OTC 15177
Well Intervention Using Rigless Techniques
Sandeep Khurana, Granherne Inc.; Brad DeWalt, Granherne Inc.; and Colin Headworth, Subsea 7 Inc.
Copyright 2003, Offshore Technology Conference
This paper was prepared for presentation at the Offshore Technology Conference held in
Houston, TX U.S.A., 5-8 May 2003.
This paper was selected for presentation by an OTC Program Committee following review of
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presented, have not been reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference and are subject to
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Abstract
An important factor in the overall success and cost of an
offshore well intervention depends significantly on the choice
of the equipment including downhole tools and surface units.
Using a conventional workover rig for well intervention is
expensive and may not be appropriate in many circumstances.
Additionally, intervention of a subsea well can further increase
the costs due to the requirements of a floating vessel and
subsea systems to access the wellbore.
This paper systematically categorizes downhole
applications that are performed during well intervention. It
reviews techniques such as Wireline, Coiled Tubing (CT) and
Hydraulic Workover (HWO) that do not require use of a
conventional workover rig and have capability of performing
downhole applications in live (under pressure) wells. Included
are guidelines for selection of these rigless techniques for the
various downhole applications.
The rigless techniques are further reviewed in relation to
subsea well intervention. The emphasis is placed on selection
of a floating vessel along with subsea systems to connect to
the well. The paper includes a discussion on market trends
that are directed towards either reducing intervention costs or
minimizing its frequency.
Introduction
Well intervention is defined as remedial operations that
are performed on producing wells with the intention of
restoring or increasing production. A well may require
intervention due to flow restrictions, changes in reservoir
characteristics, sand production, mechanical failure, or to
access additional hydrocarbon pay zones. Downhole
applications that are performed during well interventions
include well surveillance and diagnostics, implementation of
reservoir management techniques, completion repair and re-
entry drilling to reach new producing intervals. This paper
defines and categorizes these downhole applications for use in
determining guidelines for selection of rigless techniques.
The choice of techniques and equipment to perform the
downhole applications determines the mechanical and
economic success of a well intervention job. A conventional
workover rig comprising of a derrick, rotary table and heavy
machinery can be used to perform well intervention. However
mobilizing an offshore rig and its associated support
operations is expensive. Furthermore, using a rig generally
requires killing the well (i.e. displacement of fluids in the
wellbore to counteract the downhole well pressure) and
creates the risk of damaging the reservoir. Well intervention
methods that do not require a rig and have the capability of
being performed on live wells (without killing the well) are
the focus of the discussion herein. These rigless techniques
include Wireline, Coiled Tubing (CT) and Hydraulic
Workover (HWO). The paper discusses the equipment and
characteristics of these rigless techniques and provides
guidelines for the selection of these techniques for various
downhole applications.
Downhole there is little difference in the tools that are
deployed for dry (platform) wells versus subsea wells to
remedy flow problems. But subsea well intervention in
deepwater is typically much more expensive than dry well
intervention due to the high day rates of floating vessels and
the equipment costs of the subsea systems that are required to
access the wellbore. The selection of the floating vessel and
the subsea system is therefore critical.
The paper identifies various types of floating vessels
along with subsea systems that can provide subsea well
intervention. Market trends to achieve low cost well
intervention are discussed in light of the increase in rigless-
technique equipment; a rapidly growing number of subsea;
and with the supply and demand of conventional rigs. Also
reviewed is the parallel trend of smart well technology that is
focussed at reducing well intervention frequency.
Downhole Applications
In well intervention, downhole applications are activities that
are performed in the wellbore to remedy production problems
or otherwise increase production from the well. Most of these
applications are typically a less complex version of well
construction and completion phase work.
Coherent industry definitions for downhole applications
relevant to well intervention are not readily available.
Industry definitions as they exist today focus on the well
construction and completion phase, and differ vastly based on
major oil service providers’ definition that is based on their
packaged product service lines. In order to comprehend the
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scope of well intervention applications, twelve major
categories are identified in downhole applications. These
applications are depicted in Figure 1 (except SCSSV Repair)
and are described as follows:
♦ Logging
Well logging is typically performed to gather reservoir
data or to perform diagnostic testing of reservoir or
wellbore conditions. Well logs are typically categorized
as either cased hole (the reservoir investigated has been
cased through) or open hole (the reservoir investigated
is uncased).
♦ Perforating
Perforating may be required to produce from new zones
or to open plugged perforations from the
existing completion.
♦ Well Cleaning
Well cleaning is used to remove flow restrictions, such as
formation fill or scale. It also includes sand clean-outs or
