SUBSEA WELL INTERVENTION

MOHAN GUNASEKARAN
(A0080365H)

CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 WELL INTERVENTION
2.1 PRECISE DEFINITION AND NEEDS OF WELL
INTERVENTION
2.2 SUB SEA WELL INTERVENTION GROWTH
3.0 SUBSEA WELL INTERVENTION VESSEL
4.0 SUB SEA WELL INTERVENTION CATEGORIES
4.1 LIGHT WELL INTERVENTION SYSTEMS
4.2 RISERLESS LIGHT WELL INTERVENTION
4.3 MEDIUM WELL INTERVENTION VESSEL
4.4 HEAVY INTERVENTION VESSEL
4.5
4.5 HROUGH TUBING ROTARY DRILLING:
5.0 INTERVENTION OPERATION:
5.1 INTERVENTION VESSEL MODULES:
6.0 INTERVENTION HARDWARE
7.0 REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE IN SUBSEA
INTERVENTION:
8.0 CHARECTERISTICS OF WELL INTERVENTION:
9.0 MAJOR ELEMENTS OF WELL INTERVENTION:
10. WELL INTERVENTION METHODS
11.0 DISADVANTAGES:
12. WELL INTERVENTION WELL CONTROL SYSTEM
12.1 PRIMARY WELL CONTROL SYSTEM
12.2 SECONDARY WELL CONTROL SYSTEM
12.3 TERTIARY WELL CONTROL SYSTEM
13.0 WELL INTERVENTION EQUIPMENTS
13.1 COMPLETION EQUIPMENT TOOLS
13.2 WIRELINE EQUIPMENT
13.3 COILED TUBING EQUIPMENT
14.0 OPERATION
14.1 WIRELINE TOOLS
14.2 OPEN HOLE ELECTRIC LINE TOOLS
14.3 DENSITY TOOLS
14.4 BOREHOLE SEISMIC TOOLS
15.0 ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENTS
16.0 CONCLUSION

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1.0 INTRODUCTION
The increase of natural gas in the energy matrix all over the world has
posed a strong Demand on offshore exploration and production. Although
some new concepts for floating gas storage have been proposed, options
associated with subsea production system and pipeline export to shore
should be better investigated in order to improve performance for the field
proven concepts and to propose innovative unmanned subsea design.
Subsea processing presents significant potential for cost savings by
moving some of the traditional topsides fluid processing to the seabed.
Subsea separation and local re-injection of produced water and/or gas to
the reservoir or to a dedicated disposal zone will allow flow lines and
topside processing equipment to be used more efficiently. Subsea

gas/liquid separation and liquid boosting can increase the production rate
in low-energy reservoirs.
The main features of subsea processing:

Subsea bulk water removal, with re-injection or disposal

Subsea single-phase or multi-phase boosting of well fluids

Subsea sand and solids separation and sand handling system

Subsea gas/liquid separation and liquid boosting

Subsea gas treatment Subsea gas compression

Monitoring, control and instrumented safety systems

FIG 01.SUBSEA PRODUCTION SYSTEM

Subsea oil field developments are usually split into Shallow, Deep and
Ultra Deep water categories. The term shallow water is used for shallow
water depths (<500 meters) where bottom-founded facilities like jackup
drilling rigs and fixed offshore structures can be used, and where
saturation diving is feasible. Deepwater is a term often used to refer to
offshore projects located in water depths greater than 500 metres where
floating drilling vessels and floating oil platforms are used, and unmanned
underwater vehicles are required as manned diving is not practical.
Beyond 1500 metres water depth it is called Ultra Deep Water
4

FIG 02.SUBSEA PRODUCTION SYSTEM

2.0 WELL INTERVENTION
Currently there are more than 6,000 subsea wells scattered across the
globe, with more being drilled every day. Many of those wells are already
a decade aged with many more not far behind. Thats why in the last
several years the techniques offered through well intervention have
become ever more necessary to keep up with rising global demand for oil,
gas and hydrocarbons
Well intervention holds the potential to extend the productive life of aging
wells and repair damaged or underperforming wells. Well intervention can
bring oil and gas companies substantially higher profits off otherwise noneconomical wells.

FIG 03: SUBSEA OIL PRODUCTION EQUIPMENTS

2.1 PRECISE DEFINITION AND NEEDS OF WELL INTERVENTION
Well intervention is any process that enhances the quality of the subsea
well, provides data to help manage the production rate of the well or shuts
off and safely abandons a flowing well.
One of the biggest challenges in subsea well intervention is keeping costs
down and increasing the recovery of hydrocarbons are the principal
driving forces behind the development of the Well Intervention Services.
So rigorous and extensive preplanning is used to identify the best
potential solutions while mitigating a multitude of known and unknown
risks.

After assessing a particular wells condition and selecting a proper

treatment, which could involve a number of different procedures and
contingency plans, a specific type of vessel is then selected to carry out
the task. Most operations can be carried out using light and medium
intervention vessels equipped with dynamic positioning.
2.2 SUB SEA WELL INTERVENTION GROWTH:
As the number of subsea installation increases, the offshore oil well
production rate will decrease. The Oil & Gas industry must find ways to
increase oil recovery and ensure safe operations while minimizing costs.
Subsea Intervention systems provides solution for Increased Oil Recovery
(ICO).
The Number of Subsea wells being developed is increasing rapidly from
the last decade. There by demand for the intervention vessels also
increases as the subsea wells age. The Growth in the number of subsea
wells is clearly depicted in the figure 4.

FIG 04: SUBSEA WELL GROWTH

3.0 SUBSEA WELL INTERVENTION VESSEL:

The Typical maintenance and inspection activities carried out by the
subsea intervention vessel in the well are measurements and monitoring
of well conditions, perforating, gravel packing, production stimulation and
repair of a down hole completion or production tubing.
Subsea Intervention includes a subsea well and a carousel of tools. The
carousel of tools is adapted to automatically and selectively deploy the
tools in the well to perform an intervention in the well.
The Flow of fluid in a well is halted, and a tool is deployed from within the
well while the fluid is halted. The Flow is resumed to retrieve the tool.
Today well intervention operations can be carried out at a working
pressure of 25,000 psi, a temperature range of 0 - 400 F and at water
depths of up to 10,000 feet.

