IBP1983_12 OPTMIZED COILED TUBING CLEANOUT SYSTEM, Ricardo de Paula Carvalho1, Robledo Wakin Barros 2, Victor Affonso Lucena

de Almeida 3

Copyright 2012, Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute - IBP

This Technical Paper was prepared for presentation at the Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012, held between September, 1720, 2012, in Rio de Janeiro. This Technical Paper was selected for presentation by the Technical Committee of the event according to the information contained in the final paper submitted by the author(s). The organizers are not supposed to translate or correct the submitted papers. The material as it is presented, does not necessarily represent Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute opinion, or that of its Members or Representatives. Authors consent to the publication of this Technical Paper in the Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 Proceedings.

Abstract
Using coiled tubing technology with optimized tools that can fully clean horizontal and highly deviated oil wells in just one trip has saved oil and gas operators time and money, and significantly improved fluid efficiency. Numerous field studies and development of specialized software have improved cleanout performance in many scenarios found nowadays. The most challenging well cleanout operations are in wells with low bottomhole pressure, horizontal profile and large inside diameter. Engineers must consider many factors when planning this type of job: fluid to be pumped, well characteristics, material to be removed (density, compaction level, etc.), coiled tubing diameter (pumping rate limitations), and the speed profile of the cleaned material through the wellbore. Coiled tubing and work strings enable many clean-out techniques, normally requiring high pump rates, huge amounts of fluid, and considerable time. This paper will describe an optimized cleanout system based on expert software simulating the complete cleaning process while modeling a coiled tubing BHA composed of a high-energy rotating tool with forward jets to clean consolidated materials along with a switching tool that directs fluid from forward jetting (while moving downhole) to reverse jetting (while pulling uphole) so the cleaned material from the wellbore can be carried out easily. .

1. Introduction
Many articles explain wellbore cleanouts using a variety of methods developed for use in horizontal or highly deviated wells. This paper will describe a system to remove compacted sand or scale from horizontal or deviated wells using a rotating jetting tool (RJT) and a tool with reversible nozzles (TRN). These tools combine to remove material from the tubing wall or deconsolidate compacted solids with powerful jets that face forward (downhole), and then push the material to the surface by jetting backwards (uphole) to maximize cleanout efficiency.

2. The Rotating Jetting Tool (RJT)

The rotating jetting tool was designed to run on coiled tubing for the removal of a variety of materials, such as calcium carbonate, sulfur, gypsum, iron sulfide, coke, tar, waxes, complexes, muds, gels and particulates. It comprises a proprietary drive turbine assembly, which turns a nozzle with two jetting orifices that are180 out of phase. Inside the tool string is a speed-control mechanism, using magnets to create a torque load to the turbine shaft. This tool applies the cycling stress principle to disaggregate solids from the wellbore. It induces micro cracks inside the material, creating fissures which make the scale more fragile and more easily removed.

______________________________ 1 Field Engineer - Baker Hughes 2 Msc, District Engineer Baker Hughes 3 Operations Manager Baker Hughes

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 The tool can be optimized for each cleanout operation, using expert software that analyzes well parameters, scale characteristics and fluids (including nitrogen) to calculate jet pressure, rotational speed and surface pumping pressure. Tool configurations can be further modified to maximize operational efficiency. 2.1. Cycling Stress for Scale Removal Most wellbore scales resist compressive loading but are fragile to tensile loading. The RJT optimizes the scale removal process by inducing tensile stresses as described below. As described by Boudreaux et al., (2005) jets designed with a controlled speed and impact pressure strike a scale section, pressurizing the entire surface nearby and applying instantaneously a compressive load to the material, as shown in Figure 1. Cracks and voids inside the scale, filled with fluid at wellbore hydrostatic pressure, experience a pressure misbalance with the fluids from the high-pressure tool. This differential pressure causes a deflection inside the scale material between the voids and the high pressure surfaces, as shown in Figure 2. As the tool rotates and the jets momentarily move off this scale section, the voids remain at a higher pressure condition relative to the external surface, and so the deflection changes direction, as shown in Figure 3. A chain reaction takes place as the cycling stress is applied to the entire scale area, changing several times per second from compressive to tensile loading at each turn, leading to the scale rupture as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 1 Jet stream compressing the scale

Figure 2 Jet impact phase

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Figure 3 Jet departure phase

Figure 4 Rupture phase 2.2. Rotational Speed, Impact Pressure and Fluid Type Campbell et al. (2000) conducted a number of tests to evaluate the relationship between jet velocity, jet standoff (distance from jet to target) and impact pressure profile on the target, as shown in Figure 5. Curve 1 shows the least stand-off and curve 6 the greatest one. The curves shape shows the jetting energy dissipation as the stand-off increases.

