Mono-trip cement-tolerant completions breathe new life into disposable wells

摘要

A NEW COMPLETION method for "disposable" wellbores not only makes them more economically palatable, but also promises to extend their "shelf life". "Harvest" or "disposable" wellbores are a mainstay in the Gulf of Thailand, where wells with marginal economics and life expectancies of 3-5 years abound. The concept also has become prevalent throughout the Asia Pacific region and is growing in other regions throughout the world. Until recently, the completions, also referred to as "packerless", "tubingless" or "cement-through", posed challenges to operators. These challenges are due to the two-stage completion process that results in additional time and money; and industry-standard productivity- and safety-enhancing components such as safety valves and gas lift devices that were not tolerant of the cement that must be pumped through the tubing and up the annulus.