sand washing to sweep settled sand deposits out of the
well bore.
♦ Fishing
Fishing operations are conducted to remove undesired
downhole equipment such as screen pipe or stuck wireline
tools. This application is usually conducted along with
other applications.
♦ Fluid Displacement
Fluid displacement techniques consist of the circulation of
fluids, such as nitrogen, through the wellbore to initiate
production or improve transport and flow properties of
the reservoir.
♦ Thru-Tubing Sand Control
Thru-tubing sand control helps to prevent sand from
entering the production stream through the use of filter
media, installation of screens or liners or the placement of
resin materials.
♦ Remedial Cementing/Conformance
Remedial cementing consists of injecting a cement slurry
under pressure to a specific interval within a wellbore to
repair the primary cement job. The procedure can also be
used as a conformance technique to seal zones or to shut-
off water or gas inflow.
♦ Selective Stimulation
Stimulation improves the permeability near the well zone
by acidizing or fracturing the reservoir with fluids using
high injection rates and pressures. It is referred to as
“selective” as a specific zone is selected to perform
stimulation in order to improve well recovery.
♦ Thru-Tubing Completions
Small diameter tubing acts as a velocity or siphon string
to keep marginal wells unloaded, or as a production string
to isolate damaged or defective production tubing. It can
also be used as an injection string for gas lift.
♦ Artificial Lift Services
Artificial lift equipment is installed to establish or to
assist production in wells where bottom hole pressure is
insufficient to obtain the desired production rate.
♦ Re-Entry Drilling
Re-entry drilling improves production by deepening wells
or by drilling horizontal laterals to produce from other
pay zones.
♦ Surface Controlled Subsurface Safety Valve
(SCSSV) Repair
SCSSV repair involves retrieving and replacing a
malfunctioning surface controlled subsurface safety valve.
A single downhole application or multiple applications
may be required to fully correct a well problem. Pulling of the
production tubing is considered to be a major workover of a
well requiring a conventional workover rig, and therefore not
included in the above applications.
The frequency of well intervention that will be performed
during the life of a field is difficult to predict, since the
decision to intervene a well is dependent numerous variables,
including reservoir characteristics, infrastructure and
economic considerations. Figure 2 ranks each of the
downhole applications in order of their relative frequency as
seen in industry, including both dry and subsea wells.
Stimulation and remedial cementing/conformance applications
are the most frequent reasons for well intervention. From this
data, it is interesting to note that well intervention is most
often performed to address reservoir specific issues, rather
than to repair downhole mechanical equipment
and completions.
Rigless Techniques and Surface Equipment
The downhole applications discussed above can be performed
using a conventional workover rig. However, a rig generally
requires killing the well which creates a risk of damaging the
reservoir. Techniques such as Wireline, Coiled Tubing (CT)
and Hydraulic Workover (HWO) are generally less expensive
than a rig and can be performed on live wells. These
techniques are differentiated based on the method and
equipment used to convey the downhole tools. Figure 3
shows surface equipment for these techniques. The surface
equipment for these techniques is smaller in footprint area and
lighter in weight compared to a rig. The details of the rigless
techniques and surface equipment are discussed below.
Wireline. Wireline involves running and pulling tools and
equipment into and out of the well by the use of a continuous
length, small diameter solid or braided wire mounted on a
powered reel at the surface. This can be done on a wellbore
that is still under pressure. Typical wireline operations include
perforating, logging, cleaning wells, and dumping cement.
Most wireline surface equipment units are self-contained
skids that consist of the wireline reel, power supply and
associated control and connection equipment. Wireline is
subdivided into two categories:
♦ Electric Line (E-Line)
The wire used in E-Line is a steel armoured electric cable
that has the ability to transmit well logging data
continuously to the surface. The size of the wire ranges
from 7/32 inches to 15/32 inches depending on the
mechanical strength and number of electrical conductors.
OTC 15177
Since the weight of the tools is used to pull the wire into
the well, E-Line is difficult to use in highly deviated or
horizontal wells. This can be overcome with electric
powered downhole wireline tractors that pull the E-line
into the wells or by using E-Line in conjunction with a
coiled tubing unit.
The surface equipment for E-Line surface equipment
includes the wireline reel, lubricator, BOP (blow-out
preventor), power source and measuring device. A
sophisticated seal grease injection system is also required.
Typical dimensions of the unit for a Gulf of Mexico
(GOM) offshore skid are approximately 8 feet wide by 15
feet long with an average weight of 10 tons.
♦ Slickline (S-Line)
Slickline uses a solid wire with no electric conductor and
is therefore a purely mechanical device. The most
common diameter sizes are 3/32, 7/64 and 1/8 inches. A
new generation of slickline systems includes an advanced
measurement system and downhole measurement tools
that have more versatility than a standard mechanical
system. They are able to transmit information on the
location of the memory log taken inside of the well.
Because of these additional features, they are sometimes
referred to as electro-mechanical intervention.
The surface equipment for S-Line is the same as E-line
except that the smaller diameter wire results in a lower
package weight and a smaller winch. The new slickline