Figure 5 - Impact pressure vs. jet velocity These tests provided data used to help determine the proper nozzle size, rate of penetration and rotational speed parameters for using the RJT in well cleanout operations. It was observed that if rotational speed is too high, there is not 3

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 enough time for the cycling stress to occur inside the scale material. The optimum rotational speed range is from 300 to 600 rpm, with the peak at 400 rpm as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6 - Nozzle rotational speed vs. scale removal effectiveness

3. The Tool with Reversible Nozzles (TRN)

The tool with reversible nozzles is a special device designed to perform well cleanouts with coiled tubing using a variety of fluids, including nitrogen. TRN was developed to improve the efficiency of removing sand, proppants and other solids from the wellbore, and the patented (Walker et al., 2005) method of use is shown in Figure 7. During the penetration process, the tool uses its forward-jetting action to agitate and fluidize the particles, enabling the coiled tubing to reach the target depth. Then, the jetting direction is reversed by a controlled variation of the pumping rate. This allows the fluid to pass through the low-energy vortex nozzles, creating a swirling flow that helps transport the solid particles along the wellbore during the circulation phase and then during the wiper-trip phase as the coiled tubing is pulled out to the surface. For the wiper trip, the expert software calculates the ideal speed to pull coiled tubing out of the well, and the fluid pumping rate to fully clean the wellbore. High flow rates can be used, as the tool has a low pressure drop, enhancing the efficiency of the cleanout operation. This tool also provides as many flow direction switches as required, from downhole to uphole. This characteristic is useful especially on particularly problematic wellbore cleanouts: high solids volume, extended horizontal profile, low bottomhole pressure, etc.

Figure 7 Stages of the cleanout method 4

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 3.1. The computer assisted cleanout method This effective cleanout method using coiled tubing was developed and patented (Walker at al. 2005) and has been widely used in field operations (Engel and Rae 2002; Ovesen et al. 2003; Hobbs and Liles 2002; Gilmore et al. 2005; Nasr El-Din et al. 2006; Li et al. 2006). The method uses the TRN as well as a solids transport simulator (the expert software) for coiled tubing cleanouts in any well type. The software uses empirical formulas and it is effective to predict solids transportation, fluid velocities, and circulation pressures. First the well information and fill type is gathered from the customer and loaded in the simulator. Information required includes temperature, pressure, wellbore geometry and trajectory, anticipated fill type and hold up depth. Thus it is possible to determine, based on the fluids available for the operation, these parameters: Pumping rate Penetration rate Circulation time (as necessary) Wiper trip speed After simulation, the following outputs are known, as shown in Figure 8: Estimated cleanout time Injection pressure during fill penetration Surface pumping pressure Solids distribution in wellbore after penetrating fill, circulation and the wiper trip; Pumped volume. Finally a report can be presented where all the choices are compared, helping to optimize the operation and thereby save time and fluid.

Figure 8 Simulator output

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4. Applications of the Optimized Cleanout System

The planning of a cleanout job must consider the type of solids that will be removed and how compacted they are in the wellbore. Sometimes even sand or proppants are so compacted that simple nozzles with low-energy jets cannot penetrate the solids, requiring more runs, extra time and higher operational costs. The scenario is even more complex when the removal materials include scales on the tubing walls. A bottomhole assembly that combines the rotating jetting tool with the reversible nozzle tool improves flexibility for unexpected cleanout problems by accommodating many different types of downhole debris or scale. The computer optimization process enables simulation of many scenarios, testing different fluids and pumping rates, or even allowing changes in mid-job to suit real but unexpected downhole conditions. For scale cleanouts the expert software will calculate the minimum impact pressure required for removing it as well the proper penetration speed to completely treat the wellbore (360). 4.1. Case Histories 4.1.1. Case A In this operation, the optimized cleanout system was used to remove proppant that was plugging approximately 800m of a horizontal wellbore, in order to enable other necessary operations such as wireline logging, sliding sleeves close ups and matrix acidizing. First, the well data was loaded into the simulator, and then many scenarios were run. The comparison between the optimized cleanout system and a simple nozzle operation is shown in the Table 1: Table 1 Case A - Optimized Cleanout System x Simple Nozzle Cleanout Tool Type Optimized Cleanout System (TRN + RJT) Simple Nozzle Operation Time (hrs) 18 26 Pumping Pressure (psi) 4300 5000 Fluid Rate (bpm) 1.55 1.55 N2 Rate (scfm) 350 350 Jets Impact Pressure (psi) 1400 180

