
4. Ream through section frequently
5. Measure & plot torque & drag  monitored
• Pipe stuck in undergage hole can be freed by:
1. Working pipe in opposite direction of travel when it stuck
2. Using jar
3. Spotting oil
4. Backing off, re-engaging with jar & jarring
5. Washing over

28
 JUNK IN HOLE & FISHING OPERATION CONSIDERATION
• Prevention of junk in hole:
1. Continually analyze pump pressure, torque, hook load & ROP
2. Keep hole covered:
1. During trip : use pipe wiper
2. During out of hole: use rotary cover plate or blin dram
• Fishing Operation Consideration:
• After analysis  tool & technique ?

1. Spotting oil fluid

2. Accurate free point determination
3. Backing off
4. Cutting or perforating
5. Re-latching into parted fish
6. Milling or washing over

29
 FISHING – operational example
• Drillers twist-off 5” dp while drilling ahead. So
what?
1. POH
2. Make up overshot on dp
3. RIH
4. Get fish first time
5. Pull free
6. POH
7. Make up drilling BHA
8. RIH to condition hole/resume drilling
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 FISHING or SIDE TRACK ?
• Factors should be considered:
1. Economic
2. Policy
3. Regulation: safety & environmental issues
4. Drilling program objectives  reserve?
• Economic analysis required to justify:
1. Is fishing necessary ?
2. Is fishing practical ?

3. Should fishing be attempted or hole sidetracked

immediately ?
4. Is continued fishing economical ?

31  Decision: minimum cost

 SIDETRACK
• Involve bypassing fish to drill deeper.
• Sidetrack sequence for open hole:
1. RIH with open-ended dp
2. Set sidetrack cement plug above/across fish
3. POH
4. RIH with drill bit, tag plug and dress off to desired depth
5. POH
6. RIH with turbine/bent sub/etc using directional drilling techniques,
kick well off above fish
7. POH
8. RIH straight drilling assembly & drill past fish
• Sidetrack sequence for cased hole:
1. Same as open hole
2. Run section mill
3. Mill window in casing  open hole in casing from which to sidetrack

32
33
 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS - SIDETRACK
• Should consider:
1. Cement plug cost (Cc)
2. Kick off cost (Ck)
3. Re-drill cost @ from original cost for interval (Dr)
• Kick off cost:
Ck = Tk (Cr + Cd)
Ck = kick off cost, $
Cr = rig operating cost, $/day
Tk = kick off time, day
Cd = drilling equipment cost, $/day
• Re-drill cost:
Dr = H*Cr / DR
Dr = re-drilling cost, $
H = interval = total depth – top fish depth + safety factor, ft
DR = drilling rate, ft/day
• Sidetrack re-drill cost = Ck + Dr + Cc

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 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS - FISHING
• Fishing cost estimation include:
1. Fishing time cost
2. Material/fish recovered value
3. Fishing tool cost
4. Operator cost
5. Rig operating cost
• Fishing time (t) determination:
t = h / (Fr*Ff), day
h = fish interval = total depth – top @ fish depth, ft
Fr = fishing rate, ft/day
Ff = fishing success factor, %
• Fishing cost (Cf) calculation:
Cf = t(Cr + Fe), $
Fe = fishing equipment cost, $/day
• Recovered fish value (Fc) determination:
Fc = h*M, $
M = fish value, $/ft
• Fishing estimated cost : F = Cf – Fc, $
35
 MILLING
• Milling operation involve:
• Grinding-away or obliteration or junk/fish in bore hole

• Low weight (on mill) & high rotary (RPM)

• Casing repair

• Some useful tools:

• Casing scraper

• Casing roller

• Pipe cutter

36
 REPAIRING TOOLS – CASING SCRAPER
• Application:
• Used for cleaning casing before setting packers

• Used to remove undesirable irregularities (paraffin, hardened mud,

cement or burrs) from :
• tool runs or perforations, etc
• inner surface of pipe

• Consists of:
• Body with blade slot
• Blade – thick wall cylinder
• Rubber blade – lateral spring support for blade
• Washpipe
• Top sub & bottom sub – one with pin connection & other with box connection
• Operation
• Assembled in running string (bit, bull nose or extension below it)
• While circulating & running down hole, tool can be rotated & spudded
• Encounter abrupt changes: shearing or yielding
• Direct or reverse circulation

37
 TUBING & CASING ROLLER
• Application:
• Used to restore dented, buckled or collapsed tubing or casing

• Consists of:
• Mandrel

• Rollers

• Nose cone

• Ball bearing

• Operational
• Made up to ds end

• Slowly lowered through casing until reached damaged portion

• Raise ds a few feet, start circulating & rotate up to 200 RPM

• Let down very slowly until passed damaged area

• Maintained circulation for cooling & lubricating

38
 INTERNAL PIPE CUTTING TOOLS
• Application:
• Hydraulically actuated tool used to mill section or window in casing or tubing

• As pipe cutter

• Consists of:
• Top sub

• Body

• Piston with cam

• Piston spring

• Flow indicating device

• Cutter knives

• Arm stop stabilizer

• Operational:
• Made up dc string

• RIH to depth & start rotation at 60-80 RPM & kick in pump

• Build pressure slowly  flow rate 80 – 125 gpm & maintain

• Rotating & clean the cut for 5-10 minutes

• Applying weight & increase RPM to 100-125

• ROH
39
UNDERBALANCED DRILLING
 UNDERBALANCED DRILLING
• Drilling operation @ mud hydrostatic pressure equal or less than formation
pore pressure
 formation fluid allowed to flow to surface during drilling operations
• Operational techniques:
1. Gasified fluid operation/aerated fluid operation
• Using 2-phase drilling fluid containing some gas mixed with liquid phase
2. Foam operation
• Using 2-phase drilling fluid containing some gas mixed with liquid (continuous phase )
• & tied together with surfactant
3. Mist operation
• Drilling with 2-phase fluid with gas as continuous phase
• Liquid suspended in mixture as droplets
4. Air operation
• Drilling using pure gas as drilling fluid
• Gas can be air, nitrogen, natural gas or combination

41
 UNDERBALANCED DRILLING – cont.
5. Mudcap operation
• Annular pressure @ drilling exceed safe pressure limit of rotating control element
• Driller loads annulus with relatively high density, high viscosity mud & closes choke with
surface pressure maintained (generally excess of 2000 psi)
• Drilling then continued blind by pumping clear non-damaging fluid down ds through bit
and into thief zone
• Application: sour oil & gas production or small diameter wellbore
6. Snubbing operation
• Employs snubbing unit or coiled tubing unit to operate at surface pressure that exceed
limit of rotating head or rotating blowout preventers
• Normally used if very high formation pressure anticipated & uncontrollable loss
circulation expected
7. Coiled tubing drilling
• Use continuous spool of pipe to drill
• Drilling fluid system can be:
• Aerated fluid (gas mixed with liquid)
• Foam (gas mixed with liquid & tied together with surfactant, liquid as continuous phase)
• Mist (2-phase with gas as continuous phase)
• Air/gas (air, Nitrogen, natural gas or combination)
42
43
44
 FACULTY OF PETROLEUM & RENEWABLE ENERGY ENGINEERING (FPREE)

45 Innovative-Entrepreneurial-Global
 REASON FOR UNDERBALANCED DRILLING

1. Increased penetration rate

2. Increased bit life
3. Minimized lost circulation
4. Minimized differential sticking
5. Reduced formation damaged
6. Earlier or faster production
7. Reduced stimulation requirements
8. Imrpoved formation evaluation
9. Environmental benefits

46
 UBD APPLICATION
Trend  increase due to:
1. Horizontal drilling advancement
2. Closed system development
• Allows re-use drilling fluids in foam systems – environmental friendly
3. High pressure rotating control/device development
4. Electromagnetic MWD system development
5. HP HV compressors development
6. Increased availability of nitrogen – nitrogen generation system development
7. Better reservoir & rock strength analysis
8. Improved hydraulics analysis
9. Percussion tools development
10. Ability to re-circulate fluids
Use for:
1. Normally pressured reservoir
• Normal to above normal pressured reservoirs utilizing fluid systems in controlled flow
drilling technique  mudcap operation
2. Depleted reservoir
• Multi-phase fluid is necessary to achieve required bottom hole circulating pressure

47
 UBD BENEFITS
1. Penetration rate increased
2. Bit life increased
3. Minimized lost circulation
4. Improved formation evaluation
5. Reduced formation damaged
• No solid/filtrate invasion to formation
6. Reduced probability of differential sticking
7. Earlier production
• Well @ depleted reservoirs will not need swabbing
8. Environmental benefits
• Closed loop system produce less wasted drilling fluids
9. Improved safety
10. Increased well productivity
11. Less need for stimulation treatments
No formation damaged  no stimulation required
48
 UBD BENEFITS
• Penetration rate increased:
• Positive differential pressure  decrease penetration due to:
• Increase effective confining stress  increase rock shear strength
• Increase chip hold down effect