surface equipment includes additional equipment such as
advanced measuring systems and data logger. Typical
dimensions for an offshore GOM skid are 8 feet wide by
10 feet long, with a weight of approximately 5 tons.
Coiled Tubing (CT). Coiled tubing involves inserting a
continuous and a flexible steel pipe into a well bore to convey
various well servicing tools and to circulate fluids. Steel
coiled tubing is made from strips of high-strength steel that are
rolled and seam welded. The tubing is flexible enough to be
coiled onto a reel, with diameters that range from ¾ to 3-½
inches. Higher wall thicknesses and the development of new
alloys have increased the strength of coiled tubing to allow it
to withstand extreme pressure loadings and have improved its
resistance to stress corrosion cracking. Advances are also
being made in the area of light-weight composite
coiled tubing.
CT surface equipment units are self-contained
hydraulically powered workover units that provide substantial
time and cost savings when compared to using a conventional
workover rig. The major advantages that CT offers include:
♦ Faster running speeds into and out of a well since the
operator does not have to stop to connect or disconnect
each joint of pipe;
♦ Reduced rig up and trip times;
♦ Ability to continually circulate fluid through the pipe
while the tubing is being lowered into and out of the hole;
♦ Localized delivery of downhole fluids, increasing
production tubing life and preventing contamination of
acid from tubing scale;
♦ Ability to work on live wells; and
3
♦ Ability to perform many wireline services can be
performed in highly deviated and horizontal well bores by
installing an E-Line inside coiled tubing.
The basic surface equipment of the CT are the coiled
tubing reel, tubing injector head, lubricator, blow out
preventor (BOP), power packs and control console.
A CT unit is defined by the pull capacity of the injector
head. The snub capacity (pushing in live wells) is about 50%
of the pull capacity. The market has equipment with
maximum pull capacities ranging from 10,000 lbs to 120,000
lbs (commonly identified as 10K to 120K equipment). Higher
capacity translates to capability of the CT to work with larger
tubing sizes or longer tubing lengths. For example, a 15K unit
typically carries about 8,000 feet of 1-¼ inches, whereas an
80K unit is capable of running 2 inch tubing to 15,000 feet
depth or 2-⅞ inches tubing to 10,000 feet.
The offshore skid size depends on well depth and the
tubing size. A general dimension for 1-¾ inches diameter,
15,000 feet long coiled tubing unit for a GOM vertical well
application is 30 feet wide by 30 feet long with a weight of
about 50 tons. These skids can be temporarily installed on the
platform to perform work or provided on lift boats for
minimum facility platforms.
Hydraulic Workover (HWO). Hydraulic Workover uses
hydraulic cylinders to push jointed sections of pipe into the
well, in contrast to the seamless tube used in CT. The pipe
can be inserted either under pressure or after killing the well.
The advantages of using HWO over CT are that HWO
can handle more complex jobs involving deeper reservoirs
with higher pressures. HWO has the ability to use tapered
pipe and can adjust the pipe length based on reservoir depth.
HWO operations however are more costly than that of CT
operations. The decision to use HWO instead of CT is
dependant on the requirements of the specific application to be
performed and the overall economical consideration.
Based on its application in the field, HWO is divided into
the following categories:
♦ High Pressure Snubbing
Snubbing refers to pushing pipe into a well under
pressure. High pressure snubbing is an area where HWO
competes with CT to perform work on live wells.
♦ Hydraulic Rig Assist
Hydraulic Rig Assist units assist conventional workover
rigs and supplement the work performed by rigs to make
the intervention job much more economical. By
definition a rig assist unit is not a stand alone type unit
and operates only in conjunction with the workover rig.
♦ Major Workover
HWO units have the ability to perform a major workover
on the well, and compete directly with the work that is
traditionally performed by conventional workover rigs.
Major workover jobs typically involve the pulling of the
production tubing for repairs.
The basic components of an HWO surface unit are the
jack and slip assemblies, pipe rack, pipe handling mast and
winches, work basket, BOP, power units, operator control
4 OTC 15177
console, BOP control console and auxiliary equipment such as
the accumulator package.
An HWO is classified by the lift force in kips (1 kip =
1,000 lb) and the through bore diameter in inches of the jack.
Standard lift capacities range from 120 to 600 kips and the
through bore sizes are typically 4 to 13 inches.
The offshore skid size depends on well depth and the
tubing size. Typical dimensions for a GOM application are 25
feet width by 50 feet length for the equipment skid and 20 feet
by 45 feet for the pipe skid. The total combined weight of
both skids is about 200 tons. These skids can be temporarily
installed on the platform or provided on lift boats for
minimum facility platforms.
Selection Guideline for Rigless Techniques
The complexity of the process, the equipment deployed and
the cost increases from Wireline to CT to HWO. The
selection among rigless techniques is based on the complexity
of the downhole application and the overall economics of the
intervention. Table 1 provides a selection guideline among
these techniques for the downhole applications. Wireline
(include E-line and S-line) is mostly used in logging,
perforating, fishing, artificial lift services, SCSSV repair, and
to a limited extent in well cleaning and remedial cementing.
In relation to the intervention frequencies in Figure 2,
Wireline cannot perform frequently occurring stimulation and
sand control services. On the other hand CT covers most of
