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Annular Intervention EXPRO New Technology Project Final Report 2021 v1
Annular Intervention EXPRO New Technology Project Final Report 2021 v1
Annular Intervention EXPRO New Technology Project Final Report 2021 v1
Technology classification
Production Technology -
Area Completion Technology Owner
Reinhard Pongratz
Project summary
Scope of project is to Run capillary into the C-ann of well 4540 Totea (SCP of 160bar) with the following targets:
• Circulate fluid into the annulus, break the emulsion pelicula, inject higher density fluid as deep as possible
• Facilitate fluid exchange, replacing light fluid 1.1 sg with heavier fluid (CaCl2 – 1,35 sg)
• Resolve gas leak / lower the annulus pressure
Business objectives
Well integrity objectives into this New Technology project are to confirm the possibility of annular intervention with capillary
tube injecting fluid in an annulus to cure or reduce annular sustained pressure. Criteria for success are:
• Depth of circulating the fluid (as deep as possible)
• Ability to perform fluid exchange (Density differential with heavier fluid left in the annulus)
• Pressure reduction in C annulus.
The pilot is well 4540 Totea, gas well with sustained pressure (SCP) in C annulus of
Potential pilot assets
165bar
Other gas wells with annular sustained pressure, mainly in Asset Oltenia, Moldova;
Potential deployment assets
also wells during drilling / WO where sustained annuls pressure occurs.
Please tick
Benefit estimation Project specific Global deployment
if yes
150 kUSD per well/ 14 days
Decrease of costs ☒ operation
<x kEUR>
Please select:
☐Develop ☒Pilot ☐Deploy ☐Already deployed ☐Waiting for follow up ☐Stop
Can be used in special cases, when is required to enforce circulation into an annulus with sustained pressure
Project details
1. Initial situation
Introduction
Casing and tubing leaks or casing cement failure are the root cause of annuli pressure, hydrocarbon spills in the
environment and “lost oil” underground through tubular’s failure, channeling, leakage and cross flow.
A particular type of sustained casing pressure are the outer annuli SCP, mainly caused by external sources of pressure,
which found path to enter trough failed cementations of the casings or even through casing connection sometimes.
OMV Petrom confronted with such cases of outer annuli sustained pressure and uses as mitigation classic method of
lubricating the annuli with heavier fluid. One particular well did not responded to lubrication solution, continuing to build
up annular pressure up to 165 bar, requiring to investigate further options to solve the case.
EXPRO NORTH SEA LTD, who is a partner of OMV Petrom for other Well Integrity solutions, presented the method of
annular intervention, developed recently for such cases and New Technology 2021 program accepted the trail project
proposed by Well Integrity team.
Partners
EXPRO NORTH SEA LTD, a company incorporated and functioning under the laws of England and Wales,
having registered headquarters located in Davidson House, Forbury Square, Reading, Berkshire, United
Kingdom. Expro has been selected by OMV Petrom based on its bid and that has the necessary expertise
and the specific knowledge to perform such Services performed using their specific equipment named
Octopoda - Annular Intervention
OMV Petrom and EXPRO North Sea LTD signed a contract based on Single Source procedure, for one time
trail operation in the selected well.
Lump Sum Contract per well included standard operation of 14 Days, inclusive of 1 run of Annular Intervention
Well Spring. This is also inclusive of 2 set of crew to run 24 Hours Operations. Any additional charges after 14
days or > 1 run was not part of the contract and would require Additional Addendum to the contract.
The Wellspring System has been designed to ensure that at no point during the operation the Integrity of the
Annulus is compromised in any way.
The Wellspring System is pressure and function tested before shipment to the location. Once the equipment
arrives at the location the pressure and function tests are repeated before the equipment can be installed on
the Wellhead.
Expro Annulus Intervention has contingency procedures in place should any one of the Annulus Integrity barriers
become compromised.
The drawing below indicates the primary and secondary barriers in place during the operation
One complete Wellspring package shall be supplied for the proposed operation. The standard Wellspring
package consists of the following:
Dual Stripper with remote control panel
Hose Reeler with measuring head, Strain gauge and remote control panel
Hose Crimping machine
High Pressure circulating pump (quantity 2)
Pressure test pump
Densitometer
The Wellspring tool configured for connection to the C-Annulus inlet – 2-1/6” 5000psi Flange
The spring is crimped to the Hose using a dedicated crimping machine. The crimp is designed to release at 50kg
tension allowing the spring to be left in the Annulus in an emergency.