 UBD  increase shear stress  increase penetration rate

• Penetration rate : function of differential pressure not absolute pressure
• Bit life increased
• Mechanical specific energy (MSE)
• Mechanical work must be done to excavate a unit volume of rock
• MSE lower at lower borehole pressure
• Bit do less work to remove rock
 cutting elements wear less  drill more footage
• Improved formation evaluation
• Production rate @ UBD can be measured with no filtrate invasion occuring
 more accurate LWD measurements

49
 LIMITATION TO UBD
• Physical limit:
• Borehole instability

• Unconsolidated sands

• Weak formation

• Geopressured shales

• Salt beds

• Poor casing point / inadequate casing

• Production limit:
• Permeability so low  zone needs fractured & isolated

50
 AIR, GAS & MIST DRILLING
• Technique used in area where formation dry
(no influx : water or hc fluid)
• Water & detergent added to air/gas
• Water added : 5 bbl/hr – 10 bbl/hr
• Requires significant compressed gas volumes to clean well
• (average velocity = 3000 ft/minute)

• Gases used
• Dry air

• Cryogenic nitrogen

• Membrane nitrogen

• Engine exhaust

• Natural gas

• Air Drilling Benefits:

• Penetration rate increased

• Reduced formation damaged

• Improves bit performance

• Better lost circulation control

• Continuous drill stem test

• Misting
• Option form of drilling fluid

• 6 – 30 bbl/hr fluid to stream

• Clean & lubricates bit

• Cutting transport as mist or modified two phase flow

51
 AIR, GAS & MIST DRILLING – cont.
• Compressed Air
• 79% N2, 21% O2

• Corrosion ?

• Fire ?

• Cryogenic Nitrogen:
• Made as by product of liquid

• No corrosion

• No downhole fire

• 99.9% pure nitrogen

• Delivery: bottled, truck, storage tank

• Membrane Nitrogen:
• Produced by membrane nitrogen production unit

• Air compressor, filter & air separation membrane system

• 95% N2, 3-5% O2

• Corrosion consideration

• Combustion consideration

• On site manufacture

• Natural Gas
• Availability

• No downhole fire & corrosion

• Low cost, long term contract

• Concerns:
• Limited pressure
• Free of heavier hc (must be stripped out)

52
 FOAM DRILLING
• Mixture of gas & foaming solution (Gas+ liquid + foaming
agents)

• Fluids for foam drilling: fresh water, saline brackish water)

• Foaming agents: surface active agent

• Most versatile gas generated systems

• Effective operating range : 0.2 – 0.6 SG

• Adjustable effective BHP

• Enhanced lifting & wellbore cleaning

• Displacing medium not propelling medium

53
 REASONS FOR FOAM DRILLING
• To stop circulation
• Reduced mud density & no junk
• Foam plugs lost zone
• Foam bubbles = lost zone pluggin gagent
• Imrpove drilling rate
• Low bottom hole pressure  increases drilling rate
• Protects reservoir
• No formation damage with no flux into wellbore
• Flow into hole
• Minimal pressure surge
• Controllable pressure
• Avoid differential sticking
• Formation pressure > fluidn column pressure (-ve)
• Hole cleaning with low fluid volume
• Needs :
• Only limited fluid volume
• Foam agent : to reduce surface tension

• Polymers : to strengthen film around air bubbles

• Soda ash : to soften water & raise pH to 10

54
 FOAM DRILLING BENEFITS
• Faster penetration rate
• Low air requirement
• Low fluid requirement
• Low hydrostatic head
• No formation damage
• Continuous DST
• Best for large hole
• Great lifting capacity
• Controllable BHP
• No lost circulation
• No differential sticking

55
 FOAM DRILLING – REQUIREMENTS
• Requirements:
• Stable system / foam : smaller more stable
• Tougher : polymer make skin around bubble tougher
• Bentonite makes skin around bubble more stable
• Stronger bubbles : more foamer + surfactant (polymer etc.)
• Soda ash : makes foamer work better & increase pH to 10
• Liquid volume requirements:
• Begin with 1/10 of conventional mud rate required to produce 120 ft/min
(40m/min) annular velocity
• May have to increased up to 50-0% of normal mud volume
• Additionl Equipment Requirements:
• Foam mixing system (chemical tank + metering pup , etc)
• Compressor

56
 FOAM DRILLING CONSIDERATIONS
• Concentration
• Increase
 decrease in drainage
 increase in stability
• Contaminants
• Increase
 stability decrease
• Temperature
• Increase
 drainage increase
 stability decrease
• Solubility
• Increase
 drainage decrease
 stability increase

57
 FOAM DRILLING DISRUPTION
• Disrupting Factors:
• Bubbles size re-distribution
• Bubble wall thinning
• Gravity drainage
• Evaporation
• Bubble Disruption Causes:
• Big bubbles waker than small bubbles
• Salt water weakens bubble surface
• Oil weakens bubble surface
• Solids weakens bubble
• Some Problems:
• Complex mixture  hard to get proper mixture & maintain it properly
• Disposal / storage
• Cost

58
 FOAM QUALITY & DRILLING LIMITATION
• Foam Quality:
Percentage Type
0 – 55 % Aerated fluid
55 – 94 % Foam
94 – 99.9 % Mist
100 % Gas / air
• Effected by:
• Pressure
• Depth

• Gas content

• Liquid content

• Foam Drilling Limitation:

• Corrosion when air is used as gas
• Saline formation water increase corrosion
• H2S or CO2 formation increase corrosion
• Wellbore stability (mechanical & chemical)
59
 GASEATED OR AERATED DRILLING
• Gas introduction into drilling fluid for hydrostatic head reduction
• Primary drilling fluid gasification
• Technique to lighten mud  reduce lost circulation
• Easiest to control in small holes
• System Gases:
• Air
• Nitrogen
• Cryogenic
• Manufactured
• Natural gas
• Exhaust gas
• System Fluids:
• Diesel oil
• Water
• Saline
• Light oil (mineral oil, synthetic oil)
• System Dilling Mud:
• Conventional gel based mud
• Low lime mud
• Xanthan gum mud
60
 GASEATED OR AERATED DRILLING –
Usage & Advantages

• Usage:
• Control lost circulation
• Avoid differential pressure sticking
• Increase drilling rate
• Reduce / avoid formation damage
• Advantages:
• Equivalent mud weight reduction down to 4 ppg
• Simple system
• Increase drilling rate
• No lost corculation
• No differential sticking
• Minimal formation damage

61
 GASEATED OR AERATED DRILLING - General Problems
• Compressor / nitrogen cost
• Rotating BOP
• Solid/liquid/gas separation @ surface
• Corrosion (except with N2)
• Vibration
• Hydraulic calculation
• Cutting lifting
• High torque/drag
• Borehole stability
• Fire/explosions
• Fluid influx
• MWD transmission
• Underbalanced completion
• Pressure surges – causing overpressure or caving
• Velocity surges
• Hole caving
• Environmental problems:
• Large volume of water or oil
• Oil emulsifying into mud
• Residual H2S in cuttings
• Foaming with oil
62
 GASEATED OR AERATED DRILLING -
Pressure & Volume Requirements
• Max. Pressure : 10000 kPa (1500 psi)
• Volume : 20 – 45 m3
• Begins with:
• 2/3 mud needed for 120 ft/min annular velocity (horizontal well higher)
• 30 times as much air @ STP as mu
• (air scf@STP = 30x mud gpm x 7.5)
• Injection ratio @ STP : 5-40 gas/ 1 liquid
• Corrosion control:
• Keep pH > 9 (steel passive @ pH > 11)
• Don’t use air
• Inhibitors
• Additional equipment :
• Separator

63
 UNDERBALANCED DRILLING COMPLETION

• Candidate selection
• Type selection
• Surface equipment
• Downhole equipment
• Field operations
• Downhole problems
• Environment, safety & regulations

64
 UBD CANDIDATE SELECTION
• Possible Candidate:
• Faster drilling rate

• Lost returns

• Lost circulation:

• Permeability > 1000 md

• Large fracture (>100 micron meter opening)

• Vugular porosity

• Overbalanced > 1000 psi with conventional fluids

• Differential pressure sticking

• Limited water area

• Formation damage:

• Skin damage

• Fluid-formation sensitivity

• Depleted zone

• Depleted zone
• Selecting Appropriate Technique:
• Slow drilling rate
• Potential applications & candidate technique
• Lost returns
• Technical feasibility
• Differential pressure sticking
• Economic analysis
• Formation damage

• Once optimum candidate has been identified,

appropriate technique must be selected, based on the
same data

65
 DATA REQUIRED FOR UBD CANDIDATE SELECTION

1. Pore pressure / gradient plots

2. Actual reservoir pore pressure
3. ROP records
4. Production rate or reservoir characteristics to calculate /estimate production
rate
5. Core analysis
6. Formation fluid type
7. Formation integrity test data
8. Water/chemical sensitivity
9. Lost circulation information
10. Fracture pressure/gradient plot
11. Sour/corrosive gas data
12. Location topography/actual location
13. Well logs from area wells
14. Triaxial stress test data

