SPE-173646-MS

Combined Electric Line Milling and Clean-out to Eliminate Fluid Costs for
Multi-Stage Frac Preparation in Southeast Saskatchewan
Anthony MacLeod, Jeremy Ray, and Scott Bittner, Welltec

Copyright 2015, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE/ICoTA Coiled Tubing & Well Intervention Conference & Exhibition held in The Woodlands, Texas, USA, 24 –25
March 2015.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
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Abstract
Objectives/Scope: Clients utilizing Coiled Tubing (CT) for straddle frac operations in multi-stage
horizontal wells often encounter cement stringers preventing the frac bottomhole assembly (BHA) from
reaching plug back total depth (PBTD) and the packer from sealing to the casing wall. This paper presents
the learnings from a ⬎90 well campaign of preparing for fracking operations using an electric line (e-line)
milling and clean-out tool. The wells were mostly cemented, 4.5⬙ liners with frac sleeves. This technique
reduced frac preparation costs in the cemented wells by approximately 30%.
Methods, Procedures, Process: The common practice in Southeast Saskatchewan (SE Sask) is to
perform a “well prep” operation prior to the frac equipment’s arrival to the well site. A CT unit equipped
with a rotating scraper/mill—and associated fluids—is used for the clean-out, adding to the logistical
coordination and well costs. Fluid has several costs associated with it: the cost of the fluid/water itself,
heating for winter operations, trucking and disposal. However, “well prep” is considered “cheap insur-
ance” by most operators working in SE Sask compared to the potential costs of a waiting frac crew.
Results, Observations, Conclusions: An operator in SE Sask has had success with an alternative
clean-out solution to replace the use of fluid for well preps by introducing an e-line method consisting of
an electric milling & clean-out tool with a casing collar locator (CCL). The mill is conveyed by e-line
tractor and is equipped with a scraper mill to confirm the PBTD and ensure that there is no cement debris
or sheath present that could negatively affect the frac operation. Various bailers can be added to collect
the cement debris in the same run and ensure it is removed from the wellbore. In combination with the
clean-out service, a CCL is deployed and logged to surface to pinpoint the exact sleeve location to be
referenced during the frac operation. This new, efficient clean-out solution has proved slightly more
time-consuming (~3-5 hours) but yielded significant cost savings of approximately 30% per well of prep
costs. These savings come from using e-line equipment, eliminating fluid costs and offering inherently
safer operations with a low carbon footprint.
Novel/Additive Information: Moreover, the paper will discuss the future applicability of this ‘addi-
tional application’ for pre-logging runs as a means to reduce total completion costs in cemented wells.
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This is achieved by using the e-line milling tool as a pre-run for casing inspections or cement evaluation
logging.

Introduction
Coiled tubing (CT) is typically used for straddle frac operations in multi-stage horizontal wells. These
kinds of operations often encounter cement stringers, preventing the frac bottomhole assembly (BHA)
from reaching the plug back total depth (PBTD) and the packer from sealing to the casing wall. CT is the
primary method used to prepare wells for these frac operations, but it is costly, time-consuming and
logistically complex for operators. Innovations on electric line (e-line), though, offer viable alternative
solutions.
The purpose of this paper is to present the learnings from a well campaign in which a combined e-line
milling and clean-out tool was used to prepare over 90 wells for frac operations. The e-line technique
discussed in this paper, coupled with a casing collar locator (CCL) logging device, reduced frac
preparation costs by 30%. The implications of this technique for the industry will also be considered.

