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Bright approach to Abandonments and Well Surveys

Introduction

In mid 2021R&D Solutions was selected by a multinational operatortofacilitate logging  of wells some of which were drilled and completed 40 – 50 years ago. It was important that the system be simple to rig up and down, have minimal footprint and provide efficient real time plug and play capability. To meet stringent logging criteria listed R&D Solutions worked with the operator to mobilise tools the required equipment to conduct trials of a fibre-optic well survey technology from R&D Solutions’partner Well-SENSE.
WellSENSE technology was then to be subject to evaluation on its ability to provide detailed well integrity surveys and diagnostics. That data would later be used to conduct analysis by the operator on the most suitabletechnologies for Plug and Abandonmenton a well-by-well basis given information the logging reports had yielded.

Solution

WellSENSEFibreLine Intervention (FLI) is a fast, portable well intervention system which deploys bare optic fibre into the wellbore to capture distributed fibre optic measurements in real-time.  It’s unique feature is that all the fibre is wound within the deployed probe.  When the probe is released into the well the fibre pays out from the probe along the length of the well.  The operator had set aside 15 wells with varying architecture and historical data sets. The challenging conditions were selected to test FLI in ability to evaluate cement condition thru-tubing and behind casing, identify leaks anddamaged production casing. Further, the systems speed of deployment versus conventional well intervention methods was noted as being an advantage creating little or no impact to concurrent operations.

Execution

Demonstrating its minimum footprint, equipment was mobilised to Perth, checked over and moved to location via airfreight to avoiding potential delays with congestion experienced throughout the year with sea freight. Once assembled on site, the compact system proved easy to move between wellsites. Such is the portable nature of the equipment it was able to be positioned and transported in the rear of a pickup truck. This added to ease of deployment and system proficiency.It is of note,remote location of the trial wells posed many communications challenges with no mobile phone masts in the area or internet coverage. That issue was identified prior to arrival on site and solved. Reliable connectivity and communication were achieved using state-of-the-art satellite communication.This technology afforded remote real-time access towellsite equipment for teams supporting the project from the UK and USA.  

Moreover, equipment on location was poweredthrough a mobile renewable energy solar fed microgrid system delivering emission free, silentpower.

Conclusion

Overall, 15 wells were successfully surveyed conducting back-to-backFLI operations across a 2-week time frame. Timings averaged5hours per well, including rig-up, surveytime and rig-down with efficiencies continuously gained throughout the trial as familiarity with the terrain and well types grew. Wealth of data obtained by use of WellSENSEfibre optic technology provided the operator ability to view challenges each well presented andmake informed decisions on abandonment approachwell-by-well. WellSENSEFLI demonstrated its portability, compact nature and ease of deployment coupled with the intelligence it could gather in advance of intervention provides critical capability for key stakeholders. R&D Solutions wish to thank all the team at WellSENSE for their professional approach and team player attitude throughout.

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