66
 UBD POOR CANDIDATES

1. High permeability coupled with high pore pressure

2. Unknown reservoir pressure
3. Discontinuous UBO (numerous trips, connections, surveys)
4. High production rates possible at low drawdown
5. Weak rock formation prone to wellbore collapse at high
drawdown
6. Steeply dipping/fractured formation in tectonically active areas
7. Thick, unstable coal beds
8. Young, geo-pressure beds
9. H2S bearing formations
10. Multiple reservoirs open with different pressure
11. Isolated locations with poor supplies
12. Formation with high potential for corrosion

67
 UBD GOOD CANDIDATES
1. Pressure depleted formation
2. Areas prone to differential pressure sticking
3. Hard rock (dense, low permeability, low porosity)
4. Crooked-hole area and steeply dipping formations
5. Lost-return zones
6. Re-entries and workover
7. Zone prone to formation damage
8. Limited availability of water areas

68
 POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS & CANDIDATE TECHNIQUE
• Low ROP through hard rock
• Dry air

• Slight water inflow  Mist

• Heavy water inflow, borehole wall prone to erosion or large hole diameter  Foam

• Well producing wet gas & high angle or horizontal  N2 or natural gas

• Lost circulation through overburden

• ROP high (rock strength low or moderate) or water sensitive shale exist  aerated mud

• Wellbore instability not a problem  foam

• Differential sticking through overburden

• Likely gas production & closed system to be used  nitrified mud

• Unlikely gas production & open surface system to be used  aerated mud

• Pore pressure very low & formation very hard  foam

• Formation damaged through soft/medium depleted reservoir

• Nitrified brine or crude

• Pore pressure very low & open surface system acceptable  foam

• Formation damaged through normally pressured reservoir

• Flow drill (use closed surface system if sour gas possible)

• Lost circulation/formation damage through normally pressured, fractured reservoir

• Flow drill (use atmospheric system if no sour gas possible)

• Formation damage through overpressured reservoir

• Snub drill (use closed surface system if sour gas possible)

• Water production
• Small quantities will makes dry gas drilling difficult

• If offset well history of water production, dry gas drilling below water zone probably impractical

• When misting, higher gas rates required to prevent slug flow  damage borehole & surface equipment

• Large water influx may requires foam

• High disposal cost  mist drilling impractical

• If high water influx makes gas & foams impractical, aerated mud or low density liquids may be required

69
 TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY – Controlling Factor
Range of anticipated borehole pressure which will be required for each zone to be
drilled:
• Upper limit for unbalanced drilling: formation pore pressure

• Lower limit regulated by lowest pressure at which wellbore stability ensured

• Wellbore pressure must be maintained below formation pressure in all open hole
section
• Best practices to use lower bounds for pore pressure prediction when choosing a
technique
• Surface equipment capacity & drilling specifics should be based on upper bound

• Wellbore stability provides lower limit to allowable borehole pressure

Steps:
• Determine anticipated pressures

• Determine which methods functional within anticipated pressure range

70
 TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY – Other Considerations
• Will there be sloughing shales ?
• Are aqueous fluids inappropriate ?
• Will water producing horizons be penetrated ?
• Will multiple, permeable zones, with dramatically different pore pressures, be encountered ?
• Potential for underground blowout ?

• What is potential for chemical formation damage, due to fluid/fluid or fluid/formation interation ?
• Incompatibility  difficult to prevent temporary overbalanced

• Is there potential for sour gas production ?

• Disposal  suitable flare

• Can become entrained in foams

• Separation process in closed vessel

• What is local availability of suitable equipment & consumables ?

• Water supply

• Gas supply

• Offshore operation  space & equipment ?  modular closed system preferred

• Are there features of well geometry which dictate specific underbalanced protocols ?
• DP gas injection may be necessary if long vertical sections to be drilled with gasified

• Increasing hole size makes hole cleaning more difficult

• Large hole  larger diameter surface equipment

 larger surface diverter equipment may not have pressure rating of smaller
 lower back pressure capabilities
• In naturally fractured formation, high viscosity drilling fluids, circulating at low rates may prevent hole
enlargement & still maintain underbalanced
 stiff foam may be preferred
71
 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
• Rules of thumb:
• UBD increase cost 1.25 – 2 x cost per day @ conventional

• May be accomplished in ¼” – 1/10 time

• In permeable rock : ROP may increased 30 – 300 % of overbalanced/balanced

• In impermeable rock : ROP increase 100 – 200%

• Steps:
1. Determine expected penetration rate or drilling time @ each candidate hole -interval, if conventional operation
2. Estimate daily cost @ conventional drilling operation for each prospective hole-interval based on empirical
data
3. Multiply conventional daily cost by UB factor (1.-2.0, depending on difficulty of operation)
= expected daily cost of UBD
4. Apply expected UBD cost by anticipated UB drilling ROP to get total cost for each interval

• Factor effecting economic analysis UBO/UBD

• Penetration rate

• Bit selection

• WOB & RPM

• Mud weight

• Based on availability technology, select potential drilling systems to be evaluated

 tabulate tangible & intangible costs for each systems
 rely on previous history & recognize inevitability of statictical variation
 suitable UBO, OB or BO ?

72
 RISK MANAGEMENT FOR UBD OPERATION
• Major success factor in UBD is how effectively designers & implementation identify risks & develop an effective plan to
deal with the risks
• Before implementing final design, selected equipment & operating procedures should be subjected to an exacting risk
analysis
• Risk Management Stage
1. Risk identification
2. Quantitative risk analysis
3. Risk mitigation plannin • Potential impact (consequence)

4. Risk response • Dollars, severity of inuries/death, or combination

• Risk Identification • Probability = consequence x risk

• Source of risk (internal & external) • High, medium or low

• Probability of occurrence (high, medium or low) • Action to mitigate

• Potential impact (consequence) • Decision to live or mitigate ?

• Action to mitigate • Mitigate involves

• Cost to mitigate • Reducing probability of occurrence, or

• Probability mitigation succeeds • Reducing potential impact @ given risk

• Risk can be mitigated by:

• Choose substitute equipment types

• Upgrade specification (materials strength,

rating, etc.)
• Modify basic design

• Transpose steps in procedure

• Change mud systems, completion option, etc.

• Include backup equipment

73
 QUANTITATIVE RISK ANALYSIS
= any technique for analyzing uncertainly & quantifying effect that uncertainty on
factors that will will significantly effect decision making
= method of quantifying consequences of risk identified by intuition through structure
approach to decision making based on:
• What you think you know & don’t know
• What you can do
• What you want the outcome to be
• Uncertainty = estimated amount or % by which an observed or calculated value may
differ from true value
• Key component of risk analysis: To provide support for a particular decision
Decision that requires risk analysis is usually subject to acceptance by a team of technical
professionals & approval by management
• Process:
1. Problem identification
2. Deterministic analysis
3. Probabilistic analysis
4. Evaluation & communication
5. Decision & action

74
 QUANTITATIVE RISK ANALYSIS - Process
1. Problem identification
• Identify problem, reason that solution is required & project desires
• Collect & review data
• Verify accuracy of data & ensure it is pertinent to issue
2. Deterministic analysis
• Construct model relating inputs & possible outcomes
• Perform sensitivity analysis & present results in graphs & tables
• Identify key variables & examine them in more details
3. Probabilistic analysis
• Assign key variables a range & probibility distribution
• Conduct assessment using Monte Carlo simulation
4. Evaluation & communication
• Check if results make sense
• Determine if additional information is needed
• Create graphs & tables to communicate results of analysis
5. Decision & action
• Recommended best alternative consistent with analysis & project desire
75
 RISK MITIGATION PLAN & RESPONSE
• Risk Mitigation Plan
• Should be:

• Incorporated into individual well program for each well

• Simple

• Should include:

• Emergency phone numbers

• Engineering drawings & sketches

• Risk mitigation procedures

• Brief description of operations risks identified & analyzed plus

suggestion mitigation measures that were derived
• Risk Response
• Field personnel must be ready to implement emergency responses

• Inspections, audits & field visits will assist in ascertaining ability of

operations personnel to respond to particular risk

76
COILED TUBING DRILLING
 COILED TUBING
 Any continuously milled tubular product manufactured in lengths that require spooling onto a take-up
reel, during primary milling or manufacturing process
 Tube nominally straightened prior to being inserted into borehole and is recoiled for spooling back
onto reel.
 Tubing diameter ranges from 0.75 – 4 inches
 Single reel tubing lengths > 30,000 ft
 Small reel : 4000 ft of 2 7/8” CT / 15000 ft of 1 1/2” CT
 Common CT steels yield strengths : 55,000 – 120,000 psi

