The disclosed embodiments relate to a module-based system for plug and abandonment operation of wells on an offshore installation.
The disclosure is especially related to a module-based system consisting of portable modules with lifting and skidding mechanisms allowing high risk operations (material handling above live wells) for plug and abandonment operations on an offshore installation deck.
Hydrocarbon fluids are produced through a well penetrating into a subterranean formation, referred to as the reservoir. When the reservoir is emptied, the pressure falls in the reservoir, and the flow of hydrocarbon fluids to the surface is reduced. The well has at this point reached the end of its life and it must be permanently plugged and abandoned. Regulatory authorities, managing the petroleum activities, have requirements for how the well should be plugged and abandoned that the operator must adhere to.
Wells can also be temporary plugged before a new side track to the existing well is drilled. This is performed to tap into a different part of the reservoir and extend the life of the well.
The well consists of an outer conductor, overlapping casing strings, well head and production tubing. The production tubing is in the center of the well going from the reservoir to surface or seabed. The production tubing is used to transport the hydrocarbons up from the reservoir and to the surface.
The purpose of the plugging is to prevent leakage of hydrocarbon, formation fluids or well fluids to environment when the well is abandoned. The industry and regulatory authority standards demand two independent barrier i.e. —two cement plugs. The plug should be established as a rock-to-rock barrier.
In order to establish the rock-to-rock barrier, the casing and tubing must be removed to expose the rock. Several ways to perform this operation exists in todays marked; cut-and-pull, casing milling, section milling, etc. All these methods are using topside equipment and tools at the existing drilling rig or external rigs (installed at the same level as the main rig) to perform the necessary downhole operations.
Provided herein is a module-based system plug and abandonment operation of wells on an offshore installation partly or entirely solving the mentioned drawbacks of prior art solutions.
Provided herein is a modular system for topside package for plug and abandonment operations.
The module-based system is adapted to be arranged on a deck below the main rig and skidding deck.
The module based system comprises modules needed for performing plug and abandonment operations.
Typical modules for performing plug and abandonment operations are:
Accordingly, the disclosed embodiments provide a module-based system for plug and abandonment operation of wells on an offshore installation, wherein the module-based system is installed at same level as main rig or on below decks, wherein the module-based system is adapted to operate independent of main drilling tower or external rigs on the offshore installation by comprising modules coupled to perform all plug and abandonment operations, including integrated material handling modules.
According to one embodiment the module-based system is adapted to be built in situ without the need for external material handling devices by the integrated material handling modules.
In accordance with a further embodiment the module-based system comprises a frame module placed on the deck acting as a foundation for all other modules, said frame module have a telescopic extension to adjust the height of said frame module.
According to one embodiment the module-based system comprises a lift module that can hoist/lower modules or objects from deck level to correct height above deck.
In accordance with one embodiment the module-based system comprises a jack module comprising upper and lower jack segments that can be opened in two or more sections, moved in and out of well center and rotated, wherein an actuator for operation thereof extends though the lower segment jack segment so that the actuator protrudes below the lower jack segment.
According to one embodiment the integrated material handlings modules are adapted for handling of blowout preventer, high pressure riser, wireline blowout preventer, wireline riser and topside completion equipment for a well.
In accordance with one embodiment the module-based system comprises hatches arranged to travel on dedicated rails in the frame module for opening or closing an opening in the deck and/or closing around objects extending through the opening in the deck.
According to one embodiment the module-based system comprises a transport trolley module arranged to travel on dedicated rails in the frame module for transport of objects to and from well center.
In accordance with one embodiment the module-based system comprises a winch with redundant load paths, designed such that if one winch system fails the other shall remain intact and the load shall not drop.
According to one embodiment the lift module is provided with an A-frame and winch that can be tilted in and out of well center, said A-frame and winch can be used to run wireline as an integrated part of the module-based system.
In accordance with one embodiment the module-based system comprises a basket module adapted for storing pipes in a vertical position, said basket module is compatible with a pipe manipulator module for handling the vertical pipes in and out of well center.
According to a further embodiment the module-based system comprises a cutter work deck module and/or tong work module.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the module-based system, the overall dimensions and weight of the respective modules is designed to make them suitable for use on fixed installations offshore.
According to a further embodiment the modules are provided with quick connections used to connect energy to the modules.
In accordance with a further embodiment the module-based system comprises a common and central control system for all modules and functions so that said modules and functions are controlled by one system and with internal interlockings where needed.
Further preferable features and advantageous details of the present invention will appear from the following example description, claims and attached drawings.
The present invention is below described in further detail with references to the attached drawings, where:
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The module-based system 400 comprises modules 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200, 210 coupled to perform all plug and abandonment operations, enabling the module-based system 400 to operate independent of main drilling tower 220 or external rigs.
According to one embodiment the modules 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200, 210 are provided with quick connections used to connect energy to the modules 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200, 210.
The module-based system 400 is installed on the same level as main rig 230 or on below decks on the offshore installation.
The module-based system 400 comprises modules 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200, 210 that enables the module-based system 400 to be built in situ without the need for external material handling devices, by comprises integrated modules 130, 160, 170, 200, 210 for material handling. The module-based system 400 is thus self-assembling.