The two WellSpring Hose dimensions available are the small version having a 6.9 mm OD and the large version
having a 11.5 mm OD. The difference in OD requires two different set-up of most main components such as the
Injector, the Dual Stripper, the Spring Container and the core components of the WellSpring Tool.
Footprint 2m x 0.5m x 1m
Weight Injector 45kg
Stripper 25kg
Assembly 90kg
Stripper Working
2.1.5 Personnel
The Annulus Intervention Wellspring system requires a minimum of two people to operate.
• Wellspring Supervisor- one per 12hour shift
• Wellspring Operator - one per 12hour shift
2.2 Operation steps proposed by the contractor EXPRO North Sea LTD
1. Onsite annulus lubricator be disconnected from well head assembly 1 week before commencing of AI operations to
allow segregation of fluid in annulus
2. Second valve on C annulus to be removed from passive side to allow commencement of well spring system
3. The Wellspring system maybe rigged up as per the Scope of Supply drawing. The exact Rig up may vary due to
space restrictions on the installation.
4. Ensure the work area is secure, clean, and other is sufficient space for the system.
5. Complete pressure and function tests as per Expro procedures.
6. Install the Wellspring tool onto the Annulus gate valve and pressure test as per Expro procedures.
7. Equalise pressure across the gate valve.
8. Slowly RIH with intervention hose & spring to confirm access through the upper part of the annular space inside of
the Annulus Gate Valve
9. If access is confirmed RIH to 5m and stop.
10. Line up to pump fluid (TBD) into the intervention hose and commence pumping fluid at minimum rate. Do not exceed
maximum allowed annulus pressure.
11. Once the fluid has been observed at the sample point, continue RIH slowly whilst pumping at the minimum rate.
Continuously monitor return fluid sg, if lower than pumped fluid, continue RIH. If returned fluid sg is same as pumped
fluid stop RIH and observe until sg drops.
12. Take regular samples to monitor sg of returns, record results.
13. Continue RIH until target depth (approx. 950m for 1000m hose)
14. In case of losing string weight, pull back 3m, circulate 15min and recommence RIH with lower speed
15. With intervention hose at maximum possible depth (approx. 950m), stop RIH.
16. Increase pump rate until maximum pump pressure has been achieved, while maintaining within the allowed annulus
pressure.
17. Displace annulus to fluid from hose depth to surface. Note: Ensure returns are regularly checked for sg and returned
volumes measured, record results.
18. When fluid weight of returns is consistent over 30 minutes, POOH to surface.
19. Retract the guide head into the Wellspring tool.
20. Close in and perform inflow testing of Annulus Gate Valve attached to the Wellspring tool.
21. Close in and perform inflow testing of Annulus Gate Valve with return line.
22. Continuously/closely monitor the annulus pressure for any pressure build-up. Note: The results of the well monitoring
will decide further operations (rig-down/continue pumping)
23. Commence rigging down Wellspring annulus intervention system and fluid pumping equipment and prepare for back
loading.
4540 Totea, well selected for this trail is a well with C annulus sustained pressure of up to 165 bar, since
2015 immediately after well drilling and putting in production, most probable the leak coming from an
external layer other than the productive reservoir and is infiltrated via casing (threats) or via casing cement
into the C-annulus.
C annulus is defined as the annular space between 9 5/8” casing and 13 ¾” casing with a ToC of 2800m,
having an approximate non cemented volume of 87m3, originally filled with drilling fluid 1.8 sg.
Since 2015 the C-annulus pressure was present and demonstrated to be sustained, starting from 40 bar and
slowly increasing after repeated bleed offs up to 140 bar stabilized. After the well was put on an intermittent
production due to depletion, C-annulus pressure increased up to MAWOP of C-ann=172bar, during the
productive periods, on a thermal basis, following that after cooling down during shut down phase, Ca-nn
pressure to drop to cca 165bar.