the downhole applications with a limited competition where
HWO may be suitable.
In general, the selection criteria are as follows:
♦ E-line is chosen where a continuous electric supply is
needed such as in production logging and perforating. As
previously discussed, it is more common to use E-line in
vertical wells but it can also be used in horizontal wells
with the assistance of a well tractor.
♦ S-line is used when mechanical work can be performed in
a cost effective manner using a wire. With the use of
battery powered tools and depth location devices, S-line is
now able to compete in some areas with E-line.
♦ CT is typically used in situations where fluid circulation
is necessary, and to reach highly deviated and horizontal
wells. CT can perform numerous downhole applications,
and is increasingly becoming a preferred method of
well intervention.
♦ HWO is more suitable for high pressure wells than CT
and is also used where production tubing needs to be
pulled. The choice between HWO and CT is therefore
dependent upon the requirements of the downhole
application and on the overall economics of the job.
Rigless Techniques in Subsea Well Intervention
Downhole applications are identical for both dry and subsea
wells. The same rigless techniques can be deployed for both
types of wells. However, subsea well intervention in
deepwater requires a floating vessel and a subsea system to
access the wellbore. The floating vessel not only supports the
surface equipment for Wireline, CT or HWO, but should have
the capability to handle the subsea system. These are the
requirements that determine if the floating vessels can be other
than a rig. It is therefore important to understand the
conventional subsea intervention approach of utilizing a
subsea riser and the alternative riserless method.
Traditional Approach - Subsea Well Intervention.
Traditionally, the subsea system has been a rigid workover
riser package that provides direct access for the surface
intervention equipment. The purpose of a workover riser is to
extend the wellbore to the surface to provide well access at the
full pressure rating and diameter of the downhole completion.
The dynamic pressure seal between ambient and the wellbore
is at the surface on the vessel. Figure 4 shows a conventional
subsea well intervention from a floating vessel.
A workover riser package consists of steel riser joints
attached to the subsea tree through a subsea lower riser
package (LRP), which includes blow out preventors (BOP).
The workover riser components also include a subsea
emergency disconnect package, stress joints, surface tree,
circulating hose, control umbilical, control system and
associated running and test tools. The bore is made to match
the completion size and is typically 4 or 5 inches nominal
diameter. Depending on the system, a workover riser may
also include a parallel riser for accessing the casing-tubing
annulus of the well. The top of the riser is supported by a
tensioning system and is designed for installation and retrieval
with a derrick and associated handling system. Wireline, CT
and HWO operations are performed from designated areas on
deck and items attached to the workover riser surface tree,
such as the coiled tubing injector can be supported with an
additional motion compensation system. Tool strings can also
be isolated from vessel motion with heave compensation
systems. A workover riser requires passive heave
compensation systems with a substantial load carrying
capacity that increases with water depth. It also requires a
support vessel that is stable in the local sea conditions and a
handling system that can deal with large packages, weighing
tens of tons, in addition to jointed pipe.
A MODU (Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit) is usually
selected for supporting subsea workover operations. Even if a
conventional working rig is not required for Wireline, CT and
HWO, it is usually chosen for subsea well intervention since
the rig on a MODU has the capability to handle workover
risers using the same equipment that it uses for its drilling riser
system. The use of a MODU for well intervention is often
driven by availability in the field between well construction
programs. Perhaps the most significant reason MODU are
deployed for well intervention is their ability to change work
scope in mid job, to carry out heavy workover tasks, such as
pulling the completion if the situation downhole proves to be
different from what was envisioned when planning the
intervention. This occurrence is relatively common, given the
remoteness of subsea wells and the consequent lack of
downhole information.
MODU, with well construction as their primary function,
are not usually a good fit for many downhole applications in
well intervention since only a small portion of their total
capability is utilized. They can be slower and more costly
than a fit-for-purpose unit. In addition, well intervention
surface equipment such as Wireline and CT are temporarily
assembled on board these vessels, reducing the overall
OTC 15177
efficiency because of the non-productive time required to rig
up, rig down, to interconnect to the well and to organize the
resources to perform the job.
Alternate Approach in Selection of Floating Vessels and
Subsea Systems. Using floating vessels that are not MODU
and which do not have marine drilling systems, is recognized
as an alternative approach for well intervention. This
approach aims to optimize the pairing of subsea access method
with a floating vessel to achieve lower day rates for specific
intervention capabilities.
The objective is to have substantially lower, floating
vessel day rates as compared to a MODU. However, this
lower day rate typically comes with the penalty of less
intervention capability.
An established example of this is the use of subsea
lubricators for wireline intervention from dynamically
positioned monohull vessels. This technique has been used
for more than fifteen years, particularly in the North Sea and
