Proactive Intervention: A Holistic Examination of Safeguarding Well Integrity, and Optimizing Future Production, to Collaboratively Maximize a Field's Potential

Abstract

Abstract The paper focuses on the field life cycle and how new technology (including digital) and proactive, collaborative workflows can significantly optimize a field's production, with a focus on Brazil. Specifically, we discuss how, in the presalt, it is important to monitor casing integrity to identify salt creep and deformation as soon as possible. Proactive early identification of issues can accelerate the plugging and abandonment (P&A) decision at a stage where costs are reduced by avoidance of a more complex P&A caused by deformation of major completion components. Considering the complexity of a deepwater intervention, an innovative approach of through-tubing well surveillance was implemented, based on the third interface echo measurement provided by an advanced ultrasonic tool. The technique was deployed in some wells where the casing stress analysis indicated there was a risk of collapse, providing valuable information about casing and tubing integrity, as well as precise identification of annulus content. The paper intends to present local examples of the logs run, collaboration among technical experts, and the decisions made. The scope extends beyond the initial production period to maximizing production, when it is necessary to consider production issues as well as well integrity issues. The paper proposes that conventional KPIs may not measure the real intervention performance and can indeed detract from an optimal outcome. Most of the wells assessed were found with their integrity preserved, and therefore the production and/or injection, could continue. Where integrity issues were identified, the data gathered were used to redefine the intervention, allowing a safe temporary well suspension, assertive P&A planning, reducing the uncertainties, and facilitating communication with the regulatory agency. The paper will then discuss, during the barrel chasing phase of the field's life, how a better, collaborative alignment of the interests of all shareholders to the outcome of increased production can be achieved. Case studies reflect application of the technique in Brazil. The study demonstrates how to achieve the optimized field life cycle. New technology, including advanced digital workflows, has been applied to the challenge of well integrity assessment to examine casing deformation in Brazil. This has proven extremely important in early identification of issues to enable the most cost-effective remediation. New collaborative workflows initiated after well integrity optimization optimize production from existing well infrastructure to extend the field life cycle.