Wellbore debris is a recurring problem for the life of any well. Although debris comes in a variety of forms the end result is the same. A poorly cleaned wellbore can damage equipment, cause production losses and damage the formation.
Mike Morrice, Well Services Laboratory Specialist at Aubin Group has over 39 years of experience working in cementing and stimulation projects and in this blog post he discusses the importance of wellbore clean-up.
Preparation is key
“Effective wellbore clean-up is a vitally important element in the overall construction project for any well. Of course, every well has its own characteristics and individual wellbore clean-up requirements, but there are some common, sound technical and financial reasons why you should undertake a thorough clean-up of your wellbore before completing your well.
“Well costs can often be in the multi-million dollar region, meaning that it’s vital for completion to run as smoothly as possible. To achieve optimal performance from your completion, and avoid any difficulties that may arise, companies must ensure that the wellbore is clean and free of mud residues.”
You’ve got to spend money to save money
“Non-productive time is a phrase that all ops - and finance- teams dread to hear. An idle well is an expense that no one wants to be responsible for. Wellbore debris represents a significant risk to your well and completions activity. If the wellbore is not cleaned effectively you run the risk of creating NPT, costing your company time and money.
“You’ve got to spend money to save money. By cleaning up your wellbore properly at the outset you increase productivity whilst significantly reducing the likelihood of equipment runs and expensive downtime later.”
It’s all about integrity
“One of the main causes of downhole fluid contamination is wellbore debris. If this is not controlled, the debris can pose serious threat to the environment, harm wildlife and even attract negative publicity for your business.
Often people don’t realise that cleaning your wellbore properly and in advance of completion can protect your well, giving you assurances on your wellbore’s integrity. Removing the debris using environmentally friendly tools and products can both eliminate the risk to the environment and increase the lifespan of your wellbore.”
How Aubin can help
Aubin’s environmentally friendly wellbore clean-up products provide an effective method to clean up mud residues and improve final well productivity.
With vast experience within the field, our team of experts are able to assess the situation and develop an environmentally friendly solution that will improve your well.
Post-drilling, our fluids can play a role in cleaning, protecting and preparing your well.
CW-20, CW-80 and CW-12 are chemical washes made up from synergistic blends of surfactant/solvent that are utilised as a cleaner in a number of different applications.
Used for casing cleaning, rig washing, pit cleaning and general removal of oil-based drilling fluid residues from equipment and are used as a pre-flush ahead of a weighted spacer. They were designed to dissolve and emulsify hydrocarbon fractions of mud residues to prepare the well for receiving cement. The products are highly effective in divalent brines, and can be applied with polymer viscosifiers to modify rheology.
What’s more, our wellbore clean-up products CW-20, CW-12 and CW-80 are tested in our lab, manufactured in the UK and UAE and proven in fields all over the world.
