Well integrity

Application of technical, operational and organizational solutions to reduce risk of uncontrolled release of formation fluids throughout the life cycle of a well. There are various facets to well integrity, including accountability/responsibility, well operating processes, well service processes, tubing/annulus integrity, tree/wellhead integrity and testing of safety systems.

Accountability/responsibility
Accountability is the position that ensures a particular task is being done. They typically control the budget and organizational chart structure. Responsibility is the position that actually does the task. There are a variety of tasks associated with well integrity and responsibility can reside with a field s well operations engineer, operators, well service technicians, etc.

Well operating processes This includes processes such as personnel competency, well startup!operating! shutdown procedures, process to report anomalies, corrosion/erosion control, etc. Well service processes This includes processes such as personnel competency, intervention procedures, etc.

Tubing/annulus integrity
This refers to the integrity of the production tubing. "ommon threats to tubing integrity are erosion and corrosion by production fluids, which remove the steel. The other threat is pressure differential between the tubing and the A annulus. #f it e$ceeds the rated pressure of the tubing, there is a risk of tubing burst or tubing collapse

 This refers to the integrity of the casing strings, which bound the annuli. All annuli will naturally be filled to some level with brine or other fluids from the completion, though the A annulus may have gas down to the lowest gas lift valve if the well is gas lifted. The ma%or integrity issues comes from the differential pressure across the casings due to the weight of brine on either side. To protect well integrity, each annulus will have a

Tree and wellhead integrity

This refers to the integrity of the surface )or subsea* e+uipment. The wellhead and the tree are typically suitably engineered to be able to withstand the normal operating pressures. The ma%or integrity issues for these components surround the operation of the valves, which are prone to leaking. ,or this reason, valves must be routinely maintained.

Testing of safety systems

This refers to testing of surface and subsurface safety systems.

Tubing hanger modified to prevent direct impingement

Well intervention
-uring, or at the end of its productive life, that alters the state of the well and or well geometry, provides well diagnostics or manages the production of the well. Pumping This is the simplest form of intervention as it does not involve putting hardware into the well itself. ,re+uently it simply involves rigging up to the kill wing valve on the "hristmas tree and pumping the chemicals into the well.

Wellhead and Christmas tree maintenance The comple$ity of this operation can vary depending on the condition of the wellheads. 'cheduled annual maintenance may simply involve greasing and pressure testing the valve on the hardware. 'ometimes the downhole safety valve is pressure tested as well.

 Slickline 'lickline operations may be used for fishing, gauge cutting, setting or removing plugs, deploying or removing wireline retrievable valves and memory logging.

Coiled tubing
"oiled tubing is used when it is desired to pump chemicals directly to the bottom of the well, such as in a circulating operation or a chemical wash. #t can also be used for tasks normally done by wireline if the deviation in the well is too severe for gravity to lower the tool string and circumstances prevent the use of a wireline tractor.

Snubbing
Also known as hydraulic workover, this involves forcing a string of pipe into the well against wellbore pressure to perform the re+uired tasks. The rig up is larger than for coiled tubing and the pipe more rigid.

Subsea well ntervention

'ubsea well interventions offer up many challenges and re+uires much advanced planning. The cost of subsea intervention has in the past inhibited the intervention but in the current climate is much more viable. These interventions are commonly e$ecuted from .ight/medium intervention vessels or &obile /ffshore -rilling 0nits )&/-0* for the heavier interventions such as 'nubbing and 1orkover drilling rigs.