FIG 05: WELL INTERVENTION VESSEL

The main purposes of Subsea well intervention vessel are

-

To provide a mobile work platform from which the Subsea

Intervention activities take place

To provide support capability to the operation in the form of

Heavy Lift (Derrick and Cranes)

Moon Pool

Subsea Vehicles (ROV)

Tailored bed capacity

9

Fluids Handling

Fire and Gas System

4.0 SUB SEA WELL INTERVENTION CATEGORIES:

The Conventional subsea intervention may involve use surface vessel to
supply equipment for the intervention and serve as a platform for the
intervention. To complete an intervention, the operator may deploy a rig,
such as a semi-submersible rig, using tensioned risers. Depending upon
the type of the surface vessel used intervention system is broadly
classified into three types.

FIG 06: CATAGORIES OF WELL INTERVENTION

Light Intervention Vessel (Riser less Intervention Wire line)

M class-medium level intervention capacity (Wire line, slick line,

coiled tubing, replacement of conventional Xmas trees)

H class-capable of heavy well intervention and having a limited

drilling capacity (replacement of Xmas trees, changing completions,
side-tracking)
10

4.1 LIGHT WELL INTERVENTION SYSTEMS:

Any operation in a subsea wellbore that does not need a drilling rig to gain
access to the well, to convey the service or carry out the operation is
called Light/Medium Well Intervention.
OPERATIONS: Gathering Reservoir Information
-

Logging

Re-perforation (Light Perforating)

Zone Isolation

Plug Setting / Removal

FIG 07:LIGHT WELL INTERVENTION

The Type of operation performed is Wire line and Slick line. It would take
around 9 days to finish a well job using Light intervention vessel and it
would cost $150K 200K/day. The Light Intervention Vessel is shown in
the figure 9.
4.2 RISERLESS LIGHT WELL INTERVENTION:
Riser less well intervention offers faster mobilization since it is light-weight
solution. Equipment can be supplied by helicopter or an airplane if
necessary which aids in increasing the operational efficiency. Furthermore

11

the vessel required to deploy the intervention tools can be smaller and
more cost efficient than if conventional technology is used.
A number of recent riser less well intervention operations have proven the
feasibility and interventions have been carried out at water depths
exceeding 900 m. Recent riser less well intervention has the ability to
deliver the necessary tools exactly where needed. This is achieved with
robotic based technology which enables milling tools and similar to be
conveyed and positioned with pin-point accuracy irrespective of the
inclination of the well.
RLWI operations are normally carried out from a dynamically-positioned
intervention vessel to perform various wire line deployed operations.

FIG 08: RISERLESS LIGHT WELL INTERVENTIONS

Reducing the cost of intervention operations is the principal driving force
behind the development of the RLWI technology. FMCs RLWI technology
enables cost effective intervention operations into existing subsea wells.
This results in additional production volumes from mature subsea fields at
highly competitive costs for the incremental volumes of oil. A lubricator
system is available for inserting down hole tool packages into the wellbore
under full pressure without taking hydrocarbons back to the vessel. All
equipment to connect to and control the subsea well is deployed from a
lower cost dynamically positioned mono hull vessel without using drilling

12

or work over risers and anchors. The technology is enabling integrated

operations increasing safety and reducing cost.
Advantages of riseless well intervention system:
Traditionally large semi-submersibles have been used for subsea well
completion and intervention. This is gradually changing as alternative
solutions such as riser less light well intervention - or RLWI - are becoming
more widespread. With this approach operations can be performed from
smaller vessels such as dedicated Light Well Intervention vessels or
similar equipped for handling winching of offshore gear.
As the day rates of these are much lower than those of conventional rigs
the cost implications are significant and further enhanced by the fact that
this enables more frequent intervention thereby improving recovery rates.
Furthermore the use of light well intervention vessels enhances mobility
and flexibility. The light weight approach also has a beneficial impact on
safety and environmental issues. Today riser less light well intervention
operations from Vessels cover more than 90% of the standard riser based
operations and have proven to be a highly competitive gradually replacing
the traditional and very costly approach.
The use of LWIV does provide a no. of operating limitations compared to a
drilling rig:
-

No marine riser hence no circulation path (i.e.no returns to surface

other than via small diameter hose)

Difficulty pulling the completion tubing or casing strings

Limited to

wire line

and potentially

coiled

tubing deployed

tools(i.e.no jointed pipe/minimum rotation)

4.3 MEDIUM WELL INTERVENTION VESSEL:
The Medium Intervention Vessel performs the well job in 9 days
and the cost varies from $150K 300K /day. The Main well operations
carried out are Coiled tubing, Wire line and Slick line.
OPERATIONS:
-

Flow line Intervention

Well commissioning (TCP guns unloading)

13

Well abandonment (P&A)

Down hole Pump change out

Squeeze, acidizing or fracturing

Sand or Scale cleanout

Water shut-off (Plug and patch)

Scraping & Push force

DH valve retrieval, replacement, shifting

Casing leak repairs, X-mass tree change-out

Chemical injection, Circulation

4.4 HEAVY INTERVENTION VESSEL:

Intervention in greater water depths may require a floating drilling device,
e.g. a drilling rig or a drill ship, such a drilling device often being kept in
the correct location by means of dynamic positioning equipment. Such
method of using a semi-submersible rig for intervention is called Heavy
Intervention Vessel. A Heavy Well intervention vessel is capable of
handling all the intervention needs but extremely costly. The operations
performed by a heavy intervention vessel are mentioned in the table. It
would take around 15 days to finish a well intervention using Heavy
intervention vessel and it would cost $360K 840K/day.
OPERATIONS:
-

Performs Heavy Well Maintenance

Scale milling

Completion change-out/ repair

Re-drill or sidetrack (drilling of short side-tracks)

Xmas tree change-out

The Semi - Submersible Intervention Vessel shown below in figure 8 is

capable of
-

Carrying 4 coiling tube reels (up to 3 1/2 coil). It

has facilities to spool coil tubing on deck,

To carry CT injector system permanently on drill floor.

