CHAPTER 4

Life of Well Operations

Well interventions such as wireline or coiled tubing are common and important
operations. It is not possible to provide the space in this book for the details of
such post-construction activities. However, it is important that all possible well
interventions are analysed as part of the completion design to ensure that the design
takes their requirements into account. For example, if through tubing sidetracks are
planned, there are a number of steps that can be taken during the well design phase
to make these sidetracks easier and safer to perform at a later stage.
Alternatives to well interventions are also considered during the design phase,
for example smart wells or through tubing interventions for water and gas shutoff.
Therefore, knowledge of the opportunities for, and the risks of, well interventions is
required.
Many completions will be constructed using a variety of through tubing well
interventions, for example running a plug for pressure testing or electric line
perforating through the completion. Again, an understanding of intervention
techniques and risks is essential.
This book deliberately avoids detailing specific vendor’s equipment, preferring
to remain generic. However, a detailed knowledge of the application range and
components of your vendors’ equipment is fundamental to the success of any well
intervention (and completion).

4.1. Types and Methods of Intervening

It is useful to look ahead during the design phase to try to foresee what may
happen to the well throughout its life. Table 4.1 details some of the events that are
possible and the main methods of achieving them.

4.2. Impact on Completion Design

There is tendency in the completion design phase to under assess the number
and variety of interventions that a well could undergo. Table 4.1 gives some ideas of
the possibilities. For any of these (and other) possibilities, it is worth asking how to
enhance the completion design to improve the chances of successful interventions. It is
quite possible to design an ‘intervention-free well,’ that is a completion that you believe
is reliable and can cope with any probable eventuality. The reality is that, sooner or
later, even for subsea wells, some form of well intervention is likely. Even small
changes in the well design can improve the chances of successful well interventions.
Figure 4.1 highlights a selection of well intervention issues.

241
242 Impact on Completion Design

Table 4.1 Well operations through the life of a well

Opportunity Reason Main Methods

Data acquisition All data acquisition must be Much data can be acquired without
in support of a decision. interventions through continuous
The decision may pressure and temperature
involve the current well measurements (surface or
(e.g. production log to bottomhole), well sampling and
determine the well tests. Some wells are hard to
opportunity for water test (e.g. many subsea wells), and
shut-off ) or the field in downhole meters/gauges may assist.
general (e.g. measure Interventions for data acquisition
reservoir pressure decline include production logs, cased hole
to determine if water formation logs and downhole
injection is required). sampling.
Integrity Maintaining integrity of Monitoring integrity primarily
monitoring and the well is essential. involves measuring annulus
repair pressures. Some well designs make
this harder (subsea or gas lift).
Supplementing pressure monitoring
are calipers. Repairing of the well
may be performed with straddles or
expandable tubing/patches or by
replacing the tubing. Safety valves
may be repaired with insert valves
or ‘‘storm’’ chokes used (Section
10.2, Chapter 10).
Water or gas Excess water or gas reduces Through tubing interventions include
shut-off tubing performance cement and gel squeezes, plugs,
and may constrain straddles, patches and mechanical
production due to closing of sleeves.
surface processing Interventionless techniques primarily
limitations. require smart wells.
Debris removal Many wells fill up with Debris can be removed by slickline
and sand debris (perforating (bailing), which is slow. Coiled
control debris, sand or chalk, tubing and jointed pipe (hydraulic
corrosion products, workover unit) are more effective
drilling materials, junk and can incorporate mills and
and proppant). This jetting. Reverse circulation can
debris can cover be more effective than forward
production/injection circulation but requires the well
intervals. to be overbalanced.
Remedial sand control is difficult;
techniques include sand
consolidation, insert screens and
sidetracks (especially with total
screen failure).
Life of Well Operations 243

Table 4.1. (Continued )

Opportunity Reason Main Methods

Sidetracks and Completion sidetracks are Through tubing sidetracks and well
well deepening to replace a failed deepening using through tubing
reservoir completion and rotary drilling (TTRD) may be
are often located close possible depending on the
to the existing wellbore. completion design. Sidetracks are
Geological sidetracks made easier by reduced numbers
move the wellbore of casing/tubing strings to mill and
to access new reserves. by these strings being cemented.
Conventional sidetracks require the
removal of the upper completion.
Tubing Replacing failed tubing Top hole workover (reservoir remains
replacements or components. Different isolated) or full workover (entire
tubing sizes or adding completion pulled).
artificial lift may enhance Techniques include straight pull (e.g.
performance. above a tubing disconnect) or a
chemical/mechanical cut. Packers
may need to be milled.
Flow assurance The prevention of Prevention methods include inhibitor
restrictions to flow squeezes (bullheading, coiled tubing
caused by scale, wax, or jointed pipe) and batch
asphaltene, etc. treatments. Removal techniques
(Chapter 7). If can involve bullheading or
prevention is circulation of chemicals from
unsuccessful, deposits surface (e.g. acids or hot oiling),
may be removed. pipe operations ( jetting, washing,
milling, pulsation) or mechanical
removal with wireline (blasting,
cutting, reperforating).
Stimulation Stimulation can be Most stimulations can be performed
performed during well through tubing either by
construction or post well bullheading or with coiled tubing.
construction. Many Proppant fracturing (Section 2.4,
stimulations have to be Chapter 2) will require extensive
periodically repeated. clean-up operations. Chemical
treatments (Section 2.5, Chapter 2)
require compatible materials (e.g.
elastomers) (Chapter 8).
Perforating This can be to add new Most perforating, post well
completion intervals construction will be through
(e.g. identified from tubing (wireline or coiled
production logs) or to tubing/jointed pipe).
reperforate existing
intervals that are
performing badly (poor
initial perforating, scaled
up, etc.)
244 Impact on Completion Design

