Through Flow Line Tools for Remote Downhole Well Operations

Abstract

This paper was prepared for the 43rd Annual California Regional Meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME to be held in Bakersfield, Calif., Nov. 8–10, 1972. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon requested to the Editor PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon requested to the Editor of the appropriate journal, provided agreement to give proper credit is made. Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers Office. Such discussions may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines. Abstract During the period 1969–71 a number of Through Flow Line (TFL) tools were tested in two wells: one a 3500' deep non-producing well; the other a 9330' deep well on gas lift production. This work was conducted in connection with the development of a new subsea well completion system.' Test results, however, demonstrated that TFL tools and techniques have great potential for application in wells on land as well as offshore. Initial costs for equipping a well for TFL work are greater than for wire line operations. In many cases, however, operating costs will be significantly less. TFL tools are equally efficient in straight and highly deviated wells and are effective for a wide variety of downhole jobs including fishing problems. Numerous workover type jobs such as sand washing, perforating and cementing can be performed perforating and cementing can be performed without pulling tubing, and TFL procedures permit large differential procedures permit large differential forces to be applied downhole when necessary. Many existing TFL tools are operational. In some cases, improvements in design or prerun inspection are warranted to improve reliability. Certain other tools are still in the development stage, and both shop and field tests are indicated to uncover design faults and to establish operating characteristics. Introduction In recent years, quite a bit of experimental and developmental work has been performed on oil well tools designed to be pumped hydraulically down a tubing string. Originally, anticipated application was for two types of wells:Offshore platform wells that were directionally drilled at such high angles that wire line tools simply would not fall to bottom satisfactorily.Ocean floor completions producing through submarine flow lines to platforms some distance away.