Can spool coil tubing on board

14

Can alternate modus between coil tubing, wire line and drilling in
less than one hour

4.5 THROUGH TUBING ROTARY DRILLING:

Through Tubing Rotary Drilling (TTRD) enables efficient drilling, intervention
and completion of existing wells through existing subsea completion systems.
The TTRD system is currently designed for use on horizontal subsea trees.
However, the TTRD system will be upgraded for vertical subsea trees. The
installation is based on guide wires and is run with water-based hydraulic
fluid, though the system can interface with mineral-based hydraulic oil
systems.

FIG 09: HEAVY INTERVENTION VESSEL

15

Traditional TTRD operations have been performed with a conventional

blowout preventer (BOP) and with a marine riser tied-back to the surface
using heavy intervention vessels. However, the system still requires a
completion riser in order to carry out well intervention
For increased optimization, a TTRD system with a high-pressure riser was
developed which utilizes a single system for both drilling and well
intervention. A Surface BOP (SBOP) with pipe RAMs and an annular
preventer is connected to the marine riser slip joint, providing functional
requirements for drilling. In intervention mode, high-pressure riser joints
are stabbed through the slip joint and are connected into the top of the
SBOP, allowing a high pressure conduit directly to the surface flow tree.

FIG 10: THROUGH TUBING ROTARY DRILLING

5.0 INTERVENTION OPERATION:
A connection between the drilling device and the subsea well is normally
constituted by a riser connected to a blow-out preventer (BOP) below,
these being lowered from the drilling device and connected to the
wellhead of the well. Subsequently the intervention tool is lowered trough
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the riser on a flexible supply string, through the BOP and wellhead, further
down into the well to perform the operation in question.
The supply string that the intervention tool is connected to, is formed, for
example, of a wire (slick line, wire line) or coiled tubing, the supply string
being coiled on a drum. When the intervention tool is being lowered into
the well, the string is supplied from the drum by means of an injector as it
is being lowered from the drilling device.

FIG 11: INTERVENTION YSTEM

Conversely, when the intervention tool is lifted from the well, the supply
string is coiled onto the drum. In this connection the drilling device is
provided additionally with at least one pressure safety device, e.g. a
lubricator/stripper, through which the supply string is passed during the
intervention work, the securing device forming a pressure barrier between
the pressurized well and the surface environment. In connection with such
intervention work successive and/or different intervention operations are
often carried out, and it may be necessary in each intervention operation
to use another and/or different intervention tool. Therefore, on the surface
it will be necessary, possibly for each intervention operation, to change
the intervention tool, after which the supply string is run in and out of the
well for every intervention operation.
5.1 INTERVENTION VESSEL MODULES:
The Subsea Intervention System mainly consists of two basic
modules. The BOP module maintains control of the well during work over
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operations and allows a conventional BOP to be connected to the well. The

Coiled Tubing (CT) module includes a marinized injector, a quick change
reel, strippers and a tool magazine.
All of the tools required to complete the work over may be loaded into the
tool magazine while the subsea intervention system is on the deck of the
ship. Additional tools can also be deployed and loaded into the magazine
subsea. When fully assembled, a latched Subsea intervention system
weighs approximately 340,000 pounds.

FIG 12: TYPICAL INTERVENTION VESSELS

6.0 INTERVENTION HARDWARE
The Intervention Hardware provides the ability to re-enter a Subsea well
(on a temporary basis) with a variety of tools:
To either effect a physical change of state in well
To establish data of well condition
The Intervention Hardware establishes additional well control hardware
onto well, beyond that typically resident in Subsea tree. It also allows the
insertion and removal of intervention tooling into the well, whilst the well
remains pressurized.
18

FIG 13: INTERVENTION HARDWERE

Size: (4m x 4m x 15m) x 40 - 60tonnes
Cost: $6,000k to $30,000k
7.0 REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE IN SUBSEA INTERVENTION:
Today, ROVs perform subsea tasks which were previously completed by
surface operations from a support vessel. ROVs have now been imbedded
with, and integrated into, many subsea installations because they have
demonstrated to be valuable and reliable tools. ROV elements are used
within a deepwater subsea well intervention control system for a riser less
light well intervention system.
Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system assemblies include mechanical,
electronic, electrical, and hydraulic components. The process uses
structured risk and reliability principles and hardware based upon ROVcontrol technology. Fault tree results were also used to determine the
effectiveness of adding or removing redundant components. This analysis
method can be used to optimize system availability and reliability for any
safety system. These Vehicles needs to be located very near to the subsea
operations and it works in real time feedback.
8.0 CHARECTERISTICS OF WELL INTERVENTION:
For SPS/Umbilical Flow line Riser interventions 60 tasks were identified
based on typical subsea architecture. Each task has an associated
19

duration, taking into account the water depth, and a frequency of

intervention, based on reliability statistics - the failure rate was considered
as constant over time. These tasks were associated with the means
necessary (lift capacity, type of ROV, deck area required, etc.) and
grouped in classes as shown below:
-

IM0: modest-sized fast winch to raise and lower small loads, work

class
IM1:
IM2:
IM3:
IM4:

remote operated vehicle (WROV)

lifting capacity of 10 tons at 2,000 m, WROV
lifting capacity of 35 tons at 2,000 m, WROV
lifting capacity of 130 tons at 2,000 m, WROV
lifting capacity of 250 tons at 2,000 m, WROV, modular deck

mounted equipment.
The study showed that the demand over all the blocks for all the vessels
added together grew to approximately four vessels in 2009 with a split of
2.5 IM0, 0.8 IM1, and 0.5 IM2. A

FIG 14: INTERVENTION SERVICES UTILIZATION MODELS

Very low demand for inspection, maintenance and repair activity was
forecast for the vessels of class IM3 and IM4, which correspond to the
larger of the construction vessels currently in service. The corresponding
tasks, if and when they arose, would be executed by vessels of
20

opportunity such as installation vessels on sites or by the heavy-lift

capabilities of vessels involved in well drilling or work over.
For well intervention, the definition of intervention tasks and their
durations took into account the types of completion and the tree typevertical or horizontal.

