.

Improved Concentric Workover Techniques

Wallace J. Frank, Jr.,

SPE-AIME,

Humble Oil&

Refining Co.

The Concentric Tubiig Concept

Basic Technique
The offshore concentric tubing rig is a completely
self-contained, highly transportable, skid-mounted
workover unit that has been designed for offshore
workover operations. The concentric technique calls
for leaving the production string in place and running
small concentric pipe inside the production tubing to
perform a variety of workover operations (Fig. 1)
requiring a circulating flow path. 2The primary reason
for performing concentric tubing workovers is economic. Savings result from reduced workover time
and reduced rig cost by avoiding the necessity to retrieve and re-run the installed well tubing and packers.
Rig Equipment
A typical rig (Fig. 2) consists of drawworks, mast,
two triplex plunger pumps, manifolded measuring
and mixing tanks, 1-in. nominal tool-jointed pipe,
blowout-preventers, and the necessary handling tools,
controls and accessory equipment required for workover operations. The hook-load capacity of these rigs
varies from 50,000 to 100,000 lb. The rig is broken
down into small packages for fast rig-up and for offloading and onloading with small stiff-leg platform
cranes. A rig breaks down so that it can be handled
in 12 to 17 lifts with an 8,000-lb capacity crane.
Evolution of Use
Concentric tubing techniques are a logical extension
of wireline permanent-type completion methods,s

which used a tubing extension landed and retrieved

by wireline. A concentric tubing set-up can be described as a tubing extension that reaches all the way
to the surface. Continuous tube to the surface, and
the rigs specifically designed to handle it, have resulted
in the substitution of concentric tubing workovers
for many potentia), permanent-type well completion
workovers,
The widespread application of tubingless completions where only small concentric pipe strings or wireline tools can be used gave additional impetus to
concentric techniques.4 The experience and confidence gained with this technique in tubingless completions had a material influence on the expanding
use of concentric tubing in conventional wells.6
After these techniques had been proved on land
and in straight holes, the economics made their use
in offshore directional wells especially attractive. This
discussion covers Humbles experience in Louisiana
offshore operations where about four or more concentric rigs have operated continuously for over 5
years. In the past 2 years, the level of this work offshore for Humble has increased to as many as 14 rigs.

Offshore Experience
Tubfngkss We-fi and Lower Zonw
of ConventionalWells
During this time, 287 jobs were completed offshore
on tubingless wells and lower zone completions of
conventional wells (see Table 1). Of these 287
I

The concentric tubing workover rig has alleviated considerably the high cost of oflshore
well servicing; and dual, triple and quadruple conventional completions in upper zones
can be dealt with economically. But there area lot of problems yet to be solved, and
the inventive technologist still can have his field day.
-_-l
APRIL,

1969

+01

TABLE 1ANALYSIS OF WORKOVER JOBS ON

TUBINGLESS AND LOWER ZONE COMPLETIONS
OF CONVENTIONAL WELLS
Successful
Sand consolidate only
Squeeze cement, perforate, and
sand consolidate
Squeeze cement and perforate
Perforate only
Wash out and repair
communication
Stimulate (acidize)
Fishing jobs

63

Unsuccessful
26

64
22
9

36
12
3

9
17

7
15
2
m

Total nlJtTIbWof jobs = 287

Success ratio = 65 percent

TABLE 2ANALYSIS OF WORKOVER JOBS BETWEEN

PACKERS ON CONVENTIONAL COMPLETIONS
Successful
Sand consolidate only
Squeeze cement, perforate, and
sand consolidate
Squeeze cement and perforate
Perforate only
Wash out and repair
communication
Stimulate (acidize)
Fishing jobs

Unsuccessful

36

6
6
5

6
2

12
10

3
8

Total number of iobs = 107

Success ratio = >4 percent

jobs, 186, or 65 percent, were successful, A job was

considered successful when the amount of produced
oil or gas from the well paid out the cost of the workover job, This over-all success is comparable with
inland and conventional workovers. Some of these
jobs were unsuccessful due to lack of reserves or lack
of productivity, and not because of the mechanical
operations performed.

unit techniques can be successfully applied between

packers of conventionally completed wells. Prior to
these jobs, workovers of upper zones of conventional
completions had been conducted entirely with conventional rigs capable of removing packers and production tubing.

