IPT Global Offers Comprehensive Well Intervention Integrity Testing
Oil and gas (O&G) well interventions are typically performed to add or restore production or to fix a well integrity issue. While expected production gains from deep and ultra-deep subsea wells must justify the cost of offshore intervention vessels and crews, light well interventions are more common and cost-effective because they can be performed with minimal shut-in of the well. Light well interventions include, but are not limited to, acid stimulation; sand, scale, or hydrate removal; and gas lift remediation. In light well interventions, tools or sensors are lowered into a live well using slickline, wireline, or coiled tubing while pressure is contained at the surface. Service companies can perform light well intervention operations through subsea wellheads using riser or riserless methods while using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to perform the operation and guide the landing of the well intervention equipment as shown in the stimulation example below.
Each intervention program has specific objectives, operational steps, and associated risks. To enhance the safety, reliability, and assurance of the program, IPT Global offers integrity testing and assurance for a wide range of systems and components.
- Coiled Tubing Blowout Preventer (BOP)
- Flowhead SIT
- Inflatable Bridge Plug
- Inflatable Cement Retainer
- Interchangeable Riserless Intervention System (IRIS)
- Intervention Riser System (IRS)
- Intervention Workover Control Systems (IWOCS)
- Lubricator
- Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV)
- ROV Workover Control Systems (RWOCS)
- Subsea Tree
- Surface-Controlled Subsurface Safety Valve (SCSSV)
- Tree Caps
- Well Stimulation Tools
Subsea well interventions involve many challenges and require comprehensive planning to mitigate risk. IPT Global’s SureTec® platform provides advanced digital solutions that handle all facets of integrity test planning for intervention operations. Interventions require numerous integrity tests with varying criteria to be performed over a relatively short period. SureTec improves efficiency and project management, and it reduces risks by allowing operators to use consistent and stringent criteria for validating integrity-critical well barrier elements (WBEs).
The SureTec PressureTesting solution allows engineers to build interactive schematics, wellbore diagrams, and test plan steps for stump, BOP, deck, coiled tubing, and positive and negative (inflow) test plans. PressureTesting’s TestPlanner module provides drag-and-drop components that accurately depict the operation of surface and subsea equipment. These schematics are integrated seamlessly into test plans that clearly identify test criteria and precisely simulate valve states and pressurized paths as shown in the following figure.
Additionally, IPT Global’s Real-Time Operation Center (RTOC), staffed by engineers and experienced Real-Time Operation Advisors assist operators and intervention service companies by building test plans in PressureTesting that accurately represent their testing program. An engineering team member can also create a test matrix that provides a snapshot of all tests, criteria, and guidelines that help the production and intervention crews with hardware setup. Our RTOAs are responsible for reviewing intervention test plans to ensure all critical components are tested to the appropriate pressure.
Integrity Testing of Components Prior to Deployment and During Installation
Before deployment, our Field Advisors or trained intervention service company personnel use PressureTesting to test the well intervention equipment, the manifold, and other surface iron. This confirms that the intervention tools and well control components are working properly before the equipment leaves the dock. PressureTesting provides component integrity assurance with high digital resolution and stringent test criteria. Digital resolution and sensor accuracy are vital because high measurement sensitivity is required to detect small pressure changes in control lines and small-volume cavities and annular spaces.
Upon the vessel’s arrival at the well, IPT Global Field Advisors or trained rig crew employ SureTec to ensure the integrity of the system that will connect to the well, as this system helps protect people, assets, and the environment during the latch-up phase.
During installation on the seafloor, the tree cap is removed and the well stimulation tool is connected (latched) to the subsea tree. After the well stimulation tool is latched up, IPT Global performs a connector test to verify the integrity of the system.
Well Integrity Assurance During Intervention
During intervention operations, integrity tests must be performed thoroughly and efficiently because any avoidable delay in critical path operations can increase risks and be costly for both the intervention service company and the operator. Efficient testing of critical components requires the ability to connect to various sources and run multiple tests simultaneously. IPT Global’s PressureTesting solution receives data from multiple sources, including the IPT Global transducer, ROV transducer, ROV control system, and Workover Control System. Users can enter Multi-Test mode within PressureTesting to execute up to four test plans simultaneously, each with a different pressure source and test criteria. Users can start, stop, and restart analysis for each test independently.
Handover After Well Intervention
After the intervention, the operator needs traceability of every integrity test, both for the handover to the production team and as an auditable compliance record for local regulators. When each test is completed or stopped, PressureTesting generates a standardized, detailed report of each test step, including pressure graphs, schematics, and complete documentation of tested components. Our RTOAs review the test files to ensure all tests passed and all components were tested to proper pressures. They also verify the integrity of barriers before the intervention team departs.
The documented data and lessons learned from each intervention fosters an environment of continuous improvement and delivers the highest-level of integrity assurance to operators, production operations, drilling contractors, and intervention service companies.
Operator intervention and production teams can use IPT Global’s SureTec platform for report archival and traceability over the entire lifecycle of the well. A secure, web-based software tool, SureTec provides real-time status of pressure tests, test data organization and retrieval by well and date, advanced data analysis, and remote viewing of active tests. Additionally, SureTec’s interactive search features simplify retrieval of historical test data for review and analysis.
Well Intervention Assurance, from Planning to Handover
SureTec PressureTesting’s planning, test execution, and reporting tools, backed by IPT Global engineers and Field Advisors, help operators and intervention service companies manage risk at every stage of the job and hand over wells with confidence in their integrity. Contact us to discuss your next well intervention project.
