Unlocking the potential for horizontal wellbore fishing of non-magnetic debris in a dry environment.
Challenge
An operating company in the middle east was facing the challenge with some foreign objects left in their dry gas wellbore and were looking for a new approach to efficiently retrieve these non-magnetic objects without having to liquid fill the well.
Solution
A new, unique design concept was explored and developed as part of a rapid response development utilizing the functionality of an existing electric manipulation tool (EMT) already being used for other applications in the project. Applying the ability of the EMT to provide control of independent rotations and displacement using multiple manipulators enabled the creation of a collection tool that was able to be run into the well and collect the objects in a controlled manner.
The application of rotation, coupled with real time sensor data supplied by the EMT, enabled the collection tool to be deployed on coiled tubing with electrical conductor. When the collection tool was situated above the fish it was opened up and oriented high side before being run in hole past the fish. Subsequently, rotation was applied in order for the collection tool to scoop up the fish into the tool which then was closed again. An internal manipulator was then actuated in order to verify that the tool had collected and contained the fish, verified by the real time sensors on the EMT. The tool was successfully retrieved to surface and opened up, containing 3 objects of interest. A world’s first delivery successfully developed, produced, tested, and run in hole to retrieve the non-magnetic fish on the first run in a period of 3 months.
Conventional Approach
When a wellbore is filled with gas it is often in or prepared for its production phase. When foreign objects (fish) are found in the wellbore at this stage it is not desirable to liquid fill the well in order to retrieve the fish, hence the options of retrieval are both challenging and limited. The most common approach in relation to retrieving objects left in a horizontal well bore is conventionally considered to include magnets, venturi junk baskets when the object does not have a fish neck allowing the use of standard spears, pulling tools, and grapples. In the case where the fish is non-magnetic, this also further complicates the retrieval process.
Feedback from customer
E Plug’s response from challenge presented to tool delivery was outstunding, also down hole performance exceeded results during shop test, non-metallic debris were recovered in the first attempt, this outcome enabled us to continue with normal operations otherwise it could have lead to additional days of fishing operations and rig costs.