Upper Zones of ConventionalWeiis

Data in Table 2 cover experience in conventional
wells where concentric tubing workovers were performed between packers on the quadruple, triple, or
dual zone, Of the 107 jobs of this type completed, 78
were successful, making a success ratio of 74 percent.
Also shown in Table 2 is the breakdown of this work
by job type. This experience indicates that concentric

Diagnostic Procedures
Good diagnosis is fundamental to a highly successful
concentric tubing workover; lack of it can often result
in a hopelessly junked completion that might otherwise have been placed on production. And to insure
that the right cure is applied, the diagnosis must be
interpreted correctly. Tools and procedures for this
purpose include static and flowing temperature sur-

SQUEEZE

NG
CEMENTING

THROUGHRE-PERFORATING
Fig. I--Concentric

402

Key Elements of Successful

Concentric Technique

PLASTIC

NG
CONSOLIDAnON

tubing workover.
JOURNAL

OF PETROLEUM

TECHNOLOGY

veys, fluid gradient tools,s bottom-hole pressure surveys, wireline plugs and pump, flowmeter, and running concentric pipe with packers.

Pipestrings
The most commonly used pipe string is l-in. nominal,
N-80 grade, 1,80 lb/ft pipe with a tool joint connection. The 1-in. size has proved considerably more
trouble free than the Y4 -in, pipe used in earlier years.
About 1 to 3 years of service is obtainable with a
workstring at depths of 11,000 ft or less. At depths
below 11,000 ft, tapered strings are usually run and
have been run successfully in offshore Louisiana to
below 15,000 ft.
The cost of work strings can represent a major
expense in concentric unit operations. This can be
minimized with proper pipe care and maintenance of
the tool joints or connections. A tank filled with oil
can be used for storing pipe to protect it both against
physical damage and against corrosion when it is out

1. Mast
2. Traveling

Block

of the hole. Continuous use and careful inspection

keep offshore strings in good condition.
Pipe can be tested after running in the hole by
capping the lower end of the pipe with a mushroomshapetl plug shear-pinned in place (Fig. 3), and then
blowing the plug off with a predetermined amount of
pressure. This type of test tool is used when no sand
washing is anticipated on the trip. Pipe can also be
tested with a sand-washing muleshoe that includes a
shear-pimed sleeve (Fig. 3). Pipe is tested by dropping a ball down the pipe before squeeze cement or
plastic operations.*
Pressure testing policy is dictated by the economic
risk that results from a leaking string. When squeeze
cementing, the displacement of cement through a
leaking connection may result in a junked hole, Because of the high cost of a subsequent conventional
rig workover to recover cemented concentric tubing,
economics favor testing pipe before performing this
and similar operations,

3. Drawworks
4. Triplex pumps

Fig. 2Typical

workover rig.

5. Tank
6, Workstring

TABLE 3TYPICAL CLEARANCES, CONCENTRIC

TUBING SERVICING

Clearances

Concentric operations can be conducted with smaller

clearances than might be considered minimal for successful workover operations. Table 3 lists typical
clearances in offshore concentric applications. Note
that gas lift mandrels with an OD of 1,830 in, have
been successfully run in directional wells with 2-in.
nominal tubing with seating nipple restrictions of
1.875 in. In most routine workover operations, however, l-in. nominal tubing with a joint OD of 1,552
in. is run inside 23/s-, 2%- or 31/2-in, OD production
strings,
Use of Clean Fluids
Table 4 lists the actual pressures noted in typical
workover operations while circulating through several types of concentric strings. In most wells, viscous
solids-laden fluid would increase these circulating
pressures beyond what can reasonably be tolerated
without loss of returns. To avoid this increase in pressure, as well as to reduce the possibility of stuck pipe
in routine operations where there are limited clearances, it is mandatory that clean fluids be used.
To minimize the circulating pressures, low circulating rates are usually used in all concentric tubing
applications. Because of the small capacity of the
pipe, these low rates still permit returns off bottom
in reasonable time, For instance, at 1/2 bbl/min
through 1-in. tubing, cement can be circulated off
bottom at 10,000 ft in 20 minutes. This circulating
rate gives a linear velocity in the 1-in. workstring of
about 500 ft/min, and in many instances velocities
of 300 ft/min are used effectively to wash sand.

