Technology Focus: Wellbore Tubulars (June 2014)

Abstract

Technology Focus NORSOK (the competitive standing of the Norwegian sector), as most know, is the industry initiative to add value, reduce cost and lead time, and eliminate unnecessary activities in offshore field developments and operations. The NORSOK-010 Rev. 4 Standard document defines requirements and guidelines regarding well integrity in drilling and well activities. It defines well integrity as the “application of technical, operational, and organizational solutions to reduce risk of uncontrolled release of formation fluids throughout the life cycle of a well.” The NORSOK standard focuses on establishing well barriers by use of well-barrier elements in conjunction with their acceptance criteria, their use, and monitoring of integrity during their life cycle. Further, it defines a well-barrier element as a physical element that in itself does not prevent flow but, in combination with other well-barrier elements, forms a well barrier. The standard focuses strongly on the establishment of well barriers and well-barrier elements and on how these are accepted and monitored to prevent loss of well integrity that ultimately could lead to a loss in wellbore-fluid containment. The general principle of the two-barrier concept is that two well barriers should be in place at all times to ensure the provision of well integrity. In the drilling phase, the primary well barrier is typically the fluid column. Secondary well-barrier elements can be the in-situ formation, casing cement, casing, wellhead, high-pressure riser, or drilling blowout preventer.