FIG 15: VALUE PROPOSITION TO OIL COMPANIES

9.0 MAJOR ELEMENTS OF WELL INTERVENTION:
1. Slickline
Slickline operations may be used for fishing, gauge cutting, setting or
removing plugs, deploying or removing wire line retrievable valves and
memory logging.
2. Wellhead and Christmas tree maintenance:
The complexity of this operation can vary depending on the condition of
the wellheads. Scheduled annual maintenance may simply involve
greasing and pressure testing the value on the hardware. Sometimes the
down hole safety valve is pressure tested as well.
4. Coiled tubing
Coiled tubing is used when it is desired to pump chemicals directly to the
bottom of the well, such as in a circulating operation or a chemical wash.
It can also be used for tasks normally done by wire line if the deviation in
the well is too severe for gravity to lower the tool string and
circumstances prevent the use of a wire line tractor.
5. Braided line
21

This is more complex than slickline due to the need for a grease injection
system in the rigup to ensure the BOPs can seal around the braided
contours of the wire. It also requires an additional shear-seal BOP as a
tertiary barrier as the upper master valve on the Xmas tree can only cut
slick line. Braided line includes both the core-less variety used for heaving
fishing and electric-line used for logging and perforating
6. Work over
In some older wells, changing reservoir conditions or deteriorating
condition of the completion may necessitate pulling it out to replace it
with a fresh completion.
7. Snubbing:
Also known as hydraulic work over, this involves forcing a string of pipe
into the well against wellbore pressure to perform the required tasks. The
rigup is larger than for coiled tubing and the pipe more rigid.
10. WELL INTERVENTION METHODS
Among all the various types of well intervention operations, through
tubing

is

the

most

commonly

applied,

Through-tubing

enables

recompletion, stimulation or repair work to be done inside a flowing oil or

gas production line for the entire length of the well.
This procedure is used to complete many different tasks including the
removal of obstructions inside the well that may be blocking the flow of
hydrocarbons, simply evaluating the wells condition, stimulating the well
chemically or repairing a damaged well casing. Each job requires a
specific type of tool that can be delivered down inside the well itself and in
light intervention procedures the systems used include coiled tubing,
electric line (e-line), slick line and braided wire line.
Slick line is an unbraided wire used to deliver a wide array of specialized
tools down into the well for maintenance and data collection. E-lines
provide more flexibility for mechanical and electrical operations and can
also send back real time logging data which means engineers dont have
22

to wait for the tool to be pulled back out of the well to learn of its
condition.
E-lines can include the use of a braided line which is more complex than
slick line and requires a special grease injection system to ensure there is
enough pressure for the blowout preventer to seal around the wire as it
goes down into the well.
Braided lines are stronger that slick lines and can be used to perforate
wellbores with explosive charges or fish out logging and monitoring tools
placed deep inside the well. Both slick line and e-line jobs can be
completed without the use of a rigid riser that connects the subsea well
head to a vessel floating on the surface.
Coiled tubing is by far the most effective and versatile tool for well
intervention. Coiled tubing is a continuous string of tubing that can be
rolled onto a spool and is used is often used to pump chemicals or gasses
directly into the well to relieve blockage and increase flow. But coiled
tubing is used for a wide variety of other tasks such as drilling, logging,
cleaning, cementing, fishing out tools and well completion and
production. In many cases coiled tubing requires a riser or a subsea tool
known as an injector head that is placed on
Top of the well and can cut through the coil to shut off the flow of oil or
gas if an unexpected problem arises. To perform these types of operations
offshore,
11.0 DISADVANTAGES:
The most obvious drawback of known intervention techniques is that a
mobile/floating drilling device is normally used to carry out the necessary
intervention operation or Operations in a subsea well. Normally hiring and
using such drilling devices involves great cost.
Another drawback of mobile/floating drilling devices is that operations are
often limited by weather-dependent conditions, mainly wave height and
wind force, so that a large portion of the contracting time may be spent in
23

waiting for better weather conditions, the contracting costs thereby

increasing. To a great degree such weather-dependent stops in the
operations are related to the presence of a riser connecting the drilling
device with the subsea well. In strong wind and/or great wave
movements, and thereby great movement of the drilling device, the riser
will have to be disconnected. Thereby all types of well operations carried
out through the riser, including intervention operations, stop, and the use
of a riser connection between the well device and the subsea well is
therefore a disadvantage. Besides, the initial installation and the final
removal of a riser are time-consuming and thereby cost-driving.
In connection with subsea wells the intervention tool and the supply string
must be lowered through the riser from the drilling device on the surface
to the wellhead/BOP on the water floor, in order then intervention work to
be carried out. By possible replacement of the intervention tool, the
intervention tool and the supply string must then be lifted all the way up
to the surface. The extra time, and thereby extra cost, spent on running
the intervention equipment in and out through the riser, represents a
further drawback of known intervention techniques, especially by greater
water depths.
12. WELL INTERVENTION WELL CONTROL SYSTEM
12.1 Primary well control system is defined as follows:
Snubbing
Stripper bowl or active stripper
Two stripper ramsEqualizing loop system- External well
One annular preventer- External well control
Work stringTwo back pressure valves in the BHACoiled tubing
Dual stripperCoiled tubing body (string)End connector
One dual check valve in the BHAAlternatively plugged end of coiled tubing
Wireline
Slickline operations- Stuffing box for solid
24