COILED TUBING DRILLING

 Start: 1990s & success story 1992 @ horizontal well
 Use of coiled tubing with downhole mud motors to turn the bit to drill a wellbore
 Drilling operations proceed quickly compared to using a jointed pipe drilling rig because connection
time is eliminate @ tripping
 Economic in several applications

78
 CT Capabilities

• Drill & trip under pressure

• Fast trips
• Continuous circulation while tripping pipe
• Continuous, high-quality two-way telemetry between surface &
downhole for real time data & control
• Slimhole capability
• Small location size
• Portability

79
 Economic in several applications

 Drilling slimmer well

 Small rig footprint area
 Re-entering well drilling
 UBD
 Vertical extension coring
 Quiet
 Cleanout
 Stimultion/fracturing/acidizing
 Horizontal drilling
 Sidetracking drilling
 Managed pressure drilling
 Low bottomhole pressure drilling
80
 CTD Limitations vs Conventional Drilling

 Cannot rotate
 Limited fishing capabilities
 Small diameters
 Limited reach in horizontal laterals
 Low circulating rates
 High circulating pressure
 Short tube life
 High maintenance
 High daily costs
 Limited availability of high-capacity units

81
 CTD Equipment
Can be divided into:
• Downhole equipment
• Surface equipment

CT drilling unit have same equipment as conventional

drilling, such as:
 Circulating pumps
 Mud tank
 Solid-removal equipment
 Mud mixing facilities
 Well control equipment

With some unique to CTD, such as CT as drillstring,

connectors, flapper check valve, disconnects & circulation
subs, etc

82
 Coiled Tubing Drilling Equipment – Downhole Equipment

• Simple vertical drilling:

• Bit
• Downhole motor
• Drill collar

• Typical directional BHA:

• Bit
• Bent-housing mud motor
• Steering tool to sense & transmit directional data
• An array of optional sensing devices, ie gamma ray & other
logs, bottomhole pressure, WOB, bit torque, T, vibrations
• An orientation tool to change bit direction
• Check valve (
• Emergency disconnect (to disconnect CT from BHA @ stuck)
• Communication through electric and hydraulic lines inside
CT

83
 Typical BHA for horizontal CT
drilling

84
 MUD PULSE TELEMETRY COILED TUBING DRILLING BHA
 Coil
 Connector
 Check valve
 Disconnect
 Circulation sub
 Non-rotating joint
 Orientor
 Flow tube
 Gamma ray tool
 Mud collar
 Directional & inclination package
 Bleed sub
 Mud motor
 Bit

85
 Mud-Pulse Telemetry CTD BHA

86
 Surface Equipment

• Mast for handling wellhead equipment

• Drilling fluids handling equipment
• BOP stack

87
 COILED TUBING UNIT
 Basic components:
 Tubing injector head
 Coiled tubing reel
 Wellhead BOP stack
 Hydraulic power-drive unit/power pack
 Control console/cabin
 Major components:
 Mud pump
 Control cap
 Coiled tubing reel
 Power pack
 Hydraulic lines
 BOP’s
 Stripper
 Injector head goose neck
 Injector head

88
 FACULTY OF PETROLEUM & RENEWABLE ENERGY ENGINEERING (FPREE)

89 Innovative-Entrepreneurial-Global
 COILED TUBING UNIT - cont.
 Tubing injector head:
 Basic functions:
1. Provide thrust to snub tubing into well against pressure or to overcome wellbore friction
2. Control rate of tubing entry into well under various well conditions
3. Support full suspended tubing weight and accelerate it to operating conditions
4. To provide surface drive force to run and retrieve CT
 BOP stack/components:
 Stack to allow tripping at much higher pressure than other forms of drilling – pack-off/stripper, lubricator
 Location – beneath stripper
 Composed of 4 hydraulic-operated rams:
1. Blind rams – seals wellbore when CT out of BOP
2. Tubing shear rams – used to cut CT
3. Slip rams – support CT weight hanging & prevent CT from moving upward
4. Pipe rams – seals @ hanging CT
 Choke & kill lines
 BHA deploy BOP’s
 Pipe/slips
 Tree gate valve
 High pressure unit : 2 stripper & additional BOP component
 Standard CT BOPs also contain 2 equalizing ports
 Stripper:
 Also know as packoff / stuffing box
 Provides primary operational seal between wellbore fluids & surface environment – dynamic seal @ CT during tripping &
static seal @ CT when no movement
 Location : between BOP & injector head

90
 COILED TUBING UNIT - cont.
 Coiled tubing reel
 Manufactured steel spool

 Controlled by hydraulic motor

 For storage & transport CT

 Control console/cabin
 Includes all control & gauges required to operate, monitor and control coiled tubing unit components

 Orientr
 Tool to provides method to orient toolface of BHA

 Hydraulic power-drive unit

 To generate hydraulic & pneumatic power requirement

 To operate all coiled tubing unit components

91
92
93
 Typical BOP Assembly for UB CT
drilling

94
 JOB DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
 Still drilling function
 Best drilling practices apply
 Still need all drilling equipment

 Coiled tubing used in uncommon mode vs dp

 Fully yielded 6 times for every trip
 Have contingency for pin-hole break

CT string sizing should have:

1. Enough mechanical strength to safely withstand forces imposed by job application
2. Adequate stiffness to RIH to depth and/or push with required force
3. Light weight to reduce logistic problems & total cost
4. Maximum possible working life

95
 COILED TUBING DRILLING DESIGN CRITERIA
1. Select tubing size, hole size, drilling fluid & BHA
2. Calculate reel weight & size
3. Calculate tubing forces & stresses
• Don’t exceed 80% of yield stresses
• Minimum WOB at total depth

4. In vertical well:
Dmax = Y /(4.245 – 0.06493Wdf)
where; Dmax = maximum depth (ft)
Y = yield stress (psi)
Wdf = drilling fluid weight (ppg)

5. In deviated well
• Ensure injector can supply necessary push/pull
• Calculate drilling fluid pressure drop in CT, BHA and annulus at 100% motor flow capacity &
determine absolute pressure in CT during drilling
• Asses torsional limitation.
• Downhole motor-stall torque should not be longer than maximum working torque for CT
• Calculate fatigue of pipe
• Asses hydraulic limit.
• Consider hole cleaning
• Be sure directional control is possible

96
 COILED TUBING DRILLING ADVANTAGES
1. Underbalanced drilling
• Especially in shallow low pressure reservoir
• Minimize damage
2. Smaller footprint
3. Safe & efficient live well intervention
4. Greater mobility & rig up
5. Potentially lower cost
6. Quicker/reduced trip time – less production downtime
7. No connections
8. Directional control
9. Continuous circulation – ability to circulate RIH/POOH
1. Improve well condition
2. Improve safety
10. Fully contained well pressure – kick not usually a major issue, early kick detection
11. Pressure deploy BHA
12. Optimized elements, including bit performance
13. No stripping or snubbing tool joints
14. Less environment impact
15. Eliminates noise of falling pipe sections
16. Enable downhole communication & power function with surface – fitted with internal electrical conductors or
hydraulic conduit
17. Avoids need to handle pipe sections
• Major source of accidents
18. Prospect of reducing:
• Personnel
• Equipment support

97
 COILED TUBING DRILLING DISADVANTAGES
1. Inability to rotate
• Reduces reach & hole cleaning ability
2. Limited pump rates & hole sizes
3. Limited torque
4. Limited WOB
5. Limited equipment base – higher operational cost
6. Limited drilling fluids life – high friction losses &
associated turbulence degrade
7. Consumables cost relatively high
• Motors
• Change out drilling fluid for WOB
 Solids buildup
 Shear degradation
• Coil life

98
 KEYS – SUCCESSFUL CTD PROGRAM
 Right targets & keep it simple
 Proper reservoir
 Low difficulty/technical challenge drilling
 Good drillability

 Right program size

 Enough candidate wells to get over learning curve
& into exploitation
 Right equipment
 Right commitment – management, technology
resources

99
 RULE OF THUMB of CTD
 OPERATIONAL RULES OF THUMB:
 WOB challenge
 6 1/8” hole – done 13” shallow
 > 55 deg./100ft build up section
 4.5” casing: use 2 3/8” and 2 5/8” coiled tubing
 5.5” casing: use 2 7/8” & 3 1/16” coiled tubing
 3.5” casing: use 2” OD coiled tubing
 Depth about 17000 ft MD
 8 ½ inches hole or smaller
 3000 ft or less MD laterals kicking off at 10000 ft MD

100
 FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF CTD TECHNOLOGY
• Allow rotating entire CT string to extend attainable MD and improve hole cleaning efficiency
• Include telemetry built into CT string
• Special designed equipment & techniques to reduce costs for exploiting existing brownfield assets
• More compact & lighter units for more flexible movement
• Equipment to efficiently drill smaller diameter wells
• More efficient managed pressure drilling operations, especially in extremely low or high BHP
applications
• Offshore packages for CTD intervention – equipment designed to address common problems to
offshore drilling, ie limited deck space, limited crane capacities, heave and swell problems, time
required to rig up and test equipment