Based on the comparison, the optimized cleanout system was used because it was the faster option for the operation, saving 8 hours of rig time and a huge amount of fluid and nitrogen what means thousands of dollars, and the well was completely cleaned. Nitrogen was necessary because the bottom hole pressure was not sufficient to keep the returns at the surface. 4.1.2. Case B In this case, a slickline operation trying to set a plug at 3094m tagged an obstacle 147m above the target. A slickline basket was deployed three times, trying to identify and remove the restriction. The slickline succeeded until the depth of 3077m, identifying the obstruction only as unknown solid deposits. To optimize the cleanout, coiled tubing was run with the RJT (for penetration and cyclic stress on the obstruction) and the TRN (to remove the debris). The well was cleaned from 3077 to 3124m. In steps of 15m, the RTJ penetrated the solids with a pumping rate of 1.1bpm and 2500psi of pressure. The TRN was activated at 1.3bpm and the rate increased to 2bpm to perform the circulation and the wiper trip. After the well was completely cleaned, the slickline operation was performed successfully. The decision to use the optimized cleanout system was based on time and cost savings as shown on the table below: Table 2 Case B - Optimized Cleanout System x Simple Nozzle Cleanout Tool Type Optimized Cleanout System (TRN + RJT) Simple Nozzle Operation Time (hrs) 3 6 Pumping Pressure (psi) 4000 6500 Fluid Rate (bpm) 1.3 2 N2 Rate (scfm) 0 0 Jets Impact Pressure (psi) 1000 230

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 As described on the table 2, the optimized cleanout system was more efficient than the single nozzle operation (3 hours faster), meaning cost savings for the costumer.

5. Conclusion
This paper shows how the optimized cleanout system as described in figure.9 combines two high-efficiency, field-proven devices, the Rotating Jetting Tool (RJT), the Tool with Reversible Nozzles (TRN) and a solids-transport software can remove hard scales or compacted debris from highly deviated or horizontal wellbores, and efficiently push the solids particles to the surface. As operations can be computer simulated and parameters adjusted to meet fluid, equipment or time requirements, different scenarios can be so compared to determine the best one overall saving time and resources compared with conventional cleanouts.

Penetration stage: The RJT jetting over the scale removing it with the stress cycling process

Circulation and wiper Trip stages: The TRN activated and the upward jetting action providing the complete well cleanout

Figure 9 Optimized Cleanout Process

6. References
BOUDREAUX, C.D., FALK, K. A Unified Approach for the Removal of Barium Sulfate Scale Using Coiled Tubing, Paper SPE 94323, April 2005. CAMPBELL, A., BRUNSKILL, D. Advances in Coiled Tubing Jetting Technology. Paper SPE 60721, April 2000. ENGEL, S.P., RAE, P.. New Methods for Sand Cleanout in Deviated Wellbores Using Small Diameter Coiled Tubing. Paper SPE 77204, September, 2002. GILMORE, T., LEONARD, R., and STEINBACK, S. Software, Fluids and Downhole Tools for Successful Sand Cleanouts in Any Wellbore Geometry Using Small Coiled Tubing. Paper SPE 97080, October 2005. GUERRA, R., ALMEIDA, V., MENDEZ, A., DEAN, G., Applications Of Rotary Jetting Tool With Coiled Tubing Off-Shore Brazil, Paper IBP 14104, October 2004. HOBBS, D., LILES, C., Technique, Nozzle Enhance Coiled Tubing Wiper-Trip Efficiency. Oil & Gas Journal, 2002 LI, J., BAYFIELd, I., and PATON, G. Effective Heavy Post-Fracturing Proppant Cleanout with Coiled Tubing: Experimental Study and Field Casing History. Paper SPE 101235 September, 2006. NASR-EL-DIN, H.A., AL-ANAZI, M.A., BALTO, A., PROCTOR, R., and SALEH, R.M. Challenging Wellbore Cleanouts with Coiled Tubing Made Easy with Computer Modeling Technology. Paper SPE 100129, April, 2006. OVESEN, M., M. SACH, L. LAUN, G. E. GILL and H. JUEL: Efficient Sand Cleanouts in Larger Wellbores Using Coiled Tubing: A New Approach Making an Old Problem Simple, Paper SPE 8172, April 2003. 7

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 SACH, M., LI, J. Repeatedly Increased Efficiency and Success Rate From a New Solids-Cleanout Process Using Coiled Tubing: A Review of Recent Achievements From More Than 100 Operations. Paper SPE 106857, August, 2008 Walker, S.A., Li, J., and Wilde, G.: Coiled Tubing Wellbore Cleanout. US Patent No. 6,982,008, 2005