Abstract
During the past year, YPF S.A, (the biggest E&P operator company in Argentina) is working very intensive to optimize operational processes that provide production cost reduction, increase the well productivity and safer well interventions in the Unconventional resources in Argentina. Therefore, the objective of increasing economic profitability brought the challenge of creating modifying current processes and searching for new technologies and methodologies in favor of reducing the cost of equipments, resources and well interventions.
In order to accomplish YPF previous objectives, perform of a statistical study about the well interventions with Pulling equipment during the years 2020 and 2021, and the impact of high increase in time and cost was identify specifically during well control process in the Pulling interventions related to pump mechanical installation in parent well or the hook-up to reinstall back the system lift after frac hit from child well.
The root cause identified for increasing time was the high pressure in the annular section C of the well and and secondly, the build up pressure generated in a short time due to the increase of energy at the bottom of the well because of to the received frac hit from child well.
This paper explains the importance of bleeding the annular pressure of the well before the entry of the extraction equipment, for the integrity of the well, as well as the evaluation of depressurization methodologies to obtain the reduction of time and costs in the well control process in the Pulling interventions. Consecuently, the methodologies proposed (Depressurization Equipment, Branch Valves and Flexible hose pipe) reduce the loss of production and improve the well efficiency in the use of resources for the depressurization of the annular space to preserve the integrity of the well by WIMS methodology, achieve safer interventions and OPEX reduction between 25-41% for each intervention where are applied in Oil reservoirs Unconventional (Vaca Muerta) in Argentina.
In addition, the rationalization of the economic resource will be facilitated according to the need by decision scheme, also, with the correct application of methodologies guarantees the effectiveness and efficiency use of the resources complying with the recommended management cycle as it can be used additionally, in other fields such as depressurization of the annular for integrity, to work the Slick line and HOU equipment.
The methodologies may be replicated to the rest of the areas with their respective chromatographic and risk analysis. Additionally, it will be necessary to comply with the recommended maintenance for each methodology.