External well control

External well control
External well control
External well control
Internal well control
Internal well control
External well control
Internal well control
Internal well control
Internal well control
Internal well control
External well control

wireline
Braided cable- Grease injection head with

External well control

relevant sized flowtubes- External well control

Open hole operations- Hydraulic line wiper and

External well control

stuffing box, if applicable. Primary well control

system for wireline operations is dependent on
type and size of line and is located above

12.2 Secondary well control system is defined as follows:

Snubbing
One combined blind/shear ram

External well control

Two pipe rams ( fixed or variable )

External well control

One annular preventer

External well control

Minimum one choke line outlet

External well control

Minimum one kill line inlet

External well control

Minimum one manual gate and/or plug valve on

External well control

each choke and kill line and minimum one

remote hydraulic operated gate and/or plug
valve. Alternatively the remote valve on the kill
line can be replaced with one manual valve and
a check valve.
One nipple profile in the BHA
One stabbing valve

Internal well control

Internal well control

Coiled tubing
One combined shear/seal ram

External well control

One pipe ram

External well control

One slip ram

External well control

Minimum one kill line inlet

External well control

Minimum one manual gate valve and/or plug

External well control

valve on the kill line and minimum one remote

hydraulic operated gate and/or plug valve.
Alternatively remote valve can be replaced with
25

one manual valve and a check valve.

Wireline
One wireline ram

Slick line and Braided

One wireline ram (inverted )

A double valved kill inlet connection shall be

or electric line
Braided or electric line
Slick line and Braided

included in the rig up during a live well

or electric line

intervention
One combined shear/ seal ram

Slick line or Braided

or electric line

12.3 Tertiary well control system is defined as follows:

General
The safety head BOP shall be mounted as close
as
possible to the wellhead.
Snubbing

External well control

One safety head BOP

Coiled tubing

External well control

One safety head BOP

Wireline

External well control

One shear/seal ram (safety head BOP)

The need for separate shear/seal ram (safety
head BOP ) should on the individual facility be
considered if the height distance between the
valves is short or if remote control valve on the
x-mas tree is documented as a shear/seal valve.
13.0 WELL INTERVENTION EQUIPMENTS
13.1 Completion Equipment tools
Cement Retainer
This drillable cement retainer can be run in cased holes on tubing or
wireless with the associated setting tools. Reliable in controlling squeeze
26

cement operations and keeping hydrostatic pressure off the zone while
the cement cures easily converted to bridge plug
Dual Pack Retrievable Straddle System
Versatile mechanical packer straddle assembly for isolating casing leaks
and isolating zones in cased hole applications. Compact and fats running
single set packer that can be set on slick line, e-line coil tubing or pipe
with the corresponding running tools setting with downward pressure
eliminates the need for in-hole rotation. When the assembly is set, the bidirectional slips are protected from debris by the elements. This reduces
the chance of sticking slips. Retrieval tool attaches to fishing neck and
packer is released with an upwards.
Cement Retainer Mechanical Setting Tool- Used to run, set and
operate the cement retainer.
Sliding Sleeve
Run-on tubing and operated using wireline shifting equipment. The sleeve
is typically run on a production string and is used to establish
communication between the tubing and casing annulus. Used to facilitate
zone-specific activities including testing and stimulation The sleeve can be
opened and closed repeatedly and designed to ensure normal wireline
operations will not be inadvertently open or closed
No-Go Landing Nipple
A profiled sub runs below the completion packers. The landing nipple
allows various flow devices to be placed in the work string. The No-Go
shoulder ensures these flow control devices are not run and set below the
tubing string. Manufactured to be compliant in sour service applications
GU Retrievable Bridge Plug
Mechanical packer for use in high differential pressure and/or high
temperature cased wells. Can be run on slickline, wireline, coil tubing or
pipe

with

appropriate

running

tool,

Set

with

downward

pressure

eliminating the need for rotations in hole. While set the packer element
protects the slips from debris, reducing the change of sticking slips.
Retrieved with GS style tool and released with upward pull.
13.2 Wireline Equipment
27

Addressable Downhole Release (ADR)

Addressable Downhole Switch (ADS)

Downhole Electric Cutting Tool (DECT001)

Downhole Electric Cutting Tool (DECT200)

Sondex Modular Downhole Tractor

Surface Control Panel (MCP)

Well Entry Simulation Toolkit (WEST)

Benefits of Wireline equipments

-

Log flow, fluid and reservoir monitoring information to identify

hydrocarbon sources, reduce water production and keep operating
costs at a minimum