Sand Washingand Sand Consolidation

To wash sand, the bottom end of the tubing usually
has a r.mzleshoeattached. The muleshoe can be cut
directly on the pipe, or muleshoe attachments can be
provided that will insure a larger bore through the
interval washed. A mill is sometimes used if the sand
is extremely hard. Sodium chloride water is usually
used as a circulating medium when 9.8 lb/gal fluid
or lighter will contain the well pressure. Calcium

Application

Drift
2.867

2,330

0.537

Installed Gas Lift

11~.in, N.U. inside 31/2-in.
11~.in, N.U. inside 2~e4n.
ll~h
I,J. inside 2~B-in.
11~.in. I,J. inside 2~s.in.

2.867
2.347
2.347
1,875

2.200
2,054
2,110
1.830

0.667
0.293
0.237
o.06~

Concentric Work Operations

l-in. inside 2~f-in.
11~-in. inside 3%4n.
l-in. inside 2%.in,
Il%win, DP inside 2~e-in.

2.347
2.867
1.901
2.347

1.552
1.883
1.552
1.813

0.795
0.795
0.349
0.534

ID of 2Ya.in. landing nipple,

All combinations
of 30 to 45.

have been used in directional

wells with angles

chloride can be used for weights up to 11.5 lb/gal.

If lost returns is a problem, oil can be used. Sometimes, oil is used also to wash out wells completed
in easily damaged formations.
To prevent wedging or settling of solid materials
around the outside of the concentric tubing, sand
clean-out operations usually are performed with reverse circulation, Where sand bridges are extremely
hard, however, it is sometimes necessary to drill and
jet a joint into the sand with direct circulation with
the result that the displaced sand and water are in the
tubing annulus. After a small amount of hole is made
in this manner, circulation is reversed to make the
hole completely free of sand. The process is then
repeated.
Concentric tubing frequently is used to wash sand
from the wellbore, and then to circulate a phenolformaldehyde plastic into place to consolidate the
loose formation sand. A muleshoe usually is used
in this operation to test the pipe so that plastic can
then be pumped without pulling tubing out of the
hole. Successful consolidation with plastic requires
clean fluids and unplugged perforations.12 If a number of the perforations are plugged, multiple treatments can be expected before sand production will be
controlled. Clean fluids are so important that the tank
TABLE 4-PRESSURE
REQUIRED TO CIRCULATE
SALT WATER
(Small Tubing in 2%.in.

l WORKSTRING

_Ooupling _Clsaranca

Tubingless 31~.in, casing

Z%$dn. integral joint

BRASS BALL PUMPED ,

DOWN FOR TEST

~1-i

::r

OD Casing)

Ckc#:ing
Nomina\~;ing

Size

(bbllmin)
#

BRASS SHEAR
PIN
ALUl#I&lM

ALUMINUM
SLEEVE ~
BRASS SHEAR ~
PIN

3/4

EUE

1 Integral

4,000
8,400
12,600
Joint

11~ NU
11A Drill pipe

cii:eulx:~g

D;IIIi7

7,000
11,900

/2
Y2
Y3
%2
3/4

1,800
3,000

2/3

5,000
10,000

2/3

1/2

(psi)
1,000
1,700
2,500
1,200
1,500
250
400
1,100
1,600

JOURNALOF PETROLEUMTECHNOLOGY
t

CbS;lN~A$C~LAR

HE40

ANCHOR
r~

I>mm

GuN c@. J. l-lm-c

CENTRALIZER

s.~

3. I
.x

~ 2

,.-,
,-

--L:---

CABLE

.:.x
ROTAToR

DETECTOR

A
SPRING LOADEO
KICKOVER TOOL

F
GuN

CAS:~::T:\L

AR

HE40

u=~~

CASLE

@S13E1~~
CENTRALIZER

ROTATOR

DETECTOR

B
Fig. 4-(A)
Orienting tool used to perforate multiple
tubingless completions. (B) Orienting tool used to
perforate between packers.

