WORKOVER OPERATIONS

LECTURE NOTES NOVEMBER 2009

PROF. SUSHANTA SARKAR

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

THE PHASES AND SEQUENCE OF AN OPERATION VARIES

FROM ONE JOB TO ANOTHER.
IT MAINLY DEPENDS ON THE EQUIPMENT ALREADY
INSTALLED IN THE WELL AND THE CONDITION IT IS IN.
IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND
HOW THE OPERATION IS GOING TO PROCEED IN
PRACTICAL TERMS.
WE DISCUSS BELOW THE DETAILED STEPS WHICH ARE
GENERALLY
INVOLVED
IN
ALL
THE
WORKOVER
OPERATIONS

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

1.

PREPARATION OF THE WELL PRIOR

ARRIVAL OF THE WORKOVER UNIT

TO

THE

THIS MAINLY MEANS :

CHECKING THE STATUS OF THE WELL BY WIRELINE
TECHNIQUES (CHECKING THE TUBING, PROVING THE
HOLES, TAGGING SEDIMENTS, TO CHECKING THE
PERFORATIONS WHETHER THEY ARE OPEN OR NOT).
CHECKING THE WELL INTEGRITY (PRESSURE TESTS OF
CASINGS)
OPENING A CIRCULATING DEVICE DOWNHOLE (SLIDING
SLEEVE, BLANKING PLUG OR DUMMY FROM SIDE
POCKET MANDREL)

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

CHECKING THE INTEGRITY OF VALVES OF THE X-MAS

TREE (PRESSURE TESTING OF VALVES)
CHECKING AND PREPARING THE APPROACH ROAD TO
WELLS FOR MOVEMENT OF THE WORKOVER RIG.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

2.

PUTTING
(BEFORE
UNITS)

THE WELL UNDER SAFE CONDITIONS

RIGGING UP THE SERVICE/WORKOVER

THIS SAFETY PRECAUTION-CUM-OPERATION, IN FACT,

SHOULD ALSO INVOLVE ALL THE NEARBY WELLS THAT
MIGHT BE AFFECTED WHEN THE SERVICE/WORKOVER
UNIT IS BEING SET UP.
THE OPERATION CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY IN ISOLATING
THE SURROUNDINGS FROM THE WELL PRESSURES AND
KEEPING THEM UNDER OPTIMUM SAFE CONDITIONS
WHILE INSTALLING THE SERVICE/WORKOVER UNITS
OVER THE WELLHEAD.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

THERE ARE 3 BASIC WAYS OF ACHIEVING THIS:
BY INSTALLING PLUGS IN THE LANDING NIPPLES IN THE
TUBING, WHICH ARE GENERALLY AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE WELL, BELOW THE PACKER.
BY CLOSING THE SUBSURFACE SAFETY VALVE, IF THERE
IS ONE.
BY SETTING A BACK PRESSURE VALVE IN THE TUBING
HANGER

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

AT LEAST, 2
NORMALLY BE

OUT OF THESE 3 BARRIERS SHOULD

IN PLACE.

THE VARIOUS LINES CONNECTED TO THE WELLHEAD ON

THE SURFACE SHOULD BE BLED OFF ANY PRESSURES
AND/OR ISOLATED.
IF NEED BE, THEY CAN BE DISMANTLED.
NEARBY EQUIPMENT, THAT MIGHT BE
SHOULD BE COMPLETELY DEPRESSURISED.

DAMAGED,

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

3.

INSTALLING THE SERVICING OR WORKOVER UNITS

ONCE THE WELL AND ITS SURROUNDINGS HAVE BEEN

SAFELY SECURED, THE SERVICE/WORKOVER UNIT AND
ITS ACCESSORY EQUIPMENT LIKE TANKS, PUMPS,
WORKSHOPS ETC. CAN BE SET UP .
THE EQUIPMENT IN THE SITE SHOULD BE SET UP IN
ACCORDANCE
WITH
THE
SAFETY
RULES
AND
REGULATIONS OF THE REGULATORY BODY.
HOWEVER, THE X-MAS TREE IS NOT YET REMOVED TO
BE REPLACED BY THE BOPS

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

4.