Well integrity tools identify cement and pipe conditions downhole

and help avoid critical well integrity failure

Cased hole formation evaluation generates high quality formation

evaluation data, enabling optimal drilling or completion decisions

Open Hole Wireline tools provide vital information for determining

the feasibility and commercial viability of the well

Pipe recovery is facilitated by a patented Downhole Electric Cutting

Tool that deploys downhole quickly without the use of chemicals or
explosives

Downhole Tractor drives equipment along deviated or horizontal

well, enabling engineers maximize potential from otherwise
unattainable reserves

Predictive software models can minimize risk by modelling wireline

and tractor forces before deployment

28

13.3 Coiled Tubing Equipment

In the oil and gas industries, coiled tubing refers to metal piping,
normally 1" to 3.25" in diameter, used for interventions in oil and gas
wells and sometimes as production tubing in depleted gas wells, which
comes spooled on a large reel. Coiled tubing is often used to carry out
operations similar to wire lining. The main benefits over wireline are the
ability to pump chemicals through the coil and the ability to push it into
the hole rather than relying on gravity. However, for offshore operations,
the 'footprint' for a coiled tubing operation is generally larger than a
wireline spread, which can limit the number of installations where coiled
tubing can be performed and make the operation more costly. A coiled
tubing operation is normally performed through the drilling derrick on the
oil platform, which is used to support the surface equipment, although on
platforms with no drilling facilities a self supporting tower can be used
instead. For coiled tubing operations on sub-sea wells a Mobile Offshore
Drilling Unit (MODU) e.g. semi-submersible, Drillship etc. has to be utilised
to support all the surface equipment and personnel, whereas wireline can
be carried out from a smaller and cheaper intervention vessel. Onshore,
they can be run using smaller service rigs, and for light operations a
mobile self-contained coiled tubing rig can be used.
Applications of coiled tubes
A case history is presented of a successful operation to reduce excessive
water production in a horizontal well drilled through a naturally fractured
carbonate reservoir. Because the well was completed with a 940-m
horizontal, open hole section, there was no practical means of selectively
isolating sections of the open hole. A treatment was performed using a
sealant that would set up only in the presence of water. The full-length
paper describes the philosophy behind the treatment design, the testing
of

the

sealant,

the

placement

procedure,

performance.

29

and

subsequent

well

The case study is taken from a field in southern Italy that lies within a
mountainous national-park area and is classified currently as the largest
producing onshore field in continental Europe. Wells in the field are very
high- producing wells from a naturally fractured carbonate reservoir at
approximately 3500 m true vertical depth (TVD). Permeability is difficult to
predict because it is dependent on natural fracturing, which results in a
wide range of production rates from individual wells. Because the field is
in a national park, development is strictly

FIG 16: WELL SCHEMATIC.

Logging and perforating
These tasks are by default the realm of wire line. Because coiled tubing is
rigid, it can be pushed into the well from the surface. This is an advantage
over wire line, which depends on the weight of the tool string to be
lowered into the well. For highly deviated and horizontal wells, gravity
may be insufficient for wire line logging. Roller stem and tractors can often
overcome this disadvantage at greatly reduced cost, particularly on small
platforms and subsea wells where coiled tubing would require mobilizing
30

an expensive mobile drilling rig. The use of coiled tubing for these tasks is
usually confined to occasions where it is already on site for another
purpose,
Production
Coiled tubing is often used as a production string in shallow gas wells that
produce some water. The narrow internal diameter results in a much
higher velocity than would occur inside conventional tubing or inside the
casing. This higher velocity assists in lifting liquids to surface, liquids
which might otherwise accumulate in the wellbore and eventually "kill"
the well. The coiled tubing may be run inside the casing instead or inside
conventional tubing. When coiled tubing is run inside of conventional
tubing it is often referred to as a "velocity string" and the space between
the outside of the coiled tubing and the inside of the conventional tubing
is referred to as the"micro annulus". In some cases gas is produced up
into the micro annulus. Coiled tubing umbilicals can convey hydraulic
submersible pumps, electric submersible pumps and jet pumps into wells
for both permanent deliquification schemes and service applications.
Snubbing Equipment
Snubbing is also known as hydraulic workover, this involves forcing a
string of pipe into the well against wellbore pressure to perform the
required tasks. The rigup is larger than for coiled tubing and the pipe more
rigid. Snubbing is a type of heavy well intervention performed on oil and
gas wells. It involves running the BHA on a pipe string using a hydraulic
workover rig. Unlike wireline or coiled tubing, the pipe is not spooled off a
drum but made up and broken up while running in and pulling out, much
like conventional drill pipe. Due to the large rigup, it is only used for the
most demanding of operations when lighter intervention techniques do
not offer the strength and durability. Unlike conventional drilling and
completions operations, snubbing can be performed with the well still
under pressure (not killed). When done so, it is called hydraulic workover.
31

It can also be performed without having to remove the Xmas tree from the
wellhead.

FIG 17: HWO SURFACE EQUIPMENT

14.0 OPERATION
Before any work over, the well must first be killed. Since work over are
long planned in advance, there would be much time to plan the well kill
and so the reverse circulation would be common. The intense nature of
this operation often requires no less than the capabilities of a drilling rig.
The work over begins by removing the wellhead and possibly the flow line
then lifting the tubing hanger from the casing head and thus beginning to
pull the completion out of the well. The string will almost always be fixed
in place by at least one production packer. If the packer is retrievable it
can be released easily enough and pulled out with the completion string. If
it is permanent, then it is common to cut the tubing just above it and pull
out the upper portion of the string. If necessary, the packer and the tubing
left in hole can be milled out, though more commonly, the new completion
will make use of it by setting a new packer just above it and running new
tubing down to the top of the old
14.1 WIRELINE TOOLS
32

A wireline tool string can be dozens of feet long with multiple separate
tools installed to perform multiple operations at once.
14.2 OPEN HOLE ELECTRIC LINE TOOLS
Natural Gamma Ray Tools
Natural gamma-ray tools are designed to measure naturally occurring
gamma radiation in the earth caused by the disintegration due to
Potassium, Uranium, and Thorium. Unlike nuclear tools, these natural
gamma ray tools do not emit any radiation.
Natural gamma ray tools employ a radioactive sensor, which is usually a
scintillation crystal that emits a light pulse proportional to the strength of
the gamma ray pulse incident on it. This light pulse is then converted to a
current pulse by means of a photo multiplier tube PMT. From the photo
multiplier tube, the current pulse goes to the tool's electronics for further
processing and ultimately to the surface system for recording. The
strength of the received gamma rays is dependent on the source emitting
gamma rays, the density of the formation, and the distance between the
source and the tool detector. The log recorded by this tool is used to
identify litho logy, estimate shale content, and depth correlation of future
logs.
14.3 DENSITY TOOLS
Density tools use gamma ray radiation to determine the litho logy and
porosity of the well environment. Modern density tools utilize a Cs-137
radioactive source to generate gamma rays. Density tools also have an
extendable calliper arm, which is used to measure the true width of the
borehole.
Gamma rays emitted from the source pass into the formation. Depending
on the density of the surrounding formation, some of the gamma rays will
be absorbed into the rock while others are reflected back to the tool. The
ratio of returning gamma rays to absorbed gamma rays is useful in
determining formation density
Neutron Tools