compartments often are scrubbed thoroughly before

a consolidation job, Best results are obtained when a
small number of holes have been perforated so that
the entire plastic treatment can cover the full perforated interval. Plastic, wetting agents, and overflush
are displaced at slow rates to get complete treatment
without fracturing.g It is important that displacement
be accurate, since plastic left in the wellbore can
cause serious problems.
Another method, used successfully in offshore Louisiana, of controlling sand by concentric operations
involves pumping resin-coated sand down the 1-in,
workstring and into the formation at low pressures
until a sand-out occurs. The well is then washed
free of sand with oil, and a catalyst is pumped into
the formation to consolidate the resin-coated sand.
Perforating
Through-tubing perforating jobs have been performed
in conjunction with concentric tubing workovers
through 2%-, z~8-, z~8- and 3Vf-im OD tubing
in multiple tubingless and multiple conventional completions. To avoid swabbing time and to improve perforation productivity, whenever it is feasible, the well
is perforated with a differential pressure into the well-

bore. A differential pressure into the wellbore is

readily achieved with a concentric string in the well
by circulating a predetermined column of light fluid
before pulling the workstring out of the hole to perforate. In most cases the string is in the well from a
previous operation and a special trip is not necessary,
Several types and sizes of guns are available to
perforate upper zone completions between packers
through 2%-in. OD tubing as well as to perforate
multiple tubingless completions with 2%- and 31/zin, OD casing, A powered orienting tool similar to
that shown in Fig. 4 is used to perforate multiple
tubingless wells. Wells are usually perforated with the
gun positioned 90 away from the other string (Fig.
5). When perforating between packers on multiple
conventional wells (Fig. 6), a spring-actuated kickover tool is usually used instead of anchor springs to
hold the assembly above the rotating gun (F::. 4).
The ability to perforate safely is a key element in
successful upper zone completions. Perforating techniques have been very satisfactory in the offshore experience to date. Of 25 oriented perforating jobs between packers (second, third and fourth items on
Table 2), there were no instances where the other
string was accidentally perforated.
SqueezeCementfng
A typical low-pressure squeeze with offshore concentric units involves mixing a 9.8-bbl slurry of 12 percent gel cementls using a fluid loss additivey6and the
necessary retarder for 3 hours pumpability time. A
12.6 lb/gal gel cement is used to reduce the reversing
pressure due to fluid weight after a low-pressure
squeeze is attained. To eliminate the effect of friction
pressure down the small pipe and the changes in pressure due to fluid head, the squeeze pressure is always
calculated and measured from the annulus around the
workstring.
After a squeeze pressure is attained the circulation
is reversed to clean the well. However, in a tubingless
completion, even when a recompletion is planned low-

LOCATION
OF
DETECTOR WINDOW

I STRING

* 2

STRING
RADIOACTIVE
BACK UP PILL

INSIDE
CASING WALL
SHOOT
,,,

SHOOT IN
THIS DIRECTION
Fig. !5-Orienting perforating technique in dual
tubingless completion.

APRIL, 1969

Fig. 6-Orienting

between packers.
405

er, a cement plug is sometimes left across the perforations. The plug is then drilled after cement has set.
This requires more rig time, however, and experience
with resqueeze jobs should determine whether or not
to use the procedure, In large casing below tubing, it
is generally best to reverse out through the perforations to avoid having to drill out cement in a large
hok+with a small diameter bit, Details of this operation are described in the section on typical procedures.
RepairingCommunication
Tubing leaks have been successfully repaired using a
wireline-set pack-off device that includes the
following:
1. Collar stop set in collar recess below leak.
2. Boltom pack-ofl assembly rubber element
set on top of collar stop.
3. Spacer pipe run in sections or in one piece
to cover leaking interval,
4. Top packofl assembly rubber element with
slip-type hold-down to prevent patch from moving up
the hole.
If several leaks are found in the tubing string, a
concentric string with packer can sometimes be run
and set inside the existing tubing string. Repairs are
sometimes made by circulating cement on top of the
leaking packer. If communication exists across the
single packer of a dual conventional well, concentric
tubing is run down the upper string to the top of the
packer. The workstring is pulled to below the upper
zone perforations and the well is cleaned with salt
water by reversing circulation,
If the dual packer is not holding pressure and cannot be reset with pressure, a wireline plug can be set
and protected with sand, while cement is circulated
into the annulus through holes perforated in the tubing (Fig. 7). The concentric workstring usually is run
to the top of the holes perforated in the tubing so that
excess cement can be reversed if necessary. The column of gel cement in the annulus is balanced by displacement with a predetermined amount of weighted
fluid to prevent cement from migrating back into the
tubing. This method can also be used to place cement

:b

.4

..b ;

:+!::~.
. .. b...
.,.*.
. ...,,
2.:
,,..

h:;
..,.
A
...
? ~
i..
..

