Abstract
The scope of the paper is to demonstrate the effectiveness of tubing punch technology for a gas well through rig-less operation to bypass flow restriction due to a stuck plug. The scope shall encompass the technology selection, challenges faces and successful deployment relative to conventional options.
In a pursuit to reduce rig time, smart solutions have been explored by the operators for effective production enhancement and reliance on multiple well interventions to save cost. The candidate onshore well in discussion is a high potential well with an average gas production of ~30 MMScf/d and condensate averaging ~4,000 STB/d. The well has been producing consistently since 1997 until 2013 where by the well was killed for maintenance activities. In 2015, an attempt to recommission the well was failed due to a stuck slick line plug. The well was attempted to flow though the equalizing ports in the plug body, however that resulted in a significant reduction of flow rate to ~ 8MMscf/d resulting in a production loss of 22 MMSCFD. Various options were contemplated in an attempt to re-instate the well to its original condition i.e. milling, workover, cutter etc., however the options were discounted considering high cost and rig requirements. Tubing punch technology/Solution was chosen in view of the cost effective rig less activity. The paper shall discuss the details of planning, inflow modelling and operational challenges for the well re-instatement to its original condition without compromising well integrity requirements. The technology implementation demonstrated a direct production gain of +/- 22 MMSCFD and +/-400 BOPD using the low cost intervention Tubing punch technology with net cost 27 K $USD