33

Neutron tools use fast neutrons to indicate porosity and litho logy of the
well. Neutron tools typically contain an Am241-Be chemical source or
Minton electronic source to generate the neutrons.
The hydrogen content of the formation, from oil or water, slows down the
emitted neutrons until they reach a thermal or epithermal state. At the
slower thermal and epithermal states, the tool is able to detect the
neutrons. These counts therefore yield a count of slow neutrons, which is
a clear indicator of the hydrogen content of the well.
Resistivity Tools
This tool is important in reservoir evaluation for determining the location
of the oil-water contact. Water is far more conductive than hydrocarbons
and so will give the reservoir rock it saturates a lower resistivity than rock
saturated with hydrocarbons. When analysing a resistivity log, the point
where the resistivity undergoes a large change is likely to be the location
of the oil-water contact. It is also used an indicator for permeability. Since
most resistivity tools have different depths of investigation, a permeable
formation will read different resistivities at different depths.
Sonic and Ultrasonic Tools:
Sonic tools generate sound wave and measure the time it takes to reach
the detectors. This is used to measure the effective porosity. Sound waves
travel slower in formations in which the pores are not interconnected.
Magnetic Resonance Tools:
A measurement of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) properties of
hydrogen in the formation there are two phases to the measurement:
polarization and acquisition. First, the hydrogen atoms are aligned in the
direction of a static magnetic field (B0). This polarization takes a
characteristic time T1. Second, the hydrogen atoms are tipped by a short
burst from an oscillating magnetic field that is designed so that they
precess in resonance in a plane perpendicular to B0. The frequency of
oscillation is the Larmor frequency. The precession of the hydrogen atoms
induces a signal in the antenna. The decay of this signal with time is
caused by transverse relaxation and is measured by the CPMG pulse
34

sequence. The decay is the sum of different decay times, called T2. The
T2 distribution is the basic output of a NMR measurement.
The NMR measurement made by both a laboratory instrument and a
logging tool follow the same principles very closely. An important feature
of the NMR measurement is the time needed to acquire it. In the
laboratory, time presents no difficulty. In a log, there is a trade-off
between the time needed for polarization and acquisition, logging speed
and frequency of sampling. The longer the polarization and acquisition,
the more complete the measurement. However, the longer times require
either lower logging speed or less frequent samples.
14.4 BOREHOLE SEISMIC TOOLS
Cased Hole Electric Line Tools
Cement Bond Tools
A cement bond tool, or CBT, is an acoustic tool used to measure the
quality of the cement behind the casing. Using a CBT, the bond between
the casing and cement as well as the bond between cement and
formation

can

be

determined.

Using

CBT

data,

company

can

troubleshoot problems with the cement sheath if necessary. This tool must
be centralized in the well to function properly.
Two of the largest problems found in cement by CBT's are channeling and
micro-annulus. A micro annulus is the formation of microscopic cracks in
the cement sheath. Channeling is where large, contiguous voids in the
cement sheath form, typically caused by poor centralization of the casing.
Both of these situations can, if necessary, be fixed by remedial electric
line work.
A CBT gains its measurements by rapidly pulsing out compressional waves
across the well bore and into the pipe, cement, and formation. The
compressional pulse originates in a transmitter at the top of the tool,
which, when powered up on surface sounds like a rapid clicking sound.
The tool typically has two receivers, one three feet away from the
receiver, and another at five feet from the transmitter. These receivers
record the arrival time of the compressional waves.[4] The information
35

from these receivers is logged as travel times for the three and five foot
receivers and as a micro-seismogram.
Recent advances in logging technologies have allowed the receivers to
measure 360 degrees of cement integrity and can be represented on a log
as a radial cement map and as 6-8 individual sector arrival times.
Casing Collar Locators:
Casing collar locator tools, or CCL's, are among the simplest and most
essential in cased hole electric line. CCL's are typically used for depth
correlation and can be an indicator of line over speed when logging in
heavy fluids
A CCL operates on Faraday's Law of Induction. Two magnets are separated
by a coil of copper wire. As the CCL passes by a casing joint, or collar, the
difference in metal thickness across the two magnets induces a current
spike in the coil. This current spike is sent up hole and logged as what's
called a collar kick on the cased hole log.
Gamma Perforating Tools
A cased hole gamma perforator is used to perform mechanical services,
such as shooting perforations, setting down hole tubing/casing elements,
dumping remedial cement, tracer surveys, etc. Typically, a gamma
perforator will have some sort of explosively initiated device attached to
it, such as a perforating gun, a setting tool, or a dump bailor. In certain
instances, the gamma perforator is used to merely spot objects in the
well, as in tubing conveyed perforating operations and tracer surveys.
Gamma perforators operate in much the same way as an open hole
natural gamma ray tool. Gamma rays given off from naturally occurring
radioactive elements bombard the tool. The tool processes the gamma ray
counts and sends the data uphole where it is put onto a log. The
information is then used to ensure that the depth shown on the log is
correct. After that, power can be applied through the tool to set off
explosive charges for things like perforating, setting plugs or packers,
dumping cement, etc.
Setting Tools
36