CEMENT PACKER

PERFORATED
TUSING

..

LEAKING MKER

::.o

WIRELINE PLUG

UPPER ZONE
PERFS

1?-

WWER ZONE
PERFS

Fig. 7Repairing dual packer or completing zone

above dual packer.
406

Typical Procedures
ConsolidatingSand
For this procedure take the following preliminary
steps:
1. Kill or load well with salt water.
2. Run concentric workstring with pipe-testing
muleshoe in well and wash out well to 60 ft below
perforations by reverse circulating with salt water.
3. Pull concentric pipe up to bottom perforations
and test pipe, Reverse circuiate well full of diesel.
4. Pull concentric tubing up to about 10 ft above
perforations. Space out with a coupling just below the
stripper so that pipe can strip down one joint before
next coupling reaches stripper.
5, Establish pump pressure by pumping 2 to 3 bbl
diesel oil down concentric workstring at a fixed rate
and below fracturing pressure.
Consolidate in the following manner:
1. Rig up Mender to rig pumps to allow continuous
circulation and mixing to the pump, Clean and flush
lines.
2. Shut in concentric annulus and pump swfactant
(below fracturing pressure).
3. Pump resin mix down tubing.
4. Continue pumping resin mix with Ottawa sand
added.
5. Continue until annulus pressure increases 1,000
to 1,500 psi above initial pump-in pressure (indicating a sand-out).
6. Reverse circulate well clean with diesel oil below
perforations. Maintain sufficient back pressure to prevent flow into the well while circulating out.
7. Pump surfactant.
8. Follow surfactant with catalyst.
9. Displace catalyst with enough diesel oil to place
all catalyst into formation, Strip concentric tubing up
in derrick as high as possible.
10. Shut well in for 3 hours before reversing out.
This sand control procedure has been completed in
as little as 3 days of concentric unit time.

.II~:.>:
F
CONCENTRIC
WORKSTRIN6

in the annulus to recomplete to a zone above the dual

packer.

Squeezing and Recompleting in lJpper Zone

of ConventionalWell
For this procedure take the following steps:
1. Kill or load well with a clean fluid such as salt
water,
2, Run concentric workstring with pipe testing
muleshoe in the upper tubing string and wash out
below the existing perforations. Establish injectivity
and reverse circulate well clean with salt water. .Shut
in the lower tubing string and install pressure gauges
on this string and the tubing-casing annulus.
3. Mix a 9.8-bbl batch of 12.6 lb/gal gel cement
and circulate cement down the macaroni tubing until
the front of the cement column, according to calculations, is immediately above the upper perforation.
4. Displace cement into the well until a satisfactory pressure (at least 300 psi above anticipated reversing pressure, yet below fracturing pressure) measured on concentric workstring annulus is obtained.
JOURNALOF PETROLEUMTECHNOLOGY