In 2017 was performed a casing leak detection using a Sonic Noise Log technology, suspected leak area was
established to be located between 1600 – 2440m, with 2 possible sources:
1. Reservoir, leaking through damaged cement barrier (9 5/8 TOC at 2800m)
2. An upper layer, saturated with gas/condensate fluid, leaking through casing joint
OMV Petrom tried to mitigate the sustained pressure with lubrication since 2020, using CaCl2 of 1,35 sg
considering that the fluid resulted from C-annulus was lighter 1,1sg, consisting of a mixture between drilling
mud, condensate and gas
Lubrication started Aug 2020, from a C-ann pressure of 165bar stabilized. Initially C-ann pressure was slightly
reduced needing frequent bleed off. After several months was noted the fluid exchange is not good, observing
that the lubricator tower was still filled with initial density CaCl2 while C-ann having light fluid on top
The possible reasons why Lubrication did not work and the fluid exchange happened only at surface are:
high gas influx from the leak source;
high fluid emulsion pelicula, not allowing CaCl2 fluid to penetrate and move below
lubrication fluid of 1,35 sg not heavy enough;
3.3 Objectives
Run capillary hose into C-annulus as deep as possible, having as limit hose maximum length of 1000m
Obtain circulation of fluids in C-ann, displace exiting light fluid cca 1,1 sg with CaCal2 of 1,35sg
Displace as much lighter fluid as possible with the purpose to reduce annular stabilized pressure or stop the
leak
EXPRO NorthSea Team arrived on location with a crew of 2 operators and 2 engineers, on 18 November and started
with the following preparation jobs:
Installed Octapoda equipment near well 4540 Totea
Tested all the equipment as per procedure, inspected system barriers, connected to the C-annulus of the Well
which was prepare by OMV Petrom crew.
Prepared monitoring tools for operation parameters: circulation fluids volumes, densities, pressure
Before commencing Annulus Intervention operations, well was shut in for 7 days and isolated from
lubrication system. As a result, pressure built up to 165 bar and fluid level dropped in
Measured the fluid level in C-annulus, observed 167m
Conclusion Step 1
► Reaching 567m depth was a record for Octapoda injection depth
► Usually the injector doesn’t advance due to centralizers
► The advance is favorized if the anulus is empty, no portance
► The hose penetrated the pelicula and was able to allow fluid exchange
► Second part of circulation to 567m was done with not filtered CaCl2
► Were noted precipitates on the hose which created blockage: possible salts of cryohydrates due to the
temperature variations; also possible un-cleaned/ unfiltered fluid or impurities present in the fluid tank
Conclusion Step 2
Not able to advance more than 120-170m
Pumped clean almost 2m3 CaCl2 of 1,34 sg
The fluid returned slowly increased density from 1,15 to 1,24 sg
The hose plugged again and required to cut and re run the hose
3.6 Challenges
Capillary hose has difficulties to run into the annuls due to:
o Presence of casing centralizers
o Any fluid in the annulus that create portance of the hose
Liquid pumped into the Capillary hose requires perfect homogeneity:
o Any impurity in the fluid can block the flow in capillary
o Higher density fluids results in lower pumping speeds and may have the same effect of hindering
the flow
Annular Intervention in C annulus of well 4540 Totea, conducted by EXPRO was finalized with no HSSE
incident
Expro operation managed to inject lubrication fluid below the emulsion pelicula
Managed to place in the C-ann additional 5,1m3 heavier fluid CaCl2 of 1.35 sg
Reduced stabilized pressure in C-ann by 30bar
Facilitated fluid exchange in the C-ann, making possible continuation with gravitational lubrication
Although the method seems to be expensive, 150.000 USD per well for 14 days circulation, without the cost of
circulation fluid, compared with the alternative solution such as an workover of the well, can be economical
attractive.
5.3 Recommendations
Apply to wells during drilling / WO where sustained annuls pressure occurs as ultimate solution
This method is suitable for annuli where the fluid cannot be displaced by direct lubrication or pumping, due to
different reasons
Avoid using the method in case of annular obstruction with centralizers, emulsion pellicular etc
Avoid using the method in case is required to circulate heavier, un-homogeneous fluids that may block the
hose
18/11/2021
18/11/21 08:00:00 Arrived on wellsite, received site induction, made permit ready.
18/11/21 09:00:00 Hold TBT to offload trucks.
18/11/21 11:00:00 Spotted equipment and start rigging up.
18/11/21 14:00:00 Commenced pressure test equipment against annulus gate valve.
18/11/21 19:00:00 Completed pressure testing.
19/11/2021
19/11/21 08:00:00 Waiting on OMV Echometer.
19/11/21 09:45:00 Echometer shows liquid level at 167 meters.