Radical Solutions Required: Completions Without Packers and Downhole Safety Valves Can Be Safe

摘要

In most countries the legislation regarding the design andoperation of oil and gas producing wells does not specificallyprescribe production packers or downhole safety valves. Wheninterpreting the legislation, Operators generally specify arequirement for double barriers in wells that can sustain naturalflow. Production packers and downhole safety valves are usedcommonly in completions to satisfy this requirement. Theresulting policies provide a standard for well barriers anddefine an operational envelope that ensures pressure integrityand environmental protection consistent with safe operatingpractice. Through detailed risk and hazard analysis it has beenpossible to demonstrate that the elimination of packers anddownhole safety valves from completions can be toleratedwhile achieving substantial savings through reducedequipment, workover and intervention costs. This papersummarises some of the reasoning and methodology used tojustify the elimination of packers and downhole safety valvesfrom completions and encourages the wider use of risk-hazardanalysis techniques to develop more radical completionsolutions.