 COILED TUBING DRILLING FUTURE:

 Niche market

 More economical

 Technical merit

 Many simpler jobs

 Best at UBD

101
102
103
WELL ABANDONMENT
105
 Before and After

106
 WELL ABANDONMENT
Definition
1. Proper plugging & abandoning a well in compliance with all applicable regulations, and cleaning up of wellsite to satisfaction of any
governmental body having jurisdiction with respect thereto and to the reasonable satisfaction of operator
2. To cease efforts to find or produce from a well or field
3. To plug a well completion & salvage material & equipment
 To isolate permeable & hc formation to protect underground resources & preventing contamination & resorting formation natural integrity

 Is a process that is completed to :

 Isolate any porous rock beds
 Prevent leaks from or into well
 Isolate hc bearing formations from potential groundwater sources
 Isolate & protect all fresh & near fresh water zones
 Isolate & protect all commercial producing horizons for future development
 Isolate two separate hc from communicating with each other
 Remove surface equipment and cut and plug pipe below ground level or fishing net level or depending on requirements, mark
surface location so identification can be made later

Reasons for abandonment a well:

1. Economic limit
 Determine by:
-Taxes
-Operating cost
-Oil price
-Royalty
2. Produces so poorly that liability to owner
3. End of well useful life – well life
4. Dry hole
 Types:
 Plugged & abandonment or permanent abandonment
 Temporary abandonment

 Do it right the first time

 Resource protection for future:
 Abandonment often with 60-80% oil and 10-20% of gas still in place
107
 Permanent Abandonment

• End of current economic operations

• Well problem that cannot be economically repaired
• Moving bottomhole location – P&A bottom & reuse top
part

• Operation to plug wellbore - Set cement &

mechanical plugs to prevent cross flow &
production
• Isolate all flow & protect from pressures
• To recover wellhead assembly which can’t be re-
utilized
• Follow governing body regulations

108
 Temporarily Abandonment

• During a long shut-down

• Waiting on a workover
• Waiting on field development or redevelopment

• Operation to plug wellbore - Set plugs to prevent cross

flow & production
• Installing well head cap
• Isolate all flow & protect from pressures
• Test & monitor the well & keep good records
• Placing well head signal of well
• In which drilling is ongoing & operation is suspended
due to some reasons or
• In which operations have been completed & necessary
to remain well head.

109
 SIMPLE PROCESS
1. Removed tubing from well
2. Removed casing
1. Removed wellhead
2. Cut off & removed casing
3. Welded cap in place & buried
3. Wellbore cleanout
1. Flushed by circulation fluid with sufficient
density to control pressure & physical properties
to remove debris, scale and fill
4. Place cement plug
1. Filled wellbore with concrete (policy/standard procedures)
2. Wellbore section filled with cement to:
1. Prevent fluid migration between formations
2. Isolate flow path between gas & water zone
from each other as well as surface
1. Prevent gas/fluid flow to surface
5. Reclaimed surface

110
 UK Typical P & A Operational

Different phases of P&A operations for typical well with vertical Xmas tree.

Phase 0: Preparatory work Retrieve tubing hanger plugs, kill well, install deep set
mechanical plug, punch/perforate tubing, circulate well clean

Phase 1: Reservoir abandonment Rig up BOP, pull tubing hanger and tubing,
install primary barrier with its base at top of influx zone (i.e. reservoir), install
secondary
barrier where the base of barrier can withstand future anticipated pressures

Phase 2: Intermediate abandonment Remove casing strings (if necessary), install

primary and secondary barriers towards potential flow zones in overburden, install
surface plug ("environmental barrier")

Phase 3: Wellhead and conductor removal Cut conductor and casing strings below
seabed to avoid interference with marine activity, retrieve casing strings, conductor
and

111
 Main Targets That Must be Sealed
Isolation:
 Open hole
 Separate pay zones
 Perforations
 Liner tops & channels in cement
 Surface location (3’or 1m on land to 10 to 15’
or 3 to 5m, below ML offshore)
 Damaged sections (wear points, milling,
perforations, etc)
 Multi-laterals
 Corrosive zones (highly corrosive salt water)
 Special cases (clearing sea floor, rigs to reefs,
geothermal, etc.)

112
 Requirements

 Plug thickness (height)

 Tag to validate plug position
 Pressure tests to validate seal
 Well identification
 Marking of lost radioactive source tools

Materials Used in Abandonment

o Cement slurries
o Drilling mud- heavy mud ( density 9.1-12 ppg)
o Gelled pills (bentonite & others)
o Bentonite in compressed solid & then hydrated  dense & low
permeability solid.
o Spacers to protect cement slurries
o Mechanical plugs (including cement retainers)
o Inflatable plugs
o Sand plugs ( as base for cement)

113
 MECHANICAL PLUGS
• Used to reduce cement amount required & to provide additional protection from formation pressure
in well
• Two types: bridge plug or cement retainer
• Type selection based on whether cement needs to be pumped below plug to seal perforation or not
• If cementing below plug not required or balanced cement plug installed below mechanical plug
setting depth  bridge plug can be used
• Can be set in well using workstring tubing, coiled tubing or wireline
• Consist of 4 major parts:
1. Plug body – steel, cast iron or composite
2. Slips – metal parts that grab casing to hold plug in place
3. Packing material – rubber or nylon ring that squeezed outward when plug set in well
4. On/off tool – allows plug to be set and released to pull tubing/wireline out of well after
setting (mechanical or wireline)
• Lowered tool to depth & then rotated to release slips (grab casing to hold plug)
• Then raised or lowered plug to expand sealing element against casing
• Once desired tension on tool applied, tool set & can be released or rotated to release
secondary slip that keep tool expanded & set prior to release
• For wireline set tool, some use explosive or hydraulic systems to set slip & packing
element prior to release

114
 Bridge Plugs

• Cast iron with duel slips with sealing element between slips
• Some designed to be easily drillable for later re-entry
• Design to be set in wellbore & have cement set on top to provide
complete solid seal of reservoir below
• In case of moderate /high pressure gas flowing from area below setting
depth, bridge plug can be set to seal wellbore prior to cementing to
reduce pressurized water/gas contaminate cement

115
 Cement Retainer
• Can be set above zone to be cemented
• Useful when plugging higher pressurized zones that need to be squeeze cemented prior
to plugging
• Usually built from drillable material for later re-entry
• Same method use to set in wellbore as bridge plugs
• Once set, cement can be pumped through plug to squeeze cement through perforations
or open hole area below retainer
• Pressure can be applied to area below retainer without concern of cement travelling
uphole past cement retainer
• Once desired cement volume squeezed below retainer, pulled tubing upward out
retainer and mechanical flap closes hole to seal cement below cement retainer
• Cement typically placed on top retainer to provide more complete seal of reservoir

116
 Threats from Improperly Abandoned Wells

 Contaminated surface water entry

(minerals, bacteria, waste, etc.)
 Surface leakage from shallow zones
through well or leaking cement sheath
 Leakage from an aquifer to surface
 Leakage from surface to an aquifer
 Danger of open well falling down the
well)

117
 Plugged& Abandoned Important Aspect

 Knowledge of the well – where are plugs needed ?

 Perforations
 Wear areas in casing
 Multilateral junctions
 Overlap seal stability
 Channels & fractures in cement sheath
 Fracturing far out of zone

 Placement accuracy & seal reliability of plugs

 Reliability of the cement sheath
 Reliability of the overall plugged & abandoned
systems

118
 Plugged & Abandoned Costs

On shore:
 Well equipment recovered often offsets cost

Off-shore: USD100k to millions

• Depends on whether isolated wells or whole campaign to
decommission a platform
• Depends on depth, pressure & potential to endanger fishing,
shipping, coast line, etc
• Significantly increased by platform damage from storms,
ship impact or corrosion

119
 Overview of different plugging materials; both currently used and alternative/emerging.

Portland cement
Most commonly used. Consists mainly of calcium hydroxide ("portlandite") and various calcium silicate phases. Addition of
selected additives enables a wide range of different specialised cement systems such as expandable cements and flexible
cements.

Blast Furnace Slag (BFS)

Waste product from steel manufacturing process has been used, by itself and as additive to Portland cement. Not widely used as
plugging material.

Bentonite
Has been applied as plugging material due to its ability to swell and its low permeability.

Low melting point metal alloys

Bismuth containing low melting point metal alloys has been suggested as a potential plugging material with good metal to-metal
bond to casings.

Thermosetting polymers (resins)

Resins are particle-free fluids which solidify into an impermeable material upon curing. The curing process is temperature-
activated and occurs at a predefined temperature.

Unconsolidated sand slurries

Sand slurries as plugging material fills the well with a deformable, low porosity, non-permeable and non-shrinkable material, that is
easy to remove. Well-suited for temporary abandonment, and permanent abandonment.