Setting tools are used to set down hole completion elements. Setting tools
are typically large steel tools onto which a down hole completion can be
screwed. One of the most common setting tools is manufactured by Baker
Hughes.
Setting tools are explosively driven devices. A shooting CCL or a gamma
perforator is used to apply power to detonate a low explosive in the
setting tool. The gas pressure created by the deflagrating low explosive
exerts a large force on a piston holding back oil. The pneumatic pressure
of the piston pushes the oil, which hydraulically separates the setting tool
from the plug or packer. The downhole completion is now set in place.
Not only for completions, setting tools can also run bridge plugs. Which
are most commonly used to abandon a well? A certain amount of oil well
cement must then be placed on top of the plug. A bond log is also
common protocol, the cement must be bonded with the casing to abandon
a well, if not, there must be squeeze guns shot. So they can pump cement
down the casing and through the squeeze perforations and to the outside
of the casing.
15.0 ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENTS
Cable Head
The cable head is the upper most portion of the tool string on any given
type of wire line. The cable head is where the conductor wire is made into
an electrical connection that can be connected to the rest of the tool
string. Cable heads are typically custom built by the wireline operator for
every job and depend greatly on depth, pressure and the type of wellbore
fluid.
Electric line weak points are also located in the cable head. If the tool is to
become stuck in the well, the weak point is where the tool would first
separate from the wire line. If the wire line were severed anywhere else
along the line, the tool becomes much more difficult.
Tractors
These are electrical tools used to push the tool string into hole,
overcoming wire lines disadvantage of being gravity dependent. These
are used for in highly deviated and horizontal wells where gravity is
37

insufficient, even with roller stem. They push against the side of the
wellbore either through the use of wheels or through a wormlike motion.
The technology has been in place for more than 10 years, and certain
companies have operation factors of over 98% with their wire line
tractors. The leading operator on the Norwegian Continental Shelf has
successfully applied this technology since 1996 and has concluded that it
is a reliable as well as a cost-efficient technology. According to the groups
calculations, they save approximately NOK 500 million ($80 million USD)
annually on tractor operations and from 1996 to 2005, tractors have
covered an accumulated distance of more than 3,000 kilometres through
horizontal wells for the company.
Measuring Head:
A measuring head is the first piece of equipment the wire line comes into
contact with off the drum. The measuring head is composed of several
wheels which support the wire line on its way to the winch and they also
measure crucial wire line data.
A measuring head records tension, depth, and speed. Current models use
optical encoders to derive the revolutions of a wheel with a known
circumference, which in turn is used to figure speed and depth. A wheel
with a pressure sensor is used to figure tension.
Wire line apparatus:
For oilfield work, the wire line resides on the surface, wound around a
large (3 to 10 feet in diameter) spool. Operators may use a portable spool
(on the back of a special truck) or a permanent part of the drilling rig. A
motor and drive train turn the spool and raise and lower the equipment
into and out of the well the winch.
Pressure Control during Wire line Operations:
The pressure control employed during wire line operations is intended to
contain pressure originating from the well bore. During open hole electric
line operations, the pressure might be the result from a well kicking.
During cased hole electric line, this is most likely the result of a well
producing at high pressures.

38

Pressure equipment must be rated to well over the expected well

pressures. Normal ratings for wireline pressure equipment are 5,000,
10,000, and 15,000 pounds per square inch. Some wells are contained
with 20,000 psi and 30,000 psi equipment is in development also
Flange:
A flange attaches to the top of the Christmas tree, usually with some sort
of adapter for the rest of the pressure control. A metal gasket is placed
between the top of the Christmas tree and the flange to keep in well
pressures.
Wire line Valve:
A wire line valve, also called a wire line blow out preventer (BOP), is an
enclosed device with one or more rams capable of closing over the wire
line in an emergency. A dual wire line valve has two sets of rams and
some have the capability of pumping grease in the space between the
rams to counterbalance the well pressure.
Lubricator:
Lubricator is the term used for sections of pressure tested pipe that act to
seal in wireline tools during pressurization.
Pump-In Sub:
Pump-in subs (also known as a flow T) allow for the injection of fluid into
the pressure control string. Normally these are used for well site pressure
testing, which is typically performed between every run into the well. They
can also be used to bleed off pressure from the string after a run in the
well, or to pump in kill fluids to control a wild well.
Grease Injector Head:
The grease injector head is the main apparatus for controlling well
pressure while running into the hole. The grease head uses a series of
very small pipes, called flow tubes, to decrease the pressure head of the
well. Grease is injected at high pressure into the bottom portion of the
grease head to counteract the remaining well pressure.
Line Wiper
A line wiper operates in much the same way as a pack-off sub, except that
the rubber element is much softer. Grease pumps exert force on the
39

rubber element until a light pressure is exerted on the wire line, cleaning
grease and well fluid off the line in the process.
Quick Test Sub:
A Quick Test Sub (QTS) is used when pressure testing the pressure control
equipment (PCE) that will be used during explosives operations. The PCE
is pressure tested and then broke at the QTS. The explosives are then
attached to the tool string and pulled back in to the lubricator. The PCE is
then reconnected at the QTS. The QTS has two O-rings where it was
disconnected that can be tested with hydraulic pressure to confirm the
PCE can still hold the pressure it was tested to.
Ball-Check Valve:
If the wire line were to become severed from the tool, a ball check valve
can seal the well off from the surface. During wire line operations, a steel
ball sits to the side of a confined area within the grease head while the
cable runs in and out of the hole. If the wire line exits that confined area
under pressure, the pressure will force the steel ball up towards the hole
where the wire line had been. The ball's diameter is larger than that of the
hole, so the ball effectively seals off pressure to the surface.
Head Catcher:
A head catcher is a device placed at the top of the lubricator section.
Should the wireline tools be forced into the top of the lubricator section,
the head catcher, which looks like a small 'claw,' will clamp down on the
fishing neck of the tool. This action prevents the tools from falling
downhole should the line pull out of the rope socket. Pressure is bled off of
the head catcher to release the tools.

16.0 CONCLUSION:
Subsea well interventions offer up many challenges and requires much
advanced planning. The cost of subsea intervention has in the past
inhibited the intervention but in the current climate is much more viable.
These

interventions

are

commonly
40

executed

from

Light/medium

intervention vessels or Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU) for the

heavier interventions such as Snubbing and Work over drilling rigs. From
the above discussion we can arrive at a conclusion that subsea
intervention system results in the increase in the field recovery and using
recent advancement in intervention system may also decrease the cost
for intervention.

41