Integrated Services Support P&A Operation in North Sea

CHALLENGE

As part of a larger project to decommission two platforms and associated subsea infrastructure, the client required a plug and abandonment (P&A) campaign for 14 wells. The P&A solution had to comply with the highest health, safety and environmental standards set by the client and Oil & Gas UK. 

With sanctioned AFE a focus for the client, operational time savings were also a priority. The project scope included project management, equipment and personnel, as well as third-party tool integration. 

SOLUTION

The unique integrated service provision aided the safely executed plug and abandonment of 14 wells with multi-service equipment and multi-disciplined crews.  Following the confirmation of wellbore access, all wells were successfully suspended through the deployment of appropriate barriers in the production tubing and A annuli.  Tubing punching and severance was achieved by utilising cost-effective memory trigger ballistic services that negated the need for supplementary pressure control equipment resources necessary for multi-line operations.  In an effort to minimise the number of trips in the hole, a bridge plug, complete with pump open sub facility, was shallow set in the tubing to facilitate the removal of the christmas tree.

A multi-disciplined crew optimised POB levels and provided the flexibility to address the nuances between the platform and subsea well assets.  Key to the success in project delivery was the early appointment of an Altus Intervention senior well site supervisor who provided the continuity through early pre-mobilisation planning and worksite execution.  Such planning works made specific emphasis on well control equipment philosophy which identified the opportunity to maximise “in-well” time by designing a pressure control configuration that precluded the necessity to rig-up/down between each well deployment yielding considerable time savings.

RESULTS

The integrated P&A services provided by Altus Intervention ensured maximum operational efficiency and considerable cost savings for the client. Key achievements from the campaign were:

• Total days saved - 10
• No lost time incidents
• No NPT
• Zero mis-runs

“The way Altus work together as an integrated team has been paramount to the success and results we have achieved in this campaign.”
Olav Log, Director, Wells,  Spirit Energy