Geopolymers
Geopolymers are a type of inorganic, rock-like, materials that can be described as "artificial stone". Were originally developed as
construction but can be used as an alternative plugging material.

Thermite
Potential step-change technology where burning thermite is used to melt the casing, cement and rock to form an impermeable
plug. A potential concern is whether any leak paths are formed around the plug after cooling.

120
 Cement Plugs
• Cement slurry design
• Cement type & additives:
• API class
• Extenders, shrinkage, gas control, fluid loss control, formation & pipe
adherence , spacers
• Volumes & excesses
• Placement method requirements:
• Location identification
• Depth control
• Spotting methods (bailer, circulation, etc)
• Contamination control
• Testing requirements

Cement Plug Placement (Plugging)

• Balanced method
• Modified balanced method
• Displacement from surface\
• Two plug circulation
• Grouting
• Mechanical assistance

121
 BALANCED METHOD / DISPLACEMENT METHOD

• Most common placement method & simplest technique

• Procedures:
1. Placed dp or tubing at planned plug base depth
2. Placed cement slurry on top of mechanical device (bridge plug) or viscous fluid or mud serving as plug base
3. Pumped slurry through dp/tubing until cement in annulus level = inside casing
4. To prevent mud contamination, spacer fluid is pumped ahead and behind slurry
5. Once plug balanced, pulled out tubing.

• Often used for middle plug placement

• Main problem: cement contamination – can be prevent by using appropriate plug base material, so that no cement
plug downward migration
• Cement used must has good cleaning and mud displacement characteristics

122
 CEMENT SQUEEZE METHOD
• Used to remediate cement sheath & achieve isolation
• Technique: squeeze cementing, block cementing & circulating cement
• Squeeze cementing:
• Forcing cement slurry into specified location through perforation  encounter
permeable formation, cement solids filtered out of slurry as liquid phase forced into
formation matrix in cement filtrate form
• Remedial cementing technique used to repair flaws in primary cement or damage
incurred by corrosive fluids.
• Block cementing:
• Used to isolate permeable zone
• Sections above & below target formation perforated & squeezed
• Often applied before starting production
• Circulating cement / Circulating squeeze:
• Circulating cement between two sets perforations, isolated in string by packer or
cement retainer
• Initial circulation with water or acid (receding fluid), subsequent circulation (of
interval) with cleaning wash fluid, and pumping & displacing cement slurry
• Low pressure squeeze

123
 DUMP BAILER METHOD

• Dump bailer : tool that contains cement, lowered into wellbore on wireline
• Procedures:
• Placed permanent bridge plug below desired plug interval
• Placed cement on top of permanent bridge plug
• Opened bailer by touching bridge plug or by electronic activate
• Dumped cement by raising bailer
• Used for setting plugs at shallow depth or greater depth using properly retarded
cement system.
• Advantages:
• Easily controlled
• Relatively inexpensive
• Disadvantages:
• Limited available cement quantity to dump bailer volume
• Required special slurry design to prevent slurry gelation or instability during
bailer descent (slurry stationary in bailer)

124
 Balanced Plug Method Dump Bailer Method

125
 TWO-PLUG METHOD
• Cement plug is placed with two (top & bottom) wiper or cementing plugs
• Special tool setting cement plug in well at calculated depth with maximum accuracy &
minimum cement contamination
• Tool comprises: bottomhole landing collar installed at dp lower end, aluminium tail pipe,
bottom wiper plug (carrying dart) and top wiper plug.
• Cementing plugs application enables effective separation of cement slurry from other fluids,
reducing contamination & maintaining predictable slurry performance
• Procedures:
• Bottom plug launched ahead of cement slurry to clean dp & to minimize fluids
contamination inside casing prior to cementing
• Increased pump pressure, diaphragm in plug body rupture to allow cement slurry pass
through after plug reaches landing collar.
• Pumped top plug behind cement slurry to isolate cement from displacement fluid
• Pulled up dp until lower end of tail pipe reaches calculated depth for top cement plug.

• Top plug has solid body – provides positive indication of contact with landing collar &
bottom plug through pump pressure increase
• Top plug prevents cement from flowing up into tubing string, meanwhile permitting reverse
circulation
126
 TWO-PLUG METHOD

127
 CEMENT PLUG EVALUATION
• After well plugged, testing required to ensure plug placed at proper level and provides zonal isolation
• Plug verified by tagging its top, pump pressure testing or swab testing
• Tagging cement top (TOC):
• Through employment of dp, wire line, work string or tubing
• Advantages:
• No additional pressure needed on wellbore
• Enable exact plug top determination
• Tagging plug with open-ended pipe can be applied for testing cement plug integrity
• Disadvantages:
• Load concentration on area where pipe hits cement
• Required corrections for buoyancy & friction when using pipe weight
• Potential weight insufficiency for shallow plugs
• Plug may be tested to be rigid at top while less strength further down, leading to potential fluid migration
over time.
• Pressure Testing:
• Pressure (using pump) exerted uniformly on plug
• Advantages:
• No correction required
• Provide more accurate pressure data which can be monitor over time
• Disadvantages:
• Pressure change initiate casing integrity problem if well cannot sustain pressure change
• Can lead to loss wellbore control if condition not static
• Swab Testing or Swabbing:
• Running swabbing tool that reduces pressure in wellbore above plug to levels below pressure gradient from isolated
reservoir below plug
• Monitor fluid level & pressure to ensure adequate isolation
• More time consuming

128
 PLUGGING EFFECTIVENESS

• Abandoned well leakage risk depend on:

• Regulation toward drilling & abandonment enforced at plugging
time
• Operator diligentcy during plugging
• Material used in plugging operation
• Poor isolation due to inadequate well design, well construction or
plugging performance
• Mud contamination due to poor mud removal, unstable cement
slurry, insufficient slurry volume & poor job execution

129
 Setting Cement Plugs

• Near 100% reliable system if cross flow can be stopped

• Most cement plugs fail because of cross flow, density &

viscosity mismatch, or failure to break the fluid momentum

• Full plug method described & field tested in SPE 11415

(SPE JPT Nov. 1984, pp 1897-1904) and SPE 7589

130
 Cement Plug Failure

Many cement plugs fail:

1. Cross flow cuts channels into the plugs
2. Cement density > mud – cement falls through the mud
• Mud contaminated of cement may keep it from setting.
Contamination can occurred during or immediately after
• placement
3. Mud viscosity much lower than cement slurry – cement falls
through mud. Failure to place viscous pill to stop downward
movement of cement slurry
4. Open ended tubing produces high momentum energy condition
that mud cannot stop – cement falls through mud
5. Inaccurate knowledge of volumes required.

Resulting in cement spread out along the hole & plug never formed

131
 How To Avoid

1. Use simple tubing end plug with circulation to the side &
upward but not downward
2. Spot heavily gelled bentonite pill below cement plug depth. Pill
thickness of 500-800 ft (152-244m)
3. Use custom spacer to separate pill & cement slurry
4. Use viscous, thixotropic cement with setting time equal to jib
time plus ½ hr. Plug thickness of 300 – 600 ft (91 – 183m)
5. Rotate centralized tubing (do not reciprocate) during placement
& gently withdraw at the end of pumping
6. WOC = 4 hrs for every 1 hr of pump time

Ref: Full details & field tests in SPE 11415

132
 Laying Sand Plugs

• Shut-in well for several hours to prevent crossflow disruption of plug

• Don’t bury BHA with dumped sand
• Tag frequently to avoid over-fill
• Use gel spacer in front of sand to prevent sand roping of falling down the hole. Rapid sand
fall out can cause bridge off inside the CT
• Sand plugs are often used as base for more stable plugs

General Requirements
• Onshore :
• 10 ft (3m) plug on top of well & casing cut 3 ft (1m) below ground surface.
• Mud between plugs (9.5 ppg)
• Plug thickness minimum : 100 ft, plus 10% for each 1000 ft zone

133
 Procedures

• Remove salvageable equipment

• Set at minimum plugs required by regulations

• Test to limits required

• Cap & identify as specific

134
 Isolation of Open Hole

• Cement plug 100ft (30m) above & below lower-most

shoe in open hole

• Cement retainer 50 to 100 ft (15 to 30m) above the

shoe. Cement 100ft (30m) below shoe & 50ft (15m) of

cement on top

• Tested to 15000 lbs load or 1000 psi

135
 Isolation of Perforations

• Cement plug 100ft (30m) above and below perforations

(or to next plug)

• Cement retainer 50 to 100ft (15 to 30m) above the

perforations. Cement 100ft (30m) below shoe & 50ft

(15m) of cement on top

• Permanent bridge plug within 150ft (45m) of

perforations with 50ft (15m) of cement on top

136
 Isolation of Lap Joints or Liner Tops

• Cement plug 100ft (30m) above & below

liner top (or to next plug)
• Cement retainer or permanent bridge
plug 50 ft (15m) above the liner with 50ft
(15m) of cement on top
• Cement plug 200ft (60m) long within
100ft (30m) of liner