KILLING THE WELL

A WELL IS CONSIDERED TO BE PERFECTLY KILLED WHEN
THE WORKOVER FLUID, WHOSE SP.GR. IS APPROPRIATE
FOR THE RESERVOIR PRESSURE, TOTALLY FILLS UP THE
WELL .
THIS MEANS THAT THE INSIDE OF THE TUBING, THE
TUBING-CASING ANNULUS AND THE SPACE BELOW THE
PACKER IS FILLED WITH THE WORKOVER FLUID.
THE WORKOVER FLUID IS PREPARED IN SUFFICIENT
AMOUNTS. THIS IS GENERALLY 3 TIMES THE TOTAL
VOLUME OF THE WELL.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

THE PROPERTIES REQUIRED OF A WORKOVER FLUID IS

AS FOLLOWS:

TO KEEP THE WELL UNDER

HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE.

CONTROL

BY

ITS

TO CARRY UP CUTTINGS IF DRILLING OR MILLING IS

PLANNED.

NOT TO DAMAGE THE FORMATION.

NO FLUID LOSS IN THE FORMATION

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

WITH THE SERVICE/WORKOVER RIG IN PLACE AND THE
WORKOVER FLUID READY, THE NEXT SET OF OPERATIONS ARE
PERFORMED AS BELOW:

THE PLUGS THAT WERE SET IN THE TUBING PRIOR TO THE

MOVEMENT OF THE SERVICE/WORKOVER RIGS, HAVE TO BE
PULLED OUT.

THE WORKOVER FLUID IS PUMPED INTO THE WELL TO

DISPLACE THE TUBING CONTENTS.

THIS IS DONE EITHER BY CIRCULATION OR BY SQUEEZING.

THE WELL IS THEN PUT UNDER OBSERVATION FOR STABILITY.

KILLING OF WELL, SOMETIMES, IS CARRIED OUT BEFORE THE

RIG IS INSTALLED.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

5.

CONSIDERATIONS ON KILLING THE WELL

THE WORKOVER FLUID USED TO KILL THE WELL,
USUALLY, DISPLACES THE WELL CONTENTS BY EITHER
CIRCULATION OR BY SQUEEZING.

KILLING BY CIRCULATION

EXCEPT IN SPECIAL CASES, CIRCULATION IS THE

PREFERRED WAY TO KILL THE WELL.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

THE FLUID IS CIRCULATED AS DEEP AS POSSIBLE IN THE

TUBING, BUT ABOVE THE PACKER, EITHER:

THROUGH A CIRCULATING DEVICE OPERATED BY WIRELINE,

VIZ. BY

PULLING OUT A DUMMY FROM THE SIDE POCKET MANDREL

OR BY OPENING THE PORTS OF A SLIDING SLEEVE.

OR THROUGH PUNCTURED HOLES IN THE TUBING OPENED

UP BY ELECTRIC CABLE SHAPED CHARGES.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

A REVERSE CIRCULATION IS USUALLY THE OPTION CHOSEN

FOR GAS WELLS OR HIGH GOR OIL WELLS. IN OTHER WORDS,
FLUID IS PUMPED INTO THE ANNULUS WITH RETURNS
THROUGH THE TUBING.

THIS METHOD ENSURES THAT OIL AND GAS ARE THOROUGHLY

DISPLACED.

WITH DIRECT CIRCULATION, THE LIGHTER OIL AND GAS TEND

TO MIGRATE IN THE HEAVIER WORKOVER FLUID WHICH IS
LOCATED ABOVE THEM.

ACCORDINGLY, THER IS NO CERTAINTY AS TO THE SPECIFIC

GRAVITY OF THE WORKOVER FLUID THAT IS LEFT IN PLACE IN
THE WELL AND AS SUCH, THERE IS NO CERTAINTY REGARDING
KILLING OF THE WELL.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

HOWEVER, AFTER A VOLUME CORRESPONDING TO THE

TUBING VOLUME HAS BEEN PUMPED IN THROUGH THE
ANNULUS AND THEREFORE AFTER OIL AND GAS HAVE BEEN
PUMPED OUT OF THE WELL DIRECT CIRCULATION IS USED
TO HOMOGENIZE THE FLUIDS PRESENT IN THE TUBING AND
ANNULUS.

