WellRisk: A Program to Implement a Risk-Informed Decision System for Well Integrity

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents WellRisk, a program designed to implement a risk-informed decision system for well integrity management during the operational phase. It explores the industry's evolution regarding well integrity and safety practices, advocating for a new paradigm centered on quantitative risk assessment within a data-oriented approach. The methodology combines three pillars: reliability data from well barrier elements, figures of merit and acceptance criteria for decision-making inspired by the probabilistic safety assessment from the nuclear industry, and a specific quantitative risk model specially developed for operational decisions. The paper illustrates the application with a case study considering the failure of a well barrier element, the impact of mitigation actions, and the comparison with the risk of replacing the failed element through a heavy workover. The main message of the paper is, however, how to systematically implement the methodology and transition from subjective approaches to a data-oriented decision-making process, yielding improved efficiency in resource allocation, reduced operational expenses, increased well production uptime, and enhanced safety.