Expandable Liner Installation Avoids Sidetracking Following Production Casing Failure in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractDuring initial completion operations on a deepwater subsea oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, the 7-3/4 in., 46.1 lb/ft casing failed the pressure test in the production liner. Subsequent operations located the casing leak 1,800 ft above the target completion intervals. The original completion was planned to be a stacked, commingled frac pack with reservoir depths over 23,000 feet and pressures over 14,500 psi.To best address the problem and maintain the original well objectives, a solid expandable tubular system was selected to isolate the casing leak. The first expandable cased-hole liner run in the well failed to initiate expansion and was recovered. Reviews, lab mechanical tests and surface prototype tests were conducted to determine the cause of the unsuccessful start and to plan a second run for casing remediation. The revised design deviated from standard equipment and used a shorter launcher with a smaller outside diameter (OD) and a closedended system. In addition to the equipment modifications, lessons learned from the first attempt influenced procedural changes for the second installation.The second cased-hole liner run in the well a few weeks later was successfully installed and expanded. The ~2,300 feet of expandable liner used eight elastomer seal anchor joints specifically located to isolate the leak and allow completion operations to resume essentially as planned. This installation was carried out with straightforward dimensional changes to the expansion system and revised procedures. The postexpansion dimensions of the liner enabled the completion of the well with a 7 in., 38 lb/ft equivalent inside diameter (ID) casing using standard completion equipment. At the time, this application set a record as the deepest cased-hole expandable liner ever run. The financial benefits of the installation included avoiding costs of drilling a risky sidetrack and production deferment. This paper will discuss the problem on the first installation attempt, the operational response, subsequent recovery, lab tests and surface trials. The second installation will be covered in detail with an overview of completion operations and a brief outline of the value added through this expandable liner solution.