Abstract
Reliably deploying liner hangers in offshore applications is critical to successful wellbore construction. This case study reviews the pre-job planning, collaboration, and deployment of the first metal-to-metal sealing and anchoring expandable liner hanger (ELH) in the Gulf of Mexico. A set of particularly problematic deepwater wells will be discussed. The intensive collaboration between the service company and operator, as well as the job-specific design considerations of the metal-to-metal hanger and service tool, will be included.
The operator and service company collaborated to quantify and implement agreed-upon design concepts. Additional collaboration was required during the job preparation for a challenging well with multiple sidetracks from previous unsuccessful alternate-technology liner-hanger deployments. Collaborative design considerations for the hanger include features to handle extreme tensile loads through the service tool prior to hanger installation and through the liner hanger post installation. Job-preparation collaboration included planning a fit-for-purpose job, with an in-depth look at the parent casing, hanger, wellbore geometry, and other critical aspects of the job. Additional discussion will center on the benefits of metal-to-metal sealing technology at the liner top in conjunction with elastomeric-contingency sealing technology.
This paper disseminates technical information to increase operator awareness of a new technology and its application. The collaboration between the service company and operator describes a needed trend in the industry to successfully construct wells in a challenging environment. Developing well-specific, fit-for-purpose equipment enables a decrease in time-vs.-depth rates owing to increased running and operational speeds and a reduction in remediation activities as a result of increased reliability. The metal-to-metal and redundant elastomeric sealing and anchoring ELH technologies assist with both increased efficiency for current operations and the ability to push the industry's technological envelope.
