Halliburton helped set bridge plug in high-pressure environment

Overview 

Setting plugs and packers in deepwater wells can be challenging. In many cases, the depth and pressure of these wells prohibit the use of explosive setting tools, the more common method. And setting drill pipe can take up to two days, costing a company time and money. An operator in the Gulf of Mexico needed a more efficient and cost-effective method of setting bridge plugs during the plug and abandonment of one of its deepwater wells. Halliburton recommended its Downhole Power Unit (DPU®-I) tool. The DPU-I tool provides reliable setting of wellbore devices in high-pressure environments. The tool is deployed on wireline, making it more efficient than drill pipe. Halliburton successfully set the bridge plug at a record depth of 31,795 feet in just nine hours, saving the operator a day and a half of nonproductive time (NPT) and approximately $1.5 million USD.

Challenge

An operator in the Gulf of Mexico needed to set a bridge plug for the plug and abandonment of a deepwater well. Halliburton recommended mechanically setting the bridge plug with its Downhole Power Unit (DPU®-I) tool. The DPU-I tool provides unsurpassed reliability and quality assurance in setting wellbore devices like packers and plugs. The DPU-I tool is a rig-safe, non-explosive device that is safer than the use of explosive setting tools and saves operators the time and expense of using drill pipe. 

Solution

Explosive setting tools are commonly used to set plugs and packers, but the setting force needed to set this bridge plug was between 70,000 and 90,000 lbf. Explosive setting tools are not designed to generate that kind of force. The maximum setting force for explosive tools in most cases is 55,000 lbf. The high pressures and temperatures of this well also prohibited the use of explosives. Pressures reached 25,600 psi at the depth needed to set the bridge plug and temperatures exceeded 350°F. Explosive setting tools are not rated to work at those pressures and temperatures. The DPU-I tool’s design makes it ideal for deepwater wells. It offers more setting force over explosive setting tools, with a rating of 100,000 pounds of force. It also is rated to withstand bottomhole pressures of 30,000 psi and 400°F. The hardware and electronics of the tool can withstand high impact loads encountered during this application. 

The DPU-I tool is also safer than explosive setting tools. There is no risk of an accidental discharge at the surface. Explosive setting tools must be safely transported, stored and disposed of after use, but the DPU-I tool is mechanical, eliminating those requirements. Additionally, the DPU-I tool does not require the disruption of rig operations such as radio transmission, the cathodic protection system, and the drilling of offset wells.

Result 

Halliburton deployed the DPU-I tool with wireline to set the bridge plug for this deepwater well at a record depth of 31,795 feet. The entire operation took nine hours to complete without any NPT during the setting of the plug. The slow, controlled application of force enabled the sealing elements and anchoring devices to conform to the wellbore. Real-time monitoring allowed the crew to view the setting force, stroke length and displacement rate as it happened. The speed of the operation saved the operator more than a day and a half of rig time, or about $1.5 million dollars USD. The operator was impressed with the precision and speed with which Halliburton conducted the operation. The safety of the operation and the cost savings also benefited the operator. The DPU-I tool is the first electro-mechanical setting tool in the industry and this record-breaking performance in deep water proved that it is still the best in the industry.