Table 4.1. (Continued )

Opportunity Reason Main Methods

Tubing Lift problems are common Velocity strings can be hung

performance in late life (Sections 5.6 off the existing completion.
enhancement and 5.7, Chapter 5). This Deliquification includes plungers,
can be due to excess surfactant injection and pumping.
water or gas or declining
rates.
Retrofit artificial Many wells benefit from Artificial lift can be added by
lift artificial lift late in field through tubing interventions
life when pressures (gas lift, jet pumps, some rod pumps
are lower and water and hydraulic submersible
cuts higher. pumps) (Chapter 6). If the well
design is correct, electrical
submersible pumps can be
retrofitted through tubing. Other
techniques require a tubing
replacement.
Conversion of As wells mature, they are Depending on the well design, no
duty frequently converted downhole intervention may be
from oil/gas production required. The production intervals
to some other duty may require reconfiguring (shutting
(especially injection). off some intervals, opening up
Injection options include others). If the tubing metallurgy or
water (including size is not suitable for the new duty,
produced water), gas, it may need replacing (Chapter 8).
water alternating
gas (WAG), carbon
dioxide and other
waste streams.

One of the concepts promoted in Figure 4.1 is the monobore completion.

A monobore completion has the same internal diameter for the tubing and liner/
screens. This can be unduly restrictive and limits the use of nipple profiles. Nipple
profiles can be useful during the completion phase and for the life of the well
(if they do not scale up or corrode). Nipples are easier to use than the alternative of
tubing set bridge plugs. Instead of using a strict monobore completion, a ‘‘working
monobore’’ concept simply ensures that non-inflating bridge plugs are deployable to
the reservoir section. This can be achieved with tubing of the same size as the liner
and a small number of nipple profiles or with liner slightly smaller than the tubing.
A common offshore configuration is 5½ in. tubing and a 5 in. liner or screen. Such
a configuration is also beneficial for flow performance. Tubing sizing (covering flow
performance and clearances) is in Section 5.8, Chapter 5.
Life of Well Operations 245

Is there space above the tree (platform wells)

for rig independent, through tubing well
Is a tree saver required interventions. Can you influence the wellbay
and deployable to allow design?
fracturing to take place
during the life of the well.

What is the system for How easy is the deployment of a velocity string?
measuring annulus pressure
and assessing integrity of
tubing and casing? Are elastomers suitable for well interventions/
P inhibitors, acids, methanol, solvents, etc.?
Is the metallurgy suitable
for conversion to injection Can the safety valve be maintained open
duty? during all operations e.g. stimulation or
conversion to water injection?
Large tubing diameter at
intermediate hole
inclinations (40-60°) Reverse tapers like this give debris hold up
provide areas for debris (clean out) and wireline fishing problems.
to accumulate.
Will packer need to be pulled or milled?
Position of gauge relative
to reservoir - too far and Position of packer and liner hanger relative to
the value of data reduces. through tubing sidetracks - easier to sidetrack
below packer through a single, cemented casing
Ease of pulling/cutting string.
tubing (clearance and
metallurgy dependent). Consider tractor access with changing wellbore
internal diameters.
Can a top hole workover be A “working monobore” completion improves
performed by setting a chances for plug setting, cleanouts, through
deepset barrier? Are tubing sidetracks, etc.
there contingencies for
debris on plugs?

A gap between the tailpipe and

liner/screens can be awkward to
traverse with wireline/coiled tubing Perforated wells - Can the toe of the well be
toolstrings. Centralised, non sealing suitable locations for accessed through tubing?
connector preferred. setting plugs?

Figure 4.1 Well operations in£uencing completion design.

It is inevitable that some types of wells will have increased well intervention
frequency. Subsea wells, for example, are always costly to enter. Any opportunities
that can replace routine well interventions should be investigated. Examples include
downhole gauges, smart wells and multipurpose downhole chemical injection lines.