137
 Finding & Repairing Channels in Cement
Channels in cement occur from many causes:
• Lack of effective pipe centralization
• Inadequate mud conditioning prior to cementing
• Ineffective cement displacement design and/or execution
• Excess free water in cement, especially in deviated hole (usually cement mixing problem)
• Excessive fluid loss from cement slurry (generally results in low cement top)
• Gas influx before cement sets
• Cement shrinkage

Repair Channels – cement Squeezes

Identifying Channels in Cement Sheath
• Types
• Block squeeze
• Numerous logging methods
• Cement packer
• CBL and segmented CBL tools that scan around wellbore • Suicide squeeze
• Borax logging, Carbon-Oxygen logs, Sonic tools, etc • Breakdown squeeze
• Plug & packers with perforating • Running & walking squeeze
• Hesitation squeeze
• What is used depends on both what needed &
experience of operator

138
 Surface Plug

• Onshore
• Depends on local regulations
• Offshore
• Cement plug 150ft (45m) long within
150ft (45m) of mud line
• Placed in smallest string of casing
that extends to mud line

139
 Minimum Plug Requirements

• Transition zone form uncased to cased sections:

• Europa = 50 -100 m, except UK = 30 m
• International = 30 -60 m, except Canada = 15 m depend on
formation
• Reservoir (uncased ) section:
• Europa and international = 50 – 100 m, except UK & Canada = 30
m
• Perforated cased section:
• Europe = 50 – 100 m, except UK = 30 m
• International = 30 -60 m, except Canada = 80 m

 Balanced plug method is commonly used

 Minimum plug no : 1 – 3
 Minimum plug length : 8 – 100 m
 Plug testing : weight or pressure test plus corrosive environments

140
 Testing of Plugs

Location of first plug below surface plug shall

be verified
• Pipe weight of 15000 lbs on cement plug,
cement retainer, or bridge plug
• Pump pressure of 1000 psi with maximum
10% drop in 15 minutes

141
 Fluid Left in Hole

Fluid fill between plugs must exert fluid density

at least higher than greatest formation pressure
in intervals between plugs at time of
abandonment

142
 GENERAL GUIDELINE
 Prior to any well abandonments, application to abandon each well must be filed
to authority
 Authority responds with permit that set the conditions & requirements to be met
and must be presented to obtain others certain department well abandonment
permit (Fire dept, etc.)
 Petronas : Section 7
 General requirements:
 Applications

 Prior to backfilling the excavation

 Completion

 Applications:
 Notice of intent to abandon a well & top plate inspection (Fire dept.)

 Explosive permit (if required) (Fire dept./related dept.)

 Grading permit (Public work dept.)

 Submitted 30 days prior to operation

143
 GENERAL GUIDELINE – cont.
 Prior to backfilling & excavation
 Welding metal top plate
 Metal top plate should be same thickness or thicker than casing it is attached to
 Plate must be:
 Welded in 3 opposing places
 With minimum of 2 inch long welds
 Free of any nipples and/or valves
 Top metal casing termination shall be minimum 10 ft below final predominates grade
 Well name & date well welded shall be placed on its surface with welding rod
 Fire dep. Inspection & gas test
 After welding completed
 Grading
 In accordance with state grading & excavation codes
 Each excavation must be backfilled & compacted in lifts no greater than 8 inches
 Backfill material must be clean & debris free
 All lifts shall be compacted to a minimum of 90% relative compaction

144
 GENERAL GUIDELINE – cont.

 Compaction report
 Operations report

 Future/further development – must be notified to

related dept.
 Additional contamination – any previous soil
contamination must be notified

145
 GENERAL RULES & REGULATIONS
 Purpose:
 To ensure safety of oil & gas well abandoned
 To protect petroleum resources
 To protect environment
 To ensure safety of public & their daily activities

 Content:
 Plugging well
 Inspection
 Deliverability test
 Time limit for plugging well
 Surface reclaimation
146
 PLUGGING WELL
 Well to be abandoned may be filled with sufficient weight mud to
offset formation hydrostatic pressure
 Sufficient cement plug must be efficiently placed to:
 Prevent commingling of oil, gas, salt water & fresh water from one zone to
another
 Isolate potentially economic zone
 General Procedure:
• Place certain length of plug between each producing formation, may be not
less than 25ft
• Place certain length of plug at surface casing base, may be not less than
25ft. Plug shall be placed so that at least 10ft cement extends up into casing
• Plug can be:
• Mechanical
• Brush & stone
• Cement
 Time Limit for Plugging Well
 Well found to be dry should be plugged within 6 months from
cessation of drilling
147
 DELIVERABILITY TEST & SURFACE RECLAMATION
 Deliverability Test
 Must be performed after well has achieved stabilized flow rate, maximum test
period 24 hrs
 To make sure, stabilized flow rate had been achieved
 Surface Reclamation
 To minimize surface run-off and prevent excessive erosion & sedimentation
 Operator (within 30 days of initial disturbance)
 Shall drain & fill all surface pits that are not for production purpose)
 Shall grade & stabilize well location & location road
 Within 30 days of plugging & abandonment of well, operator shall:
 Remove:
 All production & storage structure
 Supply & equipment
 Any oil, salt water & debris
 Fill any remaining excavation
 Grade any remaining disturbed areas
 For onshore operations, permanent plant/tree cover shall then be established
on all disturbed areas

148
 RULES ON OFFSHORE OIL WELL ABANDONMENT OPERATIONS
 Article 1: Purpose
 To abandon a well

 Article 2: Applicability
 To operator, contractor conducting exploration, development & production and other
petroleum operations
 Article 3: Application & Approval
 Application should be submitted within 30 days prior to commencement of operation

• Should provide well abandonment operations plan, includes:

• operational procedures,

• time schedule,

• mud characteristics,

• cementing operational plan,

• explosion or cutting & pulling of casing, wellhead residuum and its distance from
seabed mudline and schematic diagram
(well residuum = substances remained @ wellhead above seabed mudline after well
abandonment operation completed)

149
 RULES ON OFFSHORE OIL WELL ABANDONMENT OPERATIONS - cont.
 Article 4: Technical Requirements
 Operations shall meet following conditions:
 Different pressure system formations have been plugged completely
 Formation fluid avoided flowing beyond seabed surface

 Permanent well abandonment

 To plug permeable stratum of oil, gas, water & other fluid
 To avoid inter-penetration of same flowing to seabed in borehole
 Cement plug shall be:
 At least 30m higher than any permeable stratum
 With length not less than 50m

 Some special conditions for cement plug requirements:

 If no oil, gas, water & other fluid, 30m plug above & below last casing shoe shall be plugged respectively
 If there is liner, 30m interval above & below of top liner shall be plugged with 30m cement plug
respectively
 If perforated testing operation have been conducted in casing & liner:
- Bridge plug shall be placed 50m above tested oil bearing zone top
- Cement plug 50m above bridge plug shall be plugged after pressure testing has
been conducted & met the requirements
 When casing has been cut, 30m cement plug should be plugged above & below casing cutting point,
respectively
 At least 45m last cement plug shall be in surface casing & location of cement plug top shall be between 40-
50m below seabed mudline

 Temporary well abandonment

 Deepest casing bottom shall be plugged with at least 50m cement plug
 At least 30m cement plug shall be plugged within casing 4m below seabed mudline

150
 RULES ON OFFSHORE OIL WELL ABANDONMENT OPERATIONS - cont.

 Article 5: Wellhead Residuum

 Permanent well abandonment
 All casing, well head assembly or pile shall be removed up to 4m below seabed mudline
in accordance with relevant provisions
 Subsea well head assembly or well head cap remained on seabed shall be
reported in accordance with relevant provisions
 Article 6: Final Report of Well Abandonment Operations
 Must be submitted within 15 days after operation completed
 Report must contain situation @ operation completed including: bridge plug, cement
plug length, depth & location, cement slurry volume & its SG, depth & location of
casing remained after casing & mudline cutting, other relevant data & results
• Article 7: Personnel from Government agency/representative have right to
supervise & inspect well abandonment operations conducted
 Article 8: Any violation of these rules by operator or contractor, punishment
such as warning, cease of well abandonment operations or conduct of remedial
operation shall be exercised