IN CONTRAST, SINCE ANNULAR PRESSURE LOSSES ARE

GENERALLY LOWER THAN TUBING PRESSURE LOSSES, WITH
DIRECT CIRCULATION THE OVERPRESSURE EXERTED ON THE
PAY ZONE BY PRESSURE LOSSES IS MINIMIZED.

HENCE PROBLEMS OF LOST CIRCULATION AND PLUGGING ARE

ALSO MINIMIZED.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

WHETHER CIRCULATION IS REVERSE OR TOTALLY DIRECT, THE

CHOKE IS APPLIED ON THE RETURNS TO KEEP THE
BOTTOMHOLE PRESSURE HIGHER THAN THE RESERVOIR
PRESSURE ALL THROUGHOUT THE OPERATION, THEREBY
PREVENTING ANY KICKS.

WHEN THE CIRCULATION IS FINISHED, NOT ALL THE FLUIDS

LOCATED BELOW THE CIRCULATION DEVICES HAVE BEEN
REPLACED BY THE KILLING FLUID SO, KILLIN IS ONLY
PARTIAL.

IF INJECTIVITY IS FAIR, KILLING CAN BE IMPROVED, AFTER

CIRCULATION, BY SQUEEZING THE OIL AND GAS STILL
REMAINING BELOW THE CIRCULATION DEVICE INTO THE
FORMATION.

HOWEVER, SOME OIL & GAS IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN

TRAPPED IN THE ANNULUS UNDER THE PACKER AND THE
TAILPIPE.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

SOMETIMES, THE WORKOVER FLUID IS CIRCULATED AFTER

SETTING A PLUG IN THE LOWER END OF THE TUBING.

AS A RESULT THERE IS NO RISK OF LOST CIRCULATION INTO

THE FORMATION DURING CIRCULATION.

HOWEVER THERE IS UNCERTAINTY REGARDING WHETHER THE

PLUG CAN BE PULLED OUT, ESPECIALLY IF IT GETS COVERED
WITH DEPOSITS.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

KILLING BY SQUEEZING
THE SQUEEZE TECHNIQUE IS USED:

WHEN THE CIRCULATION METHOD CANNOT BE USED - FOR

EXAMPLE, WHEN THERE IS A HOLE IN THE TUBING NEAR THE
SURFACE; WIRELINING IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE OF A
COLLAPSED TUBING OR BECAUSE OF A FISH; VOLUME BELOW
THE TUBING SHOE IS VERY LARGE ETC.

WHEN INJECTIVITY IS VERY GOOD THIS IS TRUE ESPECIALLY

FOR GAS WELLS.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

SQUEEZING IS DONE ONLY AFTER AN INJECTIVITY TEST

JUST TO BE SURE THAT INJECTIVITY IS SUFFICIENT.

THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE SAME DRAWBACK AS WITH DIRECT

CIRCULATION THAT IS, MIGRATION OF OIL AND GAS IN THE
KILLING FLUID GREATLY COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT
THE FLOW RATES WITH A SQUEEZE JOB IS OFTEN MUCH
LOWER THAN WITH CIRCULATION.

IF THE INJECTIVITY TEST IS UNSATISFACTORY,

NECESSARY TO MODIFY THE SQUEEZE CONDITIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, SQUEEZE AT A LOWER FLOW RATE, PROVIDED

THE TOTAL INJECTED VOLUME IS INCREASED.

IT

IS

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

FOR A GAS WELL, PERFORM A SERIES OF SQUEEZES AND

BLEED OFFS AT CONSTANT BOTTOMHOLE PRESSURE TO ALLOW
THE GAS TO MIGRATE UP TO THE SURFACE WITHOUT
FRACTURING THE FORMATION.

SOMETIMES, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO ACCEPT TO SQUEEZE

AT A FRACTURING RATE OR

REVISE THE PROGRAMME THOROUGHLY AND USE A

TECHNIQUE SUCH AS COIL TUBING OR SNUBBING JUST TO
KILL THE WELL OR TO CARRY OUT THE COMPLETE OPERATION.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

THS IMPLIES THAT THE INJECTIVITY TEST HAS TO BE

PERFORMED LONG BEFORE THE WORKOVER IS DONE.

