Coiled tubing; Operations and services

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · World Oil; (United States)

OSTI ID:7310518

Welch, J L ^[1]; Whitlow, R R ^[2]

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1. BP Exploration, AK (US)
2. Ornen International Engineering (US)

This paper reports that pulling tubing to clean out a production liner at Prudhoe Bay Unit Western Operating Area (PBU WOA) averages $600,000 to $800,000. Coiled tubing underreaming was developed to accomplish this objective at lower costs. Beginning in 1988, these operations have been improved through several generations of procedures and tool designs. Using current technology, the underreamer, in conjunction with coiled tubing, can reduce the cost of drilling out to a liner to about $50,000 or $100,000, depending on the amount and type of material to be removed. PBU WOA, operated by BP Exploration, produces about 600,000 bopd from 395 wells. Another 61 wells are used to inject produced water, seawater and miscible fluids. Most of the remedial well servicing operations are conducted using coiled tubing (CT). Three contract coiled tubing units (CTUs) work daily, performing wellbore cleanouts, stimulations, inflatable bridge plug installations and cement squeeze operations. About 42 underreaming jobs were performed from 1990 to 1991 at PBU WOA for an average cost of between $75,000 and $100,000, a cost savings of $500,000 power well compared to pulling tubing and cleaning out the wells conventionally.

• OSTI ID: 7310518
• Journal Information: World Oil; (United States), Journal Name: World Oil; (United States) Vol. 213:7; ISSN 0043-8790; ISSN WOOIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
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47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
ARCTIC OCEAN
BAYS
BEAUFORT SEA
CLEANING
COASTAL WATERS
DESIGN
DRILL PIPES
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
DRILLING FLUIDS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EQUIPMENT
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INJECTION WELLS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL FIELDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PIPES
PRUDHOE BAY
RESOURCES
SEAS
SEAWATER
SURFACE WATERS
TESTING
WATER
WATERFLOODING
WELL DRILLING
WELLS