Southeast Saskatchewan
The climate of SE Sask varies greatly due to its central location in the continent and high latitude. The
mid-continental position of Saskatchewan leads to extreme temperature fluctuations, with a record high
of 45°C (113°F) and a record low of -50°C (-58°F) (Cote). The greatest obstacle to the industry is the
extreme cold, which is driven by “the lack of terrain impediments to cold, Arctic air from the north”
(Cote). The colder temperatures necessitate additional resources allocated to heating fluids when using
certain kinds of solutions to prepare wells, as will be discussed below.
Multi-frac Operations from Horizontal Wells
SE Sask contains the northern tip of the Bakken Basin, presenting tremendous opportunity for operators
in the region to expand operations, and production has skyrocketed in recent years as exploration and
development has taken hold. According to Oil and Gas Inquirer, “operators in the play are now working
through a huge inventory of development wells to be drilled, along with pushing forward with enhanced
recovery plans to access more of the billions of barrels of crude trapped in the tight rock” (Stonehouse,
2012). Production from horizontal wells make up a substantial percentage of the provincial oil production,
a province that now makes up nearly 20% of Canada’s national production (Saskatchewan South East
Enterprise Region).
With over 80% of Saskatchewan’s conventional oil reserves remaining in the ground, advanced
techniques are being pursued. In particular, multi-stage fracking from horizontal wells is being used more
frequently in the SE Sask region to increase production as efficiently as possible (Saskatchewan South
East Enterprise Region).
In order to prepare these wells for these multi-stage frac jobs, it is common practice by operators in
the region to perform “well prep.” This prep includes bringing in a CT unit equipped with a rotating
scraper/mill, as well as the associated fluids used for clean-out solutions. To do so for each well adds
logistical coordination complexity and well costs, including the costs of fluid/water for the CT solution,
the costs of heating for winter operations in the, at times, extreme regional climate and the costs of
trucking and disposal required for CT operations. In spite of these various costs to operators, this “well
prep” is considered “cheap insurance” by most SE Sask operators compared to the potential costs of a frac
crew simply waiting around onsite when obstacles are encountered in-hole.
Cheaper well prep is essential to maximizing production and increasing efficiency in the region to take
advantage of its substantial reserves using multi-frac operations. As will be seen in the case presented in
this paper, e-line tools are capable of providing operational efficiency and lowered costs in prepping these
wells.
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Tools
The e-line clean-out tool incorporates both a rotary system and a suction system that breaks down hard
debris and recovers the cuttings to the surface in the same run. Figure 1 shows the e-line cleaning tool,
which is designed to clean and remove cement, salts, scale, consolidated barite and consolidated debris.
Its design allows it to crush mineral deposits, such as scale and cement, and then capture the pieces in an
integrated bailer system. This design makes the e-line clean-out tool ideal for removing temporary cement
plugs or hard-packed bridges of deposits. The tool is run in combination with an e-line tractor to apply
weight-on-bit as needed and to counter any reactive torque. Figure 2 shows the e-line tractor that conveys
the e-line clean-out tool in-hole.

Figure 1—The E-line Clean-out Tool

Figure 2—The E-line Tractor

Case Story – Multi-Stage Frac Prep Campaign

Background
A Canadian operator in SE Sask, in line with regional practices, was executing ‘confirmation runs’ prior
to performing completions to ensure the wellbores were free of cement stringers. This practice is intended
to reduce the number of issues encountered during frac operations. Cemented liners with sleeves were
being used as the operator’s primary completion method.
These confirmation runs were being performed using CT with a rotating scraper, mill and magnet. The
operator’s wells were completed with 4.5⬙ cemented liners, incorporating up to 24 sliding sleeves per well.
Prior to the confirmation run, a service rig runs a tieback. Once CT deploys the straddle BHA, the goal
is to isolate and stimulate.
The operator was open to trying an alternative clean-out solution to replace the use of fluid in well
preparation for multi-stage frac operations and potentially accepting a step change for the well prep
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process. It was decided that an e-line solution consisting of a combined milling and clean-out tool with
CCL would be used to prepare over 90 wells during the campaign. The objective of the operation was to
perform the clean-outs in one run without the use of fluids.
The new e-line clean-out tool—a 53 ft 318 OD with 3.845⬙ mill and scraping bit with a chip
collector—was run on an e-line tractor. This innovative clean-out service was designed to remove cement
as well as to scrape or ream the walls of the sleeve and casing, thus ensuring that no debris remained on
the casing walls.
System Integration Test
A system integration test (SIT) was run with the e-line solution ahead of the clean-out campaign to ensure
the tool could indeed handle the rigors of the operation. The SIT was run using one joint of 4.5⬙ casing.
To account for a “worst case scenario,” the casing was filled with a cement stringer and allowed to cure
for 24 hours. Figure 3 shows the cement stringer used to test the e-line clean-out method during the SIT.
Clean-out with the e-line milling and clean-out tool was completed without issue. Furthermore, after the
first well was completed, the operator brought in a third party to examine the casing for wear to ensure
the new milling bit was not scoring the casing, which could potentially cause issues for the frac operation.
The third party determined that the bit did not affect the casing in any negative way.

Figure 3—Cement stringer used to test the e-line clean-out method during SIT

Operation
For these wells, the e-line clean-out tool was conveyed downhole via e-line tractor. The tool was equipped
with a scraper mill to confirm plug back total depth (PBTD) and ensure that no cement debris or sheath
was present. This method also adds the use of bailers to collect cement debris during the same run. The
toolstring consisted of a swivel head, a CCL, the e-line tractor, a rotating circular bit, two bailers, and the
mill.
SPE-173646-MS 5

During the operations, the e-line clean-out tool removed cement from the casing walls. PBTD was
confirmed by the scraper mill, assuring the operator that the frac BHA would reach target depth. Of the
more than 90 wells serviced, some were more challenging than others with some of the holdup depths
(HUD) much higher than the PBTD due to poor cement jobs, requiring multiple runs to reach PBTD. This
created some issues due to the lean operation being run. During some operations, the cement bond log
(CBL) and clean out would occur only one day prior to the arrival of the frac crew with no room for
additional runs. This issue, however, was an exception and not the norm during the campaign.
Most clean-outs were efficiently performed, with the two bailers allowing most operations to be
completed in a single run. The operator has continued using this new solution on several additional wells,
each with fluctuating numbers of stringers ranging from 0 – 492 ft of cement milled thus far.
Additionally, in combination with the clean-out service performed, a CCL was deployed. It logged to
service, pinpointing the exact sleeve location to be referenced during the frac operations for the operator.

