Measuring and Profiling Casing Corrosion for Predicting Subsurface Leaks

Al-Yateem, Karam; Kohring, James; Qahtani, Hassan B.; Garcia, Javier

doi:10.2523/iptc-17170-ms

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 1 publication

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“…The techniques were successfully used surveying triple casing strings and evaluating the total metal loss or casings integrity 9 . The casing integrity baseline has been established using these tools for the entire field offshore and to articulate the new strategic corrosion master surveillance plan, with the integration of completion age, well potential and location.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proactive Casing Leak Detection Methodologies: A Case History

2014

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This paper addresses how high resolution electromagnetic induction was used to study, assess and map the overall well casing integrity of offshore wells and to enable predictions of casing leakage based on the extent or severity of the casing corrosion log. The objective of the paper is to show how proactive detection and prevention of leaks before they occur have guaranteed continuous operation excellence, safety and environmental compliance.These studies were carried out to understand the nature of the corrosion observed. In addition, several other technologies were deployed to effectively detect leaks and further sketch out their location. The lessons learnt and experience acquired during the monitoring and evaluation of casing integrity will be shared.The new technology was used as a tool to establish a casing integrity baseline for an entire field and articulated the new strategic corrosion master surveillance plan. Using the new technology has resulted in a significant reduction in the frequency of routine conventional temperature surveys and therefore optimized resource utilization to foresee other essential jobs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proactive Casing Leak Detection Methodologies: A Case History

2014

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Risk-Based Approach to Evaluate Casing Integrity in Upstream Wells

Al-Ajmi

Shehri

Mahmoud

et al. 2018

Journal of Energy Resources Technology

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Downhole casing leaks in oil and gas wells will highly impact the shallow water horizons and this will affect the environment and fresh water resources. Proactive measures and forecasting of this leak will help eliminate the consequences of downhole casing leaks and, in turn, will protect the environment. Additionally, downhole casing leaks may also cause seepage of toxic gases to the fresh water zones and to the surface through the casing annuli. In this paper, we introduced a risk-based methodology to predict the downhole casing leaks in oil and gas wells using advanced casing corrosion logs such as electromagnetic logs. Downhole casing corrosion was observed to assess the remaining well life. Electromagnetic (EM) corrosion logs are the current practice for monitoring the casing corrosion. The corrosion assessment from EM logs is insufficient because these logs cannot read in multiple casings in the well. EM tool gives average reading for the corrosion in the casing at a specific depth and it does not indicate the orientation of the corrosion. EM log does not assess the 360 deg corrosion profile in the casing and it only provides average value and this may lead to wrong decision. All of this makes EM logs uncertain tools to assess the corrosion in the downhole casing. A unified criterion to assess the corrosion in the casing and to decide workover operations or not has been identified to minimize the field challenges related to this issue. A new approach was introduced in this paper to enhance the EM logs to detect the downhole casing corrosion. Corrosion data were collected from different fields (around 500 data points) to build a probabilistic approach to assess the casing failure based on the average metal loss from the EM corrosion log. The failure model was used to set the ranges for the casing failure and the probability of casing failure for different casings. The prediction of probability of failure (PF) will act as proactive maintenance which will help prevent further or future casing leaks.

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Strategies for Early Detection of Downhole Casing Failures Caused by Corrosive Formations

et al. 2016

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The Middle Eastern formations E & K are aquifers which are commonly problematic due to their corrosive characteristics, have been known to directly cause downhole casing completion leaks, and hence require careful risk assessment. If severe corrosion is not detected early then related leaking completions can lead to water from these upper formations cross flowing down into producing reservoirs with results being economic loss due to reservoir damage and/or direct loss of production. Environmental impacts of hydrocarbons leaking into shallow aquifers are an obvious risk of a leaking casing. The worst-case scenario is when production fluids, particularly methane and H2S, enter these formations via near-surface casing leaks and migrate to the surface where the potential for catastrophe is highest. This investigation explores causes and effects of severe external well casings corrosion in an oil-producing brownfield in the Middle East. This research utilizes advanced corrosion monitoring technology, capable of measuring total wall thickness of concentric casings, which were logged in adjacent wells within a one-half mile radius. An important part of the well assessment strategy also includes examining historical drilling and cementing of several other completions in the same field to categorize the probability of integrity failure due to external corrosion. Observations include establishing correlations between these lost circulation formations and measured external casings corrosion wall loss. The corrosive characteristics and impact of these dynamic, near-surface aquifers is also discussed to establish the root cause of external casing leaks. The objective of this study is to share these lessons-learned and develop a strategy for recognizing, mitigating, and/or avoiding similar well integrity conditions. By instituting a well-to-well pattern recognition classification of known problematic wells, promoting an enhanced corrosion surveillance frequencies.

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Measuring and Profiling Casing Corrosion for Predicting Subsurface Leaks

Cited by 7 publications

References 1 publication

Proactive Casing Leak Detection Methodologies: A Case History

Proactive Casing Leak Detection Methodologies: A Case History

Risk-Based Approach to Evaluate Casing Integrity in Upstream Wells

Strategies for Early Detection of Downhole Casing Failures Caused by Corrosive Formations

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