to a lesser degree in the Far East. Figure 5 shows an example
of a subsea lubricator. Another established method is to use
vessels specifically configured to run workover risers as seen,
for instance, over the past several years in the Gulf of Mexico.
Since subsea well intervention involves vessel owners,
subsea installation contractors and well service vendors, a
coherent definition of various types of intervention has not
been established throughout the industry. Table 2 is presented
to introduce a well intervention classification based on the
type of vessel and the complexity of process as follows:
♦ Support Vessel (Typically a monohull)- Light
Well Intervention
A monohull with a free deck area of up to 10,000 square
feet that has capability to perform wireline services in
conjunction with a subsea lubricator is termed Light Well
Intervention. It is also referred to as
“riserless” intervention.
♦ Semi-Submersible or Large Monohull – Medium
Well Intervention
Semi-submersibles or Large Monohull are vessels with
deck area of up to 30,000 square feet. They are equipped
to perform well intervention services, have the ability to
handle rigid workover risers in deepwater and are
classified as Medium Well Intervention.
♦ Conventional Workover with a MODU – Heavy
Well Intervention
The major well workovers that require conventional rigs
to pull tubing strings, perform re-entry drilling, side-
tracking, etc. fall under the category of heavy well
intervention. This work is carried out using MODU that
are either semi-submersibles or monohull vessels outfitted
with marine drilling and hoisting equipment.
Market Trends
Eliminating the MODU for conventional workover is only the
first step in reducing intervention cost. Ensuring that the
alternative floating intervention vessel can sustain a
competitive edge in overall economics is equally challenging.
5
Dedicating vessels to well intervention depends on having
sufficient market volume to keep the utilization at commercial
levels. To date, only one vessel has achieved sufficient
utilization (and only in recent years). That vessel is in the UK
sector, where the number of subsea wells now exceeds 700.
Instead of a dedicated vessel, an MPSV (Multi Purpose
Service Vessel) can be used for well intervention. Such
vessels are able to perform other services like subsea
installation thereby providing them with a larger market.
However, there are commercial pitfalls for such vessels.
Outfitting them for multifunctional use can increase the day
rate and make them uncompetitive in some or all of their
target markets. If surface equipment has to be mobilized and
demobilized for each well intervention, additional costs and
inefficiencies are introduced.
Another approach is to use low cost vessels that are already
commercially successful in their normal market and use them
in conjunction with a well intervention system (with as little
adaptation as possible) that is specifically designed to match
the vessel capability. An example of this exists in the Far East
where shallow water subsea wells are left permanently
attached to a buoyed riser just below the water surface. A
small work boat can tow a short section of workover riser and
a surface access buoy to the well site where it is upended and
connected by divers to the submerged riser section. The work
boat, complete with wireline winch, is moored alongside the
riser and is able to carry out well intervention tasks in the
benign sea conditions of that region.
Many different designs and concepts have been put
forward over the last two decades for non-rig intervention
methods that enable the use of lower cost vessels for well
intervention. In some cases, these have never got beyond
concept level. Some have been taken to prototype stage, some
have been tried and abandoned and some have gone on to
technical success. Commercial success remains more elusive
for the service providers. Such techniques include:
♦ Subsea wireline lubricator
♦ Vessel optimized to run tensioned workover risers
♦ Permanently installed submerged buoyant riser with
removable surface access riser section
♦ Subsea lubricator with compliant guide for CT access
♦ Combined subsea wireline lubricator and injector for stiff
composite wireline
♦ Combined subsea wireline lubricator and wireline winch
♦ Combined subsea CT lubricator and CT injector
♦ Combined subsea CT lubricator, CT injector and CT reel
♦ Flexible intervention riser
Different vessel designs have also been proposed to the
industry, by many different companies, to match these various
approaches. From a commercial point of view and for
meeting the needs of subsea well operators, the most
promising of these subsea intervention techniques seek to
provide a CT capability in addition to wireline. CT is the most
versatile of all rigless techniques and can perform almost all
the downhole applications in well intervention. Additionally,
CT has increasing applications in well drilling and completion
operations and thus the number of CT units is on the rise.
6 OTC 15177
Figure 6 shows this trend.
With CT, the added scope of work capability expands the
usefulness and the potential market volume for a subsea well
intervention service. However, the cost and risk of developing
and commercializing these subsea techniques runs into many
tens of millions of dollars and, in a normal market, relies on a
sufficiently high level of demand for the service providers to
commit to this level of spending and risk.
A demand for low cost well intervention services is often
articulated by Operators but the alternative subsea well
intervention market to date has not been attractive for the
service providers. Many factors come into play to diminish
this market.
The rates for MODU, driven by supply and demand, are a
significant determining factor. The start of the subsea well
intervention market in the UK sector of the North Sea in the
1980’s coincided with the start of a long period of a depressed
