Abstract
This paper traces the development of downhole coiled tubing tools over the past few years and examines how the developments in coiled tubing down hole tools has directly influenced the acceptance and capability of the coiled tubing industry with the end users.
We trace how the coiled tubing tooling has developed from slick wireline tools and slim hole drilling tools into the present day flow activated coiled tubing tools.
The paper also discusses established and new techniques for using flow activated tools and how these techniques are improving the performance of the coiled tubing industry on a daily basis.
By removing the need to drop balls or darts to activate tools, and also the removal of shear pins in tools, the coiled tubing industry now has tooling specifically designed and available for the day-to-day well intervention work which historically was carried out with wireline.
The paper also presents how these developments in coiled tubing downhole tooling allows for access into highly deviated and horizontal wells and how equipment specially designed for these wells is being used to improve the overall performance that coiled tubing offers.
Included in the discussion are specific problems encountered in horizontal wells and how they can be resolved, for example the issue of well debris and manipulation of tools at extended reach.
The paper concludes by extrapolating the development timeline so we can glance into a future with multi function tooling systems where coil is only a carrier of equipment and manipulation is carried out with devices of the future.