Hold the final squeeze pressure for a few minutes before reversing out cement with tubing above perforations. After returns are obtained, slowly lower pipe
through perforated interval and reverse out excess
cement across perforations. Raise pipe approximately
300 ft, shut well in, and wait on cement for 18 to 24
hours. Pressure test to obtain a quick check on the
success of the squeeze.
5. Lower tubing back through perforations to assure the wellbore is open. Test squeeze with a differential into the wellbore by either circulating with a
light fluid or pulling the tubing and swab-testing.
6. Pull concentric workstnng out of well and rig
up perforating unit.
7. Run electric powered orienting tool with kickover tool and gun in short string, and radioactive
back-up pill in long string. Reperforate.
8. Swab well and test (as necessary).
This type of workover has been completed with a
concentric tubing workover unit in six 12-hour rig
days.
Performinga Set-ThroughSqueeze in an Upper Zone
Having Communication
To diagnose for communication, set-through squeeze,
recomplete lower in the upper zone and repair communication, take the following steps:
1. Set wireline plugs in landing nipples located at
bottom of each string to pressure test for leaks. (Assume that the long string was found to be leaking.)
2. Use wireline plug to locate leak, (Assume leak
to be confirmed in blast joint of lower string.)
3. Set wireline plug in landing nipple located at
end of long string.
4. Use wireline dump bailer to place sand or. top
of plug. Dump enough sand so th~t top of S; d 2 J
to 30 ft above hole in tubing.
5. Pressure up on each string alternately to check
for communication.
6. Run concentric workstring with pipe testing
muleshoe in short string and wash out the well past
the intended perforated interval. Test pipe. Shut in
long string and install pressure gauges in tubing and
tubing-casing annulus.
7. MIXup 9.8 bbl of 12,6 lb/gal cement slurry.
8. Pump cement into well until satisfactory squeeze
pressure is obtained and reverse well clean with salt
water. Pull pipe up 300 ft and wait on cement 12 to
18 hours. Pull workstring.
9. Run workstring in long string and wash sand to
top of plug set in landing nipple, Pull workstring.
10. Perforate the upper zone with 1%-in. OD jet
perforating gun using orienting perforating technique
with radioactive back-up pill in long string.
11. Use wireline unit to pull plug located in landing nipple in long string.
12. With wireline unit, set tubing patch (packoff )
to straddle leaking blast joint. Apply pressure to each
string alternately to test tubing patch.
13, Swab both completions as necessary and test.
A concentric unit required nine 12-hour days to
complete a procedure similar to this.
APRIL,

1969

Some Much-Needed Developments

There are needs still existing that wi!lcall for resourcefulness in devising new equipment and techniques.
Following are some examples,
A Perforating Gun To Be Run on Pipe One
such apparatus consists of a jet perforating gun attached to the concentric workstring. A shielded radioactive source is located above the gun. A blasting cap
and detonator are attached to the primacord and
placed above the gun. To operate the gun in multiple
completions a gamma-ray tool is run in the opposite
string with the detector located at the desired perforating depth. The pipe with @n attached is run in
the other string until the gamma-ray tool responds to
a radioactive pill located on top of the gun. The pipe
is then rotated on the surface until the pattern recorded by the gamma-ray tool in the opposite string
indicates desired gun direction. The pipe is worked
up and down to release any torque in the pipe.
To perforate, an electric line is run down the l-in.
tube until it comes in contact with the detonator receptacle on top of the gun and the gun is fired. This or a
similar tecludque, when perfected, can be used in
wells that cannot be perforated with conventional
wireline perforating guns because of moderate tubing
restrictions,
Improved Tubing Patch Tools Present pack-off
devices to repair tubing leaks have a restricted inside
diameter that necessitates pulling the pack-off before
wireline tools or a concentric unit workstring can be
run below that point. Because of the multiple seals
involved, a satisfactory shut-off is sometimes di.flicult
to obtain. With the epoxy casing-patch type of tool
there is a risk of junking the well permanently because
of the setting apparatus.
Versatile Non-Damaging Workover Fluid During sandwashing operations using the concentric unit,
salt water often is lost to the formation due to the
pressure applied while reverse circulating. A lighter
weight fluid or possibly aerated fluid could reduce this
fluid loss.
Friction Reducers In dhectional wells, sharp
bends or tight spots are sometimes encountered in the
tubing string, causing excessive drag on the concentric
workstnng. A fluid or fluid additive is needed that
will reduce friction and not plug or damage the formation or perforations.
Hydraulically Powered Drilling Tool The limited torque available with small concentric strings
makes it desirable to drill cement or mill on junk
without transmitting this torque from the surface,
Directional holes and corkscrewed tubing sometimes
prevent almost any drilling or milling in the conventional manner, and a hydraulically powered drilling
tool could solve the problem.
Small Neutron-Type Logging Device The large
number of conventional multiple completions with
2%-in. OD tubing in offshore use places a significant
incentive on the development of a neutron-type logging device capable of passing through a 1.875-in.
bore to evaluate zones behind pipe for potential oil
production.
407