MODU market. Operators had no desire to use a limited
intervention service when the full capability of a drilling rig
could be secured for a similar cost. During this period,
specialized well service vessels made technical and
commercial sense only where it was possible to put together a
campaign covering many wells. The dynamic positioning
capability of a typical well intervention vessel allows for a
much faster job on a multiple well program than can be
achieved with the anchored MODU used in the North Sea.
But this is in an industry sector that does not typically plan its
well intervention activities to this level. A gradual acceptance
of alternative techniques along with the recovery of the
MODU market during the 1990’s enabled some service
providers to continue in the business in one form or another.
Other factors that play a significant part in diminishing the
potential market for alternative subsea well intervention relate
to the design and operation of the wells themselves. In the
face of a perceived high cost for well intervention, Operators
have consistently applied a design and operations philosophy
that seeks to reduce the need for well intervention to zero.
Even if this has meant increased capital costs or lower
recovered reserves, great effort has been put into achieving
this goal. Indeed, zero intervention is seen as a normal and
accepted design basis for subsea wells.
Another set of factors diminishing the subsea intervention
market are the enormous reserves and the prolific producing
rates associated with them. Many fields chosen for
development, particularly in deep water, are those large in size
but with the simplest reservoir structures, which are the type
of wells that call out for a zero intervention approach. The
most likely intervention requirement for such wells is due to
sand control mechanical failures that with current technology
require a re-completion of the well, a job that currently can
only be done with a MODU.
The size of the well intervention market is extremely
difficult, if not impossible, for service providers to predict.
Attempts to estimate the number of subsea wells requiring
intervention along with an estimate of average days required
per intervention and thus predict the market volume are
hindered by lack of data. Individual operators have also made
attempts to predict their own number of intervention days and
have occasionally shared this information with the service
providers. However, there is little or no historical data
publicly available to determine the accuracy of the various
predictions. It is only possible to look in the broadest sense at
what has happened in the past in the well intervention market.
Even this does not yield much insight to what the market may
be like in the future since a large number of the new subsea
wells will be in much deeper water, and will be growing in
geographic regions where numbers had been historically low.
This picture is further complicated by the consideration that
the existence of a low cost well intervention service can itself
stimulate the growth of the market.
The growth of worldwide subsea well activity is depicted
in Figure 7, which shows the number of subsea wells by
region in existence up to 2002 and the predicted number of
subsea wells through 2007. This chart shows that the UK
sector currently has over 600 subsea wells. Even so, only one
vessel has successfully demonstrated the ability to dedicate its
services as a specialized well intervention vessel in this area.
Norway has over 400 subsea wells and has only seen a couple
of specialized well intervention vessel operations to date.
North America has over 200 subsea wells and has had
occasional work recently for a vessel specially outfitted to run
a workover riser. Brazil has over 400 subsea wells yet has
never intervened with anything other than a workover riser.
Asia Pacific has approximately 100 subsea wells and has had
alternative well intervention systems operating for a number
of years. These activities are mainly due to long term
contractual agreements by field or by the application of
Operator owned equipment and technology to specific fields.
All of this does not give much encouragement to those
considering risking their investment dollars to provide
alternative well intervention services. The market risk is too
great, the volume is too low. The market risk appears too
great, and the demand too low. This kind of market risk can
be mitigated by the Operators if they so choose, much like in
the drilling market where deepwater MODU have been built
on the basis of long term contracts. The Operators’
requirements could be tied to long term contracts, obligating
service providers to take on the technical risk of their services.
Most large Operators organize field production operations into
separate Asset Teams. It is unlikely that individual Asset
Teams for particular fields will have sufficient intervention
work to justify a long term contract. Some kind of sharing is
needed with other Asset Teams within that corporation or even
with other Operators, in either case creating administrative
difficulties that would need to be addressed.
Smart Well Technology and Future Trends
In contrast to the well intervention market, investments have
been made, particularly in smart well technologies, to
approach the zero-intervention goal. Smart wells allow for
real-time data gathering of downhole information. They can
also include provisions to control production from various
zones from a remote control center. Figure 8 shows details of
an example “smart” well. It should be noted that Smart well
technology has not seen widespread use yet. Issues related to
complexity, reliability and capital costs have led to a cautious
attitude by Operators in implementing such solutions except in
those cases where the benefits can be clearly established.
Interestingly, even though Smart well technology normally
works to reduce the need for well intervention, one aspect
OTC 15177 7