151
 RULES ON OFFSHORE OIL WELL ABANDONMENT OPERATIONS - cont.
 Article 9: Definition
 Well abandonment operations
 Permanent or temporary well abandonment operations
 Permanent well abandonment
 Operations to plug wellbore & to recover well head assembly of
abandonment wells which can’t be re-utilized
 Temporary well abandonment
 Operations to plug wellbore, installing wellhead cap & placing well
head signal of well in which drilling is ongoing & operation is
suspended due to some reasons or in which operations have been
completed & necessary to remain wellhead
 Wellhead residuum
 Substances remained at well head above seabed mudline after well
abandonment operations completed
 Article 10: Right to interpret these rules is vested to
government agency or representative
152
 PETRONAS SECTION 7.0
PLUGGING & ABANDONMENT OF WELLS
 7.1 Responsibility To abandon a Well
 Contractor shall ensure that:
 Well or portion of well that is not suspended or completed is abandoned, and
 Where well is abandoned, it shall be abandoned in accordance with applicable provisions under Section 7
 When well or portion of well has not been abandoned in accordance with applicable provision under Section 7,
it shall be responsibility of Contractor, when required by Petronas, to properly re-abandon well
 7.2 Application To Abandon a Well
 Contractor shall submit to Petronas:
 Request for approval of intent to abandon any well, with:
 Program outlining operation procedures
 Notification for any producible well shall include reasons for abandonment
 7.3 Subsequent Report of Abandonment
 Contractor shall produce detailed report of
 Manner in which abandonment or plugging work was accomplished
 Nature & quantities of materials used in plugging
 Location & extended, by depth, of casing left in well
 Volume of mud used
 If an attempt was made to cut & pull any casing, report must also include:
 Description of method used
 Results obtained

153
 PETRONAS SECTION 7.0
PLUGGING & ABANDONMENT OF WELLS – cont.
 7.4 Permanent Abandonment
 7.4.1 Isolated of Zones In Open Hole

 Uncased portions of wells, cement plugs shall:

 Isolate all hc bearing zones from one another & from water bearing formations
 Prevent any fluids migrating to surface
 Cement plugs shall be spaced to extend 30m below bottom to 30m above top of any hc zones & fresh water zones
shallower than 300m
 Cement plug is not supported by plug or by well bottom, i.e located above or against abnormally pressure zone or hc
bearing zone, shall after WOC to harden be tagged with:
 66700 (15000 psi), or
 Maximum safe tagging weight that can be applied with string in use
 After unsuccessful fishing operation for stuck pipe, where possible:
 Fish shall be perforated & cement shall be pumped through perforations to:
 Cement fish-hole annulus
 Isolate any open sands
 If any hc bearing sands are exposed below fish, contractor should consider:
 Remedial action to prevent cross flow
 If not possible, cement plug shall be positioned above fish to isolate fish from open hole above fish

154
 PETRONAS SECTION 7.0
PLUGGING & ABANDONMENT OF WELLS – cont.
 7.4.2 Isolation of Open Hole

 If there is open hole below casing, cement plug shall be placed in deepest casing string in accordance with:
 Cement plug set by displacement method so as to extend minimum 30m above and 30m below casing
shoe
 In event of lost circulation conditions, permanent type bridge plug (or equivalent) my be placed in
accordance with:
 Permanent type bridge plug (or equivalent) set with 45m above casing shoe and shall be tested in
accordance with Section 7.4.7 prior to placing subsequent plugs. Before setting plug attempts should be
made to cure losses

 7.4.3 Plugging or Isolation of Perforated Intervals

 Balanced cement plug shall be set by displacement method opposite all open perforations, extending
minimum 30m above & 30m below perforated interval or down to casing plug, whichever less
 One of following displacement methods can be used:
1. Cement retainer with effective back pressure control or permanent packer set not less than 15m & not
more than 30m above perforated interval top with cement plug calculated to extend at least to perforated
interval top and 15m above retainer or packer
2. Permanent type bridge plug set not more than 45m above perforated interval top
3. Such other method as may be approved by Petronas for specific situation

155
 PETRONAS SECTION 7.0
PLUGGING & ABANDONMENT OF WELLS – cont.
 7.4.4 Plugging of Casing Stubs
 If casing is cut & recovered leaving stub, one of following methods shall be used to
plug casing stub:
1. Stub Terminating Inside Casing String
a) Cement plug set so as to extend 30m above & 30m below stub
b) Cement retainer set approximately 15m above stub with cement volume equivalent to 45m
squeezed below retainer & 15m above retainer
c) Permanent bridge plug set approximately 15m above stub
d) Such other method as may be approved by Petronas for specific situation

2. Stub Terminating Below Casing String

If stub is below next larger string, plugging shall be accomplished in accordance with either
Section7.4.1 or Section 7.4.2

3. Liner Top or Screen

Liner or screen that is impractical to be removed shall be plugged in accordance with
Section (1)

156
 PETRONAS SECTION 7.0
PLUGGING & ABANDONMENT OF WELLS – cont.

 7.4.5 Plugging of Annular Space

 Any annular space communicating with any open hole & extending to ocean floor
shall be plugged with cement

 7.4.6 Surface Plug

 Cement plug at least 45m length, with plug top 45m or less below sea floor, shall be
placed in smallest casing string which extends to sea floor

 7.4.7 Testing of Plugs

 Setting & location of first plug below surface plug shall be verified by one of
following methods:
a) By placing minimum pipe weight of 66700N (15000 psi) on cement plug or bridge plug. Cement
placed above bridge plug need not be tested
b) By testing casing against plug with minimum pump pressure of 6900 kPa (1000psi) with no more
than 10% pressure drop during 15 minute period

157
 PETRONAS SECTION 7.0
PLUGGING & ABANDONMENT OF WELLS – cont.
 7.4.8 Drilling Fluid
 Each respective hole intervals between various plugs shall be filled with sufficient
density drilling fluid to exert hydrostatic pressure exceeding greatest formation
pressure encountered while drilling intervals between plugs
 Hole shall be circulated so that drilling fluid is gas-free & of uniform fluid weight

 7.4.9 Clearance of Location

 All casing, wellhead equipment & piling shall be removed as deep as practically
possible (min. 6ft) below sea floor
 Contractor shall provide written verification that location has been cleared of all
obstructions

 7.5 Well Suspension (Semi-Permanent Well Suspension)

 Any well which is to be suspended with no immediate intention to return to well for
further operations shall be:
 Filled with drilling fluid
 Cemented as required for permanent abandonment in accordance with Section 7.4

158
 PETRONAS SECTION 7.0
PLUGGING & ABANDONMENT OF WELLS – cont.
 7.6 Temporary Well Suspension
 Any well which is to be temporarily suspended prior to drilling ahead, completion or
abandonment shall be:
 Filled with appropriate weighted fluid & cemented in accordance with Section 7.4.1, 7.4.2 &
7.4.3
 Equipped with dual safety feature in form of kill fluid together with one of following:
 Pressure tested casing or cement plug or liner lap
 Kill string
 In all cases wellhead valve assembly tree or wellhead cap or BOP shall be employed
to give pumping access to well

 7.7 Suspended Well

 Contractor shall ensure any well that is suspended & that has not been completed
within 5 years from the date of suspension shall be either completed or abandoned
 Every well that is completed & suspended shall be:
 Inspected at least once each year & reported to Petronas
 Placed on production or abandoned within 3 years period from date of suspension unless
prior approval has been given by Petronas for extension of period

159
 Well Abandonment Regulations @ Country
Country State Regulation
Denmark A Guide to HC Licences in Denmark
France Article 49 (part of Decree no. 2000-278(RGIE,2000)(General
Regulation for the Extractive Industry)

Norway NORSOK Standard D-010

Netherlands The Mining Legislation & of the Working Conditions Regulation

UK Guidelines for the Suspension & Abandonment of Wells by

UKOOA (UK Offshore Operations Association)
Australia Western Schedule of Onshore Petroleum Exploration & Production

Australia Requirement - 1991

Queensland Petroleum & Gas (Production & Safety) Regulations 2004

Canada Alberta The Well Abandonment Guide described in Directive 20 of the

Energy Resources Conservation Board

160
 Well Abandonment Regulations @ Country – cont.

Country State Regulation

China Control Rules on Offshore Oil Well Abandonment
Operations of the People’s Republic of China

Japan Well Abandonment Regulation by the Japanese

Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry

USA API guidance

Alaska The Alaska Administrative Code
California Section 1723 from the California Code of Regulations

Texas Rule 3.14 from the Texas Administrative Code

International London Convention 1972 & 1996 Protocol OSPAR
Conventions Convention

161
 API Guidance API Bulletin E3 (API, 1993)

• API states several safeguards utilized during well construction &

during plugging operations prevent fluid migration in plugged &
abandoned (P&A) wells

• Safeguards provided during a well construction include surface

casing & production casing installed & adequately cemented.
Cement & mechanical plugs placed at critical points in wellbore
during either prior remedial or plugging operations prevent fluid
migration within wellbore

• Safeguards provided during plugging & abandonment operations

include cement plugs set in open holes as well as cement or
mechanical plugs set above perforated intervals in production or
injection zones, at points where casing has been cut, at the base of
lowermost fresh water aquifer, across surface casing shoe, and at
surface

162
 FACULTY OF PETROLEUM & RENEWABLE ENERGY ENGINEERING (FPREE)

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163 Innovative-Entrepreneurial-Global