Successful SE Asia Scale Removal Campaign

An operator in South East Asia has recently completed a highly successful multiple well clean-up campaign using Peak's novel Torque Action Debris Breaker designed to efficiently remove scale build-up downhole.

In total, 20 wells were intervened with all but one well being successfully cleared. Each well had multiple obstruction points, adding to the complexity of the campaign.  The majority of the scale obstructions, occurring between 1,750m and 4,000metres well depth, were caused by natural deposits (barium sulphate and strontium sulphate) with some compounded by cement and hard packed sand.  The sectional lengths that were cleared of obstructions ranged from less than 1m up to 1,200m. 

The recovered scale material included significant-sized pieces of very hard crystalline nature which the operator personnel claimed they had never recovered in such large sizes or with such ease before.  Other deposits were also recovered including debris that was a mixture of cement and formation material.

The operator is highly satisfied with the performance of the Torque Action Debris Breaker in clearing scale deposits that would otherwise have been subject to a prolonged campaign using standard broach systems or possibly using coiled tubing and chemical treatments.  Instead, scale removal using wireline is highly cost-effective and also affords the operator better flexibility for clearing further wells.

As a direct result of the success of this campaign, the operator has confirmed that it will use Peak’s Torque Action tool as the primary system to remove scale/ debris restrictions from now on. The operator believes that the net increase in production thanks to the Torque Action Debris Breaker is in excess of 14MMscfd in the five wells where production increase was monitored (the average gas production for wells in this field is probably less than 10MMscfd).

Simple and Robust
Peak’s Torque Action Debris Breaker is jarred down mechanically in the well, and its corkscrew design causes it to twist and break the solids build-up.  The tool comes in 1 ½” 1 7/8” and 2 ½” body ODs which can then be fitted with a number of different sizes of shoes. These can be easily changed on the main body of the tool as the scale is broken down, until it is removed completely.

During this campaign, 7/32" braided line was used as high pick-up weights were anticipated, and also because of the customer’s concerns about the tool becoming stuck which had happened in previous campaigns using standard broach systems.  However, the simplicity and robustness of the Torque Action Debris Breaker ensures that a simple jar down was sufficient to free the tool when necessary, enabling it to be easily removed clear of the obstruction.

Furthermore, no reactive torque was observed and the condition of the braided wire at the rope socket after each run was good.

In addition, the considerable benefits of the Torque Action Debris Breaker include:

  • enhanced cutting capability - cutters are hardened and feature unique serrations
  • flexibility - no other specialist tools required
  • reduced intervention time and costs - overall reduction in time required for descaling
  • reduced NPT - production can resume much faster than ever before using alternative methods of descaling
  • reduced reactive torque – ensures tool connections cannot back-off.  

-Ends-

For more information and photography/graphics, please contact Lyndsay Avern at l.avern@peakwellsystems.com / Tel +61 8 9270 0500 (Australia) or Tim Williams, Business Development Director at t.williams@peakwellsystems.com / Tel +44 1224 562240 (UK)

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