Overview
Objective
- Cut 5.0” Drill pipe at unknown free point.
Challenges
- Horizontal well (90 degree).
- Coated drill pipe with TK34 component
- Well in total losses making uncertain the flow around the RCT
Solutions
- Toolstring was pumped down to the Horizontal section for approximately 2000 ft
- Good communication to co-ordinate for simultaneous operations
- EMA was operated to hold RCT in place during cut
- 2 RCT attempts were done allowing different fluid level stabilization periods for the well after pumpdown
Result
- ZERO HSE Incident.
- Clean cut of Drill pipe was successfully recovered on surface .
- Rig able to recover the requested Drill pipe in shorter time
Details
One of the major Oil & Gas operators in Middle East drill pipe stuck after pumping cement plug. The Bit suspected to be be surrounded by cement at the horizontal section.
The well was in total losses in both annulas and inside the Drill pipe. So it was not certain about the fluid movement around the tool at the moment of shooting the MCR Radial Cutting Torch (RCT).
As the well had two different fluids inside and outside the Pipe, punching holes prior to cut was not a preferred option. Hence the tool was deployed with a Electro Mechnical Anchor (EMA). Anchoring by EMA is important to achieve a clean cut, it was used to compensate potential upward forces developed by plasma.
Thus, as per Well information, Wireline team and Our Team decided to deploy the Electro Mechanical Anchor (EMA) and 2-15/16” Radial Cutting Torch (RCT) to cut the 5.0” Drill Pipe at the second joint above the BHA, as per the operator request.
2 RCT attempts (at 6681’MD and 6668’MD) were done by fine-tuning the fluid level stabilization time after pumping down. As the first attempt was not successful with 30 minutes wait. It was recommended to allow a longer stabilization period of 60 minutes on the second successful attempt.
The result was satisfactory for our client. With no HSE Incidents, clean cut of 5 in Drillpipe was observed on surface. Eventually, Our Client was able to resume their sidetrack program without the use of explosives, which were still not mobilized at the moment of achieving the cut.