serves to compliment it. Having the data available from a Abbreviations

Smart well helps to build a more certain picture of the current BOP: Blow Out Preventor
status and any associated production problems with that well. CT: Coiled Tubing
Hence, the data gathered from a Smart well gives greater E-Line: Electric Line
certainty for selecting an appropriate and targeted intervention GOM: Gulf of Mexico
response. An intervention service that is only capable of HWO: Hydraulic Workover
providing wireline, for instance, can be dispatched with LRP: Lower Riser Package
greater certainty of success. Selection of a MODU solely to MPSV: Multi-Purpose Service Vessel
be prepared for any unexpected problems becomes less MODU: Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit
attractive. Particularly if the specialized well intervention S-line: Slick Line
vessel offers significant cost-saving benefits.
Timely well data can also help to improve the timing of Acknowledgements
intervention activities and provide for better planning, thus The authors would like to thank Dean Fanguy (Baker Oil
improving the likelihood of a successful well intervention. Tools), Perry Courville (Halliburton), John Misselbrook (BJ
Because of this, a significant amount of intervention work is Services), Dr. Julie Morgan (Granherne), and Kurt Albaugh
performed for well surveillance and diagnosis, rather than for (BHP Billiton Petroleum) for their support and guidance on
remedial action. This increases operating expenses, downtime this article and Richard Curnow (Granherne) for sponsoring
and has the additional risk of complete data not being this work.
available for well intervention planning.
Frequently, well intervention is performed for reservoir References
management to remedy water influx or gas break out. This 1. Khurana, S., and B. DeWalt, “Well Intervention Using Rigless
becomes even more important in wells with multiple zones, as Techniques-Poster,” Offshore Magazine, Dec 2002.
commingling is generally not allowed by the regulatory 2. Scott, R.A.: “Multi-Service Vessels for Deepwater Subsea Well
bodies. Furthermore, multi-lateral well technology that Interventions,” paper OTC 12947 presented at the 2001
reduces the number of slots also requires additional reservoir Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, 30 April –
3 May.
management to ensure that production is maximized from 3. Larimore, et al.: “Case History: First Diverless Subsea
various zones. All the above issues have led to advances in, Slickline Well Intervention Performed in Offshore Vietnam,”
and implementation of Smart well technologies. paper OTC 8589 presented at the 1998 Offshore Technology
Subsea wells are predicted to double or even triple in Conference in Houston, Texas, 4-7 May.
number over the next five years or so. A significant part of 4. Chitwood, J.E. “Subsea Intervention Requirements,” Deepwater
this growth will be in deep water regions where the cost and Technology, August 1998, 57-68.
availability of suitable MODU is quite high and the
availability quite limited compared to that of the North Sea,
where the alternative well intervention market first grew.
These new deepwater environments should drive the need for
alternative well intervention techniques. Specialized well
intervention vessels may very well become an outgrowth of
this activity.

Conclusions
♦ Systematically categorizing downhole applications and
understanding the equipment and characteristics of rigless
techniques - Wireline, CT and HWO - establishes a basis
for intervention selection guidelines.
♦ The development and use of multi-purpose vessels can be
an attractive alternative to dedicated well intervention
vessels that are dependent upon the continued growth in
subsea intervention demand. Multi-purpose vessels must
be appropriately matched to subsea system requirements.
♦ The market is influenced by a growth in subsea wells,
especially in deepwater regions, and by a growth in the
use of CT for many downhole applications in these wells.
♦ The growth of subsea wells has increased the focus on
reducing well intervention costs as well as on minimizing
intervention. These goals tend to be mutually exclusive.
8 OTC 15177

Figure 1. Downhole Applications

Source: Baker Oil Tools

Figure 2. Relative Intervention Frequencies

RELATIVE INTERVENTION FREQUENCIES
(Includes Platform and Subsea Wells)

Stimulation
Remedial Cementing & Conformance
Logging & Perforating
Sand Control Services
Services
Well Cleaning
SCSSV Repairs (inplace)
Artificial Lift Services
Cased hole Fishing
Fluid Displacement Services
Re-Entry Drilling
Thru-Tubing Completions