THE CHOICE OF MEANS TO BE UTILIZED AND THE WORKOVER

PROGRAMME DESIGN BOTH DEPEND ON THE INJECTIVITY
TEST.

JUST AS FOR CIRCULATION, KILLING IS NOT COMPLETE WHEN

THE SQUEEZE OPERATION IS OVER, AS OIL AND GAS STILL
REMAINS TRAPPED IN THE ANNULUS UNDER THE PACKER AND
ALL OF THE ANNULAR FLUID.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

OBSERVING THE WELL
AFTER KILLING BY CIRCULATION OR SQUEEZING, THE WELL
MUST BE OBSERVED TO CHECK THAT :

THERE IS NO PRESSURE IN THE WELLHEAD;

THE LEVELS ARE STABLE;
THERE IS NO GAS CUTTING ON THE SURFACE.

WHATEVER THE OBSERVATION TIME, THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE

GUARANTEE THAT THE WELL IS STABLE.

THE TIME DEPENDS ON

THE METHOD USED TO KILL THE WELL,

THE WAY THE OPERATION ACTUALLY PROCEEDED AND
ON OUTSIDE SIGNS OF PHENOMENA SUCH AS
EXPANSION.

IT CAN VARY FROM ONE TO SEVERAL HOURS.

THERMAL

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

IF THE WELL SHOULD PROVE UNSTABLE, KILLING MUST BE

STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN EITHER WITH THE SAME METHOD
OR WITH ANOTHER METHOD.

MODIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CONTROL FLUID

OR USE OF SPACE FLUIDS, SOMETIMES, IS QUITE EFFECTIVE.

THE WELL WILL BE UNDER OBSERVATION ONCE AGAIN FOR

STABILITY.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

FINAL KILLING PHASE

WHATEVER THE METHOD USED, THERE IS ALWAYS A CERTAIN

VOLUME LEFT IN THE WELL WHERE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO
PLACE THE WORKOVER FLUID.

THIS VOLUME MUST BE CIRCULATED AS SOON AS THE

COMPLETION EQUIPMENT REMOVAL OPERATIONS ALLOW.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

REPLACING X-MAS TREE WITH BOP

SINCE THE WORKOVER FLUID IS KEEPING THE WELL STABLE,

ONLY ONE MECHANICAL SAFETY BARRIER IS DEEMED
NECESSARY EITHER THE DOWNHOLE PLUG AND/OR THE
SCSSV AND/OR THE BPV

THE X-MAS TREE CAN THEN BE DISMANTLED AT THE TUBING

HEAD SPOOL AND REPLACED BY THE BOP, WHICH WILL BE
THEN TESTED.

THIS OPERATION SHOULD BE COMPLETED AS QUICKLY AS

POSSIBLE.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THEREFORE THAT ALL REQUIRED

PERSONNEL SHOULD BE MOBILIZED, REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
SHOULD BE IN STATE OF READINESS, APPROPRIATE HANDLING
AND HOISTING EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AND THE WELLHEAD
CHECKED ETC.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

REMOVING COMPLETION EQUIPMENT

THE INSTALLED BPV OR PLUG HAS TO BE RETRIEVED BEFORE

THE PULLING OUT OF THE DOWNHOLE EQUIPMENT CAN
COMMENCE.

IF THERE IS A KICK WHILE TRIPPING, IT IS NECESSARY TO BE

ABLE TO CLOSE QUICKLY NOT ONLY THE ANNULUS WITH THE
BOP TUBING RAMS, BUT ALSO THE TUBING ITSELF.

THE CORRESPONDING SAFETY DEVICE (KELLY COCK VALVE/

TUBING SAFETY VALVE) MUST BE ON THE WORKOVER RIG
FLOOR READY FOR USE (THREADS TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH
TUBING THREADS)

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

THE PROCEDURE FOR REMOVING THE DOWNHOLE EQUIPMENT

DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT AND ITS CONDITION.

PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IS THE TYPE OF PACKER

RETRIEVABLE OR PERMANENT TYPE OF CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE TUBING AND THE PACKER (SEAL ALONE OR
SEAL PLUS ANCHOR).

