Wireline Engineering News
Wireline Engineering's high deviation tools facilitate deep gas lift and contribute big savings - 08.09.09
A major operating company in South East Asia was experiencing difficulties with gas lift change-out in one of their high-producing oil wells (9000 BPD). The well had been completed with five gas lift mandrels, with the bottom three of these installed between 69° and 72° deviation and depths between 4,250 and 5,920 feet. This well had been underperforming and it was thought that the solution would be to introduce additional gas lift to the lower zone. To achieve this, one of the three lower gas lift mandrels would need to be serviced, preferably the very bottom one.
Several attempts to change out valves in the lower three mandrels had been completely unsuccessful using conventional tools. Even with roller stem added to the toolstring, none of the target depths were able to be reached. Wireline Engineering was asked to recommend a solution to this problem and a decision was made to attempt the gas lift change-out again, this time using a suite of specialist high deviation tools. This involved a number of unique tools available only from Wireline Engineering, including Roller Bogies, a Low Loader Jar and the Enhanced Performance Kickover Tool.
During June 2009 and at the first attempt, the deepest mandrel No 5, located at 5,920 feet with 72° deviation, was successfully serviced with a toolstring comprising these specialist tools. A dummy valve was removed from the lowest mandrel and replaced with a High Injection Orifice Valve, with an immediate increase in production.
The operating company reported that Wireline Engineering’s contribution had directly facilitated a vital operation that had previously been impossible with conventional slickline services. In addition to the benefit of greatly increased production, Wireline Engineering’s proprietary tools were attributed with savings of more than $200,000 against the proposed cost of using a wireline tractor and considerably more had it been decided to use coiled tubing to attempt the same operation.
Another example of Wireline Engineering’s innovative designs making the difference between success and failure.