Coiled Tubing Telemetry - State of the Technology

2. Society of Petroleum Engineers
Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl
Silviu Livescu
Baker Hughes, a GE Company
Coiled Tubing Telemetry –
State of the Technology

3. Outline
 Pre-telemetry coiled tubing (CT)
 Brief CT history
 What can be done without telemetry
 CT telemetry (CTT)
 Description, benefits
 Specific examples (case histories)
 Top predictions for next five years
 Conclusions
3
Courtesy Baker Hughes

4.  1944 – Project PLUTO
 3-in. CT laid overnight under English Channel
 Main driver: ability to intervene on live wells
 1962 – First fully functional CT unit (first injector)
 Wash out sand bridges in wells
CT Early Applications
4Courtesy BBC

5. CT Evolution
5
1970s – Improved injector head design (added
gooseneck, increased pull and CT size)
1980s – Dawn of CT modeling software
(tensile force analysis, flow and fatigue);
bias strip welds introduced in 1989
2000s – Significant
improvements in safety,
quality, and reliability
2000s/2010s – Sustained
growth of technological
capabilities; dawn of
telemetry
1990s – Rapid growth in CT size (from
1.5-in. in 1985 to 4.0-in. in 1995)

6. Current CT Status
 Diameter: 0.75- to 4.5-in.
 Length: 10,000 to 20,000 ft most
common
 39,000 ft. 1.5-in. CT in 2013
 Weight: more than 120,000 lb.
(2.875-in. CT)
 Yield strength: 55,000 to 140,000
PSI
 Improved fatigue modeling
 Improved corrosion behavior
6
Courtesy Baker Hughes

7. CT Advantages and Disadvantages
7
 Advantages
 Live well intervention
 Continuously circulating fluids
 Ability to perform continuous well-control operations
 Disadvantages
 Limited pumping rates and push/pull ability
 Service life limitations (fatigue, corrosion, wear)
 Logistical challenges
 No rotation

8. Pre-Telemetry CT Operations
8
 Most common pumping applications
 Cleanouts
 Gas lifting
 Stimulation – mostly multi-stage hydraulic fracturing
 Most common mechanical applications
 Milling and drilling
 Setting plugs
 Running large tools – perforating guns, logging tools

9. Telemetry with CT
9
 Telemetry = tele [remote] + metron [measure]
 Consider the drivers
 Evolution of wells and reservoirs
 Maturing reservoirs
 Unconventional reservoirs
 Deep water
 More intelligent completions

10. CTT Applications
10
 Acquire and interpret downhole
information in real time
 Depth
 Pressure and temperature
 Force and torque
 Flow pattern mapping
 Video and imaging
 Distributed temperature and acoustic
data
Courtesy Baker Hughes

11. CTT Benefits
 Mitigate uncertainties in unknown downhole conditions
 Enhance efficiency, safety and risk management
 Reduce operational time and cost
 Use available wireline evaluation tools
 Applicable to wide range of CT operations
 Cleanouts, gas lifting, stimulation, milling, logging operations,
camera services, etc.
 554 “coiled tubing telemetry” results on www.onepetro.org as
of February 14, 2018
11

12. CTT Data Transmission
 Wire
 Insulated electrical conductor in
corrosion-resistant alloy tube
 Electrical power from surface
 Optical fiber
 Distributed temperature and acoustic
data along CT
 Downhole batteries
 Transmission medium: wire, optical
fiber, or both
12
SPE-183026

13. CTT Downhole Tools
13
3 ¼‐in. 3 ¼‐in.
3 ⅜‐in.3 ⅜‐in.
3 ½‐in.3 ½‐in.
2 ⅛‐in.2 ⅛‐in.
2 ¼‐in. 2 ¼‐in.
2 ⅞‐in.2 ⅞‐in.
(SPE-187374)

14. CTT Downhole Sensors
 For CTT systems with wire or optical fiber
 Depth correlation (casing collar locator, gamma ray)
 Pressure (internal and external)
 Temperature (internal and external)
 Tool inclination and acceleration
 Force (tension and compression) and torque
 For CTT systems with optical fiber
 Distributed temperature sensing (DTS)
 Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS)
14

15. Case History 1 - Drifting, Logging,
Jetting, Zonal Isolation, and Scale
Removal (SPE-174850)
 Objective: restore hydrocarbon
production in a mature offshore well
in Brazil
 CTT increased certainties in
unknown downhole conditions,
improved efficiency and safety
15
Outcome: 336 hours total run time (seven runs)
 9 hours CTT waiting time (due mostly to using one reel and only
replacing the tools)
 Potentially 92 hours conventional CT waiting time (due to using
multiple reels and tools)