WITH A RETRIEVABLE PACKER, AND ESPECIALLY IF THE

WORKOVER IS BEING DONE SEVERAL YEARS AFTER ITS
SETTING, IT IS OFTEN WISE TO CUT OFF THE TUBING A FEW
METRES ABOVE THE PACKER BY CHEMICAL CUTTERS.

THEN, RUN IN DRILL PIPE WITH OVERSHOT, LATCH ONTO THE

TUBING AND UNSEAT THE PACKER.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

FURTHERMORE, WHATEVER THE KILLING METHOD, THERE IS

ALWAYS A VOLUME OF OIL AND/OR GAS TRAPPED UNDER THE
PACKER.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO CIRCULATE IT OUT AS SOON AS

POSSIBLE AFTER UNSEATING THE RETRIEVABLE PACKER OR
AFTER STABBING OUT OF A PERMANENT PACKER.

WHENEVER TRIPPING OUT, CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO AVOID

SWABBING PARTICULARLY WHEN THE PACKER IS BEING
PULLED OUT.

SECONDLY, THE WELL MUST ALWAYS BE KEPT FULL WITH

WORKOVER FLUID.

LASTLY, THE
CHECKED.

WELLS

STABILITY

MUST

FREQUENTLY

BE

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

WORKOVER PLAN
WELLS COMPLETED WITH RETRIEVABLE HYDRAULIC PACKER

OPEN SLIDING SLEEVE OR PULL OUT DUMMY FROM THE SIDE

POCKET MANDREL OR MAKE A HOLE ABOVE PACKER WITH
ELECTRIC CABLE.

LOCK OPEN SUB SURFACE SAFETY VALVES

KILL THE WELL BY CIRCULATING WORKOVER FLUID

INSTALL BPV IN THE TUBING HANGER.

REMOVE X-MAS TREE

INSTALL BOP.

REPLACE BPV WITH TWCV.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

TEST THE BOP BETWEEN THE TWCV AND THE BLIND RAM;
CONNECT A TUBING IN THE TUBING HANGER, CLOSE THE PIPE
RAM AGAINST THE TUBING AND TEST THE PIPE RAM.

REMOVE THE TWCV.

CONNECT TUBING HANGER WITH TUBING STRING.

UNLOCK TUBING HANGER BY UNSCREWING ANCHOR BOLTS.

RELEASE PACKER BY STRAIGHT PULL/ROTATION.

CIRCULATE WORKOVER FLUID (AT LEAST ONE CYCLE).

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

RECIPROCATE THE STRING TO BREAK THE SEAL TO AVOID

SWABBING ACTION.

PULL OUT COMPLETION STRING.

IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO RELEASE THE PACKER, CUT THE

TUBING ABOVE THE PACKER, PULL OUT THE COMPLETION
STRING.

RUN IN OVERSHOT WITH BUMPER SUB ON TUBING/DRILL PIPE,

CATCH THE FISH AND PULL OUT.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

WELLS COMPLETED WITH RETAINER PRODUCTION PACKER

OPEN SLIDING SLEEVE OR PULL OUT DUMMY FROM THE SIDE

POCKET MANDREL OR MAKE A HOLE ABOVE PACKER WITH THE
ELECTRIC CABLE

LOCK OPEN SUBSURFACE SAFETY VALVE

KILL WELL BY CIRCULATING WORKOVER FLUID

INSTALL BPV IN THE TUBING HANGER.

REMOVE X-MAS TREE.

INSTALL BOP.

REPLACE BPV WITH TWCV.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATION

TEST THE BOP BETWEEN THE TWCV AND THE BLIND RAM;
CONNECT A TUBING IN THE TUBING HANGER, CLOSE THE PIPE
RAM AGAINST THE TUBING AND TEST THE PIPE RAM

REMOVE THE TWCV

CONNECT TUBING HANGER WITH TUBING STRING

INSTALL BPV IN THE TUBING HANGER.

UNLOCK TUBING HANGER BY UNSCREWING ANCHOR BOLTS.

DISCONNECT TUBING SEAL FROM PACKER.