Occurrences

Source: 1998 OTC 8726 and In-House Market Survey

OTC 15177 9

Figure 3. Surface Equipment

Wireline - Surface
Equipment

Source: Wood Group Source: Halliburton

Source: Halliburton
10 OTC 15177

Table 1. Guidelines for Rigless Downhole Applications

Hydraulic
LEGEND: Yes = No = Not Economical = Electric Line Slickline Coiled Tubing Workover
CASED HOLE PRODUCTION LOGGING & PERFORATING
Production Logging (surface readouts) Note 1.1
Running Memory Gauges (incl. bottom hole pressure & temp, & flows)
Well Diagnostics: Caliper Run
Perforating Casing Note 1.8
WELL CLEANING
Sand Clean out or sand washing Note 1.2
Paraffin & Asphaltene Removal
Scale Removal
Underreaming & Drilling
CASED HOLE FISHING
Tool Recovery
Tubing Cutting - Chemical
Tubing Cutting - Mechanical
Milling
FLUID DISPLACEMENT SERVICES
Nitrogen Jetting/ Lifting
Liquid Displacement
THRU-TUBING SAND CONTROL SERVICES
Sand placement as filter media
Running Screens
Inject Resin Materials
REMEDIAL CEMENTING/CONFORMANCE
Cement/ chemical shut-off & profile control
Spotting Isolation Plugs Note 1.3 Note 1.3
Setting mechanical plugs
Sleeve Shifting
Repairing Casing and Tubing Leaks
Tubing punching
STIMULATION
Remedial Stimulation by pumping fluids (acids, solvents, surfactants)
Fracturing (using propants)
THRU-TUBING COMPLETIONS
Velocity or Siphon & Injection Strings
Production String
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SERVICES
Gas Lift valve Installation/pulling/retrieving
Servicing an Artificial lift Pump Inplace
Setting/Retrieval of Artificial lift pumps
RE-ENTRY DRILLING
Side Tracking
Deepening
OTHER SERVICES
SCSSV Repair (inplace lockout & WRSV installation)
QUALIFICATIONS
Highly deviated wells Notes
Note 1.5
1.4,1.5
Work in Horizontal Wells Note 1.7 Note 1.3 Note 1.3
High Pressure workovers Note 1.6
Tubing Change Out (Note 1.7)

NOTES
Note 1.1: Combination of e-line in CT can be used in highly deviated or horizontal wells.
Note 1.2: For low differential pressure (100 psi), using a bailer.
Note 1.3: For short intervals.
Can be accomplished for highly deviated or horizontal wells with use of a well
Note 1.4:
tractor.
Note 1.5: Difficult and costly for deviation angle greater than 50 degrees.
Note 1.6: High Pressure CT is may be used as it provides time savings compared to HWO.
Tubing change out is a major workover where HWO competes with conventional
Note 1.7:
rigs.
Note 1.8: Possible with new technology tools, such as E-Fire.
OTC 15177 11

Figure 4. Conventional Workover Operation for Subsea Wells Figure 5. Subsea Wireline Intervention

Source: Cameron Source: Oceaneering

Table 2. Floating Vessels and Subsea Systems

Downhole Defined
Vessel Description Subsea System Technique Applications As
E-Line and S-Line
Support Vessel: Typically a Monohull Vessel with Light Well
Subsea Lubricator Wireline applications as shown
Free Deck area of up to 10,000 sq ft. Intervention
in Table 1.0
Semi-Submersible or Large Monohull: Without E-Line, S-Line and CT
Subsea Lubricator, Wireline, Medium Well
marine drilling equipment with free deck area up to applications as shown
Rigid Workover Riser Coiled Tubing Intervention
30,000 sqft. in Table 1.0

Can perform
Conventional Workover with a MODU: A Semi- Covers all
Workover Riser, Wireline, CT, HWO Heavy Well
Submersible or a Monohull having a Derrick and Rotary applications as
Drilling Riser Rig Operations - Pull Intervention
Table with primary function as drilling and completion. defined in Table 1.0
Tubing, etc.
12 OTC 15177

Figure 6. Worldwide Coiled Tubing Units

Worldwide Coiled Tubing Units vs

Total Available U.S. Drilling Rigs
2000 2000
1800 1800
Coiled Tubing

1600 1600

Drilling Rigs
1400 -1% Drilling Rig Grow th 1400
Units

1200 1200
1000 8% C/T Annual Grow th 1000
800 800
600 600
400 400
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
Coiled Tubing Units Drilling Rigs

Source: ICoTA, Ross, Reed-Hycalog, RJ&A

Figure 7. Global Subsea Wells

Other Regions

Asia Pacific

Africa/Med.

U.K.

Norway

Brazil

North America

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Number of Subsea Wells
Flowing (up to 2002) (Note 10.2) Construction/Pending (Note 10.3) Possible (by 2007) (Note 10.4)

Source: The World Subsea Report 2002-2006 (Douglas-Westwood and Infield Systems)
OTC 15177 13

Figure 8. Well Details for a Sample “Smart” Well

SmartWells - SCRAMS™

Network Splitter Isolation Unit (SIU)

SCSSV Control
SCSSV
Flat Pack with Single Hydraulic and Single Electrical
Dual Flat Packs each containing a Single Hydraulic and
Single Electrical Line

Gas Lift Device

Wet Disconnect Unit

Production Packer Zonal Isolation Packer

ICV with Sensors

Source: Well Dynamics