16. Case History 1 – Continued
(SPE-174850)
16
Run Description Run
Time
(hours)
Conventional
CT Waiting
Time (hours)
CTT System
Waiting Time
(hours)
1 Well drifting 23 20 3
2 First logging 74
3 Rotary jetting for bridge
plug setting
57.5 20 3
4 First bridge plug locating
and setting
14.5 14 0
5 Chemical treatment with
scale solvent
86
6 Second bridge plug
locating and setting
14 14 0
7 Final logging 67 24 3
Totals 336 92 9

17. Case History 2 – Milling with
Vibratory Tool (SPE-187374)
 Objective: mill three composite
bridge plugs an offshore well in the
Caspian Sea
 CTT allowed better milling control in
unknown downhole conditions,
especially for third plug at 19,950 ft
17
Outcome: total run time reduced from 44 hours to 25 hours
 8 hours milling time with no vibratory tool (unsuccessful)
 34 minutes milling time with vibratory tool (successful)

18. Case History 2 – Continued
(SPE-187374)
18
Description CTT and Milling
BHA
CTT, Vibratory Tool and
Milling BHA
Total run time (RIH and
POOH)
44 hours 25 hours
Volume of brine used 872 bbl 236 bbl
Volume of H2S inhibitor used 370 gal 185 gal
Additional run needed Yes No
Total milling time 8 hours 34 minutes

19. Case History 3 – Perforating,
Stimulation, and Milling (SPE-189910)
 Objective: perforate, stimulate and
mill two composite bridge plugs at
17,300 and 17,600 ft in Kazakhstan
 21,000 ft long well completed with
10 swelling packers, eight ball-
activated sleeves and a perforated
joint (open hole)
19
Outcome: milling time reduced by 25% compared to similar
operations without CTT
 Two plugs milled in one run by adjusting the weight on bit and
torque while keeping the pumping rate constant
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000 22,000
TrueVerticalDepth,ft
Measured Depth, ft

20. Case History 3 – Continued
(SPE-189910)
20

21. Case History 3 – Continued
(SPE-189910)
21
Milling
1.8 bpm Rate
4,300 lbs Weight
280 lb/ft Torque
Plug Displacement

22. Case History 4 – CTT Conveyed
Camera Operation (IPTC-18294)
22
 Objective: identify collapsed casing
during a multi-stage fracturing
operation in Texas, USA
 Five unsuccessful runs were
performed with wireline, tractor and
camera due to unknown conditions
Outcome:
 21 hours total run time for CTT (due mostly to pumping fresh
fluids through CT to clean camera lenses)
 27 hours total run time plus 23 hours of standby for wireline,
tractor and camera

23. Case History 4 - Continued
(IPTC-18294)
23
Un-collapsed Casing Collapsed Casing

24. Putting Things Into Perspective
CT supervisor average experience has decreased from
eight years in 1999 to three years in 2016 (Source: ICoTA)
Plan
Re-Tune
Control
Optimize
Automate
Pre-job
Engineering Job Monitoring
Dynamic Limits Injector Control
Limits
CTT System
Feedback Controlled
Performance
24

25. Next Five Years Top Predictions
 Further real-time data monitoring enhancements for
better decision making and lower costs
 Pumping applications – e.g., friction reducing (lubricants,
vibratory tools, tractors), acid tunneling, cleanouts, etc.
 Mechanical applications – e.g., milling/drilling
 Electrical applications
 Significant development for optimization and
automation of CT operations
 Less prone to people-related safety incidents
25

26. Conclusions
 CTT systems improve well intervention operations
 Increase certainties in unknown downhole conditions
 Enhance efficiency, safety and risk management
 Reduce operational time and cost
 Acquire and interpret downhole information in real time
 Depth
 Pressure
 Temperature
 Tool force and torque
 Distributed temperature and acoustic data
26

27. Conclusions (Continued)
 Applicable to many CT operations
 Cleanouts, gas lifting, stimulation, milling, logging
operations, camera services, etc.
 Telemetry will be commonly used for CT operations
27
With telemetry, CT operations will become
 Less people intensive
 More hardware and software intensive
 Less prone to people-related safety incidents

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www.spe.org/dl 28
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29. Backup

30. CT Applications Overview
 Removing sand from a well
 Fracturing/acidizing
 Unloading a well with nitrogen
 Removing scale (hydraulic)
 Removing wax, hydrocarbon
or hydrate plugs
 Cutting tubulars (hydraulic)
 Gravel packing
 Setting a plug or packer
 Milling/drilling
 Fishing
 Perforating
 Logging
 Removing scale (mechanical)
 Cutting tubulars (mechanical)
 Sliding sleeve operation
Pumping Applications Mechanical Applications
30

31. Case History 2 – No Vibratory Tool
(SPE-187374)
31

32. Case History 2 – Vibratory Tool
(SPE-187374)
32