The system 400 comprises frame module 100 to be arranged on a desired deck 240 of the offshore installation, e.g. blow-out-preventer deck, wherein the frame module 100 is acting as a foundation for all other modules. The frame module 100 is provided with a telescopic extension to adjust the height of said frame module.
The module-based system 400 further comprises a lift module 210 (offshore installation and lift module) that is to be used both during installation of the module-based system 400, as well as for hoisting/lowering modules or objects from deck level to correct height above deck, hereunder also adjustment of the height of the frame module 100.
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According to a further embodiment the module-based system 400 comprises a transport trolley module 130 arranged to move in longitudinal direction of the frame module 100 on dedicate rails, as shown in
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The module-based system 400 is installed by lifting the frame module 100100 and lift module 210 over the well. This is performed using the material handling solutions on the offshore installation. It is positioned so that the center of the frame module 100 corresponds with well center. This is shown in
The work deck modules 110, 120 come with a preinstalled tubing cutter and casing tong, to be used during plug and abandonment operations. The work deck module 110, 120 is placed in the lift module 210 and lifted to the correct height, before they are skidded onto the frame module 100. The skidding motion is first perpendicular to the length of the frame module 100, to get the work deck module 110, 120 out of the lift module 210. The second skidding motion is parallel to the length of the frame module 100, to position the module 110, 120 in correct position. The lifting and skidding motion of the modules 110, 120 is illustrated in
The winch module 200, preferably in the form of a dual secured winch, can lift objects on the same deck level 240 as the frame module 100 or from the Christmas three deck below 250. With the winch module 200 installed, the module-based system 400 has the capabilities to hoist or lower objects with redundant load paths, meaning that if one winch system fails the other shall remain intact and the load shall not drop. Using such redundant system allows lifting of objects over wells without shutting the stream of hydrocarbons down (shut-in). The dual secured winch module 200 is installed by loading it into the lift module 210, hoist the lift module 210 to correct position and skid the winch module 200 out of the lift module 210 over well center. This is shown in
The jack module 170, which is mounted to a skidding frame, is installed by loading it into the lift module 210, hoist it to correct height and skidding it to well center, as shown in
The pipe manipulator module 160 is transported into the lift module 210 and lifted to correct height where it is skidded onto corresponding rails on work deck modules 110, 120. See
Basket module 180 with pull string in vertical position is skidded into the lift module 210. Basket module 180 is secured and lift is extended to upper position. See
The frame module 100 has three integrated rail levels for the mentioned hatches 140 and 150, as well as the transport trolley module 130. The trolley 130 and hatches 140, 150 can travel along the dedicated rails, in and out of the frame module 100, independent of each other.
The transport trolley module 130 is used to transport objects in and out of well centre. Typical objects transported on the transport trolley module are blow-out-preventer 270, riser 280, deck hatch, X-mas tree etc. See
The mentioned split hatch 140 is a set of two rectangular hatches, where each hatch has a semicircle slot, so that it can be closed around a riser section. See
The auxiliary hatch 150 travels in and out of well center to close the open hole in the deck 240 when the permanent hatch that is present in the deck 240 is removed. This creates a barrier for dropped objects towards lower deck. See
The jack module 170 can jack landing string or tubing up and down. Two slips segments in the jack 170 can grip on smooth tubing and actuators will move the upper jack segment 171 and landing string/tubing in the direction that is demanded by the operation.
The mentioned pipe manipulator module 160 can grip around pipe segments and transport them in/out of well center to/from the basket module 180. The pipe manipulator module 160 is arranged to move linearly along three axes in the module-based system 400.
The casing tong work deck module 120 has an integrated lifting device for a casing tong. The lifting device can move the casing tong in and out of well center, to make up or break out pipe joints.
The cutter work deck module 110 has an integrated movable frame for a tubing cutter. The cutter can move in and out of well center to cut the tubing into smaller segments when it is jacked up.
The lift module 210 has an integrated lifting device to handle objects, and to be used as foundation for wire line operation.
The usage of the module-based system 400 can be divided into different phases; well intervention, material handling of topside equipment, tubing retrieval, cementing, well abandonment.
In the well intervention phase the lifting module 210 is provided with an A-frame 290 used to perform wireline operations in the well separated from all other platform wireline systems.
Material handling of topside equipment uses the transport trolley module 130 and winch module 200 (dual secured winch) to lift the X-mas tree out from lower decks, lower risers 280 to the well head 190 and connect the blow-out-preventer 241 to the riser 280.
The jack module 170 is used in the tubing retrieval phase to jack tubing up or lower landing string down. The jack module 170 has a lower stationary jack segment 175, and upper movable jack segment 171 as shown in
The module-based system 400 further comprises a common and central control system for all modules 100, 110,120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200, 210 and functions so that said modules and functions are controlled by one system and with internal interlockings where needed.
The above described embodiments may be combined to form modified embodiments within the scope of the attached claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20201343 | Dec 2020 | NO | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/NO2021/050252 | 12/7/2021 | WO |