Improved Small Packers Packers for setting inside 2%-in, OD tubing are less reliable than packers
for 2%-, 3 !/2-in., and larger OD pipe, In many instances, a better small packer would reduce unit time
considerably.
Greater Capability with Mobility Current workover units offshore are limited in ability to pull the
existing tubing and packers from conventional wells.
More ingenuity in packaging concentric rigs is needed
to get more pulling capability without increasing the
size or weight of components beyond the limits that
can be handled by production platform cranes. In
accomplishing this, rig-up and rig-down time should
be kept to a minimum,

Conclusions
The concentric tubing unit can be used successfully
in Offshore Louisiana to perform almost every type
of workover operation. The techniques are applicable
in directional holes as well as in straight holes. Operations in the upper zones of conventional wells have
been conducted with successful results similar to those
on lower zones and tubingless wells. Some keys to the
success of concentric workovers include: ( 1) proper
use of diagnostic tools and good job planning, (2)
care and inspection of the concentric workstring, (3)
use of clean workover fluids, (4) use of reverse circulation whenever feasible, (5) oriented perforating
tools, and (6) low-pressure squeeze cementing.
Needed improvements to increase concentric rig
versatility include a perforating gun run on pipe, improved patch tools, low weight non-damaging workOriginal manuscript recefved in Society of Petroleum Engineers
off Ice Sept. 9, 1968. Revised manuscri ?t received March 5, 1969.
Paper (SPE 2191) was prasented at SPE 43rd Annual Fall Meeting
held in Houston, Tex., Sept. 29.Ott. 2, 1968. @ Copyright 1969
American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical,
and Petroleum Engi.
neers, Inc.

408

over fluid, non-plugging friction reducers, hydraulically driven mills and bits, small-bore pulse-neutron
logging devices, improved small packers, and greater
capability without sacrifice of mobility.
References
1. McGhee, Ed: IJght Rig for Concentric-Tubing
Jobs,
Oif and Gas 1. (Oct. 13, 1958),
2. Goeken, R. J.: Report on the Methods of Concentric
;;:M# Workover, API Paper No. 926-3-B (Feb. 26-28,
3. Tausch, G. H, and McDonald, Price: Permanent-type
Completions and Wireline Workover, Per. Eng. (Sept.,
1956) 2$ No. 10, B39.
4. CorIey, C. B., Jr., and Rike, J, L.: Tubingless Comple-.
tions, API Paper 926-4-6 (March 25-27, 1959).
5. Pistole, Harry and True, Martin E.: A Challenge to the
Operators and Designers of Oil Field Equipment, paper
presented at ASME 13th Annual Petroleum Mechanical
Engineering Conference, Denver, Colo., Sept. 21-24, 1958,
6. Corley, C. B., Jr., and Rike, J. L.: op c1l.
7. Agnew, B, G,: Evaluation of Fracture Treatment with
Temperature Surveys, J, Pet. Tech. (July, 1966) 892-898.
8. Wade, R. T., Cantrel, R. C., Poupon, A. and Moulin, J.:
Production Logging The Key to Optimum Well Performance, J. Pet, Tech. (Feb,, 1965) 137-144.
9. Goeken, R, J,: up cit.
10. Rike, J. L.: A Small Coiled Tubing Workover Rig,
API Paper No. 926-12-1 (March, 1967).
11, Spain, H. H.: Sand Con~olidation with Base-Catalyzed
Plastics, API Southern District Meeting, Houston, Tex.,
March, 1962.
12. Allen, T. O. and At terbury, S. H., Jr.: Effectiveness of
Gun Perforating, Tram., AIME (1954) 201, 34-40.
13. Rike, J. L.: Review of Sand Consolidation Experience in
South Louisiana, J. Pet. Tech. (May, 1966) 545-550.
14, Allen, T, 0. and Atterbury, S. H,, Jr.: op cif.
15. API Speci!kation for Oil-Well Cements and Cement
Additives, API STD IOA, (Jan., 1967).
16. API Recommended Practice for Testing Oil-Well Cements and Cement Additives, API RP 10B, 15th Ed.
(Jan., 1967).
~T

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