Rapidly deployed wellbore cleanout services provide time & cost savings

CHALLENGE

The client had a well which had been completed using a toe sleeve to establish circulation for the subsequent wireline pump down plug-and-perf procedure, part of a multi-stage frac operation. The toe sleeve, however, would not open, therefore failing to establish the required flow path. To minimize downtime on location and resolve the issue, our PowerTrac tractor services were called out to convey the perforation string to TD for the first stage of the operation. The well had been drilled to a total measured depth of 21,560 ft with a lateral length of 13,145 ft. Upon reaching ca. 8,000 ft into the lateral the tractor hung up. It was suspected it had encountered a cement debris bridge, resulting in a considerable section of the lateral being inaccessible.
 

SOLUTION 

The client decided to run the PrecisionCollector versus Coiled Tubing to clean the wellbore and re-establish access in order to resume and complete the perforation string conveyance operation. The PrecisionCollector was already on site as a proactive measure taken by our US land team to be able to quickly address such a circumstance, and so was available for immediate application. After pulling out the perforation string the PrecisionCollector was run in hole and tractored to the hold-up depth within a few hours. The PrecisionCollector was then activated and began the cleanout operation. Real-time surface readout of the PowerTrac and PrecisionCollector parameters clearly indicated debris collection progress. After approximately 400 ft of cleanup the toolstring broke through the debris bridge, again indicated by the tool parameters. The cleanout pass was continued to TD to be sure there was no further debris blockage, during which some residual cement stringers were encountered.

RESULTS

The PrecisionCollector successfully dislodged, collected and removed the debris from the well. This enabled the subsequent tractor conveyance of the perforation string to the targeted depth, accessing a section of the lateral with a production value of approximately $2,000,000. Furthermore, Altus Intervention’s forethought and rapid action saved the client considerable operational downtime and costs associated with waiting for alternative cleanout solutions and changing out service providers on location. There was also the elimination of inherent safety risks associated with moving heavy equipment around location.