Introduction to Coiled Tubing in Shale Operations
Coiled tubing has emerged as an important piece of equipment in shale oil and gas operations. This equipment is different from conventional drilling pipe, which is made of continuous steel pipe rolled up in a reel. In shale drilling operations, especially those in horizontal wells, the use of coiled tubing can help in performing several important tasks.
Shale drilling is usually performed in extended lateral shale wells with a lateral reach exceeding 2 to 3 kilometers in length. These shale formations need regular intervention, and coiled tubing proves effective in these cases.
(Source: MDPI)
Role in Shale Re-Entry Operations
Re-entry is the process of returning to existing wells in order to increase production, create sidetracks, or extract bypassed hydrocarbons. The application of coiled tubing drilling makes it possible to perform rigless operations and thus lower costs and shorten mobilization time.
With the help of coiled tubing, plugs may be milled, perforations reopened, and a small lateral drilled. It has been demonstrated that with the application of coiled tubing drilling technologies, operations can be performed up to 30 to 50 percent faster than with the traditional workover rig approach, thus making it very appropriate for unconventional reservoirs.
Furthermore, coiled tubing drilling provides opportunities for performing underbalanced drilling operations without causing any damage to the formation and with minimum production downtime.
(Source: CoiledTubingDrilling)
Importance in Well Cleanout Operations
Well cleanout is among the most frequently performed and most crucial uses of coiled tubing in shale formations. As a result of hydraulic fracturing and extraction operations, a well accumulates sediments, such as sand, scale, and other materials which impair its flow.
Coiled tubing helps in high-pressure flushing and cleaning, thus helping eliminate the problem. Coiled tubing can help deliver the necessary materials to perform the operation.
Furthermore, cleanout operations using coiled tubing have proved themselves more efficient quantitatively. In other words, after the operation, the rate of fluid injection can be up to 15% higher.
The use of coiled tubing in the cleanout operation also allows for avoiding production shutdowns. Thus, this type of cleanout helps improve the productivity of wells in the field.
(Source: ResearchGate)
Conclusion
Coiled tubing is an indispensable element that helps in ensuring maximum productivity from shale wells. From facilitating cost-effective entry into the well to enhancing productivity by utilizing effective cleaning methods, coiled tubing has become an indispensable part of well intervention. The ability of coiled tubing to perform its duties even in live wells and in difficult formations and deliver measurable results makes it highly significant. The increasing use of coiled tubing indicates new prospects for the coiled tubing market, given that shale gas production now relies heavily on well interventions.
FAQs
- What is the use of coiled tubing in shale wells?
- It is used to perform interventions including cleanout, stimulation, and re-entry without requiring the drilling rig.
- How does coiled tubing make the process of well cleanout more efficient?
- Coiled tubing helps in circulating fluids at higher pressure and cleaning out debris from the wellbore.
- Is it possible to use coiled tubing in horizontal wells?
- Yes, coiled tubing can be inserted even in highly deviated and horizontal wells where normal intervention techniques cannot work.
- Why is coiled tubing the better choice for performing re-entry operations?
- It cuts down time and costs and can perform interventions in live wells.
- Does coiled tubing save time during shale operations?
- Yes, it saves time by conducting cleanout operations without stopping production operations.
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