CIRCULATE WORKOVER FLUID (AT LEAST ONE CYCLE)

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

PULL OUT PRODUCTION STRING

RUN IN MILLING TOOL WITH CATCHER SUB, MILL THE PACKER
AND PULL OUT THE PACKER OR
RUN IN MILLING TOOL WITHOUT CATCHER SUB, MILL THE
PACKER AND PUSH DOWN UP TO THE BOTTOM.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

DOWNHOLE OPERATION, RECOMPLETION, REPLACING BOP BY THE
X-MAS TREE AND START UP
THE TECHNIQUES ARE THE SAME AS THOSE USED WHEN THE
WELL WAS ORIGINALLY COMPLETED.
HOWEVER,
THE
BOTTOMHOLE
IS
USUALLY
CHECKED
BEFOREHAND BY RUNNING IN A DRILL STRING EQUIPPED WITH
A DRILL BIT AND SCRAPER
MOVING OUT THE SERVICING OR WORKOVER UNIT
IN THE SAME WAY AS FOR INITIAL COMPLETION, THE RIG CAN
BE MOVED OUT BEFORE OR AFTER THE WELL IS BROUGHT BACK
ON STREAM.
THE SAME SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE COMPLIED
WITH (ESPECIALLY SETTING PLUGS)

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

DEPLETED RESERVOIRS
DEPLETED RESERVOIRS POSE PARTICULAR PROBLEMS AS SOON
AS THEIR RESERVOIR PRESSURE IS SUCH THAT CONVENTIONAL
WORKOVER FLUIDS (BRINE, OIL BASE FLUID) EXERT A
CONSIDERABLE OVERPRESSURE.
THEN THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS ARE POSED:
LOSES MUD/ OR FORMATION DAMAGE.
WELL KICK OFF AFTER OPERATIONS.

LOSSES AND FORMATION DAMAGE

THE FIRST SOLUTION IS TO USE SPECIAL LIGHT FLUIDS, BUT
BESIDES FOAM (SP.GR. FROM 0.1 TO 0.2) THERE IS YET NO
FLUID READILY AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET IN THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE 0.2 TO 0.8 RANGE (BETWEEN FOAM TO
OIL BASE FLUIDS)

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

LOSSES AND FORMATION DAMAGE
THE SECOND SOLUTION IS TO PROTECT THE FORMATION WITH
TEMPORARY BLOCKING AGENTS.
THESE ARE USUALLY PRODUCTS THAT ARE
TEMPERATURE OR HIGHLY SOLUBLE IN ACID.

UNSTABLE

WITH

THE PROBLEM WITH THEM IS THAT THEY ARE NEVER 100%

TEMPORARY.
THE THIRD SOLUTION CONSISTS IN ACCEPTING TO WORK WITH A
LOST LEVEL. THAT IS, WITH THE LEVEL SOMEWHERE IN THE WELL
AND NOT ON THE SURFACE.
HOWEVER, THIS CAUSES SAFETY PROBLEMS AS IT IS HARD TO
CHECK WELL STABILITY CONSTANTLY AND IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH
OPERATIONS THAT REQUIRE CIRCULATION.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

THE FOURTH SOLUTION, WHEN ONLY THE PRODUCTION STRING
ABOVE THE PACKER IS INVOLVED, CONSISTS IN PULLING OUT
THE TUBING STRING ONLY LEAVING THE PACKER WITH A PLUG
IN THE TAILPIPE INSIDE THE WELL.
THE FIFTH SOLUTION MIGHT BE TO USE A UNIT ALLOWING
WORK ON A PRESSURISED WELL, SUCH AS COIL TUBING OR
SNUBBING IF THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE JOB (CLEANING
THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL ETC.)

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

START UP PROBLEMS
THE TECHNIQUES DESCRIBED IN INITIAL COMPLETION ARE
APPLICABLE AT THIS STAGE EXCEPT THAT THERE IS USUALLY NO
AVAILABLE KICKOFF FLUID THAT IS LIGHT ENOUGH.

IN SOME CASES THE PROBLEM DOES NOT CROP UP BECAUSE THE

PURPOSE OF THE OPERATION WAS TO INSTALL AN ARTIFICIAL
LIFT SYSTEM OR READAPT THE OLD ONE.

IN OTHER CASES, IT IS VERY COMMON TO USE A COILED

TUBING FOR NITROGEN START UP OR TEMPORARY GAS LIFT.

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS

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GENERAL PROCEDURE OF WORKOVER OPERATIONS