Lessons Learned
This new, efficient clean-out solution proved to be slightly more time consuming than a CT operation at
approximately 3-5 hours for actual milling. Rig up to rig down time varies per operation; a well requiring
little milling typically takes 6-7 hours, rig up to rig down, with large milling jobs requiring 10-12 hours,
rig up to rig down. One other limitation experienced during this campaign was the limited amount of
debris able to be held in the two bailers on the toolstring, which became an issue for wells with large
amounts of debris or cement requiring milling. In spite of the slightly lengthier operation and occasionally
limited space in the bailers, the new method yielded significant cost savings of approximately 30% per
well of prep costs. These savings come from using e-line equipment, eliminating fluid costs, offering
inherently safer operations with a low carbon footprint and protecting the environment of SE Sask while
also circumventing the added costs of heating fluids during the extreme winters. Figure 4 shows the single
mast unit required to run these operations.
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Figure 4 —Only one mast unit is required to run this operation

Over the course of the campaign discussed here, as well as further operations since, the method has
improved through continuous learning. Initial operations required two runs to complete the clean-out: one
run was used to clean out the cement, while a second run was conducted with a magnet to clean out any
remaining metal debris. Early on, the method was improved to a single run to complete the operation by
integrating the magnets into the toolstring. Figure 5 shows the casing that houses the magnet on the
toolstring.
SPE-173646-MS 7

Figure 5—The casing that houses the magnet on the toolstring

Furthermore, the milling body on the tool was originally offered in only one size but now, due to
continuous learning in the region, it is offered in two sizes: a 97.7 mm and a 98.3 mm.
Over time, this e-line clean-out method has shown clear advantages over the previous CT one. The CT
method required fluid to be pumped for the CT BHA, with constant circulation removing dirty fluid and
replacing with clean fluid for the completion. Filtering this fluid and circulating it back into the well adds
additional costs and time to these operations. It could be argued that circulating over to this fresh fluid
would be an advantage to the CT method, but the fluid-less e-line method reduces costs and adds the
benefits of providing a CCL log from the PBTD to the surface for correlation during the frac operation
by confirming the locations of frac sleeves. This option was not available to this operator on CT jobs.
The e-line clean-out tool with the new scraping bit provided a solution for the operator’s desire to
remove cement stringers in a single run. With this innovative new option, operator benefits include
reduced cost, considerably reduced equipment footprint, less logistical complexity involved in well
preparation, as well as the added value of a CCL log-to-surface, which can be used for both frac
operations, as well as future well intervention measuring.
The results of this campaign convinced the operator to make the change from CT to the e-line solution
for its efficiency and cost savings.
Conclusion
An additional advantage to this solution is that the scraper mill can be used for pre-logging runs on casing
inspections or cement evaluation logging. Running the tool for these operations reduces the total
completion costs in cemented wells.
As shown through this case story of a direct comparison of an e-line clean-out solution campaign vs
CT, e-line provides several advantages over heavier operations. In particular, the e-line solution meant that
the hassle of dealing with CT fluids was eliminated while the operational integrity was maintained. Using
this new e-line solution for multi-stage frac preparation can help maximize production while reducing cost
in SE Sask and similar regions. This case can be added to the growing argument that e-line solutions pave
the way towards more efficient, cost-effective and inherently safer operations.
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Nomenclature
BHA– bottomhole assembly
CBL– cement bonding log
CCL– casing collar locator
CT– coiled tubing
e-line– electric line
OD– outer diameter
PBTD– plug back target depth
SE Sask– Southeast Saskatchewan
SIT– system integration test

Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their gratitude to Brandon C. Strubberg for his assistance in the writing of
this paper.

References
Cote, M. Climate. The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan, http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/climate.html
(accessed 30 November 2014).
Saskatchewan South East Enterprise Region. 2014. Oil and Gas. Saskatchewan South East Enterprise
Region, http://www.sseer.ca/regional-overview/profile-of-major-industries/oil-gas/ (accessed 28
November 2014).
Stonehouse, D. 2012. Producers in southeastern Saskatchewan consolidating land, building out
infrastructure and working to expand the Bakken tight oil play. oilandgasinquirer.com, 13 May
2012, http://www.oilandgasinquirer.com/index.php/news/regional/saskatchewan/311-producers-
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